Chapter 23)Pandora's box
.-.-.
"What's she to you?" Polly questioned, blunt and to the point when her nephew staggered down the stairs. It was early in the morning, the two brother's had returned at dawn. As she recalled from their unsteady feet and slamming doors that shook their entire household, both of them had have been drinking more than just one pint.
Miraculously, Tommy looked rather equipped and had taken the time to shower. His three piece suit was impeccable and untarnished. Tommy's self confidence grew and it started to show. His aura of pristine and class was in complete contrast of the broken persona he'd been back at the stables.
It left Polly with mixed feelings. Torn. The angel on her shoulder whispered in her ear how well Tommy was. So much closer to his former self, no longer weighed down by his disability. There lay new restored hope in his eyes. His bold way of running their family business however, didn't settle with Polly.
The devil on her shoulder reminded her firmly that her nephew was being influenced by a lass. One that Polly handpicked herself, but a lass however. And since all men followed their dick, it was Polly's job to firmly remind Tommy to keep his distance with that gorger wench.
"Well?" Polly pressed when her nephew rubbed the back of his neck and lazely slumbered down at the kitchen table. "Answer me!"
Her nephew innocently tilted his head, his nescience a facade. She knew that stubborn stern look of his.
"The girl, why take her along with you and Arthur to the brothel?" Polly continued her interrogation, repelled by his careless behaviour. He'd placed them all on thin ice now that the Blinders where in charge of the Shepherd. The wrath of the Italian wasn't one to underestimate. Russo had a mean streak, even his relatives and hush-money couldn't silence his reputation.
No, Polly did not want Russo as an enemy. And the fact that Arthur and Tommy had snatched his club from under his ass was a big mistake.
"Thomas, answer me!"
Unblemished Tommy stared at her and bobbed his finger against his Adam's apple then shrugged his shoulders, playing the simple minded mute. She was sick of that role.
"You've insulted Russo the first time you smashed his club. Why take the girl back to his place, especially after dragging her out of it, with so much bombast. Do not take me for a fool, Thomas, first you've disrespected the Italians and now you try to outsmart them."
Her words stroked his ego, pride and hauteur glowed in his eyes and a coy smile dared to creep upon upon his face.
It made her explode. "If you stare at me with such self-righteous smile any longer I will slap it right off!"
Tommy rolled his eyes and took his notebook out of his inside pocket. How do you know? He scribbled down fast, not minding his horrible handwriting.
"Arthur told me how he won the Shepherd during your poker game. It's not that hard to put two and two together. See, Arthur can't bluff to save his life and Russo isn't the man who'd lose his business by a simple game. You'd never been so reckless, Thomas. You are not a fool but you bloody well are acting like one. And there is only one thing that causes men like you to turn into complete morons."
Somehow he thought her rant was amusing. His brows darted up and he chuckled, staring humoured at his aunt.
"You're jealous. Russo nearly took your lass and made her his working girl. I'm not blind and I've known you for long. He took what was yours and you've stolen what's his, to get even."
For a moment Tommy's face was expressionless, staring blankly at her, he slowly drew his hand up and tapped his index finger against his temple.
"Oh, don't tell me I'm crazy and seeing things wrong. You've been thinking with your cock ever since you've dragged your lass out of the Shepherd. I know the details, Arthur told me. You hired her as a working-girl and had her upstairs for a while. So is that what it takes to turn Tommy fucking Shelby into a bloody idiot? One girl spreading her legs?!"
Tommy's expression made him look as if he was contemplating a murder but he didn't respond.
"You cannot afford to grow reckless! We cannot afford to become this reckless! So for God's sake, whatever feelings you have for her, away with it! There are a million's of whores in this city you can use. Hell, I think you practically got half of them on your payroll right now!"
Frustration getting the best of him, Tommy drew his fists down on the table and there was a muscle twitching in his jaw. His chair scrunched loudly over the floor and Polly watched his tense backside march up into the hallway, taking his jacket. A few seconds later the front door slammed shut.
'That could have gone worse', she thought sarcastically and huffed. 'Men, all bloody morons…'
Luckily for the sake of the Shelby family there was another woman in their middle. One with a sassy mouth and a complete rubberneck. One most of them underestimated and would be able to receive information from a whole other source.
Without finishing her morning tea, Polly marched up the stairs and bursted into Ada's bedroom. The teen was hidden in a fortress of blankets and pillows. Pushing off a layer of cushions the sleepy head of Ada appeared, hair as a bird's nest and eyes puffy and unfocussed.
"Is it morning already?" The young woman murmured, lips perched and arms stretching lazely. Ignoring Ada's morning dread, Polly sat down and brought her face close to her niece's.
"Ada, you know how we all always treat you like a child?"
Her niece's eyes rolled to the back of her head. "How can I forget?" she pouted.
"Today is the day I will treat you as an adult," Polly promised, "I need you to do something for me."
Her revelation caught Ada's attention and excitement flickered in her eyes. "Really? What do you need me to do?"
"Shake hands with the devil."
.-.-.
Maria was surprised when Ada Shelby appeared at her doorstep. A pleasant surprise to say the least. The tension between Maria and her mother could easily be cut with a knife. Her sisters were caught in the middle of it and both were already troubled. The twins had trouble adjusting to their new home and their traumatic event at the Uncle's house was still fresh in their memory.
Both had growing tantrums and at times outbursts of wailing. Their short lives had been deprived from everything happy and safe. The lack of a prominent father figure and safety marked them. The death of their brother and father, the burning of their former home, left deep wounds. At all times everything they valued could be lost. So every time their mum left to buy groceries, April, the oldest by fifteen minutes, would have a fit. To occupy herself and block her upcoming stress she'd plague and bully her younger sibling relentlessly.
May, the shyest of the two would in return try to hide from her sister. The result was one of the girls hiding in their bedroom or bathroom and the other one kicking and screaming to get access.
Before lunch, Maria had dragged April by her ear out of the hallway and gave her a smack on the back of her head when she wouldn't stop crying. Her other sister was wailing inside the bathroom, crying that she'd drenched her socks - her only socks- and had nothing to wear on her feet.
Ada's scrunched up noise spoke volumes when she entered the two bedroom apartment, but she didn't say a word about the poverty surrounding her.
Seeing a new face gave the twins a moment to bury their hatchet and present themselves as two well-mannered girls.
Maria used the temporary truce to make tea, hang May's wet socks on the clothing line that zigzagged through their living room and gave herself a moment to brush her unkempt hair.
Soon after their unannounced guest sipped from her tea their mum came back from the market. And since her mother had marked every Shelby as a bad omen, her appearance towards Ada was rather hostile. She did not greet the girl, nor did she introduce herself.
While her mother franticly signed what that Shelby girl was doing on their sofa, Maria clenched her jaw and signed back that it was none of her business.
The twins heads zigzagged from their mother's furious motions back to their sister's agitated gestures and even Ada, who couldn't read sign language that fast, was well aware the bickering between mother and daughter was about her.
Maria flared her nostrils when her mother dared to sign that she wanted that Shelby girl out of her house. With a quick motion she firmly reminded her mother that for the record their house belonged to the Shelby's, as probably the entire street belonged to the Shelby's. And that it wasn't in their best interest to get cross with the family, who kept them safe and sound with a roof over their head.
Tight-lipped she smiled at Ada and took her practically full cup of tea from her hands to dump it in the kitchen sink.
Ignoring her mother she motioned Ada to come outside and slammed their front door shut so loud her mum was able to feel the walls shake.
"I'm sorry, for all of that," Maria excused herself dejected and sunk her hands into the pockets of her overcoat.
"Oh no worries, you've met my family. It's rather relaxing to be in the middle of a fight without the sound of death threats, curses and cutlery being thrown," Ada told jokingly and patted her on the back. "Let's go do something fun, ay? Have you ever been to the cinema?"
.-.-.
A whole new, two dimensional, black and white world opened up for Maria. She'd been hesitant at first to spend her day with Ada. Not because she was a Shelby, but because money was tight and she didn't have a penny in her pocket. But Ada had firmly told her not to worry about that. She'd had never paid for a film ticket in her entire life and assured Maria she'd be granted free entrance as well.
As the red curtains railed open Maria allowed herself to sit back in the velvety cinema seat. Breathless, she watched how Charlie Chaplin solved the mysteries of a collapsible deck chair and giggled unflattering of the silliness. The music was cheery and carried the story.
After the movie ended she was still in awe how it was possible for all those images to appear on a white screen.
Ada emptied her popcorn basket above her wide opened mouth and ruffled through her hair to lose all the crumbs.
"You're easily amazed, aren't ya?" Ada teased, cheeks puffed with popcorn.
Maria nodded sheepish gaze still glued on the empty screen.
After the staff kindly asked them to leave the theater, Ada took it upon herself to indulge Maria into the perks of being a woman.
Ada batted her eyelids and pouted when asking for a cigarette while they settled at a local restaurant. The waiter did not hesitate to place a cigarette between her yearning lips and lit it for her.
Ada's eyes hinted with sass and motioned to Maria, mentioning that it wasn't polite to leave a woman waiting.
Maria tried to tell Ada and the waiter that she didn't smoke, but Ada wouldn't hear any of it and asked for one more cigarette and the waiter's box of matches.
"All posh girls smoke Holy Mary, don't be such a goody-two-shoes." Ada patted her cigarette on the rim of the ashtray. "Look, it's not hard." With elegance she brought her cigarette back between her lips, turned them into a little 'o' and sucked on the edge of her cigarette. "See, very lady-like. Try it."
Receiving Ada's half smoked cigarette Maria held it awkwardly between her fingers and crunched up her nose.
Ada snorted and took the liberty to light the other cigarette.
Maria pressed the end of her cigarette between her lips and inhaled. Her mouth filled up with smoke and her eyes watered. Determined to show Ada she was not a sweet summer child, she took another drag. Trying to swallow the revolting taste of nicotine she started coughing loudly.
Ada clapped her hands and threw her head back while laughing. Entertained, she patted her tablemate on her back until Maria had her breath back under control.
"It's disgusting!" Maria stated nauseated.
"Nonsense, it's like wine, it'll grow on you," Ada informed her bossily and shoved the ashtray in her direction.
"I don't drink either," Maria informed sourly glancing cautiously at her cigarette.
"Oh sweet Jesus," Ada snorred and snapped her fingers to get the waiter's attention, "honestly you are the last person on earth qualified to working for my brother."
The waiter came to their table and Ada ordered two chocolate egg creams.
To please her dictatorial acquaintance, Maria took another drag of her cigarette. The taste remained revolting but this time she didn't cough up her lungs. Well aware of her victory she caught Ada's pleased eyes and for a while the two girls smoked as graceful as they could be.
"So have you been sleeping with my brother then?" Ada said out of the blue at the exact moment the waiter placed two large jugs of egg cream.
A flush crept upon Maria's face and she dodged Ada's eager gaze. "No, I haven't."
"So you don't fancy a cock then?" Ada asked amused, wiggling with her eyebrows.
Maria honestly did not know what to say to that and occupied herself by fiddling her straw through her drink.
"Are you a virgin?" Ada questioned on, "seeing your ears turn red, my bets are on yes. A good thing I guess, for a girl like you."
Somehow it struck her how Ada put her on her place, as the gullible Catholic town girl. It stung although she took great pride in her abstinence.
"I've slept with four men, not all at the same time of course," Ada continued, "they are all different yet all the same. Promising posh girls heaven and eternal love, up until they shoot their goods. Doesn't matter though, as long as they are good in the sack." Very suggestively she sucked on her straw. "Three bets that you haven't sucked any cock." She scoffed registering Maria's awkwardness on the subject.
"Why is talking about sex such a taboo for you?"
"Because," Maria stated, tugging on the short ends of her hair. "It's not something you talk about," she added when she realised Ada wouldn't take that as an answer. "It's something you do behind closed doors with your husband and don't mention to anyone else."
"Husband," Ada giggled and tsked. "We are from two completely different words," Ada stated the obvious, "I can't remember one night that I didn't overhear my folks shagging. Aunt Pol never was a prude and told me all there is to know about men when I started having my period. My brother's… well I don't think I have to get into details, they where a bunch of horny dogs. Still are by the way."
Maria started to wonder why on earth they were having this conversation and felt very out of her elements.
"Ever kissed a boy?" Ada's questionnaire continued.
"Yes, twice." Maria admitted, remembering the fury that unleashed inside her father when he found out she'd been making out with one of the choir boys at the back of their chapel during Easter mass. It was probably the most deviant thing she'd done and had earned her a flogging from her usually calm father.
"We're getting somewhere!" Ada coached enthusiastic. "So how was that?"
"Wet," Maria stated recalling how inexperience both of them had been.
"You sure know how to kill the thrill don't you?" Ada snorted, eyes darting back on their waiter. "Did it feel good?"
Maria shrugged. "I guess. But I got punished for it. I've never seen my father so furious."
"Curse of being a woman," Ada stated. "For the record, if my brothers ask, I'm a little angel. They will personally hunt the poor sod down and cut off his manhood if they find out I've been sleeping around."
Maria nodded sheepish and finished her drink, thinking Ada's questions had been answered.
"Aunt Pol asked me in secret to find out what you are to Tommy," Ada suddenly blurted out. "I was supposed to keep that all a secret and fish the information out of you. But honestly, I don't think you are a threat or capable to endanger my family's business and consider you a friend."
Maria's heart fluttered when she heard Ada addressing their friendship. Since she moved to Small Heath this was the first time she'd spent time with anyone her peers. To hear someone call her a friend mattered more to her then all money she'd earned.
"So, please answer aunt Pol's question, so I can get back to her and we can continue our Saturday well spent." Ada pushed her jug out of the way and leaned on her elbow. "What is my brother to you?"
"He's my employer," Maria spoke honest, "he saved me and my family out of a horrible situation and provided a roof over our head. I am very grateful for his actions, but I'm aware he did it because I am of value to him."
"In all honesty, the old Tommy hadn't glanced at you twice." Ada told her matter-of-factly, studying her fingernails. "If he'd been alright in the head he wouldn't be offering a house to a random working class girl, saving you as a knight in shining armour. Consider yourself lucky I guess."
Maria figured she'd be the last one to be considered lucky seeing her record of previous misfortune, but let it pass. Today was a good day, she'd been out of the house. She saw a film for the first time and considered someone as a friend. That was more than she'd expected from a free saturday afternoon.
.-.-.
The boys were out and good riddance. Arthur's ego had grown the size of a zeppelin since he'd became the official owner of the place 'with the most tits in town'. John was partly in awe and partly annoyed that they hadn't taken him to their meeting with Russo. Tommy had been in a sour-mood since their kitchen encounter in the morning and stubbornly refuse to look at her or acknowledge her presence.
Finn was off to bed so that left the two Shelby woman to their brooding and plotting.
"She bought the whole friend thing," Ada informed her, "like you predicted."
"Good, that'll allow her to keep her guard down around you. I'm certain she's loyal to Tommy and therefore very reluctant to speak with me. But a girl like her needs a listening ear. Someone-"
"-Like me," Ada piped in, "you're repeating yourself Pol." Thoughtfully she hummed, "I honestly don't think you should feel threatened of her. I swear her ears turned red when I slipped the word 'cock'. She barely kissed a boy."
"She's not the one I worry about," Polly muttered tight-lipped.
Ada rolled her eyes and threw her hands at the ceiling. "And what if Tommy tries to shag her? So what?"
"Remember what happened last time that girl disappeared?" Polly reminded her niece to Tommy immediate withdraw from their house and business. "What do you think happens if Tommy does what Tommy used to do best? That little Catholic sweetheart won't be a match for Tommy and sooner than later she'll flee. And guess who's picking up the pieces?"
Ada hummed, considering her aunt's horrible prediction.
"But she is not his type. Honestly he wouldn't even glance at her twice when he was-"
"-Was, that's the thing Ada. When he was, but he isn't anymore. And he's able to speak with this girl, spends an awful amount of time with her. He's having the complete upperhand in the situation." Polly cursed herself. "When I picked her out of the crowd at the market-"
"-God, you and your plotting and planning." Ada groaned and rubbed her temples. "Honestly, what did you think was going to happen if you toss someone of the opposite sex into Tommy's lap. Them picking daisies, drinking tea, having a fucking picnic?"
"I hoped to bring him out of his shell," Polly answered, but keeping Tommy tremendous amount of self destruction to herself. His sister didn't need to know how close her brother had been to killing himself.
"Well, you bloody well did." Ada grinned.
"I bloody well did," Polly repeated and wondered what kind of turmoil would appear from Pandora's box.
.-.-.
A/N: I think it's hilarious that the entire population of Small Heath thinks Maria and Tommy are sleeping with each other while, yet I'm at chapter 23 and they haven't even kissed. It's a very very very slow burn, but fear not I've written the first and second kiss. It just takes more time than usual. Because I'm a little corney and it all has to 'matter' and 'make sense'...So bare with me, for them to get to the first kiss...well let's say some gruesome things need to happen first.
That said I also like to applause Polly for being a total backstabber. But I guess that's what I like about her. Everything for the family!
Also I'm trying my best to keep true to the time. The movie they saw was one of Charlie Chaplin's and was shown in 1919. If I happen to make a mistake feel free to point it out.
Eggcream, is a real thing, I couldn't find a specific type of soda so I used this, if the drink doesn't make sense, feel free to point out.
Yes, Arthur's ego can be the size of a zeppelin, they were invented long before.
Thank you again for reading, I promise next chapter won't involve so much gossip and rubbernecking.
Xoxox Nukyster
