Happy birthday

"As a daughter I forgive you. But as a parent, I could never understand "

• Adriana •

"I don't think it's a good idea" Esmeralda tried to get through to him
"Neither was starting a war with us. But those bastard Billy boys have done, eh?" He said, heading into his vardo
"You can't run after them" she argued

"It's the only way to do it" Luke chimed
"Shut up Luke" she warned
"Dad, you've been shot, do you not thi-"
"I'll be fine. I'll have men with me" he settled, appearing once more

"Did you call them?" He asked towards me
I nodded my head
"Bu-"
"Ah! I'm going and that's final. I'm the head of this family, for now" he mumbled, pulling his coat on
"Dad" Adelaide tried

"What I say still goes. And right now, I'm going after them, none of you are stopping me and if I die... well... then tell my corpse I told you so" he said
"No man. No... human, does what they did. To us, to a pregnant woman. To my fucking son" he said angrily, addressing the whole camp

"And so they will die for it. They will bleed and burn and scream for mercy before death is graced upon them, every last one of them will be strung up" he shouted to us all.

"Alda, you're in charge while I'm gone" he said
"What's new?" Esmeralda sighed
"I'll be back in a few days" he said, hugging her
"I hear the lad has a name" he smiled towards me
"Noah" Luke spoke up
"Noah... strong. Biblical" he commented

"I'd take him off him... before he drops him" he chuckled, walking over to his sister
I did take Noah from Luke, sitting beside him still but at least having my boy in my arms.

•

Watery lane is so... depressing
Pushing a pram along the cobbles
As every other woman in our family has done
Knocking on my mother's door
But not for support like so many young mothers did.

• Adriana's Outfit •

"Not running off into the sunset with lover boy then?" I asked, manoeuvring the pram into the house
"Oh shut up, it doesn't suit you" she said
"What doesn't?" I asked

"Lecturing, being mature and mindful" she said, smiling at Noah and picking him up from the pram.

"Why did you let him go?" I asked, grabbing the bag from underneath and joining her in the living room.

"Because he only wants revenge right now. Nothing else will register" she said
"Yes but you don't disobey Tommy" I pointed out
"I don't answer to Thomas" she said

"Oh but you do mum. Everyone does. So why bend your rules for Aberama? Hm?" I asked
"This is silly"
"No, you love him" I said
"I do not" she said amused

"You care for him" I said
"Care is a strong wor-"
"Care is the right word" I interrupted
"Anna, last week I had a pilot to fly me anywhere I wished. At the drop of a hat-"

"Sex and love aren't the same thing" I interrupted
"Said the expert" she scoffed
"Maybe I am. I've found my person mum. And he loves me, truly. Maybe it's time you did the same" I said
"I do not love that man" she dismissed

"No, but you like him, you care for him, you worry about him" I said
"Leave it" she warned
"Fine... do you want your present instead?" I asked, holding up the bag

She took it gratefully, struggling to open it with one hand before she gasped, looking at the stones.

"It's beautiful" she beamed
"You think?" I asked curiously
I had no clue if she would like it or not
She wore a lot of necklaces
But the look on her face told me everything

That she was stunned.

"How did you get this?" She asked
"I do earn money mum, retiring from killing doesn't mean I'm penniless" I chuckled
"Thank you Anna, it's... it's lovely" she said

"So..." I said
"So?" She asked

"Michael... what happened?" I asked
"He grew up in American society" she offered blankly
"He's... changed" I said

"That wife of his is what's changed him" she said
"That's both of my children now, marrying in secret" she said, sadness evident in her voice
"I'm sorry mum. He... he seems different though, not just the new wife, he... he's anxious and touchy, he's on edge" I tried to explain

"Gina doesn't help though, I've asked Mariana to look into her, she won't be just some girl he's picked up" she said
"No, I agree" I said
"She tell you she's pregnant?" I asked

"Yes, it's a girl" she said
"A girl. God help Michael. Another Gina flouncing around" I scoffed

"She's calculating" she said
"She's something" I said simply
She was somewhat friendly to me
The question was why
"They want something"
"She wants something" mum corrected

"No, they mum. They're married, she's having his kid, they want something, that's why she's playing nice with us" I said.

"But why?" I thought aloud
"Because she wants what Michael can give her. Money, status" she said
"No... no I think you're right, that she isn't just some girl he's picked up. She's a somebody... and she certainly isn't interested in becoming part of our family" I explained

No. She has ulterior motives.

•

"It won't be much longer" I assured Bon
"Till I can come home and sleep in my own bed" he sighed contently
"Yeah" I agreed
"And you can nurse me back to health" he said

"Sure..."
"Maybe you get a uniform to look the par-"
"Stop pushing it. I don't mind finishing you off Bonnie Gold" I warned
"Please do" he changed my words

I groaned, standing up
"I should get going anyway, before your girlfriend comes back and kicks me out" I joked
The nurse he does have is a fifty something year old lady called Daisy

He groaned himself
"Bring the kids tomorrow for me princess?" He asked

"Of course" I said, kissing him goodbye

• Tommy •

"He's what?" I asked
"The boy said Aberama arrived from the hospital in Polly's Bentley" Johnny said

"She helped him... she fucking helped him. But it can't be love, cause it's Polly... cause it's fucking Polly" I sighed
He's ran off with the fucking cavalry on unplanned revenge

And of course. Of course Polly helped him
I bet Adriana knows too. And of course she wouldn't say anything...
Fuck.
"Johnny I have a job for you" I said
"I'm in a lot of pain here Tom" he said
"I need you to go and find Aberama Gold. He has kin in the Lothian border, the Fury family" I explained

"For fuck sake Tom. The Fury's, they don't even use words to fucking talk. Just hand gestures and fucking howls" he complained.

Yes. They were. But they were the path to Aberama
And he needs dragging back home. Right now.

• Adriana •

"Adriana... Adriana!" Adelaide shouted, running over from the tent.
"What?" I asked
"We got word this morning... from the Fury's" she said
"Oh?" I asked

"Apparently... a bunch of Peakys showed up, demanding to know where dad went" she relayed
Fuck
"For god sake" I said
"Can you talk to Thomas? Ask him what he's doing? Stopping dad won't work" she begged

"I know Ad, I know" I sighed
"I'll try. I need to see my brother today, is Esmeralda still okay to sit with Bonnie?" I asked
She nodded, sitting beside me
"I don't think he's too happy about it" she chuckled

I laughed with her, noticing the... brightness in her face again
"You seem a lot happier these days" I said
"What's there to be sad about?" She said back

"Nothing... are you... is it a guy?" I asked
"A guy?" She asked innocently
"It is, isn't it, you're seeing someone" I said
She ducked her head
"Adelaide" I said surprised
"It's nothing major, I'm just... we're not even properly together" she said

"Who is it?" I asked, looking around
"No one from here" she scoffed
"He's from the city, he... he's sweet" she shrugged
I was happy for her. Genuinely happy
She'd never had a boyfriend before

She was too used to Luke and all his friends flirting with her and making fun of her for being Bonnie's sister.

"That's great Ad" I said

•

I felt uneasy, walking into a bar in the middle of the day
Without my husband
Without my children
I felt lost without my family by my side

It was like the past was dragging me back to it
When I was alone
Fending for myself

I spotted Michael waiting, making my way over to him
He smiled when he saw me, standing up to greet me
"This isn't the great big reunion you wanted Michael" I dismissed him, sitting down

"Now, my husband needs me, my baby needs me, so let's make this short and say what needs saying" I said
He sat down
"Alright" he said

"I wanted to see you. See how you were doing" he began

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