from a shelby to a solomons

six

Charlotte woke up to loud yelling coming from downstairs. She groaned as she dragged herself out of bed to investigate what was going on. She stood in her doorframe, trying to listen to what was happening so that she didn't have to go downstairs and get involved if she didn't have to.

"-told you not to touch it!" John shouted.

"I didn't touch it!" Finn yelled back.

"Then how did my fucking gun get on the kitchen table out of my desk?" Charlotte could tell that John was furious. She snuck back into her room when she realized John was actually talking about the handgun that she had taken out of his desk the day before. All she wanted to do was see what it felt like when she held the cool metal in her hand. It wasn't as great as she made it out to be. But then Finn came into the room and upon seeing his sister holding a gun, he grabbed it out of Charlotte's hand and ran out of the room with it. Finn wanted to keep the gun and Charlotte wanted to put it back in John's desk, and an argument ensued in the kitchen. The two youngest Shelbys forgot about the handgun that lay on the kitchen table, obscured by old newspapers - until this morning when John saw that his gun that was usually in his desk was out of place.

Until Polly yelled upstairs to get to come down and eat breakfast, Charlotte sat in bed thinking about what to do with the knowledge she had about Tommy's business with her in London. She knew he wouldn't marry her off to Alfie - he didn't even want her out of his sight. So, she decided she would play along and act excited, but try to get Alfie alone just to piss off her brother. He was the one using her as a distraction, so why not actually distract Alfie? She could distract him to help the family business, and at the same time, it would piss off Tommy, killing two birds with one stone.

Charlotte trudged down the stairs to eat her breakfast, some toast and milky tea that Polly had left on the table for her. John and Finn were sitting at the table, both cooled off from their heated argument earlier. She was bored, so Charlotte decided to wind them up.

"So Finn, why did ya steal John's gun?"

Finn glared at her, kicking her leg underneath the table. "I didn't steal his gun, Lottie. You know that."

"How would I know that?"

"Remember?" Finn spoke. Now it was Charlotte's turn to kick Finn's leg as he almost ratted her out for picking up John's gun and holding it. But he just as well knew that the second he told on Charlotte, she would tell John that Finn was the one who started it all, dragging him down with her.

"Charlotte, what do you know about my misplaced gun?" John took a sip of tea, which no doubt had some whisky in it, as he raised his eyebrows at the 18 year old girl.

"I know nothing, John Shelby."

"Did you touch the gun?" He set his cup down and leaned in to Charlotte. "Because you know guns are not for little girls, eh?"

"First, I'm not a little girl anymore. And second, I didn't touch your gun."

"Guns aren't safe for you, Charlotte. Instead of stealing my gun, how about I teach you how to shoot sometime and we'll get you your own pistol?" John winked at his younger sister. He knew she wanted a gun and he also wanted her to learn how to defend herself if need be. Tommy had always strictly said no, but John wanted his little sister to be able to protect herself. There were some messed up people out there and John wanted his sister to be able to stay safe even when her brothers weren't around to protect her.

"And what about me?" Finn asked sternly, upset that his sister would get gun training before he did.

"Guns are not for little boys, Finn," Charlotte retorted, smiling at John. John smiled back, always proud of his sister for her smart remarks.