An insight into what Mariana Cortéz and Thomas Shelby were like before the violence and murder
And how they became so numb to the world around them.
How they came together and fell apart before the war.
And how the Shelby's became the notorious, ru...
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March •1908• Mariana's POV
Mum had been about ready to burst for days now She could barely move, her stomach was so big "Behave yourself" I ordered David, I had been tasked with taking him and John to school everyday so that we knew they had actually gone.
"Alright alright" he grumbled "Anything for you Mariana" John smiled "Yeah yeah, go on" I said, watching them walk through the gates.
•
"You'll be back on time later wont you?" Mum asked "Yes" I said, pulling my coat on "I mean it Mariana, the baby could come at any moment and you know what your fathers like" she said, busying herself making a cup of tea "Mum I'll be here, but I've told you before and I'll tell you again and again, that man is not my father" I said, sitting at the table.
Kinney was a drunken idiot He was a shit husband. He'd be a shit father. Simple as that.
"Well he's better than your actual father" she said, sitting opposite me My actual father must be the fucking devil then "What's he like?" I asked "Who?" "My father" I said.
Mum never really spoke about him to me and David, all we knew was that he was an American man.
"I suppose your old enough for me to be truthful" she sighed "He's a gangster. Dodgy businessman type, he came here for work, I met him in a pub, read him his tarot and he found me... interesting I suppose, we saw each other on and off while he was here, then he left for America and I found out I was pregnant. I had no contact, no name other than Ray. I couldn't really do anything. So I had you and... well I tried to get on with life" she said.
"That's not the end though" I said "No, it's not unfortunately, I'm grateful for your brother obviously but... when he came back into town, when he found out I had you he started seeing me again. Was interested in getting to know the baby he didn't know he had. His little girl. Then I got pregnant again and he freaked out. Spilled all the truth out to me in a panic when I told him" she said.
"The truth?" I asked "He was married. Already had kids, asked me to get rid of it. That he'd pay our way and keep me and you in a comfortable lifestyle. I said no" she explained
"I thank god every day for you and your brother, that man though he... well he insisted on you both having his surname, railroaded me into it in fact, then he disappeared to America again, left me a lump sum of money and told me to raise you right. I assume he went back to his wife" she said.
