Promises Not Kept

46

//Thank you so much for 50k reads!!!!

            It was a miracle the children went down for the night. Johanna didn't know any better. She was just spooked by the loud noises. Charlie was in a daze for the rest of the night and went to bed without saying much. He closed his eyes but couldn't fall asleep, little to Leah's knowledge.

The woman was too worked up to really tell if he was asleep or not. She paced in the parlor about ready to tear her hair out. "He's lied to me so many times. He lies and he lies and he lies." She ranted over and over again.

Alfie sat in the room with his gun at hand just in case. He'd done a good few rounds around his land making sure there wasn't anyone else straggling. As he got rid of the body, he took note of the man's identification. Perhaps he was just a lone wolf looking to get even. Maybe he'd heard of Alfie's resurrection. Maybe he'd followed Leah and the children to Margate.

Leah didn't seem to care what the reason was. She was sick of feeling like they were in danger everywhere they turned to. "No more." She stopped in her tracks. "No more."

Alfie could see her resolve was breaking. The hope she held out for Tommy Shelby. "What are you gonna do then? What's your goal?" He asked her the same question he'd asked days before.

"My children come first." She insisted. "Not Tommy Fucking Shelby." She spat. "I will not have their lives put at risk. They deserve to grow up safe and happy." Tears filled her eyes.

"So, what are you gonna do?"

"I'm leaving." The words came out before she could really process them. "I'm leaving...I'm going somewhere else. Somewhere far...America. I'll go to America if it means keeping them safe." She wiped her eyes. "His actions won't put them in danger anymore, I won't let him."

Alfie nodded but didn't say anything else. He simply let her sit with the idea.

Leah wrung her hands together and let out a gasp of air. "Tell me I'm crazy."

He simply shrugged. "Not my decision to make." He pointed up to the ceiling. "I leave that shit up to God."

~~~~~~~~~~

In the morning, Leah had all the bags packed. She didn't call Tommy to tell him they were leaving Margate. Instead, she called Polly and headed to her flat in London.

"Up you go then, thatta girl." Alfie helped Johanna into the backseat of the car. "And there goes Cyril. And last but not least, Mr. Charles."

Charlie looked up at the man. "Are we gonna see you again soon, Alfie?" He asked quietly.

"I should hope so, mate. You, your sister and Cyril can come visit anytime mum says it's okay." Alfie smiled and tousled the boy's hair.

Leah walked up to Alfie after he shut the car door. "I can't thank you enough. I'm sorry to leave on such short notice. And I don't mean to have Tommy give you any grief for what I've done."

"I can handle whatever grief Tommy wants to fucking give me. Now you remember that this is his battle he's fighting. Ain't yours and it ain't the kids' either."

"Thank you, Alfie." She kissed his cheek and went to get in the car.

"Bye, Mr. Alfie!" Johanna called out the window.

Alfie waved to them as the car pulled out of the drive. He wandered back inside and waited for the phone to ring and for Tommy Shelby to rain hell down upon him.