𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝟕

"You're telling me that your Tommy is running to be a leader of a political party?" Isiah asked as he followed Maeve around the house.

She stopped abruptly and turned around, causing him to almost walk into her. "Can you shut up and keep carrying that box? You'll bloody drop it." She scolded.

Isiah rolled his eyes but kept a tight hold of the box that held all of Finn's things. "So he's moving in for real— your dad said yeah?"

"After a lot of arguing with Linda, yep. He somehow convinced her. We managed to clean out the spare room for him. Hopefully he'll feel more at home." Maeve suggested.

Isiah nodded in agreement and quickly put the box on the floor, breathing heavily.

"Seriously? I thought you went to the gym."

"Yeah, fighting. Before all of this madness happened at Christmas and stuff." Isiah panted with his hands on his hips. Maeve shook her head and sighed. "Not good enough," she teased.

Isiah raised his eyebrows and his mouth parted. "Excuse me? What are you trying to say?!"

Maeve smirked. "Nothing— nothing at all." She shrugged. He stood with an open mouth and pointed a finger at her. Except no words came out, he just stood there, causing her to burst into laughter.

"You look like a fool." She said whilst mocking his stance.

Isiah pursed his lips into a line before lifting the girl from the floor and spinning her quickly. "Isiah!" She warned.

He carried her through the hall and into her own bedroom before throwing her onto the mattress. "Don't be shouting at me like that," he laughed, hovering over her.

Maeve placed her hands on his chest and laughed. "Stop it, Finn will be here soon. I told him i'd help him set up the room."

Isiah rolled his eyes and lay beside her.

They looked at each other for a few moments and Isiah grinned, placing his hand on her waist. "I love ya, y'know." He said, his accent coming through thick.

She raised her eyebrows. "What have you done?" She joked.

His mouth fell open and he scoffed. "What d'ya mean!? Am i not allowed to tell my girlfriend that i love her?" His voice was high pitched. Maeve laughed and rolled onto her stomach, her hands supporting her chin.

Isiah gently lifted her face with his thumbs and just looked at her.

"Why're you looking at me like that?" Maeve grew flustered. He hummed and leaned down, close to her face. Her heart pounded like the first time it had happened between the two.

"Tell me you love me," he grinned widely. She shook her head. Isiah laughed slightly, "tell me you love me." He repeated, poking her sides. Maeve shook her head with a wide smile.

Maeve turned onto her back and Isiah leaned over her. "Say it, say you love me."

Maeve purposefully avoided his face in a tormenting way and laughed loudly. Isiah continued and the room was full of their laughter.

"Fine, I love you!" She shouted, giving up and breathing heavily. Isiah smiled proudly and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "Love you too, Shelby."

-

Finn opened the door to the house, looking behind him to watch his driver leave. He carefully left his shoes beside the door and kept his coat in his arms.

It was only moments before footsteps came running down the stairs and Maeve practically threw herself into his arms, sending him tumbling backward and almost into the wall.

Isiah stood laughing at the top of the stairs.

"Hello to you too, Maeve." Finn chuckled, hugging her back. She smiled and pulled back, "come on, Isiah has been helping me set your room up all day— we're going for drinks later!" Maeve was beyond excited to have her cousin staying with them.

It made her feel less alone— although she wasn't exactly alone as she had the company of her dad, his god awful wife and their child. It was still nice to have Finn around.

Finn followed her up the stairs and the moment they got to the top, Maeve ran behind him to cover his eyes.

"Okay..go on— okay open!" Maeve shouted as she uncovered the boys eyes. Finn squinted and looked around the room, his eyes landing on the double bed and small desk beside the window.

He was in shock. Nobody had ever done something like this for him before. All his clothes were already piled into the wardrobe and there was a large knitted blanket sitting at the foot of the bed.

Finn felt his eyes sting ever so slightly and he pinched the bridge of his nose, looking up to avoid possible tears from escaping.

Maeve stood under Isiah's arm with a hand on her hip. "D'ya like it then?"

Finn nodded quickly and turned to her. "Thank you, Maeve— i love it, i really do." His voice was shaking slightly despite how hard he was trying to hide it.

"Oh, Finny!" Maeve sighed, moving away from Isiah and pulling the boy into another hug. "Don't cry."

"I'm not crying. I'm— i'm happy!" Finn assured her.

"Good because you deserve to be happy." She nodded. Isiah stood quietly beside the door and decided to slip out to give the pair a moment. He knew Finn didn't like people seeing him upset.

"Look, it's all going to be okay now. The trouble is over. That's what Tommy said." She added. Finn wanted to go on about how it was hard to trust Tommy when it came to stuff like this but he decided against it, knowing that all of Maeve's trust was in her uncle.

-

Maeve held Billy whilst the whole of the family walked through the room.

The Shelby's picked up their voting paper, ticking the box that read Thomas Shelby. They all smiled, placing them into the box.

"Come on then Billy Boy," she whispered, fixing his shirt and carrying him out to where they'd be gathered to listen to the final decision.

"Ronald Carr, Conservative, 3,412," The man spoke. "Bernard Hall, Liberal, 4,015. Micheal Ross, Communist, 6,406. Thomas Shelby, Labour Party, 47,564."

Cheers erupted from everyone. Maeve's eyes widened and she laughed, passing Billy to Arthur and running to hug Tommy the moment he left the room.

"You did it, Tommy!" She shouted. Tommy smiled and hugged her.

He looked at Lizzie who stood at the bottom of the stairs, his new young daughter Ruby in her arms.

He smiled at her, picking her up.

Jessie Eden, who was rumoured to have been having an affair with Tommy, stood at the top of the stairs, mouth open. Lizzie sent a bitter smile at her, linking arms with Tommy as they walked away.

-

Maeve sat on her bed, staring down at a collection of papers whilst biting her nails. She scanned her eyes over the words multiple times.

The door swung open and she quickly folded them up and shoved them into her drawers beside the bed before smiling. "And what do you two want?" She asked Finn and Isiah who'd entered.

Isiah held a plate of food and carefully placed it beside her. "Linda says it's your dinner." He said. Finn appeared behind Isiah with two more plates for them.

She nodded thankfully.

Isiah sat on the bed whilst Finn got comfortable in the chair beside the window, almost automatically digging into his food.

"What was that?" Finn asked. She raised an eyebrow. "The thing you were holding when we came in."

"Oh— just something Tommy had given me. A work contract." Maeve replied quickly, unable to tell them the truth. Finn shrugged and continued eating.

Although the work contract was a lie,
the part about it being from Tommy was the complete truth.

-

Maeve sat in the dimly lit room. Finn had fallen asleep in the chair and Isiah had fallen asleep facing away from her. She carefully reached back into the drawer and retrieved the papers once more.

On the pages, it spoke about moving Maeve's 'business' elsewhere. Or in other words, giving her an opportunity to get out.

America, it said.

Maeve had always wanted to go to America.

She looked at the two boys guiltily and leaned back whilst taking a deep breath. Was it a good idea or would she be throwing everything away? If she left, Finn would officially have nobody unless he went with her.

And he was definitely not going to go with her.

Isiah would act like he supported her decision but wouldn't want her to go through with it. Or he would completely disagree.

Her hands tapped the paper and she closed her eyes, silently listing a pros and cons list inside her head. Pros: she could finally get out, live a somewhat normal life. She could finally go to America and live out the dream she'd had since being a little girl.

Cons: she would be leaving Arthur behind.

Yes, there were many more cons but that seemed to be the one echoing in her mind. You'll be leaving your dad. He has Linda. No, he will be alone. He will not be alone, he has Billy too. If you go, he won't be able to cope.

Maeve sat and fought with the voices in her head until she finally picked up the phone. It rang out for a few moments before a familiar voice answered. "Hello?"

"Thomas." Maeve replied anxiously. "I think we need to talk."

-

Maeve was awoken by quiet arguing downstairs between who she assumed to be Arthur and Linda. She squinted once she opened her eyes and frowned at the empty room.

Finn and Isiah were gone.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed and pulled a robe over her pyjamas. Her legs moved quicker than she wanted them to and she rubbed her eyes in hopes to function better.

"No— no she won't do it!" Arthur shouted. Silence. "She can't do it." He added.

Maeve appeared in the door with a concerned look on her face and to her surprise, he wasn't arguing with Linda. He was stood in the kitchen with Finn and Isiah— as well as Linda who was sat feeding Billy.

Arthur was waving paper around. Her heart dropped.

Finn's eyes diverted to Maeve and Arthur slowly looked over his shoulder. "Are you going to explain what the fuck this is?" He waved it in her face. Her lips parted. "How did you get that?"

Isiah's head automatically lowered and she frowned. "Isiah? What— why were you going through my things!"

Arthur shook his head. "It don't matter why, alright? What matters is that you've been planning to move off to America and nobody knew but Tommy. What a surprise, eh?"

"Dad."

"You were gonna fucking leave us all." He continued. "What was all this for— why did all this happen if you were just going to fuck off to New York or something? Why did we all get hurt and why did you almost die again?"

"Dad, please."

"You're my fucking daughter, Maeve." Arthur genuinely seemed hurt at what he had found out. "And you want to leave. Is it me— have i failed at being a bloody father?"

Maeve felt her eyes burn with angry tears. "I've said stop." She tried to snatch the papers but he walked backward.

"I can't believe you'd do this to us, Maeve." Finn chimed in. That's when her heart truly felt like it shattered. Finn seemed upset. Isiah seemed angry.

"When were you going to tell us?" Arthur asked.

"I don't even know if i'm going yet!" Maeve snapped, shouting loudly. "So please give me a fucking break, that's all i've ever wanted! You of all people should understand that. So forgive me that i was offered an opportunity for change and i considered taking it. But i've not even made a decision yet so give me it back." Maeve finally snatched them from his hands.

"You do not get to lecture me about trying to leave and not saying anything about it, dad. What about the time you and Linda were going to fuck off to America, hm? I only found out the day Tommy sent us all to fucking jail!" She shouted, clear tears in her eyes.

Arthur began remembered and soon closed his mouth.

They all stared at her. "I'm going to see Tommy."

And with that she had walked out. They were left to wonder if she would come back later that night or if Tommy would help her get onto a boat to America.

Arthur thought that he'd finally lost his little girl.

Isiah chased after her, fuming. "Maeve stop fucking walking away or I swear to god!" He snapped. Maeve bit her lip and spun around. "Or what, Isiah? Or fucking what?!"

She could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew what he wanted to say.

"Go on, Isiah. Say it." Maeve urged.

Isiah stared at her. "If you leave—" he paused, hesitating. "If you leave, that's the end of us, Maeve." Isiah said quietly, clearly not wanting to have said what he said.

Maeve's heart sank but she didn't show it. "If that's what you want, Isiah. If that's what you think needs to happen, clearly you don't love me as much as I thought you did. You could come with me, Isiah. You and me. But clearly there's something here that means more to you."

He said nothing.

"Clearly we aren't as strong as I thought if you're willing to throw it all away because I finally want a peaceful life." Maeve pointed a finger at him, the papers in her hands now crumpled up.

Isiah swallowed hard. "Are you going to leave?"

"I didn't want to but it seems like you want me to. Is there somebody else?" Maeve accused. Isiah frowned harshly. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Is there somebody else?"

"Maeve i fucking love you— you know that! Why would there bloody be someone else? Are you crazy?" Isiah tapped his forehead in a taunting way.

Crazy. That's when he crossed the line.

"Maybe I am, okay. So what? If you cannot be there for me anymore then so be it. I'll talk to Tommy and i'll be on the next plane out of here and you'll never have to see me again."

"I don't want that." Isiah shook his head.

"Then why are you being like this!?" Maeve shouted, almost unable to talk. "Before today I was hardly considering moving away but it sure as hell seems like you wouldn't care if I did. You were able to say that if i moved, that was the end of us— you said that like it meant nothing."

"Maybe it does mean nothing. Maybe we mean nothing."

His words stung more than anything. "You don't mean that. Isiah, take that back." Maeve could no longer act strong in front of him. Isiah was the one person she truly loved and he was willing to throw it all away. Over what?

"Isiah please take that back." She begged. Isiah turned his head to the side and stayed quiet. That's when she stepped backward.

"Fine. If that's what you want." Maeve sniffed, her eyes burning. "If that's what you want then don't worry about having to see me ever again. But just know that you were one of the only things keeping me afloat. And you've been the only person i've loved more than anyone else i've ever known."

Isiah watched her get into the black car and slam the door before it sped off. He definitely regretted everything he just said. He too loved Maeve more than anything he'd ever known. Isiah didn't want her to leave, he didn't know why he said what he said. His heart was racing and he wanted to follow after her.

But Isiah knew there was no coming back after what he'd done. They were finished — he'd fucked it all up.

Finn stood at the door with a disappointed look on his face. Isiah turned to look at him and Finn shook his head. "Now you've gone and done it, Siah." Finn said.

"Listen Finn— i didn't mean for.."

"She won't come back." Finn shook his head again. "You've given her an ultimatum and you've made her feel unwanted. She wasn't necessarily in the right either but there were so many other ways you could've spoken to her, Isiah." Finn said.

The only thing that stopped him from talking was the regret in Isiah's eyes. "Just pray that she changes her mind."

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PLEASE READ THE NEXT CHAPTER I PUT OUT!!!