Tragic Love

Chapter 21

A week later, you were sitting in the Garrison waiting for the rest of the Shelby clan to show up.

Tommy had approached you with the idea of knocking down Arrow House, wanting to build new houses for those deserving in the area and figured a good place to start was where his home was.

You loved Arrow House, but you didn't need some big fancy mansion to live inside. Hell, when you first met Tommy, the whole family was living under the one roof in Birmingham and you had loved that just as much.

If Tommy wanted to knock down his house, then you weren't going to stop him.

"Duke, this is my partner, Y/N. Y/N this is my son, Duke." Tommy suddenly said, walking through the front door of the Garrison.

You turned around on your bar stool to find them walking into the building, Duke right beside Tommy, looking around the room cautiously before his eyes landed on you.

"No." Duke immediately said, shaking his head. "Ain't no way you're his girl. You're absolutely stunning and he's...."

Tommy raised his eyebrows waiting for his son to finish and you chuckled, standing up and holding your hand out to greet him.

"I like you already." You said with a wink causing Tommy to smile softly. "It's nice to meet you, Duke."

The kid smiled, shaking your hand.

"The others will be here soon, Johnny Dogs, take Duke around the back, I'll introduce you to the others once they all arrive. Feel free to have a drink while you wait." Tommy instructed.

Duke nodded, following Johnny Dogs around the back of the Garrison before Tommy sat down at the bar beside you.

It didn't take long for the others to all rock up and eventually Ada walked through the door and everyone was there.

"Sorry I'm late, they closed Montague Street." Ada said, rushing through the front door. "There's a gas explosion or..."

"Wasn't a gas explosion." You mumbled causing Ada to glare at you, but there was no heat behind it.

You and Tommy had paid a visit to the Chinese who had been selling Arthur opium. After having an adult conversation with them and threatening to blow them up with a bag of explosives, they had agreed to stop selling opium.

The bag of explosives had been thrown into the river with a few seconds to spare as you and Tommy walked off and it exploded under the water... so, yeah, it wasn't a gas explosion, but you supposed it was close.

"Right. Well, it would be nice if just one thing could happen in Birmingham that wasn't our fault." Ada sighed.

"I have gathered you all here today because there is news and it is of interest to the whole family. First of all, I would like to welcome Finn's new wife Mary to the family." Tommy started to say, motioning towards the new couple across the room. "There is... one more item of business. Johnny."

You watched as Johnny Dogs disappeared around the back where Duke was waiting and a few seconds later they both walked back into the main room. Tommy pushed himself away from the bar and walked over to his son, grabbing his shoulder.

"Everyone, this here is Erasmus."

"Nobody calls me that." Duke corrected and Tommy nodded.

"They call him Duke. 20 years ago, at Appleby horse fair... I met a girl. We shared the shade of a hazel tree. Nine months later this lad was born. This is my son. His mother died on the road. Up until now I never tried to find him. But I am trying to look at life in a different way. A child is a precious thing. So I am bringing him into the fold."