𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

26

Tommy walked down the path, staring out into the field as he walked past small houses. Two boys ran off the field and into a house.

"Come on in boys, did you have a good game" A woman asked them, opening the gate.

"I'm starving, anything for lunch" the older boy asked.

The woman looks over as Tommy approached her. "Mrs Johnson?" he asked, stopping at the fence. "Yes, Who are you?" she wearily asked.

"I'm from Birmingham Council, Bordesley Parish" he nodded, "No one wrote to me," she told him, "what do you want?"

"I would like to talk about your son, about Henry" he stated. "Can i come in?"

"I'd rather you didn't, he doesn't like to talk about this"

"I see," Tommy looked at the floor, thinking. "So what does Henry know about his real identity, Mrs Johnson?"

"I only deal with Mr Ross from the agency" she stuttered. "And he only ever writes so why are you here in person?"

"Well the boy is approaching his eighteenth birthday" Tommy nodded.

"This isn't right" The woman shook her head, letting out a breath. "Your not from the Council, something isn't right"

"What does he know Mrs Johnson"

"He knows his mother couldn't cope" she said stubbornly, "she drank too much, used opium. She used to beat him"

"But that isn't the truth is it" Tommy looked her in the eye.

"Look you should come back when my husband is here." she avoided his gaze. "Does he know what his real name is?"

"His real name is Johnson, Henry Johnson" she hissed. "Now i would like you to go away and come back when my husband is here"

The older boy began walking away from the house.

"Truth is, he was taken from his mother without her permission" he spoke louder as the boy got closer.

"Henry go back inside, please" she begged the boy.

"Who are you" he asked. "Please, Henry go on"

"Your real name is Micheal Gray" Tommy looked at him. "No!" the woman shouted. "Your real mother wants to see you"

Micheal frowned, listening to him speak. Tommy pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to him.

"Her address is on this card, she just wants to talk"

Mrs Johnson began hitting Thomas over and over again. "Go away" she shouted.

"She just wants to talk" he repeated.

"Go away and leave us alone" She screamed, watching as Tommy walked back up the path.

Micheal stepped forward, looking at him.

"Come on let's go back inside" she begged, holding his arm. "Come on i'll get you something to eat"

"Come on Henry"

-

Lottie stood, wincing slightly as Finn and Isaiah stood in the ring, Isaiah punching Finn in the stomach. "Call yourself a Shelby?" Maine asked.

"Fucking hit him Finn"

Finns fist flew into Isaiah's face. "Hit him, that's right. All right, Isaiah, your turn"

Lottie grinned, watching the two boys fight. Isaiah hit Finn in the face twice, stepping back.

"Finn, call yourself a Shelby? Hit him for fucks sake" Maine shouted again.

Isaiah sent Finn into the wall. "Hit him"

"Come on Finn this is pathetic" his older sister laughed, shaking her head. Their attention diverted to Arthur who was shouting angrily, his fists covered in blood, hitting a boy over and over again.

"Get him out of there, get him back"

"Arthur" Lottie shouted, leaning over the wall. "Get off him Arthur your gonna kill him"

Finn and Isaiah stood beside her.

"Get him back for fucks sake get him out of there"

Lottie covered her mouth, stepping back, her back colliding with Isaiah's chest as people checked the boys breathing.

"Did he kill him" she shouted, Isaiah holding her.

-

Lottie sat, wide eyed at the desk as Tommy walked into the office. Both her , Finn and Isaiah looked at him.

"All right what happened?" he asked, leaning on the wall. "It was a fair fight," Finn spoke. "Yeah, Arthur just caught him with a good one" Isaiah agreed.

"I saw the body" he pushed away from the wall. "Don't fucking lie to me, i saw the body what happened. Lottie?"

She licked her lips.

"He went off on one again Tom" was all she said. Finn sent her a 'what you playing at look'

"I'm not family, i'm saying nothing" Isaiah said, looking at Tommy. Tommy eyed Finn, waiting for an answer. "Arthur, he's blown a few times lately" he started.

"Six, seven" he guessed, "it's like he's not there in the head. He can't even hear stop"

"Or even his own name" Lottie chimed in. "And then he cries," Finn finished.

"Right listen to me" Tommy pointed at the kids. "That's two fucking stories, your brother killed a boy. There were witnesses, there will be questions"

"I don't do good under pressure Tom" Lottie spoke.

"Get your stories straight, it was an accident, fuck off" he dismissed them. They scurried out of the office.

"Can't get the image out me fucking head" She whispered to her brother and boyfriend as they walked through to the house. "That poor boy"

"Ay, stop stressing" Isaiah grabbed her shoulder.

"Kid did nothing" Finn said, "Arthur's going mad" he shook his head, running a hand over his head.

"Tommy will sort him out" Lottie nodded. "What do you reckon John and Polly will say about it"

"John, nothing but Polly, she'll fume"