The king of Birmingham and his daughter

Family Business

It's now been about five days since I have left that godforsaken orphanage, finding out that my dad that I never knew about was out there, and now I live with him. I honestly would off never of dreamt this ever in my life that, the day would have ever come. Over the past few days, I've learnt a lot about my dad, his rather large family, and the sort of business that they all run. It turns out that they are some sort of bookmaker. A betting company more like, that's connected to the home, which makes the place larger than it is.

I've also now known that he does illegal things, hence why half of the town hurries away, looking down and not making eye contact with him as much as they possibly can, in fear in what he would do to them, if they just look at him in the wrong way, or not getting out of his way fast enough. 

Polly had told me that if I don't find out anything else about what else he does any time sooner, she'll tell me when I'm a lot older than I am now, where I will understand more about what he does for a living. She says that I'm too young to know those sort of things, especially since I've just entered into his life, and me knowing may end up scaring me, and for me to flee away from him, thinking what not of him, and that's not what any of the Shelbys are wanting to have right now, as apparently he's happier now, then he was over a week ago.

With Polly saying that it does make me a little more nervous about him, but he seems nice enough to me though? Well, I don't know, I guess only time will guide me for now, till time thinks it's appropriate for me to know. But whatever goes, he is always going to be my dad, and I doubt that is ever going to change. Both Ada and Pol had said that he will, and there's no way out of it, that his going to be super protective. Especially if he finds out that I have any sort of contact with another boy that's not inside the family.

Anyhow, both Ada and Pol wanted me to stay at home today, and to help them with some of the family business. Well, the nicer part of it they had said. They had told me that it could get quite chaotic after ten minutes they have opened. I don't know if they mean that, or if they were being serious, whatever goes, I'd love to see what kind of atmosphere it would bring into the shop.

"Right, Blessing, those offices that are down that end, belong to your uncles, and your dad. He'll most likely want you to be in one of those rooms whilst you're here, so you're out of view of all the madness" Pol had told me, and I simply nodded, as I examined the place that's surrounded me.

It was rather large, and a little dull. There was much light coming into place, however, it was enough light for you to see everyone and everything that was around you and what was going on and when. it doesn't help much when most of the furniture is a shade of brown, ranging from a light shade of brown to a dark chestnut in some areas of the room. The table, that is situated in the middle of the room, was a dirty straw like brown, which was covered with papers all over the top, scattered everywhere. However, it seems in a way that it's in somewhat of an orderly fashion for them, like they know where everything is like that,

"Depending on how you do in your mathematics class, your father may, and most likely want you to help out around here with the numbers, and to help us to place new odds here for the different horses that'll race every day, as well as the many other things that we bet on too," Ada said to me. 

"But aren't I a bit too young to be working here anyhow Ada? I'm only young" I reminded her, looking a little confused, whilst still examining the place, walking around the table, and looking at the many different papers that were silently sitting there, waiting for them to be disturbed once again when the betting shop opens up for business once again. 

"Yes! yes, indeed you are. However you are smart, and I may need you for it" Dad unexpectedly says, coming out of nowhere, from the archway of the room. All three of us girls, all look at home, waiting for him to say something to us, or more to the older two, than to me, more than likely.