Shelby Fire- Completed

65

It has been 1 week since vicky went round to meet George's parents. The pair have been meeting up every day. From early morning to late in the evening. Vicky is having to sneakily take her pills when he's around. And as Tommy ordered, she is being very careful when it comes to her seizures. Bouncer isn't with them the majority of the time. Vicky and him were once inseperable. And now, it seems as teenage years caught up with her, she was slowly growing more embarrassed of her 4 legged friend

Tommy was getting more and more concerned each day. One morning he was sat with polly in the living room drinking whiskey

"I don't fucking know what to do" he groans

"She's a smart girl Tom. And the more you complain, the more she'll rebel. If vicky knows you don't want her to meet this George fella, then she'll make it her mission to be with him all the fucking time. I was once a teenage girl believe it or not. I know how her mind works" polly says

"So what am I supposed to do? Just sit around knowing she could be having a seizure? Or she might get ill and collapse. You know what her cancer is like. She can be fine for ages and then within minutes, she'll be on deaths door. Vicky hasn't even told him that she's ill. He won't have a fucking clue what to do if she passes out"

"Your daughter is upstairs right now stressing out about what to wear to meet this lad. As she does every day. You are going to march your arse upstairs, tell her this, not lose your temper and convince her that you are on her side. Whatever you do Thomas, don't show that you don't like George. It'll only make things worse if she knows" polly advises. So Tommy goes upstairs in order to do that

He knocks on vickys door and waits for a reply

"Come in" she says

"Hi daddy" vicky beams, clearly in a very good mood

"Morning darling. Can we talk for a minute?"

"It was finn!" She yells out as if it were almost a reflex

"You're not in trouble vic. Just sit down because I need to have a word with you" they sit down on her bed and Tommy thinks for a moment how to word this without her flipping off

"What is it? Is someone dead? Is it uncle Arthur or-?" Tommy takes her hand and kisses her forehead to stop her from panicking

"Everyone is well vicky. Its you I'm worried about"

"Me? But I'm fine. I know things haven't been great recently, but I've been feeling so much happier this past week. And I know that at some point, I'll be too ill to go outside. So I'm making the most of it whilst I can" vicky says. Tommy almost walks out those doors. Not wanting to spoil her fun. But he was her father. Not her friend. He didn't need her to have fun. He needed her to be safe.

"Honey, I'm worried for you. You've been going out alot. I am happy that you're happy. But you're not taking bouncer and if something were to happen, then you'd have no one around to help you. If you have a seizure, and Bouncer isn't there to make sure you sit down, then you could fall and hit your head" her smile drops

"But, I'm fine. I promise I won't have a seizure ill-"

"God vic. If only you could make a promise like that. That really would be something ay. But you can't. We both know you can't promise something like that. I'm not stopping you from going out. But please, tell George what is going on. Talk to him about it and then atleast you'll be able to take bouncer with you and I'd feel alot less stressed if he knew of your condition" Tommy begs

"You're being ridiculous. I'm perfectly healthy and i don't need anyone to take care of me. Least of all a fucking dog"

"That dog used to be your best friend. He's saved your life on many occasions. I'm not gonna allow you to keep risking your life like this" Tommy's voice was raising slightly even though he tried to contain it

"I just want to be normal. Why won't you let me have that? It's not fair! The girls at school don't need a dog following them around"

"The girls at school haven't got cancer. Love, I know you want to be healthy. I want that for you more than anything. But I need you to be safe aswell. We can't ignore it baby. Bouncer protects you aswell as helps you. I don't like the idea of you walking home in the dark with a boy you have known for no more than a week. Atleast bouncer will give you some form of protection" Tommy says

"Stop it! You're being unreasonable. I know you're a dick, and all the men in our family just go and sleep around with fucking anyone. You're the reason grace left. You're the reason I don't have a mother. But that doesnt mean every man is like that. George is nice and kind and he's fucking normal. His family didn't fuck him up like you did with me. He's my last chance at having a normal life" vicky yells, tears streaming down her face as she stands up angrily

"Hey! That's uncalled for! It is none of your business who I fuck. I'm a grown up, I know what I'm doing. He is a hormonal teenager who thinks with his dick. Excuse me if I don't want to see my daughter get hurt"

"But I won't get hurt. Stop being so dramatic!"

"It's not dramatic. It's rational. We have alot of enemies Vicky. As a woman, sadly, you have even more enemies than me. Enemies who don't even know your name or your family. I'm not dramatic for caring" Tommy yells back

"You ruin everything! All the fucking time!"

"I wasn't the one who got taken away by social services because of lying and wanting attention!" Tommy and vicky both went silent. Polly was also silent as she stood listening in shock at the bottom of the stairs. None of them Could believe what Tommy had just said. The next thing they knew, vicky had ran down the stairs, past polly as she fanatically wiped her tears

"Come on love. Think about this. Let's have some tea" but vicky ignored her

"Vic, I'm sorry" Tommy says as she opens the door

"Go fuck yourself Thomas shelby" vicky cries, slamming the door behind her as she leaves the house. Bouncer was sat at the bottom of the stairs sadly before he slowly walks back to his dog bed, realising that his best friend no longer needed him and therefore, no longer loved him.