The Shelby secretary

C H A P T E R T H R E E

It was an early start for Franny this morning. She had brought Finn to school and had done some finances in the vault. Counting the money and trying to make Tommy's expenses seem less big.

 Polly had picked up Finn from school around midday and he had been playing out by the cut for almost the whole afternoon. While Franny had been cleaning up around the house, it was stained with blood after Arthur's whole bloodbath.

 
Polly came in and sent Finn to get a bath. She sat down and Franny handed her the newspaper while sitting down with her. 'You should look at what they wrote about the fire.' Franny said with a small smirk on her face. When Ada came downstairs. She walked over to the kitchen and cut a piece of bread from the loaf. 'Good of you to join us.' Polly said while looking over her newspaper. 'Where have you been all day?'

 
Franny was sipping her cup of tea while holding a cigarette waving at Ada to say hi. 'In bed. Couldn't sleep. Then I couldn't wake up. Then I was cold, and then I had to go for a wee.' Ada said while putting the piece of bread on a plate and fetching the jar of marmalade. She sat down next to Franny. 

'Then I was with this bear on a boat, but that was just a dream.' Ada said as put a bit of marmalade on the bread and took a bite. Polly was looking over her newspaper to Franny. Who was looking confused back.

'Then I was hungry.' Ada said. 'Why are you reading the paper?' She asked her aunt. 'Why wouldn't I be?' Polly asked. 'I've never seen you read the paper. I've only ever seen you light fires with them.' 'The BSA is on strike. The miners are on strike.' Polly said putting the paper down and picking up her cup. 

'The IRA are killing our boys, ten a day.' Polly was looking at Ada's bread and then they looked at each other. 'What?' Ada asked.
'Ada stands up.' she said while standing up herself. 'Why?' she asked. 'Stand up.' Polly said again but not as a question. 

Ada let her bread fall on the plate and shoved the crumbs off her hands while standing up. She just stood there looking at Polly like 'Is this what you wanted.'
'Side on.' Polly said. And Ada turned to her side. Polly suddenly grabbed Ada's boob and held it firmly. 'Polly what are you doing?!' Both Ada and Franny said. 

Ada pulled back her robe and Franny stood up. 'Ada' Polly said looking firmly at Polly. 'How late are you?' Ada said nothing for a second and then she closed her eyes.
'One week..' She admitted. To which Franny her eyes turned big. Ada was silent for a second when she admitted it had been five weeks. Franny gasped and Polly her eyebrow raised.

'Seven if you count weekends. I think it's a lack of iron..' Ada said. 'I got some tablets...' Polly sat down. 'But they didn't work.' Ada sat back down.
'No..' She said mocking and looking at Polly. Franny was sitting there in disbelief. Ada and Franny exchanged a look.  And the look Ada gave her was one of death. She didn't give that much often but Franny knew to shut up. It was for the better that she did.

Franny took her to the woman's clinic. It was late and dark. Polly insisted on coming. She was dressed completely black and almost not recognizable. When Ada came out both Franny and Polly walked toward her from a different angle.

 'I'm not getting rid of it Aunt Pol.' Ada said while lighting a cigarette. 'Just come home and we'll talk about it.' Polly said to Ada pulling her with her.
'You get off me or I'll scream it.I swear.' Ada said ripping herself from the grip of Polly.

Polly was looking around. 'All right, you wanna do this on the street, let's do it on the street.' Polly said standing on the opposite side of Ada. 'Whose is it?' She asked. 

'If I tell you, you'll tell them and they'll cut him to pieces.' Ada said with a lump in her throat. 'Not if he marries you, they won't' Polly answered directly.

Ada took a deep breath and another hit of her cigarette. To which Franny who had been listening to all this time ripped the cigarette out of her fingers. 'Will he marry you?' Franny asked. 'I don't know. I don't know where he is..' She said on the verge of tears. 'Jesus Christ Ada!' Polly said. 'Look he's gone away but he said he'll come back.' 

'But they all say they'll come back.' Polly argued. 'He's not like that...He's a good man. He promised.' Ada exclaimed now really crying and pressing herself in a hug from Polly. 'He will come back aunt Poll I know he will.' Ada said.

The next day was race day. Franny was up early and had made the whole betting shop clean. She was writing down numbers and counting the money that had been spent on the bets. Just like most of them. Finn was running around with counted money brought to the pile. Thomas came into the shop.  Where everyone was happy and drinking whiskey while counting the money. 'Hello, Mr. Shelby how's it going?' 'Hello, Frank, how's the leg?' Thomas asked. 'Not bad.' He answered.

Thomas walked past him so he could make it to the other side of the room. 'Morning Charlie.' Thomas said while walking over to Scudboat. 'All right Scudboat, how are we looking?' Thomas asked him. 'Looking good, Tommy.' he answered. 'Grand stuff.' Thomas said leaning over to the big book. When John came up from behind him.

'Tommy, Tommy, they are all here for Monaghan Boy.' He said enthusiastically. 

'That's what I like to hear Johnny boy.' Thomas said while patting him on the back. He saw Franny walking by but she ignored his look and walked further to her desk. To which he frowned. 'Oh and Aunt Pol wants to see ya.' John said before walking over to Franny.

Thomas walked over to the living room where Polly was standing.Within seconds Thomas his facial expression changed. and he was out of the door. 'What was that about?' John asked lighting a cigarette. Franny said nothing for a minute when John snapped his fingers in her face.
'Hey.. you know what's going on?' he asked her.

To which Franny frowned and she took the cigarette out of his hand. 'Like I know the serious shit that's going down.' She sat back in her chair and let out a deep breath. She was just hoping Ada would come out of it alive.