Background story for a main character

         Liam knew the kid's father, sure, but what did he want with a brat hanging around. He stood on the corner of the street, leaning up against the wall, smoking one of his last fags. The boy, Jamie, barely eight years old was skulking in a doorway a half block away. Where's his damn ma? Liam thought. Why isn't he in school or something? Didn't he have any friends? Liam looked at the small boy, wild black hair falling in his face, clothes too small, too old, too everything.
         "Jaysus," he said. "Come on if you're coming," and threw away his last bit of the fag. There'd be plenty of flack about the kid but his Da had been in the Brotherhood. That should shut them up.
          Liam had known his father Sean. They grew up together. Feckin' mess how Sean had died. No one expected that job to go bad like it had. Liam hadn't been there. Never would forgive himself for that. "Shite! Quit the bloody whining" he said to himself. Ever since then Jamie had found his way over to Liam's flat. He'd wait outside until Liam came out then would follow him, always at a distance. No matter where Liam went, how long he stayed in the pub, whatever, whenever he came out, there was the kid.
         The boy needed a man in his life and it looks like he had chosen Liam. If he was left to the streets, he would surely get into trouble. So having him tag along wasn't an awful idea. He just didn't know whether that the boy could be trusted. Kids being kids.
         They made it to Shaunessy's pub and the two of them walked through the dark, smoke filled room to a back room, where a burly group of men sat drinking around a table. Entering the room Liam motioned to the boy to go and sit over in the corner on a stack of old burlap sacks. "And keep your mouth shut," he said sternly. Liam joined the men at the table.
         One of them spoke up and said, "And who the hell is that?"
         "It's Sean Nolan's kid. He won't bother anyone." The men all looked at each other and then a round, red-faced man with a horse shoe ring of hair, nodded and said, "Let's get down to business." Two hours later, the group broke up and Liam found Jamie sound asleep on the sacks. He chuckled to himself. Christ if he didn't look the spittin' image of his Da. He bent down and hoisted the boy in his arms and walked out into the early evening air.


          "Jamie!" a young, thin woman called out the 3rd story window. "Jamie Nolan!"
          "He's down the street at Shaunessy's" yelled up Mrs. Pat from her spot on the front stoop of their tenement building."I saw him when I come back from the druggist. I'm telling you Mary, there's no good to come from him hanging about that Liam O'Malley."
          "I'll be thanking you for the information Mrs Pat but I'm sure I can take care of my own son."
         Mrs. Pat shrugged and returned her gaze to the street before her. Of course she knew that Mrs. Pat was right but she wasn't about to let the old busy body know that. Her husband had trusted Liam for all the good that had done him. Or her for that matter. Since Sean's death he barely saw Liam. Wasn't the Brotherhood supposed to take care of the family when one of them died? Well, you couldn't prove that by her. They had moved in with her family. Eight of them living in a 3 room flat. It was no wonder Jamie was out on the streets every chance he could get. She knew the boy missed his father, was why he followed Liam around like a puppy dog. Perhaps that's the best she could expect from Liam? it was time that Jamie went to school. And not this rundown school on the corner but off to St. Michael's. Maybe the nuns could teach him a thing or two, God knows she has not been able to.
          It was dark by the time Jamie came home that night. His mother had his supper waiting for him on the table. Of course now it was cold because he was so late. But he sat down and ate it all the same. While he did, his mother came and sat beside him. She put her hand on his arm and shook it till he looked up and their eyes met. "This has got to stop. You've got to go to school. You've got to learn more than what you can learn following Liam O'Malley. We're going tomorrow to talk to Father John and get you enrolled in St. Michael's. There's no talking about it." She squeezed his arm tightly. "You're going." And with that she stood up, wiped her hands on her apron and return to the work at the sink.
         Jamie's eyes followed her but then returned to his plate. Jamie knew his mother well enough that she had made up her mind and there'd be no changing it. St Michael's was in the next neighborhood. A bunch of snobs would be going there no doubt. This caused Jamie to furrow his brow. Liam would be missing him too, he was sure. He'd just have to find him after school, that's all. Or maybe after his Ma had some time, she'd forget she wanted the school so much and he could go back to the way it was. Or sneak out from school if there was no other way. Oh Jaysus!