the marquis of lorne

Start from the beginning
                                    

"Wait, what did you say? Didn't quite hear you." Michael lies, smiling.

"I said," Sarah starts through gritted teeth. "I said I'll go out with you."

"You want to go out with me?" He repeats, smirking. "Okay I'll pick you up on Monday at five."

Isiah sprints down the stairs with his coat in his hand. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing." Michael and Sarah say in unison.

•••

"Can you say the colour yellow?" Harry had his toddler son, George, on his lap.

"Yellow." George repeats quietly.

"Well done, boy." Harry smiles. "What colour are these walls George? Look." He points.

"Pink." George responds.

"That's right! You're a clever boy, do you know that?" Harry ruffles his hair. "This room is going to be for your baby sister."

"Sister." George repeats, smiling.

Rose stands at the door way, smiling at their conversation.

"Can't believe the doctors said the baby is coming next week. How will you and Lucy handle two?" Rose walks further into the room.

"We have a whole village behind us. Her family and obviously mine." Harry sighs, handing George a teddy.

Rose sits down on the floor, observing George's toys. "I can't believe this'll be me soon. Tripping over toys on the floor, reading bedtime stories and waking up in the night... I do love my sleep."

"It's worth it. You'll have Renie and mum to help you."

"Renie still isn't the happiest after the wedding." Rose admits.

"She'll come around, she can't be mad at you forever. You're her favourite." Harry puts his hand on her shoulder. "The truth is, Renie hasn't been happy for a really long time now. You know the situation with her son, Blake."

Rose nods. "Do you really think he could still be alive?"

"He could've got lost in action and decided to flee and start a new life but, we both know that is very unlikely. For Renie's sake, I hope it's true. I really do."

There was a tone of desperation and sadness in Harry's voice that Rose had never heard before.

"Me too."

"Rosie you should know something." He gulps. "Renie is sick and it's not looking too good."

Rose didn't quite understand. "S-sick? What do you mean? Renie never gets sick."

"She's unwell. She has been for a while, but she kept it secret. She only just told me two weeks ago."

"Why?" Rose sits up, extremely worried.

"She has cancer."

Rose stares at him with her eyes wide open. She could feel the earth under her start to physically crumble and her thoughts evaporated. Those three words changed everything. Everything. It was like a turning point in her life.

A Gangster With Roses • Tommy ShelbyWhere stories live. Discover now