Gold baby

"Your absence walks through the door every single day" - Helen Lyon

• Adriana •

It felt like days.
Lying here
Looking at Bonnie silently lying away from me
Still. Quiet.
Haunting as he didn't respond to my pleading for him to wake up

To tell me he was alright.
That he loves me
To hear me tell him how much I love him.

When a car finally did approach. I was thankful
And worried
Because if they came back and told me he was...

I'd die myself. I can't do any of this without him
He's my other half. In every way a person can be.
"Shit... oh my fucki- are you okay?" Charlie asked, running towards us with a man I'd never seen before and two members of a camp that Johnny resided with from time to time

The woman knelt beside me, trying to help me up as the men checked Bonnie
"Is he okay? Tell me he's okay" I asked

"He's alive" Charlie said surprised and yet... clueless
"Get him in the car. You too" he said, turning his attention to the lady
"Jade. Stay with the children" he said, taking over with me, holding my arm for support so I could walk

But every step was agony, my face was streaming blood. My back was on fire and my skirt was... wet?

"Charlie... the baby" I cried
"The baby will be okay. You will all be okay" he assured, clearly unconvinced himself as he helped me into the passenger seat
The men lying Bonnie in the back

He rushed around the car, starting it panicked
"No I think... I think it's coming" I said
"Jesus" he muttered, revving the car.

•

When we got to the hospital, they made Bonnie priority
And I was thankful for it
I eased myself out of the car as they carried Bonnie in
Charlie had told me he didn't know where Aberama went

Just that he'd turned up shouting and waving a gun, before dragging Johnny Doggs off in a car.

I struggled into the hospital. Before a nurse gently grasped my arm
"Do you need help?" She asked
I nodded
"Yeah..." I said breathlessly, turning to her as she gasped at my face

"I think I'm in labour" I said, before she rushed me down a hallway, into a labour room.

"No, no, I need you to stop it. My husband he-"
"There's no stopping Miss. Is your husband on his way? What happened to your face?" The nurse asked

"No, he's here, he... we were attacked. He can't miss this" I said desperately
"I'm sorry Miss..."
"Gold" I answered

"I'm sorry but we can't wait. This baby is coming now. So it will be time for you to push soon" she said kindly

"Where's the doctor? Let me speak to a doctor" I pleaded
I knew they'd tell me the same thing
I knew Bonnie wouldn't be awake in time for this

I just needed him to be alright
But it didn't hurt any less
Knowing our third child would come into this world without him.

"Is there someone we can call?" She asked instead
"My mum. Call my mum please, I need my mum" I cried
"Elizabeth Gray. Call her" I begged as another contraction ripped through my stomach.

•

When she got to the hospital, rushing into my room with Ada, I was already pushing
Unsuccessfully
Part of me wanted to see how long I could hold off on the miracle that Bonnie would get up and come to me

But it was a hopeless dream.
And three hours later, with mum and Ada by my side, I gave birth to our second baby boy.
He looked so... precious
So peaceful. So healthy and warm.

Everything I feared after two swift kicks to my back.
Knocking me to the ground like a coward

But he's just... beautiful
Bonnie's eyes, just like Florence

"He's gorgeous" mum smiled
"He's perfect" Ada added, walking back in as I softly rocked him in my arms, unable to tear my eyes away.

"Is there any more news on Bonnie?" I asked
I know I already asked a million times
I know when something does change that they'll tell me immediately
But my mind couldn't help but project the question everywhere.

"No. Aberama is here though, he was checked in an hour ago" she explained
Good. At least he stopped to be taken care of
Because thinking he was still out there was scary.

A bullet to the shoulder? Driving all the way to god knows where.
He's lucky he's alive.

"Can I go see him?" I asked
"What?"
"Can I go and see Bonnie now?" I asked, sitting up
"No, no lie down, you can see him later" Ada ordered
"Bu-"
"No buts. Lie down" mum said sternly

I listened to them. I don't think my body would even allow me to get out of the room.
There's so much pain
So much aching.

• Polly •

"Stay with her. Don't let her get up" I said
"Of course no- wait where are you going?" Ada asked quietly
I glanced at Adriana
"I'm going to check on the other two. Make sure they're alright" I said, she nodded, drifting back over to Adriana

I checked on Bonnie first
Lying in a bed, out cold and... bloody
The doctors told me he was bad. Really bad
But that he'd live
Just...

When I got to Aberama's room, he was at least awake
Though he looked like death.

He clocked me. And smiled
"Elizabeth Gray, is that you?" He asked hoarsely
"You've caused a lot of upset today" I said, leaning on the doorframe
"You won't sit by my bedside Miss Gray?" He asked
"You seem a lot calmer now you know Bonnie is alive" I said, nearing his bed

"He's my boy" he said simply
"And Adriana? The baby?" He asked
"Both fine. A boy" I told him, he smiled wider
"Bonnie will be made up" he said
"Bonnie is lucky he's still alive, Adriana hasn't said much. What happened out there?" I asked

I tried to sound... calm. Soft
But I was anything but
Someone hurt my daughter
My grandchild
Someone threatened my fucking family.

"Some men, ambushed us... called themselves the Billy boys" he said
Billy boys?
The men who spoke to Michael on the boat?

"They did this?" I asked
"They did this as a warning Polly. They strung my son up on a cross as a fucking warning" he said calmly. I could see the anger in his eyes

"What warning?" I asked
"They want tracks" he began, as I sighed
"Nottingham and Cheltenham, they said if Tommy doesn't play nice, it'll be him on a cross" he explained

"For fuck sake" I sighed
"It should be him on that cross. It should have been him, not my son!" He said angrily.

"Just lie back, get some rest. Tommy will figure it out and we... we need to be alright for our children" I said
"Our children? You hate my son, I'm surprised you're not dancing for joy" he said, staring at the ceiling

"Bonnie... he didn't deserve this" I said instead
"No... he didn't" he said sadly

"And Thomas Shelby will not figure any of it out Polly. I will kill them all for what they did today. Nearly killing my son, nearly killing Adriana. My grandchild... my... no man lays a hand on a woman let alone a fucking child Polly!" He said angrily, sitting up

"No man" he said again.
"Get some sleep. It's late" I said, glancing at the clock
4.48 in the morning.

"And when you wake up. Hopefully Bonnie will be too" I tried to comfort him
I don't know why. He... he had that way about him.
Making me want to help him.
To make him happy.

• Adriana •

Four days passed, of sitting in this bed
Holding our baby.
Day four was when Bonnie's family barrelled into my room.
The camp returned and they stood in my room, worried and yet beaming at the baby boy in my arms

"Can I?" Esmeralda asked, I nodded, handing him over
"Does my new little nephew have a name yet?" She asked in a baby voice

"No. Me and Bonnie talked about a few... I don't want to..."
I stopped. And she gaged my reaction
"I get it, you want to wait for Bon" she said
I nodded
What if he...

I don't want to name him without him here.
"They told me I can get up today, go and see him" I said
"He looks a lot better" Ada chimed from across the room

"Yeah, we saw him earlier, he... I can't imagine him looking any worse" Adelaide mumbled
I tried not to cry
I hadn't seen him since the woods
Since he lay slumped on the floor out of my reach.

"Can you get the doctor Ada? I want to see him as soon as I can" I said
She nodded, leaving the room

"He's beautiful" Estella said, taking the baby from Esmeralda
"And you've got the Gold eyes" Adelaide smiled down at him

She looked different. Adelaide looked... happier?
Despite the circumstances
I hadn't seen her in weeks and she looked completely different to me somehow
Mature in a sense.
Something was... different about her

•

"Leave me" I said simply
"Are you sure? I ca-"
"I'll be fine Ada, please" I said, she left the room
And I sat here. In a wheelchair, too weak to even be able to walk to my husband.
To run to him like I wanted to
I neared his bed slowly, tears pricking my eyes once more as I looked over him

Battered. Bruised. Broken.

"Bonnie" I cried, taking his hand in mine.

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