Forbidden Desires

Part 7

The following day, after you arrived back home late and slept on your sofa, your mother decided to take matters into her own hands. Clearly, you were not going to listen to her and resign from your position at Shelby Company Limited. It was something you had already told her several times that night and she realised again that you were just as stubborn as your father who, unbeknownst to you, was very much alive and familiar to you.

Thus, while you went to work at the gambling den that day, your mother sought out a person who was familiar to her and this person was no other than Polly Grey.

Polly Grey looked after your mother when she was a young teenage girl and ended up in trouble with the authorities for stealing.

Just like the Shelbys back then, your mother was a thief and got involved in minor criminal activities. She got arrested twice and it was Arthur Shelby who threated a police officer on her behalf when he tried to assault her.

Arthur saved her that day and this was how it had all started.

***

"I am here to see Misses Polly Grey" your mother informed Polly's secretary when she arrived at her office in Birmingham which was located in a much nicer part of town than the gambling den you were working in.

"Do you have an appointment?" the secretary asked but your mother shook her head. Of course she did not have an appointment. In fact, she had not seen Polly since before you were born.

"No, I do not but if you give her my name, I am sure that she will see me" your mother told her and this was exactly what she did. The secretary informed Polly of your mother's name and, unsurprisingly, Polly called her into her offices right away. She even cancelled one of her other meetings for her, simply to be accommodating for old times' sake. Polly, of course, was intrigued about what your mother had to say and, yet, nothing would have prepared her for that...that shock...an utter surprise!

***

"I did not expect to see you ever again in this part of the world. You left so suddenly and without a trace" Polly said and your mother was surprised by how well and elegant she looked. She was wealthy and displayed class and maturity, unlike twenty-five years ago when she produced liquor out of her bathroom to make a few quid.

"And I never expected to be back, but here I am, trying to save my daughter from the bad influence of your family" your mother said without any reluctance whatsoever, causing Polly to raise her eyebrows.

"Your daughter is Y/N. I have met her at the gambling den and Thomas, in particular, seems to have taken an interest in her" Polly said almost jokingly before, without asking, pouring your mother a glass of whiskey.

"An interest in her? How?" your mother asked before taking the glass from Polly's well-manicured hands.

"In the way Thomas takes an interest in anybody. Only he knows. It could be a professional interest or it could be much more than that. I don't really know. He seems to keep those things from me these days" Polly explained while gesturing for your mother to sit down which, of course, she did in order to be polite.

"He can't take an interest in her" your mother said nonetheless which, again, caused Polly to chuckle.

"He can't?" Polly laughed while pouring herself a drink as well. "You would know Thomas well enough to also know that he has no limitations, right? If he likes your daughter then there is nothing I can do about it" Polly then joked before explaining to your mother that the word "can't" is not part of Tommy's vocabulary,

"Polly, I am begging you to be reasonable here. I do not want my daughter to be part of this family nor do I want her to be involved with Thomas Shelby in any way whatsoever" your mother said with a less demanding but more desperate tone in her voice.