𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃, ⁱˢⁱᵃʰ ʲᵉˢᵘˢ

72

Tommy frowned, opening the letter that Lizzie had given him earlier that day.

Dear Mr. Shelby,

I am sorry to express this news by letter but the sanatorium and myself have been unable to speak to you in person.

This has now become a matter of urgency. I would visit you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,
Doctor Holford.

-

"Mr Shelby, Doctor Holford" Frances spoke. "Send him in" Tommy leaned on the wall as the man walked in. "You said it had to be in person. Here i am."

"You might want to sit down" Holford spoke. "Mr Shelby i know that you are still grieving for your daughter, but i have news that cannot wait." he pulled something from his bag. "When you were X-rayed and examined at the sanatorium, ten days ago, there was no TB found in your lung but i'm afraid they found something else. Something related to your daughters illness" he frowned, handing Thomas the file. "They tried to speak to you at the hospital, but you were not cooperating. After your daughters death you could not be found to be informed in person."

"Eventually, as your personal doctor, they called me."

"I didn't offer you tea. You look like death, you want tea?" Tommy asked. Holford shook his head. "No. At the sanatorium they conducted blood tests, the tests suggest that the shadow you can see at the base of your skull is not cancer. It is tuberculoma."

Tommy lifted the X-ray to the window.

"A tubercular growth caused by the same bacteria as TB" he said. "You may have picked it up from your daughter. Once this disease enters a household it can run wild. Mr Shelby as i say i am aware that you are still grieving but you just understand this is very serious. From the size of the tumour expansion must have been rapid."

"From the size of the tumour, the expansion must've been rapid, and I have no doubt you are already experiencing symptoms. have you recently suffered seizures?" he asked.

"Bouts of weakness? Dissociation? Hallucinations?"

Tommy sat, leaning back. "Why didn't you come and see me?" He asked Tommy.

"I have work to do. Am i a danger to others?"

"No, unlike TB, tuberculoma is not infectious. Mr Shelby it is not infectious. But in your case i am afraid it is inoperable. The growth is in your brain stem and any attempt to remove it would result in trauma and brain haemorrhage. Whilst you were refusing my calls, i shows your X-days to three of the best surgeons in the country. They all said they would not operate as it would be futile"

"Of course you will want a second opinion for yourself. Dr Helen Rutherford at St Thomas' she is a friend."

Tommy cleared his throat. "This..how bad will it get?"

"As the tumour grows, the rate of physical and mental deterioration will increase. Eventually you will need people around you constantly who love you very much."

"How long?"

"I understand you have defeated many enemies, Mr Shelby. Now you have a new one. Inside you. You cannot defeat it, but you can keep it at bay for a while."

"I asked a question, how long before i need people around me?"

-

"Sorry i'm late, they closed Montague Street. There was a gas explosion or.." Ada announced, joining them in the Garrison. She looked at Tommy, "right, well it would be nice if just one thing could happen in Birmingham that wasn't our fault" she took a seat beside Lizzie.

"I gathered you all here today, because there is news" Tommy said. "Yeah well no shit" Florence laughed.

"And it is of interest to the whole family. First of all, i'd like to welcome Finn's new wife, Mary, to the family" he nodded toward the two. Florence frowned, giving her a once over.

"Well i'm very glad that i dragged myself out of bed for this" Ada sighed.

"There is one more item of business, Johnny" He said, Johnny walked to the back room, returning with a boy. "Who the fuck are you?" Florence asked. "Everyone, this here is Erasmus" he introduced.

"Nobody calls me that" The boy corrected.

"They call hun Duke," Tommy held his shoulder. "Twenty years ago, at Appleby 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'm trying to look at life in a different way. A child is a precious thing. So i'm bringing him-"

"Into the fucking family with a snap of his fingers" Lizzie hissed, clicking her fingers.

"No. 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"

Florence and Finn shared a glance, trying not to laugh.

"There are some mistakes i've made that i can never redress" Tom began, "some i can. Some wounds i can try heal"

"New wounds you can open up" Lizzie said quietly.

"Anyway, that's the business of the day" he cleared his throat. "Is it too early for whiskey?" Ada asked.

Arthur handed Duke a glass of whiskey. "Here you go, a Shelby breakfast for you,"

"I don't drink and i'm not Shelby, right? I'm a Duke,"

A loud laugh came from Florence as she threw a hand to her mouth. "Who does this kid think he is?" she whispered to Finn.

"You're a fucking Shelby all right. Don't worry about that" Arthur said.

"Well, Duke" Florence began, standing and taking the glass that Arthur had offered him. "No matter if you think you are a Shelby or not, hm, you fucking are. You are stood in this room with our fucking family" she whispered, pressing a finger to his chest. "Know your fucking place,"