Falling // Florence Boswell // Finn Shelby

(35)

Florence stepped into her home, her eyes finding her father. He was sitting down, a bottle of whisky in his hand. "Where have you been? You we're meant to come straight home after dropping that little shit to school. My boots need cleaning". He spat.

Florence leaned on the door, her eyes on her father. "I need to talk to you". She said, her voice small. Florence cursed herself for not sounding strong.

Bartley raised his eyebrow as he took a large sip from the bottle, his eyes not moving from his daughter. "Oh really? And what's that?" He asked.

"I...I want my father back. So...I'm asking you to please stop drinking, get some help. I want things to how are they were again. If you don't then I'll....." She stopped talking as her father stood up.

"Or you'll what Florence?" He asked, taking more drink.

"I'll pack mine and Daniel's belongings and leave you. Just like mum did". She answered boldly, her head raised.

Bartley let out a loud laugh, his head shaking. "Your going to leave are you? And where you going? To your boyfriend's house? Who'd have you? A poor, gypsy coked-up bitch like you. Yeah, I know what you've been doing. I've seen the empty bottles". He shouted.

He turned his back to her, his body shaking with anger.

"The reason I was home late, was because I was stopped by the Shelby family and Edgar Smith. They saved me from him. There not bad people dad, there actually really nice". She said.

Bartley turned around to look at his daughter, his eyes wide with anger. "Really Florence? Your really testing your luck here aren't you? I told you to STAY AWAY FROM THE SHELBY FAMILY". Her father yelled.

Flo looked up at him with tears in her eyes, her head shaking. "The....they were only...helping me. Edgar....he....he was saying things....about yo..you and Daniel...and...m..m...Mom". She stuttered through her tears.

Bartley looked down at his shaking daughter, his eyes thunderous. "What did he say about your mother?" He asked.

"She....she didn't run away. That she died...died from the clap". She answered.

Flo flinched as her father let out a loud, crazy laugh. He grabbed her by the hair, pulling her up from the ground. Flo screamed as he dragged her outside. It was raining now. And it was raining heavy.

Flo's knees scraped along the floor as he dragged her, not stopping at her cries.

He threw her to the ground, and picked up a shovel. "Your mother". He spat, as he started to dig. "Didn't run away. She didn't die of the fucking clap either. That's the Smith family for you. There all fucked up in the head".

Flo looked at her father as he continued to dig, the rain sticking to both of their bodies. Bartley finally stopped digging, a smirk on his face as he threw the shovel to the ground.

He walked towards Flo, and grabbed her by the hair again. He pulled her towards where he was standing and forced her to look inside.

There were two mouldy looking suitcases, and under them was a Skelton. "No". Flo screamed, as she now knew that happened to her mother ten years ago.

"You want to know the truth?" He asked, his hand now grabbing her throat. "Your mother didn't run away. No. She did die. A fucking slow and painful death. She was whore, she was having an affair with a different man. I came home early one day. Wanted to surprise her. I found her in bed. With fucking Arthur Shelby of all people. She died, because I killed her. That's right. I killed your mother. And I'd do it again. I would kill that fucking Shelby too if I had the chance. And now it looks like you'll have to join your mother, in the same grave she is buried in. She tried taking you and Daniel away from me. But I wouldn't let that happen. That day you came home from school, the mud you saw. It was because I buried her. She wasn't dead. No. I let her to suffocate to death, and I'm going to do the same to you. Maybe the family curse your mother left you is finally coming to take its debt". He shouted.