𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐑 ᵐⁱᶜʰᵉᵃˡ ᵍʳᵃʸ

016

MICHEAL WALKED INSIDE TOMMY'S HOSPITAL ROOM, standing behind him. "Tommy," he started. "I need to speak to you about the priest. I know things about him."

Tommy hummed.

"From when i was a..when i was a boy." he stepped forward. "I will shoot him myself, just teach me how to shoot.

Tommy scoffed. "It's easy Micheal, just point, pull the trigger."

Micheal sighed, looking down and walking out.

-

Tommy leaned back in his chair as Mary walked in. "He asked for me today, Mary. Not his mother. For the first time."

"He missed you,"

"Where is he, is he in the kitchen?" Tom asked. "Yes, he's with the girls and Johnny" she said.

He cleared his throat.

"Did you remember your medicine sir?" Mary asked before she walked out. "Do you ever read the bible, Mary?" he asked her. "Sometimes" she shrugged.

"Do you ever read it out loud while standing naked next to my bed" he asked her. Her face dropped. "Cause when i take the morphine the doctor gave me, that's what you do. I'm wide awake, but you are standing there naked, plain as day." he informed her. "Reading from the book of Leviticus"

"Do you wanna know what happens next?" she shook her head. "No, neither do i. So i poured the medicine away. Go and get Johnny, Mary"

The woman slowly turned away from him, ashamed.

-

"Good morning Mr Solomon's" Tommy sighed, stepping to his office. "Yeah it is" Alfie nodded. "Nice little place you've got here, Thomas. What is it? A foreclosure of a gambling debt from some poor young lord who you pumped full of opium in one of your casinos?." he asked.

"Or is that just tittle-tattle?"

"Drink?" Tommy sighed. "Nah i don't touch it mate. Your housekeeper said your not allowed to drink. Eh?"

"She said you are suffering from so many ancient injuries from your sporting life, that your head is like some sort of smashed vase that has been stuck back together by a horse" Alfie looked him up and down.

"Now, word in London is that you can be found wandering the streets of Birmingham stark naked, throwing away money, Tommy"

Tommy sat down frowning. "You talk to dead people" Alfie continued. "Also that you believe you are powerful enough to summon up Jews..of a very particular standing up to the gentle wilderness wherein you live in order for them to do your fucking bidding, mate"

"And still you came" Tommy sighed. "Yeah, well, you know i was passing wasnt i?"

"Do you know something, Alfie, this morning i tried to read the paper, and i realised that the only consequence of my terrible accident is that i now need glasses." he trailed off.

"Right" Alfie nodded, "right we'll i know a man, who can make you a pair of these" he pulled out his own pair.

"He is a magician, mate" he nodded, "he is a magician. So not only will you be able to read your newspaper but you will also be able to see into the future"

"Now i know this because he made this pair here for me. So you don't have to worry about telling me what this is all about cause i've already seen it mate"

Tommy nodded along. "You're fucking about with the Russians ain't you, you silly boy"

-

They all joined Tommy and Alfie in the office and Arthur froze. "Arthur" Alfie smiled. Arthur tried walking out, "Arthur?" Alfie asked.

"Arthur come here" Tommy said. "Shalom" Alfie shouted.

Arthur groaned and walked back in, closing the door. "Arthur, shalom"

"Come here" he said to Arthur. "Come, let's sit down. I owe you a little something don't i. I do. Come on"

Arthur looked at Tom and sat down. "Listen, Arthur, i want you to know that whatever happened between us back then that was business"

"It was just business, alright"

"And i also want you to know that i have made my apologies via my own God" he nodded. "for abusing a very good day to get you clinked up and battered, which i did"

"And i would also like to extend my personal apologies unto you"

Arthur looked at him. "I hear you have allowed jesus to come into you life, Arthur"

"Oh you heard then?" Arthur asked. "Yeah that's beautiful, that's wonderful, that is lovely isn't it"

"And i was wondering how does that work for you on a day to day considering your line of work, mate"

"Your apology is accepted" Was all Arthur said. "Cause i hear your a right fucking nuisance with it" Alfie continued. Arthur inhaled sharply, gripping the glass ash tray beside him.

"You see all i'm saying is that every man craves his certainty, doesn't he?"

Tommy watched carefully.

"Even if that certainty of yours, right..well i mean it's fucking fanciful mate isn't it" he tormented.

Arthur dropped the ash tray.

"I'm old testimony" Arthur whispered. "Fucking hell look at that, now that, that scared me more" Alfie pointed at his face.

"Yeah. Congratulations tommy. You now have the finished article right here don't you. See that man right he will murder and mail for you with God on his side"

"You don't want to let him go"