Chapter 2

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"So that's why Michael stopped by last night, threw away everything. Because of the great Thomas Shelby."

Letting himself in, he took the girl by the arm.

"And who's the poor thing you're dragging around? God, she looks dead on her feet. Did you feed her after using her for whatever reason?! Are you hungry, dear? I'll get you some coffee."

Throwing curses under her breath she went to get something for the girl to eat, there wasn't much considering she'd been living almost completely of alcohol.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Oh, so you do speak!"

"Vaffanculo, figlio di puttanna! Tu..."

"Shut up already! Focus on your coffee."

"Don't yell under my roof, Thomas!"

Damn this was going to be difficult, when she called him 'Thomas' he knew he was deep in it.

"Then let me start again, Pol. Does she remind you of someone? Does she look familiar?"

"Cut to the chase, will you?"

There was no better way than just say it anyway. The girl was scared and Polly was in no mood, so...

"This girl is Anna Gray, your daughter, I located her in Italy and arranged so that she could be brought here. You're welcome."

He didn't know who looked more shocked, Polly, who now had tears in her eyes, or the girl, who looked like she couldn't breathe.

Slowly Polly made her way to the girl, her Anna, touched her hair and just looked at her like she was the most beautiful and amazing thing in the world.

Anna was looking shocked but let Polly pull her into a hug.

"Oh, Anna, dear...I-they told me you were dead...I-I-oh"

Polly Gray was crying.

"Wait-wait a minute! Wh-how-what's going on? No! How do you know this? Is that why you had your...men...kidnap me?And if you are my mother, why didn't you go after me before?"

"I couldn't! I didn't know where they took you! And then...they told me you'd died! Please, understand..."

And the room was filled with tension, they both had tear filled eyes, breathing heavy and trying to make sense of what was happening.

"I'll leave you two now, I have a meeting to attend."

The two women looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity. And Polly, as hangover as she was, was already trying to mother her little girl.

"Are you alright? Do you want to lie down? What happened to your face, who did this to you?"

"I-it's...um...they hit me, but it's fine. But-explain to me...how did I get taken away? Why didn't you try to find me before?"

And so Polly told her everything, how the police took them away from her, and that now they'd be together, finally!

"And I looked for you, the both of you. But they told me you were dead, buried in Australia. But what about you? What really happened?"

"Well, I don't really know where to start. I was very little so I don't remember much. I was sent to France, I spent a couple of years there, but when I turned 14...well, a man, an italian, took me, and he...that's where I've been, in Italy. And then those men took me and I was so scared, but I guess it was a good thing, right? You...will you let me stay? I can work! I-I'll find a way to pay..."

Polly couldn't even begin to imagine what she had gone through, what she had to do to survive.

"Yes, of course you'll stay here. This is your house now, your home if you want it to be. And I promise, no one...nothing will ever harm you again! I'm your mother and I'll protect you, my little girl."

Anna had never had someone say anything like that before, someone to care for her. And so she hugged her mother like her life depended on it, and cried all the hurt away.

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Thomas Shelby's Office

"Tommy, you wanted to see me first thing today."

"Yes, I made a deal with Alfie Solomons. That London issue of his is now ours to handle. But that was not what I wanted you here for. I found your sister, she's alive."

"So you are going to go after her?"

"She's already here, with your mother. I thought you should know, maybe you'll want to swing by Polly's later."

"Uh-how-you didn't say anything..."

"I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up in vain. If you need, take the day off, go see them. And then you and John will be off to solve that little problem."

"Okay, uh, thank you."

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Polly Gray's House

Anna was now asleep, after the last couple of nights she had, she was completely dead. Polly could not believe she was there, so she was just watching Anna sleep, crying, praying and thanking God for this blessing. She heard footsteps and decided to let ber angel sleep and went to check who was at her house.

"Polly, it's me. Michael called and told me and I came to check on you."

"Oh, Ada, it's her, my little angel."

"Polly, that's amazing, I know Tommy would only bring her if he was sure. Where is she?"

"Asleep, upstairs. Oh, I can't bring myself to imagine just what she went through m, Ada."

"Pol, the important thing is that she's here now! And won't be taken away from you again! Here, I brought some breakfast, figured you'd be needing something a little more than just black coffee."

And the two of them went to sit by the fire and Polly told Ada just what had happened that morning.

"And where's Michael? You said he was the one who told you, so he knows. Why isn't he here?"

"Well, I don't know. Maybe he's busy and will stop by later."

"Maybe."

They were still deep in a sort of hushed conversation when they heard someone coming down the stairs.

"Sweetheart, come here. This is Ada, she's Thomas' sister. She brought us breakfast."

"Hi, Anna! Polly was telling me about you, it's so nice to meet you."

Anna was looking at Ada with a guarded expression, she figured if Polly trusted her, she was good enough. She figured that she would meet a lot of new people from now on.

"Hi, Ada. M-what shoul I call you? Is mother alright?"

"It's more than alright!"

"Uh-my face is hurting a bit, mother, uh, do you have some ice?"

"Oh,come here, let's fix that. But first, est something, you must be feeling weak."

Ada had never seen Polly talk to anyone like that, not even her. She thought best to leave them alone to get acquainted. Maybe this would bring the family back together. Maybe this was proof that Tommy was redeeming himself to the family, nothing better than to start with Polly. Perhaps this was a good omen, a sign that from now on things would only get better.

Poor Ada, how wrong she was...

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