𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃, ⁱˢⁱᵃʰ ʲᵉˢᵘˢ

35

Esme drunkenly poured herself another drink, watching John walk in with guns over his shoulder. "Holy shit" she said. "It's Father Christmas"

"Yeah" John nodded. "And if you're good, you get what you deserve. Fucking come here then" he looked at her.

She put her drink down and grabbed his face, kissing him.

-

Tommy held the phone, waiting for John to answer but it rang out. "Fuck" he whispered. He picked it up again. "Yeah put me through to Maypole 345" he said.

The phone rang in Arthur's hallway and he stood, picking it up. "Hello?"

"Arthur it's Tommy" he said. "Be quick they're asleep" Arthur whispered. "Family meeting, Charlie's Yard, boxing day. Midday" he told him. "I can't raise John but i'll send Micheal to get him"

"If you have to pull a gun on Linda, do it. Merry Christmas"

He ended the call.

"Merry Christmas Tom" Arthur whispered, placing the phone back in it's original place.

-

Micheal sat smoking, looking at Polly who stood at the top of the stairs. "What did you do with them?" she asked. "My tablets were in the bathroom cabinet, what did you do with them?"

"I threw them in the lavatory" he told her. She stormed down the stairs. "Tommys orders?" she asked.

"No, my own decision"

She ran to the drawers, searching through them. "How am i going to get through Christmas without them? The close everything" she mumbled.

"How am i going to get through Christmas without them" She repeated. "I'll help you" Micheal said.

"They don't open anything" she whispered. "Fucking no apothecary nothing" she shouted. "You can move in with me, i'll help you" Micheal said.

Polly breathed heavily. "How am i going to fucking get through Christmas"

She threw an empty bottle at the wall.

"You can move in with me, i'll help you" Micheal shouted. "Fuck off" she whispered. "Fuck off Thomas Shelby. Fuck off" Micheal grabbed her.

"Stop it's me, it's me"

"I don't want to, fuck off." she hissed. "It's all right it's me. Mum that has got to stop" he shouted.

"I just want the tablets"

"This has got to stop" he repeated. "Tommy said to believe in spirits with you but i can't"

Ada waltzed in, wide eyed. "Hello Polly"

"Hello Micheal"

They stepped away from each other. "Merry Christmas" Ada tilted her head. "Door was wide open"

"Fuck" Polly whispered. "I spent the whole day tidying up i wanted it to be nice" She said on the verge of tears. "I wanted it to look nice"

"All right, Pol. It's only me" Ada grabbed her Aunt's face gently.

"It's okay we can sit" she wrapped her arms around Polly. "Sit and talk we'll put things back together. It's okay"

"I'll leave you two to it" Micheal said. "No you stay" Ada stopped him.

"Now listen, somethings happened, things have changed" she looked at Micheal. "Today, everyone in the family received one of these" Ada handed the unopened card to Polly.

Her face dropped as she read it.

"Tommys called a family meeting. He wants you both to come"

-

Tommy left Johnny dogs in the kitchen with the dead Italian 'chef' and quickly stuffed presents into a sack, removing them from under the tree.

After he did that, he called Micheal.

"Micheal they're coming today, Micheal shut up and listen. Gotta get everyone out get Polly and Ada to Charlie's yard" he said. "I've told Arthur but i can't reach John"

"When you've dropped polly and ada go to Johns place and get him out, i'll send Florence to go with you"

Tommy then went and got Charles from his room, carrying him throughout the house. "Is it Christmas?" He asked. "Not just yet but let's go, eh?" Tom said.

"Mum" Charles said as they passed the small picture of Grace on the desk. Tommy stopped, grabbing it and walking away.

-

"Merry Christmas John" Florence said,
embracing him. "Morning" Esme sighed. "Morning Esme"

"Shall we open some presents?" She asked as the rest of Johns kids entered the room. "Micheal is coming, he's late for whatever reason" she said, glancing at the clock.

Michaels car drove as fast as possible up the small road, being blocked by a carriage. He sped round the corner up to Johns house.

"Hello?" he asked. A gun cocked, getting his attention. "Oh fuck it's you" John lowered the gun. "Got nothing better to do on Christmas morning?" he asked Micheal.

"Tommy wants everybody at Charlie's Yard now, come on"

"What gonna happen, it's fucking Christmas" John sighed, walking round to the front of the house.

"Look John, we don't have time for this"

"Hello Micheal" his sister appeared at the door, cup of tea in hand. "Florence"  he nodded. "Come in the house, have some food" he told Micheal.

Esme stormed outside.

"Tell Tommy Shelby we can look after ourselves" she hissed. "Tommy says that they could come for us today" Micheal told her.

"Tommy says, tommy says. Are you his fucking Parrot" Esme laughed looking at John. "Look it's the mafia all right"

"This is the New York mafia we're talking about" Micheal shouted. "Why don't we all come inside" Florence suggested.

"And we're the peaky fucking blinders" John said, his gun over his shoulder. "No we're not John, not unless we're together"

"You were together in the gallows" Esme began, "with one man missing"

"John, Esme, come to the meeting. All right, think about the kids" Micheal looked at them.

Florence, Esme and John looked at the vehicle that pulled up full of hay.

"No it's christmas day" Esme looked at Micheal. Florence eyes widened as a man in a hat jumped over the hay and John stepped forward, cocking the gun.

"Get in the fucking house" he shouted.

"Esme" Micheal said, pushing the two girls to the side.

Two more men appeared. John began shooting, so did they. Her vision blurred as she watched John fall to the floor.

"John" Esme shouted.

"No" Florence screamed, watching as Micheal tumbled backwards. She ran forward, falling beside him in pain as she looked down at her bleeding leg, she'd been shot.

The firing stopped and Esme rushed out, sobbing. She grabbed John, pulling him toward her.

"Micheal" Florence whispered, grabbing his face. "Come on, brother" she said, pressing her hand on his stomach which was covered in blood. "Micheal come on" she whispered.

She looked over at John, her heart breaking when she saw Esme sobbing next to his dead body. "Esme is he dead?" she asked. "Is he dead?" she repeated.

Esme slowly looked up, nodding.

Florence covered her mouth.