Childhood Memory (Finn Shelby)

Part 18

Grace's funeral was a hauntingly beautiful ceremony. Everything suited Grace, the words that were said. Nothing went wrong, it was perfect.

Thomas asked Elsie to stay at her home for a while. Finn had dropped her off and stayed the night with her, just holding her in bed as she shook and cried.

When the morning came Elsie asked what Finn's brother's business really was. She always knew it was more than import-export, managing pubs and clubs. "Finn, I want to know. Tommy said I could potentially be in danger after Grace got shot. I want to know why I'm in danger" Elsie said

Finn looked uncomfortable, "I don't know Elsie, I don't think I can tell you" he said, shuffling his feet.

"If we become more than what we are Finn. I'll find out anyway but at this rate, you can get the fuck out of my house" Elsie pointed to the door of her bedroom.

"You don't mean that Elsie-"

"Then just tell me why I'm in danger!" Elsie said shrilly.

So he told her. He told her everything he knew. Elsie started to wish she hadn't pushed him to tell her, but then again, she wasn't too surprised at what they did, all events that something went wrong at, it all made sense.

"Finn-"

"Just don't tell my brothers or Aunt Pol or anyone else at that matter that I told you" Finn began putting on his shoes and coat then grabbed his hat.

"Finn, you're leaving?"

"The longer I stay here, the more you're in danger. I'll see you soon" Finn said, he gave her one last look before he headed out of the room.

"So is this what we're going to be like, Finn?" Elsie filled gun and shouted at him as he got closer to his car.

"Elsie, my brother's wife just got killed, I need to be with my brother and my family. They're more important to me at the moment than you"

"Right. I'm sorry" Elsie said, taken back by his harshness, she turned and walked towards her house, she stopped just before she opened the door, "I like you Finn, just don't push me away like I did to you before" she then shut the opened the door and slammed it shut.

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"Roland, can we go shooting? I'm bored" Elsie whined, walking into the stables where Roland was brushing Paint and his eldest son, aged seven, was brushing Finley.

"We can, Luke go home. You can see Finley when we get back" Roland patting his son's back and the kid ran off and towards his house.

Roland and Elsie placed away the two horses and Roland went out to get his gun and Elsie went back to her house and towards a cabinet which held all of her father's old guns and bullets. Elsie picked up her favourite one and walked out with it over her shoulder.

Roland's spaniel came trotting over with him. "Are we shooting birds or targets?"

"Birds, get something for Pepper to do" Elsie said fondly to the spaniel, stroking her head.

Elsie was a bit out of practice as she missed a few birds, thankfully Roland was there and shot them for her. She did manage to shoot a couple which Pepper happily brought back.

"We should do this more often" Elsie said as she held both guns while Roland had all five birds they had shot.

"It was fun, perhaps I could bring Luke, he wants to learn to shoot" Roland said, referencing his son.

"He likes to learn everything" Elsie pointed out, "first he wanted to learn to ride, then to look after horses, then how to jump and now he wants to shoot"