𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝟎

Tommy stood at the end of the table, avoiding the eye of his family. He took a deep breath and thought of what to say.

Linda sat with her arm linked with Arthur's. Lizzie cautiously sat down beside Ada and Polly glared at Tommy. If looks could kill, he would be dead.

Isiah stood by the wall with his hands in his pockets.

"Maeve is awake," he informed them. Linda did a quick religious thanks. "Micheal is badly wounded, as well as Maeve. They say it's 60/40 in his favour— 70/30 for Maeve."

"There's no number, there's no percentages. It's the only the hand, the hand beneath them that stops them falling." Polly cut him off. "I spoke to someone. My son will live."

John cleared his throat, about to join in but only to be stopped by Tommy.

"Maeve and Micheal were shot because we killed someone. Vincent Changretta. His son Luca has come to take revenge. Men from New York and Sicily here in Birmingham. These men will not leave our city until our whole family is dead.  That's how it works— an eye for an eye. It's called vendetta."

"Yeah well." Arthur grunted, holding up a bullet. "The bullet has been written, it says Luca. And when the time comes, and it will come, me as her father— the oldest brother too, will put this bullet into his fucking head."

"There's been some bad blood between us." Tommy continued. Polly laughed pathetically.

"Polly please." Arthur whispered. "Until this business is settled, we stay together. We stay here. Small Heath, Bordesley, Haye Mills down to Greet. We know every face, every man is a soldier in this army. These men are professionals and good at what they do. We're gonna need more than we have. I've sent a message to Aberama Gold."

"No, no Tom. I'll get you fifty Lee boys— good men, Tom." Johnny Dogs said quickly.

"I don't need good men for this. I need bad men." Tommy refused. "Tommy, these people are fucking savages, you know Heathens Tom. They don't even let them into the fair so they come and steal our horses— stealing from their own, Tom."

"So this is the plan?" Polly raised her eyebrows. "This is the plan? Bullet with a name on it— help from a bunch of savages."

John pinched the bridge of his nose. "For christ sake Polly." He muttered.

"We're gonna go on the offensive." Tommy ignored her. "I've spoken to Moss-" Polly scoffed and got up from her chair. "I've spoken to Moss. Moss is putting out word, eyes and ears so we can find them. Yet the truth is that the police are busy with the revolution. Moss says they're expected strikes and riots when the weather gets warmer. And the Bolsheviks-"

"The Bolsheviks couldn't plan a fucking picnic. He's reading the wrong paper!" Ada said.

"Ada! Real or not real, the coppers don't give a fuck about us, alright? Which means that today, with all of us in this room, we have to agree to end this war between us."

"Hold on a minute." John said. "Who gives a fuck about the revolution or— or the bloody Bolsheviks. Or what Moss thinks? Maeve-" he tapped the table, "Maeve almost died today, again. For the like..i don't know, the fifth time!"

"So did Micheal." Polly chimed in.

"It's not always about Micheal, Pol! This is about Maeve, i'm talking about Maeve. Micheal signed up for this, he knew what he was getting into when he asked to work for Tommy when he turned eighteen. Anytime something like this happens and he is involved, he is all you care about!" John shouted.

Everyone stared at him. "Yes he is your son. But you've only bloody known him for like three years! You watched Maeve grow up but yet you don't give a fuck about her anymore. She almost died!"

"What's new, John? It seems like she's always almost dying when will her antics stop! You've let her go mad." Polly fired back.

Arthur clenched his hands in to fists and Linda held his arm reassuringly. "Be quiet, Polly." Arthur muttered. Polly looked over at him. "What?" She asked, "Arthur i didn't hear you. Speak up." She said angrily.

"I said be quiet, Polly. Maeve is my daughter. She is my blood. You out of all people do not get to call her mad." He said, staring right at the table. Yes, it had been a thing for years that Maeve Shelby was mad but he'd had enough. Somehow, he had came to realise that she was doing it all for her family.

Polly scowled at him. Arthur kept quiet now despite wanting to lash out and put Polly in her place. He kept quiet because he was also guilty of forgetting about Maeve slightly.

"Johns right." Isiah whispered. They turned to look at him. "What's that, Isiah? Speak up." Arthur teased.

Isiah swallowed hard. "I said John is right. Some of you treat Maeve as if she's a friend, not a family member. She needs help, we all know that. But you just excuse her with medication that makes things worse. Medication instead of the attention she needs. The attention she has craved since being a little girl. The attention she stopped getting after the war because her dad— you Arthur, left yourself in France."

"Enough!" Tommy shouted. "We will take a vote." He pointed at them all.

"Peace," Arthur said. "I was never a part of this, but..peace." Ada nodded. "Peace." Lizzie agreed.

"Peace." Charlie said. Finn took a deep breath and wasn't sure if he was supposed to say anything but he did. "Peace.." Finn said. "Shut up Finn." Arthur whispered. "Why can't i say peace?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Arthur, let him have his say, Finn sit at the table." Tommy defended. "Maeve  would want him to have his say."

"My sons not here to speak, so i'll speak on the behalf of us both. Truce" Polly nodded. "Same with my daughter, she ain't here. But i know that—" Arthur noticed Polly glaring at him, "i know that she'd want peace." He admitted.

"Six for peace, two for truce, on abstention. Let's get on with the war." Tommy shrugged. Finn cleared his throat and stood at the same time as Arthur. "Arthur."

"What?" He asked bluntly, grabbing his coat.

Finn bit the inside of his cheek before speaking. "Could i go and see Maeve?" Arthur looked at him blankly, making him feel terribly awkward. "Actually, nevermind. She is probably sleeping or something." Finn looked away, giving his brother a slight nod before walking off.

John sighed and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I think you need to talk to Maeve, Arthur." He suggested.

Arthur looked over to John and raised an eyebrow. "Talk to her about what?"

"Just talk to her— alright? She's got something she wants to ask you." He said. Arthur frowned again. "Is it something serious or can it wait."

John grew slightly frustrated. "Does it matter if it's important, Arthur?"

Linda looked at Arthur, giving him a look that said let's just go home. John pointed a finger at her. "No, no don't you give him that look- yeah? I think everyone here will agree with me when i say that you, Linda—"

Ada placed a hand on John's arm to stop him from saying whatever it was he was about to say. He took a deep breath.

"Just go talk to her, yeah? I'm sure Billy will be okay with his fucking mother for a few hours." He hissed, exaggerating the words fucking mother for a few hours, his accent strong.

Arthur sniffed and checked his time piece. "I can get to the hospital for ten, visiting ends at eleven. I'll be home and in bed before it turns midnight." Arthur said before dismissing himself to go and talk to Maeve about whatever it is John was so sure he needed to talk to her about.

-

Arthur lightly knocked on the wood with his knuckles, smiling when Maeve looked up to him, the cops of Little Women in her hands. "Dad? Is it not a bit late for you to be in here?"

Arthur tried to think of an excuse other than 'John made me do it,'

But Arthur being Arthur— "John said i needed to talk to you about something. Now before you ask, he didn't tell me what exactly it was we needed to talk about. But for the sake of the little sanity we both have left, please tell me you know what he was on about."

Her eyes widened slightly, automatically remembering. "Yeah, yeah i know." She took a deep breath. "Listen, i was thinking— you know, about Finn and how...after what happened- i feel he's got no one." She was stuttering all over the place, "and it just makes me feel bad and—"

"Maeve," Arthur warned, "get to the point. I ain't got all bloody night." He teased.

"Right," she nodded. "Can he move in with us— before you say no, hear me out. I'll willingly share my room with him, he can have the bed. Fuck, i'll even sleep downstairs or something. Just please consider it, dad. He's your little brother, my uncle. He's got nobody. None of youse care about him anymore." She rambled.

Arthur sat down in the chair beside the bed and ran a hand across his face, thinking. "I'd have to speak to Linda about it— i'm not sure she'd be too up to the idea."

Maeve scoffed and waved her arms around dramatically. "Yeah..well, who actually likes her? She only disagrees with things to make everyone's life bloody difficult." Maeve sat forward, wincing at the pain but ignoring it. "Please dad. For me?"

Arthur chuckled. "So now you're trying to guilt trip me, eh? Who's been teaching you that— Was it John?"

Maeve rolled her eyes. "I'm being serious. Please just consider it. Finn has nowhere to go! Polly has gone off the rails, Finn clearly hates staying with Ada by himself and he feels too guilty crashing at Isiah's. Dad, we're his family for christ's sake!"

"Alright, alright!" Arthur raised a hand to stop her as her volume began giving him a headache. "I'll think about it, i'll speak to Linda. But i ain't promising anything."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you, dad!" She said, flashing him a smile and leaning back into her pillows. He shook his head with a smile. "Ever since a little girl you've been able to get what you wanted." He said.

"Polly used to say it's cause i have you wrapped around my finger, dad. Maybe she's right." She grinned, lifting up her pinky.

Arthur shrugged, standing again. Before he said anything, he placed a goodbye kiss on her forehead. "You'll always be my little girl," he whispered, his thumb brushing over her cheek for a moment. "I love ya but i'll have to go now."

The short lived happiness that came from their small bonding moment soon disappeared. "Wouldn't want Linda being unhappy now would we?" She said sarcastically.

Arthur tilted his head. "Goodnight, my girl." He said, trying to ignore what she'd just said. She crossed her arms and pulled the white blanket up to her chest. "Goodnight dad— oh and wait, i forgot to tell you! The doctors said i should be out soon. My wounds seemed to have healed a lot quicker than they intended, one of them reckon it's because my body is used to it— although i think that was a sly joke."

"Goodnight Maeve." He repeated, "that's good but goodnight." He said, reaching for the door handle. Maeve smiled to herself and let her dad finally leave.

She stared at the lamp for a few moments and glanced down at the wooden table. Something glistened in the light and she reached for it with struggle. It was the bracelet Tommy had gotten her for Christmas.

Maeve slid it onto her wrist and played with it for a moment. "Shelby Company Limited." She hummed, "Maeve Shelby, head of killing and chief mad dog." She whispered in a mocking way, imitating the voice of Polly when they had introduced Ada to the business again.

Although she was mocking herself at the same time, she didn't care. Maybe being the 'mad dog' was something she needed to embrace. It didn't seem like the family were going to drop the stupid name any time soon.

"Mad dog." She scoffed, "seriously couldn't have thought of anything better." Maeve spoke to herself, "could've called me..fucking hell i don't know but mad dog!? What a bunch of uneducated pricks." She gave up. "Clearly they didn't pass their English exams..have no sense of creativity whatsoever. Even Finn could think of something better than that."

If anyone had heard the way she was speaking, they'd have thought she'd completely gone off the rails. Like to the point she needed to be locked up and never be let out. But of course, Maeve hadn't gotten to that point. And she planned on never getting to that point.

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