Home Again

Workday

*I think this song is the perfect anthem of Clover and Junior's love

I've been wanting to update for a few days now but I've had hella wifi issues. Enjoy!

~

"So who robbed us?" Junior asked his uncle.

"We don't know yet," John answered.

"We'll burn as many nests as necessary until we do," Arthur added.

"Nests? Like...homes?" Junior asked.

"Homes, pubs, clubs, you name it," Arthur answered.

"And what do we do when we find the men who...betrayed us?" Junior asked.

John loaded his pistol and inspected the barrel, "We kill them," he said.

Junior stiffly nodded and slowly sat back in his chair. He had been instructed to follow his uncles around and help them with their "work" no matter how dirty it turned out to be. Two months of these daily ride-alongs had given him a new understanding of the sinister reality of his family's work. It certainly did not inspire him to cross his father again.

Thankfully, his uncles never made him do any more killing. Junior still could not get over the first man he killed. He could recreate the image of that man in his mind; helpless, wounded and afraid. Junior was a murderer now. Whatever else he was he didn't much know or care to understand.

"Come on Junior, it's time to pay the Aussie's a visit," Arthur said as he stood from his chair. He downed the rest of his drink before securing his weapon and walking out the door. John soon followed suit.

"Australians?" Junior asked in disbelief. "All the way in England?" He ran after his disappearing uncles.

~

Thomas sat at his desk, thinking. There was a cigarette in his fingers and a drink on the desk in front of him. His glass sat next to a pile of letters. They were from that girl that his son had become entangled with. Tommy had some detangling to do.

Thomas picked up the envelopes; there had to be ten from this week alone. She just wouldn't stop writing. Tommy put out his cigarette and finished his drink; then he struck a match. Lighting the bottom corners of the letters, Tommy suspended the documents in the air, watching them burn. When the flames had spread along the envelopes adequately, he moved over to the fireplace and dropped the flaming mass into the crackling embers.

He watched the papers shrivel into nothingness.

~

It had been a long and rather wild day. Junior had been able to manage by laying low and staying out of the way. He didn't want to get caught in any crossfires that his uncles and their men might've started. Their workday had thankfully come to a close and the trio drove back up to the estate, parking along the rear. All Junior wanted to do was have a drink and get some sleep. That seemed to be the only solution to his loneliness.

Junior had left the car, tuning out his uncle's rowdy protests, and headed inside. He was halfway to his room when one of the male help secured his attention. "Mr. Shelby, sir?" the man said. "There's someone at the front entrance to see you." Junior sighed deeply. "Alright, thank you," he said.

As soon as Junior began heading to the front entrance, he was interrupted again by a more sinister caller. "Hello, son," came his father, stepping into view. Junior froze immediately.

"Hi, dad," he said.

"Where are you going, son?" Tommy stepped closer and Junior's trepidation arose. He could feel the same dread rising that motivated him to run away.