Mum?

"The truth is that no child can save her mother"

• Adriana •

When I got to the yard. Mum wasn't here yet
But my horse was, waiting to be tended to
And yet... as I strolled down the yard... what caught my eye was Thomas Shelby

Sitting by the barrels, alone as Charlie left him
"Tommy?" I questioned
"Adriana" he mumbled

"Are you alright? You look upset?" I asked, sitting opposite him on another barrel
"I'm fine. Just bad news. It's always bad news" he muttered

"I'm supposed to be meeting mum, do you-"
"No idea" he interjected
"It didn't go well between you two?" I asked
"You could say that" he said

"She'll come round. Michael's just a golden light in her eyes" I scoffed
"She resigned yesterday" he said, my head shot back up
"She what?" I asked

He nodded
"So... where do you now stand Adriana?" He asked

"It's come to that? You have to ask me if I side with you or my brother?" I asked
"Yes. That's what it has come to. That's what your brother has brought it to" he said

I was silent for a moment. Thinking
"I wouldn't vote for Michael to take your place. He's not experienced, he isn't tactful. He isn't trained like many of us are. He is a damn good legal man but... the dark. It isn't in him" I explained

"But my word doesn't much count for anything these days does it? I'm not a shareholder, I don't work for you" I reeled off
"You could" he said
"Tommy" I sighed

"You don't have to control everyone. I just told you, I don't side with Michael's business plan. But he's still my brother. And you're still my cousin. Employment doesn't sway that" I said
"Besides... I don't want to kill people Tommy... it's why I stopped in the first place. After... after Amanda. I know it isn't what I want" I explained

Killing was in my veins. I was good at it.
Intimidation, beatings, killings. It was natural to me
And that's was scared me
I don't want to be that person. I don't want Bonnie to see that side of me.

I don't want my kids to see that.
Killing was only if it was necessary
Hired hits... I couldn't do it.

"You wouldn't be killing anyone" he said
"Just enforcing. Like Arthur. Finn is drinking all the time, Michael is untrustworthy and unreliable and Polly... Polly quit so..."
Enforcing wasn't too bad
It would bring some money in for us too

Whilst Bonnie was recovering
Whilst he retrained

"I'll talk to Bonnie about it" I offered simply. That's the best I could do.

"Whilst you're at it. Tell him I've rescheduled a fight. A month" he said
"A month? Tommy, he won't be ready" I said
"He's Bonnie Gold. He'll be ready" he said, standing

"If you're sticking around, turn the radio up. Listen for the death of Oswald Mosley" he said, doing his jacket up before walking away.

• Bonnie •

"I talked to Adelaide" dad said
"And she's talked you round" I pointed out
"No. But she does love him. And he loves her"
"Stop" I begged

"Maybe we should give them the chance Bon. Let them make it work or screw it up alone" he suggested
"What? Any other day you would have drowned Luke" I said angrily... and confused

"She loves him. There's worse boys she could have gone for. Look at Estella" he said
"Don't. This isn't the same. This isn't a forbidden love. This isn't a quick marriage fix. He is my best friend dad! He is the brother I never got. He is... he's betrayed me" I said

"He's fell in love" he said
"Same way you did with Adriana. And you snuck away, ran away. Got married in secret" he argued
"Don't turn this on me. It's on him, he did this" he said

"It's not all about you. It's the same for me and your mother. I did everything to be with her. And I barely knew her" he chuckled, remembering
"Luke knows Adelaide. He's from our camp, she's happy and we won't lose her. I think we have to find the positives in this boy" he said

"I'm not forgiving him" I said
"And I'm not forbidding them" he said
"Fine" I said

"Fine" he echoed, getting up.
"I have to get going" he said
"Be careful, they're sneaky and they have a politician on their side" I said
"So do I" he smiled

"I mean it dad" I said, getting up with him
"Look, I gave Adriana a speech last night. I'll do the same with you, you're my only son, and I am so pro-"
"No. No don't do that" I shook my head

"You're coming back" I said
"I know. But I still want you to know that" he said, pulling me into a hug
"You're my son. A Gold. Never forget that, despite what happens" he said

I hugged him tight
"I'll see you in a few hours" I said
He pulled back, nodding
"Of course" he assured

• Adriana •

I waited for mum for a while. Until she finally arrived, looking... defeated
I can't imagine how she'll be feeling after resigning
All for Michael
She chose one son over the other.

"You look rough" I said
"Thanks" she clipped, joining me
"I suppose you heard then" she said

"Yeah... from the horses mouth actually" I said
"You've spoke to Thomas" she said surprised
"Yeah, he was here as well. Sitting in memories" I said, looking around

"So he's worth it? Quitting?" I asked
"Did Thomas tell you why I quit?" She asked
"No" I said
"He wants Michael dead" she said

"Because of what he said. Or if he goes against Tommy?" I asked
She cocked her head
"Exactly. Tommy and Michael are both big boys mum. They're capable of sorting this out just as much as they're capable of killing each other, you shouldn't have to pick a side. None of us should" I said

"He's my son" she said
"So is Tommy, whether you like to admit or not. I'm your daughter. Does what I think not matter either?" I asked

"Of course it does. But I'm not staying by Tommy's side when he's intent on removing Michael from this family" she said
"He's done that enough with his little speech" I said

"Why can't you see my side of this? He's your brother" she said
"I do mum. I'm just not taking sides" I said
"You don't have to. You're not in my position" she said

"Well... now you've quit, what are you going to do? Come on the road with us?" I teased
I couldn't see Aberama settling down in Watery lane
Even if he is in love with Elizabeth Gray.

"I don't know. We talk about it, we fight about it, then he smiles at me and tells me I'm impossible" she smiled, thinking of him
"I do hope you're happy together, I mean it" I said

"We will be. He understands me, more than any man I've met ever has" she said
"Good" I nodded
"It's about time you found someone to take care of you" I said

"I don't need taking care of. It's everyone else who needs me to take care of them" she sighed
"Aberama is different. He'll look after you mum. He looks out for everyone else" I chuckled

"Are you sticking around? Or are you going to the speech?" I asked

"I'm staying here" she said
"I don't want to watch another man die because of Tommy" she said
"Okay... well I'm going to go tend to the horses" I said, moving to get past her

But she pulled me into her, hugging me
"I love you, no matter what happens between Tommy and Michael" she said

"I love you too" I said confused, this really had upset her
"Mum you know we're okay? I don't want to be mad at you and I know you care about me. We're alright" I assured
She nodded
"Good" she said, cupping my cheek with her palm

"Despite their feud, you're my daughter" she smiled
"Yeah, stuck with me I'm afraid" I chuckled
"I wouldn't have it any other way. I spent so long trying to find you both" she said emotionally

"And I don't want to lose either of you" she said
"You'll never lose me" I promised.
"I know" she nodded

"My girl" she smiled.

•

I spent the next hour in the stables
Mariana showed up a while ago to go and find mum
She didn't want to witness an assassination either
I hope Bonnie and the kids are alright
I hope Aberama is alright

Taking on Jimmy McCavern
It wasn't a small job.

I was nearly done brushing the horses when the sound of a gunshot rang out
I pulled mine out, quickly running out of the stables
No one
Nothing
I raced down the canal, crossing the bridge and running to the yard

Where only Curly stood
Before I noticed Mariana. Sat down silently, covered in... blood
"Mariana? Mariana are you okay?" I asked panicked as Curly rambled to himself
I kneeled in front of her, looking her over

But there was no injury
She's not the one that's hurt
"Where's Charlie? Where's mum?" I asked them
Neither of them responded
Mariana was in a daze
And Curly was too upset

Before Charlie finally reappeared around a corner
Also covered in blood
"Charlie" I said, he looked up at me
Sadness in his eyes
Where's mum?

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