𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 ʲᵒʰⁿ ˢʰᵉˡᵇʸ

- 𝟎𝟐𝟔

𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤
-𝟎𝟐𝟔-

With an asleep Francesca lying in her lap, Valerie stared at the dim lights in the office building. John had gone and done the job that Tommy had set for him and Valerie now sat alone whilst Polly and Ada sat elsewhere in the building.

Valerie didn't understand the situation. She couldn't understand anything.

Not anymore.

There was a new problem every week, if not everyday. They were involved in new business too often that Valerie could no longer keep up. And now John was getting up to things and not keeping her informed which meant she was left in the dark, left to worry when things went south.

She gently stroked Francesca's dark locks she felt her own eyes grow heavy. She leaned against her fist and closed her eyes for a few moments.

Everything was silent except from the ticking from the clock on the wall but that was somewhat soothing to Valerie. As she sat with her daughter and the slight silence of the office building, she felt at peace.

It was a strange type of peace though.

A type of peace that gave her the feeling that she would have to get used to it. So maybe it wasn't peace but instead a sense of loneliness. It made her skin crawl at the idea.

It was just then, as she was deep in thought, that the door opened slowly and clashed with the wall gently. She looked over her shoulder and her eyes landed on a very distraught looking Michael who carried Charlie in his arms.

Michael's eyes were empty but his face was frozen with accomplishment.

She watched carefully as the two women rushed to his side. Ada took Charlie whilst Polly examined her son. Her smile faded when noticing the look in his eye.

Michael stared at her blankly, a slight smile on his lips that didn't move at all.

Polly looked at Valerie through the gap in the door and Valerie remained still. Polly looked away and took a few steps backward from her soon and hesitantly returned to Ada.

That was when Michael dropped his head and looked down toward his feet.

His skin was stained with the blood of another. The blood of father Hughes.

He stood and opened up his palms to see the decoration across his skin. His breathing was uneven and shaky. He rubbed his thumbs against his palms in attempt to be rid of the blood but it was no use.

His fingers ran through his hair and he leaned his back against the wall. He took a deep breath. "I did it," he said to himself.

Valerie looked down at Francesca before closing her eyes. She was growing to realise that there was much more horror to the family she had married into than she had realised. So much story to be told, so many secrets to be revealed.

So much love to be given and removed.

—

It was late when John returned home to Valerie who was in bed, the sheets wrapped around her as if she was searching for comfort. He hovered at the door for a moment whilst trying to figure out if she was awake or not.