said Jimmy Rabbitte Sr. He said it loudly. —You heard me, said Sharon. Jimmy Jr was upstairs in the boys’ room doing his D.J. practice. Darren was in the front room watching Police Academy II on the video. Les was out. Tracy and Linda, the twins, were in the front room annoying Darren. Veronica, Mrs Rabbitte, was sitting opposite Jimmy Sr at the kitchen table. Sharon was pregnant and she’d just told her father that she thought she was. She’d told her mother earlier, before the dinner. —Oh —my Jaysis, said Jimmy Sr. He looked at Veronica. She looked tired. He looked at Sharon again. —That’s shockin’, he said. Sharon said nothing. —Are yeh sure? said Jimmy Sr. —Yeah. Sort of. —Wha’? —Yeah. Jimmy Sr wasn’t angry. He probably wouldn’t be either, but it all seemed very unfair. —You’re only nineteen, he said. —I’m twenty. —You’re only twenty. —I know what age I am, Daddy. —Now, there’s no need to be gettin’ snotty, said Jimmy Sr. —Sorry, said Sharon.
