Rebound // Alfie Solomons

52. Divine

'Good morning Mr. Solomons' Tommy said moving to pour himself a drink.

'It is' Alfie agreed, Tommy looked up from his drink. 'it's a nice little place you got here Thomas' Alfie went on, still looking out the window as Tommy poured himself another drink. 'what is it a foreclosure of a gambling debt from some poor young lord who are you pumped full of opium in one of your casinos? Or is it just tittle tattle?' He turned to Tommy as Cora laughed out. 

'you want a drink?'

'Nah man I don't touch it. Your housekeeper said you're not allowed to drink.' Alfie reminded him

 'she said that you're suffering from so many ancient injuries from your sporting life that your head is like some sort of smashed vase... one that has been stuck back together by a horse.' Cora added. "Sweet woman that she is." Cora mused smiling back at Tommy. Tommy nodded sitting down lighting a smoke.

 'Now word in London is that you can be found wandering the streets of Birmingham stark naked throwing away money,' Alfie informed him. 'You talk to dead people. Also that you believe you are powerful enough to summon up Jews. Or a very particular standing up to the gentile wilderness where in you live and order them around... to do your fucking bidding mate.'

'And still you came.' Tommy told him.

"I cam for Charles." Cora corrected taking the glass from Tommy and heading out the door and up the stairs she felt their eyes on her as she left.  

'Yeah well you know I was passing wasn't I?' Alfie mused his gaze shifting back to Tommy vaguely. 

'Do you know some thing Alfie... this morning I tried to read the paper and I realized that the only constant consequence of my terrible accident is that I now need glasses.' he told Alfie.

'Right. Right well I know a man' Alfie said pulling out his own glasses 'He can make you a pair of these he is a magician mate. He is a magician. So not only will you be able to read your newspaper but you will also be able to see into the future,' Alfie joked 'now I know this right because he made this pair here for me. Cora fucks me in the office when I have them on so I can see her perfectly..." Alfie added. 

"That was uncessary." Tommy murmured. 

"Was it though? Because I see the way you look at Cora. She doesnt want you anymore" Alfie said confidently.  "So you don't have to worry about telling me what this is all about because I have already seen it. You're fucking about with the Russians aren't you silly boy?' Alfie questioned clucking his tongue. 

+

 'Boys you remember Alfie right?' tommy questioned as his brothers walked in.

'Arthur!' Arthur turned around 'Arthur shalom!' Alfie said holding back a grin. 'shalom.' Cora held Charles to her. 

"Be nice everyone." Cora said through a thick breath. 

"Be nice." Charles repeated. Tommy looked at Cora and thought she was certainly the most beautiful woman and wonderful woman and what was he thinking when he fucked it up. Her heart was still so precious as Cora held Charles. He snuggled into her. 

'Alfie' Arthur said softly.

'Shalom... I owe you a little something don't I? I do. Come on sit down, come here sit down here.' Alfie told him sitting next to him and holding his hand.  Arthur's gaze shifted to Cora. 

"You brought the baby in to make sure we didnt pull any guns." Arthur remarked. 

"No." Cora corrected. "But we can go with that if it makes you feel better." 

'All right listen to me. I want you to know that whatever happened between us back then... that was business.' Alfie told him 'it was just business all right? And I also want you to know that I have made my apologies via my own God for abusing a very holy day to enact my own personal vendetta.' he looked to tommy. 'Im sorry mate and now I would also like to extend my personal apologies onto you.' Alfie told him and Arthur looked to tommy. 'right? I hear that you have brought Jesus into your life.'

'Oh you heard that?' Arthur said still looking at Alfie.

'Yeah that's beautiful, that's wonderful that is lovely, isn't it?' Alfie said sitting very close to him, 'that is lovely. And I was wondering how does that work for you on a day today considering your line of work mate?' Arthur focused on Cora full lips painted red and piercing eyes staring back at him.

'Your apology is accepted...' arthur said slowly.

"Great." Cora agreed. "Can we get on with it?"

'Cause I hear you are right fucking nuisance with it. Hello... You see what I'm saying, is that every man he craves certainty doesn't he? He craves a certainty even if that certainty is not yours right...'  Alfie went on seeing how far he could push. Cora cleared her throat as Arthur gripped a crystal glass bowl next to him, dragged it closer and closer wanting to bash Alfie over the head with it. 'Well I mean... It's fucking fanciful mate isn't it?' Arthur put the bowl down still looking to Cora. He turned to face Alfie for the first time since sitting down and got up close and personal.

'I'm old testament,' Arthur informed Alfie.

'divine fucking hell look at that now!' Alfie declared still nose to nose, Cora rolled her eyes. 'That scares me more. Yeah. Congratulations!' Alfie grinned over at tommy. 'See that man right, he will murder and Mame for you with God on his side. Yeah. You don't wanna let him go.' Alfie told tommy. "But you are good at letting go priceless things in your life." Alfie added smiling back at cora. 

"He's a dick." Cora remarked not clarifying the who. John snorted a laugh. "You all are. Can we get on with it now."

'If we're gonna do business with this fucker I demand to know why!' Arthur told him

'Right,' Tommy said, 'well, while I was in the hospital I formulated a plan,' he told them all 'and this is how it's gonna work. So the Russians cannot be trusted to pay us we are going to take what is ours. We need to see what's in their treasury and that is why we need Mr. Solomons.'