"Tommy where are we going?" Lilah asked her older brother as they walked through a dark alleyway. He said nothing, simply wrapping an arm around her shoulder comfortingly.
The two pushed open the double doors, revealing Arthur, who was sat with his head in his hands on the steps. "Is that him?" Tommy asked, as their older brother abruptly stood. "Yeah," he whispered. Lilah looked between the pair- confused.
"On his own doorstep."
Then she spotted him, her very own brother. Laying helplessly on a clothed table, in the corner of the dimly lit room. "J-John?" She stuttered, barely able to speak, breath getting caught in her throat.
"Poor John." Arthur said, kicking a tray of tools over. Lilah stood next to Tommy, trying to process what was happening. "What happened?" She asked quietly. "Luca Changrettas' men fired on him and Michael. Outside of their house on Christmas Eve." Thomas sighed, gesturing to John- who lay motionless on the bed. "Fuckin' gone," Arthur cried from behind them.
"In the Bleak Midwinter."
~
"John is dead, Esme's gone on the road with the Lees." Thomas stated, avoiding the intense glares being shot at him from his family. Isiah pulled Lilah into him protectively, wiping away the single tear that had fallen from her eye.
"Michael is badly wounded, they say it's a 60/40 in his favour." Tommy continued, looking down at Polly. "There's no number, there's no percentages. I spoke to someone- my son will live." She informed, inhaling more smoke from her cigarette.
"Michael and John were shot because we killed someone. Vicente Changretta- his son Luca has come to take revenge." The family's faces were filled with pure guilt. "Men from New York and Sicily are here in Birmingham, these men will not leave our city until our whole family is dead." Thomas sighed, "that's how it works- an eye for an eye."
"The bullets been written." Arthur spoke up, pulling a golden shell from his pocket. "It says Luca. When the time comes, and it will come. Me as the oldest brother, will put this bullet into his fucking' head." He spat, playing with the bullet between his fingers.
~
The family watched as the wagon in-front of them burst into flames. Lilah held baby Florence closer to her chest, as tears streamed from her eyes. Isiah kissed his wife's head gently, before grabbing her hand in his. Oliver stood next to Jermiah, looking innocently at the burning wagon.
"You remember that God spared you. But what did you do with that extra time that he gave you, Thomas?" Polly asked, her bottom lip quivering as she spoke.
BANG
Everyone ducked down to the floor, as they heard the gun go off. Lilah, however- was not fazed. She knew Thomas would use John's funeral as a set up, and she wasn't wrong. "DO NOT RETURN FIRE!" Her brother yelled. "I took the trouble of getting an invitation to Aberama Gold."
"You set a trap with us as fucking bate?!" Polly shouted, running up to Tommy. "Who's dead?" She asked, pointing over at the factory.
"Our enemy's."
~
"I never thought my high-fucking heels from Paris would be stepping through the horse shit of Small Heath ever again." Lilah complained, striding alongside her older sister. All eyes were on the girl as she approached Isiah, who was speaking to his father.
"Who's that lady over there?" Aberama asked Arthur, gesturing towards Lilah. "That's our sister- Lilah. She looks just like Tom, don't she?" Her brother smiled, drinking his cup of whiskey. "I've heard a lot about her." Aberama said, amused.
"What's wrong?" Lilah asked the frowning man stood in-front of her. "That Bonnie kid is basically eye fucking you from that table over there." He sighed, glaring over at the boy. "Are you jealous?" Lilah teased, fiddling with his collar. She leaned up, putting her lips to his ear.
"Show him that I'm yours." She whispered, smirking as she was pulled into a deep kiss. Isiah's eyes stayed open the whole time, glaring at Bonnie- whose face went a bright shade of red.
~
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
