EIGHTEEN

Jade felt a mixture of horror and guilt wash over her when Billie arrived home and excitedly told her that Danny couldn't wait to be a dad. The horror was because she was sure she wasn't wrong about Danny. The guilt was more to do with Terry. She felt that if he was looking down on her, she'd let him down dreadfully. She should and could have done more.

Over the course of the next week or so that followed, Jade could feel an awkwardness between herself and Billie, and guessed straight away that Danny had something to do with it. Billie had spent as little time as possible alone with Jade and Terry Junior. Things finally came to a head when Jade, who was becoming increasingly pissed off with the situation, pulled Billie to one side.

'What's your problem, Bill? You've been treating me like a complete stranger in my own bloody house and I'm sick of pussyfooting around you. Let's sort this out, eh? Just tell me what I've done to upset you.'

Billie burst into tears. Sobbing freely, she told Jade everything that Danny had said. Jade would have loved to shake Billie into next week. She needed to make her realise what a conniving little shit her fella really was, but instead, she said nothing. There was no point slagging Danny off, it would make the situation worse. Instead, she took a kind, sensible approach.

'Look, Bill, if you want to keep in touch with me it's entirely up to you. When I move I'll call you on the mobile and give you my new address and telephone number. What you do with it is entirely your decision, but I want you to know, I'll always be there for you if you need me.'

Billie looked affectionately at Jade. 'I want to keep in touch with you, but it will have to be in secret. I'll have to call you when Danny's not around.'

Jade smiled weakly. 'If that's what you want, Bill, that's fine by me. What are you going to do about your job? Have you thought about that at all?'

'Not really. I suppose I'll have to resign. I don't want anyone else bringing my baby up, I want to do it myself. Once he or she is old enough to go to school, I'll go back to work, even if it's only part-time.'

Jade had always thought that Billie was quite a bright girl, but now she realised just how naïve she really was. She was no more than a child herself, bless her. 'Have you told Danny that you're planning to give up work? How are you going to manage money-wise?'

Billie shrugged her shoulders. 'I haven't told him about my job yet, but I will. We haven't had a chance to make any plans yet, but we'll get by, plus I've got that money coming to me on my eighteenth.'

Jade unenthusiastically agreed with her. She'd done all she could to advise and help Billie and could do no more. 'If I was you, love, I'd get out and about this weekend and try and find yourself a nice little flat or something. I'll still lend you the money that I promised you. The estate agent rang me today and said they think they've sold this place, so I'm going up to Somerset at the weekend to see if I can find myself a property. The quicker you find yourself a place now the better, Billie, and then we can both move on and start our new lives.'

Billie nodded and decided to ask Carly if she would go flat hunting with her on Saturday. Danny was at work, and wouldn't be able to get the time off. Carly was the only other person that Billie had told about her unplanned pregnancy and although the girls didn't see as much of one another out of work as they once had, they were still very close.

Carly and Jamie's relationship had cooled off around about the same time Billie had found out she was pregnant and although Carly was gutted, she was glad Jamie still wanted to be friends with her. Luckily they hadn't become lovers, so there was nothing stopping them from being good mates. Carly secretly still held a torch for Jamie and hoped that one day they would maybe rekindle their romance.

Jamie had been really fond of Carly, but he knew he'd end up hurting her. He couldn't get over the way he felt about Billie Jo. From the first moment he'd set eyes on her, he'd wanted her more than anything else he'd ever wanted in his life, but Danny had then stepped in and that was that. When Danny told him that Billie was pregnant, Jamie felt like somebody had stuck a knife in his guts and twisted it round.

Unable to deal with his feelings and hating Danny more and more, Jamie jacked his job in on the stall. Danny treated girls like shit. Jamie knew for a fact that he was still shagging other birds, even though he was with Billie. He felt physically sick at the thought of Billie being pregnant with Danny's child. It broke his heart to see the two of them together and picturing them with a baby was even worse. Jamie would have treated Billie like an absolute queen if she'd been his. Instead she'd chosen Danny.

Well, that was life. He'd accepted his fate, but he certainly wasn't going to stick around to watch Danny fuck Billie's up. He'd end up killing him. He might be three years younger than Danny but he was no mug! A week after saying goodbye to the markets, Jamie landed himself a position as a junior in a money brokers in Liverpool Street.

'Fantastic prospects for the future,' said the guy who interviewed him. Jamie was determined to throw himself into his new job and forget all about Danny, Billie and the baby. A new start was just what he needed and he looked forward to being a big success.

Carly was more than happy to help Billie with her flat hunting and both girls spent their dinner hour poring over rented accommodation ads in the local paper. Billie was surprised at just how expensive the properties were in the areas she was interested in. She therefore started looking at less appealing areas which were more affordable. Jade had kept her promise and lent her money. After that she and Danny were on their own.

Danny had told Billie not to worry about money. 'Pick what flat you want, babe,' he told her. 'I earn all right off the stall and I've just started doing some other bits and bobs as well. I might even give the markets up soon. I can earn much more money doing other things.'

He was a bit evasive when Billie enquired exactly what other things he would be doing, so she left it at that. Danny always seemed to have plenty of money in his pocket and Billie trusted him implicitly. Her dad had always been evasive about money. At the end of the day, men were men. They were the breadwinners and best left to their own devices.

Billie arranged to view five flats which she believed were in her and Danny's price range. After the first three, she was beginning to wish she hadn't bothered. All she'd been shown so far were complete and utter shitholes. The fourth flat she viewed seemed like Buckingham Palace compared to the other three and as soon as she walked through the door, she decided there and then that she was going to take it.

The flat was in Chadwell Heath, which was just on the outskirts of Romford. Situated at the end of a quiet street, the flat was fully furnished, newly decorated and modern-looking. Being a ground-floor flat, there was also a little garden, with a couple of flower beds and a washing line. Billie paid the required deposit and advance rent and took the keys on the spot.

The following weekend, Billie had the horrendous task of saying her goodbyes to Jade and Terry Junior. Danny and one of his pals had already moved her stuff out in a battered old van during the course of the week. There wasn't that much at Jade's to move, as the majority of her possessions were still at her mother's.

Danny had assured her that he was going to pay Chelle a visit very shortly and get all of her belongings for her. 'I'll go and see your mother, Bill, and get all your stuff for you. She won't argue with me, you'll see.' Billie loved it when he spoke like that. He was so manly and reassuring.

Packing up her final few belongings, Billie put them into her big pink sports bag and walked down the stairs. Jade was going to take her to her flat and have a look around. Danny had already moved his own stuff in and tonight would be the first night they'd spend there together as a couple.

Jade was pleasantly surprised as she entered the flat. It was a pretty little place with a nice outlook.

'Right, I'd better make a move now, Billie,' she said putting her coffee cup on the glass table. 'Terry Junior's tired and I've got to start packing my own stuff.' Jade had found a nice little house near her parents and was moving in the following weekend.

Billie felt the tears forming in her eyes as Jade got up off the sofa. 'I wish you wasn't moving, Jade. You've been so good to me and I don't know what I'm going to do without you.'

Both girls hugged one another tightly. Jade was crying too. Now come on, Bill, you'll be fine. You've got my mobile number, and as soon as I get my new landline on, I'll text you the number, OK?'

'I've done what you said, Jade,' Billie said between sobs. 'I've put your number down under a different name, so Danny won't know we're still in contact. Whenever he's at work I can call for a chat. We won't lose contact, I promise.'

'Whenever you call me, Billie, don't worry about the cost. I'll ring you straight back. I think it's best if you contact me. I don't want to ring you at all, in case Danny's about. I don't want to cause you any grief.'

Billie picked up Terry Junior and held him tightly. Kissing him, she took in his scent. Her tears fell freely onto his dark curly hair. 'I wish I could come and visit you, Jade, but what with the baby on the way and the situation with you and Danny, I don't see how I'm going to get up to you.

Maybe in time, Danny will come round and allow me to visit and ring you.'

'Maybe he will, love,' Jade lied. She knew full well that the little shit Billie had got herself roped up with would do no such thing. Jade hated everything about Danny, she really did. He was one cocky little bastard. Last week he'd come round to the house to pick up some of Billie's stuff whilst she was at work. While he was there, Jade had overheard him bragging to his mate about some bird he'd recently shagged. It certainly wasn't Billie he was referring to, as he'd told his mate that the bird was in her forties.

He'd shut up when he heard Jade reach the top of the stairs, but it was too late, she'd already heard. The sad thing was, it hadn't really shocked her.

After saying their final farewells, Billie stood at the door and waved Jade off. She then ran into her bedroom, lay on her bed and sobbed her little heart out. She had to release all of her tears before Danny arrived home. He'd go apeshit if he came home and found out Jade had been there. She'd pretended that she was getting a cab, because he'd said he didn't want Jade knowing where they lived. She hadn't dared tell him it was Jade's money that had got them the bloody flat in the first place. She'd pretended that the money had been lying dormant in her building society, and that her dad had put it in there before he died.

Jade pulled up onto her drive, took Terry Junior out of his baby seat and let herself indoors. She still had tears rolling down her face as she poured herself a glass of wine and sat down on the sofa. She was going to miss Billie Jo so much and the thought of not seeing her for ages was unbearable. Apart from Terry Junior, Billie was her last and only link with Terry.

After a while she looked into her mirror. Her mascara was all over the place. Topping up her wine glass, she said a little prayer. She wasn't particularly religious, especially after the bad luck she'd had so far in life, but she wasn't praying for herself, she was praying for Billie Jo.

'Please, God, take care of that girl,' she said quietly. 'Look after her and her baby, and keep her out of harm's way.' Jade had never known anyone so young to experience such bad luck. A drunken mother who couldn't give a shit about her. A wonderful father cruelly taken away. A no-good flash little shit called Danny entering her life and then, to top it all, getting up the duff the first time the poor little sweetheart decided to have sex. Jade sank the remainder of the wine in her glass and crawled into bed. She never got drunk, but tonight she'd bloody well needed to.

Lying in the dark, she couldn't get Billie Jo out of her mind. She had a strong feeling within her that Billie's run of bad luck was about to get a whole lot worse. Call it a gut feeling, call it what you like, but Jade knew she was right, she could feel it in her bones.

In life some people are born with luck. Others are forced to make their own. Billie Jo had a long road ahead of her. Only time would dictate the exact distance.