𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

25

Polly quickly pulled on her boots, getting ready as she realised how late she had woken up.

She sighed, staring into the mirror.

Lottie sat in the betting den, sipping a hot cup of tea, watching as Johns kids ran about. "Henry" she scolded. "Let go of your brother or i'll tell your dad"

The boy rushed off, giggling and screaming.

The door opened, Polly walking in. Everyone began clapping and Polly frowned.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" she asked. "Happy birthday Pol" Lottie sighed, closing the book she was reading. Tommy stepped forward.

"When did you get back" she asked. "Didn't want you miss your birthday Pol" he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Back to work" Arthur told the other men.

"John your kids are a nightmare, need to put them on a fucking lead" Lottie complained whilst her brother walked past the table.

"How do you know it's my birthday" Polly asked Tommy. "Nobody ever knows"

"It's different this year" Tom nodded, "John, Finn, bring the car around" he told his brothers. "I'm coming too!" Lottie shouted, rubbing after them.

"Where we going"

"To unwrap your birthday present" Tom took her outside.

They all climbed into the car where Lottie and Finn fought because Finn kept pulling her hair. "You touch me again i'll cut ye hands off" she threatened.

"Ay" Arthur scolded. "You, don't threaten your brother, and you, stop fucking tormenting her" he pointed at the two.

Lottie scowled at Finn and crossed her arms as they pulled up to a house.

Tommy helped Polly out the car and Lottie looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"Good morning" Arthur shouted at the man beside them on the other houses' grass.

The door opened and they walked in, revealing a large house.

"You said you were going to buy Ada a house" Polly said looking around. "Yep that's right, i did, just had a bit of cash left over"

"A bit of cash?" Lottie scoffed.

"This is ours?" Polly asked, Tommy shook his head. "No, polly, this is yours"

"Because you deserve it"

Polly looked over at the rest of them and John smiled. "What would i do with all these rooms?" she asked.

"Well you could, uh, relax for one. Come here at weekends, it has a garden, eh, you love gardens" he pulled back the curtain.

"You can grow roses Pol" Lottie suggested.

"Have people round, have a sing-song, eh?" Tommy said. "God help the bloody neighbours" John whispered.

"Fuck the neighbours" Arthur said, handing Polly the keys. "Welcome home, Pol"

Polly sat in the chair, looking down.

Tommy cleared his throat. "Arthur why don't you take them outside, wait by the car" he nodded toward the younger Shelby's.

They all left the house, pushing each other around.

"Pol," Tom started, "i know you haven't been happy for a while, and i know why" he stepped in front of her.

Her eyes widened, looking up.

"Esme is all right, you know" he sat opposite her. "She's got a good heart, she has. I have spoken to her and she told me"

"Told you what"

"She told me what it is that would make you happy" he nodded. "I've spoken to our contacts in the police, they have contacts in the council"

"And they have contacts with the people who keep the parish records"

Polly nodded along, trying to understand.

"Records of adoption" he said, "and of confidential forced removals. Now with your permission, i'd like to grease a few palms, and take a look at the records they never showed you"

Her eyes glossed over slightly.

"Pol, i am going to find your son and daughter" he assured her. "And i'm gonna bring them home"

A small smile appeared on her face at his words.

"That's what this house is for" he said. "So that you can bring your family home where they belong"

She grabbed his hands. "We're moving up, Pol"

-

Ada pulled Karl along slightly as they walked to the house that Tommy had given her keys to.

She looked up at it.

As she opened the door, Karl ran inside laughing. "Go have a look what you think" she said, admiring the house.

Ada smiled at the boy.

"Can you hear that?" she asked, "Silence at last"

"And it belongs to us"

"Mummy" Karl shouted, rambling slightly. She smiled brightly, following the boy. "What's in there?" she asked.

-

"Can't believe he got her a house" Lottie sighed, sitting down and throwing her legs over Johns. "Get off you cheeky bastard" he said, shoving her legs away.

"Going to dirty my trousers"

"Give over" she laughed. "Not like you can't wash them, or even better, buy new ones"

He frowned at his sister, shaking his head.

"What's it like having kids John" she asked. He looked at her. "Pain in my bloody arse, why?"

"I've always wanted a kid, a little girl" she smiled slightly, looking at the roof. "Don't want to anymore"

"And why's that" he asked.

"Don't want the bring a kid into this world, into this danger" she said slowly. "Couldn't live with the fear of having to look over my shoulder"

He nodded at her words.

"You can have one of mine" he joked, causing her to laugh. "No thanks, yours are a nightmare"

"Garrisons opening again soon" She brought up, "isn't it?" she asked. John nodded. "I believe so"

"Reckon it'll be good, look nice?"

"Oh yea" he nodded, wiping his forehead.