The Hanging Noose

Twenty-Four

Polly holds on to Eliza, who's happily playing with her grandmothers necklace. She fiddles with it, wiping the Black Madonna with her fingertips. Polly smiles, holding on to Eliza like a lifeline as she leads Dottie and Micheal away from Dottie's bedroom towards Tommy's office, where a family meeting is being held. She stops outside the door, putting her finger up to her lip to Eliza, who giggles with excitement. She grabs hold of Micheal's cap and places it on Eliza's head. She orders Dottie and Micheal to stay outside until she calls them in, opening the door and sliding in to the large office.

"Alright, Pol?" Arthur grunts, his eyebrows raising when he sees a child on her hip. "Who's this then?"

"You've all met her before," Polly vaguely says. "I would like permission to welcome someone in to the family. Tom?"

Tommy nods his head, looking over at a blonde with a frown on his face. Polly grins, opening the door and pulling Dottie in to the large office.

Arthur is the first to jump up. He steps over to Dottie and pulls her in to his arms.
"Oh, Dottie!" He cries, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. "My baby cousin!"

Dottie grins, tightly hugging Arthur and kissing his cheek. When she pulls away, she holds his cheek, her thumb running along his face. "You haven't changed, have you?"

"Oi, Arthur! My turn!"

Dottie pulls away instantly at the sound of Ada's voice. Her and Ada throw themselves against each other, tightly gripping each others back and side.

"I've missed you," Ada says, her breath fanning against Dottie's neck.

"I've missed you too," Dottie replies, squeezing Ada tightly, "so so much."

"Pol's missed you loads," Ada adds, "how's Eliza?"

Pulling away at the sound of her daughters name, Dottie grins, stepping aside to show the family Eliza, who's been busily playing with Polly's necklace.

Ada gasps, "god, look how big she's gotten!"

Eliza turns her head, looking at Ada, and then suddenly glaring.

Dottie frowns, digging her fingertips in to Eliza's side gently. "Oi, what's that face for? Hmm?"

Eliza huffs, looking at Dottie with another glare before throwing her head against Polly's chest and closing her eyes.

"Welcome home, anyways," Ada says, turning her head to Tommy. "Oi, Tom. Aren't you going to welcome your cousin back?"

Tommy, standing up, shakes his head slightly. "I was waiting for you to move," he grumbles, stepping over to where Dottie is before enfolding her in to his chest.

Dottie freezes, being the first time Tommy had hugged her, or even touched her.

"Welcome home, Dots. We've been so worried about you."

Dottie pats his ribs, "I was okay..."

Humming in response, Tommy stands aside. He pushes his arm outwards, beckoning over a tall blonde woman. She stands up, and joins Tommy's side, smiling at Dottie.
"Dottie, this is Grace. The woman I'm marrying."

Dottie raises an eyebrow, "do try to sound happier, Tom," she remarks before looking at Grace. "Hi, it's nice to meet you."

Grace smiles, a warm smile that seems to make Dottie's nerves ease. "It's lovely to meet you too, Dottie. I've heard so much about you." She says, her voice laced in a thick Irish accent.

"So what did you do wrong to be marrying my cousin?" Dottie asks, her hands on her hips and a small smirk winding on to her lips.

Grace goes to talk when Eliza speaks, calling out for Dottie. Dottie is quick to take hold of her. Eliza squirms, kicking her legs and begging to be let down. So Dottie does, placing her on the floor and then kneeling down, holding the toddlers hands.

"Don't touch what isn't yours," Dottie commands, looking at Eliza, who nods and squirms, trying to pull her arms away from Dottie, however Dottie doesn't relent, instead she raises an eyebrow at Eliza, who eventually stops squirming.
"Did you hear me?"

Eliza doesn't respond, staring at Dottie.

"Don't touch what isn't yours, alright?" Dottie repeats, smiling when Eliza nods.

Dottie is quick to let go of Eliza's hands, standing up to her full height and watching as Eliza looks around before she toddles around the office.

"You don't have anything dangerous in here, do you?" Dottie asks, looking at Tommy with a face so similar to Polly's.

"They're locked away," Grace answers, "I've made him lock them away. Away from Charles."

"Who's Charles?"

Grace, raising an eyebrow, looks at Tommy, "you're so proud of your only child you've told your cousin about him, right?"

Sheepishly, Tommy looks away, rubbing the back of his neck as Grace sighs and looks back at Dottie.

"Charles is my boy- our boy... we had him not long after you left." Tommy says, stepping beside Grace and placing a hand on the small of her back.

"I didn't choose to leave," Dottie says, the small smile on her lips disappearing, "that decision was taken from me."

"But for good reason," Micheal chirps in, "I mean, without getting you the proper help you needed, where would you have been, Dots?"

Dottie shakes her head, as if she's dismissing Micheal's words, before looking at Tommy with a hopeful expression.
"Mum said you've been keeping an eye on Reggie. How is he?"

Tommy's eyes dart over to Polly.

"Don't look at her, look at me."

Arthur clears his throat, "the thing is, Dots, he's been struggling without you, without you and Eliza. He's been missing you both-"

Raising her eyebrows, Dottie glares, "Arthur. Cut the shit."

"Reggie's been in the Garrison every other night, he drunk the pub out of whiskey, had to re-supply it, mhm."

Dottie tilts her head, her hands situated on her hips.

"We've kept him in the fold," Tommy says, trying to ignore the glare irrupting from Dottie.

"As you should. He was a blinder before he was with me, and now he's the father of my child, he-"

"You left him," Tommy grunts causing Dottie's glare to grow.

"That is not fair, I didn't leave him. Besides, I thought he's a trusted member of the family-"

"To be honest, Dots, no. We've never trusted him," Arthur responds, avoiding his aunts glare as well as his cousins, "we've only kept him on because of you eventually coming back, ain't that right, Tom?"

"I can't believe you." Scoffs Dottie, rolling her eyes. "I want him called, Tom. I want him here, he needs to be here."

Tommy goes to talk, however Grace places a hand on his chest, almost signalling for him to close his mouth. He nods, his eyes darting towards Arthur for a slight second.

Eliza crawls over to Dottie, her hand thumping Dottie's shoes. She bends down, swooping Eliza back in to her arms.

"Come on, you, let's find your cousin John."

Eliza frowns, squirming in her mothers arms. "Mama!"

Dottie ignores Eliza's voice, staring directly at Tommy. "I want him here, Tom. Tonight."