Home Again

There's A Girl

With minimal editing I present to you the newest chapter! Yay. I hope you are enjoying your holiday!!

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"Where'd you think they went?" Clover looked over at Junior.

"I don't know," he laced his fingers throughout hers as an uneasy feeling settled in his stomach.

~

Back at the Shelby estate, Arthur's muddy boots tracked and trudged through the hallways. The hired helpers always dreaded his return from long trips, especially on muddy days. Money had not refined Arthur and so he had never developed mannerly habits, like wiping his feet. John stepped beside him with his head down, deep in thought. They both stopped once they had reached the proper door.

"Don't look so nervous, mate," Arthur said to his brother. "It's all in the family 'ere, no need to worry. We're still all one big family," he whispered towards the door. The door opened.

"Come in," they heard.

~

"When I was a boy, I remember feeling lonely. It was the type of loneliness you can't ever get away from," Junior sighed for a number of seconds. He lied on his back, holding onto Clover with both arms. Clover drew invisible circles along the brown skin of his stomach, sending torrents of warmth to his heart. She stopped her drawing for a moment to plant a kiss on his upper chest. He continued, "I lived in this big house...an estate. When I was little I lived with my mother and father, my little sister, my uncles, their families, and my great aunt Polly. It was a large space but we filled it. It was always full of us, doing one thing or another. But then they all moved away. All except for my aunt, my mom, dad and me."

"Why?" Clover asked.

"Because my sister died. She was murdered."

Clover held him tighter.

"I was too young to get it. I didn't understand why at the time. But the truth is, we were too vulnerable living all together and elevated like we were. We had been a target for years. After they got to my sister it was better for everyone to spread out. The glory days of the Peaky Blinders were over. Of course, they still exist now. The Shelbys are still around but the name has faded to a whisper. A ghost of what it was."

"You lived all alone without your sister?"

"My dad threw himself into his work. My mother was sick all the time. My uncles had left. My great aunt was cold and distant. They were not just mourning the loss of Sophia. They were mourning the Shelby name."

"Sophia?"

"Yeah," his tears rolled easily now. "Sophia Antonia Shelby."

"It's a beautiful name."

"She was a beautiful girl. Just perfect."

Clovers face, wet with tears, pressed snugly against his heart. "You're not alone anymore, Junior." Clover said.

~

Arthur led himself and John into the room. Besides them there were two others. "It's good to see you Tommy," Arthur said, taking off his hat. The two brothers embraced. John was next. "Hey, Tommy," he said, embracing his brother. He took a step back, removing his cap, "Always a pleasure, Toni," he nodded to her. She gave a faint smile.

"D'you get my letter?" Tommy asked, slowly removing the cigarette from his mouth and leaning on a desk behind him.

"Yeah," Arthur said.

"Well, when will you go searching for him?" Toni asked.

"We already have," John said.

Both parents' eyes lighted and landed on John.

"And?" Tommy asked.

John gave a long sigh.

Finally Arthur spoke up. "There's a girl, Tommy."

"A girl?" Tommy asked.

The uncles nodded.

"So what? Junior's always had girls, that doesn't make a difference. Your job was to bring him home," Tommy said.

John spoke as if something had been bubbling inside of him and had suddenly burst. "She's not just some girl, Tommy. They're in love. We heard it ourselves."

When Tommy didn't say anything, he continued.

"You know we don't mess with love. Not anymore and never again. It's bit us in the ass too many times."

Tommy stared, incredulous.

"I don't want..." Arthur said, "I just don't want the curse to fall on him. If there is one. I mean, you see the shit that's happened to us...to Sophia." He immediately realized his mistake and ceased talking. Toni felt as if just then she'd been shot in the stomach.

Tommy's eyes drifted to her for a fraction of a second, before turning again to his brothers. From his throat issued a series of gruff laughter.

"What the hell is funny?" Asked Arthur.

Tommy inhaled and exhaled a cloud of nicotine before drifting his eyes up to focus on his brother's. "A curse?" he puffed. "My baby wasn't killed by a curse," he stood from the desk. Toni watched him warily. "It was men...men and hate that killed my daughter. Not. A Fucking. Curse." A tear slid down his wife's cheek. "You go bring back my son. And don't return until you do."

Arthur slowly returned his cap to his head and turned to the door.

"You haven't changed a bit have you?" John said. Arthur froze. "Still sending others to do the work for you. Still afraid to leave these fucking walls and stray from your fucking castle-"

"What did you just say to me?"

"John, c'mon now, settle back," Arthur said.

"Get off me!" John shoved. "He can face me on his own." He looked dead at Thomas.

"Don't forget who bailed you out John. Who got Eliza to trust you again. Who paid for your fucking wedding!" He was pointing now, resisting Toni's hold.

"OH go fuck yourself, Tommy. Like it's so hard living in here, eh."

"I paid off your fucking house so your whole family could stay there. I did that. My money, my sweat. I protected us. Don't fucking talk about this house like it was my choice for all you to-"

"Oh bullshit Tommy. No wonder your own son had to leave you."

Tommy froze. Staring. Then he nodded and wiped his nose on his sleeve. There was a stretch of silence. Then he said, "Bring him back to me, please. I'll pay you whatever you want." Then he walked out of the room. 

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