There’d been nothing major arranged in either camp. The boys were meeting locally, probably going on a pub crawl and ending up God knows where. The girls were more civilised; they’d booked a Greek restaurant and were looking forward to a meal, some plate-smashing and a disco.

‘Cor, you look fuckin’ gorgeous. Keep away from them waiters, or I’ll have to come down there and knock ’em all out,’ James joked, as Maria made her grand entrance into the lounge.

She’d chosen a long red dress for her special night and looked a million dollars. Seeing James looking handsome in his black suit, Maria punched his arm.

‘Don’t worry about me, you worry about yourself. If I find out you’ve even set foot in a strip club, I’ll have your guts for garters.’

James grabbed her and swung her around. ‘There’s only one bird I wanna look at naked and I can’t wait to marry her.’

Maria laughed. ‘Put me down, you’ll crease me dress.’

James kissed her gently. ‘We ready to make tracks?’

Maria nodded. It may have been their so-called last night of freedom, but they were still sharing a cab.

The girls were meeting in The Duchess, the boys in the Horn of Plenty. The pubs were virtually in spitting distance of each other, so it made sense to travel together.

James ordered the driver to drop Maria off first.

‘Have a wonderful night, darling. I won’t be too late, I’ll see yer later.’

‘Behave yourself and try and steer clear of anywhere Tommy and Freddie wanna drag you off to,’ Maria told him.

James waved her goodbye and got the driver to spin around and drop him over the road.

‘Here he is, the condemned man,’ Tommy shouted, thrusting a glass of champagne towards him.

James greeted his friends and family. About a dozen of his old school pals had turned up, and even Harold and his uncle Kenny were there.

‘What’s the plan? Where we going after here? We going on a pub crawl?’ he asked his brother.

Tommy handed him a pint glass. ‘It’s a surprise, Jimmy boy, now get this down your neck.’

James gagged as he drank the foul-tasting drink. Christ knows what was in it, but he felt it go straight to his head. Tommy laughed. His plan was to get his brother well and truly plastered, and by the look of him, it was going to be easy.

‘Ain’t you got any last-minute doubts or nerves?’ asked her cousin Coleen.

Maria had never liked Coleen. She was a jealous bitch. Maria shook her head, ‘None whatsoever. James is the love of my life, and I can’t wait to marry him.’

‘Get me a bucket, will yer?’ Coleen said nastily.

The sarcastic banter continued as dinner was served. As Ethel’s plate was put in front of her, she looked at it in horror. Poking about with her fork, she opted for her loudest tone. ‘What’s this shit? It looks more like dog than fuckin’ lamb!’

The look of disbelief on the waiters’ faces made the table rock with laughter.

‘Hi, Jimmy boy, I have a big surprise for you.’

James looked at the big bird standing in front of him. He was sure he didn’t know her, she was tarty-looking and old. Wondering if it was one of his mum’s friends, he smiled at her.

‘Do I know you from somewhere?’

‘You don’t, but you’re never gonna forget me, lovey.’

Releasing her gigantic breasts from under her jacket, Juicy Julie whacked them straight in his face. As the pub erupted in laughter, James could barely breathe. Embarrassed beyond belief, he had no choice other than to join in with her antics. He’d have his brother for this – he’d fucking kill him.

‘Oi vei! Look at her tuchis, James!’ Harold exclaimed as Juicy Julie bent over.

Tommy and Freddie egged her on.

‘Get his clothes off, grab his cock, make him suck your tits,’ they yelled.

By this time, apart from a silver necklace, Juicy Julie was totally naked. James glanced down as she rubbed his hand around her nether regions. Her noony felt horrible, like a pig with its throat cut.

The fun came to an end when she pulled down his trousers and got his cock out. Seeing the look of horror on his nephew’s face, uncle Kenny stepped in and rescued him.

‘Enough’s enough, come on. Thanks, love,’ he said to Juicy Julie, as he led James away.

‘What’s a matter with yer? Yer boring cunt,’ Tommy yelled.

Kenny shot him a look. He could see that Tommy was well pissed and probably beyond reasoning with. Ignoring him, he helped James get dressed.

‘Are you OK?’

James smiled. ‘I am now and thanks for that.’

Annoyed with Kenny’s interference, Tommy decided it was time to move on. Ordering some cabs, he grabbed James to one side.

‘We’re going to a nightclub now. Surely you ain’t got the hump? It was only a joke.’

James hugged him. ‘Of course I ain’t got the hump. I dunno if I fancy clubbing though, I may just stay here for a bit. You go, Tom, and I’ll stay with Kenny and Harold.’

Tommy shook his head, ‘Don’t be a boring cunt, Jimmy boy. I know Maria’s got you under the thumb but, fuck me, you’re entitled to go out and enjoy yourself on your stag night.’

Feeling belittled, James tried to argue his way out of it.

‘It’s nothing to do with Maria. I just feel a bit pissed that’s all.’

Tommy spoke with contempt. ‘What are you? A man or a fucking mouse? It’s your stag night, you’re meant to be pissed.’

Desperate not to look a wimp, James smiled. ‘All right, I’ll come.’

Tommy smirked. His little brother always danced to his tune, had done ever since he was a baby.

‘Whoaa!’ she screamed as she grabbed his arse.

Maureen, Maria and the rest of the table were in hysterics at her antics. When she lifted her skirt up, showed her bloomers and tried to teach him the can-can, they nearly wet themselves.

Maureen nudged Maria, ‘She’ll regret this tomorrow. I bet she’s that stiff, she won’t be able to move for a week.’

Maria giggled. The hen night had been a fantastic success and she’d enjoyed every minute of it. She adored James’s mum and gran and, coming from a small family herself, it was wonderful to be a part of something bigger. Seeing her mum yawn, she glanced at her watch. Talk about time flies when you’re enjoying yourself, it was half past bloody one! Debating whether to order some cabs, she thought about James. With a bit of luck, he’d be home when she got there.

As the waiter walked towards her with six bottles of champagne, Maria thought there was some mistake.

‘We haven’t ordered those – we’re going in a minute,’ she said.

The waiter shook his head. ‘You must stay. A man telephone us, he buy these for you, he say a gift for Maria from Tommy Hutton.’

Maureen smiled. He might be a bastard at times, her eldest, but he had a heart of gold. ‘Ain’t that thoughtful of him, Maria?’ she said.

Maria felt sick. The bastard was miles away, yet he’d still managed to spoil her evening. The worst thing was, she knew he’d done it on purpose.

He thought of his phone call to the restaurant and smiled. He’d done it to piss Maria off, and it was worth the money the champagne had cost to imagine the sickly smile wiped off her face.

Noticing a little blonde bird eyeing him up, he smiled at her. She looked up for it, and if there was nothing better about, it might be her lucky night. Deciding to make his way towards her, he was stopped in his tracks by a foreign-looking bloke who looked vaguely familiar.

‘Tommy Hutton. Long time no see.’

Racking his brains, Tommy was sure he knew him, but couldn’t place him.

‘Mustapha Osman. We were in the Ville together.’

As the penny dropped, Tommy hugged him. Mustapha had been a weedy little kid on the inside, but now he looked a million dollars.

‘Fucking hell, you ain’t half changed. I would never have recognised yer.’

Mustapha grabbed his arm. ‘I’m part-owner of this club. I’ll get us some champagne and we’ll go in the VIP lounge.’

Tommy was well impressed. Mustapha couldn’t have been thirty and he part-owned this fucking joint. He looked the part as well. His suit, shirt, watch, his aftershave; he had pure wealth stamped all over him.

Sitting alone in a cubicle, they caught up on old times.

‘So what you up to now?’ Mustapha asked him.

Knowing his friend was one of his own, Tommy was coy but truthful. He excluded details, but explained he imported cannabis and was doing all right out of it.

Seeing people falling over themselves to say hello to Mustapha and shake his hand, Tommy couldn’t believe this was the same little squirt he’d been inside with. Impressed wasn’t the word, and he was desperate to know what had happened to him.

‘Come on, then, you know my story. Spill the beans: how did yer get all this?’

Mustapha laughed, ‘I’ll tell you later,’ he said, as some dark-haired beauty sidled towards him. ‘Camellia, go and get Roxanne and you can both join us.’

As the two stunners sat at the table, Mustapha introduced them, ‘Camellia, Roxanne, this is a very good friend of mine, Tommy, and tonight we’re all gonna have some fun.’

As the girls giggled, Tommy winked at them. Now this was what you called a fucking good night out!

James picked his beer up. ‘He’s probably pulled some bird. Come on, we’ll have a walk round, see if we can find him.’

After walking around for ten minutes, Freddie spotted Tommy through the glass in the VIP lounge.

‘I need to see me mate, I won’t be a sec,’ he told the doorman.

The doorman shook his head. ‘No pass, no entry.’

Freddie was annoyed. He hated fucking doormen at the best of times, and this fat foreign prick thought he was Rambo. Agitated, he stood his ground.

‘Look, I’m his business partner, this is his brother, and we ain’t leaving here till we fuckin’ speak to him.’

Seeing that Freddie meant business, the doorman ordered someone to go and tell Tommy he was wanted.

Seeing his pal walk towards him, Freddie craned his neck. ‘What yer doing in there? Who you with?’

Tommy grinned. ‘An old pal I was in nick with.’

Freddie peered through the glass. ‘Do I know him?’

‘No, you don’t,’ Tommy replied.

Seeing James stagger backwards, Freddie grabbed hold of him. ‘Me and him are fucked, Tom. It’s three o’clock – you coming with us?’

Tommy shook his head. ‘I’m gonna stay here with me mate. I’ll bell yer tomorrow.’

Freddie said goodbye and led James out of the club. It was unlike Tommy to be evasive with him, but he’d certainly been cagey about the friend he was with. Spotting a black cab, he flagged it down.

‘Bethnal Green and Hainault, mate.’

Noticing James swaying, the driver was dubious. ‘He ain’t gonna chuck up on me, is he, mate?’

Freddie shook his head. ‘It’s his stag night; he’s only going to Bethnal Green. He’ll be fine, I promise yer.’

The cold air had knocked James senseless. Dragging him up the stairs, Freddie unlocked the other door.

‘I’ve got your fiancée here, Maria,’ he shouted.

Throwing her dressing gown around her, Maria went to help out. She didn’t care that he was drunk, as long as he was home.

‘The bleedin’ state of him! How many’s he had?’ she joked.

Freddie grinned. ‘He’s been as good as gold. He’s been standing with me at the bar singing your praises all night and, apart from a roly-poly strippergram, he ain’t as much as looked at one other bird.’

Ordering Freddie to chuck him on the bed, Maria thanked him, said goodbye and snuggled up to her fiancé. Thank God he was home in one piece.

Ordering the girls to make themselves scarce, Mustapha sat down opposite him. ‘You enjoying yourself, Tommy?’

Blown away by it all, Tommy threw his arms across the back of the leather sofa. ‘I’m curious, Mustapha. How the fuck did you come out the Ville and get all this?’

Mustapha leaned his elbows on the table. ‘You can have what I’ve got, Tommy. I’m always looking for sensible business associates. Do you want what I’ve got? Do you wanna earn lots of wonga?’

Tommy sighed. ‘You bet I do. What am I gonna be doing, then? What’s the magic word?’

Mustapha smiled. ‘Heroin, Tommy. The magic word is heroin!’