"How's Thomas?" Asked Fleur as she placed a cup of tea in front of Iris. The mother and daughter had started forcing themselves to spend time with each other, considering they were each the only family they had left.
"He's alright." Iris sipped her tea slightly before placing it down and turning to her mother. "He's different, mum."
"All men are different since the war." Fleur shrugged.
"I know that. But he's different different. Most of the others drink too much or smash shit up, but he's just so cold. When we're with people he speaks to me like I'm lower than him."
"And in private?"
"He's normal. Like the Tommy I knew before I left."
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Fleur let out a long sigh. "He always was a weird one. But he's better than that Jewish brute."
"Mother." Iris said, her tone warning.
"Sorry, love. Right, clear off, I have church soon."
Iris chugged the rest of her cup and stood up. "Bye, mum."
The pair of them never hugged. It was too awkward. Instead, Fleur would nod in acknowledgement and Iris would walk herself out. It was their strange little routine. —— Iris walked into the betting shop and strolled straight past the men who gave her the same contemptful look every day. They just couldn't get over a well-dressed woman in a betting shop. She had learned to ignore it. Tommy certainly did.
As usual, Iris settled into her desk which was stationed in a corner of Tommy's office and got to work. This had become the norm over the past week; go to Fleur's, go to work, go home, sleep.
--
Iris finished her workload for the day and stood up with a satisfied stretch. She could hear Arthur in the main room and decided to go see what he was shouting about.
"-What I'm sayin' is, is them Scot's haven't got a fucking leg to stand on!"
"Be quiet, Arthur." Tommy warned.
Arthur was visibly drunk. You could see it in the way his eyes had a vacant glaze and in his slouch. "Fuck off, Tom, alright? Anyway, so these Gaelic fucks, they're fucking idiots-"
"Fuck, Arthur!" Tommy yelled, slamming his hands on the table. He sprung from his seat and dragged Arthur into the office, nearly knocking Iris over when they whirled past her in the doorway.
The eyes of the betting shop turned to the office, everyone desperate to see the telling off Arthur was about to receive. Iris shot into the room and slammed the door before drawing the blinds. Thomas would go mad if their reputation was worsened by talks of the brothers fighting in public. With the privacy in place, Iris went to leave until Thomas' voice stopped her. "No Iris, stay there. I want someone else to see what a fucking idiot my brother is."
