𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐊𝐄𝐘 & 𝐒𝐌𝐎𝐊𝐄 | 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐘 𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒

ʀᴇ-ᴋɪɴᴅʟᴇᴅ

The girl sat in Shelby Company Limited, her fountain pen sliding over paper, as her thoughts were deep in her head, counting up betting money. A harsh set of footsteps sounded, as Thomas Shelby walked into the almost empty building. He stopped at the desk she sat at. 

"Yes?" Cliona queried not looking up from her work, continuing to write. 

"Ada said you've got something to say" He grumbled lighting a cigarette, pulling up a seat. 

"She did did she? Where's Arthur and John?" He placed the cigarette between his lips, and she waited for him to speak. 

"Burning down a pub" Was all he responded with. She didn't even question why they'd do that, it was better if she didn't ask questions. For her own sanity. 

"I suppose I should tell you...Grace, she's in London" His eyes rose to hers, smoke escaping his lips. 

"She's married" He stated blankly. So he knew that much. Cliona nodded slowly setting down her pen. 

"A Yankee. A banker I think. He's rich" Cliona hadn't seen her sister in awhile, but she was sure, the older of the sisters was a long way from the farm girl from Galway. She'd always liked fashion, now she had money to pay for it. 

"Why is she in London?" Of course Cliona knew the reason why her sister had returned to England. But she was afraid that Tommy wouldn't take the reason well. It wasn't her right to tell him. 

"Your gonna have to ask her yourself. She called here, by the company number. You should call her back if you want" she shrugged, lifting her bag off the table, tidying up her work. An emerald green coat slipped down to her knees, as she stood up heading out the door with a soft spoken "goodnight"

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"Dear Grace,

I'll be leaving early in the morning tomorrow, to meet you, but I thought it wise to inform you of what has been happening recently. I told him that you called, did he call you back? I guess I'll find out when I see you. Polly has a son, and I suppose he's one of us now. He's a good man, but it's tragic all the same. He got arrested last night along with Arthur. I don't know if they'll survive, I fear for their lives and mentality in prison. But we're working on releasing them. He's working on it. Campbells also been back in town for awhile. That bullet apparently didn't teach him a lesson. He thinks he's going to get everything he wants, manipulating us. He's a bad man, Grace. You knew that before anyone else. I knew he did bad things. Bloody hell, I do bad things sometimes too. But I'm not a bad person, he is. A stinking rotten man that should not be an Inspector or a General. His days are running short, sister. Anyways, enough of  the morbidity I'll see you soon.

Yours sincerely, Cliona

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"God, Grace you look like a movie star!" Cliona let out a laugh as she embraced her sister, who was far from the simple barmaid from two year previous. She was glamorous, her clothes made of the finest material. Grace could only laugh in reply as she led her into the house, she'd been staying in on her return. She took out a bottle of champagne that was already opened, pouring it carefully into two separate glass, handing her sister a glass. 

"So, how's Birmingham?" She questioned hesitantly, to which Cliona only shrugged. 

"Same old. Now the bloody Italians from here are wanting to kill us all. Which truthfully is rather annoying. Someone always wanting to kill you, I mean. Just because I'm not afraid to die, doesn't mean I want to" Grace heaved out a sigh, shaking her head at her sisters words, of how straight forward she was about her feelings of death. Cliona then turned excitedly to Grace with a warm smile. "New York, tell me about it. I want to hear everything." When the girl was just a child, she'd dream of the silver screen, and being front of it, performing shows in her parents living room, to nobody in particular. 

"It's not like anywhere I've been before. The hours are longer, and the people are wilder. The city never sleeps, and the music. Oh, Cliona the music if you could only hear it!" The sisters laughed with each other, like old times, champagne in their hands. Cliona tried to avoid talking about him, but it was Grace that mentioned him first. "He called." She whispered looking into the woman's brown iris. "I'm going to meet him" Cliona stopped taking a sip of the alcohol, bringing the glass away from her mouth. Sure, she was aware they were going to talk, to re-kindle about old times, but meet? Grace had a husband, she was going to try and have a baby with him. Why would she want to meet him knowing this? 

"Grace....are you sure meeting him is all your going to be doing?" Cliona initially spoke seriously but couldn't help her mouth turning up into a small smirk. 

"I'm not sure sister" She sighed, Cliona taking her hand giving it a squeeze of encouragement. 

"You can't help who you love, Grace. And if that person is Tommy, that's okay. If your not happy being married to this man, please don't stay with him, for his sake. Just know who ever you choose, what life you choose to live, you can't have both. it wouldn't be fair." Cliona could be immature for her age, she could be ruthless, with an acid tongue. Hot headed? Sure. But when it came to her sister? She knew what to say.

The moon rose in place of the sun, as night fell upon the small house. Cliona looked at the time, with a sigh. 

"I'd better be leaving, my train leaves in an hour" She stood up from her seat, smoothing down her dress, wrapping her coat around her body. The sisters embraced each other, before Cliona moved to the door, opening it. 

"If your still here by Monday next, meet me at the Derby, I'd very much like that" The young woman disappeared through the door into the night, her hair blowing in the wind. Her eyes rose into the night sky, the stars spiraling like something from a painting. Cliona was content with everyone being happy around her, but she never asked herself, if she to was happy. There was nothing to be happy about in her life. Sure, she had her sister, that she loved dearly, but all in all she wasn't leading the life she'd wished for. The woman had been so busy doing the Shelby's business, she hadn't made any effort of relationships, met a man. Except Mario, but that didn't count. Nothing. She cared for the Shelby's. Of course she did. John was her best friend, Arthur was the older brother she never had, Polly perhaps the mother that was no longer there. And there was Thomas. They were acquaintances, and truthfully she believed they were alike, maybe that's why he confided with her. Cliona concluded that she lived off other peoples happiness to keep her sane, but some day her day would come. And with that she walked on, content with that thought.