Nothing Left To Break

8

THE REST OF THE WEEK HAD GONE RATHER QUICKLY FOR ANI. With work being busy, because of all the many more things she was assigned, still trying to remain at her current job by doing extra work. She would work almost double her usual hours and sometimes not be home by ten or eleven at night after marking papers. And by then all she would want to do would be to sleep.

Ani had indeed seen Thomas Shelby the day after Ani had left Isaac. He had been walking her home from work everyday for the rest of the week. Even though they were late finishes. He said that it was easier for him if they were late, because he didn't finish business until then anyway. And then he would go to the pub with his brothers. Ani still didn't know why he was in town or what he was doing with Ani's brother. But she didn't care. If she didn't know then it wasn't true.

Sure, it might be a bit irrational, and yes, it might come back to bite her, but for the moment, she was having the time of her life just enjoying his company while it lasted. Ani was pretty sure that they softened slightly in eachovers presence. Something that had never happened to either of them.

Today, was a Saturday. Ani had made plans that she would wake up early and finish some paper work, then, she would go and see her brother's and sister. Which, she was on her way to do. In the evening however, Thomas Shelby had asked her to attend a club's grand opening with him. She would try to ignore the feeling in her stomach whenever she thought about it. Butterflies. Or wasps, she wasn't completely sure yet.

Whenever she had a second alone her mind would slip to nerves about that evening. Why did he want to bring her? Was it just for business? Had Alfie put him up to it? T test her loyalty in some twisted way.

"Fancy seeing you here"

Dot. Her sister was standing in front of her with her poster smile and perfectly pinned up hair.

"Hiya Del" (Del is like the welsh equivalent of saying "love") Ani says, linking her arm with her sisters.

"Dwi ddim yn edrych ymlaen am hyn" (I'm not looking forward to this) Ani mumbles, pulling out a cigarette.

Dot is the only one of Ani's siblings in which she always speaks Welsh to. Growing up it felt like a secret language between the two, and to be honest, both felt that now. Like they could speak in code on the streets of London. It was the sense of familiarity.

"Uch, pam ti'n ysmygu? Ti ddim yn ddynes nag wyt" (ew, why are you smoking? You're not a Lady are you) Dot states with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Ani just rolls her eyes at her sister who seemed to try so hard to be a mother-like figure in her life. Dot seemed to take pity on Ani. Dot had a husband and a daughter. She was successful. Or at least in the eyes of a society. The most successful a woman could be. Therefore when Ani hadn't even met a man of interest to her by her 25th birthday, she was doomed for 'failure'. Dot knew her relationship with Isaac wouldn't last, and if it did then Isaac would surely end up dead somewhere after saying the wrong thing to Alfie.

"Cau hi" (Shut it) Ani says annoyed. Not wanting to be reprimanded at the minute.

"Sut mae Isaac?" (How is isaac) Dot asks flatly, obviously not wanting to talk about him but at the same time, she doesn't know what else to talk about.

"Dwi di gadael fo" (I've left him) she says, like it would be a casual thing to just throw at Dot. Like she wouldn't be overjoyed with the news.

"Sorri" (sorry) Dot able herself to mutter our, trying to hide the smile growing on her face.

Ani scoffs and takes a drag from her cigarette.
"Be?" (What?) Dot asks, taking the cigarette out of her sister mouth and stubbing it on the wall.

"Peidiwch a bihafio fel  ti ddim yn hapus am hyn" (don't act like you're not happy about this)
Ani says  rolling her eyes and taking out another cigarette.

Dot decides not to say anything. At the end of the day, anything that Dot says regarding Ani's love life would not end up well. It was best to stay quiet.

"Sut mae Tina?" (How's Tina?)

Tina was Ani's niece, Dots daughter. Her full name was Christine but everyone either called her Tina or Chris. And adored her. She was a passionate young girl who would spend most of her time with her Aunt instead of her parents. Purely because her parents were busy. As much as Ani loved her sister, she knew that the role of a Mother didn't come naturally to her, not that it did to Ani. She makes it out that her life was perfect, but she tended to simply forget that she had a child to care for a lot of the time. Therefore, leaving Tina with Ani as her third parent.

"Da" (good) Dot replies shortly. 

They arrive at the door of the warehouse. Not Alfies house, but the warehouse. Like he's treating his family like business, he never understood how to separate that. It would probably come to a bad end, but Alfie didn't see that. Maybe he did, if he did he chose to ignore it.

"Mae'n drewi yma" (it smells in here) Dot states.
It only smelt of alcohol. A smell which Dot did not favour as someone who doesn't drink.

"Mae o'n cwrw, Dot" (its beer, Dot) Ani says, rolling her eyes affectionately at her sisters innocence towards the substance.

An act which Dot despised. She felt as though her younger sister was belittling her, making her feel inferior to someone who was definitely not in a place to call Dot inferior.

Dot knew that her younger sister had had a difficult life. She still battled her way through it though, but that didn't mean that she should forget about her problems and project them onto something or someone else. There was a part of Dot that thought that was what happened with Isaac. Maybe he treated her poorly because of her passive aggressive attitude.
Dot thought to herself,
Ani could never get a husband like that.