𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

66

"I prefer it there"

"Thomas"

He signed, placing his gun onto the bar. "I had a dream about a black cat last night, Pol" he said. "A black cat dream means that there is a traitor close by. It was you who taught me that" he raised his brows.

"Black cat can mean lots of things. It can mean you're hurting yourself, betraying yourself" she told him. "Are you seeing things, Thomas?"

"Yes i am, yes i am very clearly" he lit a cigarette. "Coming from every fucking direction"

A car approached outside.

Micheal and Gina walked in along side Delilah.

"Speak of the devils" Arthur whispered.

"Tommy" Micheal said. "I'd like to introduce you to my wife" he said. Gina stood tall. "I'd also like to, er, say something."

"Sit down Micheal"

"Hello father," Delilah sighed, hugging his side and sitting down.

"I betrayed you" Micheal said. "Micheal" Polly scolded. "But only in my heart. There was a time in America, when there was a lot of money on that bank, and i wondered i could leave, move to California, someone said. i should invest in picture" he said. "Hollywood"

Arthur scoffed.

"But Gina stopped me" he looked back at her. "Gina said that-"

"I told you to sit down, Micheal" Tommy hissed.

He looked around, pulling a chair. "Now tell me, what happened on that ship in Belfast harbour" Tommy said.

"On the journey back from New York, we got married. But we needed to find a witness, a purser, he was from Belfast. We got friendly."

"What happened when the ship docked?"

"This purser had friends who ran a whiskey distillery in County Tyrone. They wanted a way of getting there stuff into America so i said 'okay invite them aboard' when they came in, i realised they didn't make whiskey. They were scottish, from Glasgow, couldn't understand a fucking word they were saying"

"They started swearing, so i asked Gina and Delilah to leave. That was when they started talking about you, Tom. They said that Tommy Shelby was a spent force, that politics had got to him, that he was spent in the head"

"That now was a good time to move in and did i want to be a part of it. I knew about the money we lost in america, they said that you were going to blame me, that you had a bullet with my name on it"

"What did you say, Micheal?"

"I didn't have time to say anything. Coppers came on board. Well i thought they were coppers, they were-"

"They were IRA" Tommy finished his sentence. "Exactly" Micheal agreed.

Silence.

"And the first men from Glasgow?" Tom asked. "The IRA commander said the men from Glasgow, were called Billy Boys"

"Fucking Billy boys" Arthur whispered.

"I don't know who the fuck Billy boys are" Micheal spoke. "They run every man in every coal mine, every shipyard east of Glasgow, ties with Belfast, UVF, Protestant Razor gang" Arthur said. "They also dabble in Politics. You know, muscle for fascist rallies"

Delilah smirked, putting out her cigarette. "But you did no deal, Micheal. You didn't even know who they were" Polly said.

"I was too busy looking forward to giving you the good news" he said. Gina pushed herself off the wall. "The reason Gina and I got married on the ship was because Gina is pregnant"

Delilah sucking in a breath, almost choking on the smoke. "You're going to be a grandmother"

Polly looked at him coldly, then at Tommy.

"Okay, Micheal, i believe you, welcome home" Tommy said. "Congratulations, just remember your unborn child has witnessed what you said"

"Thomas" Polly said.

"And it will be born accordingly" he continued. Micheal pushed the table forward, standing. "You fuck"

"Where the fuck are you going" Arthur grabbed him. "That's enough," Delilah raised her voice. "Acting like children"

"Are you fucking mad?" Arthur asked Micheal. "You are free to fucking leave, Micheal"

"You fucking bastard" he hissed at Tommy.

"But you're not free, Micheal, are you?" Tommy asked. "You lost this company a lot of money"

"I told you to sell, but you held on and now i want you to pay me back what you owe me. There is work you can do there are risks you can take. We were close before, now i want you closer still"

Micheal bit his lip. "Micheal, honey" Gina said, holding his shoulder. "Look at your cousin, he's in trouble, hm, he needs you. Come on, let's go" she said.

"Welcome home" Tommy said, looking down at Delilah.