Not Just A 'Shelby'

Chapter 38: Full of Surprises.

I am going to come back and edit this so sorry if there are any typing errors :)

Walking back into the shop, she found her brothers gathered in the office, Tom sat at his desk, John sat in the chair and Arthur stood against the wall. Dorthea walked in, without knocking making all three turn their heads in her direction. She smiled smally as she walked in. John offered his seat to his sister, which she gladly accepted.

"What are we talking about boys?" She spoke.

"You, as a matter of fact. Something our conversations have centered around for the past three years." Tommy answered, sipping his whiskey.

"And why have you done that? I figured you wanted to get rid of me after that night." She scoffed, moving to pour her own glass.

"What do you mean, Thea?" John questioned, folding his arms as he watched her.

She turned to each of the three, swallowing all of her whiskey. "Well, I didn't mean to come back to a fight, but I guess we'll get straight to it. You," she pointed her finger at John. "mad at me because i didn't tell you Arthur beat me as a child. You," pointing to Arthur. "were planning on running off with him. I found you in the lane outside the house giving him money talking about plans to leave on a boat. Judging by the way you are still here, he must have lied like a rug just as he always did. And you," she turned back to Tommy. "calling me a whore after I missed the meeting. That is why I left, because I thought you all hated me." she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples.

"D, we were all under a lot of pressure from Kimber, everything just kind of happened." Arthur rambled.

"You don't think I was too? With the coppers and having to keep the books in order while keeping this family in order, making sure barmaids don't go snooping around. I felt like I was pulling every rope together for all of you to pull them until I broke. And when you did I just left." She hadn't realized she was crying until the saltiness met her lips.

A knock came from the door, Tommy yelling for them to come in. Scud's head popped through the opening. "Tommy, she's coming up the lane." His eyes scanned over everyone's meeting Dot's last. "Oh, and welcome home Miss Shelby."

"Thanks, Scud." She smiled smally. He closed the door behind him leaving the siblings again. "Who's coming?" She questioned.

"Pol, it's her birthday today." Tommy, John, and Arthur moved to the door. Dot began to follow but Tom stopped her. "Stay here, it'll be a good little surprise to go with her gift." He smiled, closing the door behind him.

All the men lined up near the door, waiting for the matriarch to enter. Moving through the few people near the door, Polly moved to see all the men who had started clapping and hollering for her. "What the bloody hell is going on?"

Tommy moved up to greet her.

"When did you get back?" She questioned.

"I didn't want to miss your birthday, Pol." Tommy answered, beginning to lead her to his office.

"How'd you know it was my birthday? Nobody ever knows." She smarted off.

"Ah, but it's different this year." He smiled to her, opening the office revealing her first suprise.

"Happy birthday, Aunt Polly." Dot smiled, facing her aunt.

Gasping, she rushed to hug her niece. "3 years, no call, no visits, not even a letter." She moved to look her over, holding her shoulders still. "You haven't changed much." She smiled.

"Oh Pol, everything about me has changed." She frowned.

"John, Finn, bring the car around." Tommy called outside his office.