The Girl and The Gangster
Summary: After being turned down from every secretarial role in Birmingham, Alice becomes desperate. Unable to provide for her sick mother, herself and more importantly, her young child, she takes a chance on joining the Shelby Company ltd. But when she runs into a familiar face, her whole world comes crumbling down around her.
Chapter Thirty-Three
It was too early for him, Michael loved a lie in, but he still had business and as much as he didn't want to leave Alice alone in their bed, it was a necessary evil he had to do. He tried his best not to disturb her from her sleep, but as soon as he moved an inch, she followed him. Once he was out of the bed, he pulled the sheet over her and watched her cuddle with it instead. He shouldn't have stayed the night, it only made it harder for him to leave again but he knew that he would be back home in a day or two and that would have to be comfort enough. It would be easy to stay away if she could keep herself out of trouble for another few hours, but for some reason, lately trouble was attracted to Alice.
The drive up to The Hamptons took longer than he had anticipated but as he pulled up outside the listed house, he knew that the travel would be worth it. He greeted the estate agent with a handshake and followed the man into the house.
"There are four bedrooms, two living areas and a study; I know that you had requested to see a house that would have a suitable area for you to conduct your business," he led Michael to the study and watched as he looked around the room, "I hope this is to your liking."
He ran his fingertips along the mahogany desk and tried to imagine himself and his family spending their summers in this place. "It's cosy and so far, to my liking." He turned his attention back to the realtor. "I believe there is a pool."
"There is, currently it is a bit run down and neglected due to the fall and winter months, but we can have someone come out to clean it out." He explained as he led Michael to the back of the house.
"Is the pool heated? I have a fussy little boy and I know that he won't get into cold water. His baths always have to be near piping hot."
"Not currently I'm afraid, but I'm sure we can arrange something."
"Fine." Michael placed his hands in his pockets and paced slowly at the side of the pool. This place was everything he had pictured and what he knew Alice would want in a vacation home. "Shall we draw up the contract?"
The hotel staff began to arrange the tables to Alice's liking as she surveyed them, clinging to her clipboard for dear life, she was so nervous about her gala now that it was only a night away and she planned to stick to her notes to the very letter. This night had to be a success mainly because of the cause she was supporting, but partly for the people that would be in attendance; she couldn't make herself out to be a fool, she'd never live the embarrassment down. The clinking of bottles stopped her impending panic attack and she looked over her shoulder to see Paul and a few of his Flatheads hauling in crates of alcohol.
"You have heard of a little thing called prohibition, haven't you?" she asked with a sigh.
"Of course, but Tommy sent these over because he wasn't able to attend. He said there's too much happening in parliament to leave." Paul set his crate on the floor and stretched out his aching back. "Or something like that, I stopped listening when I heard the word 'parliament'."
Alice lifted out one of the bottles, raising a brow at the Shelby Company logo. "He didn't send this to benefit the gala, but to promote his gin. Take this stuff to the kitchens and give it to the staff, we will not be serving alcohol at a charity gala."
Paul nodded at his men and waited for them to head into the kitchens with the crates. He wasn't stupid, he could feel a bit of tension radiating from Alice and he could hazard a guess as to why. "Has Michael called?"
"No." she heard Paul let out a little breath of relief, he thought he was off the hook. "He visited last night, drove all the way home from Detroit." She glared down at her clipboard and turned her back to Paul.
"I thought you were mad at me. I know you asked to keep our discussion private, but Michael is a dear friend. He was worried."
"And you worried him even more for no reason at all." She peered over her shoulder at him, briefly. "Nora visited yesterday and told me what happened. I took off my own dress and danced until I passed out, no cocaine, only drink."
"I bet you were relieved; I know you were panicking."
"I understand how fond of Michael you are, but I'd like to think that if I confide in you in the future, that you won't run and tell my husband. It's my duty to tell him what's happening, we don't keep secrets and we tell each other face to face."
Paul nodded and it seemed as if he understood where Alice was coming from, but it didn't mean she trusted him to stay quiet if she needed him to. The more powerful Michael became, the more it felt like she was under a microscope; she wouldn't be surprised if she found out that Dr Krol reported all their sessions to Michael as well.
The reunion with her son was long overdue, she hated not having both of her children by her side but seeing his eyes light up as he came home made her grin as wide as her face would let her. Johnny's little arms wrapped around her as she squeezed him tight. Alice planted a long kiss on the top of Johnny's head before looking up at Pol, noticing that Michael didn't return with them. Pol could tell by her face that she was confused, upset even, and stepped towards her. "He is close to the city; he's just finishing off some business."
"What business?" Alice hated surprises, good or bad she liked to know what was going on, she hoped that Pol would tell her, but she was going to stay tight lipped.
"I'm not sure, I was just told business. Is Rosie asleep?" Pol gave Alice a quick hug as she passed by her.
"She should be awake still; I've only put her down."
Pol nodded and made her way up the stairs, tiptoeing to her granddaughter's room eagerly.
Alice fixed something for Johnny to eat at set him up at the table as she watched him with a hot cup of coffee in her hand. He seemed starving after his journey back and didn't hesitate to tuck into his lunch. "Did you have a good time with dad in Detroit?"
"Yeah, though most of the time I was really bored."
"Was it not fun looking at all the buildings?"
"No, but dad let me bring a toy wherever we went so I guess it was okay." He shrugged his shoulders a little as he played with the vegetables on his plate, deciding the dodge them for the time being.
"Did you go anywhere nice?"
"We went to a park and a fancy restaurant with dangly chandeliers!"
"That sounds lovely." Alice stepped out of the kitchen and looked at the clock in the hallway with a sigh, she was going to have to start getting herself and the kids ready for her event and she wondered if Michael would make it back in time. She knew she was going to have to make a speech, one that she had memorised but now that she started to worry, all the words she had wrote slipped out of her mind. She stepped back into the kitchen and finished her coffee quickly. "Finish your vegetables and then we'll get you bathed and into your new suit."
The flashing of the photographer's bulbs was blinding and all the noise in the hall made her head spin, but she was glad to see such a turn out for the gala and she knew that she would have to charm as many donations out of her guests as possible. As she moved through the crowd, she noticed that many of her guests were either drinking or already drunk and when she saw Paul with one of Tommy's gin bottles, she almost lost her cool.
"Why is gin being served?" she asked him quietly.
"The mayor expressed how much he wanted a drink and one thing led to another," he smirked at her annoyance and placed his hand on her shoulder, "at least it'll be easier to get a bit more money out of these people."
"There are photographers outside for the newspapers, I don't really want to see my drunken guests all over the tabloids, especially when this gala is to raise money for a rehabilitation centre."
"You worry too much, Alice. In that blue dress, the only thing that'll be in the tabloids is you and the money you're about to raise."
She glanced down at the royal blue gown and raised a brow at Paul. "Flattery will get you nowhere, but make sure the drinks served to those already drunk is watered down, and only soft drinks after I've gathered their money."
As she stepped away from Paul, she lit up a cigarette and set her sights on Jimmy Walker, the mayor would be her best chance at a sizeable donation, especially after the successful deal that Michael pulled off.
"Mrs Gray, I must say that you've put together a wonderful evening." He said after taking a huge gulp of the gin.
"Well it is a worthy cause that I'm raising the money for." She glanced down at his almost empty drink and tried her best to keep a distained look from her face. "I do hope that you're enjoying yourself."
"Oh, of course I am. Will your husband be making an appearance tonight? I haven't had the pleasure of running into him."
Alice wished that Michael would be back in time to make an appearance, but she wasn't sure. "He will, he's just running a little late. You know how long business meetings can run on for."
"Well I look forward to seeing him and you can believe that I'll be writing a cheque for your cause."
She dropped her cigarette into an ash tray and sought to mingle with the many strangers that came to the gala, may of them she had recognised from the newspapers and many she didn't know at all. For the first time, she was relieved to see Nora as she waved over at her with a smile.
"Don't you look like a lost soul, what's troubling you sis?"
"I have to make a speech and my stomach is in absolute knots." Alice rested her hands on her hips and let out a sigh. "I'm so nervous that I think I might puke."
"Would you like a drink to settle the nerves." Nora waved over one of the waiters excitedly and glanced down at Alice. "I was surprised to see gin being served."
"Trust me, so was I but no thank you to the drink. I need my head to be clear."
"Then I'll just get myself another." She lifted a glass from the waiter's tray and ate him up with her eyes. "Are you sure you don't want one, or are you petrified that Michael would complain at you."
"Michael doesn't complain when I have a drink, he complains when I get myself into a mess." She looked over her shoulder as a few of the hotel staff began to set up the small stage area and let out a deep breath. She lit up another cigarette, dragging it down quickly, praying that it would relieve the nerves, but it didn't. "I suppose I better go over there and get myself ready."
Nora raised her glass towards her and shot her a wink with a smirk. "Break a leg." She took a sip of the gin and watched as Alice made her way to the stage. Alice's life was too easy, and she could only imagine the praise for her that would be all over the newspapers; the jealousy was eating up at her. In her mind, it should've been her on that stage, on the cover of magazines and in the headlines, not her dull little sister.
All the attention was on her, and eager ears awaited to hear what she had to say. She waited for the microphone to be tested and once she had all clear, she stepped forward and kept her hands clasped in front of her.
"Thank you all for attending tonight, I don't think you realise how much I appreciate you being here," she quickly scanned the crowd for any sign of Michael but she still couldn't see him, "I want to thank you also for any donations you choose to make, many of you may not realise how close to my heart rehabilitation is but my nearest and dearest do and my therapist, Dr Krol definitely does," she saw Dr Krol somewhere in the middle and felt a little more at ease when he gave her a reassuring nod, "probably a little too well. For many years all of us whether we are British or American have experienced some sort of trauma or stress after the war, some have turned to alcohol to cope or have just let their mental health deteriorate. For me it wasn't the war that brought me to my knees," she stared down at the floor as she tried to suppress the image of Danny's body out of her head; a part of her wanted to just talk about what she had done and have the guilt gone once and for all, but the more sensible part of her knew that it would be best to keep the secret in the family, when she looked up, the sight of Michael with his mother and their children eased a little bit of that guilt, "and thankfully I had a good support system behind me who knew that reaching out to Dr Krol was the healthiest thing to do. Too many times we have put people with the same issues as me into an asylum and lock away the key instead of trying to help and getting them back to their daily lives. All the money raised will go towards a facility with people like Dr Krol looking after patients and diagnosing their problems. The Gray Institute will always be there for yourselves and family or anyone who needs the help to heal and flourish. Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy the rest of your night."
She left the stage to the sound of a small applause and the continuing of the party. Michael looked proud as he handed Rosie over to his mother and greeted her with a kiss on her cheek. "You spoke well, very well."
"Could you tell that I was nervous?"
"No, you were a professional up there. I'm sorry that I was late."
"At least you're here. I was worried that you weren't going to make it."
"Well I wouldn't miss this for the world," he caressed her cheek and placed his forehead against hers. "As an apology for my lateness, I will match the donations from Shelby Company ltd, made tonight as well as my own personal contribution."
"That's too much, Michael."
"No, I want to support you, if anything it's not enough." When she went to say something else, he took his head away from hers and smiled. "Don't argue, I've already spoke with Tommy and he has agreed to it."
Alice peered over his shoulder at Pol. "Please tell him, when you see him, thank you."
"I will, just go and collect those cheques, make my son pay a hefty sum."
A:N Sorry for the wait for an update, I hope you enjoyed reading and thank you for all the support!