that was missing one knife, and finally went through another pass-card operated door that led into the large circular room that was the main heart of the club.
It was brighter in here, the many overhead lights blasting out thousands of watts of illumination. Although Twilight was the city’s most popular club, the fixtures and fittings looked tatty in the light. You could see every rip and stain on every seat and where paint and plaster had been scraped and chipped from the walls. The marks on the dance-floor where it had been dented by thousands of heels over the years stood out for all to see. No wonder nightclubs were always dark inside, and Riley knew that by eight tonight, when the party started, Twilight would be the same, the overhead lights replaced by the softer wall lights that would hide the club’s many signs of wear and tear.
On the other side of the dance floor that dominated the centre of the room, three women were hanging banners and balloons and blown-up photographs. One of the women Riley and Purvis knew well. The other two were Nash’s sisters and they’d only met them a handful of times. Nash wasn’t close to any of his relatives but they’d all been invited tonight as the occasion was the highlight of the year. On the DJ’s platform, two men were connecting up speakers and a turntable for the entertainment later. Across from them, the buffet table had already been set and the odour of party food mixed with the scent of floor cleaner and furniture polish lingered. On the wall behind the buffet table, in large coloured letters, was a sign which read:
HAPPY 21 st MICHAEL JUNIOR
Riley and Purvis made it halfway across the dance floor when a small voice made them stop.
“ Uncky Dywan! Uncky Dywan!”
The little girl carrying the balloon ran up to them. Purvis, his face lit with joy, scooped her up and planted a loud kiss on her cheek.
Wendy giggled. She was Nash’s second child (on paper only, Riley knew) and was already dressed in her pink outfit for tonight and her blonde hair was tied in short pigtails. She had just turned two, had not long started talking and was still having problems with L’s and R’s. Although Riley sometimes struggled to understand her, he was sure he’d never heard a cuter voice in all his life. To her, Purvis was uncky Dywan and was the only one of Nash’s men who Wendy referred to as ‘uncle’. It was a pity the truth wasn’t known as it would be easier for Wendy to pronounce the word ‘dad’.
“What have you been doing, Sweety?” Purvis asked her, pointing to the balloon.
“Hewping Mum.” Wendy pointed to one of the women who was hanging balloons. The one with the blonde hair and slim figure accentuated by the burgundy dress.
Sandra Wade had been in a relationship with Nash for four years but still went by her maiden name as marriage had never been on the cards. She was a stunning looking woman of thirty-six, five years younger than Nash. Tonight, in front of the other guests, they would act as if their relationship was solid. In private, however, Riley knew that cracks bigger than the ones in Twilight’s walls had appeared in their relationship even before Wendy came along out of the blue.
Riley noticed Purvis staring over at Sandra as he held Wendy. Then Sandra, as if sensing eyes on her, looked over her shoulder. She smiled at him, the longing in her eyes giving away her most guarded secret. The look was blatantly the way a mother would stare lovingly at her beautiful child with her loving father; a caring, sentimental and far away gaze.
She quickly looked away and continued decorating the room for the party as one of Nash’s sisters struck up a conversation with her.
“Uncky Dywan. Party?” Wendy asked Purvis, snapping him from his trance.
“Am I going to the party tonight? I am, Sweety.” He kissed her head again and tugged at one of her pigtails for fun. Wendy laughed and buried her head into his shoulder. “We just have to
It was brighter in here, the many overhead lights blasting out thousands of watts of illumination. Although Twilight was the city’s most popular club, the fixtures and fittings looked tatty in the light. You could see every rip and stain on every seat and where paint and plaster had been scraped and chipped from the walls. The marks on the dance-floor where it had been dented by thousands of heels over the years stood out for all to see. No wonder nightclubs were always dark inside, and Riley knew that by eight tonight, when the party started, Twilight would be the same, the overhead lights replaced by the softer wall lights that would hide the club’s many signs of wear and tear.
On the other side of the dance floor that dominated the centre of the room, three women were hanging banners and balloons and blown-up photographs. One of the women Riley and Purvis knew well. The other two were Nash’s sisters and they’d only met them a handful of times. Nash wasn’t close to any of his relatives but they’d all been invited tonight as the occasion was the highlight of the year. On the DJ’s platform, two men were connecting up speakers and a turntable for the entertainment later. Across from them, the buffet table had already been set and the odour of party food mixed with the scent of floor cleaner and furniture polish lingered. On the wall behind the buffet table, in large coloured letters, was a sign which read:
HAPPY 21 st MICHAEL JUNIOR
Riley and Purvis made it halfway across the dance floor when a small voice made them stop.
“ Uncky Dywan! Uncky Dywan!”
The little girl carrying the balloon ran up to them. Purvis, his face lit with joy, scooped her up and planted a loud kiss on her cheek.
Wendy giggled. She was Nash’s second child (on paper only, Riley knew) and was already dressed in her pink outfit for tonight and her blonde hair was tied in short pigtails. She had just turned two, had not long started talking and was still having problems with L’s and R’s. Although Riley sometimes struggled to understand her, he was sure he’d never heard a cuter voice in all his life. To her, Purvis was uncky Dywan and was the only one of Nash’s men who Wendy referred to as ‘uncle’. It was a pity the truth wasn’t known as it would be easier for Wendy to pronounce the word ‘dad’.
“What have you been doing, Sweety?” Purvis asked her, pointing to the balloon.
“Hewping Mum.” Wendy pointed to one of the women who was hanging balloons. The one with the blonde hair and slim figure accentuated by the burgundy dress.
Sandra Wade had been in a relationship with Nash for four years but still went by her maiden name as marriage had never been on the cards. She was a stunning looking woman of thirty-six, five years younger than Nash. Tonight, in front of the other guests, they would act as if their relationship was solid. In private, however, Riley knew that cracks bigger than the ones in Twilight’s walls had appeared in their relationship even before Wendy came along out of the blue.
Riley noticed Purvis staring over at Sandra as he held Wendy. Then Sandra, as if sensing eyes on her, looked over her shoulder. She smiled at him, the longing in her eyes giving away her most guarded secret. The look was blatantly the way a mother would stare lovingly at her beautiful child with her loving father; a caring, sentimental and far away gaze.
She quickly looked away and continued decorating the room for the party as one of Nash’s sisters struck up a conversation with her.
“Uncky Dywan. Party?” Wendy asked Purvis, snapping him from his trance.
“Am I going to the party tonight? I am, Sweety.” He kissed her head again and tugged at one of her pigtails for fun. Wendy laughed and buried her head into his shoulder. “We just have to
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