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Anna came waltzing down the stairs of her brother's house as her son slept on. She busily started making breakfast knowing that the two young men in the house would surely be starving. Between making food she also called her bosses back in New York telling them that she wouldn't be returning.
Upon finishing the fry-up she could hear the shuffling and creaking of the floorboards above her.
"Sam, Alexander, time for breakfast!" She shouted, which achieved in getting the two boys down in about 10 seconds.
"This is delicious Mum!" Alex tried to say, stuffing his face, struggling to talk while chewing.
"No speaking with food in your mouth!" She told him, gently ruffling his hair. "It's bad manners."
He gulped his food down before apologizing to her.
"I'm away." Sam finally said, leaving the table to put on his hat.
"Oi, where to?" She asked. Sam was beginning to become more distant with her, and she undoubtedly thought it was her fault for leaving him and dad on their own.
"The den," His voice gruffly said as he fixed his coat on.
"Can I go to Mum, and see Dad?" Alex asked excitedly, but before she could let a whisper out, the door slammed, causing Alex's expression to dishearten.
"I'll take you to see 'im later, after we get you a bath an' all fixed up, hm? How does that sound?"
After Alex was clean and polished as a new pin, they ventured outside. They were hit with the cold, smoky air as they bounded out into the street. The noise of children playing and men working engulfing their ears.
She held Alex close as she shivered, tightening her coat around herself. They met Finn skipping from the opposite direction sporting a cheeky grin and a bag of what most likely was stolen sweets. He decided to accompany them, surprisingly offering Alex some of his sweets.
"They better not be stolen Finnboy," Anna said whilst he opened the front door into the kitchen, hiding his expression. "And if they are you better get some bob to give back to the poor shop you stole them from, and apologize."
"What did I tell you, Finn, eh?" Polly said who heard the whole conversation, seeing Finn's guilty looking face. "Your not a lot to steal."
His expression looked dampened as Polly gave out to him, before cheekily eating another sweet.
"You, boy, go ask John in the den to give you a few bob and apologize, ok." She ordered pushing the boy gently towards where the betting room doors were.
Polly eyes then softened as they met Anna and Alex's ushering them to take a seat at the table.
"How's this little man?" Pol asked as she took a seat after leaving two cups of tea and juice on the table.
"Good, aren't you Alex?" She smiled down at the young boy beside her. "He wanted to see his Dad, is he here?"
"Jesus, Tom could be anywhere." Pol said racking her brain for any information on him. "I think he said he had a meeting in the Garrison this morning, but you know our Tom.
Alex sulked in his seat, wishing to see his Dad who he hadn't seen in a few days due to the bombardment of work he had. His arms crossed in anger, causing the two women to laugh at his irritation.
"I'll go to the Garrison eh? And tell him you're here, how does that sound?"
The boys face slightly light up as he nodded his head, a faint smile forming on his mouth, similar to Tommy's.
Anna got up after she finished her tea and set off for the garrison. Her hands were hugged around her body as her heels clicked against the cobble path leading to the front door of the Garrison. Anna knew that Tommy would somewhat be busy, but she thought that he would at least make time to see her and their son, even especially after their meeting in the pub before, where he admitted he loved her and they spent the night together.
She wistfully opened the door, the smell of whiskey invading her senses. The eyes of the men were all on her like she was a diamond among coal. Her eyes darted around the room, the uncomfortableness of the eyes on her making her head dizzy. She trusted confidently towards the bar as everyone began chatting again, but out of the corners of their eyes, they looked at her.
"Water please Harry," Anna asked as she looked at the cub, seeing the outline of figures inside, knowing one must be Tommy. She glanced at Grace who was standing behind the bar, dazed, who was suspiciously close to the window into the cub.
"Grace," Anna said, interrupting her. Her eyes widen, looking like a deer caught in headlights as she walked towards Anna.
"Yes, Miss. Peters?" She asked, a hint of nervousness in her voice which Anna caught on too.
"Is Tommy in there?" Anna asked already knowing the answer but not waiting Grace to know she was caught, who slightly to a small breath.
"Yes, Miss," She answered before she scurried of to serve someone else.
As Anna finished her drink, the door of the cub opened, which meant the singing voice of the IRA man could be heard all around, as Tommy guided them out.
He then turned around to be melted with Anna, surprise hit him.
"What are you doing 'ere?" He asked guiding them into the cub.
"You haven't visited in 4 days Tom, Alex misses you." She told him as he took a sip of whiskey and added, "I miss you."
"I've been workin-" He tried to reply before Anna interrupted.
"I don't bloody care if your working, you make time for the people you love Tom, for your son. He's waiting for you with Pol, you know"
Tommy downed his glass of whiskey before roughly setting it on the table, "I've have somewhere to go."
He weaved his way out of the room and to the outside as Anna followed behind him, falling behind as he took long strides.
"Don't you think this is bloody over!" She shouted down the street as he continued walking, earning a few stares from the people on the streets. While she walked back towards the house, everybody steered clear of her path, knowing what Anna's anger could result in.
