If I Can't Have you

(29) Argument

"You two better be dressed," Johns voice booms, as he knocks on the door to the shack.

"Fucking hell, do you have to be so loud this early in the morning?" Tommy groans, carefully manoeuvring himself from beside Jemima on the settee, using the palms of his hands to wipe his eyes as John opens the door, followed by Max.

"How did you know we'd be here?" Tommy asks, looking between them.

"Well, Grace told us you'd gone off together, we made the assumption you wouldn't be stupid enough to go back to hers, ergo she'd bring you here," Max responds, whilst Jemima yawns, sitting up straight on the sofa.

"Don't mind if I do," John grins, sitting down and taking up the spare seat on the couch, taking up as much room as he possibly could.

"They've called off the search," Max informs, and Tommy looks at him skeptically.

"I'm being serious, we've been told that as he didn't have sufficient evidence to link you to the robbery and then the burying of the guns, they can't pursue you," Max explains, "cameras aren't that advanced yet, will take decades before they can capture someone's every move."

"Are you sure he's in the clear? That it's not just a ploy to make him show his face only to then arrest him," Jemima queries.

"Polly says the order has come straight from Winston Churchill," John shrugs, removing his jacket to give to Jemima who was shivering.

The heat from the previous evening had dispersed and now she felt as though she could barely feel her toes.

Tommy smacks his brothers hand away, passing his coat to the woman, giving his brother a warning glance which in turn makes John laugh at his brothers actions.

"She also says she needs to speak to you about Arthur," Max tells him.

"What's happened with Arthur?" Tommy sighs.

"Tried to hang himself, didn't he?" John says, "in the fucking boxing club, right after Dad fucked off so I'm assuming it's something to do with him."

Tommy runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head, "what happened with Dad?"

"Given that there is a lack of cash in the tills at the pub, I'm going to make another assumption and say that's probably the reason," John says.

"Where is he?" Jemima asks.

"Not dead," Tommy remarks.

"Not now, Thomas." Jemima warns, "he is your brother and he is obviously in need of support. You can berate him for his actions, after you've made sure he is okay."

"It's business," Tommy brushes off her comment.

"Business?" Jemima scoffs, "he's your fucking brother, not everything is business."

"He stole money from the business, hence making it business related," Tommy responds, "the fact that he's my brother doesn't change his actions."

"Perhaps not, however it should change your reaction to it," Jemima argues.

"I'm not going to fucking cut him," Tommy says, "but I'm not going to sympathise with him all that match for being an idiot and trusting our father. He's brought it upon himself."

"Are you at least going to ask him how he's doing or is it always business first?" Jemima questions.

"How this is handled has nothing to do with you."

"Tommy, you're not helping yourself," John warns, watching his best friend glare at his brother.

"He is your brother," Jemima states firmly, "and I care about him, you don't need to be an arse to him about it."