For the Good of the Family

Breakfast

I woke up to a terrible rash from falling asleep on couch. My stockings had rolled down to my calves and the knee length hem of my dress had risen, leaving just a few inches of soft skin to be attacked by the furniture. I moved as quickly as my half asleep body could go upstairs to run a bath. My arms had been saved from the monstrous couch purely by luck for having fallen asleep on my back with my hands folded over my stomach.

The sun hadn't risen yet so I still had time before Ada and Karl came over. After my bath, I slathered my irritated skin with lotion. It honesty stunk but it was all I had at the moment. I'll need to pick up more cosmetics and things in London as soon as the Italians are dealt with.

After dressing for the day I returned to my favorite part of the house, the kitchen. Cooking has always calmed my nerves and lifted my spirits. Standing over the stove is where I'm most at peace. If I were born a man, I'd be a chef, if I was able to avoid joining my brother of course. Chef by day, gangster by night. Ha.

The sun had just started to peak over the horizon. I've go the kettle on and two large pots with the stock bones from the butcher, set to boil. It will take a few hours but by lunch time I'll have made enough stew to feed the whole family until Saturday. They'll have to fend for themselves over the weekend, I'm not bloody cooking on my wedding day.

After about an hour Ada and Karl knocked on the door, the whole house smelled of beef broth. Two large bowls sat on the table one with cubed beef roast and the other filled with cut up onions, carrots, potatoes, celery and tomatoes. "Would you like to stay after breakfast and assist me with today's catering order, Chef Karl?"

My young nephew giggled at our familiar game. "Yes! Umm..I mean." He stopped to clear his throat. "Yes, Madame Cook, I can stay to offer my expra- expertent- expertise!" He jumped a little as he said the last word. Ada and I shared an indulgent smile over his head before heading to the table.

I cleared away my knife and cutting board, passing a rag to Karl to wipe the table. It only took a few moments to prepare his preferred breakfast of eggs, toast and jam. "Don't touch that Karl, you'll need to wash your hands again now." Ada said from her seat at the table.

Turning away from the toast I saw Karl yank his hand out of the bowl holding the raw beef. "But I wanted to see if it was squishy. It looks squishy." He whined as he walked over to wash his hands. I laughed at his cute little pout, bottom lip quivering just a tad.

"Just wait until you have one of your own Olive, you won't be so fond of them then." Ada sighed, looking exhausted sitting at my table in her pretty navy dress. "If that Gold boy is anything like the Lee boys you'll be pregnant by the end of next week."

"Ada!" My cheeks were on fire! Surely I'm red as tomato now that my sister has forced me to acknowledge that I will be seeing Bonnie naked. Soon.

"Oh come off it, you're not a virgin. I'm sure he'll be better than William anyhow. A rock would be better than that idiot." Both of us shared a matching eye roll.

Shame filled me as I remembered my former fiancé. It's been nearly four years now since Arthur beat him to death in the betting shop. Some days I can't decide who was the bigger idiot, William for tricking me or myself for falling right into his trap.

He found me sitting alone down by the cut. Tommy, Arthur and John were all busy in London, high off their victory or Darby Sabini. Ada was still avoiding most of the family grieving her late husband Freddie Thorne. Aunt Polly was glued to the side of her recently returned son Michael as he worked his way into becoming an accountant. Even little Finn was becoming involved in the legal side of Blinder business allowed to follow the junior members as they did various tasks.

I fell for him fast and hard, believing every lie he told me. Being alone for really the first time in my life I clung to his every word, held tight to every scrap of attention. Really, he was using me to get access to the betting shop. A thief in the night, disguised as a man in love. The morning after our first together, he snuck down the stairs of my family home. The door in the kitchen that led to the betting shop next door was normally kept unlocked. What William's master plan didn't count on was a hungover Arthur coming in to finish the books and catching him as he was emptying the cash boxes.

"Well Bonnie's much prettier than William, even if it's not good, I'll have something nice to look at eh?" She laughed at that.

Ada had allowed me to join her in London after his death. After the worst of my grief I had questions about sex and love that I could only trust an older sister for. I confessed to her that I had not enjoyed the night I lost my virginity. It was awkward and uncomfortable but it was over quickly. I wanted to know why women liked sleeping with their husbands when there was so little to like.

"All done!" Karl's dripping wet hands were shoved into his mother's face, the young boy eager to prove his cleanliness so he could eat his breakfast.

"How was your date last night? All went well?" Ada asked as she sipped her tea.

"Better than I expected. There was some awkwardness but it was very peaceful. He said something last night about after Saturday, only our opinions will matter. Like we've already accepted that for the good of our families we are going to be together for the rest of our lives." I began moving all my ingredients into the two stew pots. It would need to cook slowly for several hours before I could separate it out to take to my family members.

"But it's not for the good of the Shelby family. Tommy already bought Mr. Gold when he made Bonnie a Blinder." My sister argued, waving her hands in the air.

"It's for the good of John." I turned to look Ada in her pale cornflower blue eyes. "Tommy planned to offer my hand to Luca Changretta! I know it! I've been having the dreams for months, and he tripled my dowry before I offered myself to Aberama Gold. If I married that cunt, John would go unavenged! Arthur couldn't handle that, the family would split apart, again!" I was breathing hard from raising my voice at her. Turning to hug my nephew who had flinched away the volume. "I'm sorry Karl. Auntie Olive didn't mean to shout."

"It's okay, Uncle Tommy makes everyone shout." Ada and I bother laughed softly at the little boys words.

His mother leaned in close, wiping the jam from his chin before whispering. "It's what he's best at." All three of us giggled this time. "Olive we wouldn't have let you marry him, no matter what Tommy would have promised."

"No Ada. If it was between Karl and I you would chose Karl. That's how it should be, he's your son." I rubbed his hair, smiling softly at him. "Tommy had a private conversation with Luca at the factory Sunday afternoon. That's how he was able to point out his photograph. If I hadn't already declared my intentions the night before, I would be on a ship to New York right now. I know it, like I know the sky is blue Ada."

She just shook her head and pulled out a cigarette. "The New York mafia is after our whole family and Tommy planned to give away. Might as well have combined your funeral with John's. Fucking men. Can't do a bloody thing right without one of us to follow behind and solve their problems." She looked beautiful flushed with emotion. At twenty nine my sister was still one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen. Looking at her now it's easy to see why her husband Freddie Thorne was so enthralled with her.

"Aye, fucking men." Especially Tommy.