𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐓 𝐆𝐎
chapter 11

Karl pointed up to the photograph that sat on the wall. It was a picture of Harvey and John before they went to fight in France. "Yeah, that's me and your uncle John." Harvey explained, holding the boy up to let him get a closer look.

The sound of the door opening and closing was prominent and Harvey turned. "I'm home!" Ada called out from the hall.

Harvey walked out with Karl for the boy to greet his mother. Karl smiled and toddled over to the brunette girl. "Hello, love." Ada sighed, leaning down to pick him up. "Have you been good for your father?" Ada asked. She looked to Harvey.

"He's been perfect." He assured.

Ada nodded and fixed the boy's hair with her fingers. "That's good." She whispered. Harvey swallowed hard. "Ada— er.. I was wondering if we could go down to Small Heath soon? Y'know, have Karl see his uncles. John says he'd like for us to visit." Harvey played with his hands behind his back.

Harvey hadn't asked when he said he would. He left it an extra week, trying to put it off as long as possible.

Ada tutted and walked into the kitchen with Karl. Harvey followed.

"Why would you want to go back to that godforsaken place, Harvey?" Ada sighed, putting the boy on his feet the begin making a cup of tea.

Harvey bit down on the inside of his cheek. "Well— John's my best mate, Ada. I can't stay away from him forever. You know he means a lot to me." Harvey spoke calmly, almost pleading with her. Ada put down the glass cup harshly and turned toward him. "Just because your dad is dead doesn't mean you have to go back and try gather any good memory you have of him." Ada snapped.

Harvey's expression fell, as well as his heart. "Fuck you, Ada." He shook his head. She closed her eyes in frustration and turned away. "I'll go myself. How about that?" Harvey raised his voice slightly and stormed up the stairs.

Ada, with a sigh, followed after him after picking Karl up again. "Harvey!"

Harvey burst into their bedroom and pulled the small, leather suitcase from under the bed. "You've wished I would leave for weeks now. So, here you go, i'm going to Small Heath." Harvey called out to her. Ada shook her head. "I don't want you to leave— what are you talking about?"

"Ada, you've been acting like you hate me." He flung his arms in the air. Ada didn't say anything. She knew he was right. "So i'm going to see John. And when you finally decide to come and see your family, thats when you'll see me again." He pointed a finger at her. "For all you know, you could wake up to a call saying they're all dead— and then you'll have no one!"

"So this is what it's about— your dad?"

"Maybe it is, Ada. So what? So what if I want to try and 'gather any good memory I have of him' so fucking what!" Harvey was on the verge of tears. "I told John I wouldn't leave without you and the baby but since you can't even show an ounce of sympathy for me, i'll go by myself."

"You father was a bad man, Harvey!" Ada argued.

"I'm not arguing in front of Karl." He shook his head. Ada scoffed. "Do you not remember everything he did to you?! He hurt you, Harvey!" Ada shouted. Harvey spun toward her. "I know, Ada! I remember everything and that's why i'm going back!" He cried out, "he was a bad man— he beat me, I know. How could I forget? But I refuse to forget the good memories I do have of him— the memories of my mother. Those memories of my mum are all there! And she was a good woman— she was a good.." his voice broke and he turned toward the wall, pressing his palms to his eyes.

Ada's anger quickly died out when seeing his vulnerable state. She knew she was in the wrong for bringing up his dad. She knew she was wrong for refusing to go back to Small Heath.

"Okay.." Ada whispered. She placed Karl on the bed. "Okay, Harvey." She forced him to face her before using her thumb to wipe the stray tear on his face. He avoided her eyes as embarrassment swallowed him up. "You're alright." Ada assured, cupping his face and sighing.

"I'm sorry." Harvey whispered.

"No— no, i'm sorry, Harvey. I shouldn't be acting like this." Ada corrected. "I know you're having a hard time. We will go back to Small Heath— Tommy says the Garrison is almost fixed." She said, "so you can go now— or tomorrow morning. And i'll come with the baby the night of the re-opening. How about that?" Ada offered.

"Will you be alright here?"

Ada smiled. "I'll be fine." She nodded. "You go to Birmingham and have a few days to catch up with John." She said, coming to terms with how much her brother meant to him.

Of course, she didn't know why John meant so much to Harvey as she had never asked. But she did wonder.

Harvey leaned his forehead on Ada's and sighed. He closed his eyes. Ada draped her arm around the back of his neck and watched the peace settle onto his face now that he had gotten his anger out.

Harvey was not an angry man. People say that "if you grow up with an angry man in your house, there will always be an angry man in your house" but this wasn't true in his case. He would never lay a hand on Ada or anyone if they didn't deserve it. He would never harm his son — never in a million years.

The Shelby's, on the other hand, also had an angry man in their house. Arthur Shelby Senior. And they indeed still had an angry man in their house — Arthur Shelby Junior. Although he didn't hit them or throw whiskey bottles at them, he had a lot of built up anger inside of him.

"I'll go in the morning." Harvey let out a breath, blinking away the tears that rested in his eyes. Ada nodded in agreement. "I'll organise a car to take you— it'll be a long drive but it'll be worth it." She said. "And i'm sure me and Karl will be there soon if what Tommy says is true."

Harvey nodded in understanding and looked over at Karl who had been watching his parents with an oh so innocent look on his face. Harvey, disappointed with himself for giving in and arguing in front of Karl, went over to the boy and picked him up.

"I think it's time you go to bed, little man." He whispered. Ada smiled slightly and stepped out the way so he could go out into the hall.

—

Harvey took a deep breath as he stepped back onto the all too familiar cobbled streets. It felt so strange yet so right to be back in Small Heath. He looked at the house on Watery Lane where John leaned against the doorframe, a grin on his face.

"Here he is—" he said with a laugh and stepped down. "Come here, lad." He wrapped an arm around him. "How're you holding up?"

"I'm trying my best— for Ada and the little one." He responded.

"Yeah, well you're doing good." John assured him and patted his back. John didn't move his hand from Harvey's back as they went inside. "Ay, Artha! Look who's here!" John shouted into the den. Harvey hung his coat up and placed his bag by the door.

Arthur's head soon popped around the door of his office and he smiled with surprise. "Well if it ain't Harvey bloody Ellis." He exclaimed, stepping from the office to speak to the boy. Harvey smiled at him. "Thought it was about time I came home."

Arthur grinned. "Well, you thought right." He said.

"I hope I did." Harvey responded.

"How's Karl?" Arthur asked. Harvey scratched the back of his neck. "He's growing up. He's a good lad." He explained.

"Of course he's a good lad— you're his bloody father." John teased, gently hitting the back of Harvey's head. Harvey scowled and held back his smile as he followed after John. "And your kids? They must be awful if you're their dad, eh?" Harvey retorted.

John chuckled. "Yeah god help them." He spoke.

"How is Esme?" Harvey asked, hands shoved into his pockets. It was as if he had to force the words out of his mouth.

John shrugged. "Yeah, she's alright. She misses home." John responded, opening up his office door and letting Harvey walk inside first. "But— I think we all miss home sometimes, eh?"

Harvey nodded.

"At least you fucking do." John said seriously. "Don't you?"

He swallowed hard and searched for words to say. "Yeah.." was all he could get out.

"Do you miss home or do you miss me?" John teased, arms crossed. Harvey laughed. "Yeah— I miss you." Harvey shook his head with laughter. John kept his eyes on him and let out a breath. "Well.." John paused. It was as if he didn't want to speak what he was going to. He was thinking of something else to say. "You're missed a fair bit here. All those girls from school ask about you."

"Fuck off, John." Harvey chuckled.

"Only messing." John assured softly. "How long do you plan on staying?"

"As long as I can— until Ada gets annoyed and says we need to go back to London." Harvey explained. John shook his head. "She's always had a way of getting everything she wanted— now she's took my bloody best mate too."

"That isn't true. You know it isn't." Harvey reassured him. "It took some arguing before Ada finally agreed to letting me come back here.."

"She wouldn't let you?" He asked.

Harvey shook his head. "I don't know if it was a case of her letting me or if it was her not wanting me to go."

"I've missed you, Harv." John admitted. "It doesn't feel right when you ain't around." He added. Harvey took a deep breath. "I don't know why Ada feels that London is so right for us. My home is here— it always has been. All i've ever known was Small Heath."

"It doesn't matter what you think— if Ada wants it she'll make sure she gets it. She's always been like that." John explained.

—

Tommy walked into the betting den and paused when seeing Harvey. "What the bloody hell are you doing back?" He asked. Harvey looked over his shoulder. "Wanted to come home for a bit, Tom." He said. Tommy patted his shoulder.

"How did you convince Ada to come back?"

"I didn't. Well.. not really. She's coming back for the Garrison re-opening and i'm not sure how long she's staying after that." Harvey told him.

Tommy nodded in understanding. "I'm going to London tonight." He glanced at the men walking in and out of the den. "I hope to speak with Ada whilst i'm there." He said. Harvey nodded and with that Tommy walked out. And as if on queue, John popped his head out of the office.

"Harv— it's for you."

Harvey stood with a sigh and walked to the phone. "Hello?" He asked. "Harvey— I was attacked last night. Tell Tommy Shelby he can go and fuck himself.." she spat, "Darby Sabini sent his men after me." She rushed.

Harvey's eyes were wide. "What the fuck." He said. John stood at the door with his arms crossed. "What do you mean you were attacked?"

"His men came after me and tried to get me in a car, Harvey! They fucking—"

"Alright, alright. I'll speak to him. Just— is Karl okay?"

Ada scoffed. "Karl's fine, Harvey. It was me who got attacked!" She scolded. "If you'd have given me time— I was going to ask about you next." Harvey snapped at her. John watched as Harvey began getting annoyed as Ada ranted down the phone as if she was scolding him over something that wasn't his fault.

Harvey slammed the phone down and kicked the chair away from him.

"Jesus christ. What's she done now?" John joked.

Harvey scowled at him. "She was attacked by Sabini's men last night. She's saying it wouldn't have happened if I had been there and that she knew it was a bad idea for me to come back here." Harvey pinched the bridge of his nose.

John tutted. "It probably would've happened either way." John said. "Sabini's men don't give a fuck if you're there or not."

"Apparently i'm not allowed to ask after my son anymore either—" he pressed his palms into his eyes. John grabbed him by the shoulder and Harvey lowered his hands. "Relax, mate." He said, holding the side of Harvey's neck. "She'll find any reason to blame people for things— you should know that by now."

Harvey took a deep breath.

"Now come on— let's go out for drinks." John grinned.

authors note: guys ik Tommy got attacked too but i forgot about that when writing and i cba changing it