𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒊𝒓𝒆 » 𝐀. 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒

❝𝒊𝒊𝒊.❞

𝐞𝐬𝐭. 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐡𝐚𝐦. 𝟏𝟗𝟐𝟏

Nora was back in Birmingham for the reopening of the Garrison, with Ada & Karl by her side. Thomas had of course recruited Ada to speak to Polly about easing up on him. Nora was once in awe of Thomas' manipulative tactics but once she realized that she herself wasn't exempt from falling victim to his antics, she couldn't be around him. She gave him unconditional loyalty, putting his wishes above her morals. His utter refusal to give her the bullet needed to finish her vendetta hurt just as much as the first time she asked. She was sick of doing his bidding and the one thing she asks for, she wouldn't have.

She told herself after this trip Birmingham would have to be on the back burner of her mind. Birmingham was her past, London was her present and future. What she had built was separate from Shelby and Peaky business and it would stay that way. She would drop Birmingham and Peakys in a heartbeat but her mother was...her saving grace. She couldn't in her right conscious mind turn a blind eye to Elizabeth Gray.

Ada and Nora walked down the street with the brazen music from the bar waving through the streets. "Are you gonna be alright in there?" Ada asks. Nora brushes off the question, "Oh come on, I can deal with the Shelbys. I'm just mad Thomas dragged you into this. Thinks he can make it better by purchasing a home. He keeps dragging us into his issues." "It's Polly, Nora. It's your mum." Nora sighs, "It's the only reason why I'm here."

They strut into brand new bar. She had to give it to her cousin, he had beautiful taste. The Garrison looks grand...it actually reminded her of the opalite...a lot. So much so, it was clear it was a rip off of the opalite. "Fucking Thomas-

"What, what is it?" "Look around Ada! This is the opalite! He must have surveilled the place when I wasn't there I- " "Ada, Nora my girls, you're here!" Polly approached the girls and hugged them tightly. "Hi, mum." Nora took in her scent; her mother was clearly inebriated and high. She was going through a lot...time and Thomas has not been kind to her. "Oh why don't you girls reconsider about coming home, eh?"

"Hello Ada, Nora." Thomas approaches and Polly snorts and scurries away. He takes a gander at the place, "Well what do you think?"

"It looks very familiar," Nora snaps growling. "You used the same decorators I did and I know it isn't a coincidence." "Maybe we just have similar tastes, eh Nora?" Polly's obnoxious laughters cuts off their train of conversation, Nora growing even more concerned for her mother. Ada turns to her brother as Nora takes Karl, "So what do you want me to say to her?"

Nora tunes them out as John and Arthur come to greet her. Esme takes Karl off her hands as she finds herself a drink and conversation with Lizzie. By the end of the night, she was ready to escort her mother home. Her eyes wandered, she couldn't find her. She approaches a group of lads outside the Garrison doors.

"Excuse me lads, any of you seen my mum?" The men snickered as Nora's eyes darkened with rage. "The fuck's so funny? I believe I asked a question." The men shaped up as they were rendered silent.

"She left with a young lad about ten minutes ago, Ms. Gray." Nora shot glances at the other men before walking to her mother's house. She uses her spare key to open the door and settles in for the night, staying awake in wait for her mother.

next morning.

a light knock on the door wakes nora up. she had drifted off to sleep. "mum?" she looks around the house to avail looking for her. the doors knocks echo down the hallway before she opens the door lightly, peaking her head through the crack.

"what?"

"i'm sorry miss. i'm looking for elizabeth gray. i was told she lives here."

Nora pauses before swinging the door wide open and crossing her arms. "The fuck you want with my mum?" "You...she's your...she's your mum?" Nora looked the young boy up and down and scoffed, "You mustn't be from Small Heath..." her voice lingers as she looks the boy up and down and starts taking him in. "Oh my God," she treads lightly as she approaches him. Not wanting to make any assumptions she stops in her tracks, "who are you?" "I...I think I'm Elizabeth's son."