The Girl Behind the Counter

Chapter 17

Liyana had been offered to stay at Arrow House, but she admittedly declined. "I'm not leavin' her. She's didn't leave me behind and I won't leave her." Tommy sighed, knowing there would be no budging her. "At least come to clean up. You've still got dust all over you. You can clean up, get a fresh dress, and then we'll escort you back here." Tommy reasoned. "Escort me? Am I the bloody queen now?" Liyana chastised. "No, she's the queen." Michael declared from where he sat next to Maxie's bed. "Michael ain't going to leave her, trust me. She won't be alone. Besides, she'll probably still be out by the time you get back." Tommy said. Ana gave him a weary look. She didn't trust the Peaky Blinders. She tried to tell Maxie that seeing Michael was a bad idea, but she wouldn't listen and now here they all were. Eventually the urge to rid herself of the soot and blood won. "Fine." She grumbled to Tommy. "Wonderful, come right this way and we'll get you all cleaned up." And so Liyana went into the lion's den.

Once at Arrow House Liyana gasped at the size of it. King George himself might as well live there. "Why do you have so many rooms?" Liyana asked. "Because I can." Tommy replied. Once inside Polly Shelby ran up to them. "How is she?!" There was panic in her eyes. "Fucked up." Liyana responded. Polly turned to her with an appalled look. "That's right. She's fucked up. You all fucked her up. She'll live though." Ana spat at the most powerful woman in Birmingham. "Who the hell is this?" Polly turned back to Tommy. "This is Liyana. She's Maxie's friend and they're both in danger after this attack. She's here to get cleaned up and then she's going back to Maxie. I'm sending John and Finn with her so there can be extra muscle at the hospital." Tommy informed. "Right, well, come on lets clean you up." Polly said while leading Liyana to the bathroom. "The bath is nice and warm for you. I'll go and see if I can find some new clothes for you. I'll bring some tea too." Polly's maternal side had kicked in. Normally if someone had had an out burst at her like Liyana did before then that person would have Polly as their enemy for life. In Ana's case Polly understood her anger. She knew that both the Peaky Blinders and Falco had Maxie's blood on their hands. "Do you have coconut oil? And a wide tooth comb maybe? My hair is different. I don't like to just stick it down with pomade. I like my curls." Liyana had calmed down and was now thankful for Polly's help. "I'll see what I can find dear." Polly assured her. It took Ana hours to get all of the grime out of her hair and off of her scalp. Polly helped her rinse her curls and kept reheating the water in the tub. Polly watched as Ana sectioned off her hair and ran the coconut oil through it with her fingers, detangling any problems spots she came across. "I have to keep the oil in for a bit. Sorry this is such a long process." Liyana apologized. "It's no bother dear. I had no idea you couldn't simply brush your hair and be done with it." Polly admitted. "No, there's a bit more to it than that" Ana smiled. "I like that your hair is curly. Josephine Baker is a fine dancer but I don't much care for her oily hair." Polly remarked. "A lot of us, black girls I mean, straighten our hair and slick it down like Josephine Baker. They but lye on their heads and they stick their head right on the board and bring the Iron to their hair. Others where wigs to make things easier. but in my village we would never do that. We'd braid out hair in beautiful patterns. And we'd wear our hair in a way that you all call kinky, but shape it to be beautiful domes or cones. The only reason I don't do that now is that my natural hair can still somewhat fall into a bob like look, but I won't straighten my curls." Liyana explained. "I see why you and Maxie are such good friends. You said you come from a village, where?" Polly asked. "In Swaziland. I'm from Mantenga village in Swaziland. It's in the south of Africa. My family came her when I was ten. Maxie took me in when I was twelve. She helped us get a home and papers and she gave me a job as long as I still went to school. She was my family's guardian angel, and now she is a sister to me." Liyana had silent tears streaming down her face. "She's going to be alright. She knew she was getting into trouble when she mixed in with us. It was her choice. I'm sorry it effected you. But don't worry, this act won't go unpunished." Polly's voice grew deep and almost maniacal. Once finished bathing and dressing Ana was introduced to John and Finn. "Ana, these are my nephews John and Finn Shelby. You boys better keep this girl safe or I'll have all four of your bullocks pickled in a jar." Polly warned and Ana smirked. From the moment Liyana had walked up with her raven curls bouncing in a merry manner and her onyx eyes looked up at him, Finn's heart began to cantor, three beats at a time with the fourth being skipped. She had a tender smile and when he saw her smile turn into a playful smirk his heart went into a wild gallup. "Right this way Miss." Finn offered her his arm and she timidly took it. She had only ever been offered nasty things from men on the streets of Small Heath. Something about the youthful freckles coating Finn's face calmed her and she walked off towards the car with him. John and Polly shared a knowing look and then chuckled to each other while shaking their heads. "Between Michael and now Finn, nothing bad will every happen to Maxie or Liyana ever again!" John laughed as he too walked out to the waiting car.