Chapter 23

Tommy put his foot down when it came to Lily attending midnight mass on Christmas Eve with Polly – decreeing that a good night's sleep was essential before what he knew would be a long and tiring day for the six-year-old. She had been fraught with excitement the entire week before the day itself had even arrived and he rather imagined that, once Christmas Day had come and was done, she'd need to go to bed early every night for a month to make up for all the hours she had spent waking and thinking of Father Christmas and presents when she should have been sleeping in the first place.

Lily's non-attendance meant by proxy that Rosie was also excused – which she seemed quite grateful for. He felt the warm glow of domestication again when he helped Lily to lay a plate with a mince pie and carrot alongside a glass of whisky down by the fire for Father Christmas before Rosie took her off to bed. By the time the older sister come back down, he had finished the mince pie and the whisky, and she snorted that it would be typical of him to leave the nutritious part of the offering for someone else, so he whacked her over the head with the part in question, then ate half the thing just to make her take her words back – which she didn't, just rolling her eyes at him instead. He sat with her a while before going to the Garrison with Arthur, disappointed when he returned to find she had already gone up to bed too.

Lily had them awake before dawn the next morning – eager to ensure they'd been right, and that Father Christmas would know where she'd moved to.

Alongside sweets – boxed and not from Harrison's, he noted, signed from Lily - Rosie bought him a fountain pen that he knew was far too expensive for her to have bought easily for him, but she waved off his protestations saying that he was a businessman and all businessmen should have a good pen to sign things with. He snorted and replied that given half his business was illegal he didn't often sign his name to much of it, but he appreciated that she had faith in him to turn it to something he'd sign to.

"What's illegal mean?" Lily asked.

Finn laughed as Rosie explained that it was a bit like Father Christmas coming in the night – it meant it wasn't something to be seen by most people. The child seemed unconvinced, her eyes drifting to Finn whose fit had taken over him, but her sister distracted her by asking her what she was going to call the family of dolls who were going to live in her new doll's house that Father Christmas had snuck down the chimney with. Tommy took the opportunity to give Finn a swift clip around the ear, which stopped the laughter for a minute and got him shot a rather indignant look.

In turn, Tommy had bought Rosie a three piece suit he'd had the tailor make especially for her – not entirely unlike his own suits but cut for her body - which she seemed quite taken with; and a cookbook, which he'd inscribed with the message 'Women's business is women's business because men can't wrap their brains around it. Still not convinced your cooking isn't witchcraft. Merry Christmas, Tommy.' He had agonised for far longer than he'd care to admit on what to write – or if he should write anything at all. He had been sad in a way not to sign the inscription 'Merry Christmas, Love Tommy' but he figured was going to keep it in the kitchen and he didn't want his love written somewhere that could be so publicly accessed. Polly gave him enough pointed looks whenever they were all in a room together as it was.

He noticed the card she'd put on his had read 'All my love, Rosie.' He wondered if it was a declaration or merely a sign off, and unsuccessfully tried to read the card she'd put on the hair clips and shoes she'd bought Ada to compare it against, but before he could surreptitiously open it, Ada had bundled all her presents up and run off to her room with them to emerge wearing as many of her gifts as she could at any one time, which led to Lily insisting she wanted to take her pyjamas off and put her dress on – and that Ada should do her hair.

Ada was delighted at the idea and took Lily's hand to yank her off up the stairs. Finn and Rosie exchanged eye rolls at this, but she had gotten up from where she sat and declared that it was about time for her to get busy with the geese she was preparing for the family.

They had decided to clear out the shop and sit the adults around the long table they used for family meetings, open the doors and sit Lily and Finn, along with John's four, at the kitchen table. Finn hadn't seemed overly keen on the arrangement when it had been discussed but a raised eyebrow from Tommy had quietened his grumbling – the boy wasn't entirely out of the usual compliant phase that followed a hiding. Yet.

After she'd done the prep work Rosie followed where Ada and Lily had gone, reappearing as he had expected, wearing trousers and a blouse that she'd worn before. She didn't seem to think Christmas Day was one to be any more fancied up on than any other day – but she was enthusiastic in her complimenting of Lily, telling her she looked like a princess in her dress, and elegant in her ability to hold her laughter as Ada tottered about in the heeled shoes, losing her balance and nearly falling over – more elegant than him, or indeed any of the rest of the family when they arrived.

"Goose and plum pudding," John said on arrival, as soon as Tommy opened the door, his nose identifying the smells like a bloodhound, "How come you have to live with Tommy, can't you come live in my house?"

"You never asked me, he got in there first," Rosie replied, coming over to stand beside Tommy at the door, his hand going around her absent-mindedly as she drew near.

"Got in there first, as if that's all there was to it," John replied, rolling his eyes.

Tommy frowned at him, then removed his hand from the redhead's waist when John pointedly looked at it and raised his eyebrow.

"Away and get a look at Ada trying to walk in her new shoes," he told his brother with a grin, as a means of distraction, whilst stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Where's Lily?" Katie demanded from behind her father.

"Through in the shop with Ada," Rosie answered, standing back to let the girl head through, "Go have a look at Ada's shoes, they're lovely and these boys don't appreciate them."

Katie grinned up at her and ran by, not bothering to acknowledge him.

His niece was only a little older than Lily – but they were both young enough that the three months or so between them was something they were very aware of. The awareness probably wasn't helped by the fact that, probably because John couldn't cope with Katie and the twins all being at home and needing looking after, Katie had started school earlier than she probably should have - earlier than Lily and was in the class above her. And Katie was tall and loud where Lily, like her sister, was petite - although she'd jabber away to them all, she wasn't boisterous the way Katie, the way all John's four, were. It didn't seem to be too harmful though, in fact Lily seemed to admire the older girl. Katie for her part seemed very taken with having another girl around, being the only girl amongst John's kids and a good bit too young for Ada to be her true friend.

"Lovely indeed, I'm sure," John laughed.

"Oi, I bought her them John Shelby – and she likes them and that's the main thing," Rosie said, reaching out to smack John on the arm.

"Aye alright then, lovely they are then," John said, grabbing Rosie's waist himself, "Now you walk me through to this kitchen and tell me what lovely thing you've got ready for me to eat already."

Tommy was almost jealous for a moment at how easily John could grab her waist and no one would think anything of it – frowning as George and the twins, Jack and Alfie, came through the door behind their father.

Since Ada's birthday Tommy's resolve not to touch the redhead had waned and waned – but she didn't seem to mind. Nothing had happened – and nothing would happen, not when she was still at school anyway – but they both had slipped into a seemingly naturally tactile way with one another. Without discussing it, they were reasonably good at not being obvious with it when Polly was around – his aunt was far too happy to point it out – but when they were alone or with Lily his arm had gone around her a few times and her head had rested on his shoulder. And his arm found its way to her waist multiple times a day if he could manage it. She never shook him off either – and indeed her hand found its way to his arm or shoulder almost as many times. The truth was, that dance had crossed a line – and they both knew it. But they both knew that the line couldn't be crossed entirely yet and that there was a danger in going over it too soon.

Still, with the entire family around he kept his hands in check for the majority of the day - only brushing her fingers slightly when they passed things to one another, until after they had finished eating and she began to gather up the plates from their end of the table when he'd put his hand fully and firmly on her arm and told her to sit down.

"I'd rather just get them out the way Tommy," she said.

"They'll get out of the way – you made the food, you stay in your seat. Ada," he raised his voice to shout down the table, "You clear the table will you? Pile the dishes up by the sink, the kids can get them."

The kids looked up from their table, none of them looking enthused at his suggestion.

"The trays are in the sink soaking off, the kids won't be able to scrub them hard enough they'll be covered in goose fat," Rosie said, shaking her head and going to stand again.

"I'll get them, you stay sat," Polly said, scraping her own chair back.

"Polly you do enough," Rosie protested.

Polly gave her a hard look and said, "This has been the most relaxing Christmas I've had in my life, keep yourself in that bloody chair and let me do the bloody trays. Charlie, will you get water from out back and put it on the range to heat?"

His Uncle Charlie nodded and got to his feet, passing his plate across to Ada.

"Here! If Charlie's not going to eat that roast potato give it here," John said, stretching his hand out.

Ada pulled a face and passed him the plate, which he cleaned off in an instant.

"You've eaten your dinner, then pudding and now you're eating a cold roast potato John boy – ya hungry?" Arthur asked with a grin.

"Love a roast potato Arthur," John replied, his mouth still full, "Can't make them myself. Tried once. Ended up filthy and burnt them."

"You need a woman," Arthur replied, shaking his head and swigging at his whisky.

"Aye well, Tommy took the one who makes the best roast potatoes," John said.

"Don't start that again," Arthur growled, rolling his eyes, "It's Christmas."

Tommy caught the girl's eye as she laughed, and he shook his head but smiled in spite of himself.

"Look at him smiling," John crowed, "Rosie girl don't you be going anywhere, he's been much more bearable since you arrived."

Tommy raised an eyebrow and John shook his head, rolled his eyes and amended, "Or your cooking anyway. Maybe that was it all along, he was just hungry and he didn't know how to make roast potatoes either."

"Maybe," Tommy replied, rolling his own eyes.

"Glad to be of service," she said with a smirk.

He squeezed her arm where his hand still rested, then let go before the alcohol in his brother prompted him to draw attention to it, diving into his pocket to retrieve a cigarette to busy his hands with instead.

"Oh, I wouldn't take that off my little chicken, if you're going to help with the dishes you'll need it to protect that pretty dress," Charlie's voice carried down, catching Rosie's attention.

She glanced up to where Lily was standing in the kitchen, struggling to remove the pinafore her older sister had fastened around her before she had sat down for her food.

"I can't reach the sink Uncle Charlie," the girl said, her voice muffled as she tried to pull it over her head, pulling at the layers of tulle underskirts as she did so.

"If Lily isn't helping I'm not helping," Katie declared, folding her arms.

John rolled his eyes but didn't intervene.

Tommy frowned, "John, are you even trying to keep your kids from running rings around you anymore?"

His brother sighed, "It's fucking Christmas, I'd like one bloody day without an argument."

"Lily you stop trying to take that off, you'll rip that lovely dress the way you're going," Polly said from over by the sink, where she was drying off the trays that had been soaking, "And you'll be doing your bit Katie, my hairbrush is in my bag and I'll get it out and give you a good reason to help if need be."

"It's Christmas Aunt Polly!" Katie exclaimed, squirming in her chair at the threat.

"Yeah it is Christmas – so you got a whole lot of presents this morning and you've come here and had a much better meal than your usual, so the least you can do is do some dishes Katie," Tommy called over, pointing the cigarette in Katie's direction.

"Well what's my Daddy doing?" she asked, attempting defiance.

"Your Daddy and Uncle Arthur and I – as well as your Aunt Polly and Uncle Charlie too – work every day to make the money that paid for the food. Rosie cooked it all for you, Ada cleared the table – those of you whose names haven't been said and who can reach the sink can wash and rinse the dishes and the little ones," his eyes moved to Lily, who had smoothed her dress and its covering back down at Polly's command, "Can dry them once they're washed. Sound fair?"

Katie nodded, but her face still held a scowl. He decided to leave it there though, turning his attention back to his cigarette.

The whole matter came to a head though when his niece, evidently still not happy, threw the dishes she was supposed to be rinsing into the basin of cold water so hard that she smashed quite a few of them. Everyone's heads turned to the kitchen as the cracks were heard and the girl's guilty face looked back at them, her eyes flying to Polly's. Tommy looked to John, but John stared at resolutely at the table - the only adult assembled who wasn't looking to the kitchen.

"Right," Polly muttered, getting to her feet, grabbing the girl and sitting down again at the kitchen table, pulling Katie over her knee and proceeding to bring her hand down on the girl's rear. It wasn't particularly hard or long as spankings went, which all the Shelby's assembled knew, but Lily had frozen and shoved her fingers in her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes even though Katie's "I'm sorry – Jesus! – let me up Aunt Pol – I'll didn't mean to smash the dishes, I'll be more careful!" were farbmore grouchy than remorseful and her own eyes remained dry.

"Don't make me change my mind about leaving that hairbrush in my bag," Polly told Katie as she put the girl back on her feet.

"I won't," Katie snapped, still glaring but directing it to the floor now rather than round at anyone else.

"You need to do something about her attitude John – you saw the way it went with Ada, get it nipped in the bud now," Tommy sighed, his eyes still, like Rosie's, on Lily - waiting to see whether she would go back to drying the dishes now that it was over or if she needed someone to go to her.

Ada heard and he saw her turn and glare at him from the corner of his eye, but he didn't acknowledge her.

"Ah it did ya good Ada, stop yer fizzlin' face," Arthur commented.

She started to say something but Tommy cut her off with a look – he was watching the scene in the kitchen and didn't want her distracting him from judging what Lily needed in that moment.

"What's wrong with you?" Katie asked Lily when she eventually raised her eyes slightly off the ground.

"She's overwhelmed," Finn replied, handing Katie some of the dishes he'd scrubbed so she could rinse them.

Tommy smiled slightly at Finn's vague attempt at sticking up for Lily.

"What's that?" Katie asked him.

Finn shrugged.

"Well it wasn't you that got spanked," Katie said then, raising her voice slightly, "And on Christmas day too!"

"I don't know of any rules that say bad attitudes on Christmas day should be dealt with the following day," Polly returned.

"Lily doesn't get spankings," Finn told Katie.

"Why not?" she asked, wrinkling her nose and taking a step away from Lily, as if Finn had declared she had some infectious disease.

Finn just shrugged again, and Lily cried harder.

"Lily you come down here to me bab," Tommy called out to her at the increased ferocity of tears and she turned and ran to him, suddenly sobbing her heart out.

"Hey, you give me those fingers Lily," Rosie cooed at her sister, tugging gently at the hand Lily had practically swallowed once Tommy had settled her on his lap, "Come on, that's a good girl."

"She doesn't get spanked because she's a cry baby who chews her fingers," Jack grinned over at Alfie as they continued to dry the dishes they'd been assigned.

"Oi, the last time we were all here George went out the back with yer dad, now Katie's been over yer Aunt Polly's knee, I reckon the next turn's one of yours with me," Arthur growled up at them, his own hand reaching over to pat Lily's arm.

"I bet she doesn't get spanked cause they like her better," Katie muttered, loudly enough that they heard her.

"Aye well she's nicer than you," John shouted down the table.

"For goodness sake John, away and tell your kids there's no one you love more than them in the bloody world," Rosie snapped up at him, her hand still in Lily's wet one.

John looked quite taken aback – Rosie was docile most of the time around his brothers, she'd poke fun at him for their amusement - but it had always been nothing more than a bit of fun and she'd never spoken sharply to them. His brother moved his eyes to Tommy's own face, clearly wondering if he was going to intervene, and then back to hers, only for her to raise an eyebrow at him.

Tommy caught Uncle Charlie's eye and the two of them smothered their smiles – him in Lily's hair, Charlie in a glass of whisky.

"Christ Tommy, she's as bad as you with that eyebrow raisin'," John said, speaking to him but his eyes still on her.

He could practically see the cogs whirling in John's mind as he processed the look she was giving him and tried to decide how to respond. He rather imagined this was exactly what Polly had been on about when she'd declared that she'd have spanked the girl in Rackham's that day if she'd been any other fifteen-year-old but that she had that disconcerting look in her eye.

"Well she read books on children at the library so she's probably right – away and tell them," Tommy said, before his brother could come to any conclusions on his response, "And tell them they won't sit if they don't improve their bloody attitudes while you're at it."

John sighed and slammed his hand down on the table but pushed himself to his feet.

"Don't be moanin' John boy, we knew this would happen when Tommy said she had brains – it was only gon be so long before we had another one you and me was takin' orders from," Arthur grinned.

"Arthur," Tommy warned.

His older brother continued to grin, "Ah don't worry Tom – I prefer not thinkin' anyway – it's easier."

Arthur downed his glass and reached for the bottle. Tommy exchanged a glance with Rosie, who busied herself with Lily again in response. Arthur was drunk – and pleasantly so. He probably wouldn't be so happy to admit what he had when he was sober.

"One thing taking orders from him, even Pol, another from a girl," John muttered, but he was walking up to the kitchen, "Don't you be gettin' any ideas Ada."

Tommy didn't have the energy to take note of what Ada said in return, or what John was saying to his children, he was far too concerned with calming Lily down – though she seemed to have sobbed herself out and was now hiccupping and gasping to get back in control of herself, her whole body shaking with the effort.

He jiggled her on his knee for a bit, growling the words of an old nursery rhyme as musically as he could to her.

"What's that you're saying Tom?" Arthur asked.

"Trying to remember the words of that horse song mum used to do, but can't remember half of them," Tommy told him, avoiding his eye.

"Ride a cock horse to Banbury cross, to see a fine lady upon a white horse," Arthur suddenly bellowed, slapping his hand on the table to the tune.

Lily winced and Tommy frowned at his brother, rubbing her back.

"Arthur, I don't know that that's the most soothing of singing voices," Rosie pointed out diplomatically.

"Aye, right you are sister," Arthur said, seemingly without considering that Rosie was not, in fact, his sister, "I liked that song when we were little."

Tommy buried his face in Lily's head so he didn't have to control any expressions as he processed his brother's words. He knew he was bloody soft on the baby – and he knew Polly thought her insufficiently disciplined because of it - but it was somewhat reassuring to hear his older brother declare he had liked a song rather than die laughing over Tommy trying to sing to the child.

Rosie picked up the tune, taking her sister's hand and jiggling it as she sang, "To see a fine lady upon a white horse, rings on her fingers and bells on her toes and she shall have music wherever she goes."

"I didn't know you could sing!" Ada accused her – as though it was something Rosie should have told her along with her name, "Sing us a carol!"

Rosie shook her head, flushing slightly, "I don't sing – I just do tunes for Lily when she's going to bed or upset because she likes them."

"Tommy likes them too!" Lily said, having finally stopped her hiccupping that had followed the tears and regaining control over her voice.

He felt Rosie's eyes on him, "Does he indeed?"

"Yeah," Lily nodded, looking up at him, "Don't you?"

"That was a secret Lily," he smiled down at her.

"I didn't know," she said, biting her lip.

"Ah that's alright Lily, I'm sure she'd have found out eventually," he said, kissing the girl's head – it didn't seem that a freshly settled child was one to upset any further.

"Lily why don't you go back and help the twins with the rest of the drying," Polly interjected.

Tommy frowned at her and she frowned back, as Lily nestled closer to his chest.

"Lily do you want to go for a nap?" Rosie asked her gently.

The girl pushed even further into Tommy, looking up at him and shaking her head – though he imagined she could probably well use a nap, she'd worn herself out with her excitement and he figured now it was all catching up with her.

"Well if you're staying I think it's a good idea for you to go back and finish off the drying," Rosi pressed her sister, her eyes going to his.

"She's been upset," he frowned at her, unsure why she was siding with his aunt.

"Yes, she has been – and now she's fine, so she can go join in with the rest of them," Polly said firmly.

Tommy stood up, resting the child on his hip, turning an icy stare on the sister and his aunt in turn.

"Lily why don't we go show Arthur the new dolls house Father Christmas brought you? You can introduce him to the other Arthur."

"Oh I got something named after me did I?" Arthur said, delighted.

Lily nodded and Tommy walked through the shop and kitchen, ignoring the eyes of John and his brood on him as he passed them and headed into the front room, Arthur stumbling along behind him.

The rest of the day reminded Tommy a bit of when Lily and Rosie had first arrived – the way Lily had followed him around, hiding behind his leg to avoid other people looking at her. She didn't go back to play with Katie and even after John bundled his lot back to their own house she wouldn't leave the sofa where he and Rosie sat – only moving when she was clambering between the two of them.

Arthur passed out in his office when he went in for a lie down and Charlie left before that, but he could tell Polly was hanging around for something – and he'd really prefer if she would just leave so he could enjoy the rest of Christmas Day in peace.

When Lily dozed off on Tommy's lap, after determinedly insisting that she wasn't tired, Rosie took the opportunity to gather her up and carry her off to bed – and Polly took the opportunity whilst Finn was still outside playing with his friends and Ada had gone upstairs to play records and organise all her new things to say what she had to say.

"You're doing that baby no favours Thomas, treating her differently."

"I don't treat her differently."

"Yes you do – you're soft with her."

"So are we all."

"Yeah, but you're too soft with her," his aunt replied sternly.

He ignored her and lit a cigarette.

"I'm not going to go on about it because I won't leave you in bad feeling on Christmas day – but you're driving a wedge between her and the other kids," Polly continued, realising he was ignoring her, "If you want her to be part of this family you need to treat her like every other kid in it – or they won't accept her, and she'll know she's not accepted."

"Well I'm glad you've stuck around all day to say that Polly," he quipped sarcastically.

"Oh, I'm taking my leave now so you and that girl you insist nothing is going on with can be left alone, don't you worry!" his aunt snapped at him, "And whilst the two of you are doing nothing together maybe you could ask her her thoughts on it, because she's noticed as much as me that that baby runs to you to get her out of doing anything she doesn't want to do or when anyone else is firm with her. I know it feels nice Thomas, believe me, I like a baby as much as the next Shelby – but you'll leave her feeling lost and unsure of herself if you don't establish her boundaries with her. Children need the security of knowing what they can and can't get away with."

"Polly - did you notice that that baby started crying when someone else got a spanking that didn't even make them cry?" he snapped.

"I did Thomas – which is why I left off Katie sooner than I probably should have. But that's normal – don't you remember bawling your eyes out when you were little and Arthur was for it? Even when it was nothing to do with you, the general feeling of upset in a house will upset a child whether they're involved or not."

Tommy glared at her. He didn't remember bawling his eyes out, as she put it, over anything except his own rear end from time to time but he wasn't going to argue it with her.

"Didn't see Jack or Alfie crying – or George or Finn."

"Because they're used to it!"

He rolled his eyes, "Apart from anything else Polly - Katie's got an attitude problem, Lily doesn't – I've checked her a few times on her tone and she's stopped using the one I didn't like."

His aunt snorted at that, "Stopped using it till she does it again and gets told off again you mean. That's what children do Thomas, they repeat and repeat and push and push until it's made clear to them where they can push to. You were easy on Ada growing up – but not this easy. And you were never this clueless with Finn."

"Well Finn's a boy – I know how a boy's mind works."

"At that age a girl's mind works just the same way and don't you doubt it."

"Polly if I want your advice on raising babies I'll come ask you for it."

"You should have asked before now Thomas," she snapped, "You're being led by a fifteen-year-old who has never had an example of a decent mother around her and who learned from a book. I watched your mother with Arthur and you and John, I had two of my own for a while, I've been there for John's four and for Ada and Finn – and I looked after them alone when you boys were at war. There's a whole lot to be said for hands on experience of raising children!"

Yeah, you had two of your own Polly. It came to him in a flash, but he managed to stop himself from saying it – he knew she'd never forgive him if he did. The momentary pause to consider it made him consider what she was saying – and why. She meant well - he knew that.

"Right, Polly – I'll think on it, alright?" he offered, softening his tone slightly.

"You see that you do Thomas!" she snapped, not softening hers.

Once again thank you so much for taking the time to read along and review and message me etc!

Quick question - I've been updating basically daily recently, mainly because I'm working from home thanks to the covid situation and will be for a while yet, so I have the time to write almost daily. Is it too much though? If it's more digestible I can cut it down to a few times a week or every second day or whatever? I don't want to be overwhelming so that if you go off for a few days and come back there's loads to catch up with?