𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

4

"You remember how every night, she'd sit at the window waiting for you to come home from work" Polly reminded Thomas, sipping from her glass, looking at the sleeping girl.

He nodded at the question, his arm around Francis.

"Well for months after you left, she would sit by that bloody window" she laughed.

"Asking when you were coming back" Ada added on.

Tommy stared at his daughter with regret. He hated not being around for so long. It killed him how alone she would have felt. As well as Francis.

"Was she okay" he asked, placing an empty glass on the table.

"She didn't seem to process it for the first few years, then it began keeping her awake" Francis commented, earning a look from Polly.

Polly never knew this.

"She had this constant fear that you wouldn't return" she whispered, looking at the girl.

"I'd sit with her for hours whilst she cried, Tommy" she shook her head. "She was petrified"

A small breath left Thomas' mouth and he sat down slowly.

"Should've seen her face when she opened Arthur's letter" Ada laughed. "Never seen her so happy in me life"

"She's changed though Tom" Finn mentioned. "It's as if she hates being around people when she's upset," he squinted.

"Have to really try to help her when she needs it. She just won't let us"

Tommy ran a hand over his mouth and poured himself another glass. "She'll be okay" he shook his head. "She's my daughter after all"

Soft laughs came from everyone in the room. Despite the weird mood that filled the room, they still found something to laugh at.

Whether it was John being stuck with Delilah laying on him, or stories from whilst they were away.

They found something.

-

Tommy watched through the window as his daughter skipped over to a group of boys who waited for her. He squinted, trying to see who they were.

"Reggie fucking Smith" he hissed. "Watch your language" Francis scolded, handing him a whiskey.

"Who's that?" John asked, placing a tooth pick in his mouth. "The boy that's going around with my daughter" he whispered. John sat up, peaking through the curtain.

"I swear if any of them lay a fucking hand on her i'll-"

Tommy raised his hand, stopping his brother from finishing his sentence. "Calm down, the pair of you. They've been nice to her whilst youse have been away. A boy was picking on her in school and Reggie stuck up for her"

"Ello, Lilah, girl" Ron nodded, Reggie's older brother. "Ron," she smiled. "How are you?" she asked, standing beside Reggie. "I'm good, yeah. Good. How are you?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm okay,"

"Good" he nodded. He leaned forward slightly. "If my brother ever upsets you, you come tell me, yeah?" he told her, his cockney accent strong. Lilah laughed at him. "Yes Ron,"

"Well then, i'll be on my way" He placed his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, go on Ron" Reggie urged, shaking his head. "He's gone fucking mad" Reggie said, walking down the cobble street with the Shelby girl.

"He don't seem it" she frowned. "No fucking trust me, he is" Reggie shook his head. "Mad in the head" he whispered, tapping her forehead. "Get off" she laughed, pushing his hand away.

"My dad was watching us from the window you know" she said, holding on to his arm.

"Really?" he raised his eyebrows. Lilah hummed in response. "No doubt John was too" she grinned, looking out at the kids who ran past them. Reggie bit his lip nervously.

"They aren't going to cut me up are they?" he asked jokingly. "Maybe" Lilah squinted.

-

Delilah carefully slid the window open from outside, placing her boots inside the room before climbing inside. She froze, seeing Tommy sat in the chair beside her bed.

"Hi..dad" she said awkwardly. "Where the fuck have you been" he asked, standing up. "I went on a walk" she lied.

"At 11 in the fucking night?" he asked. "Yeah?" she frowned.

"Delilah, we've spoke about this. Your not to leave the house by yourself during the night" he reminded her. Delilah swallowed, unsure of what to say.

"Things are changing around here and the last thing i want is for you to get hurt" he softened his tone. "I'm sorry" She looked down. Tommy tilted his head back slightly.

"I'll let you off, but next time i'm bolting the fucking windows shut and next time i'll tell your mother" he said seriously.

"Now get to bed" he pointed, closing the door after walking out.

Lilah usually snuck out to clear her head, she'd normally walk over the fields or around the cut. Nothing had ever happened to her, she couldn't understand why her father was so concerned.

She lay counting the cracks on the ceiling like she did every night.

Delilah couldn't sleep, she could hear things. Sometimes it was the loud panting of her father after waking up from a nightmare, sometimes it was Polly going downstairs for whatever reason.

She sat up in frustration, pulling at her hair.

If she got out of bed, either Pol or Tommy would tell her off. So she remained where she was, glancing outside at the stars. She leaned against the window sill, sighing.