The Hanging Noose

Forty-Four

Dottie wasn't allowed to be apart from Polly or Eliza. She had argued to Polly, saying she wanted to find Charlie, yet Polly ignored her, shutting down her daughter immediately.

"Micheal told you what Tommy agreed," she says, her eyes bulging, "I'm not loosing both of my children to this business, so you'll sit down, and you'll wait with me. Is that clear, Dorothea?"

"Mum, it's Charlie," Dottie argues back, seeing Eliza colour happily at the kitchen table in the betting den. "I can't just stay here—"

"Tommy will get him back," Polly assures, "he'll get him back, Thea, it's not for you to worry about. Now please, just sit down."

Dottie stares at Polly. Her eyes cold and hard, as if she's debating about disobeying Polly. Ultimately she decides, falling in to a chair when her staunch churns.

Polly sighs. She walks to Dottie's side, picking up the pieces of the phone Tommy had ripped out of the wall. She places the pieces on the table, and then looks at Dottie, who's looking at Eliza and cradling her belly, as if she's protecting the baby.

She takes a deep breath in. "Baby."

Eliza looks at Dottie when she hears Dottie's voice. Dottie smiles at her, pushing her chair away from the table and opening her arms. Within an instance, Eliza is down from her chair. She throws herself in to Dottie's arms, and Dottie swoops her up, settling her on her lap. She smiles at Eliza, taking note of every freckle dotted around her face.

"Baby, I need to tell you something," Dottie starts, "do you remember when you use to have nightmares in Granny's house, and me and you use to sit up and we use to play with your dollies? We were playing dress up, weren't we? Now you remember you telling me you wanted to have a baby sister to dress up?"

Eliza nods, staring up at her mum.

"Well, sweetheart, I'm going to be having a baby."

Eliza tilts her head, "how?"

Dottie hesitates, her words falling. She then breathes out, looking at Eliza.
"The baby will grow in me for some months, then when the baby is ready, they'll appear—"

"Appear?"

Polly watches from the side. She stares at her daughter and granddaughter, feeling warm inside. 

"I will tell you more when you're older," Dottie promises, "but all you need to know is soon you're going to have a baby brother or sister."

"I want sister," Eliza says, staring up at Dottie, "called Mabel."

Dottie raises an eyebrow, "Mabel, eh? Where did that one come from?"

Shrugging, Eliza responds, "it's my doggy name. If I can't have a doggy, I'll have a sister."

Dottie grins, "oh never change, Eliza," she coos as Eliza smiles back at Dottie, falling in to her chest.

"I won't, Mama."

—

Charlie had been found.

There was a huge relief as Micheal walked in to the betting den with Charlie in his arms. He had blood smeared across his face, and a cut across his cheek. His eyes were dilated, almost like he wasn't sure what was going on.

He passed Charlie over to Tommy, and then went straight to Dottie.

"He's dead," Micheal says in a solemn voice. "He can't hurt us anymore, Thea."

Dottie bites her lip as she looks at Micheal, her eyes seem to water. Micheal's unsure whether it's due to happiness or sadness. When she speaks, her voice is croaky.