It's a Gray world- 𝓟𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 𝓑𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼

Anna

"Where the hell is Tommy?" John asked 

Polly was staring directly at the door as she said, "He's on his way." 

From the table, Arthur said, "All right then whilst we're waiting patiently." He stood up and picked up a crat putting it down on the table, "Whiskey. Left over from the explosion. It's good stuff as well." 

From where Lola was leaning against the wall she walked over to the table, sat down and Arthur poured her a drink as John said, "Right. Before Tommy gets here, I think there are a few things we need to get straight between the rest of us." 

Polly turned around, "You think?" 

John nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, I do. I want to know... When did we all take a vote on this expansion south?" 

Polly started to walk towards him, "You have anything to say, you wait for Thomas." 

Arthur looked up and said, "Polly's fucking right." 

John looked at Lola, "Lo, tell us about the books." 

"I see all the books. Legal and off track. Sort of stuff you don't see. And in the past year, the Shelby Company Limited has been making £150 a day."

John nodded, "A fucking day! Sometimes more. So what I want to know is why are we changing things? Polly, look what's happened already. We haven't even set foot in London yet and they've already blown up our fucking pub!" John slammed his hands on the table 

"Who said anything about cockneys?" Arthur asked 

From the stairs where Esme was reading a book, she said, "Who else?" 

Polly looked at her, "Do you know who did it, do you?" 

John shook his head, "No, she doesn't know who did it." 

"I'm told only family are allowed to speak," Esme said 

Tommy walked into the room saying, "Everyone's allowed to speak. On your feet, Esme, let's hear what you have to say." 

"I speak for our household. So-" 

Tommy cut John off, "John, this company is a modern enterprise and believes in equal rights for women. On your feet, Esme." 

Esme nodded as she stood up and said, "I'm not a blood member of this family but perhaps, indeed, because I'm not a member I can see things in a different light. So I'll get to my point." 

Polly scoffed and said, "That would be nice." 

Lola looked up at her as Polly was standing behind her chair, "For once don't say what you want to say." 

"As my husband said, Shelby Company Limited is now very successful. But London. I have kin in Shepherd's Bush and Portobello. It's more like wars between armies down there. And the coppers fight side-by-side with them. And there are foreigners of every description and the use of bombs is the least of it. I have a child, blessed with the Shelby family's good looks. I want John to see him grow up. I want us to someday live somewhere with fresh air and trees and keep chickens or something. But London is just smoke and trouble, Thomas." Esme said 

Polly raised an eyebrow and said, "Thomas?" 

"That's all I have to say," Esme said as she sat back down 

Lola looked over to Esme and nodded at her, Esme smiled and nodded back, "That was a lot of words, a lot of words. Wash them down with a nice drink." Arthur said as he handed Tommy a drink 

"Thank you, Esme. Firstly, the bang in the pub had nothing to do with London. Understood? The bang is something I'm dealing with on my own. Secondly, we've nothing to fear from the proposed business expansion so long as we stick together. And after the first few weeks, nine-tenths of what we do in London will be legal. The other tenth is in good hands. Isn't that right, Arthur?" Tommy asked 

Arthur held up his drink and nodded, "That's right."

"Now, some of you in this room have expressed your reservations. Fair enough. Any of you who want no part in the future of this company, walk out the door... Right now. Go raise your chickens. For those of you with ambition, the expansion process begins tomorrow." Tommy said 

Lola chuckled, "Almost funny Tom." She looked at him and saw that he was being serious, "You're being serious? Tomorrow." 

. . . . . . . .

Lola was walking down the street when she a woman crying, she walked around the corner and saw Polly in the middle of the street, "Mum?" Lola started to walk quickly, "Mum what's happened?" 

Polly looked up at her, "She's dead." 

"Who? Who's dead mum?" Lola asked 

Polly covered her mouth and Lola hugged her, "Anna...my baby girl." 

Lola sighed, "Fuck..." Polly's knees then buckled, "Oh okay, all right." Lola lowered the pair of them onto the ground, "All right. It's okay. It might not be true. Listen right, it might not be true." 

Polly looked up at her, "I saw it. In my dreams." 

Thank you for reading 

Comment and Vote