The Queen Of Small Heath

Again?

Auroras POV

Walking through Polly's home, me and Ada quickly spotted the woman in her front room, a cigarette in hand and a sour expression plastered onto her face. Polly's attitude has gotten worse since everything and she had become everything we used to look down upon. Snobby, rude, aggressive.

"Come on, Pol. Tommy's expecting us." Ada rushes, staring at her aunt with a bored expression. "Who's with us?" Polly grumbles, staring out of the Window. "Aurora, Isaiah, and two Lee boys." Ada replies. Polly turns slowly, cigarette in mouth as she stared at the two of us in amusement. "Ladies, how long since you've had a fuck?" She asks making me roll my eyes. "What?" Ada blurts, her face contouring in shock.

"Been nearly two years for me. Over Christmas, I counted it up so I made a New Years resolution to change the situation." Polly hums. "Anyone particular in mind?" Ada asks, glancing at me only to share a mirrored look of annoyance at Polly's dramatics. "Not really, just someone unsuitable." Polly replies, picking up her brief case and leaves her home with me and Ada in tow.

In the car ride, me, Ada and Isaiah sat in the back whilst Polly sat in front. The car lets out a big bang as it starts making me flinch reminding of John. I feel a hand grip mine and look down to see Isaiah's hand in mine. I look up and give him a grateful smile as he gives me one back.

******

Once we arrive at the hospital, me and Ada walk either side of Polly as we near the entrance. "So this is just to make things official." Polly wanders just as Lizzie joins us. "Your official return to the company pay roll. So no more talks of New Years resolutions or Tommy might change his mind." Ada scoffs.

"What New Years resolutions?" Lizzie asks. "Oh never mind." Ada grins at her. "That's Ada trying to tell me to behave myself." Polly snaps. "Yeah, behave yourself." Ada sighs unamused. "Behave myself or what? Behave myself or fucking what?" Polly growls, stopping her walk. "Okay, Polly, I'll tell you the truth. After your recent troubles, Tommy asked me to keep an eye on you." Ada tells her.

"Troubles? Whilst for working for this company, I have killed a man. I have lost a man. I have found a son. I have nearly lost that son. Now I will accept my job back if the terms on offer are favourable. But I will not behave myself." Polly growls going to walk away. My arm reaches out without having to think and I pull Polly back so we're face to face and I can see she's intimated.

"Whilst working for this company and being a Peaky Blinder, I have killed more than seven men. I have lost my best friend, I have almost lost my son. I have saved your son, more than once. I have lost myself many a time and I have nearly killed myself for the lives of this fucking family. Whilst you were out playing with tarot cards and drinking so badly you thought you could see the dead, I got your sons blood on my hands as I pushed down on his wounds so he wouldn't die. Don't you fucking dare act as if you aren't apart of this family because if you walk away Polly, I can assure you till I die, you will never get back into it. Be-fucking-have." I growl, my voice low.

Releasing Polly's arm, I strut past the woman, leaving her stunned. Tommy stands up when I walk through the door and pecks my lips before taking my jacket and hanging it up. I thank him before I see Michael who looks up at me sadly and I walk over to him. "Hi." I say as I bend down and hug him carefully. "Hi Rory." He greets back lowly.

"Sorry I'm late." Polly announces, sitting down alongside Ada and Lizzie before I sit down. "I'm sorry I haven't been to see you. I just...found it hard, you know?" I whisper to Michael who's smiles at me softly, looking at me with a certain understanding. "It's okay, Rory. I understand. Are you okay?" He asks me, taking my hand in his. "Let me get back to you on that." I tell him as he nods and Tommy sits down beside me. "Where's Arthur?" He asks me. "Do I look like his fucking mother?" Poll spat, earning a deadly glare off of me.

"Right, before we start with extreme adjournment to the meeting, of the board of Shelby Company Limited, I'd like to note the absence of the deputy Vice President, who has not yet arrived. We will continue without his presence. Item number one of the reinstatement of the Shelby Company Limited, company treasurer. The board welcomes back the old company treasurer with generously improved terms and conditions. Due to exceptionally difficult circumstances the company now finds itself in. The proposed treasurer will now check the terms and conditions to see if they're in order."

"Item number two. During the absence of the company accountant due to ill health, all responsibilities for keeping the company accounts pass to the head of acquisitions. Item number three. Company treasurer, read the terms and conditions lodges a signed contract of employment, agreeing to the terms and conditions of the temporary head of counts. All of those in favour of the reinstatement of Mrs Elizabeth Gray, to the position of Shelby Company Limited, company treasurer, please raise your hand."

Raising my hand lazily, I yawn starting to feel immensely tired and the meeting is boring me. "My goodness, thank you." Polly spat sarcastically catching my eye as my lips tilt up. "Right, I declare this extraordinary general meeting over. Now we can talk about the real business but for that we need Arthur. Where the fuck is Arthur?" Tommy drawls. Sitting back in my chair, I place a hand over my stomach, feeling sick as Tommy studies me. "Are you okay, love?" He asks quietly and I nod.

"Alright, he's an hour late. Fuck him. This business affect Arthur, but he's not here so we'll vote without him." Tommy begins. "What business?" Ada asks watching as Polly hands out pictures. "Business you thought wasn't on your agenda today, Ada." I say. "An informant told us six years ago, Luca Changretta came from New York to Birmingham to be best man at his cousins wedding." Tommy begins. "That's him. I've seen him before." I say, pointing towards the man in back as everyone but Tommy, look at me in confusion.

"That's Luca Changretta. I've seen his face as has Aurora. Half the men in the photograph are Changretta's, which means, chances are they're the men who will come to kill us. We need to get both these photographs in pubs and onto street corners. Then we put out that there's an award for information." Tommy says as that sick feeling comes back.

"We also propose that we give a copy of this photograph to Mr Aberama God." Polly suggests making us look at her. "We need to forget the idea that it has to be Arthur to pull the trigger. Tradition will just fuck us up." She adds making Tommy sigh. "We should wait for Arthur." Ada attempts. "Arthur's not here, Ada." I say firmly. "They've got a point and you know as well as I do. Not one of us can rely on Arthur now that Linda has her fingers up his arse." Tommy says making me chuckle.

"We need Luca Changretta dead. That's it." Tommy says firmly. "Dropping the law of the bullet is part of the modernisation that I was working on before I executed." Polly hissed. "You weren't executed, Pol." Michael spoke up. "What did you call me?" Polly feigned in anger. "Right, let's take a vote, I'll deal with Arthur. All of those in favour of giving the photographs to Aberama Gold, raise your hand." Everyone's hand raises slowly. "Right, it'll be done." Tommy says, collecting the photos.

"I smelt perfume when I came in here." Polly spat. "Yes, it was the flowers." Tommy says grabbing my jacket and helping me put it on. "Who was in here, Michael?" Polly presses. "The truth is Polly, the woman that raised him came in here. She's every right to come in here. She brought him fucking apples and she left. We are in the middle of a vendetta and Arthur is missing. We need to find him. Concentrate on what unites us. This is all temporary." Tommy says, pulling on his own jacket. "Yeah, temporary, right." Polly spat before storming away.

"God, she's a pain in the ass." I mumble as I fix my hair. "Come on." Tommy says pulling me out of the room but I stop, pulling my hand out of his. He turns around and frowns at me. "Uhm, I need to do something. I'll meet you back at Polly's." I tell him. "What do you need to do?" He asks suspiciously. "Just something. It's fine, it's not dangerous, I promise." I tell him before walking away.

******

I stumble out of the hospital, leaning back against the brick wall as I take deep breaths. "I'm pregnant." I whisper to myself. "I'm pregnant...again." I murmur, not knowing how to feel. John was with me when I found out I was having Charles and now...he's not here and I have no clue what to do.