CHAPTER TWENTY | totally didn't see that coming
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Lucie had decided to spend the morning at Polly's home, they hadn't spoken like they used to in a while. On her way over from her new hidden away home, she walked straight into none other than Lizzie Stark.
"Sorry Lizzie, didn't see you there." Lucie laughed.
"Get out my way." Lizzie spoke harshly, pushing past Lucie.
"What's got your knickers in a twist." Lucie asked, well shouted.
"You lost me a customer, seems like I'm no longer the local Shelby whore." Lizzie seethed, hastily walking back to Lucie.
"You fucking what?" Lucie wasn't overly fond of swearing but now that she was a lot closer with the Shelby's it came natural.
"That's right, I used to be Tommy Shelby's little whore and now it's you. Well be warned when he's bored of you he'll find a new 'en leave you high and dry." Lizzie's spoke in a song like manor.
After Lizzie's words pierced the air, a door swung open beside them. Of course, none other than Thomas Shelby sauntered out, the sound of John's children rang out behind him.
"Lizzie." Thomas nodded his head towards the woman. "And Lucie." Thomas' time became more question like, as he looked at the odd pairing.
"Your whore walked into me, tell her to watch where she's fucking going." Lizzie spat.
"Right I ain't having this no more, fuck, I can't believe I'm about to explain myself to Lizzie Stark. I ain't slept with Tommy, I ain't his whore. Sweetheart, I'm barley twenty three. I'm no whore, unlike some people. So if your quite finished I'll be leaving, sure you can't keep customers waiting." Adrenaline pumped through Lucie's body.
She'd never insulted someone so rudely before, but she deserved it. Lucie was no whore, especially not the Shelby whore. She could here footsteps catching up to her as she stormed away from Lizzie. A firm grip caught her wrist.
"You've got quite the tongue when you want, Love." Tommy chuckled.
"Lizzie Stark called me a whore." Lucie emphasised the two words. "I can't fucking believe it." Lucie was livid, and burning with anger.
"We're all whores Luce, we just sell different parts of ourselves." Tommys words somehow made sense. In a way, she was his whore, but her love and generosity and time were given up, not herself.
Thomas walked with his arm around Lucie's waist to drop her off at Polly's, whilst they walked he spoke of the events he had interrupted seconds before he'd seen the girl. Esme was in for a girlie grilling.
When the two walked into Polly's house she was praying? Polly Gray, praying?
"And watch Thomas, I know how he is. But he does what he does for us. I think. Look out for our Ada, her and the little one are in a dark place, in need of your light to guide them. And Lucie, our little Lucie. Her love for him grows by the day, she's in too deep now. The poor girls had so much grief, Lord. Give her some happiness with the man she loves." Polly made the sign of the cross. "Amen."
"Amen." Lucie joined, to notify Polly of her presence.
When the woman turned around she was visibly embarrassed to see that she'd exposed Lucie in front of Thomas, thankfully she'd never said his name, but Lucie could already tell he had questions.
"I used to do that every morning during the war. Thought it'd be the last time." Polly turned to Thomas, and smiled before walked beside Lucie, whispering in her ear.
"I'm sorry."
"Today will be the last time, Pol." Thomas reassured her.
"So is everything underway? Only we know the truth?" Lucie asked, hoping everything had worked how they'd planned.
"Yeah, Grace believes we do not know her true identity, I've planted the knowledge of Black Star Day with her, no doubt she's notified the police, she's leaving today, Pol will catch her before she does. Couldn't of done it without you, Love." Tommy kissed the side of Lucie's head, making her visibly blush, prompting Polly's smirk.
"She'll get what she deserves." We're Lucie's only words.
"Family meeting, half ten." Thomas walked to Polly and embraced her once more for reassurance, whispering something into her ear.
He moved to Lucie to do the same, although his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her extremely close. He lent down to her ear and whispered,
"Don't think I won't ask about Polly's words. But let's get today finished. Thank you, Love, couldn't have done it without you." He planted a quick kiss on her jaw and walked away.
Once the woman knew he'd left, Lucie moved straight for Polly.
"I'll let you off because we surprised you, but he wants to fucking know Pol, what do I do?" Lucie slumped into a chair, her head in her hands.
"Look, I wouldn't have said anything. But I think it's time, Luce you can't keep this forever, you know Lizzie or Grace will get the claws in if he doesn't know." Polly sat beside the young girl, placing a steaming cup of tea infront of her.
"Pol, I can't. I just can't. It'll crush me if he doesn't feel the same. God! What if he loves her, Polly what will I do?" Lucie's words spilled from her lips like vomit.
"Look sweetheart, drink your tea. You'll feel better, give your voice a rest and we'll discuss it later." Polly gave her a small smile, sipping her tea.
Whilst the pair sat in silence, drinking tea and eating breakfast, Ada arrived with Karl, Lucie had been given the job of holding the baby whilst Ada nipped to the loo.
"You suit holding a babe." Polly added.
"Maybe one day." Lucie giggled. "In the very distant future."
"Yours'll be a Shelby, alright." Polly picked up Karl out of Lucie's hands as Ada returned.
"One can only hope Pol, hey?" Lucie laughed.
As the conversation ran on Lucie soon found herself boredom, until Polly began to speak of her children. Lucie didn't even know she had any.
"Well, you two have never know, my children have you?" Polly's voice was trembling.
"I didn't know you had any Polly." Lucie added, moving onto the settee, facing where Polly now sat.
"You never talk about them." Ada identified.
"Never had reason." Polly shook her head as she replied.
"My heart breaks, even when I think about them. But today, I do have reason to." Polly looked towards Ada who was looming over Karls crib, "Sit down Ada." Polly commanded softly.
Ada moved to sit beside Lucie, holding onto her hand tightly as Polly geared up to tell the pair of her children.
"They were three and five years old. Sally was three, Michael was five. Well, six in two weeks. It was Sunday morning. While I was a church. "You're not forgiven." Some pinched old both said to me, "You're not forgiven." You see, some sheets I washed and hung on the line, had the name of a hotel in them. They'd been stolen in a robbery and they said some porter in the hotel had been coshed. And a woman from round here told the police I had the sheets. Jealous you see, of the new sheets. And when the police came, they found a spirit still, making a few drops of Gin. And for that."
Polly's eyes scanned the room and tears started to fall.
"They took my children away from me.And they never told me where they took them. And they did it because they could. And because I was weak. But they will never take your baby from you because Thomas won't let them. Because Tommy won't let them walk all over us. Luce, Thomas won't let the walk all over us. But do not let him walk all over you."
Lucie moved to embrace Polly as she carried on speaking.
"That's why you tell him. You tell him you love him. No matter what he says." Polly finished.
Lucie looked towards Ada who wore a smirk. She taunted in a sarcastic tone.
"So you love my brother? Totally didn't see that coming."