Small Heath, Birmingham. It's a rough place so one has to fight to survive or link to the right people.
The Peaky Blinders. They're like royalty. Depending on who you're talking to, if you say the Shelby name they'll either bow or curse at you.
He...
Isla walks into The Peaky Blinder's betting office looking for her brother.
"Isiah? You in 'ere?"
"No." Scudboat says.
"Fuck." She says. "You know where he is?" Scudboat shakes his head and she sighs.
"What's the point of having a twin if you can never find them when you want them?" She asks herself out loud. Isla turns on her heels and almost collides with someone. "Oh. Sorry."
"No. It's my fault." He says to her. Isla looks behind him.
"Polly. Have you seen my brother?"
"I can't say I have. But now that you're here I'd like you to meet someone. This is Michael. My son." Isla raises an eyebrow.
"Ah. So you're the prodigal son that has returned home. How does it feel?"
"So far so good."
"This is Isla." Polly says introducing her. "Isiah's sister and Jeremiah's daughter." She looks at him.
"It's nice to meet you Michael." He shakes her hand.
"Pleasure is all mine."
"You look familiar." Isla says. "Do I know you?"
"We met not long ago. I was standing outside my mum's house when you came walking by... drunk." He whispers the last word. "You were singing."
"Right! Right. It's coming back to me now... In pieces."
"So you two have met before?" Polly asks.
"Not properly." Michael says.
"You busy? I was going to be with my brother but he's too busy doing... whatever it is he's doing. So do you want to get a drink with me?" Michael looks at his mother.
"Go ahead." She urges. "No too much though!" She calls out. The two of them leave and go down the street to the Garrison. She goes behind the bar and gets two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.
"You can just grab it?" Michael asks. "Just like that?"
"Calm down. I work here." She says with a smile. "I'm the cleaner. I clean up after these drunken men." Isla pours the whiskey and goes back to the other side of the bar to sit.
"You smoke?" She lights a cigarette.
"No." He says.
"So you like it here so far?" She takes a sip.
"It's not bad. I like it." He takes a sip himself and coughs slightly. Isla looks over and see him staring at her.
"What are you looking at?" She questions.
"Nothing. Uh nothing." He quickly looks away.
'I still got it.' She thinks to herself.
'God she's so beautiful.' Michael thinks to himself. 'I want to stare but it's wrong.'
"So you're the priest's daughter?" He asks and she nods. "What's that like?" She shrugs.
"He wasn't always religious. It was just when he came back from the war. But it's not bad. He's not too strict when it comes to religion. But it has its perks. I'm associated with the Peaky Blinders."
"A priest with them? Knowing what they do?"
"My father served with the Shelby's during the war." She takes a puff. "Anymore questions?" He thinks about it.
"What's your middle name?" She cracks a small smile.
"Faith. I know cliche. But I swear is happened before the war. Next?"
"Your mother. What's she like?"
"Dunno. She left when Isiah and I were young. While father was at war. She couldn't handle being the wife of someone in the war and a mother so she gave my brother and I to Polly and left." She takes a sip of her whiskey. "Isiah doesn't like to talk about it. He was close to her you know? As close as could be at such a young age. But me? It's always been my father." Michael clears his throat.
"Sorry." He says.
"I don't mind. I love my life."
'Shit.' Michael thinks to himself. 'You just had to ask that question. Now the mood and everything's changed. Quick. As something light.'
"Who's older?"
"Isiah. By 5 minutes. If I had come only 5 minutes later, we would have been born on two different days." She laughs and Michael thinks of it as music to his ears. "Can you imagine that? Twins having two different birthdays?"
"I guess you couldn't wait any longer." Michael says.
"No. I couldn't. Let me ask you some questions Michael... if that is your real name."
"It is." He says. "The name I had with my other... family... it was Henry Johnson." She narrows her eyes and looks at the boy next to her.
"I can see Henry. But not Johnson. But you do look more like a Michael."
"Good to know." He says.
"How old are you?"
"17. I'll be 18 in a few weeks. You?"
"I'm 17 as well. Isiah and I will be 18 in 2 months."
"I'll have to get you a present then." He says.
"And I you. If you're still here that is. What do you like?"
"I like horses." He says after he takes another sip and she takes a puff.
"Really?" You say with a smile. "That's ironic. You ride them?" He nods. "You brave soul."
"You don't?"
"No. I'm terrified." She admits causing Michael to laugh. "I'm serious. I'm afraid that if I get on one it won't like me and it'll throw me off."
"Well maybe one day I can help you face that fear."
"Maybe." She shrugs. "You have another question?"
"Last one. What do you like when it comes to men?"
'Shit. Too forward. But I can't take it back now. Here we go.'
"Just curious." Isla looks at the door and sees her brother standing there.
"Are you any of those things Michael?" She pauses. "I guess we'll see."
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She takes the last swig of her drink and puts out her cigarette. "I guess we'll see." She pats him on the shoulder and leaves with her brother.
Michael watches she walks away and takes another sip of his whiskey. She's so damn beautiful. The way she walks. The way her hips sway, it's damn near rhythmic. And the way she talks, such confidence. She speaks without fear.
