Previously: Rose Clennam seeks to conceal a truth, Amy shows her worth and Arthur Clennam returns home with some extra baggage.
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When Amy had left the mother and son to their own devices, she returned to the dishes in the kitchen, and seeing Affery pull up at the garage with the groceries, raced out to help her with them. The distance from the driveway to the house was not great, but Affery was the sort of woman that would refuse to make two trips. Upon returning to the kitchen, Amy was witness to the reunion between Arthur and Affery.
"Good Lord, bless my soul," Affery breathed, "Arthur you've gotten taller!"
Arthur laughed at that, but wrapped the nurse in a tight hug. "It's good to be home, Affery. And so wonderful to see you, 6 years has been a stretch to be so far away."
"Oh I've missed having you around, dear boy. London found itself quite dreary without you to engineer the clouds away."
Arthur snorted into the woman's greying hair, and let her go, his eyes meeting the curious brown ones from across the kitchen island.
"This is Amy," Affery introduced when she noticed where the attention had shifted to, "your mum wanted to get a housekeeper and Miss Amy was the standout winner. She's been such a joy to have around; your mum adores her work." At that, Affery shot a particular look at Arthur, with him returning it; both of them fully aware of the trial Rose Clennam could be.
Arthur inclined his head towards Amy and directed a hello towards her. He knew she must be a resilient young woman to be able to deal with his mother on a daily basis. She looked near his age, but her short stature had him thinking of a child. Arthur realised that he was still holding onto the urn, and asked Affery where an appropriate place to put him might be found.
"Mum suggested the garage, and I gather she would like him out of sight and out of mind; do you have any suggestions?"
Affery waved off the garage suggestion, citing that Richard never appeared to be a "car" man.
"What about the upstairs sitting room?" piped in Amy, "I gather Rose would rarely have a reason to venture in there, and it would be a nicer option for you than the garage."
Arthur considered this, and upon deciding she was right, went and found his father's urn a spot on the mantelshelf in the upstairs room.
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Late Saturday afternoons were always reserved for visiting the prison, but Amy was twenty minutes late getting through the security; she was twenty minutes late and her father was visibly irate at her tardiness.
"Amy, my dear baby girl, why are you so late?!" huffed her father unhappily, "I've been sitting here waiting, withering away, watching everybody else get their visitors arrive in a timely manner."
Amy could not bear to tell him about her job, and so deflected back to him, for she knew William Dorrit's favourite topic for conversation was himself.
"Oh Dad, I knew you weren't withering away. I simply got caught up at," she paused a moment, "I was caught up with a friend and mistakenly didn't keep track of the time. I also happened to see Mr Nandy leaving on my way in, so I gathered he spent some time with you this afternoon. Being that it's so late in the afternoon, I imagine that you've had a great many visitors today-"
"Edward and Felicity have not been by, although Frederick hobbled in and out earlier, blathering on about something or other. You must not learn to abandon your father, Amy, I gather your brother and sister have a great many things to keep them occupied, but the three of you must spare a moment for your poor father."
They sat in silence for a few moments, Amy wondering why her brother at least had bothered to spare the time to visit their father.
"I did have a few visitors today, now you mention it; The Telegraph sent a lackey to try to get a story, but they were only permitted to ask socially acceptable questions, I tell you, Officer Chivery keeps a tight ship here. This morning I did happen to have a doctor's appointment with Doctor Haggage, who says I'm in fine physical condition for someone who has been out of the wider world for so long."
Amy nodded and let her father continue to speak. Until the end of visiting hours, 6pm, she sat with him as he recounted his week, in fine detail, perfectly recalling minute details of the goings on. When it was time to leave, she was gently ushered out by Officer Chivery, who promised her father that he would see her safely out.
"It's good of you to always come see him Miss Amy, he's always glad to have you nearby, and always boasts of his little girl."
"I'm glad he keeps well under the care of you all," Amy returned with a tired grin, "I couldn't imagine how he'd be without your unending support. I never knew what he was like before he was in here, but I know he's in such good hands that I feel no guilt for not really knowing all about what life was like before."
"Rest well, Miss Amy, you needn't fear for your dad, not he remains as he is. All of 'em in here have nothing but respect for him. He's still got that nickname Father of the Marshalsea, even after all these years."
At that stage, Amy and Officer Chivery had reached the security gate. She passed through the gate and before the older man locked it behind her; she turned and gave him a hug.
"Thank you Chivery," she whispered to him, "I'm ever so glad that there's someone as wonderful as you who is here."
With that, she released him and stepped away, allowing the gate to close between them.
"Miss Amy, it is my pleasure to be able to be of use. Will you be by next Saturday?"
"Yes, but due to my job I might be late. Please don't tell him though – I'd rather he think I'm preoccupied with something social. I'm sure you remember the way he reacted when Edward got that job one time in the canning factory."
Chivery hummed as he recounted the event, more than four years ago, when Edward had carelessly commented on his menial labour job during a visit; an incident that resulted in a total lockdown.
"My lips are sealed on the matter dear girl. Your secret is safe with me."
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Outside the secure prison, Amy came face to face with a newly familiar face: Arthur Clennam. He stammered an apology for following her, but given what he knew of his mother, wanted a chance to speak to Amy outside the confines of his childhood home.
"I can't help but think my mother is hiding something. She's not one given to think about the needs of others, nor has she expressed a desire for more staff at home. When I was a teen, after her stroke, Dad would always try to convince her to get a gardener or housekeeper, but she always refused. It's unusual that now she's changed her tune. How did she come to find you?"
Amy, although hesitant at first, recounted her story, from meeting the Plornishes, to being laid off as a waitress, to her name being passed on to their landlord. From person to person she relayed to him how she had come to work for his mother. Arthur looked behind them as they walked back into town.
"What is this place?"
Amy looked at him in surprise, "it's the Marshalsea minimum security prison." She followed his gaze before turning back and meeting his eyes, "My father is imprisoned there. He's been there my entire life. I visit him every Saturday afternoon, and sit with him until visiting hours end."
"His crime?"
"Fraud, I believe, plus a few charges of embezzlement. There was some big investment scandal that went down and he had to declare bankruptcy. My siblings and I live with my Uncle Frederick in Public housing in Woolwich."
She didn't know what inspired her to share so much about her own life with him, but she was drawn to his quiet, calm demeanour, and was glad that he didn't judge her for her circumstances.
"It's not too dark out, but would you mind if I walked you home, or to the train station at least? It's been over half a decade since I've been in London, and I find I've missed the place. I've gotten so used to the smog of Beijing, that I've forgotten what the smog of London is like."
Arthur was pleased to make Amy smile at his comment. As they walked she asked what China had been like, and was interested in the world beyond the small amount she had been able to see. He told her of the University he attended, and the constant bustle of the streets no matter the hour and the huge variety of food.
"I've lived so close to the airport all my life, it's just across the river. When I was little I loved seeing the planes fly in and out each day, their lights blinking, and the sound they make as they take off and land. I've dreamt of flying somewhere one day, somewhere quiet with a beach with the whitest sand and clear water where you can see the fish swim."
Amy looked down at her scuffed shoes, embarrassed at once more revealing so much. Her embarrassment was cut short when Arthur returned the favour.
"I remember when I was in high school, we had a class trip to Parliament, and we got to watch a sitting. I was so fascinated at how the politicians wanted to affect change that I spent a year on the debate team trying to get better at public speaking so I could be the next Prime Minister."
They both laughed over their childhood dreams, and chatted about anything that came to mind until they reached the train station and he waved her a final farewell, promising to see her on the Monday.
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Arriving back at the housing block, Amy was glad that it was not yet so dark that it was unsafe to walk alone. It was not that she feared her neighbours, but there was always the risk that there would be a gang in the shadows, or someone lurking in an alleyway with the intent to harm someone walking by. She was forever grateful for the self defence lessons her sister gave her when she was twelve, and even more grateful that she never had a reason to put those skills into practice.
The apartment was as dark as the night sky as she unlocked the front door, seeing a note left by her uncle that he had gone out to rescue Edward from himself. Felicity would be at work until the early hours of the next day. This left Amy to her own devices for the evening, and she was at a bit of a loss for what to do. She thought back to her visit with her father, and how well he had looked, to the surprise of seeing Arthur Clennam lurking outside the prison entrance. She enjoyed talking to him, and privately admitted to herself that he was the most handsome man she had ever met. He was friendly, kind and hadn't judged her for her situation or upbringing.
She made herself dinner, a small meal of pasta and scrambled egg and whiled away the rest of her night waiting for her uncle and brother to return. She watched a late night comedy show as she repaired one of her shirts and rehemmed a pair of pants by hand. Neither Amy, nor her Uncle had a mobile phone, leaving her unable to contact the rest of her family. Only Felicity and Edward had phones, and with her sister at work, and her brother the reason for her Uncle's absence, she was unable to contact anyone to see when they would be home once more. Eventually she called it a night, and surrendered herself to a restless evening, sleeping lightly enough in the hope that she would head the familiar unlocking of the door, and the hushed voices of her uncle and brother to permeate through the unit.
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Amy awoke the next morning to find breakfast already made for her. Uncle Frederick was sitting at the small dining table, tea and toast already made the way, hot and ready for her to devour. Upon asking what time they had returned, Uncle Frederick waved vaguely, not answering the question. As he sat, his oxygen tubing giving his inhalations a quiet hiss, he all but glared at his cup of tea. This roused Amy into asking what was wrong.
"You know how Eddy got himself a job, down at the racetrack? He got himself a gig working for a bookie." Her uncle reminded her. Amy nodded in response and motioned for her uncle to go on.
"Turns out Friday he thought he'd get himself some extra on the side, and started taking side bets, which is completely illegal. Yesterday afternoon he got himself caught by the bookie when someone came to claim a win on the ponies. He's been arrested and charged with embezzlement, which will either end with an 8-month sentence, or community service, and probably a fine as well as restitution of the money he got himself tied up in. They posted his bail at $300."
Amy let her jaw drop as she worked through what had happened. "How much does he owe the bookie?"
"Something like $4000, it was a round figure, I know that much."
"Oh good Lord, He's never going to pay that back." She began to panic, wondering how she would balance putting food on the table, and keeping them all solvent with a debt like that."
Her Uncle put an end to her misery quick smart as he saw the cogs turning in her head, "Now you listen to me Amy. Your brother done himself a bad one and it's not gonna be you that digs him out of this hole, alright? He's the one who get himself into strife, and he's gonna have to be the one to figure out how to pick up that metaphorical shovel and digs his own bloody way out."
"But his bail!" Amy cried, upset at the situation she now found herself in, torn between helping her brother, and listening to her Uncle's advice.
"Your idiot of a brother can sulk in his cell until Tuesday morning when my pension comes through, then I'll pay his bail, and he can add a third sum of money he'll end up owing to another. Don't you worry yourself Amy, he's got himself a tidy and warm holding cell and he'll be fed decent food and the coppers will keep a good eye on him."
Her uncle's kindly mean words did not reassure Amy, and she spent her breakfast time struggling between taking small bites of her buttered toast, and mentally taking small steps towards a plan to make her brother solvent again.
Felicity, when she wandered in shortly before lunch, was brought up to speed. In comparison to Amy's anxiousness, Felicity was a picture of serenity as she heard the news. When their uncle was done wheezing through the details, she announced she was going to have a shower and then read a book.
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Amy waited until she was sure Felicity was out of the shower and dressed before she knocked on her door, a cup of tea in hand for her sister. Felicity took the cup from her and set it down on her vanity before pulling her little sister in for a hug.
"Uncle Frederick's gone next door to watch the game with Mr Exton; would you like me to dry your hair?"
Felicity hummed in the affirmative and handed the hairdryer to her sister before sitting on the chair and facing the vanity mirror. She regarded her little mousy sister's face as her locks were carefully dried, and detected that Amy was not her usual, cheerful self. When Amy switched the hairdryer off and began to brush her hair, Felicity thought it would best if she got to the bottom of Amy's issue sooner rather than later. She couldn't bear to see her baby sister upset.
"What's the matter?"
Amy picked up another lock of Felicity's hair and started absent-mindedly curling it, "I'm worried about Eddy."
Felicity snorted, "He got himself into a mess hasn't he. What was he thinking trying to cheat a bookie? He's learnt that lesson quick smart."
"But Felly, he's could end up in prison. Imagine how much it would break dad's heart to see Eddy there. Then on top of that he's going to have to pay that money back, and Uncle Frederick said he'd have to stay in custody until Tuesday because we don't have any money for his bail, I can't afford to pay his bail if I'm going to put food on the table for us for the next week. I ca-"
She was cut off by her own tears, and then the sobs as she put down her sister's curls and Felicity turned and yanked her sister into her lap for a hug.
"You know he'll be okay, Little Mouse," she comforted her sister, using the nickname they'd bestowed on her at age five when Amy scared the entire family by secreting herself in the bottom shelf of the pantry to smuggle a handful of peanuts.
"Edward is going to be just fine. He's been in scrapes before, this one just happens to be a little bit bigger than the others. He'll be fine in custody until Tuesday; the cops will make sure he's fed, watered and doesn't do anything stupid to himself. You'll see, in fact, why don't we go down to the station we can see for ourselves just how okay he will be until his bail is paid?" Felicity wrapped Amy even tighter in her arms, "You and I will go in, we'll guilt trip our silly older brother and then we'll come home and watch TV for a bit?"
Amy nodded and wiped her eyes and rising from her seat on her sister's lap.
"Remember, Little Mouse, that he'll be okay." Felicity called out as Amy left the room to find some shoes.
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