The last year had passed in a blur. Since everyone had been pardoned the family had all but disintegrated. John and I were living our lives with the children. Linda and Arthur were living their lives with their new son and Ada had taken Karl to Boston to work for Shelby Company Limited. Michael went back to Birmingham to work with Tommy and Polly had shrunk into herself and never left the house.
"Ada!" I squealed, coming out of the house and meeting my sister on the drive. She quickly pulled me in for a hug, holding me tightly. "It's been so long, Evie." she smiled, releasing me. I looked over the fields to see John walking towards us, his shotgun on his shoulder and the dogs around his feet. "Did you hit one this time?" I teased him as he drew closer. "Shut up, you." he replied, embracing Ada in a hug. "Alright, brother." she laughed, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm excited to meet my new niece." she grinned as John released her. I smiled widely. "Come on, she's inside." I told her, linking my arm through hers and walking into the house.
"Thought we lost you to the Great White Way of Broadway." John commented once we were settled in the living room. Ada had two month old Anna in her arms and Lily, James and Benjamin were all sitting around her, excited to see their aunt after so long. John brought over three glasses and a bottle of whiskey. "No." Ada laughed. "You're living here permanently now?" she asked, looking around at the newly decorated room. "Yeah, it's peaceful." I commented, sitting in the armchair as John shot me a look. Something that Ada didn't miss. "Anyway, I wasn't planning on stopping." she told us, standing and handing Anna to me. "Just wanna drop those presents off for tomorrow. I don't want words on Christmas Eve." she added, looking at her brother.
"Lilly, take your brothers upstairs please." I told my eldest as I could feel the tension in the room. She did what I said, each of them saying goodbye to their aunt before running off. "Well, it's my house, you're welcome." John told her, handing her a drink. She shook her head. While I was glad Ada was here, both of them knew I disagreed with her decision to go back to working for Shelby Company Limited and they also knew I wouldn't have an issue saying so if it was brought up. "It's okay, I'm staying with Polly." she told us and John and I shared a look. "She's in a bad way, Ads." I told her, a fact that fueled my hatred for their brother. "I'll bring her to her senses." Ada replied. "We have tried." I countered. "You've been busy." she said, looking pointedly at the baby in my arms. "That's not fair, Ada." I argued and she scoffed.
"You still gonna come to the party on New Year's Eve?" John asked, hoping to diffuse the tension. "Yeah, who else is coming?" she replied. "How do you do it, Ada? Work for him knowing what he's done to this family?" I interrupted, looking at my sister. "Alright, Eve, that'll do." John told me. "No, John. You had a fucking rope around your neck because of that man. Your brothers, your cousin and your aunt almost died because of him. Yet you go running back. Why?" I asked, my anger flaring. "That's enough, Evie." John shouted, standing. I paused for a moment. "I love you, Ada, and I want you to come home but I can't act like nothing has happened." I told her, pushing past John and leaving the room.
I walked into the kitchen, taking a deep breath as tears threatened to fall thinking of our broken family. Anna started to fuss in my arms and I gently rocked her, swaying my body in time to the gentle music coming from the record player. "Ada's going now if you wanna say goodbye." John's voice came from the doorway. I shook my head, not looking at him. I heard him walking up to me and his arms went around my waist. "She's still our sister, Eve. Go say goodbye." he told me, pressing a kiss to my head. I leant my head against his chin for a moment before nodding. He let go of me, taking Anna from my arms and pressing a kiss to my lips.
I went into the hallway to see Ada waiting for me. I gave her a small smile as I crossed the room to her. "I'm sorry I let my temper get the best of me." I apologised, pulling her in for a hug. "It's alright. You have every right to be upset." she told me, reciprocating the embrace. "I'm off to see Linda and Arthur now." she told me, pulling a face that made me laugh. "Just don't laugh when you see Arthur." I warned her and she looked at me confused. "You'll see." I laughed, pulling her in for a final hug. "We will see you next week." I told her. "Definitely." she confirmed as we released each other again. "Drive safe, sis." John said from behind me as Ada left.
About an hour later, the post dropped onto the mat. I picked up the post from beside the door as John went into the kitchen. I stopped at one that had both our names on and was postmarked from New York. "John, are we expecting something from New York?" I called, wandering across the hall and into the kitchen. "No, not apart from Ada." he joked, placing Anna in her moses basket on the table. I frowned slightly, opening the envelope and the Christmas card that was inside. My heart dropped when I saw what was inside. "John." I said, lowly and he came over. "What? What is it?" he asked, sounding concerned and I held up the inside of the card for him to see. "Please tell me this isn't what I think it is." I whispered, looking up into his shocked face.
His silence and the look on his face told me everything I needed to know. "What the fuck?" I whispered as he took the envelope out of my hand and checked the address. "They know where we live, John." I said, stating the obvious as I tried to wrap my mind around what was happening.
"You need to call Arthur." I told John, concerned. He nodded, going into the living room and over to the phone, dialing the number. "Arthur, have you checked your post?" he asked once the phone had been answered. "We just got served a black hand. We just got delivered a black-fucking-hand to the house with mine and Evies name on from Luca Changretta." he added. I ran a hand through my hair, the gravity of the situation resting on my shoulders as I crossed the room and looked out the window. "Get away from the window, Evie." John told me before going back to the phone. "The old man's oldest son, he was gonna get done for killing a bank clerk in a robbery. So his old man sent him back to New York. You know what the black hand means among the wops, Arthur? It's mafia shit. The Sicilian-fucking-mafia. Just check your post, Arthur." John explained before hanging up the phone.
"We'll go to Aunt Zee, get some of my cousins and go travel for a bit until it all dies down." I told him, formulating a plan in my head. John turned to look at me. "What?" he asked, frowning at me. "Well, we can't stay here. They have our address, John. They know where we live." I reminded him. "We can't run, Evie. They'll find us and we can't just leave everyone behind." he argued, walking over to me. "You made me a fucking promise, John. Remember? You promised that we wouldn't deal with this shit anymore." I shouted, pushing him away from me. "I didn't realise this shit was going to be delivered right to our fucking door!" he shouted back.
I grabbed either side of his face, pulling him down towards me as I rested my forehead against his. "We just need each other, John. We can keep ourselves and the kids safe as long as we have each other. We are the family now." I told him before placing a kiss on his lips. "Why don't I go put the kids to bed and we'll stay up and wait for father christmas." I whispered, looking into his blue eyes. He nodded, pressing another kiss to my lips before we let each other go.
The kids went down surprisingly well considering it was christmas eve and I was soon settled in the living room, the lights low and a glass of rum in my hand. I fought a laugh as John came in the room, a large number of guns, rifles and ammo hanging off him. "Fuck me, it's father christmas." I laughed as he placed the rifles on the armchair next to him. "Come here, you." he told me and I happily obliged. I stood up and walked over to him, going up on my tip toes as he crouched down to meet me and pressed our lips together. The kiss quickly turned heated and he picked me up off the floor, soliciting a squeal as I wrapped my legs around his waist. He carried me over to the sofa, carfulling sitting down and never breaking contact with my lips.
The next morning passed in a blur of presents, wrapping paper and smiles. Anna was asleep in her basket and John and I were sat on the floor with the three others, playing with their new toys. I smiled at John as he watched me. "You're beautiful, ya know." he smiled and I shook my head slightly and smiled, going back to James and his shiny red fire engine. John and I both looked at each other as we heard a car pulling up. "Stay here with the kids." he told me, standing. "John, be careful." I warned as he left the room, calling the dogs to his heel as he went. I waited for a few long moments, trying to listen before I got restless. "Stay here and play with your toys. Mummy will be back in a minute." I told the children, pressing a kiss to James' head before standing and going to look for my husband.
I heard voices coming from the back garden and quickly followed them, John and Michael coming into view as John opened the door, a rifle on his shoulder. "What are you doing here, Michael? You can tell Tommy we aren't going to come running just because he asks." I said, pushing my way past John and onto the patio. "We can look after ourselves." I added, crossing my arms against my chest. "Tommy says that they could come for us today, Evie." Michael told me, his eyes imploring. "Tommy says, Tommy says. Are you his fucking parrot now? I remember when you thought for yourself and didn't care what Tommy fucking says." I countered, holding my ground. "Look, it's the mafia, all right? This is the New York mafia we're talking about." Michael told me, getting in my face.
"And we're the Peaky fucking Blinders." John said from behind me. I turned my face from Michael, as he responded. "No, we're not, John. We're not the Peaky fucking Blinders unless we're together." he countered. "You were together in the gallows with one man missing, Michael. Yet you still let him lead you round like a little lost dog." I spat and Michael looked at me for a long moment. "John. John, come to the meeting. All right? Think about the kids." Michael pleaded over my head. "Come to the meeting and if you want to leave, then fine." he added. "No, Michael. It's Christmas day and I want my kids at home to enjoy the day. We're staying at home." I told him. Michael looked at me for a long moment before I heard John cocking his rifle behind me. "Get in the fucking house!" he shouted as I turned to look at him. "Eves." Michael shouted at the same time as I shouted John's name. He grabbed my arms and pulled me towards the house. We both stumbled, landing on the floor of the hallway. My heart pounded as Michael used his body to shield mine as I heard shots ringing out. Michael holding me firmly as I called out my husband's name once more, tears flowing down my face as Michaels arm went around my head, protecting me.
And then it went silent.