A Shelby Mistress

News

Warning - this chapter will get quite upsetting while also raising awareness. If you guys do find it difficult to read I'm completely ok with you skipping certain bits.

Small Heath
"Do you know what this meetin' is about?" John asked looking across the table at Arthur who was sitting patiently. John on the other hand could feel his growing thin as he became tired of waiting. Tommy had called for a meeting earlier and instructed the brothers to bring only themselves along with Polly, these instructions had been made over two hours ago and Tommy was late, so was Polly.
"No, Tom just said to be 'ere" Arthur shrugged, his chin resting on his chest while he waited to hear the front door open.
"You don't think it has somethin' to do with Ror do you?" Finn spoke up, a flash of concern in his eyes having not seen Aurora in three days. She always had his breakfast ready for him each morning and yet there had been nothing since Epsom. Each morning he woke and found she wasn't there had Finn's gut stirring greatly, he knew something wasn't right even at his young age.
"Rora's fine, her and Tommy were goin' travelling after Epsom, probably just gettin' back" John replied ignoring Finn's concern and sinking further into his chair as he sighed.
"Tommy hasn't left Small Heath" Finn declared taking pride in knowing something his brothers didn't appear to know themselves.
"How do you know? He hasn't been seen in three days" Arthur frowned lifting his gaze to stare at his youngest brother, his attention now solely on him.
"Seen 'im in Charlie's Yard yesterday, no Ror though" Finn muttered, not telling his brother's that he had in fact caught Tommy shedding a tear in the stables as his hand ran down Fortune's nose. Tommy hadn't seen Finn but Finn had certainly seen Tommy and the unknown heartache that filled his eyes.
"You know what Ror's like, sometimes she gets homesick. She's probably in Middlesbrough with her family" Arthur responded feeling as if there was no reason for Finn to find himself worrying. Aurora had been found safe after Epsom, she was perfectly alright.
"M'telling you, there's somethin' wrong, you'll see" Finn grumbled slouching back in his chair, annoyed at his brothers. Being the youngest they never seemed to take his words seriously.
Finn kept his mouth shut after that knowing it was hopeless, they would never believe him. Arthur and John wouldn't believe him even if the sky was falling and they were watching it with their very eyes.

The all shared a sigh of relief as the front door finally opened a few minutes later only to sink again as they saw it was Polly, a furious Polly at that.
"Where is he then?!" She demanded throwing her purse down on the table and quickly lighting a cigarette, a glare fixated on her face.
"Couldn't tell you Pol" Arthur murmured, a frown coming upon his own face as he stretched out his aching joints and cracked his neck.
"Ere Pol, do you know what this meetin' is about?" John asked noting the dangerous look within Polly's eyes, feeling his collar grow tighter the more he fell under her stare.
"I could give you a good fucking guess but I'll leave that to Thomas. He's done well at digging his own grave so far" Polly remarked, internally daring Tommy to bring his whore of his here. Polly would bring the true meaning of hell down on their shoulders.
"Is it to do with Ror?" Finn enquired hoping his aunt finally had the answers.
"Shut up Finn" Arthur mumbled under his breath, once again shifting himself within his seat and cursing inwardly.

Another forty minutes passed as slowly as ever before Tommy suddenly appeared before them, startling Arthur who had softly began to sleep and didn't hear the front door open over his own snores.
"Here's Thomas or is it Dad now?" Polly bit out, her smile, sickly sweet and twisted into a grimace. Her eyes grew black upon seeing him and clearing his throat Tommy reluctantly approached the table and threw her a quick glance. Of course Polly knew, Polly knew everything.
"She told you" Tommy stated, his hands joined together in front of him as his jaw clenched bitterly.
Fuck he missed her!
Her long dark curls, her golden eyes, the way she would run her fingers down his cheek and smile at him with such admiration he could of drowned in it. Three days he had gone without her touch, four since she had last smiled at him before he left to go to Epsom and with each passing day Tommy found himself becoming more and more rattled. He needed her.