Staunch Fate

Chapter 10

Even though Anna doesn't know what was said she feels at ease for now. Thomas reassured her that Polly was alright with their arrangement. He also said he'll return as soon as possible. The drive to Polly's went by faster than she anticipated thanks to a squirming toddler. There was no moment for her anxious thoughts to catch up to her.

The moment she crossed the threshold was when it all came crashing down. She used Charlie as an excuse to mask her discomfort. Polly didn't fair any better. She seemed fidgety and panicked. Showing her the house in record time they finally arrived at the parlor.

"I don't know why I bought it." She told her pointing at the piano next to the fireplace.

''I might put it to good use." she replied awkwardly.

Thank God for Charlie. If not for him the two women would stand there lost. It took him only a moment to slyly demand Anna's attention for both women to jump at his every whim. He came out of the few weeks they stayed there even more spoilt. They built a routine quickly because of him. It made it easier to have this structure, to have some type of normalcy.

Anna was the appointed cook by Michael who joined them for dinner. Any leftovers would be delivered by Anna and Charles to Uncle Charlie and Curly for lunch. They would join them at the yard and after they would take afternoon tea with them. It wasn't really leftovers she was mindful to not waste any food. More often than not she would cook in the morning for them while preparing for dinner. She would call it that to ease Uncle Charlie into their lunches. The man didn't want to become a burden. Silly man.

The week passed by too quickly yet not quickly enough. Both women afraid of the precarious peace tried to maintain it by any means. Usually that meant avoiding topics and questions that they were most curious about or maybe even afraid of the answers. They became more comfortable with each other though. By Friday night Polly had enough of her son's nagging. After dinner the last few days Michael would beg her to let Anna and him go for drinks. Her patience was spent as she all but yelled at him her agreement. Michael was ecstatic Anna less so. She wanted to go out but she didn't want to leave Charlie alone.

"What if he wakes up? He likes having me there when he wakes in the middle of the night especially now without Tommy here." That seemed to convince Polly that Anna needed some time away from the baby. As reluctant as she was she all but pushed her out the door that night.

"Go and have fun." She gave Michael a seething look. "Don't do anything stupid. Do not drink too much and take care of your sister."

He didn't have time to cheekily respond before the door smashed shut into his face barely missing him.

"Jesus. Do you believe that woman? As if I would bring harm to my baby sister." He muttered under his breath. "Come on, I know just the place. It's kind of a right of passage to get drunk at the garrison. It also will be safer to be among blinders. Polly will eviscerate them if anything happens to you."

"So that's the plan. We're getting shitfaced while the gang babysits us?"

"Yes. That sums it up perfectly. Come on Isiah's already there. John's probably there too. You'll have fine company."

"Oh, I never doubted that."

She hadn't been to a pub for a while. Jacob would say ages. Eliza correctly would say about five months. The last time was with them drinking away her sorrows at a bloody anniversary she wished she had forgotten. It was a hovel in Welsh nothing like this one. At daylight, the Garrison tavern seemed almost quaint. By night it looked like any other dodgey pub she crawled herself into after she had too much to drink. Michael was right though company is what matters.