Polly's Boys

Betting shop blues

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You could have knocked Polly over with a feather. Devlin strode into the shop looking like a proper brummie boy. Blue trousers and suspenders with his white shirt unbuttoned on the top sleeves rolled showing his tattoos. She could tell he'd had a haircut even under his peaky cap. He looked very sharp.

She hadn't seen him dressed like that since he was twelve.

It was a warm March day, no snow left this year. It was muggy. She was thrilled to see him looking so dapper.

"What brings you by?" Polly rose from her desk to meet him with open arms. The men in the shop gave him a few good up and down looks until she'd hugged him. He'd come to the house once a few months back. Polly really didn't introduce her men to everyone, preferring to enjoy them and make up for lost time. Every minute she relished.

"It's too hot in London, I needed to get out and figured I'd answer Tommy's business proposal in person and see my lovely mum." He said offhandedly as he glanced over the shop.

"Have you ever been in a betting shop?" She asked and gestured around. She was glowing. Her sons were coming around more often and it was getting easier every time to establish a relationship with them.

"Actually, no. Most of my business is in shipping, merchant stuff." He smiled and looked around. He was ready for a tour.

"Let me show you around." Polly wasted no time introducing him to everyone. She beamed showing off her son. Flouncing from station to station. His cousins even seemed to enjoy his presence.

Once introductions were made and cousins had a few good barbs at one another, no hard feelings .She brought him into the family house and he sat down in the familiar green room and slumped in the chair while she got busy getting the whiskey.

"What made you change your mind about Tommy' expansion?" She smiled at her own cunningness. He grinned in response. So she was right he had come around.

"It would be good money, it's close to home. Things are fracturing in London so why stay in a capsizing boat? I'll make new connections." He said dryly and reached for a glass. He didn't even bother looking at it like he usually did.

Polly frowned. That wasn't just due to comfort, not completely. He might be feeling more open and comfortable around her but she recognized weariness when she saw it.

"Sounds smart, especially with family." She said studying her son silently.

"Maybe, we'll see. It'll assure the safety of our family down there too." His knee bounced up and down, he was looking at the hutch and not her.

He was restless and anxious. It rattled her a bit to see him so un-composed. He was her little soldier boy, always in control. She had a hunch she knew who this was about.

"Have you heard from her?" His mother asked softly, taking a deep drink of her Whiskey. She was talking about her daughter in law, Winter St. Clair. The sun and moon to her son.

" Once, her manager said she needed to focus but...since the gun.....incident ... .no. Not really." He flung his head back draining his amber liquor in one blow.

She looked at him and raised a concerned eyebrow. Not just for the way he drank it down like a fish, but she finally saw through his fresh grooming. He looked like hell. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep if she had to guess, black circles under his eyes confirmed it and there was dirt under his fingernails.

"When is her tour done?" she asked cautiously. Her dark all seeing eyes never leave his face. She could still read him after all these years.

"Tonight." He even sounded dead. Things were really strained between them.