Undeniable

Ch.23

The week seemed to fly by. It was hard to believe it took the same amount of time to arrive in America as it did to come back home. Thomas and I kept to ourselves mostly. We played cards in the room and ordered room service. Very seldom did we come out and when we did it was for early morning strolls on the top deck. From up there it was so peaceful, just the soft wind and ocean  spray against my cheeks. Thomas's hand held tightly in mine. Once again business was a thought of the past and we both seemed to sink into one another day by day.

But all of it came to an end as soon as we docked in Birmingham.  A few feet from the gates stood a tall figure draped in black. Her taut lips gave hint that she was not happy to see us , despite our homecoming.

"Aunt Pol, your a sight for sore eyes." Thomas reached out to hug his aunt.

"You left this company . Abandoned your family and for what reason?" Her eyes snapped to me.

"Emilia had nothing to do with this decision and I would appreciate if you left her out of this." He gave a warning look , "I dragged her a long. Promised a raise. Which she has earned."

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, I really tried to get him to let someone know." I attempted to smooth things out .

"Yes , well I got to hear it from Michael of all people. Saying you were taking a personal trip during our busiest time of the year."

"And I'm back now, so let's stop dwelling on my decisions and get back to the office . I've got things to do."

We packed our bags into the back of the car and climbed in . Thomas took over driving after Polly finished her lecture. I could tell it didn't phase him but I was a tad bit upset. Polly was justified in being mad at us , we hadn't said a word and just left the country . I also took the hint she was starting to dislike me even though Thomas assured her it wasn't my fault.

"We can drop Emilia off at her apartment and then discuss a few things over tea. I'm sure you have things to tell me."

"Actually I do." Thomas cleared his throat and fear started to settle into my body. I knew this would come , but didn't expect it so quickly, " Emilia will be moving in with me. Starting now. So I won't be taking her back to her apartment just yet, there's things we have to figure out first."

Her head spun so quickly I was sure it would fly off into the streets beside us. She leaned hard over the seat at me in the back , her eyes becoming dark slits.  The heat of her anger flooded the cab and sent my nerves spiraling harder than they already were.

"Give me your hands." She spat.

Without hesitation I held out both hands , flinching slightly when she grasped me by each wrist. She studied each finger carefully before pushing my arms away.

"I see no ring." She gasped covering her mouth, "You're pregnant!"

"No! Gods no . I am not pregnant"

"Her ring fell off during our journey home. I have promised to replace it. Please don't point it out again, it's a tender subject" Thomas said.

" Are there anymore surprises I should know about , Thomas ?" She pushed.

"I will tell you what you need to know."

Silence filled the cab. The only noise was the suttle rain drops hitting each window pannel. I looked out over the road we drove down, it was familiar ground to me but it had been a while since I had been here. The trees had begun to sprout new leaves and flowers turned a light shade of pink. It was almost like a blanket covering each field on our sides , laced with grass detailing. My mind only focused on the garden behind Tommy's home so I could remain distracted from the hell that was possibly going to be unleashed as soon as the family meeting commenced.  From the looks of Polly and today's events, I would not be present. Thomas would have to brave that storm on his own and share the details later.

He gave me a small smile in the rear view mirror as if he could feel my discomfort. His eyes seemed so kind when he looked towards me , but returned to a cold blue abyss when they sank back to the road. It was amusing to see how fast he could build and drop walls , especially in times of stress.

The wheels grinded to a stop right outside the stone pathway leading to the two story home. Outside was a marbled water fountain embellished with various metals and two cherubs carved in the very top. I noticed several cars parked over to the side including Tommys we had left at the ship yard and I assumed it was the other Shelbys awaiting our arrival.

Walking to the door I could hear laughter and chatter coming from inside. The distinct voices seemed to bellow over the courtyard even with the doors closed.

"Well I'll be fuckin damned. Is that my brother , finally here in the flesh?" Arthur was the first to acknowledge us. He stood tall , glass in hand. His outstretched arms pulled me and Tommy in at the same time for a bear hug. I couldn't help but laugh at his embrace.

"Its about time the love birds returned from their romantic getaway." Jon teased from the corner.

I reached over ruffling his hair slightly and rolled my eyes. "Good to see you too, Jon."

"Well I'm ready to hit the Garrison . I think a nice homecoming drink would do nice , ay?" Arthur had already downed his glass before speaking again.

"We need to hold a family meeting. Now if possible." Pollys voice startled me . I had almost forgotten she was there.

"Of course, I can head upstairs and unpack while you take care of things." I insisted.

"Unpack?" Jon raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Emilia will be staying with me from now on." Thomas gave a look that indicated he wasn't open to questions.

The two other brothers exchanged glances before looking at me. A smirk painted across both their faces as if they had just figured it all out.

"Emilia, pick whatever room you'd like. Although I think you'll find the far left corner bedroom on the second floor to be most compatible with what your looking for." Thomas looked over at me, "The garden that is."

"Thank you." I gave him a smile before quickly making my way to the stairwell.

It wasnt long after I departed that hushed chatter began in the living room . But I didn't strain to listen in, mostly because I knew Thomas would share details with me later. Also because I knew I would be the biggest topic of conversation now that I was a potential Shelby. But more importantly,  because I wanted a seat in the company.

The upstairs floorboard creaked underneath my feet with each step. The hallway descending into the far bedrooms was absolutely gorgeous. Each wall coated in a dark green and lined with white trim. Family portraits of the Shelbys hung on the walls along with different awards and certifications from the horse track. Each frame held something new I had never seen before nor had Thomas spoke about. At the end of the hall was a short wooden table and drawers. A lamp sat on one side with books on the other and a gold trim mirror hung directly above it. I made note to look at what books he had avaible later.

The excitement was overwhelming to get to the bedroom. I knew what the view held but also I was so happy to have my own space . My apartment was barely the size of the living room, so having this much space was a dream. When I reached the doorway, the door was already cracked open. The wood was painted a dark brown with a silver doorknob . I pushed my way in lightly and scanned over the bedroom. For a moment I was at a loss of words , because it had changed so drastically since the last time I had been here.

The furniture had been moved and the bedsheets changed. The window still had the same reading nook, but it was blocked off by a sturdy wooden desk piled high with papers. A chest of drawers laid flat against the front wall, some of the drawers left open. When I peered back at the bed I noticed not only had the sheets been changed but it looked heavily slept in. I walked deeper , moving towards the middle of the room to take a good look around. I took in the whole of the room before taking a deep breath.

And that's when it hit me.

The smell of whiskey and deep pine. It wasn't just an aftermath of Thomas pacing through , it was soaked deep into the wood grains of the walls. Deep into the sheets and all over the bedside furniture. 

This was his bedroom.