"would you watch my body weaken? my mind drift away?" —— Two nights later, Iris wound up the courage to return to her home. Thomas immediately plead his case to her, insisting it wasn't him who turned in Freddie and begging Iris to believe him. She agreed, but in her mind there was still reservations. If it hadn't been Thomas, then who was it? However, she trusted him enough to accept what he was saying. Eventually she persuaded Polly to speak to him. She didn't believe him one bit, but she passed on his claims to Ada, who understandably ignored them.
Slowly getting back into the swing of things, Thomas and Iris were sat in the office. They were sorting out the diary, and Iris couldn't help but remember Alfie's chosen date for the collection of money. Not that she'd be paying; she just hoped his reaction wouldn't be too severe.
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"Mark a black star on that day." Thomas said, jabbing his finger into day of December 3rd, coincidentally the same day Alfie had given Iris.
She did as she was told before turning to him. "Why?"
"That's the day we're taking out Billy Kimber and his men. Don't tell the others yet; none of them are speaking to me. I can't see a date decided by solely me going down well."
"Alright." As soon as she scratched the date in, she turned to him. "Come on then, I've invited Polly and your brothers round for tea."
Tommy stared blankly at her as she stood up and tugged at his arm.
"Well obviously I didn't mention you'd be coming; but it's your house. So you're coming anyway." —— Iris had to practically drag Thomas out of the den and into their home, but finally they arrived. However, the man Iris saw sat at the head of her table made her wish she'd never even bothered to show up: Arthur Shelby Snr.
"Speak of the devils." He said, a sneer on his face. "How are ya, son? And your lovely wife."
Involuntarily, Iris' grip on Tommy's hand tightened in fear. This was a man who she had seen beat Thomas for the fun of it when they were kids; when he ran off all those years ago she'd let out a huge sigh of relief. But there was something else, something more sinister between Iris and Arthur Snr that made her toes curl whenever she heard his name. Something that she had never told anyone - not even her husband.
Tommy tensed up as soon as his eyes clapped his father. "Get out."
"Come on, son. I'm a changed man." Arthur Snr reasoned with his arms raised.
"This family needed you 10 years ago, and you walked out on us. Not now. Get out of this house."
"Tommy, he's different." Arthur Jnr insisted.
"Shut up." Thomas hissed through gritted teeth. His grip on Iris' hand was so tight that it was almost beginning to hurt, but she dreaded the thought of him letting go. She could feel Arthur Snr's gaze on her, and it was making her skin crawl.
