The car ride was mainly made in silence, with me giving Alfie directions when needed. I could feel his eyes on me every so often. Alfie Solomons was worried. "Where d'ya wanna go once we've been here?" he asked, pulling into Polly's road. I thought about this for a moment. "I don't know yet. Haven't thought about it." I admitted, keeping my eyes on the road as I pointed to the house. Alfie brought the car to a gentle stop in front of the house. "Just wait here a moment. Let me make sure Polly isn't here." I told him as I slid out the car, wrapping my coat further around me as I made my way up the path and steps.
"Hello?" I called, letting myself into the house. Mary quickly came into the hallway from the kitchen. "Hello, Mrs Shelby." she greeted. "Alright, Mary? Just you and the kids?" I asked, keeping the door open. She nodded, looking confused as I gestured behind me for Alfie come in. "You can go for the day." I told her as I heard Alfie coming up the steps and onto the threshold. Mary looked behind me as Alfie stepped into the house. "Mrs Gray likes me to prepare dinner for the children." she protested, her eyes coming back to me. "The children aren't going to be here for dinner." I told her, not wanting to explain myself to her.
"Where are the children going?" she questioned and my eyebrows flew up. "That's none of your business. You may be under Mrs Gray's employ but they are my children. If you are so insistent that you stay in your post, you can go upstairs and pack all their things." I told her, my voice rising in anger at her interrogation. She glanced at Alfie once more before nodding her head and disappearing upstairs. "Bloody maids." I muttered under my breath before going into the kitchen, quickly followed by Alfie.
"Hello, my darlings." I greeted, all three beaming at me. "Look what we're making, mama." James exclaimed, showing me the painting that he had been working on. "That's lovely, James. Now, I need you to both go upstairs and get cleaned up. Lily help your brother, please." I told them, scooping Benjamin out of his highchair. "Mama, who's that?" Lily asked, standing in front of Alfie and craning her neck to look up at him. "That's my friend, Alfie." I told her, smiling at Alfies uncertain face looking down at the five year old.
"Alfie fucking Solomons?" James asked, innocently. "James!" I scolded, swatting the three year old lightly around the back of the head. "What? That's what Uncle Arter calls him." he protested, going and hiding behind his big sister. "And how many times have I told you not to repeat what Uncle Arthur says?" I told him, raising an eyebrow at him. He was a good boy but often liked to repeat what he'd heard, currently favouring Arthurs words. "Upstairs, now. Cleaned up." I told them, shooing them from the kitchen.
"She's like a tiny version of you, yeah." Alfie commented after they had both ran from the room. "Yeah, she's a madam." I laughed, thinking of the dark haired, blue eyed girl. "I'm going to guess you're not a baby man?" I asked, shifting Benjamin on my hip. "No, not for me, babies." he said, eyeing Benjamin suspiciously. I laughed lightly. "So what exactly is your plan here, love?" he asked his eyes coming to me. "I don't know yet, Alfie. I just need to get the kids out of here." I replied. "You're gunna need some sort of plan, love. If not for you, then the little 'uns." he told me, concern in his voice. "I know. I'll think of one. Can you go make sure that maid is doing what I told her to while I go pack mine and Benjamin's things?" I asked. He looked at me for a moment. "Yeah, love. Yeah, alright." he muttered before turning and leaving the room.
I looked up at the ceiling, taking a deep breath before following him up the stairs. I went straight past Michael's room and into the room that had been mine for the last few weeks. I placed Benjamin in his crib, who quickly settled into playing with his toys as I found a suitcase and opened it on the bed. I quickly went around the room, gathering everything that was mine or the kids and putting it into the suitcase. We didn't have much there, mainly clothes but I made sure to take everything. I wanted it to be like we had never been there.
"What's going on?" A familiar voice asked from the doorway and I turned to see Michael looking at me, confused. "Are you leaving?" he asked, stepping into the room. "Yeah, I need to get out of Birmingham. I'm taking the kids." I told him, going back to packing my clothes. Benjamin gurgled in the nearby crib. "What? Why?" he asked, walking over to me. "Because I need to go, Michael. I can't be here anymore." I told him. He grabbed my arms, forcing me to look at him. "Where are you going? I'll come with you." he told me, concern in his voice. "No, you can't, Michael. Don't you see?" I told him, trying to push him away from me. "You need to be with Charlotte." I told him, hoping he wouldn't press the issue as I looked away from him.
"Charlotte had the abortion, Evie. That's over. I just want to be with you." he told me. "You were still seeing her though, Michael, behind my back you were with her." I said, willing my voice not to break as I thought of the two of them together. "How long had you known she was pregnant?" I asked, searching his face. He didn't respond. "Did you know in London?" I asked, causing him to look away from me but I could see his anger rising. "So when I specifically said that I just wanted you to be honest with me, you lied to me?" I questioned. "And you weren't with John?" he asked, his voice rising. "That was different, Michael. I am married to John. I have been since before you came into the picture. You knew that. You lied to me about her." I told him, trying to push him away again. "Why now, Evie? What's happened that means you've got to go now?" he pressed, his hands tightening on my arms. "He knows, Michael. John knows." I snapped.
Michael's hands dropped from my arms. "John knows about us?" he asked, quietly. "Not exactly. He knows I've been seeing someone but said he doesn't know who. He'll kill you, Michael. He won't care about you or me or Polly." I explained, searching his face. "I don't care, Evie. Let me come with you. We will start a new life, he won't be able to find us." he begged. "No, Michael, I can't. Please. I need to do this for myself. You Shelby men are so damn selfish, Michael. All of you. And I can't be around any of you anymore. I don't like what it's doing to me." I told him, going back to packing. "You alright, Evie?" Alfies voice came from the doorway. "Yeah, I'm fine, Alfie. I'll just be a moment, can you take this bag and the kids to the car?" I asked, without turning around and doing up the suitcase. Alfie grumbled from the doorway before coming into the room. He gave Michael a look before picking up the suitcase and heading back towards the room where the kids were playing, I could hear Lily and James following the man obediently out into the hallway and down the stairs.
"I love you, Evie." Michael said from behind me. I stopped what I was doing and turned to him. "I can't do this, Michael. I am sorry. I've been stupid thinking that this was ever going to end well." I told him, looking up at him. "Just let me know you and the kids are safe, alright?" he told me, trying to pull me into him for a hug. "Michael, you've got to stop. I can't be like this with you." I told him, pushing him away and going to the crib. I picked up Benjamin into my arms, kissing his head before turning to leave. He didn't speak or try to stop me as I left, walking down the stairs and out of the house. I willed the tears not to fall as I got into the car beside Alfie. "Are you sure?" he asked and I could feel his eyes on me. "Let's go." I told him, drawing my eyes to his.
A/N A super short and sad chapter for this one. Let me know what you guys think and where you think Evie is taking the kids.