The Hanging Noose

Forty-Three

Silence.

So Dottie continues. "You don't have to do anything. Im just telling you for curtesy. But I'm going to raise this baby on my own, much like—"

Dottie's almost knocked out of air when Isiah crashes in to her, pulling her in to his chest. She laughs, a forced and awkward laugh.

Dottie's worries are pushed aside when Isiah pulls away, pushing a strand of her hair away from her face.

"I'm not letting any child of mine grow up without a dad, Dots. If you want to get married, then we'll get married. Whatever you want to do."

Dottie shakes her head, "I hardly know you, I'm not about to marry you."

A cocky smirk winds up on Isiah's face. "We're about to have a baby, Dots, I imagine we're going to become pretty close."

Tilting her head, Dottie scrunches up her nose. "You know it's not just me you'll be taking on. I also have Eliza. She's my main priority, her and the baby."

Isiah nods, "if she wasn't your main priority, I would be a tad worried," he says, his smirk softly changing in to a grin. He looks down at Dottie's stomach. "I can't believe it. You're really pregnant."

"Like I said, I don't know whether for sure the baby is yours—" Dottie's words fall to silence when Isiah grins, looking back in to her eyes.

"We'll have to see what colour the baby is, won't we, Mrs Jesus?"

Dottie pulls away, her eyebrows raising. "Mrs Jesus, eh? When am I marrying Christ?"

"It's my surname," Isiah frowns, trying to hide his sniffling laugh. "Guess we better get to know each other."

After talking to Isiah for some time, Dottie made her way over to Ada, who holds on to Charlie as she speaks to someone. Dottie greets her with a gentle hand on her elbow, and Ada dismisses the man she was speaking with to cuddle her cousin.

"Oh I've missed you," she says, her arm draped around Dottie's shoulder. "You didn't come with Pol or Micheal, did you? I was so excited to see you."

Dottie scrunches up her nose, "I had to do some thinking," she says, she looks past Ada to where Arthur and Linda stand, not far from Esme, John and then Tommy. She looks back at Ada, "I have something to tell you, but you can't tell anyone. And I mean anyone, Ada!"

Ada raises her eyebrows. She turns her head round, looking where Dottie was looking. She turns back to Dottie. "You're getting married?"

Dottie scoffs, "no. No way." She lowers her voice, "I'm pregnant."

Ada doesn't respond for a second before she squeals, throwing her free arm back round Dottie.
"Oh well done, congratulations— wait, are you happy about it?" Ada stops to get an answer, however she begins to talk before Dottie can speak. "I know a woman if you need it. She's in Cardiff, actually Pol tried to take me to Cardiff when I was pregnant with Karl. I'll take you, if you're not happy. We'll get a hotel room and spend the weekend there."

"I'm happy," Dottie confirms, she looks subtly behind her before she turns back to Ada. "I think it's Isiah's."

"Isiah? It's not Reggie's? When did you sleep with him?"

"The wedding night," Dottie responds, "I can't be sure, but I'm hoping it's Isiah's. I've told him anyways—"

Charlie begins to fuss. He screws up his face, his cheeks going red.

Ada smiles at him, "oh what's wrong, Charlie boy? Hmm? Do you want some food? Are you hungry?"

Charlie continues to squirm. He looks around the room.

"He's wants Tommy," Dottie says, looking at Charlie who's looking frantically around the large room.

Ada nods, agreeing with Dottie. She then turns her head around, seeing Tommy surrounded by some women. Her and Dottie then go over to Tommy.

"Tommy, I am sorry. He wants you." Ada says, passing Charlie in to Tommy's arms.

Tommy, a fake small smile plastered on to his lips, frowns. "Aw, come here, Charlie."

Ada moves Charlie's shirt collar away from his face. "There you go, here's daddy."

"Oh, little boy." Tommy coos, looking at Charlie with pure admiration in his eyes.

Dottie smiles as she walks away from Tommy, ignoring the swooning widows throwing themselves at Tommy. She finds Polly looking out the window with a cigarette between her fingers.

"I've been seeing a man," Polly says instantly, seeing Dottie's reflection in the window.

Dottie looks ahead, seeing a car speed down the dirt path road.

"And? What's he like?" Dottie asks, raising her eyebrows as Polly turns to face Dottie.

"He's sweet. He's nice, makes me feel loved."

Tilting her head, Dottie frowns. "Mum—"

"Loved like how your father loved me. That kind of love," Polly confirms.

"So who is he? Is he here today?" Dottie asks, wondering whether she's seen her mother's man.

Polly slowly shakes her head. A disappointed shake. "No. Ada says there's some others from London who are missing, perhaps there's train strikes."

Dottie nods, "probably train strikes," she confirms as her staining churns. "I've told Ada and Micheal about the baby. Isiah too."

"Isiah's the dad?"

"I'm hoping so," Dottie responds as a frantic Tommy struts around the large ballroom.

Tommy struts up to the two Gray women. His eyes large with worry. "Pol, where's Charles?"

Polly doesn't have a chance to answer as Tommy moves on to Lizzie.

"Lizzie, where is Charlie?"

Lizzie frowns, "I don't know—"

Tommy looks back at Dottie, "Dots... Where is he? Wheres Charles?"

"Im sure he's playing," Dottie says, trying to ignore the tightening of her throat.

Arthur shouts at someone. "Back Door. Kitchen."

John then speaks. "Get to Blake Street, where the cars are." He rushes up to Tommy, Arthur beside him.

"Tommy! Someone said they saw a nurse take him through the back door."

"Fuck."

The Russians.

"What nurse?" Dottie asks, trying to push herself in to the conversation however Polly holds on to Dottie's arm, pulling her away.

"I don't know. Go." Tommy says, walking away from the room and disappearing.

"Arthur." Ada says, her face stricken with worry as she runs up to Arthur.

"What?"

"Somebody said they saw a woman and a kid getting into a car."

"Ah, fuck!"

Dottie looks back outside the window. In the distance she can see a car. Driving away. At a fast pace.

"Arthur!" She tells, pulling Arthur's arm towards her, "that's the car! That's where Charlie is!"

"Alright Dots—"

"I'm coming. I want to help."