the marriage (john shelby.)

Twenty Three.

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Amelia delicately traced her fingers over the plants that grew up the picket fence. The dirt under her nails contrasted the bright colours of the rose petals. She was in heaven being surrounded by the beauty of the countryside.

Tommy had bigger issues on his plate however. His watchful eye was focussed on the two young boys being called into the house by their mother. They threw the football over the fence before leaping over the gate.

Tommy and Amelia walked up the driveway towards the house. She trailed behind him, her eyes darting between the yellow and purple flowers.

"Mrs Johnson?" Tommy asked as the woman ushered her sons indoors.

"Yes." She hesitantly spoke. "Who are you?"

"We're from the Birmingham Council. Bordesley Parish." He calmly replied.

"No one wrote to me." Mrs Johnson looked skittish.

Amelia noticed that the older of the two sons was lingering outside the door. She gathered that this was the famous Henry. Or Michael. He didn't look anything like his mum, but based off the photo she'd discovered of his father, they could be twins.

"I would like to talk about your son, about Henry. Can we come in?" Tommy asked and looked over to the boy.

"I'd rather you didn't. He doesn't like to talk about this." She panicked.

"I see." Tommy sighed.

"He does know about his true identity, doesn't he?" Amelia chimed in.

"I only deal with Mr Ross from the agency." Mrs Johnson ignored the question. "And he only ever writes. Why are you here in person?"

"The boy is approaching his eighteenth birthday." Amelia backed up Tommy.

"This isn't right. You aren't from the council. Something isn't right."

"What does he know Mrs Johnson?" Tommy showed no emotion in his words.

"He knows his mother couldn't cope. She drank too much, used opium. She used to beat him." Mrs Johnson lied.

"None of that is true. Stop feeding him fucking lies." Amelia could feel the anger rising inside her as someone tried to diss the woman she relied on like a mother.

"How dare you talk to me like that." Mrs Johnson was seething.

"Ladies." Tommy raised his hand in between the two of them to stop any fights growing.

"You should come back when my husband is here." The older lady sighed.

"Does he know his real name?" Tommy raised an eyebrow.

"His real name is Johnson. Henry Johnson. I would like you to go away and return when my husband is here." Mrs Johnson felt intimidated by the presence in front of her.

Henry noticed the commotion and went to investigate. Approaching the scene, his mother stressed even further when she realised how close she was to having the truth revealed.

"Truth is he was taken from his mother without her permission." Tommy explained.

"Henry go back inside please." She begged at her son.

Now he was even closer and she didn't have to squint so hard, Amelia really realised how he was the spit of his father. His father was a waste of oxygen, getting drunk everyday before getting himself killed in the canal. Polly though was exactly the type of mother Amelia wanted to be. Stern, but full of love.

Henry was an attractive young boy of 17 to the normal passerby. But Tommy noticed he had the Shelby family streak of venom in his eye. There was definitely a place for him somewhere in the company, but it would be down to Henry himself if he was to take it up.

"Who are you?" The young boy asked Tommy.

"Please Henry, go on!" Mrs Johnson was overwhelmed with fear.

"Your real name is Michael Gray. Your real mother wants to see you." Amelia shattered the Johnson family's world with a few words. The heartbreak was stamped upon Mrs Johnson's face but there was nothing Amelia wanted more than Polly and her son to be reunited.

Tommy fished in his pocket for the piece of paper and handed it to Michael.

"Her address is on the back of this card." He reaches over but before Michael could take it, Mrs Johnson had swiped this out of her hand. "She just wants to talk."

Mrs Johnson started attacking Tommy. She slapped his arms and chest, shouting at him to go away. Amelia's heart hurt for the woman, but her heart hurt even more for Polly. Having her children taken away from her would break her heart into more pieces than possibly countable.

"Let's go." Amelia pushed Tommy in the direction of the car as she heard Mrs Johnson sob behind.

"He looks just like his bloody father. Poor sod." Tommy remarked and lit up a cigarette. 

"We just ruined that poor woman's life Tom." Amelia sighed and ran a hand over her face.

"We ruin lives all the time. Every day almost. This is a drop in the ocean." He dismissed her worries and opened the car door for her.

"For us maybe. God I feel awful." Amelia stepped in and perched on the leather seat.

"No need." Tommy jogged round and hopped into the driver's seat.

The drive home consisted of total silence other than the sound of Tommy's heavy breathing because of his painful chest. The beautiful sunlight that shone on the multicoloured flowers soon turned into the monochromatic inner city as the star was shrouded by smog. The machinery noise from the factory got increasingly louder as the vehicle approached Watery Lane.

Despite the guilt and anger inside her bones, Amelia couldn't help but smile as she saw John waiting in the doorway of their home. He had a cigarette hanging from his lips and he was surveying the street, watching the homeowners intently.

She flung herself out of the car the second Tommy stopped it. 

"Where the fuck have you been Amy? Tom what the fuck did you to with her? You've been gone bloody hours." John raged and wrapped his wife up in his arms.

"Side business Johnboy." Tommy smiled.

"If you've fucking hurt her-" John pointed an angry finger at his brother.

"John calm." She placed her hands on his chest and he relaxed under her touch. "It's not dangerous by any stretch."

"I swear Thomas." John shouted as Tommy disappeared down the street.

"What's up with you?" She smiled at him.

John picked Amelia up and kicked the front door shut behind them.

"I'm finishing what we started earlier."

♚

a/n: wow what a shitty update but hey i got passed all ten exams so i'm not complaining. x