Chapter 1
1925
Birmingham
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Polly Gray "Shelby" was going down the drain, there was nothing keeping her grounded anymore. Not after what happened, when she was almost hanged. She almost died. Granted that she put herself in a lot of twisted situations, always to do the best for her famiy, it didn't matter what happened as long as they were alright, as long as they had food and a roof over their heads. She'd die for them. But the way Tommy did things, oh it hurt her. When had he ever hid something from her? They always planned everything together. If that was the case, maybe it wouldn't have been so traumatic, so damaging. And now even Michael thought she was wrong, 'you're overreacting, mother, Tommy did the best for the business'. But that's the goddamn point, isn't it? It's family first, not business!
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Thomas Shelby was not a man who would keep trying to get into your good graces, it is the other way around. But this was Polly, his Aunt Polly who did everything she could to raise them, his partner in crime, the closest he had to a mother. So he'd been trying to find a way to make up with her for some time and he had finally found something, or, well, someone. He had located Polly's Anna. It turns out she was alive after all. There was a scheme with the orphanage and she was sold to an Italian man, so getting her was hard but not impossible, not for Tommy Shelby.
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Sicilia, Italia
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The only thing she heard was guns being fired, come yelling and the next thing dhe knew she was being pulled by the arms and taken away forcefully, some dark fabric covering her face. She was now in a boat and who knows what these men are going to do with her, all she could do was pray, and so she fell asleep praying if there was a god to at least give a quick and painless death.
"Hey, wake up, girl, you have to eat" said of the men, with a British accent, thrusting some food into her hands.
She was famished so if she was going to die, she'd at least die with a full stomach.
"We have to take another boat, but you got to hide, ok? We're headed to France"
All she did was nod, apparently she was being sold again. Was being a slave any better than dying?
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Birmingham
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6:45pm
"So how's Polly?"
"You know my mother, stubborn. I don't even know what's worse, the drinks or the drugs"
"Mr. Shelby, there's a call for you"
"I'll take in my study. Wait for me, Michael."
If this was what he was thinking, Polly would forgive him, or at least call a truce.
"We got her, Tommy. Where do we drop her?"
"When are you getting here?"
"By morning, we're taking the night train. Probably by 6 or something."
"I'll meet you at the station, make sure she's presentable, Alfie."
His plan was working well, all he had to do now was make sure Polly didn't overdose or something overnight and was sober enough for her surprise tomorrow morning.
"Michael, I want you to go to your mother's house, get rid of the booze, the drugs, everything."
"Now? But it's night!"
"Yes, now. I'll stop by tomorrow morning and I'd like to speak to Polly, not her corpse. Now do as you're told, please. I'll see you tomorrow too."
"Okay"
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"Hey, beauty, wake up! Take this dress, change, we'll be there soon. You, go with her, I don't want any funny business when we're so close to keeping up our end of the bargain."
Walking down a corridor with a big man following her, she found a place to change. It was a nice dress, loose light blue, definitely not what she had back in Italy. She looked half decent now, opening the door she thought she could run, find a police officer and try a new life, free. So that's what she did, but the man caught up with her and her little foolish plan and striked up her face, and dragged her back to the compartment.
"The fuck is her face red for? Tommy said not to touch her!"
"The bitch tried to run away! I was just stopping her!"
"Well love, just listen, we are getting you to fucking Birmingham, and you are not going to fucking run away on us, because then we'll have to kill you. Is that better?"
For a moment he looked unsure she had understood what he said, so he made a point of repeating with gestures to emphasize and make her get the message. And there she sat looking at them in silence. For him, it was good enough, soon she'd be Thomas Shelby's problem. After what felt like just a couple of minutes, she was being shaken awake.
"Wake up, doll. We're here, don't try anything!"
And so she was being escorted out of the train by three men, and apparently was going to be given to another men that looked less like brutes, but it was no better.
"So, my dear friend, here's your girl. I guess you'll be handling that matter for me?"
"Consider it done. But I think I told you not to touch her. Why is her cheek the size of I don't even know what?"
"It's not my fault, your girl tried to run away, had to stop her! Plus, she apparently can't understand a fuck of what we say, so I'd start working on that.
Well, anyway, she's your to figure out now."
"Thank you, Alfie. You'll know about that soon enough."
Looking at the girl he could tell she was Polly's. She had dark eyes and hair, with a pale complexion, delicate traces and a look that screamed a strong will. It would be fun to see this unfold. Climbing into his bentley they went to Polly's house. Soon they got there, would this girl recognize her mother? Would she run away?
"Come, you will meet a person. You won't be hurt."
He knocked on the door and waited.
"Good morning, Pol."
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So, what do you think? I'll be posting the second chapter as soon as I finish it! You can leave me ideas and tell me what you'd like to see unfold here! And thank you for reading it!