Soho Pride: A Soho Nights Story

Episode 30

Stuart kept looking at the door, waiting for his brother to come back. He hoped he wouldn't be too much longer, not only because they were nearly out tonic, but also because he needed and extra hand behind the bar. It was starting to get even busier. He glanced over the crowds of people and saw that a couple of his dealers were talking with clients.

'Yes mate,' he said to a guy in his early-thirties who was waiting patiently to be served.

The guy looked around to see if anyone was listening, then leaned over the bar. Stuart could tell immediately what he was after, so leaned in closer to him.

'I hear you might be able to help me out,' said the man.

'Sure thing,' said Stuart. 'What you after?'

'Coke,' said the man.

Stuart stood upright again and looked to see who was free. He raised his hand and one of his dealers came over.

'I'll leave the two of you to talk,' said Stuart.

'Cheers man,' said the guy.

The two of them disappeared into the back to do their business.

He served a couple of girls next, then moved on to another guy.

'Yes mate,' he said. He heard a crackling sound, then looked to see to the man was wearing an earpiece.

Shit!

'Stuart Hill,' said the man, 'I'm placing you under arrest for the sale of narcotics. I'd like you to come down the station for questioning.'

When Stuart looked out into the bar, he could see that many of his other 'customers' were undercover police officers and were searching other people on the bar.

The guy he'd previously served reappeared from the backroom with the dealer he'd fixed him up with on handcuffs.

This was bad. Really bad.

Stuart went peacefully, so didn't have to be cuffed. He was escorted out into the street and put into the back of an unmarked car. He was walking out of his bar, knowing that he'd probably never go back there again.

Just as he was getting into the back of the car, he saw Sam sitting on the wall across from the bar, smoking and smiling. He was the last person Stuart wanted to see him in this situation. But then it hit him. It was a coincidence that Sam was there. He knew it was going to happen. Sam had set him up.

Sam smiled and waved as Stuart disappeared into the back of the car. He was about to head back home, but then he got a message. It was from Milo.

Can we talk?

He dropped his cigarette on the floor and stabbed it on with the bottom of his sneaker, then typed back.

Sure. You in Soho?

❤🧡💛💚💙💜

Jack was so happy his dad was back home. He knew it was only for a few hours, but it was the longest time they'd spent together in months.

He'd told his father all about Oscar and the weekend they'd spent together. He'd cried on his shoulder and Miss Vivienne had told him how everything would be okay.

Jack didn't want to spend his father's homecoming in tears. Once he'd let it all out, he tried to pull himself together. He wanted the two of them to celebrate his father's success. He was no longer Miss Vivienne from Tramps bar. He now belonged to the world.

They opened a bottle of bubbly, then Jack asked him everything about his time in the competition, from the different challenges to what the other contestants had been like. He enjoyed watching his father speak so animatedly about his time away. For so long they'd lived in this little flat, living from month to month. Now there was a hundred thousand in the bank.