Tommys POV
(Age: 14)
"Arthur, can we get some sweets?" John asks my older brother as we walk down the gloomy streets of Small Heath. "No. Pol will kill me if I let you have sugar before dinner." Arthur responds firmly. It's true, our aunt Polly can be scary when she wants to, especially if someone disobeys her.
"And I said I don't care!" A girls voice suddenly shouts out. "I am your mother. You will listen to me and stop dressing like a harlet!" An older woman shouts back as the three of us come to a stop to see a woman shouting at a young girl, who seems to be around Johns age.
"Okay, you are not my mother. And how am I dressed like a harlet? It's a bloody dress!" The girl argues. "You are twelve years old! You shouldn't be dressing in short dresses." The woman exclaims. "Thanks for reminding me I was twelve. I seemed to have forgotten." The girl replies sarcastically making me and Arthur grin at each other in amusement.
"Don't be sassy with me, young lady. What would your pops say if you saw you?" The woman asks. "He would tell me that you're a stuck-up-cow who is jealous because you can't wear anything like this anymore." The girl replies making Arthur laugh.
"How dare you! You need to learn respect." The woman growls. "Respect is earned, step-monster." The girl responds before she turns to walk away as the woman slams the door behind her. The girl stops when she sees the three of us watching and gives us a dirty look. "Can I help you?" She asks rudely. "No." I reply shortly. "Good. Can you get out of my way then?" She utters, glaring.
"Do you know who you're speaking to?" I ask her, raising my eyebrow in disbelief. "No. And I don't care. Move." She says firmly and Arthur moves out of the way for her to pass without a 'thank you' from her. "Charming." I scoff. "I always am!" The girl calls over her shoulder. "She's got good hearing." John mutters.
"No one speaks to us like that. She didn't even know who we are." Arthur says in disbelief and I scoff, staring after her. "Understatement, brother." I grumble, wondering who this girl is exactly and how she thinks she can get away with talking to me like that.
******
Two days later.
"Boys!" Polly calls as we play cards in the kitchen. "What?" Arthur calls back as he places down a card. "Come out here! The lot of ya." She orders making us sigh as we stand up, walking out of the front door. I see a man, talking with Polly and the girl from two days ago, standing beside him.
Distaste instantly comes onto her face when she sees me and she rolls her eyes. "Boys, I would like you to meet Mr Rick Steele. An old friend of mine and your mothers." Polly introduces before me and Arthur shake the man's hand. "It's nice to meet you both. Polly has told me a lot about you." Mr Steele says before turning to the girl next to him. "And this is my daughter, Aurora."
"You're so beautiful." Polly compliments making the girl smile at her and I find myself staring, noticing how naturally beautiful she is. "Thank you. You're beautiful yourself, ma'am." Aurora responds. "Oh, so she has manners." Arthur whispers to me snidely. "Yes, I do." Aurora smirks making Arthur look away sheepishly.
"Aurora, this is Arthur, Tommy and John, my nephews." Polly introduces and Aurora nods bored. "Hi." John mumbles, waving shyly and she smiles softly. "Hi." She greets back. "I heard about your mother, boys. I'm very sorry. Your mother was a good woman. Her and my wife were friends for years." Mr Steele says softly.
"And I'm sorry about your wife. Maeve was a really good woman." Polly replies solemnly making Aurora look away. "Yes, she was." Mr Steele agrees, nodding his head. "Are you remarried? That's not the ring Maeve gave you." Polly asks, nodding to the ring on his finger. "Yes, I am. I have a son, called Jake, with her. Her names Stella." Mr Steele explains, although he doesn't sound happy.
"You mean step-monster." Aurora scoffs under her breath. "Aurora." Mr Steele scolds. "Well, she is. And always will be to me." Aurora shrugs innocently making Polly chuckle. "I take it you don't like her." She says knowingly and Aurora nods. "She thinks she's mum and thinks she can tell me what to do."
"No one can tell you what to do. You're as stubborn as they come." Mr Steele mutters, raising his eyebrow at his daughter. "Well, I am your daughter, so..." Aurora trails off making him and polly chuckle. "You guys should come over for dinner tonight." Polly suggests. "Oh, that would be nice to catch up." Mr Steele agrees.
"Bring Stella. I'd like to meet her." Polly smiles. "Do we have too?" Aurora groans making me and Arthur smirk. "What time, Pol?" Mr Steele asks. "About five." Polly replies and Mr Steele nods, smiling. "Perfect. Well, we've got some business to attend to so we'll see you later. And it was nice to meet you boys." He tips his head at us before starting to walk away. "Nice meeting you, Polly." Aurora says, following her dad, not even looking at any of us. "You too, dear." Polly responds.
******
"Tommy, Arthur, set the table please." Polly calls to us and we sigh, doing what we ask when there's a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" John calls, running to the door. As I put the plates down, I hear multiple footsteps walk in. I look up and see Mr Steele, followed the woman Aurora was arguing with, Aurora and a little boy about Finns age following behind.
"Oh, you came. Good." Polly smiles as she greets Mr Steele. "Off course. Pol, meet my wife, Stella." He introduces and Polly and Stella shake hands. "Hello." Stella utters, looking around in distaste. "And who's this?" Polly wonders, smiling at the little boy that shyly hides behind Aurora. "Come on, Jakey. You're not shy." Aurora chuckles, kneeling down to him.
"Jake, this is Polly, an old friend of dads." She introduces and Jake shyly waves. "Hello, Jake." Polly greets and Mr Steele chuckles when Jake hides his face in Auroras neck. "He's always like this." Mr Steele informs and Polly chuckles lightly. "Finn's the same. Actually, John, get Finn and Ada." She tells John and he runs into the living room before running back out holding Finns hand with Ada beside him.
"Finn, can you say hi?" Polly says and Finn waves shyly. "Hi, cutie." Aurora smiles softly and Finn runs over to her, wrapping his arms around her legs as she chuckles. "I think he likes you." Arthur chuckles. "Please, everyone, sit down." Polly gestures to the table and we all move to take a seat. I get stuck sitting next to Aurora and I sigh under my breath.
As Polly puts the food on the table, her and Mr Steele get talking. "So, how long have you two been together?" Polly wonders, looking between him and Stella. "Um, around two years." Mr Steele informs. "Unfortunately." Aurora mumbles making me smirk. "You really don't like her, do you?" I whisper and she turns to me making me notice how green her eyes are. "Is it that obvious?" She whispers. "Yes." I nod. "Good. Hopefully, she sees it and leaves." She replies making me chuckle.
"When was the wedding?" Ada asks, intrigued. "Around six months ago. Got married in London before we came back." Mr Steele explains. "Yeah, not that I wanted to come here. It's not my type of place." Stella smiles obnoxiously. "Then leave. We're not stopping you." Aurora suggests and Stella rolls her eyes.
"We came back because I'm opening another boxing ring. I have three in London that are doing really well so I wanted to open one here." Mr Steele informs making me and Arthur peak up. "Me and Tommy box, sir." Arthur tells him. "Really? Well, if it's okay with your aunt, you're more than welcome to come to the ring anytime you want." Mr Steele tells us.
"They can go as long as they're supervised." Polly says sternly. "Off course. My most trusted men are there. They have to be because my rascal of a daughter don't follow the rules." Mr Steele utters and we look at Aurora in shock. "You box?" Arthur asks her. "Yep." She nods, helping Jake eat.
"Didn't see that coming." Arthur murmurs, sharing a look with me. "Not that she should. She needs etiquette lessons, not boxing lessons." Stella says firmly. "No, thanks." Aurora scoffs. "Ladies are not meant to box. That's what men are for." Stella replies and Mr Steele and Aurora both roll their eyes. "I'm glad she's learning to box. Takes after her dad with that men right hook she's got." Mr Steele winks at Aurora who smiles.
******
"Thank you for dinner, Pol. It was lovely." Mr Steele smiles and Polly smiles back. "You're more than welcome. Come round anytime, it's nice that you're back in Small Heath." She says, leaning against the door. "Yeah, it feels good to be back. Right, sweetheart?" Mr Steele nods, nudging Aurora who nods as she holds a sleeping Jake.
"Well, it was nice to meet you, Stella." Polly says. "Wish I could say the same." Stella replies and Aurora rolls her eyes. "Please divorce her." She whisper-shouts to Mr Steele making me and Arthur smirk as Stella walks off. "Sorry about her, Pol. She's used to posh people and money." Mr Steele explains. "Don't apologise. I'm used to women like her." Polly dismisses.
"Thanks, Pol. Right, come on. Let's get this little one to bed." Mr Steele says, nodding at Jake. "See you guys soon." Polly waves. Aurora smiles at her before giving me one last look and follows behind her dad. "She's really beautiful." Arthur mumbles and I look at him, raising my eyebrow. "Fancy her, brother?" I ask. "Off course, who wouldn't? But I have a feeling she's going to be yours." He says and I scoff.
I doubt it.