The Falling Man

Chapter 16

Tommy POV

The sun is starting to rise in Small Heath as I walk into the Garrison. About a week has passed since Ethel came to visit with the agreement between my family and hers and todays the day I marked on her papers. Black star day. I had told my family breifly about my plan I have came up with over this past week to take down Billy Kimber but hadn't told them the specific day, besides Polly, that way news wouldn't get around to the man himself.

I walk into the backroom to see Arthur sleeping. "Arthur get up!" I say smacking him. "Get home, get bathed, check your kit, check your weapons." I tell him before walking away. "Why? Whats going on?" I hear him ask me. "Todays the day." I tell him before heading to Charlie's home. I bang on his door. As he opens his window of his bedroom and looks down at me on the street; I yell up, "Fetch the wagons, Charlie. We're doing it today." Before heading off to the car, pulling the sheet off over top of it.

I get in the car and drive to John's. I have told him to keep his doors locked but he never does so instead of knocking I test the front door and it opens, of course it does. I shake my head and run up the stairs, knocking on his bedroom door before opening it. His children are running around screaming at the top of their lungs. I open the door to find him in bed with a woman. "John? I've told you to keep the doors locked. I could've been anyone. Get dressed." I tell him throwing his discarded shirt to him. "We're doing it today." I say to him. "As a matter of fact, he's doing me today." The woman says to me. I thought he was still seeing Lizzie but I suppose not. I told him me and Lizzie had prior relations, must've put him off. "Make sure he's done you by nine." I tell the woman. "You should learn to knock!" She yells back at me as I turn to leave. "It's not a day for knocking." I respond to her before shutting the bedroom door.

I am headed home now and as I walk through the door of the house I hear Polly praying. "Dear Lord, make this day pass well. Let none, get hurt and make them that do, not Shelby's. Watch John because he has so many depending on him. Watch Arthur because he's as likely to hurt himself as anyone else. And watch Thomas. I know how he is. But he does what he does for us. I think. Amen." As she finishes her prayer she turns around to look at me. "I used to do that every morning during the war. I hoped I'd done it for the last time." She tells me. I tuck my hands in my pockets and tell her, "Today will be the last time, Pol. After today, there'll be no need for prayers. Well be set. Family meeting, half ten." I tell her with a nod before walking away.

Ethel POV

Today was the black star day that Tommy marked down on my papers. I had relayed the information to Robert who I knew would probably be heading down now to meet with Tommy. I didn't know who this Billy Kimber man is but my brother told me this day would be ending with them and Tommy having ownership of a racetrack which would lead to a fuck ton of money. When we had that meeting to form an alliance I didn't think they would start working this closely together so soon but I suppose it's not a bad thing. I felt better about my brothers doing this kind of work with a bigger group.

About a week ago was when I was last in Small Heath. I had quickly eaten dinner with Polly and the little boy, who I now know is Tommy's little brother Finn, before rushing off to the last train back to London. I hadn't seen Tommy since he signed the papers in the kitchen. I found myself these past days craving an actual conversation with the man. We hadn't talked about why he didn't come back to see me in my room in France and I wanted to know the reasoning.

I still hadn't seen Fred or Gertrude either. I worry about Gertrude but haven't found the courage to go and speak to her just yet about that night. I lay in my bed staring at the ceiling silently praying in my head that the days occurrences go to plan. I sit up and take a deep breath before standing up to get dressed for the day. Looking in the mirror and applying a tad of makeup. Before heading out the door, to go to a museum, hoping to distract my mind with beautiful sculptures.