Rumours || Thomas Shelby [1]

f i f t e e n

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FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER, POLLY GRAY HAD FOUND COMFORT IN KAT. Perhaps it was because Kat witnessed the arrest of Freddie Thorne and was more known to Polly than Esme. Perhaps it was because Kat was heart broken in her own way. Kat had felt the absence of Bobby in her house, no longer needing to give up her bed or being careful where she left her alcohol. Polly was grieving in the same way, having lost her the presence of her niece's son.

Kat and Polly sat at the kitchen table on Watery Lane, each drinking a cup of tea. When Polly had let her guard down in front of Kat, Polly was a saving grace. She was someone to talk to, someone who could somewhat understand.

"Did she talk at all?" Kat asked, sighing as she blew on her hot tea. Ada had locked herself up in her apartment, refusing to talk to anyone. Kat feared for the health of the baby and hoped that Ada knew what she was doing.

"Not a single word." Polly admitted, sipping the hot tea. Polly remembered the first time Kat asked her that and she was embarrassed to say that she snapped back at the woman, snarling why did she care. Kat had answered with a stark, "it's a fucking baby, Polly."

Kat coughed harshly and she felt a headache forming in the back of her head. She felt unwell for a few days now but she knew she couldn't afford to see a doctor. She sipped her tea again and Polly sighed. "I can give you something for that cough if you want."

Kat denied by shaking her head. They sat in silence then, both thinking about different things. Polly glanced up at Kat and opened her mouth to talk but closed it again. She didn't know how to ask and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know. Kat, seeing the hesitation, rolled her eyes. "What is it?"

Polly cleared her throat and decided to ask bluntly, she saw no other way to ask it. "What do you know about me?"

"I know you scare the bleeding daylights out of me." Kat laughed, taking out a pack of cigarettes. She lit one and placed it between her lips. "A lot more than any of those boys could."

Polly was pleased with this answer but when she looked into Kat's eyes, she knew that Kat knew a lot more than she was saying. It was the sympathy - not pity - in her eyes that informed Polly of exactly what Kat knew. The confiscation of her children.

But Kat didn't say more on the topic, she knew that Polly didn't want to discuss it and so they didn't. Kat smoked her cigarette and gave Polly a knowing look, the two women shared something of significance - the lost of a child.

"Did you speak to her?" Kat hadn't even heard Thomas enter the room but there he was. Kat sighed and took another inhale of smoke.

"She didn't speak back." Polly snipped back, clearly bitter from his betrayal to the family. Kat couldn't decide if Thomas had done it or not. Polly had told her about the deal he had with Campbell and Freddie Thorne was part of that deal. Thomas betraying them made sense but Kat couldn't help but feel he would have told at least someone.