A Family bond

Getting caught

Tommy got home a little after dinner that night and walked into a particularly tense atmosphere. Sat around the dinner table we're polly, Finn, Ada, Arthur, Aaron and Thea. Tommy approached the room feeling like he was walking on egg shells, Finn Ada and Arthur were semi oblivious to the tone of the room as they ate there dinner eyes cast downward but pollys face was a picture as she looked across at the two teens. Aaron was trying to actively avoid polly's stare but Thea just stared straight back into her beading eyes as she was leaned back into her chair clearly not having so much as picked up her cutlery never mind touching the food on her plate. Tommy stood in the door way for a moment and no one greeted him in fear of being the one to break the silence and so Tommy spoke up himself "what's going on here?" As he took off his hat and coat. No one moved to answer him, though polly glanced between him and his daughter before slamming her hand onto the table "we'll go on, tell your father what happened!" Making Aaron scoff. "I don't care who tells me" Tommy spoke eyes now flicking between the three of them. "Arthur caught them trying to board a train back to London." Polly spoke sharply eyes not leaving theas who was staring back with a completely blank expression. "Right." Tommy light a cigarette his mind racing. We're they trying to run away? Had he done something wrong? Had they done something wrong? "Right? Right?! Tommy they were trying to leave! Surely you have more to say than that" pollys tone was harsh and accusing. Thea rolled her eyes, this was a brave move, even Tommy didn't have the courage to roll his eyes at aunt Polly. As she did it Tommy could see his aunts anger bubbling up and so he spoke before she could "after you've eaten go to my office" Aaron's plate was close to empty and theas untouch and yet completely in sync they both pushed the plates away from themselves and stood up walking past Tommy and to his office. Tommy watched them go before looking back to his aunt who was ready to explode "sort them out Thomas. Your meant to be their father" causing Arthur to speak on behalf of his younger brother "ease up on him poll. Can't be easy getting thrown in the deep end eh" and Polly replied instantly not even sparing the eldest Shelby a glance "shut up Arthur"
Tommy took a deep breath before walking into his office. He opened the door to see Aaron sat in one of the chairs opposite his desk but Thea stood against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. "Thea take a seat." He said as he walked around his desk. She didn't of course, she didn't even move a muscle causing Thomas to audibly sigh before taking a deep inhale of his cigarette. "We weren't running away" Aaron spoke the anger of the situation evident in his voice. "Well you were getting on a train" Tommy said matter of factly, his eyes move over to Thea who pulled out her own cigarettes handing one to her brother. "We miss London, so what, people go on holidays!" Aaron said getting angrier and Thea eyed her brothers back though she was yet to mutter a word herself. "They do. But they usually tell someone first." Tommy sat back in his chair. Aaron got angrier, he'd payed good money for that train, sort of, and it had all gone to waste "well you owe the damn money for it!" At this Thea moved forward placing her hand onto her brothers shoulder calming him. She knew what his temper was like. She'd watched it her whole life, he could be so calm and collected in situations and it would be the little things that set him off. There had be a few incidents where even Thea wasn't able to contain his rage and instead had just had to stand and watch as he tore apart everything in his path. Thea leaned across the desk stubbing out her cigarette at she spoke "we're going to London. This is us telling you." With that she turned and walked out of the room leaving the door wide open behind her and aaron sitting taking some deep breaths. "How'd you get the money?" Tommy asked watching the now open door "what?" Aaron furrowed his eyebrows. "How'd you make enough for two return tickets" his eyes moved over to his son. "Got a job" a lie. "No you didn't" true. He hadn't got a job. "Thea got a job" he tried again, this was almost true, it wasn't a job per say but she was working for they money. "Hmm, doing what?" "Tutoring" Aaron said and Tommy knew it was a lying again. "No" Tommy spoke simply pulling out yet another cigarette and offering one to his son. Now Aaron wasn't the brightest and so when he told Tommy how Thea had really been making money he didn't think of it as ratting her out. In fact aaron was proud of his sister the only reason he didn't admit it straight away was because Thea told him not to tell and he wouldn't have. Expect he couldn't lie to Tommy and in all honesty he thought Tommy would be happy. He wasn't blind to how the family made there money and so he didn't think they'd have a problem with how Thea make hers. "She takes the exams for people" Tommy sat us straighter in his chair and gestured for Aaron to continue. "She takes the exam for other kids and they pay her to. 2 pound a test. She's proper smart" he smirked and Tommy sighed for what felt like the millionth time since he'd come home "I know she is-"and she makes good money. Doesn't get caught either, she's good about it" Tommy could see how happy Aaron was talking about his sister and it almost made Tommy want to smile but he refrained, as per usual. "I'll take you both to London myself ey" Aaron's head shot up "I have to head down anyway, pol would have my head if I let you go alone" and Aaron nodded happily moving to stand and leave "but no more skipping school. That's the condition" Aaron pondered this for a moment when Tommy assumed he'd instantly agree "I'll ask tiny first" he announced and walked out the door to go find his sister.
Aaron walked into his sisters room to see her sat on her bed with a book. She looked up noticing it was her brother and then looked back at her book to continue reading as her Brother sat down next to her. "What did he say then?" She asked not sparing him a glance. "I told him how you made the money and h-" Aaron could even finish his sentence "you did what?!" "Wait wait why are you mad?" She looked at him in disbelief "why am I mad? I don't know maybe because I specifically told you not to tell him!" Aaron looked confused after she said this causing the girl to scoff and turn around to face the window. "He wasn't mad. He said he'd take us to London himself" "what's the catch?" Thea asked not missing a beat knowing fine well he'd want something in return "he wants us to stop skipping school" this made Thea turn back to her brother admittedly confused. When she thought he wanted something in return she wasn't expecting that. She thought it'd be more along the lines of a share of the money she was making or maybe to work books for him. She wasn't sure how she felt truly, the conditions Thomas had set seemed very fatherly to her, it gave her a strange feeling in her stomach that she wasn't sure how to process. "Ok" she spoke simply sitting back down. "No Thea please, talk to him I don't want to go back to school" she rested a hand on his shoulder as he began to panic "we agree with him" making Aaron groan and throw himself back onto her bed "I'm not going to fucking school. You just don't care cause it easy for you!" Thea rolled her eyes at his dramatics "it's Thursday." She said flatly, Aaron's only reply was to shrug, not seeing her point. "Thomas has a meeting in London on Saturday, so we're going this weekend which means we only have to go to school tomorrow" Aaron sat back up looking at his sister like she was stupid "but after the weekend is Monday. Monday is school" he spoke plainly and Thea rolled her eyes again sighing as-well this time "yes. But by Monday we will have already been to London" she spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, to her it was. It dawned on Aaron "ohhh, so it won't matter if we don't do what he says cause we'll already have what we want?" He slightly questioned but Thea nodded along letting him know he was right. "Exactly. He can't not take us to London for skipping school if we've already been" Aaron just laughed throwing his head back before standing from the bed still chuckling. He grabbed his sisters face in between his hands and lowered his head to be level with hers "you. Are a fucking genius" and he swore he saw her let a smile slip through her tough shell as she pushed his hands away. He missed her smile. And her laugh, she used to do both a lot as a kid, but they had to grow up to quickly and Thea started to believe emotions made her week, even the good ones. So she stopped showing them, though she still felt them, mostly the bad ones but they were always there. She just got better at hiding it, there were moments she cracked but it was so few and far between. Aaron sometimes thinks he'd give anything to hear her laugh. To hear her really laugh. She turned back to her book shaking her head softly at her brothers childness as he borderline skipped out the room To pack a bag.
Next stop London.