Sinbound

(10) Amari's Uncle

"Alex! Open up!" Ada shouts, banging on her sisters front door.

Alex opens the door, looking her sister up and down, "what the actual fuck?"

"Freddie came back, he says he's not scared of Tommy, we're getting wed today," Ada smiles.

"Of course he's not scared of Tommy... why would he be?" Alex replies.

"Because Tommy says he has to leave the city, and that if I want to be with him, then I need to go with him, but screw Thomas," Ada states.

"Tommy tried to kick you out of Birmingham for being with Freddie?" Alex asks.

"Yes, but I don't care, Freddie is back, he wants this child," Ada beams.

-

"You tried to make Ada leave," Alex states, walking into Tommy's office, "all because she's happy with Freddie."

"That's not the reason," Tommy responds, "hear me out before you get mad."

"Before I get mad? Thomas, I'm past mad, how could you?" Alex says, her voice level and calm.

"A deal. The inspector knows we have the guns, he's going to hold back his search, so long as I can help keep communists to a minimum, Freddie is a major part in the strikes," Tommy explains, "if they don't leave he's threatened to arrest them both."

"And you couldn't have said this to Ada?"

"She wouldn't fucking care, so long as she has Freddie she doesn't care about what happens to us," Tommy states.

"Don't spew that bullshit, you know Ada cares about us, just because she doesn't want anything to do with the business doesn't mean she's no longer family," Alex says, "you have compromised our sister for some fucking guns."

"I did not compromise Ada," Tommy defends, "she was never meant to be brought into this. I just needed to get Freddie out of town for a month or two until this blew over, but now he's come back, which has made Ada become a part of it."

"Well get her out of it," Alex states.

"I will, this business will be done soon," Tommy replies.

"Business over your sister, are you taking the piss?" Alex says.

"He's not going to arrest Ada, we've found a bigger fish than Freddie, I'll give him up to the inspector, he also orchestrates strikes," Tommy explains.

"If Ada gets arrested, if she leaves this city and it's because of you, I will have your head, Thomas," Alex states, "you don't get to put the family at risk for a business ploy. What happened to doing everything open?"

"Don't talk about being fucking open," Tommy scoffs, "you keep more shit to yourself than I do."

"Not if it would put my sister at risk, the shit I keep to myself is my business, it has nothing to with anyone else, the shit you keep to yourself affects us all," Alex replies.

"You don't think keeping stuff to yourself affects us?" Tommy responds mellowly, "you don't think not knowing what will set you off? What's made you like this will affect us?"

"Made me like what?"

"You know what I mean," Tommy says, "do you know how long it's been since I last saw you smile?"

Alex stays quiet as Tommy takes a deep breath, "Finns fourth birthday, over 7 years, Lex. You don't think seeing you so fucking angry and miserable affects us? You don't think not knowing how to help affects us?"

"I don't need help, I'm fine," Alex states.

"You're not fine, Alexandria," Tommy says, "not by a mile. You're just used to being this way, but that doesn't make you okay."