Mrs Gray

"Just remember I was there, when no one else was"

Mariana's POV

I was on my way out the door when the phone started ringing
It was Tommy
"I'm about to leave, I'll see you in an hour" I said bluntly
I don't want to see him. But him and Polly want me to visit Gina

Before this family fucking meeting with the new couple
"I just wanted to ask about the journalist" he said
"What about him?" I asked
"I had a copper round, asking questions" he said
"So? It can't be traced to you Tommy, it can't be traced to me either, Lucius knows what he's doing, so don't worry about it" I said, putting the phone down

The less I had to talk to him the better.

I opened the door, only to find a bouquet of tulips
I took them into the kitchen
Rather confused
Was this a random gift? A random threat?

I searched for a card
To find a typed message
I miss you

Who misses me?
There was no name, no one knocked on the door.
What on earth?

I left them on the table, hurrying out the door, I was already late for the train.

Alfie's POV

Another ship.
"You want to go outside today?" Ollie asked
"I'm not a fucking invalid Ol, I can walk outside if I want to" I grumbled
"Then why don't you? Maybe some fresh air will do you good" he suggested.

"Bullet in my head would do some good too" I argued
He trailed off into the kitchen
I had woken up this morning remembering what I had done the night before
I had ordered flowers to be sent to the house

I can't remember what I told them to write on the note
I just remember ordering a bouquet of tulips
I hope she at least likes them.

•

"Michael has just gone out" Gina said
"I know, I came to see you" I smiled, sitting down
I was surprised to see Michael leave Gina alone in the hotel
But I suppose she needed to find her own two feet here.

"What can I do for you?" She asked confidently, pouring herself tea. Leaving my cup empty
"I want to know whether Michael is telling the truth" I said
"He told you he was" she said
"No he told his mother, and she'll believe a lot of Michael's... stories" I said.

"He's telling the truth" she said, holding her ground
"And if he wasn't, you would know, wives like you know everything" I said
"Like me?" She questioned, curious
"There's wives like Tommy's wife, the ones who are kept in the dark, then there's wives like you, who are so involved in their husbands business, they don't even realise they've told you too much" I explained

Arthur and Linda were the same.
"Michael does tell me everything, and I'm telling you, that he's telling the truth" she said
"Like a broken record you aren't you?" I chuckled

"Your tea here is awful" She commented, abandoning her cup
"Your manners are likewise" I commented back

"Michael told me about his family, where he grew up" she diverted
"He's never really been in their family has he?" She mused
"It's hard to form bonds" I offered
"Why are you still here? Michael tells me Tommy killed your husband" she said

"Yeah... yeah Tommy did kill my husband, because unfortunately for me, I was one the wives that doesn't get told anything" I said
"Why are you here?" I asked
"Because I love Michael" she said
I smiled
"You won't make it here unless you become a better liar, Tommy always sees through a liar" I chuckled, standing up

"I'm pregnant" she said
I sighed, leaning on the chair
"Then you definitely have to become a better liar, or you won't survive here" I advised.

•

"I'd like to introduce you to my wife" Michael said, standing proud with Gina, who had a striking game face on
"I would also like to say something" he went on
"Sit down Michael" Tommy said
I poured myself a drink behind the bar
Why was I even here?

To listen to Michael lie, or tell the truth?
Putting my guns away in case any of us 'shot him'
It was pathetic

"I betrayed you" he said
"Michael" Polly snapped
"But only in my heart" he finished.
Jesus. Where was this going?

"There was a time in America, when there was a lot of money in that bank, and I wondered if I could leave and move to California. Someone said I should invest in pictures, Hollywood" he said
"That where you found her?" I asked

Arthur scoffed
She was some what of an actress after all
"But Gina stopped me. Gina said that-"
"I told you to sit down, Michael" Tommy interrupted
He was an idiot, who complied
All he's proved was that he's a traitor, and his wife had sense.

"Now tell me, what happened on that ship... in Belfast harbour" he said
"On the journey back from New York, we got married, but we needed a witness, a purser, he was from Belfast, friendly" he explained
"And when the ship docked?" Tommy urged
"This purser had friends who ran a whiskey distillery in County Tyrone" he said

"They wanted a way of getting their stuff into America, so I said okay, invite them aboard, when they came in, I realised they didn't make whiskey, they were Scottish, from Glasgow. Couldn't understand a fucking word they were saying" he said.

Well he wouldn't. Country boy turned American.
"They started swearing, I asked Gina to leave"
What a gentleman
"Then they started talking about you Tom, they said you were a spent force, politics had got to him, that he was spent in the head, that his accomplice, Mariana Solomons had always been spent in the head" he explained, making me scoff

"That now was a good time to move in and did I want to be part of it?" He went on
So I had a grenade in my house because what?... I was associated with this prick?
"They knew about the money we lost in America, that you would blame me, that you had a bullet with my name on it" he said

I might after this.
"What did you say Michael?" Tommy asked
"I didn't have time to say anything, coppers came on board, what I thought were coppers anyway" he said
"IRA?" I questioned, Tommy nodded once
"Exactly" Michael said
"And the first men, from Glasgow?"

"The IRA commander said the men from Glasgow were called Billy boys" he said
Fucking Billy boys?
"Fucking Billy boys..." Arthur muttered
"I don't know who the fuck Billy boys are" Michael said

"Yeah, that'll be why they came to you, fucking Billy Boys Tommy?" I said
"They run every man, in every coal mine on every shipyard east of Glasgow" Arthur explained
"They run with Belfast, UVF, Protestant razor gang" I reeled off

"They also dabble in politics, muscle for fascist rallies" Arthur added
I leaned back, resting my head on the bar as I thought
Billy boys...

"But you did no deal Michael, you didn't even know who they were?" Polly asked
"I was too busy looking forward to giving you the good news" he said
I looked at Gina, who looked at me
"We got married on the ship because Gina is pregnant" he announced

"You're going to be a grandmother" he said
I laughed, stopping myself
A grandmother? Polly Shelby

"Okay Michael, I believe you, welcome home" Tommy said
"Congratulations" I said, Polly looked at me, analysing my tone
"You knew" she said simply
"I knew" I said

"Just remember, your unborn child has witnessed what you said-"
"Thomas" Polly snapped
"And it will be born accordingly" he said
"Tommy!" I said

"You fuck" Michael shouted, flying out of his chair towards Tommy
"Where the fuck are you going? Hm? Are you fucking mad?" Arthur asked
"Michael, leave" I said, earning his gaze
"You heard her, you're free to fucking leave" Arthur seethed.

"But you're not free Michael, are you?" Tommy asked
"You lost this company a lot of money" he said
"You lost us more" I commented, finishing my whiskey
"I told you to sell... but you held on, now I want you to pay me back what you owe me. There is work you can do, risks you can take, we were close before, now I want you closer still" Tommy said.

I know you should keep your enemies closer than allies
But Michael was not one to keep close, I love Polly, but her son was a fucking rat. Clear as day.

"Michael, honey, look at you cousin, he's in trouble huh? He needs you" Gina said, grabbing Michael's shoulder

And there it was. She played the doe eyed wife, whilst saying whatever she needed to
"Come on baby, let's go" she said
"Bye then" I called out, Polly glared at Tommy before leaving too
"Pol" I tried.

"Fucking cheek of her eh? Mad dog Jimmy, coming south" Arthur mumbled, sitting down
"Why though?" I asked
"Have you done something to piss them off?" I asked Tommy
"Clearly" he said.

"Well what?" I asked
"I don't know Mar, I don't know" he muttered.

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