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𝑇𝑊𝐸𝑁𝑇𝑌 𝑆𝐼𝑋

It was early morning when they all woke. The sun hadn't risen from below the hills and the logs in the hearth were still hot from the evening before. The cups still stood stacked on the dining table, empty bottles of whiskey dotted around the house, mingling with the abandoned champagne. And by the front door, sitting boldly atop the scattered letters, lay the black hand.

No one under the roof of the Gray household could sleep.

Everything was unsettled, from the inanimate objects that were cast about the house, to even Anna, who was still confused by the whole ideal. It'd taken Ada several attempts to coax her from in front of the fire and instead to bed.

To say the least, it wasn't the Christmas day that any of them expected. A black cloud hung across their heads and would do so for another few days until the family meeting would take place. But they would try to enjoy themselves while they could. It was all they could do

Polly was deadly calm. She'd gone from raging about her pills the evening to sitting quietly in the sitting room while her children made breakfast, with a placidity to spook anyone.

Michael and Anna shared a glance as the shuffled into the room, trays of toast and tea shared between them. Polly suddenly looked up, a small smile on her face.

"Happy Christmas sweethearts," she said, bringing them both in for a side hug.

"Happy Christmas, mum," they said in unison.

Anna handed over her teacup, which Polly took with a thanks. She stumbled back slowly, hiding her mother's present until she was ready.

"Your presents are on the mantle," Polly said, glancing up to the wrapped parcels above the fireplace.

Michael handed them over silently, placing his own on his lap. Anna opened hers carefully, letting something wrapped in material slide out onto the table beside her. She picked it up, holding up a dainty dress with a trimmed collar and thin sleeves. Polly beamed as she watched her daughter hold it against herself.

"Aw, I love it," Anna said, grinning to her mum.

"You do?"

"Yes, of course!" She said. "Thank you."

"Ada had one just like it when she was younger. She never took it off. I thought it would be nice if you had one too," Polly said, before switching her gaze to the fallen package by her knees. "Don't forget that one down there."

Anna nodded, watching Michael as he opened his own gift. It was a pocket watch and chain, matched with a new tie for his work suits.

"Open that one, it's from me and mum," he said, eyeing the brown wrapping paper that covered his gift.

Anna ripped back the paper, holding a square book in her hands.

"It's a scrapbook of sorts, filled with pictures of everyone."

She flipped to the first page, folding out the creases in the tough paper. It was filled with scribbling letters, of dates and names and titles of occasions in no particular order that she could determine. Anna read out the first.

"Thomas Michael Shelby wedded to Grace Helen Burgess 24th May 1924," she read, glancing to her mother. "He lost her."

Michael nodded.

"That's awful. I can't imagine that kind of loss," she said.

Polly frowned. "Flick over a page."

A photo was slipped tightly among the pages. It was a group portrait, underneath written Shelby Company Limited 1923.

"You wanted to know our family, here it is," Polly said. "This is the safest way to know. To know everything."

Anna said nothing and instead stared down at the photograph. She recognised a few: Ada, Michael, her mum and Tommy. There were a couple of faces that she could pick out from a photo she'd seen not long ago, but none with names.

"Who's this?" Anna asked, pointing to the face of a young boy at the front.

Polly finally smiled. "Your cousin Finn. Poor boy's been mixed up everything since he was born."

"He's your age. You beat him by a few months though. I still remember being pregnant at the same time as my sister. She was beside herself with happiness that we'd be bringing up a child each at the same time," Polly said, though there was a hint of sadness behind her voice.

"Where's Finn now?"

"He has a flat on artillery square. Stays there and goes out with his friends," she said.

They looked through the rest of the book, taking note of dates and talking about random events that sparked interest. There were a few photographs too- a single one of Anna when she was young with her mum.

"Me and Michael got you something," Anna finally said, pulling the gift from behind her back.

Polly beamed, stumping out her morning cigarette. "You did?"

Anna nodded, passing it over. Polly unfurled the wrapping paper of the tiny parcel carefully, pulling out the necklace by the end of the cabin first. She lay it in her palm, turning over the heart shaped pendant.

"Aw, darlings," she said, her eyebrows lifting sentimentally. "I'll have to get a picture to put in of all of us!"

Michael helped her to clasp the back of the necklace around her neck, and then Polly was up, rushing up to the dining table. It was as if she'd forgotten everything that's happened over the past day. She returned with a letter, decorated with multiple stamps and returns.

"A letter came for you," she said quickly. "From Australia. It's been far, but it got here eventually."

Anna looked down to the letter, immediately knowing who it was from. She grinned as she pulled out the crumpled paper, unfolding it and looking straight to the bottom. Elliot.

"Who is it from?" Polly asked, leaning over her shoulder.

"A friend, in Australia," she said, and before she could read it, the letter was plucked from between her fingers. "Mum!"

"'Love Elliot'!" She teased. "A friend, eh?"

Anna took the letter back with a sigh. "Yes, a friend."

Anna read the letter, her heart heavy in her chest.

Anna,

If this letter ever makes it to you, it will be a miracle. On my half and yours. If you're reading this, I'll assume you made it home to your real family.

While I miss you and your surprising football skills, I'm happy for you. And don't worry- I calmed Mr and Mrs Bagley down as soon as they began to panic. They were upset, but they understand now, thanks to my incredible persuasion.

Maya was confused too. She hates the fact that it was me who got to know, but either way she never stops talking about you. She broke up with my brother, so now it's impossible to see her without either of them getting annoyed. It's in these situations that I miss your diplomacy- I know, I can't believe I'm writing that either.

The beach feels different without you there. It doesn't help that Maya has refused to leave the house this past week. But I found the shoes you lost that one time we got ice cream on an odd occasion. I thought that was funny.

I realise now that my letter has been a bunch of waffle and little more than a sob. But all I wanted to say is that everything is fine here, I miss you, and I hope that everything is going well with you in England.

I hope you get this. Please write back to me. Maybe then I'll actually know what to write. My address is on the lip of the envelope.

All the best,

Love, Elliot.

Christmas Day past slowly, spent huddled around the fire with too many cups of tea filling the small table. While they'd cheered significantly more than the evening previous, the looming worry still hung.

It was late afternoon when Michael left the house in a hurry. Anna hurried after him, stopping the door with her hand. She hung out of it, leaning against the door post.

"Michael!" He turned his head but continued down to his car. "Where are you going?"

"John's. Tommy wants us all together," he shouted, opening the door.

"Don't be too late," she said, not even bothering to ask to go with him. Polly hung by the front window.

"I won't," he said, stopping for a moment before he got in the car to smile up at her. "You'll meet everyone soon."

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