The Shelby secretary

C H A P T E R T H I R T H E E N

It has been weeks. And Ada hasn't spoken to anyone not even to Franny. The night the baby was born Ada had left. Before Franny could even go with her. She wanted to be alone. And not see anyone.

Franny had broken down crying and went to John's house after a few hours.He had completely sobered up because of this shit going down and he opened the door for her. He knew that Ada would have been long gone. So he waited for her. Franny had been crying for hours and they both fell asleep on the couch. Almost every day Franny or Polly would go by Ada's house to bring her groceries and hope she would talk to them. They could hear the baby. But Ada never returned their words or questions.

Franny walked into the Shelby family home and put her basket of groceries down on the table. Thomas was standing in the kitchen probably hoping she would have talked.' did you speak to her?' He asked Franny. 'She didn't speak back.' Franny answered walking towards the coat rack.' well, did you tell her?' He asked her. 'I'll only tell her what I know to be true.' Franny spoke back walking to the kitchen and pouring herself some tea.

'It's the last time I'm going to say this. It wasn't me who shopped Freddie Fucking Thorne.' Thomas said. Polly came walking in. Backing Franny up. 'Tommy, I'd ask you to swear on the bible, but you can't swear on that, can you?' She said. Thomas laid his head in his neck sighing. Always that stupid bible stuff. 'Nothing you hold sacred. 'To which Polly winked to Franny. Thomas had left the house.

And both Polly and Franny went back to work. 'Did you tell your father yet?' Polly asked. 'About what?' Franny said while biting a piece of an apple. 'John.' Polly said while pouring tea. To which Franny almost choked on her apple. 'I.. I.. I haven't told him yet.' She said putting the apple back on the table. Polly was about to say something when the door swung open.

'Thomas I'm not telling you where Ada is...' Franny said while standing up. She met the gaze of an older gentlemen who looked vaguely familiar. Suddenly Arthur came around the man. And John came after him rolling his eyes at Franny. 'Fran. This is me dad.' Arthur said proudly. 'Or our dad.' He said while trying to fetch Finn from upstairs.

'Mr. Shelby.' Franny said 'How nice to meet you.' Arthur got Finn and sat him down at the table. 'Franny could you make him a sandwich?' Arthur asked. To which Franny looked around.

Polly hadn't said a word, and not even Finn was that excited to see his father. 'Fran?' Arthur asked again. 'Oh eh.. sure.' She said while walking away.

'Fran you stay put.' John said. 'No girl of mine is making that man a sandwich.' He said stern. Franny looked around and at John's face. She was normally quite doing the opposite of whatever John told her to do. But he sounded deadly serious so she stayed put.

'Didn't you have a bunch of kids with some other girl..' Mr. Shelby said. 'God what was her name she was so fine.' To which Franny's mouth fell open. 'Martha's dead.' John said coldly. Arthur who had gone to the kitchen to make his dad a sandwich himself gave it to him. 'Thank you. You are a good boy.' His father told Arthur. Before he digged in he started praying.

To which Polly rolled her eyes. 'Jesus Christ.' She said. 'Please , woman not in vain.' He told Polly. Which Franny thought was rather odd since she was a hell of a catholic. 'Finish your sandwich and sling your hook.' Polly stated. 'Pollyanna. I'm the guest of the head of this family, so why don't you maybe tend to your mangle or your scuttle?' He told her.

To which Franny jerked her head to John. And he still didn't looked surprised. 'The head of the family ain't here.' John then said. Mr. Shelby flicked the knife in his hand before looking at Arthur. 'Tommy.. He sometimes helps me with .. with Business, dad.' Arthur said. When a door opened.

Everyone turned their head to see Thomas come in. 'Aye, well speak of the devil.' Mr. Shelby said as he stood up. Thomas came around the corner to see everyone standing there. 'How are you, son?' He asked Thomas. Franny had one of her hands on John's upper arm and the other around her waist. She didn't know how to act. The only family she knew where the Shelby's without parents but with Polly. 'Get out.' Was the only thing Thomas said. 'Come on son. I'm a changed man' Mr. Shelby answered.

'This family needed you ten years ago, and you walked out on us. not now. Get out of this house.' Thomas explained. 'Tommy... he's different.' Arthur tried to reason. 'Shut up.' Thomas just said.

'It's all right son. Arthur Shelby never stays where he's not welcome.' He said while getting his coat. But before he left he turned to Polly. 'Quite something you've become.' He told her. Then he walked out to the front door. He gave Finn a head rub. To which Finn watched him go. But John pulled him back. The door closed and they were with the family again.

'Come on Finn. This is something for grown ups.' Franny said as she took Finn's hand. She usually left in these tense situations because it was not her place to be. She was not a part of this family. But this time John stopped her. 'You're with me now. You stay.' He said grabbing her hand and pulling her back to stand next to him. Finn was still holding her hand. 'Go play in the other room I'll be right with ya Finn.' Franny said smiling brushing his hair with her hand.

He took off. 'He's our dad.' Arthur then started when everything went silent again. Thomas just scoffed. 'He's a selfish bastard.' Thomas answered. 'You calling someone a selfish bastard, that's a bit rich Tommy.' Arthur responded. To which everyone except Thomas turned their head to Arthur. 'I mean, thanks to you, were already down a bloody sister.' That was Thomas is que to look up.

'You want to see him, Arthur? You want to see him?' Thomas started pointing towards the door Mr. Shelby just left. 'You go with him.' he followed himself up. Everyone stayed silent. And you could see the vein in Arthur's head pop up. He was clearly torn between this. But this Ada and Freddie thing was playing high so Arthur stood up and he walked away. After he was gone they were silent for a while. Then Thomas spoke up.

'He'll come back this isn't the first time this has happened.' Thomas said before he nodded at John and walked into the shop. Franny drank her tea with Polly while she actually talked to her about their father. How he just left after their mom died, because this wasn't what he signed up for. He was known to be a ladies man and gambler. But then Polly was left alone with them. Then John came back in.

'You want to go home Fran?' He asked Franny while grabbing her coat. 'Sure.' She said before putting away the cup so had drank tea from and gave Polly a hug before getting out with John. 'The kids aren't coming back till late this afternoon.' He said with his signature smirk.