No escape from the past (book 1)

Chapter two

'A girl, Tommy?' Aunt Pol asks with disbelief. 'A bloody girl? A horse I can understand, but a girl? Why?'

'It's good for business,' he answers and Aunt Pol shakes her head.

'Don't tell me that this is about bloody business, it's a fucking girl you bought, why?' she asks again and Tommy sighs. He sits down at the table and pours himself a drink.

'She's from France,' he says slowly and Aunt Pol stays silent. 'The new owner of the orphanage beats her for no reason and she has a special relationship with the horse we have bought.'

'And when did you think of telling the rest?' Aunt Pol asks. 'We can't just bring a young girl into this business. And her being an orphan girl doesn't make that any better.'

'I was going to do that in your family meeting,' Tommy answers and takes a sip of his drink. 'I wasn't planning on bringing her into the business, I don't even know if she can read or write.'

'Bloody hell, Thomas,' Aunt Pol says and grabs a cigarette. 'What's going on in that head of yours.'

'Too much, Aunt Pol, too much,' he answers and stands up. Arthur and John come in and raise their eyebrows from the weird vibe in the room. 'Family meeting, ten minutes.'

Tommy walks out and Arthur and John look at Aunt Pol for an explanation.

'Don't ask, boy's,' she says and breathes out the smoke of the cigarette. 'You'll find out soon enough.'

She stands up and goes into the betting shop. John and Arthur follow her and a few minutes later, Ada and Tommy walk in. Finn wants to follow, but Tommy locks up outside the room.

'What's going on, Tommy?' Arthur asks and Tommy takes a cigarette out of his pocket. 'What's this family meeting about, is there something wrong with the horse?'

'The horse is fine, Arthur,' Tommy says with the cigarette in his mouth. 'It's something that I'm gonna bring with it.'

'What is it?' John asks and Tommy sighs and breaths out the smoke of the cigarette.

'A girl,' he says slowly and the boys raise their eyebrows in confusion.

'A girl? What for girl?' Ada asks and Tommy takes out his cigarette.

'It's a girl I met well checking on the horse,' Tommy says and Aunt Pol just shakes her head. 'She's from the orphanage, where we bought the horse.'

'A bloody girl, Tommy, you really want to bring her into this world?' Aunt Pol asks and the other Shelby's stay quiet.

'Yes, Polly, a bloody girl,' Tommy says. 'A girl from France, who has lived here since the war. She gets beaten by the new owner of the orphanage for probably no reason and I think she deserves a change.'

'But does she get a chance, Tommy?' Aunt Pol asks. 'Does she really get a chance here? We are bloody bookmakers, Tommy. Who knows if she can even read or write.'

'I'm well aware of that problem, Polly,' Tommy answers and puts down his cigarette. 'If she can't, we will teach her.'

'Tommy, I think it's a good idea,' Ada says slowly and looks at Aunt Pol. 'Everyone deserves a chance and I don't think she's gonna get one in that orphanage.'

'But that's the bloody point,' Aunt Pol says. 'She's just an orphan girl and don't get me wrong, I'm really happy with your choice, but if you want for everyone a better chance, you need to adopt the whole bloody orphan.'

'I'm well aware of that, but I still am going to adopt the girl,' Tommy says and John stands up.

'It's your choice, Tommy, let's hope it's worth it,' John says and slaps his hand on Tommy's shoulder. Tommy slowly nods and looks at his watch.

'Well, I'm going to pick up the horse and the girl, Arthur, why don't you come with me,' Tommy says and Arthur nods.

'Let's hope this girl can handle a little drama,' Aunt Pol says.

~ Mila's POV ~

I slowly pack my bags. I feel the children looking at me, their eyes are burning in my back, but I really don't bother. I slowly begin to sing the lullaby, my mother used to sing to me when I was too scared to sleep.

I do it quietly so only I can hear it.

'Quand le vent frais vient danser, La rivière chante pour ne pas oublier. Ferme les yeux si tu veux voir. Ton reflet dans son grand miroir (When the cold wind comes to dance, The river sings not to forget. Close your eyes if you want to see.Your own reflection in its large mirror),' I sing and quietly to myself. My mother used to sing it to me, it was slow and made me fall asleep quickly.

'Dans l'air du soir, tendre et doux, L'eau claire murmure un chemin pour nous. Si tu plonges dans le passé, Prends garde de ne pas t'y noyer..., ('Into the sweet and gentle evening air. The clear water is whispering a path for us. But be careful: If you dive into this past, You might get drown into it.),' I slowly continue singing and packing my things.

I don't have a lot, most of it was destroyed in the war and in the orphanage it's not usual to have a lot of things. I hear Visage de faucon coming my way and I stop singing. He grabs my hand and pushes me against the wall.

'You're not telling that man, anything that has happened here,' he says angrily. 'If I found out you did, I will come and find you and kill you personally, do you understand?'

I slowly nod, too scared to open my mouth and say anything to him. He slaps me across the face and I whimper.

'I said, do you understand?' he asks me again and I nod again. 'Say it!'

'Yes, sir,' I say with a thin voice and he lets go of me. I quickly grab my stuff and run out of the room. I run straight outside and go to Monaghan boy.

I wait in the field with my small suitcase. I wait for hours until I finally hear a car pull up. I look up and see the same car as yesterday. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I slowly stand up and see Visage de faucon going outside to greet them.

I see Thomas and another man stepping out of the car. The other man is around the same length as him, but is older. He has a mustache and wears the same kind of clothing as Thomas.

I see Thomas looking my way and look away. I call Monaghan boy and he comes my way. I sigh and lean my head against his.

'Espérons que cela nous donnera une meilleure vie. (Let's hope this will give us a better life.),' I say quietly to the horse and I hear Visage de faucon calling my name. I sigh again and slowly turn around.

I grab my small suitcase and climb over the fence. I slowly begin to walk towards the three men and feel a little overwhelmed by everything.

'Mila, I want you to meet my brother Arthur,' Thomas says slowly and points at the man next to him.

'It's nice to meet you, Mila, you can call me Uncle Arthur if you want,' Arthur says and I slowly nod. I'm too scared to say anything, I don't know what is going to happen with me, when I leave this place.

'Is that everything you have?' Thomas asks and I nod again. Thomas nods and looks behind me to the black horse behind the fence. 'Let's bring you both to a new home, shall we?'

I slowly nod and go towards the barn next to the big house. I open the door and grab the bridle for Monaghan Boy. I slowly walk out the barn and see Thomas and Arthur standing by the horse. I slowly go towards them and climb over the fence.

'How long have you been here?' Arthur asks and I put Monaghan Boy his bridle on.

'Three years,' I say quietly and I sigh when I think back to the time I came here. 'But I've been an orphan since I was eight years old.'

Arthur and Thomas stay quietly and open the fence for Monaghan Boy. I let him out and give the bridle to Thomas. He gives me a small nod and we walk towards their car.

'Get in the car, we still have some business to do,' Thomas says and I slowly nod. I grab my suitcase and step into the car. I lean against the wall and close my eyes. Let's hope this will give me a better chance.

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Word count: 1451
Written: 12-05-2021
Published: 12-14-2021
Edited: ....

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