Chapter 16 - How's business?
The next morning Tommy was up early reading the paper and eating breakfast Grace had prepared. One by one, Hung and Over, crawled back into the bright light of sobriety. "Morning Shelbies!" he happily cried out, fully aware of their sensitive states. "Not now Tommy," said John with a palm on his forehead. "Breakfast boys?" Grace asked. Both nodded and took a seat at the table across from Tommy. Tommy put his newspaper down. "So perhaps we should discuss business, while you two are still here," said Tommy. Both brothers looked startled. Grace placed cups of coffee on the table.
"What do you mean, Tom?" asked John.
"I mean how's the business?" Tommy asked directly. Arthur and John exchanged looks.
"I mean you two didn't just come all the way down here just to see me," prodded Tommy. He took a drag from a cigarette. "We did, come to see you," said John nervously.
"Look, I'm not going to get mad or upset. So take the kid gloves off, and tell me how it is," said Tommy calmly. There was a pause before anyone spoke. Grace placed a plate of breakfast in front of each brother. "Coming down to see you was our primary objective," Arthur said finally. "Primary? So what's the secondary?" pried Tommy. He took another drag from his cigarette. "To bring you back," Arthur said softly. They all exchanged looks at the table. "When you left, everything seemed fine at first. People kept asking 'why' you left, but we was in charge so it didn't matter as much, except we didn't really know what to tell them. When you didn't come back for a while, people started losing faith. That's when Sabini made his move, " explained Arthur in a low voice, "he said he knew why you left, and he started taken out some of our weaker links in London." Tommy studied his words. Grace listened beside him carefully.
"We know you told us or at least tried, but hearing it from Sabini … well, we had to make sure you were alright," remarked John.
"How many other people know?" asked Tommy.
"Just family," assured Arthur. Tommy felt something at his side, but it was just his hand cupping his expanded middle. He couldn't remember how it got there. John slowly dung into his breakfast.
"So, I guess it is true," sighed Arthur.
"What is?" puzzled Tommy.
"About you," Arthur said looking at Tommy.
"Yeah, it's true Arthur," said Tommy quietly. Grace joined them at the table with her own breakfast.
"Will you come back?" asked Arthur sincerely.
"It seems that I have no choice," said Tommy.
"Tommy," objected Grace.
"Grace if they know about this," he made a small flicker with his eyes to his middle, "Then they are probably going to know more about our company everyday," said Tommy.
"What'd mean?" said John with a mouth full of food. "I mean it's time to get rid of the spies. With me there, we can regain order and respect, not to mention I don't think Sabini will be expecting it," said Tommy. Uncertainty filled the air around them. "Sabini will come after you though when he finds out where you are," said John. Tommy took another drag from his cigarette before putting it out. "Not in my family fortress with a baby on board, he won't," concluded Tommy.
"So then, why did you leave Tommy?" asked Arthur.
"Because no one knew or believed my situation. It was better to protect me and the family that way," Tommy said. "But who's going to protect you from the kid?" said Arthur sadly.
"I guess that's what family is for," Tommy said.
Arthur had not yet touched his food. "How did … this," he motioned with an open palm to Tommy's mid section, "even happen Tom?" Arthur asked.
"I wish I knew," responded Tommy.
"Of course we know," she corrected him. He put his eyes on her.
"Do we, Grace?" he said softly. She realized how silly she sounded.
"Well, we know as much as we probably ever will," she rephrased.
"Which is?" John asked in eager anticipation. There was a pause.
"I was the one who was suppose to have it," she revealed at last. Thomas blinked at her.
"I was pregnant …" her voice trailed.
"Three months she was," Tommy said, picking up the story. "Then, one day, on my way back from London, I ran into someone, a gypsy. Her face was covered by a vail and she had a leather pouch with her right hand inside," Tommy continued. John and Arthur listened intently. "Honestly, I thought she was going to pull a gun on me, but she pulled out red powder instead and blew it in my face," said Tommy.
"Then she pulled a gun on you," John said jokingly. Tommy chuckled, "I wish. No, she said, 'what she cannot have, you will provide' in Romani." And she vanished in the crowd just like that," continued Tommy. "We were frantic when my symptoms became his. I thought I had lost the baby," Grace added tearfully. Arthur leaned back in his chair and sighed. Thomas took hold of her free hand. "We saw a doctor here, but I don't think he is even convinced by his conclusion," said Grace.
"And the only way to have it is …" Arthur asked fearfully. Grace and Tommy exchanged looks. His resting hand wrapping tighter around his waist.
"Yeah, Arthur. It's like you said, I'm now a fish," remarked Tommy.