Rebound // Alfie Solomons

66. Jews and Italians

"Good Goliath good!" Cora applauded. "You are tall they are going to use that against you." Cora warned as he moved around the ring.

"Let me get this straight you are dating two gangsters now." Mark questioned arms crossed over his chest. Cora glanced over at him. "Just want to know are my future grandchildren going to be jews or Italian." He went on.

"It's complicated." Cora muttered. "You move around too much Goliath you are going to tire yourself out. Dont move enough you are going to get whacked!"

"And you are training the jews nephew... help me understand cora." Mark offered. "I know you are smarter than this and I know you wouldnt bring mr Italian with the fancy suit to meet me if it wasnt something more." 

"Come on Goliath your feet are to wide." Cora corrected.

"Cora Rose you know better than this. You played a dangerous game and you are doing it again."

"Im just trying to keep everyone alive!" Cora shouted back. "Im giving up my happiness to protect Finn and Ada and Polly... they lost John. We lost John-"

"They are not your responsibility." Mark reminded her.

"I never had friends. Girl friends my age. I grew up here in the gym. I loved it but then I got a friend a real friend in Ada. I got a sister and I was happy. I was so happy. So when Tom started cheating I tried to ignore it. I tried because I didnt want to lose the friends I had made. I wont let them get hurt when there is something I can do to help."

"Why you!" Mark countered.

"Hes not a terrible man. Luca. Hes got family. He wanted an eye for an eye. A life for a life. Everyone in this business does." Cora reminded him. "Tom had his family killed and he retaliated. But if I do this-"

"Do what? Marry this man? This criminal? Cora no. You deserve to be happy! Why wont you let yourself be happy?" Mark begged.

"Hes got a niece named Tali. Shes so sweet. He has a big family lots of kids but none of his own. I want kids. I have always wanted children. I... this could be it for me."

"With a man you dont love cora." Mark countered.

"It keeps the people I do love safe."

"You always do this." Mark muttered. 

"What?" She mused. 

"Throw a grenade into something when you are too scared to be happy again." 

+

"You did what?" ALfie spat.

"I didnt do anything." Cora corrected. "I just dont want anyone to get hurt."

"I'm getting hurt. YOu are hurting me." Alfie corrected.

"Alfie please just listen to me-"

"Marry the italian? Save the shelbys? After all the shit they put you through?" Alfie shouted. "Whats the matter with you?"

"My father said the same." Cora whimpered. 

"Listen to him! Listen to me!" Alfie begged. "Cora, why are you doing this to us!"

"I just dont want them-"

"You! YOU!" Alfie shouted. "Why Cora, why are you doing this to me!" 

"I wanted you forever." Cora whimpered. "I dont want him."

"Then say fuck em and stay with me." Alfie demanded. "Cora, Cora..." each word he spoke was a little more angry and then a lot more broken. 

"Alfie I love you. I love you. I love you so much. I want you, but... maybe I can make a deal with Luca-"

"Oh Luca is it now?" Alfie sneered. 

"I havent agreed. Alfie I just dont want them to get hurt. Finn, Ada, Polly, Art... the kids... I dont want them-"

"What do you want!"

"I want to protect them!" Cora shouted through tears streaming down her face. "I want to protect... my friends... my family... Alfie I dont want to hurt you. I havent agreed... I just... I just..."

"You want me to be your whore? Marry him, take his name, bare his children and I'm nothing to you anymore. After all we have been through. I just become another rebound to the great fuck up that is Tommy Shelby." 

"No, you are not a rebound."  Cora corrected reaching out for him. 

"Really? Because you are tossing me aside as though our time, the years we spent together meant nothing." Alfie corrected. 

"Alfie please-"

"I should have known better than to give my heart to girl who could never give me hers." Alfie tsked. 

"You do. You have it!" Cora sobbed out. 

"No. Tommy Shelby has it locked up and takes stabs at it anytime he wants and makes your heart bleed for him and his cause." Alfie corrected. 


+

Michael was waiting for Cora to arrive she said she was coming to visit him she had phoned and said she was on the way. A nurse came in put food down as though it was fine, nothing new but she was antsy, Michael noticed.  The nurse grabbed his gun and shoved him to the ground running out.

Meanwhile Arthur thought he was going to die as he was meeting with the mom of a boy he had killed. Finn had come running in saying it was set up they're not here for him they must be after Michael.

'You set me up!' Arthur screamed 'you set me up!' she squealed as he put a gun to her chin.

'If your faith is real-' she whimpered '-I've got other kids' he pushed her face away before breaking a few more things on the way out.

'If you are here in one hour I will cover you in dirt,' arthur warned 'come on Finn let's go.'

Michael pulled himself back up to the bed as a man and a black trench coat came in locking the doors behind him Michael looked down at his wound, it opened, he was bleeding again.

"No no no..." Luca corrected stepping forward. 'My family.... you see, the Last time my men were after you, you got lucky... maybe that's what happened but now-' he pulled out his own gun putting it to Michaels head.  'Maybe you got lucky but now your luck has run out' Michael sucked in a deep breath he pulled the trigger but nothing happened it was empty he shot again and again and again taking steps back away from Michael each time no bullet came out.  'Tell your mother we have a deal' Luca said walking out. Just as Tommy Arthur and Charlie came running in, breaking down the door.

'What happened?' Tommy demanded

'They must've heard you coming the gun misfired, they ran.' Michael told them trying to be brave. 'You came just in time,' Michael panted, what had his mother done?

'You alright?' Tommy questioned sitting in front of him. 

'I'm fine I'm fine' Michael assured. "Where's Cora?"