The Hanging Noose

Nineteen

Reggie stands in the kitchen of his and Dottie's home. The kettle boils warmly on the stove, he has a mug in his hands, ready for Dottie. Thomas and Arthur both stand against the wall of the kitchen, eyeing up Reggie.

"How was she? When she gave birth?" Arthur asks, clearing his throat, "she refused to see all of us. Any of us."

Reggie shrugs half-heatedly, "what do you want me to say? She's a mess, she's been a mess for a few months. I thought the pregnancy would sort her out."

Arthur raises an eyebrow, glaring at the young cocky bloke in front of him. "Can anyone blame her? She went in to labour early."

"Before that, she was a mess," Reggie clarifies, staring at two of the four Shelby brothers, "she says she can hear shit, see stuff. She has these dreams, so she says."

"They're real," Tommy replies, his tone bored and annoyed, "she's Polly Gray's daughter, what do you expect?"

"The hospital put her on these tablets," Reggie says, ignoring Tommy's menacing look, "they made her hallucinate in the beginning, but not now. She's almost back to normal."

This time, Arthur grunts, crossing his arms over her chest. He steps forward, causing Tommy to place his hand against Arthur's chest, he leans his lips down to Arthur's ear and mutters in a language Reggie hadn't heard before.

"We can't do anything, he's her partner, brother. Wait until she chucks him."

Arthur looks at Tommy, nodding his head then looking back at Reggie. "I suppose you're pleased that Dottie's home. Saves you from cleaning up the mess you make around the house."

"Excuse me?"

"Micheal and Ada told us the state of what the house was in. Said there was food everywhere, dirty clothes covering the floor. I imagine the only one who cleans is Dottie."

Reggie shakes his head, half scoffing. "I've been stressed the past couple of months. You don't know what it's like to live with her—"

"That's our baby cousin you're on about."

"Except from she's not," Reggie argues back, "she's a grown woman, with a messed up mind. None of you seem to care for that but. You all palmed her off when she became pregnant, none of you came to see her. Do you know how ill she was? How much she was suffering?"

Tommy lifts his jaw up, staring hard at Reggie.

"Im glad she's home," Reggie finally says, breathing out, "I just hope her family will come and see her more often. Instead of pushing her aside."
Reggie wipes his forehead, rubbing the skin harshly before looking back at Tommy and Arthur.
"I need some time off."

"For what?"

He scoffs again. "My baby has just come home from hospital. My girlfriend has just come home from hospital. I can't leave them."

Arthur raises an eyebrow. "Well, if you don't work, how will you afford everything? Mhm? The house, the cars, the fancy furniture?"

Reggie clenched his jaw causing Arthur to chuckle.

"Welcome to the family, Reg."

—

Ada and Dottie sit on the sofa. In Dottie's arms is baby Eliza, swarmed in an oversized blanket. The baby kicks her legs up, slight whines come out of her mouth.

"She's so little," Ada admires as Polly watches on from an armchair. 

Polly half scoffs, however there's a light tone in her voice, "she's a baby, Ada. You've seen several before."

"Not as small as her," Ada responds, glaring at her aunt, "Finn was small, but not like that. Finn wasn't early though, was he? He was only a small baby because Mum didn't eat a lot." Ada rambles causing Polly to roll her eyes as Dottie stares down at Eliza.

Dottie pushes the blankets away from the small baby, she smiles softly as her daughter stares at her, her mouth opening to yawn. Dottie looks up at Polly, her smile bow turns in to worry.

"Mum? She's yawning, but she's just woken up. Is there—"

Polly tilts her head, stepping over to were her daughter and niece are sitting. Ada leans over, going to try to help Dottie's fears however Dottie pulls her arms away. She stands up, merging her mum and pushing her daughter in to her mothers arms.

Baby Eliza starts crying. Screaming.

"Mum, take her. I-I don't know what to do with her."

Polly's eyes widen as she cradles the small baby. She coos over her, and then looks at Dottie.
"Darling, you've been so confident with Eliza, you're okay. You're doing brilliant."

"Mum, in the hospital there was people there."

Polly continues to stare at Dottie, noticing how her pupils seem overly large. Dottie scratches aggressively at her neck.

"I'm here by my self now. No one will help, please take her. Mum, please."

Ada looks at Polly, slightly shocked in words.

"Dottie, it's alright, every new mum feels like they're not looking after their child right," Polly tries to explain, "I felt like that, and that feeling doesn't stop. But, you are—"

Dottie shakes her head, "just take her."

"I'm not taking her anywhere," Polly says in a quiet voice, she turns her head to Ada, "can you leave? And tell the boys to leave?"

"What about Reggie and Micheal?"

"Go in my bag, get my house keys and get everyone to go to my house," Polly commands, "my bag is in the dining room."

"Pol, Micheal isn't going to go that easy, neither is Reggie," Ada argues back, quickly looking at Dottie who has fallen on a sofa on the other side of the room cradling her head on her knees.

"Just do it. Tell them I've said."

Ada nods, she looks at Dottie one last time before she leaves the room, following Polly's orders.

Polly waits until she hears the front door bang and then silence. She looks down at Eliza, softly smiling before looking down at Dottie. She walks over to the bassinet and gently places Eliza down, before she carries the bassinet over to the sofa and then sits down with Dottie.

"I can't do this."

Polly's heart breaks as Dottie snuffs, talking in to her knees.

"I'm going to hurt her."

"No you won't. By saying this to me, just shows you won't. You love her."

"All she does is cry," Dottie continues, "she's screams so fucking loud. I can never get her to stop! She doesn't settle with me!l

Polly hums, she lifts her hand up to Dottie's fists and wipes her thumb along Dottie's knuckles. "That's because she can smell the milk, my love. That's all babies, not just Eliza."

Dottie shakes her head, lifting it up to look at Polly. Polly's heart continues to shatter, staring at her disorientated daughter. Polly sighs, wrapping her arm around Dottie and pulling her in to her side. She kisses her head.

"You'll be okay, my darling girl. You've got Reggie, he'll help."

Dottie clings on to Polly, her knuckles turning white.

"Most importantly, you've got me. I'm only a few doors down."

Dottie shakes her head causing Polly to frown.

"I can take some time of work and stay with you. Would you like that?"

She nods as Polly strokes down Dottie's knotty hair.