Rise (Alfie Solomons)

Chapter 10

The next day, Shirley's pa arrived a quarter after one, making him just in time for lunch. He looked awful and smelled of booze. He wasn't the loving, caring father she grew up with anymore. When she was a child, he dressed to impress, showered daily, and took care of himself. It made her heartache to see how much he had let himself go.

"Pa." she gasped and ran to him, hugging him tightly.

"Good to see you, Sweetheart." he chuckled and smoothed down her hair as she pressed her face into his chest.

She pulled away from him first and smiled but then took her place by Alfie's side. He took her hand in his, hoping to make their intentions evident to her father.

"What is this?" her father asked as he started to pull a cigarette from his pocket.

"We're getting married," Shirley explained.

"We'd like your permission, Robert." Alfie chimed in awkwardly. Robert and Alfie had known each other for a while, business partners and acquaintances, About as close as you could get from across the Atlantic Ocean.

Robert stared at them for a few moments before laughing. Shirley looked at Alfie worryingly. If he disapproved, it would break her heart to disobey him and marry her love anyway.

"Let go of my daughter's hand, and let's talk outside." her father called for Alfie.

He cleared his throat and stood firm in front of her father before following him outside. He had expected something like this to happen. After all, if he had a daughter who came to him with a boy, he would react the same way.

Shirley took comfort by her mother's side, holding her close.

"I hope he doesn't yell at him or try to hurt him. You know how he can get when he's drunk."

"You're not worried about him being scared away?"

"No, Alfie doesn't scare that easily." she chuckled.

"You seem to know him quite well after only meeting four months ago."

"I don't know everything about his past, but I know who he is now. He's gentle and kind. Even when he's mad, he never hit me like-" Shirley cut herself off. She almost said his name.

"Shh, sweetie, don't talk about him now." Esther cradled her head lovingly. "It's your special day; just focus on that."

"Come, ma, I'll show you something I learned in England." Shirley took her mother to the kitchen and showed her the exact way her neighbor, Elizabeth, explained how to make a good cup of tea.

The men came back in when Shirley was almost done brewing the tea. She turned off the stove and hurried over to them, wiping the snow from Alfie's shoulders and beard. After taking off their hats and coats, they still didn't say anything. Her father simply walked over to the living room and put his feet up, pulling out the newspaper.

She looked at Alfie, wanting answers from his eyes, but he only looked at her father. Knowing what that meant, she went to talk to him.

"Pa," Shirley said as she approached him, taking a seat by his side. "Do you give us your blessing?"

"I need a moment to think, Shirley." he scolded her.

She paused, thinking about his insensitiveness. They had just come from London to ask him for her hand, and he would barely give them the time of day. She understood he was protective, but he was also a stubborn fool.

"Can we talk in the dining room?" She asked him.

He sighed and followed her, leaving Alfie alone with her mother in the living room. He'd be fine; her mother doesn't bite.