𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟏

As Polly entered the house, everyone
began clapping. She frowned and stopped in her tracks.

"When did you get back?" She asked, looking straight at Thomas. "Didn't want to miss your birthday, Pol." Tommy wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Back to work everyone," Arthur ordered.

"How do you know it's my birthday? Nobody ever knows." Polly said. "Ah, it's different this year. John, Finn bring the car around." Tommy nodded at his brothers. Polly was majorly confused.

"Where are we going?"

"To unwrap your birthday present, after you," he smiled, leaving the door open so she could leave.

Maeve sat in the chair, completely fuming as she watched the family leaving the house, not taking any notice of her. "Yeah bye," she said sarcastically, throwing the pencil down so hard that it bounced back up and fell off the table.

Scudboat gave Maeve a sympathetic look, "sorry kid." He apologised.

"No it's fine, didn't want to go anyway."  Maeve huffed, standing and taking her peaky cap. "I'm going out, cover for me?"

The man nodded and waved her away. "Fucking bastards," she said to herself as she walked down to the Montgomery house. For once, Isiah wasn't around to follow her.

It took ages for somebody to answer the door. "Max!" She shouted, "Max open the door!"

The heads slightly muffled talking from behind the door, just before it swung open. "The fuck are you doing here? It's eleven in the morning." Max said, shielding his eyes from the sun.

Maeve pushed past him, "they've all gone out without me, something for Polly's birthday." Maeve told him, walking up the stairs. Max hummed and followed her.

"So that meant you come here?"

"Max what is up with you? You never usually complain," Maeve asked, genuinley worried and insulted. Max shook his head and sat on the bed in front of her, placing his hands on her knees. "Nothing, it's fine I promise." He said, leaning forward and kissing her.

Maeve took a moment before kissing him back. Max sat up and held her face, leaning over her slightly. The kiss wasn't aggressive, but it wasn't gentle either. It was different. Maeve kept her hand on the back of his neck, getting him as close as she could get him.

Max's fingers were tangled within her finger hair. It had been a while since the two had even had contact like this.

"Do you fancy Isiah?" He said in between kisses, almost making Maeve choke on her own tongue. "No, i hardly know him." Maeve tried to speak.

Max said no more whilst they continue kisses, his fingers slipped in between the side of her waistband, his cold skin against her warm skin sent shivers up her spine. She quickly grabbed his hand, stopping him from going further, but didn't break the kiss.

Max used his other hand that was placed on her back and slowly trailed it up her back, reaching the back of her bra. Maeve pulled away, "Max stop." She shook her head, "whatever it is you want to do, i'm not sure i want to do it." She told him, a hand on his chest.

At first he looked angry but he shook his head and pulled away slightly, "okay." He took a breath, "yeah okay. That's fine," he assured her, placing a kiss on her lips and moving beside her.

She was somewhat relieved that he hadn't flipped out. But didn't know why she expected him to flip out at all. Max wasn't like that.

"Y'know, the way the family is being at the minute is really making me want to go back to school." She said. Max tilted his head, "really?"

"Yep." She said bluntly, their fingers intertwined.

"Then come back to school, it's one of your last years there anyway." Max said, looking out the window. Maeve shrugged, "i suppose. It'd also get me out the house again. But i'm not sure i'd be able to cope with everyone, y'know people like Blake and Jane?"

"Yeah i get what you mean but you shouldn't let them bother you."

"You sound like my Aunt Pol. It's hard to not let them bother me. I have issues, Max. I swear i'm not normal." She said, almost as if she were ashamed of herself.

"You are normal, Maeve. I've told you this before."

"I don't feel normal, people at home treat me like i'm still a child and it's rubbish." She threw her head back and leaned against the bed frame. "I'm capable of a lot more than they think, they just don't care to see it. Seems like they care more about Finn and he can't fucking do anything."

Max stifled a laugh and shook his head. "I'm sure they do care, it's just they're busy people."

Silence fell over them before a thought popped into her head. London. "Max, what happened in London?"

"What d'ya mean?" He asked, turning to look at her. "You didn't seem so sure when i asked you last time, was just wondering if something happened."

"Like what?"

"I don't know..girls maybe? Anything." She shrugged. Max tensed his jaw and looked away, "there were a few girls i suppose. All whores though, prostitutes. It meant nothing," he said as if it were normal.

Although she asked, she wished he didn't give her an answer like that because now she didn't know how to feel. "How many?"

"Six or seven- why you so bloody bothered? Not like we're together or anything." He said in a tone that made her feel stupid.

"Yeah.."

-

"Uncle Tom where are we going, this place seems very legal to me." Maeve said as they pulled up to some houses by a field. It all looked very pleasant.

"I know, don't need you, you can stay in the car."

"Oh my god so why the fuck did you bring me?" She shouted as he got out of the car. "No, i've had enough. I'm coming with."

"You're so dramatic, Maeve." Tommy shook his head, walking with his hands in his pockets.

"You shouldn't walk like that, you'll fall over." She teased, walking along the pavement and spotting two boys playing in the field. "Please don't tell me we're here about them," she nodded toward them.

"Yes, one of them."

"Care to tell me why?" She asked. Tommy shook his head, "nope."

Tommy kept his hands in his pockets as he walked along the dirt path, catching a glimpse of what he assumed was Polly's son Michael.

"Come on in," his mother said. "Did you have a good game?" she asked, "I'm starving," the younger boy said before she could complain at the mess on his brothers clothes. "Anything for lunch?" he asked.

"In you go, go wash your hands i'll get you something in a minute." She said when she saw Thomas approaching.

"Mrs Johnson?" He asked, stopping outside the gate. "Yes, who are you?" she asked, turning to him and shielding her eyes from the sun. Maeve stopped, arms crossed and keeping an eye on the two boys who'd began going toward the house.

"I'm from Birmingham council, Bordesley Parish," he lied. "No one wrote to me, what do you want?" she frowned. Micheal stopped at the door, taking a look at the older man who had began speaking to his mother. "And if you're from the council, who is she?"

Maeve kept quiet.

"I would like to talk about your son, about Henry. Can i come in?" Tommy looked over her shoulder. "I'd rather you didn't, he don't like to talk about this," her voice was shaky.

"I see," he sighed. "So what does Henry know about his real identity, Mrs Johnson?" he questioned. "I only deal with Mr Ross from the agency, and he only ever writes so why are you here in person?" The woman argued.

"Well the boy is approaching his eighteenth birthday,"

"This isn't right. You're not from the Council, something isn't right," she stuttered. "What does he know, Mrs Johnson?" Tommy repeated.

Maeve's eyes were hurting from looking back and forth between Tommy and the woman.

"He knows his mother couldn't cope, she drank too much, used opium, used to beat him."

"But that isn't the truth it it?" He disagreed. "Look i think you should come back when my husband is here,"
Mrs Johnson spoke. "You have a husband?" Maeve scoffed, extremely quiet whilst she spoke.

"Does he know what his real name is?"

"His real name is Johnson, Henry Johnson, now i would like you to go away and come back when my husband is here!"

Thomas' eyes shifted to the boy approaching from behind, his eyebrows furrowed together. "The truth is, he were taken from his mother without her permission" he spoke slightly louder so the boy could hear.

She turned around. "Henry go back inside, please."

"Who are you?" he asked bluntly, looking Tommy up and down. "Please, Henry, go," his mother begged. "Your real name is Micheal Gray," he looked at the boy. "No!" Mrs Johnson said, stressed.

The Shelby girls eyes widened as she realised who the boy was. Polly's son.

"Your real mother wants to see you" he pulled a card out. "Her address is on the back of this card." Mrs Johnson slapped his arm as Henry took the card. "She just wants to talk-" She continued hitting Tommy and Maeve reached into her pocket, only stopping as Thomas shook his head at her.

"Go away!" Mrs Johnson shouted. "She just wants to talk." he repeated. "Go away and leave us alone!" the woman shouted again.

Henry stepped forward, watching a he left,"Come on let's go back inside. I'll get you something to eat, come on Henry."

Henry..or Micheal, kept his eyes on Tommy, wondering if what he said was true. Growing up, Micheal's adoptive mother told him that his real mother, Polly, was a drug addict, incapable to have a child and care for it. But he always wanted to meet his real mum. Even if it was true, he just wanted to meet her.

And now he was turning eighteen, he could do whatever he pleased.

"Tommy- you could've fucking told me!" Maeve hissed as they went back to the car, "i know Polly had kids but I never knew they were still alive!"

"That's because the other one isn't, she died from a disease."

"Does Aunt Pol know you've came here?" Maeve asked, sitting in the car. Tommy huffed, "do you ever stop asking questions- no..well yes kind of, Polly knows i was going to look at the Parish records for the kids."

"But she doesn't know you came to find one? Thomas come on now," she shook her head.

"Right, Maeve i've already got the whole family on my case about my every fucking move- don't need you doing it as well."

"Well, you don't care about the rest of the family being on your case, but you certainly care when it's me." She quirked up an eyebrow, "why?"

"Because you're the only one smart enough to know my every move."

╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝

for anybody who was wondering, Isiah is fifteen almost sixteen. So a couple months older than Maeve. This information will make sense in the next chapter.