The Hanging Noose

Sixteen

"She needs a sane persona round you lot," Ada grumbles, glaring at John who takes a drag of his cigarette.

Softie looks at Polly, noticing her cigarette between her fingers. She walks to Polly, taking hold of the cigarette and bringing it up to her lips.

"I thought the boys were meant to be nice," Dottie mutters, taking in a long drag of the thin cigarette.

"Don't you have your own?" She mutters, shaking her head at the sight of her daughter stealing her cigarette.

Dottie shakes her head, "forget them at home. Can I borrow yours?"

Polly glares at her before rummaging through her small bag, pulling out a couple of cigarettes from her case and giving them to her daughter.

"Suppose you left your lighter too."

Dottie hums, making Polly's eyebrow to arch. "Not like you to leave anything like that at home."

"I was in a rush."

John clears his throat, "right, come on, boy, come sit. Dottie will have our balls if we aren't nice to you."

Dottie rolls her eyes as Ada shoved a glass in to her hand.

"Come sit down, and get this down your neck."

Dottie takes the glass hesitantly, thanking her and looking at Reggie before she lifts the glass up to her lips.

—

It only took the Shelby family a couple of hours to have several decanters of whiskey emptied. Dottie tried to ignore the side looks she was getting from Reggie every time her glass was empty and refilled by either a loving Polly who was all over her daughter or a cheerful Ada, who spoke to Dottie about how nice her house was. She invited Dottie over, to stay in London, if she ever needed to get away from the family in Birmingham.

The snug door opened to reveal Esme, John's wife, carrying a crying toddler on her hip. She had dark hair falling out of a pony tail, and a bulging stomach.

"Ada, I'm sorry but he won't stop crying for you," Esme explains, stepping in to the snug.

Ada smiles, standing up and walking over to the doorway. She takes hold of a sniffling Karl, a small boy with Ada's dark eyes. He has his thumb in his mouth, his cheeks tear stained.

"Oh my boy," Ada cries, cuddling in to Karl.

"Where's the kids?" John asks, blowing smoke out of his mouth.

Esme rolls her eyes, using her now free hands to hold her stomach, "I'm going back. Katie was looking after them," she explains, she goes to turn when she stops. "Don't be home too late."

He nods in agreement as Esme then leaves, shutting the snug door behind her and causing Arthur to slap his hands down on to John's back.

"God, she has your balls in a tight grip, don't she?" He chuckles causing John to go red with embarrassment.

"Shut up, Arthur."

Arthur cackles, whilst looking at Reggie. "Think, that's what to come. You, and our Dottie."

"Arthur!" Exclaims Dottie, kneeling up on to the both but stumbling over her knees falling in to Polly. She bursts out with laughter as Polly wraps her arms around the merry girl.

Arthur leans towards Reggie, "our Dots loves a good old drink. It's a shame you don't drink."

Reggie huffs, staring at Dottie who's grinning as Polly steadies her on her feet. Ada passes Karl over to Dottie.

"Hello, little man," Dottie coos, situating Karl on her hip, "how are you?"

Karl looks at Dottie wearily.

"I'm Dottie, I'm your aunt Polly's girl." Dottie says in a soft voice. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

Karl looks behind to Ada, who lovingly smiles.

"Do you wanna go back to your mama?" Dottie asks.

Karl, turning his head back to Dottie, shakes his head.

"You want to stay with me?"

He nods, slumping his body against her chest.

"Alright, little man," Dottie responds, kissing his forehead and swaying slightly.

Ada grins, taking a seat again at the table and looking at Dottie. Her eyes dance over Karl's face as Karl's light snores begin to fill the room.

"Here," Micheal says, walking across the room with a small smirk on his face and a glass of whiskey in his hand. He hands it over to Dottie.

Dottie shakes her head, feeling Reggie's eyes burn in to her.

"We're celebrating, Dots. Get that down you."