Sinbound

(37) Major Poole

"You'll make sure he stays safe, won't you?" Polly asks, taking Alex to the side as the boys got Michael situated in the truck, "I know you're not overly fond of him-"

"When have I ever said that? I'll reinstate what I told you the other week," Alex interrupts, "it's not him I have the issue with in this situation."

"Then who is it?"

"You, Pol," Alex states.

"Me?" Polly repeats.

"For two and a half decades, you're the only sort of stability I've had in my life, the only parental figure because my actual ones abandoned me," Alex says, "now someone new arrives and you do the same thing, it's like I haven't fucking existed to you the past month."

"That's not true, I have not abandoned you," Polly replies.

"This is the third time I've been to this house, you moved in over a month and a half ago, you made me promise that we wouldn't see each other any less," Alex says, "I'm not the one that hasn't held up to my end of the bargain. I tried to see you, tried to contact you, but I got nothing in return. I stopped when I realised my efforts were futile, that you'd already made up your mind."

"Made up my mind about what?" Polly asks.

"About not needing me anymore, it's evident that you don't need me as much as I need you," Alex responds.

"Of course I need you in my life, Lexi," Polly says.

Alex seems unconvinced, she glances over to the truck where they were waiting for her, before turning back to Polly, "your son will return home in one piece, don't worry."

"It's not him I'm worried about anymore," Polly responds, sensing the alteration in Alex's demeanour, she was in a reckless mood, "be safe, Lex, don't do anything stupid."

-

"Has Alex spoken to you?" Polly asks, lifting the earpiece of the phone to her head.

"Regarding what?" Ada responds.

"Me? Michael?" Polly says, "I don't know what to do."

Ada sighs, "Alex feels like you've made a choice. She didn't want you to make a choice, that's her issue, Pol."

"I don't understand," Polly replies.

"It's not her or Michael, it's her and Michael," Ada explains, "she feels like you've chosen him, when all she wanted was balance. She has no problem with Michael, you could've been hanging out with both of them, or at least equal amounts of time with each of them, but that's not what happened."

"She thinks I don't need her," Polly says, "and she no longer trusts me."

"That's ridiculous," Ada replies, "Alex would follow you blindly, even now. She'll always trust you, but that doesn't change the fact that you've played into one of her biggest insecurities, her biggest fear."

Ada continues, "we got into an argument before I moved to London, it all came out, she's scared we'll leave her, abandon her, that we'll all wake up one day and realise she isn't a whole Shelby, that she isn't one of us."

"How bad have I fucked up?" Polly inquires.

"That's not what you should be focusing on, Pol, all she needs is to be assured that you haven't decided to just give up with her, spend time with her again," Ada states, "Karl's waking up, I have to go."

"Thank you, Ada," Polly says.

-

"This is a respectable event, you will all behave accordingly," Tommy states, as they enter the auction house, Tommy leading them up the stairs, "no weapons, no drinking, stay together, when the horse comes up I will do the bidding."

"Do I get to run a hand over her, Tommy?" Curly inquires.

"We'll have a vets report, Curly, but keep an eye out for the way she walks," Tommy responds, noticing his sisters attention divert to a man stood down the hallway, "Lex, we stay together."

"I got a feeling, Tommy, something isn't right," Curly insists.

"It's alright, Curly, we're just in an unfamiliar place," Tommy replies, as they enter the viewing balcony, his eyes following the man that his sister had been looking at as he makes his way through the crowds towards them.

"Who is that?" Michael asks, as Alex puts out her cigarette.

"Warrant Officer Shelby," the man greets with a smile.

"Major Poole," Alex responds.

"I wouldn't have expected to see you here out of all places," the Major says.

"How peculiar, I was just thinking the exact same thing," Alex states.

"Glad to see you haven't changed," Poole says fondly, before frowning, "I was saddened by the news of Humphrey, I wanted to come to the funeral but I couldn't make it back from Amsterdam in time."

"Why would I change?" Alex shrugs.

"Exactly," Poole chuckles, his attention being drawn to the large group of men stood behind her, all staring at him, awkwardly he gives them a small wave.

Alex turns her head, giving them all a look, and they go back to their own conversations.

"Who are they?" Poole asks.

"My uncle Charlie, my brothers, my cousin, Elis, Curly, Bentley and Lewis," Alex says.

"How come I got named last?" Lewis inputs.

"Because you're my least favourite," Alex responds.

"I was first, does that make me your favourite?" Charlie questions.

"Sure, Charlie," Alex nods, "now mind your own business."

"Which horse are you going for?" Poole asks, "I've already nabbed mine, don't worry about my competition, a beautiful Friesian."

"That one," Alex states, as a horse gets walked around the arena.

"Mr Poole, sir, your horse is ready for the box," a man interrupts.

"Brilliant, I'll be right there, thank you," Major Poole says, looking at Alex, "it's been a pleasure to see you again. Stay well."

"Yeah, you too," Alex replies, as he bows his head courteously, before walking away.

"So... who is he?" Michael asks.

"Just a guy from the war," Alex responds.

"Just a guy, eh?" Michael teases.