Not Just A 'Shelby'

Chapter 39: Not Alright, Tommy.

Taking a drive to the country side, Thomas and Dot sat in silence as the drove into a rural village. It was a nice little place, like something you would read about in a nursery rhyme. They stopped at a home just on the other side of the village.

"So, this is where Micheal was adopted to?" Dot asked as she stepped out of the car. Tommy nodded to her as they walked the small brick path to the home.

"It's cute. No smoke out here from all the factories, gardens, little brick ways." She laughed as they walked to the house. Two boys were throwing a ball to each other in the field across from the house. "There he is." Dot smiled, excited to find Polly's son.

"Follow my lead." Tommy spoke, straightening his coat. A woman stood at the gate, telling the boys to go inside.

"Mrs. Johnson?" Tommy asked, approaching the gate.

"Yes. Who are you?" She questioned, looking from Tom, then smiling towards Dot.

"We're from Birmingham Council. Bordesley Parish." Tommy answered.

"No one wrote to me." She spoke, nervous about the two strangers from a "church". "What do you want?"

"We would like to talk about your son, Henry." Dot answered this time, trying to sound nice. "Can we come in?"

"I'd rather you didn't. He doesn't like to talk about this." She guarded the gate.

"I see." Tommy lowered his head, seeming defeated.

"So what does Henry know about his real identity, Mrs. Johnson?" He questioned, annoyance laying his voice.

"I only deal with Mr. Ross from the agency. And he only ever writes. So why are you two here in person?" She looked from Dot to Tom.

"Well, the boy is approaching his 18th birthday." Dorthea answered.

She let out a breath that sounded like a laugh. "This isn't right. You're not from the council. Something isn't right." Her voice rose with each statement.

"What does he know, Mrs. Johnson?" Thomas questioned.

She looked away as she spoke to them. "He knows his mother couldn't cope. She drank too much, she used opium, she use to beat him." Dorthea scoffed as she listened to the woman lie.

"But that isn't the truth, is it?" Tommy questioned.

"Look, I think you should come back when my husband's here." She pleaded with the two.

"Does he know his real name?" Dorthea asked, already knowing how much this family hid from Micheal.

"His real name is Johnson." She answered.

Dot watched as the woman kept arguing with Tom as he walked down the path towards the three. He looked just as Dot would have pictured him grown, although still a boy. Upon hearing him walk up to them, Mrs. Johnson turned. "Henry, go back inside, please."

"Who are you?" He questioned.

"Please Henry, go on!" She begged again.

"Your real name is Micheal Gray." Dot spoke to him.

"No!"

"Your real mother wants to see you." She continued, ignoring the protest from the woman.

"Her address is on the back of this card." Tommy spoke as he pulled the card out of his coat. Mrs. Johnson swatted at him, pushing them away from Micheal. "She just wants to talk."

"She just wants to talk." Dot smiled as they turned to walk away, leaving the woman shouting at them to leave.

"How do you think that will go?" She questioned, referring to the talk the two would probably have when they got inside.