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ᴛᴡᴇʟᴠᴇ 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑎
❦
Elena?"
Maria stepped timidly into the room, closing the door shut behind her. The sound of running water stopped the minute she called out, and she watched as Elena hurried out from the en-suite, unraveling her plaited her as she did so.
The room was so dark and so enshrouded with dust, that Elena looked nothing but out of place, with her yellow night gown draping over her baby bump. She was surely larger than the last time the two had met. Maria frowned, her brows creasing in thought. How could her brother do this as his wife was pregnant?
"Maria? That you?" Elena smiled as her bright eyes spotted her standing by the doorway. She hobbled over, gripping hands together. "Thank God! I don't know what's been going on around here. All I hear about is some goddamned man called Arthur."
Elena dragged her to sit by the unlit fire, setting her down on the settee so they could face each other.
"I hear he put you in this. Sent you to meet with a Peaky Blinder?" Her eyes were wide, eager for the gossip. It seemed she didn't get out much, not that she could be blamed.
Maria nodded. "Arthur Shelby."
It was like the room had gone dimmer upon the mention of his name. Elena stood to light the fire, but Maria placed a hand on her arm, moving to do it for her. Orange flames erupted below her hands as she stared at it thinking.
Maria swallowed, turning her head. "I need to tell you something."
Elena went to speak.
"But I need you to promise me something too," she said.
"What is it?" Elena asked, eyebrows crunching.
Maria kneeled by her side, hands gripping hers as she looked up pleadingly. What she would tell her was too important to be let out carelessly.
"Don't tell Luca. You mustn't. Please."
Elena recoiled, biting her lip as if she knew it was wrong but wanted to agree anyway. "He's my husband, Maria."
"And he's my brother," she breathed, shaking her head. "I wouldn't ask you to keep this from him if I couldn't keep it from him myself. But this is important. He can't know."
Elena paused, still gripping her hands, eyes closed tightly.
"Do you promise me?" Maria asked again, leaning forward.
"Yes, I promise." Elena broke out a smile, shaking her palms. "Are you alright?"
"Yes." Maria sighed with relief, moving to sit back next to her. But how would she say it? "Arthur Shelby. You know of him?"
She frowned, eyes raising. "I suppose so, yes. I have heard him mentioned. Why?"
"I helped him, Elena."
"What?"
"My brother, he wanted to use me as a distraction. And I went to his office and spoke to him, and lead him out so they could attack him." Elena went to talk but Maria continued, breath quickening. "But I felt awful. He was kind to me. He offered me a drink. And I couldn't do it."
"So I..."
She shook her head, unable to come to terms with saying it out loud. Suddenly the worth of the fire was something she craved. Maria stood abruptly, before kneeling by the hearth, hands hovering over the flames. The tears that begin to flow were sticky on her cheeks, warm from the cracking fire.
"Maria..." she trailed off.
"I hit one of his attackers over the head. I hit him so Arthur Shelby could live," Maria cried, her voice hysterical, hand moving to cover her quivering lips.
"Maria..."
"What do I do?" She whispered to herself, clutching at her skirt. "If Luca ever found out, he'd rather kill me that know of such betrayal!"
Elena sat beside her, arms reaching to turn her face sharply. She shook her head, face stern.
"Don't say that."
"It's true," she said, shaking her head as if it was obvious. "He loves me. I'm his sister. But he'd never allow disloyalty."
Elena paused. "He won't find out." She spoke surely. "We won't let him."
"You don't hate me?"
She smiled, shaking her head softly.
"You are a kind and beautiful woman, Maria. I know you would never do something if you didn't think it was right."
"But that's it Elena. What if it wasn't right. I didn't think. I followed my heart. And we all know where that leads us," Maria said, eyes closing again. She didn't want to see the pitying look on her friend's face.
"I followed my heart and now I'm the happiest I could be."
Elena placed her hand on her stomach. But Maria could still sense the hint of falsity behind her voice. She wasn't surprised- she couldn't imagine her brother as a good husband.
"But your heart didn't lead you to the enemy," Maria said. "Luca's enemy."
"I can't tell you that I understand," Elena finally said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You've barely known him long."
Maria smiled, tears drying, lips wanting to twitch downwards.
"I don't need to know him for long. I know he can be a good person. He wants to be good."
"Like you," Elena said. "You are an Angel, Maria. Everyone says it. But your family make you worse."
"I can't tell you that I understand," she said again, sighing. She already spoke in a motherly, her hand permanently on her stomach. "But I will support you through anything, my dear friend."
"Luca won't find out."
That night, they both hoped more than anything that he didn't.
