Adopted By Polly Gray

Chapter 20: Tell Starlene What?

Starlene was getting used to being with Jones and Franky. She spent most of her time either alone or with Johnny. Originally, she was going to unpack all her things but decided against it since she would be leaving to board a ship to America. Tomorrow was that dreaded day. The young girl thought surely by now her family would've found her but unfortunately, they hadn't. The fears of them not finding her after she went to America really started to create a home inside Starlene's mind. It was hard to deal with, so much changing at once. She would dream of her old life at night. Before she knew of her mother's lies, before she was ripped away from her family, before all this uncertainty settled in. Even if her family did come to get her, how would it be at home? She now knew the truth and for all she knows her mother has no idea of this. Would Star act like everything was normal? Just burry this information into the deep crevasses of her mind, or tell her mother she knows everything? Would it change their relationship? Would Polly start treating her different, the rest of the Shelby's? She didn't know. It honestly pained the young girl to think about.

She left her room and went downstairs hearing Frankie and Jones talking in what sounded like a serious discussion. Scott had been sent out a couple of days ago for some "business work" what exactly that "business work" was Starlene wasn't 100% sure of, but whatever it was, by the sound of the conversation, Jones went behind Frankie's back to do it and she was NOT happy.

"I can't believe you went behind my back and used one of my men for this! What was to gain out of all this?" Frankie asked raising her voice a little.

"I got the truth! That's what I gained out of all of this!" Jones argued back.

"We could've had a bloody war on our hands if your master plan had backfired." Frankie threw herself down in the chair in the living room.

"But we didn't did we? She chose the other file which is what we wanted." Jones said confused on why Franke was upset.

"Yes, with information my men obtained with the help of my father and his connections. If the Peaky Blinders figure all this out there's still a chance they will come after us. We're trying to leave the dangerous life behind, not add fuel to the fire and watch us all burn."

Jones sighed and walked over to with wife and knelt down in front of her grabbing on to her hands as he did so. "I know. It can be a risk but they wouldn't stand a chance if they came over into our territory. We out number them, we are stronger and more calculated than they are. Plus, when we get the paperwork legally all figured out, they won't be able to touch Starlene because we will have full custody over her. We'll have our family, and I will keep us all safe."

Frankie gave a soft smile to her husband before her face dropped into a regretful frown, "What are we going to do about Starlene, though? Are you going to tell her about this?"

Before Jones could answer Starlene walked into the room acting like she hadn't been listening to the entire conversation just outside of the room the entire time, "Tell me about what?"

Both adults eyes grew wide as they realized the door they just accidentally open. Frankie had told Starlene that she was going to be transparent with her. Jones hadn't verbally agreed to doing that but Frankie was holding Jones to do the same in order to build their father-daughter relationship.

"I got this one." Jones whispered to his wife before getting up and walking over to his daughter, "Come sit down and I'll tell you. "

His had ghosted her back as he escorted her to sit down with them in the living room. He would've put his hand on her shoulder but he didn't want to scare her. After all, it was his fault for her not trusting him. He was the one who hit her and abuse her on multiple occasions before he knew the truth.