A Family bond

Settling in

Roughly 6 months later and the twins had settled into life as a part of the Shelby family. Aaron accepted the family dynamic quickly though still a little hesitant at times especially in situations involving education and his sister, clearly not confident about his academic abilities. Aaron wasn't stupid but he's certainly never gone to school, not consistently enough to actually learn anything anyways. The siblings had been constantly moved around never staying anywhere for long enough to have a routine, being kicked out of homes and sent back, they were even split up a few times, which never ended well. The point is neither of them were in school and so now that they had been a part of the family for half a year, polly said it was time they went.
Thea on the other hand, though she had settled into the home, still didn't believe it was permanent and so didn't trust any of them, definitely didn't see the people she was living with as family, only Aaron. She was just hesitant with how to live life as part of a family and didn't see much of a point bonding with anyone in the house to only be sent away. That's how she saw the situation anyway. She still didn't talk much though they had heard her speak or ask for something but it was never a conversation. Tommy had bonded with Aaron and tried as hard as he could to bond with Thea but she was cold and though he wouldn't admit it, so was he. Neither of them liked to let people in and so that made it difficult when it came to getting to know each other.
Thomas's room had an adjoining wall to theas, they both knew neither of them slept well, though it was never spoken of between the pair. Thea would hear Tommy call out in the night sometimes only for him to go completely silent a moment later as we woke up. And tommy could hear Thea pacing her room until the small hours of the morning and on the nights she did sleep he could hear her waking with a jolt and panting as she calmed herself down. He had tried to go though a check on her once but she wasn't keen on that, in fact she completely ignored his presence and the fact that he was in there at all. The point is they were both broken, and didn't yet realise quite how much they could help each other.

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"Thomas! Thomas! Now." Polly shouted from the kitchen to her nephew as she hung up the phone. Tommy came through as he pulled his coat on obviously on his way out the door. "Yes?" He raised his eyebrows at her clearly annoyed by her yelling as she fixed herself a cup of tea from the pot. "That was the school on the phone. Neither of them showed up this morning" she peered at him over the rim of the cup. Tommy sighed and ran his hand down his face "alright. I'll sort it eh" and to this polly just shook her head. The two of them were so close to being kicked out in fact the only reason they hadn't been yet is because that they were shelbys. The twins were 16 so it was there last year going as it is, Tommy personally didn't see the big deal, Ada was the only of his family to have finished school and they were all doing ok. But polly had convinced him and said it would be good for them, get them into a routine and get a qualification just to At least say they'd done it. On top of that it definitely made it easier for Tommy and he preferred them to be in school instead of running around the streets. Though clearly the twins had other ideas. "I've got to go, I'll be late" he said as he started to pull his cap on "send John to find them then, he not busy and have a proper talk with them when you're all home. I mean it Tommy, you've got to do something" and to this Tommy just walked out. He didn't like being told what to do at the best of times and especially when someone was telling what to do with his kids. And although he knew his aunt was right he was also proud of the progress he'd made with the two of them, albeit small it was notable.
Just after leaving the house Tommy had seen John and sent him on the search for two teens only to be informed by John that he'd just seen Aaron down by the cut playing football with a few friends from his class but Thea hadn't been with him. So instead Tommy sent John to go fetch Aaron and then they would go and get Thea together, assuming the boy would know where she was Tommy continued his walk       to continue what he had originally planned to do today.      
It didn't take Tommy long to reach the yard and when he did get there we was surprised, though you would know by his face. His uncle Charlie and curly were sat on some crates staring at Monaghan boy's stable from across the yard. He approached them and before he could ask why they both had their sights set on his horse, uncle Charlie spoke up "your lass is in there." Tommy furrowed his brow for a second before turning so that he to was looking at the stable. "Calmest he's been Tommy" curly said fidgeting with his hands "she's good with him" he added not taking his eyes off the stable. Tommy had no words, he couldn't hear her but from where he was stood he could see Thea talking to the significantly larger than her horse. And curly was right, he'd never seen Monaghan boy this contempt. He'd never liked the stable but Tommy wasn't  confident he'd catch him again if he was let out into field. We watched them for a minute more before Deciding to approach the two of them. As soon as Thea spotted him headed towards her the stopped talking to the horse, and was half way out the stable door planning on just leaving. As she turned to close the half door behind her Tommy noticed the horse begin to become agitated again. He became restless pinning his ears back throwing his head and swishing his tail. Before Thea could pull the latch across Tommy said "go back in" and Thea paused looking over her shoulder at him but Tommy wasn't looking at her, his eyes were on the horse. When Thea didn't move he spoke again "just for a second eh, go back in" gesturing with his hands, and so she did. As she stood next to the horse running her hand down his large neck Tommy felt so truly happy. It was an foreign feeling to him since the war but watching the horse that just wouldn't seem to settle be so comfortable in his daughter's presence made Tommy have a strange feeling in his chest. He felt like he could watch the two of them forever and he would have if he got the chance. "He wants out" Thea spoke quietly not meeting his eyes keeping them trained on the horse. "I know, just don't know if I'd get him back" Tommy said as he pulled out a cigarette. "You would." She was blunt but Tommy would take whatever conversation he could from her. She only spoke to any of them when she felt a need to, most of the time she just observed everyone else talk and laugh, so the fact she was speaking to him just now Tommy would cherish it. "You think?" Tommy asked as he lit the tobacco stick promoting her to keep talking. "He just wants to run. He restless in here" she said still with her back mostly to him. Tommy decided to talk to her about school just now instead of later with Aaron, knowing fine well if he waited she wouldn't say a word to him. "Why aren't you on school? They called polly again." He moved to lean on the stable door, still staying outside though feared if he got to close she shut off. "They don't teach me anything" she said plainly making Tommy want to laugh. He didn't though. "You've got your final Exam I'm a few months. You've got to go" this finally made her turn around and look at him. Tommy was constantly caught of guard by her eyes. Similar to his own her eyes were a brightly colour and pale blue, her dark eyelashes framing them beautifully, Thomas was amazing every time he saw them. "I'll take the exam tomorrow if it means I don't have to go back." Tommy cracked a small smile barely noticeable at her confidence. Thea noticed it. "You have to actually know up to class to pass the exams" he said letting out a puff of smoke "I'd pass." And he knew she would. He just nodded dropping his cigarette to the ground stomping it out. He opened the door to the stable enticing her to step out "right head home eh. I'll talk to you and your brother when I get home." And she didn't reply just picked up her bag from the ground and made her way in the direction of home. Tommy didn't watch her go instead stepping in towards the horse getting ready to leave with him. He did hear from behind him though Thea shouting goodbye to curly making him very happy and shouting back to her. Tommy smiled to himself running his hand down the horses face "think I'm getting somewhere eh, what do you think?" He muttered quietly to the horse, before heading off to do the powder trick with pride in his heart over his small conversation with his daughter.