Angel

7

            "Thomas has gone to find my children," Polly said abruptly, breaking the silence as we made dinner in the kitchen of the Shelby house in Small Heath. "Polly, it took you two days to fucking tell me this?!" I yelled. "I don't want to get my hopes up," she said quietly, and I placed a hand over hers. "Polly, whatever happens, you've got me. With having five other children, most of them getting into trouble, mother never really had time for me, but you always did. You've always been a mother to me Pol," I whispered, and she smiled, lighting a cigarette. "I know love, I know," she replied, taking a drag. There came a small click and the front door opened, Tommy striding inside. "Damn it Tommy, you could've been fucking anyone," I complained, releasing my hand from the trigger of the pistol that lay in my apron. I had grabbed it as soon as I heard the click, not expecting any company tonight. Tommy ignored my comment and approached Polly. She turned to him, anxious for news, as Tommy pulled files out of his coat. "Polly, these are the files for Michael and Anna Gray. As you can see, one is white...and one is black. What you saw in your dreams...was right," Tommy said quietly, and I placed a hand over Polly's as tears started to well up in her eyes.

            "Your daughter is dead," Tommy said simply, passing the file across the table. Polly looked down at it, the hand holding her cigarette shaking. "Uh...you do it. I can't read it," she muttered quietly. I moved the file closer to me and scanned the pages. "A-after Anna was taken away from you, she was put with the family of a railway station master in Stafford. She...never settled. So she kept running away. She got on a train to Birmingham once. Eventually they sent her to Australia. Where she died of something called spring fever," I read quietly, and Polly let go of my hand and strode over to a globe that stood on the desk next to us, turning it. "So my little Anna traveled all the way back across the world to be with me in my dreams. She came all by herself. Well, that's one train they couldn't get her off," Polly said, her voice tight and thick with grief. The room fell into silence as she strode back to the table, and Tommy leaned forward against it. "But Pol, Michael is alive," he said, and Polly let out a relieved gasp, covering her tearstained face with her hand.

            "He's in England. And I know where he lives. I went there. But, Pol..." Tommy started. "And?" Polly asked, sensing the catch as I did. "Okay, Polly, listen to me. Just listen to me, please. Pol," Tommy barked, taking her hands in his own, "The woman that he calls mother will never let him come here." "Just tell me where he is Tommy," Polly cried, nodding furiously. "Polly, if you go there, and you get mad, and she gets mad and she calls the police, they will never let you anywhere near him and the boy will get scared. That's what'll happen, Pol," Tommy warned and Polly turned from him grabbing a small book out of her bag. "Polly. Polly," Tommy warned her. "You just tell me where he is, Thomas," Polly spat as she pulled a gun from hidden hole in the book and pointed it at him. I stood in shock as Tommy slammed his hands down on the table, and Polly cocked the gun. "Tell me where he is, Thomas," Polly yelled, and I placed a hand on her arm. "Polly," I whispered softly, but she shook my hand away, glaring hardly at Tommy. "Pulling the gun...Pulling the gun is why I can't tell you," Tommy said exasperatedly, sitting down in his chair.

            "Pol, I'm sorry," he said quietly, "You're gonna have to wait until he's eighteen. Till he's old enough to make his own decision." Polly cried, shaking her head, and I watched with a heartbroken gaze as she threw papers and books off the table and onto the floor. "'Wait'!" she shouted, "You tell me where he is!" She pointed the gun against Tommy's temple. "If you shoot me you'll never know," he said quietly. Polly lifted the gun up, shooting into the air in frustration as she tore from the room, slamming the door behind her. "Look after her," my brother commented as he lit a cigarette. I sighed, sitting down across from him. "When does the Garrison reopen?" I asked him, pulling the cigarette out of his hand and taking a drag. "The night after next," he replied slowly. "And you're sure putting Arthur in charge was a good idea?" I asked. Tommy gestured vaguely, raising his eyebrows as if to say only time will tell. "How is he?" I asked softly, meeting my brother's gaze. Tommy sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.

            "He beat a boy to death in the ring two nights ago," Tommy answered, and I swallowed thickly. "He needs to close the door on that fucking war," Tommy said, and I nodded in agreement. "You'll keep watch on him, and make sure he takes his fucking medicine? No more pouring it out the drain?" I said harshly, and Tommy nodded. "I have to go tend to Polly," I said, breaking the short silence as I stood, handing Tommy his cigarette back, "I'll see you at the opening." He nodded in response as I swept from the room.

**********

            The Garrison reopening was a lavish event, and everyone in the family was dressed in their finest. My hair fell down my back in loose brown curls, my golden dress cinched tight around my waist. I stood behind the bar, on my eighth drink, swaying slightly as the music played. I lifted a glass to Arthur as he entered. "My fucking Garrison!" he shouted with a grin, hopping over the bar to envelop me in a bear hug. "Your fucking Garrison," I replied with a laugh. He let go and grinned at me, pushing the glass to my lips and tipping the bottom up, forcing me to finish the glass. "Alright Arthur, alright," I chuckled, wiping stray droplets of rum from my chin, "You have customers to attend to." "Lena!" A familiar Irish voice rang out. "Johnny fucking Dogs," I laughed as the Irishman approached me. "Come take a shot with us, Lena, come on!" he yelled, and I laughed, walking over to the table by the door. "You've already poured one for me, you know me too well my good sir," I chuckled and he laughed as he passed me the small glass. "Alright boys, one...two...three..." I counted and we tapped our glasses together before banging them against the table and then swallowing the liquor inside. "Now there's a Shelby we can always count on for a good time!" Johnny yelled and the men cheered as I laughed and rolled my eyes at their antics.

            The front door then clicked open and Ada walked inside, passing her child off to Polly. "Ada!" I yelled, walking over to her and handing her a glass of champagne. "What do you think?" I asked her, clinking our glasses together and taking a sip. "It's very...um..." she started as we walked across the room. "Gold?" I asked sarcastically, and she laughed in response. "Yeah," she chuckled. "Hey, Arthur, look who it is!" John yelled as he walked up to Ada and I, embracing our sister. "So, what do you want us to say to her?" Ada asked as Tommy approached, eyes flitting to where Polly stood.

            "Just talk to her. None of us except you and Lena can get through to her. Tell her I had no choice. I appreciate this," Tommy said quietly, and Ada and I left him, walking towards our Aunt. "Polly, why don't you come and join us?" I pleaded drunkenly with her as we reached her place at the bar. She said nothing in reply, only smiled and danced along to the music, closing her eyes as she took a drag from her cigarette. "What?" Ada asked. "I'm not an idiot. He asked you to come, didn't he?" Polly asked, looking to Ada. Ada and I both looked away taking long sips from our drinks. "I don't want conversation. I want an address," Polly said, glaring across the room at Tommy, "Until I have that, haven't got anything to say. Well, it's a party!" Polly laughed, drunkenly placing her hands on mine and Ada's shoulder. "Yeah, it is!" we laughed together as she hugged us tightly. "And I'm going to enjoy myself," Polly said, her voice low and sultry as she left us and strode across the room to the man who'd been ogling her all night. "No, Pol, don't be silly..." Ada said, reaching for her arm, but Polly ducked away from her grasp.

            I laughed at her actions, turning to my sister. "You know she's taking him home no matter what we do," I chuckled, taking a sip from my drink, and Ada sighed, nodding in response. "Come on sister, enjoy yourself, it is a party after all," I said, lifting my glass to her as she laughed. I started to dance along to the music, pulling her by the arm to the middle of the room. We laughed and danced together as we drank, the music creating a lively beat for us. I jumped when someone placed a hand on my arm, turning me around. "And who the fuck are you?" I asked the man in front of me. His eyes nervously darted around the room as he pulled his hat down lower over his face. He said nothing in response, only handing out a slip of paper to me. "What the fuck's this?" I drunkenly mumbled, taking the paper from his hand. The moment I did, he turned abruptly and left. "What's going on?" Ada asked. I shook my head in response, opening the slip of paper that was left in my hand. "Your services are required at the bakery. - A.S.," the note read.

            "There's no address but it's from Camden Town," I muttered. "He needs you now?" Ada hissed, "It's only a Thursday evening." "Apparently Odin and I need to make an unscheduled trip," I said quietly, handing her glass and walking across the room. "And where do you think you're going?" Tommy asked from his place beside the door as I neared him. "Apparently my services are required. I'm taking Odin, be back in a few days," I told him, brushing past him. He nodded in response, his eyes following me as I stepped out of the Garrison and into the cold evening air.