Gray Gangster- 𝓟𝓮𝓪𝓴𝔂 𝓑𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼

Duke

A few days later Lola, Isiah, Jeremiah, Charlie, Johnny, Arthur, Lizzie, Curly and Tommy were sitting in the Garrison, Ada walked in, "Sorry I'm late, they closed Montague Street. There's a gas explosion or..." Ada stopped talking when she saw the looks on everyone's faces, "Right. Well, it would be nice if just one thing could happen in Birmingham that wasn't our fault." 

She sat down next to Lizzie as Tommy said, "I have gathered you all here today because there is news and it is of interest to the whole family. First of all, I would like to welcome Finn's new wife Mary to the family." 

"Right. Well, I'm very glad I dragged myself out of bed for this. Can we speed this up please, Tom." Lola asked 

Tommy nodded, "There is...one more item of business. Johnny." 

Johnny nodded, "Tom." He walked over to the side door, "Come on, come on, hurry up." 

A boy walked in, Tommy walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder, "Everyone...this here is Erasmus." 

"Nobody calls me that." 

Tommy nodded and said, "They call him Duke. years ago, at Apple by horse fair...I met a girl. We shared the shade of a hazel tree. Nine months later this lad was born. This is my son. His mother died on the road. Up until now I never tried to find him. But I am trying to look at life in a different way. A child is a precious thing. So I am bringing him-" 

Lizzie cut Tommy off, "Into the fucking family with a snap of his fingers." 

Tommy shook his head, "No, I am bringing him into the fold. He'll have to earn membership of the family. For the moment, welcome, son. You have a seat. Go on, sit down here." 

Duke sat down at the bar as Tommy continued, "There are some mistakes I've made...that I can never address...and some I can. Some wounds I can try to heal." 

"And new wounds you can open up." Lizzie muttered 

"Anyway...that's the business of the day." 

Isiah looked at Lola, "Too early for whiskey?" 

Lola shook her head as she looked at Arthur who was already pouring them glasses, she took the glasses from him when he walked over to them, "Thank you." 

Arthur walked over to Duke with another glass, "There you go. Shelby breakfast for you, son." 

"I don't drink. And I'm not a Shelby, all right? I'm a Duke." Duke said 

Johnny chuckled as Arthur said, "You're a fucking Shelby, all right, don't worry about that. Mm, I think we will need Curly and a strong rope to break this one in, Tom." 

"Arthur, open up the shop, put the kid here on the blackboard, writing up the odds." Tommy ordered

Duke looked at him, "I can't write."

Tommy quickly corrected himself saying, "Put the kid on the blackboard, wiping off the chalk. Go on, son." 

Duke stood up and followed Arthur out of the pub, Tommy picked up his coat and put it on, "Come on then. Lizzie, come on." 

Tommy sighed when Lizzie didn't move and he walked out without her, Lola finished her drink before she said, "It's almost like this place gets more insane every time we all get together." 

"Maybe we should stop." Lizzie said as she stood up and walked out 

. . . . . . . . . 

Down the street Lola was standing in a phone box, "Tommy's got a son, another one...if you want someone on the inside that is discreet, go for Billy Grad. Isiah told me that Arthur made him kill a man, he'll be pissed and scared. He'll be at the wash house, grab him by the balls or something. He'll talk then." 

"How do you know that?" 

Lola shrugged, "Because he's a man. There are a few ways to get a man to talk, that's one of them. Above everything, men love their balls." 

Lola then put the phone down and walked out of the phone box down the road

A few seconds later Isiah joined her, "Do you know anything about Tom going to Canada? Johnny's already gone down there." 

Lola shook her head, "Should I?" 

"He's just put me in charge." Isiah said 

Lola looked up at him, "Someone's finally moving up in the world look at you...he finally trust's you. What are you in charge of?" 

"Cleaning out Arrow house. Moving the bodies all the fun stuff. All of us will be down there, Finn, Duke, Billy. Make it a party." Isiah chuckled 

Lola nodded, "I mean he's got a big enough wine cellar" 

Isiah stopped walking and moved in front of Lola, "I love you, okay? You know that right?" 

Lola nodded and said, "I know. Where did that come from?" 

"I just...I don't want the bad things I've done to overshadow that fact." Isiah said 

Lola smiled as she put her hand on the side of Isiah's face, "It hasn't...we've all killed, we're all thieves, we've all done things we probably shouldn't have. Nothing will ever overshadow that fact. Ever."

Thank you for reading 

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