Chapter 4
The sound of the door slamming forced Frank out of his thoughts and a familiar rush of feet thundered up the stairs to the flat.
“Hi, Dad,” Joe said before disappearing into his room. Maria shouted from the stairwell. “I need a hand here.”
“Joe, help your mother, don’t just disappear like that.” Frank put his newspaper aside and reluctantly got up from the sofa.
“Why don’t you do it? You haven’t done much today,” shouted Joe from his room.
“Hey, less of that! Come and help your mother now!” Frank’s authoritative loud tone boomed through the hallway and soon, a reluctant footfall followed Frank as they went back down the stairs to the front door. Frank gave Maria a peck on the lips, bent down and picked up Zak from next to his mother and a pile of shopping bags.
“Hey, big ma
