Rebound // Alfie Solomons

18. Arthur

'hi pol,' Tommy said turning to her.

'hello tom.' Polly was digging through her bag, distracted.

'polly I have the file if you want to see them.' Tommy said and polly looked up from her bag finally seeing tom.

'you do?'

'yes' Tommy said and handed over the files he had gotten out.

'this is it?' polly asked her fingers tracing along the cover.

'you remember what you saw in your dreams pol and what you were told is true?' polly opened the file as tommy spoke. 'anna passed away when she was 17 years old from something called the spring fever. After that she was moved to Australia.' Polly took tommys globe and found Australia

'so my little anna travelled across the world to be with me in my dreams?' pol questioned a small smile on her lips.

'but Michael is alive. I even spoke to him, Cora had a full on conversation, the boy looked smitten with her.' Polly laughed, smiled a real smile and hugged tommy tight.

'Of course he was, Cora is an angel.' Polly agreed.

'you will be happy to know the he is completely healthy, looks strong too.' tommy said recalling their brief conversation. 'He even grew up with a brother pol.' Polly held tommy at arms length smiling wide.

'where is he? Where is Michael?'

'I cant tell you that pol.' tommy said and pollys face dropped into a scowl.

'why the fuck not? He is my son. Mine!'

'polly...' tom began.

'MINE THOMAS. HE IS MINE! WHERE THE FUCK IS HE!' polly yelled gripping tommy shoulders tightly. 'Polly the minute you step foot on their property you will be arrested.' tommy told her, 'He turns 18 soon let him come to you, he has your address, I gave it to him.'

'But he's my son' Polly said

'I know Pol, just give him time.'

'All right' Pol agreed teary eyed. She flipped through the file.

She nodded her fingers trailing over the file. Michael was alive and well. She would have him soon enough.

++

Finn burst into the office yelling for tommy.

'arthur beat a guy to blood pulp tom!' finn exclaimed.

'are they both alright? I mean alive?' tommy asked moving around his desk.

'when we pulled him off the guy wasn't breathing tom, he's dead.' Finn told her. 'and Arthur...'

'where is he?' tom started to head out.

'he's at home. I don't think he's okay tom.' Finn told him. 'polly has already spoken to him but... somethings not right Tommy.' When tommy got to arthurs place he was sat alone starring into the fire. Tommy slammed the door as he entered.

'the fuck are you playing at eh?' tommy yelled coming between Arthur and the fire.

'Polly said I should've stuck with me medicine.' Arthur told him. 'it's like a fucking boat... full of heavy cargo like coal or iron...sometimes it slips to one end and when the boat tips I can feel it slipping.' Arthur told him. 'and I can feel the boat tipping but there ain't nothing I can do about it... it's like my fucking head is like a big fucking barge and it's just drifting. In and out... in and out...'

'we've been home a long time now Arthur. Been home a long time . I thought you were alright...' tommy said not looking at him. He couldn't. he had failed his brother.

'well I don't think I am tommy.' He grabbed at his head, 'get this... take this fucking thing away from me.' he pulled off his gun and put it on the table.

'just fuck off Arthur, just fuck off. You know what ive had enough. Just fuck off.' Tommy told him calmly.

'what?' Arthur said confused, tommy spun around to face him finally.

''I'm supposed to treat you like a kid again eh?' tommy said getting real close to arthur. 'keep you away from guns and fucking rope now?'

'Thomas-'

'you think I haven't got enough on Arthur? You think I haven't got enough on?' Arthur was shaking, his eyes darting around the room.

'stop it, stop it.' Arthur said.

'the war is done. Shut the door on it shut the door on it like I did.' Tommy instructed.

'well I'm not fucking you!' Arthur yelled up on his feet he pushed tommy into the wall, hands around his brothers neck and tommy let him.

'look at yourself,' Thomas got the upper hand and spun Arthur around to see his reflection in the mirror behind him. 'look at yourself. Take a long hard fucking look at yourself.' Thomas emptied out arthurs gun and threw the bottle of rum into the fire it flared to life. Arthur sat back down transfixed on the fire.

'I'm a monster...' Arthur told tommy. 'I didn't mean to hurt him I lost control is all. I felt like I was back at the war. I didn't even hear them calling me name... I thought I heard guns going off... I'm so sorry. Tommy, tell them I'm sorry.'

'arthur look at me.' tommy told him. 'you are not a monster, do you hear me? you just need to get your fucking head on straight or end it proper.'

'What?' Arthur asked confused.

'John and I would very much like to split your shares of shelby company limited. So next time use a bullet.' Tommy told him.

'Oh fuck off!" Arthur said shaking his head as tommy left with a chuckle.

'Arthur?' Cora said stepping in and Tommy stared down at her. 'Fuck off you're not Arthur.' Cora reminded him pushing past him.

'What are you doing here Cora?" Tommy questioned he looked her up and dow, that little black dress tormented him.

'Arthur?' Cora said ignoring Tommy. 'You are not even ready,' Cora held arthur's face in her hands. 'Come on, your bar is reopening tonight... fashionable late is one thing but then you must look the part.' Cora ran her fingers along the blood on his collar. 'come on, lets get you ready.' Cora led him up the stairs.

'How did you know Cora?" Arthur asked quietly.

'I might just have a little gypsy in me.' she mused.

"Polly called?' Tommy questioned from the bottom of the stairs.

'Polly called.' Cora agreed. 'come on, lets get you looking all handsome.' Cora coed helping Arthur into a fresh shirt.

'You know you leaving broke him.' Arthur whispered but Cora tended to tune out or at least pretend she didn't hear when they talked about the past like that. she buttoned up his shirt as he spoke. 'But it killed the rest of us more.' Arthur admitted and Cora rested her hands against his chest forcing herself not to look up to him. 'You were like a mother and sister and best friend and then Tom fucked it up and we all lost you.'

'I'm not dead.' Cora reminded him.

'Might as well be, you couldn't look at any of us, you ran away to London!" Arthur reminded her.

'My fathers gym is in Birmingham and I'm here, a lot recently,' she added through a muffled breath. 'and I'm here right now, helping you.'

'But-'

'You need me, call.' Cora told him. 'Polly knew that tommy would give you the tough love bullshit, I'm assuming he did?' Arthur nodded. 'She knew you would listen to me, that I would be able to get you ready.'

'How did she know that?" Arthur questioned.

'Because you have had a crush on me since you met me.' Cora said bluntly, 'and me dressing you was too tempting not to.' Cora offered and Arthur chuckled. 'So handsome, come on. Lets get drunk.'

'Yes!' Arthur agreed as they headed to the reopening of the garrison.