Dec stared at Mike for a few moments,trying to process what he'd just heard.

"What?" He managed to mutter.

"I'm really sorry" Mike frowned "I know this must be a terrible shock for you"

"Betty's dead?" Dec asked,with tears now forming in his eyes "she can't be,it must have been someone else"

"No" Mike said firmly "it wasn't,it was definitely Betty,I'd got to know her pretty well leading up to her death"

"Wh...what happened?" Dec stuttered.

"She was found by a bin" Mike stated "over there"

He pointed to the bin,it was right next to the spot where Dec used to sleep.

"No one is sure what happened" Mike continued "heart attack probably,it wouldn't have been hypothermia or anything like that I don't think,as it wasn't particularly cold anymore"

Dec listened on intently,still in disbelief at what he was hearing.

"Didn't anyone try to save her?" Dec asked "do CPR or something?"

"It was too late for that" Mike replied sadly "it was obvious she had been dead for some time,I guess people just thought she was asleep,until someone actually checked on her and by then..."

Mike suddenly trailed off.

"What?" Dec asked.

"By then" Mike repeated "um...you know...apparently rigamortis had already begun to set in,or so I was told"

That statement actually made Dec feel quite sick.

"Where were you?" Dec asked almost accusingly.

"Asleep" Mike shrugged "then went off for a walk early in the morning,then when I got back an ambulance was there and the paramedics were dealing with her...I saw her body,it's not a sight I'll ever be able to forget and it scared the hell out of me,that could be me one day"

"Where did they take her?" Dec asked "where is she buried?"

"No idea" Mike shrugged "but as she was homeless,I assume she had a council burial or cremation,probably in an unmarked grave somewhere"

"Poor Betty" Dec replied sadly "did she ever talk about me?"

"Yeah" Mike smiled "she talked about you a lot,she thought you were great"

"Oh" Dec looked down at Isla,who was still clinging on to his hand.

The guilt was now hitting him like a ton of bricks.

How could he have forgotten about her?

This wonderful,sweet,kind lady,who thought the world of him and would often give him her last crust of bread.

He was so selfish,he thought to himself,all he'd thought about over the last few months was himself and his life and how he had suffered,barely a thought for Betty or all the others like her while he had been living in this amazing house and getting on with his life and that realisation was just too much to bear.

"I've got to go" he suddenly announced and thrust the meal he'd bought for Betty into Mike's hands,walking off as fast as he could manage amongst the crowds,with Isla trying desperately to keep up with his pace.

"Daddy wait" she pleaded.

"Hurry up" he snapped at her.

"No Daddy" Isla yanked her hand out of his "too fast"

Dec stopped and took a deep breath.

"Ok,sweetheart" he smiled sadly "I'm sorry,we just need to get home ok?"

"No Daddy" Isla retorted stubbornly "let's go to the toy shop"

"Listen" Dec knelt down to her level "something has come up and we need to go home ok?we can go to the toy shop another day,I promise"

"NO,NOW" Isla shouted and stamped her feet angrily and Dec knew this was very likely to develop into a full blown tantrum,but there was no way he could face traipsing around the crowded shops after the news he'd just received,Isla would just have to deal with it.

"NO" Dec practically shouted "we're going home"

He quickly hailed a black cab,deciding that that was a much better option than the tube,at least then it was only one driver who would have to tolerate her wailing,rather than a whole carriage full of people.

Dec bundled his screaming daughter into the car,apologising profusely to the driver about the noise,before giving his address.

Dec was grateful once they pulled up outside the house,with Isla still screaming at the top of her lungs.

Dec gave the driver a very generous tip,feeling that he more than deserved it after what he'd had to tolerate on the journey.

Dec finally got his daughter inside,placing her down onto the sofa,where her tantrum was still showing no sign of subsiding.

Dec stared at her bewildered.

"Ok" he said,trying to hold his own tears back "you can scream as much as you like,knock yourself out,but I don't want to hear it,so I'm going into the garden until you calm down"

Dec knew this was the best plan as he could feel himself getting angry.

Not that he'd ever cause his daughter any harm of course,but he didn't want to risk getting even more annoyed with her and say or do something he would regret and at that precise moment,he was finding it hard to think straight.

He was very upset about Betty and hadn't actually had a chance to properly process the information yet and Isla's tantrum seemed like the last straw and was very likely to push him over the edge.

"Ant" he stated surprised,when his friend emerged from one of the kennels at the bottom of the garden "I didn't know you were here,I thought you were out walking the dogs?"

"The morning ones are done" Ant smiled "and I've got a good half an hour before I have to pick up the afternoon ones,so was just poop scooping the kennels and spending some time with our boarders there"

He nodded over to the kennels,where a small poodle was pressed against the inside of one of the doors,trying desperately to get his attention.

"I'll be there in a minute Monty" Ant laughed,then looked back at Dec,noticing his red eyes.

"Dec,what's wrong?" He asked "and why is Isla screaming,what happened?why are you back already?I thought you'd be out all day?"

Dec shook his head tearfully,not being able to bring himself to answer Ant's questions.

"I'll go and deal with Isla" Ant offered "then we can talk,ok?"

Ant made his way back into the house,while Dec went over to Monty,more to soothe himself rather than the dog.

"Hi Monty" he whispered and buried his tear stained face into Monty's curly hair.

"Hey" Ant said as he picked Isla up and placed her down on his lap,wrapping his arms around her "what's going on here eh?that's a lot of noise for a little person"

"Don't like Daddy" she announced stroppily,between bouts of sobbing.

"Well,I know that's not true" Ant replied while gently rocking her back and forth.

"It is true" she stated stubbornly.

"So what's your poor old dad done to upset you this time?" Ant asked.

"Want to go to the toy shop" Isla wailed loudly.

"Shh shh" Ant comforted "you didn't go to the toy shop?"

"No" Isla replied.

Ant was confused,visiting the toy shops had been one of the main things Dec had wanted to do with Isla,but now here they were,back at home,way earlier than expected,with both of them upset,Ant just couldn't fathom out what had happened.

"It's ok sweetheart" Ant cooed "you'll get to go to the toy shop very soon,I promise,now if you try to calm down a little bit,then you can watch some television if you like...as a special treat"

"Peppa pig?" Isla asked hopefully.

"If you like" Ant laughed,while drying her tears with a tissue "and maybe I might be able to find you some sweeties from the magic cupboard,would you like that?"

"Yes,uncle Ant" Isla beamed,soon forgetting her tantrum.

"Here we go" Ant smiled when he brought a small packet of chocolate buttons back from the cupboard and turned the TV on "that'll keep you happy while I go and talk to your dad,ok?"

Isla ignored him as she was already engrossed in her programme,so Ant kissed her on the head and made his way back into the garden.

"She's fine now" Ant smiled "watching Peppa pig"

"Good" Dec nodded,as he came out from Monty's kennel "thanks Ant"

"Come and sit down" Ant beckoned,patting the bench he had already made himself comfortable on.

Dec sat down with a heavy sigh,knowing Ant would want to know what had happened,but he wasn't sure he could face telling him.

"Soooooo?" Ant looked at Dec.

"So what?" Dec asked,feigning ignorance.

"Don't play stupid with me Declan" Ant snapped "you wanna tell me what's going on?"

Dec just shrugged his shoulders,desperately trying to keep the tears in.

He felt that he probably cried too often,especially in front of Ant,but in this case,the guilt he was also feeling,made him not want to talk about Betty ever again.

But Ant wasn't going to let it go that easily.

"I can sit here for as long as it takes" Ant pointed out "until you tell me what's on your mind"

"Well,you can't actually" Dec replied "you've got dogs to walk"

"They can wait" Ant announced.

"Not very professional" Dec muttered.

"Don't you worry about that" Ant replied "a couple of phone calls and it's sorted...now what the hell has happened to cause this amount of upset to both you and your daughter?"

"Well,she's just having a tantrum" Dec shrugged "kids do that ya know?"

"Yeah,I do know" Ant nodded "and it's apparently because you wouldn't take her to the toy shop...why not?I thought you were looking forward to it?"

"I was" Dec whispered.

"So what happened?" Ant pushed for answers,as Dec tried and failed to discreetly wipe a tear away that was rolling down his cheek.

"Come on Dec" Ant cajoled "whatever happened,I might be able to help"

"You can't" Dec stated bluntly "no one can"

"Dec,just tell me" Ant stated impatiently.

He was starting to get slightly annoyed now.

Dec had been fine this morning,Ant thought to himself,he was really happy and looking forward to the day ahead.

He had it all planned out,visit Betty,take Isla for lunch,then go shopping.

"Did you see Betty?" Ant asked "how is she?"

That was all it took for Dec to completely lose control as a waterfall of tears cascaded down his cheeks,burying his face in his hands while desperate,heavy sobs caused his whole body to tremble.

Ant immediately pulled Dec into his arms and held him tightly as he wept.

"Declan" he said softly "has something happened to Betty?"

"She...she's dead" Dec mumbled into Ant's T shirt.

Ant held Dec even tighter,knowing how much this news would devastate Dec.

"Oh God" he whispered "I'm so sorry,do you want to tell me what happened?"

Dec sat up and wiped his face on his sleeve.

"I don't know what happened" he stated "she was just found dead a couple of months ago apparently,near to the spot where I used to sleep"

"Poor Betty" Ant replied,while still keeping a firm arm around Dec "hopefully she didn't suffer and went peacefully"

"That's not the point though is it?" Dec snapped.

"Isn't it?" Ant asked confused "what is then?"

"The point is" Dec sighed "is that I'm a horrible person"

"Well,I know that's not true" Ant smiled gently "whatever gave you that idea?"

"Look at me Ant" Dec replied almost angrily "living in this lovely house with my life now going so well and all this time I couldn't be bothered to visit this lovely old lady who cared about me so much,I promised her I'd come back and see her,but I just couldn't be arsed,that in my mind makes me a horrible person"

"Well,your mind is wrong then" Ant stated seriously.

"The guy I talked to doesn't even know where she's buried" Dec frowned,ignoring Ant's comment "probably in a paupers grave somewhere"

"Dec,you can't beat yourself up about this" Ant replied "you weren't to know this would happen,it's just one of those things that happen in life,of course it's terribly sad,but you can't blame yourself and it doesn't make you a bad person"

"YES IT DOES" Dec shouted,causing Monty to bark curiously.

With that,Dec suddenly got to his feet and ran back into the house,with Ant hurrying behind him.

"Dec,come back" he begged "where are you going?"

"LEAVE ME ALONE" Dec shouted,before slamming out of the front door.

Ant could only watch on through the window as Dec disappeared down the road as Isla stayed engrossed in her programme.

Now what was he to do?

He obviously couldn't leave Isla alone and he had dogs to walk soon,but he hated the thought of Dec traipsing the streets in his distraught state,but even if Ant did go after him,he had no idea where he'd gone.

He shook his head despairingly,not knowing what to do for the best.

"Shit" was just about the only suitable word he could manage to muster up!