Staunch Fate

Chapter 5

Anna is standing in the middle of all the chaos she created looking lost. All of her wardrobe is strewn all over the place. In her anxiety, she remained undecided over what she wanted to pack. Trepidation has crept in, oddly different than the last time. Tommy promised her that he'll come for her. The uncertainty of the situation reminds her of those few days she waited before she ran away from the nunnery. Only this time Anna knows that he will wait for her. He'll send a car, he said, as if he didn't trust she'll come on her own. He left her a few days ago needing to take care of things and prepare the family. She figures he means mainly her mother.

Of what she hears of the woman she sounds formidable enough. His right hand, they call her, the ones who aren't blinded by her sex. Polly Gray is as much a member of their gang as any of the men and her word counts more so, at least to their leader. A level headed yet protective matriarch. Protective. Many describe her as such but it always manages to leave her feeling bitter. She wasn't protected by anyone.

Liza finds her amidst the cloth mayhem. She is still cross with her even Jacob is keeping his distance. The only one who doesn't care for the theatrics is her aunt who is bemoaning the situation while cursing Tommy for the audacity to arrive here uninvited. Her aunt knows something. Liza starts tidying up which means she is gearing up for a fight.

"I don't know what to pack?" She offers as a starting point.

"You don't have to impress him." Anna frowns.

"It's not for him. It's about my mother."

"You were angry at her..."

"I still am but Tommy explained" Liza snorts in derision.

"I don't care for the words that man spews. I do not trust him, Anna. The man's a thief a crook and a killer. How can you be this stupid?" Liza erupts.

"You accuse him of things we've also done."

"Stop defending him. It's not the same, is it? We had to, to survive, we were desperate."

"And they weren't?"

"Perhaps they were in the past but now, my God Anna, he has a fucking big country house. One of those, people name like they're babies. He has servants. How do you think a man like him, someone like us came by all this?"

"Wouldn't you take it? The risk to obtain everything he has?" She asks shyly curious about her answers.

"If it put you in danger? If it put our lives in danger? Then no I would not."

"I would." Betrayal is written in Liza's expression.

"You like it here' she desperately tries to make her understand 'you think you can live the way he does?"

"It's not about him!"

"Isn't it though?" Her friend accuses.

"What part of, I want to meet my mother, don't you understand? I was angry at her, I admit but I was a child and I had suffered enough. I didn't know why. I thought that she had thrown me away. But she didn't. I was taken from her and she never stopped searching for me. She tried to find me, Liza."

"You don't know that. All you know is what he told you."

"I'll know for certain after I meet with her. You are acting like he is going to lock me in that big house of his. He promised. He is going to take me to her."

"Why can't she come here instead of you travelling all the way to Birmingham?"

"You do realise how ridiculous this sounds for us right? In any case, it was my decision to meet her there. Do you imagine the Shelby clan arriving here, what do you think will happen?" They'll fight for sure.