The Hanging Noose

Seventy-Two

"Ada," Dottie purrs down the phone, holding the phone with her shoulder as she looks in to the mirror. "Tommy told us about Ben. I'm so sorry."

Ada breathes heavily down the phone. "It was Tommy's fault."

"Was it?" Dottie asks back, happy with her appearance in the mirror. She falls against the sofa. "How so?"

"Tommy's enemies," Ada replies back sighing in to the phone. "I didn't love him, Dots... but..."

"You liked him?" Dottie guesses, hearing Ada hum, "you must off if you slept with him. I get what you mean though, it's hard even if you have confused feelings for them."

Ada hesitates before speaking, deciding to speak her mind. "When Reggie died; how did you feel?"

Dottie's heart drops. She stammers, her mouth opening and closing.

"Obviously it was different circumstances, but at one point you just have liked him, and now you've got Eliza, and..."

"Different circumstances, yeah," Dottie agrees slowly, hearing the girls play upstairs with Isiah, "erm... after it happened, I was just sort of in shock. Was round Mum or Micheal constantly too."

"Did you end up grieving for him? Do you miss him at some points?"

Dottie nods, although Ada can't see. "I did eventually. Came to terms with everything, but no. I don't miss him. Sometimes I think about him, sometimes I remember something about him, but I don't miss him. I can't. I didn't know him."

Ada hums, "you know there was a child killed in the explosion? The one Ben died in?"

Dottie blinks. "A child?"

"Mhm. Tommy said the child wasn't even ten... poor thing."

"Poor family," Dottie agrees sadly. "You know, I'm always here, Ada, don't you? Even if you're in London and I'm here: I'm always on the other end of the phone, don't you?"

"Yes," Ada agrees, "I know, Dots, I know."

Dottie presses a smile on to her lips, "alright, Ada, as long as you know."

Ada goes to speak to Dottie when she calls out to Karl. "Karl! Put that down, you can't touch that! Right, Dots, I've got to go. Have a good evening, and call me tomorrow."

"Alright, Ada," Dottie agrees before she presses the phone down on to the holder, hanging up immediately.

                                    —

Dottie and Isiah sit on the sofa, curled in to each other. They sit across from Polly and Aberama, who has his arm around Polly. The four adults watch as Mabel the dog sleeps on the floor besides a quiet pair of siblings. Both Eliza and Florence sit on the floor, a book between them, and some pencils in the hands. They scribble over the bland pages.

"Grandad got us this," Florence babbles, talking to the adults, "took us to the shops, Mama. Got us this, and these pencils." She turns to look at Dottie, holding the pencils up.

Dottie picks up two pencils, seeing Eliza inscribed in gold italic on one pencil and Flo inscribed on the other. Dottie smiles, handing the pencils back to Florence.

"Oh wow, did you say thank you to Grandad?" She asks, her voice higher pitched than normal as she leans against Isiah.

Florence nods, "and... and Grandad is painting us a room!"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, Dad's spare room is going to be the girls room for when they stay there," Isiah comments.