𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 ᶠⁱⁿⁿ ˢʰᵉˡᵇʸ

𝟎𝟐𝟗: 𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗
𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫

Aurora sat, wide eyed beside the Christmas Tree whilst Karl opened up his last few presents. Ada was fidgeting by the door, biting her nails. Finn was at the phone, speaking to Tommy. "Auntie Rory— Auntie Rory, look!" Karl said with excitement as he lifted up the wooden train that he had unwrapped.

She hesitantly snapped out of her gaze to look. "That's lovely, Karl." She whispered.

Finn walked in and the room fell silent. "Tommy says we're to all meet at Charlie's Yard— he says he can't get hold of John or Esme to let them know." He said, watching Aurora's pale face twist into worry.

She nodded slowly and stood up, wringing her hands together. "You go to Charlie's Yard with Ada and Karl.. i'll go and see what's going on with John." She said with a slight nod. "But Rory—" Finn began, attempting to argue that it wouldn't be safe.

But her words weren't an offer or a suggestion, they were instructions.

"You go to Charlie's Yard. I'll go to John." She repeated, her eyes glued to the floor. "I'll stop by Polly's house first, see if her and Michael have recieved the news." She said, rubbing her forehead.

Before Finn could get out another word, she had already slipped out of the house and gotten into one of the cars.

-

Polly's door had been left open and Aurora could hear talking from inside. She hesitantly stepped inside, weary as she had not seen Polly or Michael since before they were locked away. "Polly are you home? It's me." She called out.

As she entered, she saw Michael first.

Polly spun around to look at her. "Has Tommy sent you, eh? Has he bloody sent you— what does he want this time?" She snapped.

Rory's eyes were wide. "Have you.. checked your post this morning?" Aurora swallowed hard.

Michael locked eyes with Polly.

"Polly, there's a job I have to do. But before I do that there's something I wish to talk to you about." She said sheepishly. Polly nodded slowly and Michael examined Rory carefully. "My mother got in contact, Polly. I know about the letters she had been writing to me— the ones you kept away." Aurora began, "and i'm not here to ask you why, i'm here to ask you if you know what she told me."

Polly shook her head. "I haven't a clue what you're on about."

"Polly, you cannot tell me that you didn't know me and Freddie did not share the same father." Aurora swallowed hard. Polly blinked a few times. "Yes.. I did know. But I did not know who the man was that your mother had an affair with."

Polly noticed the shift in her eyes. "Do you know who he is?"

Aurora's eyes glossed over as an overwhelming sense of guilt and fear filled her. "I don't want to believe that she's telling me the truth.. honestly I wish she had never told me."

"Rory, it can't be that bad surely.." Michael tried to laugh it off.

She shook her head. "Luca Changretta." Her words escaped as a mere whispered.