hope || michael gray

- SEVEN -

—

matilda made her way downstairs the next day, to find ada sitting at the table with karl beside her eating his breakfast. the woman instantly wrapped her arms around the girl.

"you ok?" ada said to the girl.

"y-yeah, i'm alright. thank you ada." the girl said quietly. she was so lucky to have a family who loves her like one of their own.

"polly hasn't come back yet, and i don't know how you slept with the noise that was coming from tommy's room." ada joked as she sat back down, matilda sitting next to her.

the girl giggled, watching karl mess around with the food infront of him.
"you could have always gone round and stayed at mine. you know that."

"i know tils, thank you."

"so the talk with pol didn't work last night then?" matilda asked.

ada shook her head.
"said she wanted the address, nothing else."

"course she did." matilda said with a sigh.

"i've got a train leaving in a bit. do you wanna come to the station with us, see us off?" ada asked the girl.

"yes, course." she nodded. the boys were spending the morning interviewing young boys for a job they needed doing; it sounded extremely boring to say the least.

ada sat at the table while matilda had moved to the floor, playing with karl as they spoke to each other just catching up and talking about things that were happening till it was time to leave.

matilda stood up and walked into the hall after cleaning up while ada had got karl ready. the fur coat she wore last night was hanging by the door. the sight of it sent last nights events rushing back, and tears threatened to fall from matilda's eyes. she stood for a moment taking deep breath in, before grabbing a different coat of hers.

she stepped out the door into the frosty early morning. one of the blinders sat waiting for them in a car, ready to take them to the station.

matilda climbed in the back, taking karl from ada and placing him on her lap. she loved the boy dearly, and would love to have the time to visit him more regularly.

—

matilda stood on the platform edge, waving to ada and karl as they waved back from inside the train carriage. the train left the station in a puff of steam, and matilda turned and headed back towards the car.

the journey home was uneventful, and gave matilda time to think which she actually was very grateful for.

—

as she walked in the garrison, she saw finn leaning against a wall smoking a cigarette. the pair hadn't seen each other since the events of the previous night. finn approached her wordlessly and engulfed her into a hug.

"i love you tills." he mumbled into her hair.

"i love you too finn." she replied with a little giggle, so overwhelmed with love it made her very happy.
she then made her way into the snug, each of the other three shelby brothers eyes falling onto her.