𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐓 𝐆𝐎
chapter 9

Harvey woke to a loud banging on the door. Squinting and shielding his eyes from the light, he looked around. Ada and the baby remained asleep. The banging continued. With a quiet groan, he got out of bed and pulled on a pair of trousers.

"What?" He asked when opening the door. It was Tommy. "Oh— Tommy." He trailed off.  "Ada's asleep—"

"I'm not here for Ada." He shook his head and threw his cigarette to the floor. "We have business. Be at the betting den by nine." He pointed. Then he walked away. Harvey frowned and closed the door over.

"Who was that?" He heard Ada from the bedroom.

"Your brother." He replied plainly. Ada scoffed. "Which one? I have four." She laughed as she walked out. Harvey began pulling on his clothes that Ada had laid out for him the night before. "Thomas." Harvey answered.

She rolled her eyes and placed Karl in his basket. "And what did he want?"

"Says i'm to be at the den by nine. Something about business." He explained. She shook her head and mumbled to herself, "always about bloody business."

Harvey buttoned up his shirt and peered down at Karl.

"I'll come with you. I think it's time I go and see Polly." Ada admitted. Harvey nodded and went to place a kiss on her forehead. "I think she'll be happy to see you." He responded. Ada placed her hands on her hips and watched him lean down to kiss Karl's head gently. "I'll see you later," he said as he walked out of the door.

—

Polly lifted a crying Karl and he soon calmed. Ada stood by the door with a smile and took a breath, "you're much better with him than I am." She said.

"He settles quicker with me because he can't smell the milk." Polly said quietly as she rocked the baby. "Let's put him down," she said, lowering him. "Mine were terrors for the tit. Both of them. Well, you never knew my children, did you?"

"I was a child myself then. You never talk about them."

"No reason to. My heart breaks even when I think about them." Polly took a deep breath and sat down. "But today, I do have reason to. Sit down, Ada." She told. Ada sat. "They were three and five years old. Sally was three, Micheal was five— well, two weeks from being six. On Sunday morning, whilst I was at church, "you're not forgiven," is.. this pinch faced bitch said to me, "you're not forgiven." You see some sheets I had hung on the line had the name of a hotel in them. They'd been stolen in a robbery and they said some porter at the hotel had been koshed. And the woman around here told the police about the sheets."

Ada listened carefully.

"And when the police came, they found a spirit still— making a few drops of gin. And for that, they took my children from me." Polly began crying. "And they never told me where they took them. And they did it 'cause they could and because I was weak. They will never take your baby away from you. Do you know why? Because Tommy won't let them. Tommy won't let them walk all over us. Harvey won't let them, either."

Ada looked down.

"Now it is Tommy that brought strength and power to this family. Because he knows. You have to be as bad as them in order to survive. I'm telling you this because I want you to forgive him."

Ada nodded slowly. "But Pol, do you forgive him?" She asked. Polly looked down. "I suppose." She breathed. Polly, after finding out it wasn't Tommy who had Harvey locked up, forced herself to let the accusation go.

—

Harvey leaned against the wall and shoved John's hand away as he ruffled his hair. "Right, I've brought you all here today, because this is the day we replace Billy Kimber. This is the day we become respectable." Tommy announced.

Harvey nodded along, arms crossed over his chest.

"The day we join the Official National Association of Racecourse Bookmakers." Tommy smiled proudly. "And first, we do the first work. You all knew this day has been coming, I just didn't tell anyone the date." He turned to the chalkboard, "we're going to the Worcester races. The track opens at one. We get there at two. Kimber thinks we're going there to help him fight the Lee brothers. Thanks to the effort of our John and his lovely new wife, Esme."

Harvey snickered and John shared a glance with Esme.

"The Lee's are now kin. I interrupted those efforts this morning and I— I can assure you all that John is making good sacrifices in the name of peace."

Everybody began laughing. Harvey squeezed John's shoulder and shook him slightly.

"It's us and the Lee's against Kimber's boys. We will take them out and leave the bookies. I expect a swift victory which will send a signal all the way to London that we believe letting legitimate business run peacefully."

"What about Kimber, Tom?" Harvey asked. John nodded. "Yeah, what about him?" He asked.

"I'll deal with Kimber. And other questions?"

Polly nodded. "Yes. Oh, does anyone object if I bring a newcomer to the meeting?" Silence. Polly pulled open the green doors and Ada walked in, Karl in her arms. Harvey stood straight and automatically, a smile grew. "I'd like to introduce the newest member of the Shelby clan."

Everybody began clapping and Ada walked through, walking to Harvey. Finn ran up to his sister's side to peer up at the little baby in her arms. Harvey rubbed Finn's hair and threw an arm around him.

"We named him Karl." Ada said. "After Karl Marx?" Arthur asked. Ada laughed and shook her head. "Let me get a look at him." Arthur walked forward. "Oh, here we go." John sighed. "Eh, look— he looks just like me!" Arthur put his cap on Karl's head.

"That's his arse that looks like you, Arthur."

"He's alright. He's a Shelby."

"Well, Ada. Am I forgiven?" Tommy asked. Ada smiled slightly and nodded, giving him a hug.

—

Harvey walked alongside the Blinder's as they stepped through a puddle not too far from the Garrison. "Alright lads, listen up. You have a pint and a chaser no more. On the house." Tommy announced. He walked behind the bar to begin pouring glasses and speak to the blonde barmaid.

Harvey didn't have a drink. He didn't want to risk his mind being clouded when he had such an important job to do. He sat by the door, smoking a cigarette whilst John rambled to another blinder beside him.

Suddenly, Jeremiah Jesus burst in. "There's two vans driving up the Stratford Road. An old corporal of mine said he recognised some of the men— said it's the Kimber boys." He said. "They're heading this way,"

—

As they all stood, side by side, guns over their shoulders, Harvey felt a strange confidence within him. He wasn't the confident type. Usually he was full of nerves and worry. But there was something about the way they were approaching Kimber's men without care that made him feel careless.

"All guns and no balls, right Billy boy?" John teased. "So what do we do now? Just give the order." Arthur whispered. Tommy stared blankly.

Harvey kept his gun raised and his eyes on Billy Kimber. 

"It doesn't have to be like this, Kimber." Tommy offered. Billy scoffed. "It's too late for all that— you bit off more than you can chew, you little toe rag. Now i'm going to take over this shit hole."

"Well, if we have to use guns, let's use proper guns." Tommy shouted. Tommy stepped aside and Harvey stepped forward, showing the large gun that he had pointed toward them. "You were saying something about being out gunned." Both sides suddenly raised their weapons.

"Move!" A voice suddenly said, followed by cries of a baby. Then appeared Ada, pushing through Kimber's men like it meant nothing. "What are you doing?!" Harvey shouted at her.

"I believe you men call this no man's land." She said.

"Ada!" Harvey shouted again.

"Shut up and listen!" She snapped. "Have you lost your mind?" He asked. "I said shut up." She hissed. Everyone looked around, confused. "Now, most of you were in France. So you all know what happens next. I've got brothers and a husband here but you all have somebody waiting for you. Now i'm wearing black in preparation." She stared at Harvey.

His heart pounded.

"I want you to look at me." She demanded. "I want you to all look at me." She shouted. "Who will be wearing black for you? Think about them. Think about them right now. And fight if you want to but that baby isn't moving anywhere and neither am I."

Harvey shook his head. "Ada, move now." He said. He was not letting his baby get hurt. Not his little boy.

"She's right, you know?" Billy spoke up. "Why should all you men die. It should just be them who's caused it!" He said before shooting. Ada stumbled backwards and covered her ears. Danny ran forward, shouting angrily. The next bullets went into his chest. Tommy looked down at his shoulder.

"Ada move away! Don't shoot!" Harvey begged. Tommy walked forward and shot Billy. "Enough! Kimber and me fought this battle one on one. It's over. Go home to your families." He shouted.

Harvey dropped his gun and ran to Ada. "Are you hurt— is he.." He looked down at Karl who was still crying but both of them seemed fine, unharmed. "Why would you do that?" Harvey asked her angrily. "Why, Ada? Why would you risk Karl being hurt, or yourself?" He asked. Ada looked at him and said nothing. "Fucking answer me!" He shouted, his voice breaking.

Ada had wide eyes.

Harvey shook his head and walked away from her, unable to talk to her calmly until his sudden nerves had settled. Ada stood with Karl's pram and frowned as Harvey walked away.

"Harvey—" she tried, pushing Karl's pram toward the pub. "Harvey!" Ada shouted with slight anger.

He ignored her.

"Oh— just, just fuck off then!" She huffed, turning around to walk back home.

"Where's Ada?" John asked when Harvey walked through the doors. He shrugged. "Gone home, I think." He said bluntly. John raised a brow and put his drink down. "Well, is she okay?" He questioned. Harvey shrugged again. "Think so."

John grabbed his arm to stop him walking away. "Stop." He said. Harvey inhaled quickly. "I don't give a shit if something's happened between you— i'm not getting involved. She's my sister but you're my best mate and I know she can be a little shit but go and talk to her."

Harvey let out the breath and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Fine."

—

"What do you want?" Ada hissed as she sat beside the fire. Harvey stayed where he was. "I'm sorry." He admitted. "I shouldn't have snapped like I did." He said.

"Yeah, you're right, you shouldn't have." She said quickly. "But you did. So.."

"Ada." He sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to another. "I've said sorry— what else do you want me to do?" He asked, genuinely feeling bad. Ada turned to look at him. "You could've died today if I hadn't have came." She said.

Realistically, she was correct. But still, he was annoyed that she did.

"And whilst doing that, you could've gotten hurt or Karl could've gotten hurt." Harvey spoke. "I've always wanted to be a dad, Ada. And now I finally am." His voice was shaking slightly. "I don't want to lose that."

Ada pursed her lips together and peered down at Karl.

"Or you. I don't want to lose you either. I know you didn't want to marry me— and I didn't really want to marry you either. But we said we would make it work, Ada. And i'm trying." He pleaded. "And it's not that there was a reason that I didn't want to marry you it was just because I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to be a dad either—"

"You think I was ready to be a mother? I'm twenty two years of age, Harvey." She snapped.

"And i'm only twenty four!" He retorted. "We're both young— neither of us are ready but yet here we are. There's nothing we can change now. It's happened. We have a kid and we have to figure this out. We have to make it work." Harvey argued.

He looked at his feet. "And we're going to make this work because—" he seemed to hesitate,
"I love you. I love you and you love me." He said quietly. It was almost as if he was forcing himself to say it.

Ada snapped her head toward him, shocked.

"You do?"

Harvey nodded slowly, afraid of what she was going to say. He thought she'd come clean and say she didn't really love him. But she didn't. Instead, the corners of her lips turned upward slightly and she stood, stopping in front of him and looking up at him for a moment.

Part of him hoped she'd say that she didn't love jim's

"I was afraid you were starting to get sick of me." Ada admitted.

Harvey almost laughed. "No, not yet." He joked. Ada gasped and smacked his chest. "I'm only joking," he assured. Ada laughed. "You best had be." She raised her brows. Harvey cupped her jaw and leaned down to kiss her.

And now it was real — it finally felt real.

chapter 9
[gracessecretshelby]