𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

26

"Right Finn, you've got two choices. Mild or mild?" John asked. Finn laughed, "Mild"

The door opened, Polly and Micheal walking inside. "Here he is, Look" Arthur said. They all cheered as he walked in. "Happy Birthday Micheal" Tommy said, shaking the boys hand.

"Eighteen years old. You're a man today" Arthur clapped. "Give him a drink John boy"

"Here you go lad" John passed him a beer.

"And after that, we will go find you a lady of the night" Arthur joked. "Arthur" Polly scolded.

"Micheal" Tommy cleared his throat, handing him a box. " What's that?"

He opened the box, looking at the pocket watch. "So you are never late to work" Micheal looked back at him, smiling. "Welcome to the business, Micheal" John said.

Micheal hugged polly, thanking her.

"Come on, let's get him drunk, whiskey" Arthur shouted. "No whiskey, he's got work tomorrow" Tommy stopped, "give him only dark mild"

"A toast, to Micheal,"

"To Micheal"

"Polly" Tommy spoke. "Where's Delilah, i told you to bring her tonight, get her out the house"

"She really didn't feel up to it" Polly said, sitting down. "She hardly looked at me when i spoke to her"

"Polly she's been locked away for a week, you didn't even think to try pressure her into coming?" Arthur asked. "I can't force the girl to do anything" she sighed.

Tommy had a feeling that something wasn't right, he just couldn't figure out why. He knew Delilah was grieving, he knew that grief can do things to people. And that's what made him go check up on his daughter.

"Tom where are you going? It's a party" John drunkenly shouted.

"I'll be back, i have something to do"

Although Tommy had been fucked up himself over the past year, he was trying and deep down he wanted to make things right, he just wasn't sure how. He missed Delilah, he was worried.

"Lilah?" he asked, closing the front door. He searched the downstairs, humming as he walked up the stairs. He froze when he opened the door to her bedroom and she sat with a gun pointing to her head, shaking.

"What the fuck are you doing" he panicked, grabbing it off her.

"I'm sorry" she whispered, holding her head and sliding down the wall. He emptied the bullets out onto the floor. Delilah shook her head over and over, whispering to herself.

This time Tommy refrained himself from getting angry. He sighed, kneeling down beside her and embracing her. And for the first time in months she didn't fight against it. "I'm sorry" she repeated. He hushed her, holding the back of her neck. "You're okay" he whispered. "I'm not," she disagreed, "i'm not okay"

He pulled back, holding her face. "You're a Shelby, my girl, you'll be okay, i can help you but you need to let me" he said, searching her eyes for answers.

He used his thumb to wipe underneath her eyes. "You have every right to hate me, Lilah, i don't blame you"

"But you need to let me in,"

She forced her eyes closed, leaning her forehead against his shoulder.

"I'm stuck in my own head, father, i'm stuck and i can't get out" Delilah placed her hands over Tommys. "Then let me help you"

"It's like the world won't let me be happy, won't let us be happy" she trailed off.

No matter how much she hated him, in that moment she needed him. She needed him more than anyone, more than anything.

"We're going up in the world, my girl, we're going up and i'm taking you with me. I'll make sure of that." he promised.

"I didn't mean to scare you" Delilah muttered. "Stop" he paused. "Don't apologise for anything because throughout all of this you've done nothing wrong, and for once in my fucking life i'll admit i've done bad, all i ever do is bad, Lilah."

"You need rest," he said to her, helping her stand up. "Tomorrow, i can take you down to the stables, just like when you were young" he said quietly as she climbed into her bed. "I'd like that" She agreed.

Tommy wiped her hair away from her face, placing a kiss on her forehead.

And for the first time in a long time, Delilah was willing to let him in, willing to let someone in. Despite the fact she could never forgive him for what he'd done, they would get no where without each other.

-

"You all right?" Polly asked Tommy as her, Arthur and John walked into the house. Tommy grabbed three glasses, pouring a bottle of whiskey.

"What is it just us?" Arthur asked. "Just us" Tommy said.

"Are we celebrating?" Polly frowned.

"Just taste this" he handed them each a glass. They all drank it cautiously. "What do you think Arthur?"

"Yeah it's good, good stuff, really nice. Too good for the Garrison. I suppose we could shift it to the toffs at the Eden club" Arthur suggested. "Why, what is it?"

"That is part of an export drive. We now have a secure warehouse in Camden town, and secure passage to the Poplar docks. So Monday morning, we'll be sending out our first export crate, a crate of Riley car spares. Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia."

"Where there is prohibition?" Polly looked at him. "Where there is prohibition?" he nodded.

"All over Canada and America, people are making their own booze, in bath tubs. But rich people in New York in Toronto and Boston, are still paying a lot of money for the real stuff. So on Monday, the first Shelby Company crate will contain 1000 Riley car carburettors but hidden in the packing, will be 500 bottles of the finest quality single malt Scotch whiskey"

John and Arthur looked at each other.

"We Shelby's have a license granted by the Minister of the Empire himself, which means our crates won't be searched"

Polly smelt the glass. "And Polly, all of the whiskey will be packed at the docks so Micheal can do the books without being involved. Like i've been telling you all for a year now, motor cars are the future"