"Should we call for a doctor?"
"Is she going to be alright?"
"What the fuck happened?"
"Nora?"
Nora regained consciousness and slowly opened her eyes to find everyone in the distillery standing over her. Quickly, she sat up.
"Be careful!" Anna said.
"Are you alright?" Ishmael asked.
Nora looked around at her workers.
"What the fuck are you all staring at?" She yelled as she began to stand, and they took a step back. "Get back to work! I don't pay you lot to fuck about all day!"
"You should sit." Anna offered as she moved a chair for Nora to sit in.
"I don't need to sit." Nora barked.
"You just fainted!"
"And now I am fine! Now move, I have to go."
"Where?" Ishmael demanded.
Nora looked at him angrily, "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?"
"I don't- Anna's right. You should rest or see a doctor or-"
"I have meetings. Now, move!
That afternoon Nora was on her way to Margate. She parked the car and reached for the overnight bag she quickly packed before her journey and walked to the door. She hesitated before knocking.
"When Edna said you was here, I thought she was having a laugh. Wasn't expecting you for a few more weeks." Alfie said as Nora walked into the sitting room and eyed her bag. "Staying?"
"Yes, if that's alright. Just for a night or two." Nora responded as she looked distractedly at the balcony.
"'Course." Alfie agreed. "Is everything alright?"
"I think I'm going to hop in the shower." She replied, ignoring his question.
Nora stood under the water as it rained on her head and down her face. She clenched her jaw and buried her face in her hands, no tears falling from her eyes. After she washed herself, she stepped out of the shower and put on the robe that hung in the guest bathroom.
Alfie found his sister sitting on the balcony, watching the sunset as she brushed her wet hair.
"I've been a lot of places… seen a lot of sunsets..." She said, never tearing her eyes from the sunset as her brother sat in the chair beside her. "But this sunset is the most beautiful I've seen."
"Mm." He said as he watched his sister with concern before he smacked his lips and said, "Are you going to tell me what all this is about?"
"I have to move quicker against Mosely. It needs to end soon." She said.
"Why?"
They watched the sun show its final few minutes of light before it disappeared into the ocean.
After a long pause Nora finally admitted, "I fainted today. I went to stand, and everything went black. Woke up with everyone at the distillery standing over me."
Alfie's concern grew in his chest. "Did they call for a doctor?"
"No, I wouldn't let them." She looked at Alfie, "I went to a doctor, two days ago."
"And?"
"And he said I needed rest. And then I thought, 'what better place for a Solomons to rest, than Margate?'" she said as she offered a weak smile to her brother.
"Are you sick?" he asked as dread filled him for his sister's answer.
She looked away, gazing out across the ocean once more.
"Did you pick it up on your travels?" he prodded. "Is it cancer? Or consumption or…?"
Nora sighed and shook her head.
"No."
"Then what is it?" Alfie growled in fear before she turned to look him in the eyes.
"Brother, I'm pregnant."
"You're-" Alfie started but cut himself off as he turned his head to look over the balcony.
"Pregnant. Yes."
Nora watched her brother think as his jaw clenched repeatedly. Finally, she stood and walked into the sitting room.
"Are you sure?" He asked as he followed her.
"Yes. The doctor said all my symptoms-"
"What symptoms?"
Nora ran her hand through her wet hair before saying, "I have outbursts of anger and-"
"You're a Solomons. We all have outbursts of anger."
She sighed at him before continuing. "I'm having- my nerves are worked up. I vomit every day, sometimes more than once, I'm late, my tits fucking hurt, I-"
"Alright, alright." Alfie said holding up a hand to stop her. He rubbed his forehead. "How far gone are you?"
"There's only two options and the second was less than two weeks ago so the doctor thinks it was conceived a little over a month ago." Nora said as she thought back.
"Do you know who the father is?"
She looked at him and creased her brow, "What kind of-… Alfie, how many men do you think I'd sleep with in one night?"
He rolled his eyes. "I mean, if it was the second option instead of the first would it-"
"It wouldn't matter, it's the same person."
"So, you fucked someone twice, then?" Alfie said as he nodded.
"Yes." She chuckled in a mix of entertainment and annoyance. "I'm not a whore, like some Solomons I know."
Alfie tilted his head, looking at her through a side eye.
"Recently." She admitted quickly.
"Is it Ishmael? Are you fucking again?"
"No." Nora said, her face serious once more.
"Adam?"
"No."
Alfie sighed, "Ollie?"
Nora began laughing. "Ollie? Honestly?"
Alfie didn't laugh. He exhaled a deep breath as he looked at the ground before he turned to look his sister in the eye.
"Is he a Jew?" Alfie asked, his jaw clenched.
Nora looked at her brother, all humor gone from her face. "No."
"Fucking hell!" he responded as he looked at the ceiling and put his hands on his hips.
"It's Tommy-"
"No." Alfie said as he looked at her, pointing a finger in her face. "No. It's not. I told him- I FUCKING TOLD HIM."
"Told him what?"
"To keep his fucking cock away from you! DAMN HIM!"
"Well, he doesn't listen very well. Does he?"
"And YOU!" Alfie said advancing on her.
"Me?"
"Yeah. What the fuck do you think you are doing fucking a fucking Gypsy fucking Peaky fucking cabinet member….!?"
"Oh, it was all a rouse to see how many times you could say 'fucking' in a sentence." She said rolling her eyes.
"Don't be fucking cheeky with me!" He said turning his anger from the situation, to her.
"It was one time!" She defended before hesitantly adding, "And then a second. But-"
"It only fucking takes one time, Nora!"
"DON'T YOU THINK I FUCKING KNOW THAT?" She yelled as she pointed to her stomach.
They were both breathing heavy as they stared at each other.
Finally, when the anger had settled she said, "It wasn't supposed to happen. I got caught up and- I don't know."
"There are women- doctors and nurses who can-"
"No." She said as she scowled at him. "Don't even suggest it."
Alfie walked to the sofa and sat in his usual spot; his fingers intertwined in his lap. Nora put her hands on the cabinet against the opposite wall and bowed her head. They stood in silence until Nora sniffled and Alfie's heart melted for her.
"Hey, now." He said as he stood and walked to her. "It'll be alright."
He put his hands on her shoulders and she immediately turned and buried her face in her brother's chest.
"What do I do now?" She said in between sobs as her tears moistened his shirt.
"We will figure it out." He said as he led her to the sofa and they sat.
Nora kept her head buried in her brother's chest until she finally began to calm.
"Does he know?" Alfie asked as he held his sister.
"No." She said as silent tears continued to fall from her eyes. "I don't know that I want him to."
"What? You're not going to tell him?" Alfie asked surprised.
"I don't know. He's married and- maybe when this is done with Mosely, I'll just disappear and move here to Margate with you." She said in a teasing voice.
"Oh, yeah?" Alfie chuckled.
"yes. Then you can take care of my child and I'll run the streets of Margate." She said and he could hear the smile in her voice.
"Right. The dangerous streets of Margate." He said with a laugh.
There was another long pause before Alfie said, "All that with Mosely. It's done."
"What?" She asked as she leaned up and wiped away the hair that was stuck to the dried tear streaks on her face.
"It's too dangerous. You're pregna-"
"I have to finish this." She insisted.
"Nora…"
"No. I will finish this. And I'll finish it before anyone can even see my stomach. Then I will be gone. Tommy can go find his wife and it'll be as if I never existed. He won't have to be responsible for anything. He-"
"He is responsible." Alfie reminded her.
Nora sighed. "We are responsible. And he is married. It will be better for everyone if I just go away."
"Better for everyone?" Alfie repeated as he stared at his sister. "And what about the child? We never knew our father. You going to do that to your son or daughter?"
"We were better off without him." Nora tried to defend.
"Say what you want about Tommy Shelby but, everything he does, he does for his fucking family. He's not like our father was."
"Whose side are you on?" Nora asked as she stood.
"Yours. I'm always on your side, treacle."
"Then be on my side! If I choose not to tell him…."
"Then I will let you make that decision. All I'm saying is to think about it before you decide."
"I don't want to be a mistress."
"You think I'd let you be Tommy Shelby's fucking mistress?" Alfie said crinkling his nose in disgust at the idea. "I'm not saying live with the fucker."
"Then what are you saying?"
"Just look at every horse before you place your bets. And be careful if you continue with Mosely."
Nora laid in bed that night, her head spinning as situations and scenarios ran through her mind. She didn't know what she was going to do…. in either situation.