𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕𝟐

In the year of 1929, Maeve Shelby and Isiah Jesus got married and soon after had their baby boy who they named Lennon Thomas Jesus. Although originally they wanted to name him after John or Finn, it just didn't go well enough. So they settled for Thomas.

He was gorgeous. Lennon had beautiful green eyes just like Maeve except they had more brown in them. He had dark hair and tan skin like Isiah. Lennon was the perfect mix of his parents.

Once he was born, Maeve and Isiah agreed to take a step back from the family business — the illegal side of it. They wanted to do whatever they could to keep him safe. So they moved fully into Maeve's home where John and Finn got a house across from it.

Arthur and Lillian would visit as often as they could. It was confirmed that the two were now back together and Linda was completely off the scene. But with Maeve's help, Arthur was occasionally seeing his and Linda's son Billy on a Saturday afternoon.

She tried harder for more days but Linda wasn't giving in. So they accepted the Saturday.

The first time that Finn held Lennon after he was born, he muttered light words to the baby. Words of promise that he'd never let anyone hurt him, not in the way anyone had ever hurt Maeve. Finn was going to look after Lennon as if he were his own.

And the moment Maeve saw the interaction, all she could think about was herself and John.

-

Finn held a four year old Lennon on his hip as they pointed up at the Christmas decorations in the fairly large home. Lennon babbled slightly and Finn laughed, nodding along.

John walked through the front door, wiping his feet on the mat and taking off his coat. "I come with gifts!" He called out, wiping the snow from his sleeves.

Maeve peeked her head around the corner and smiled at him. "Come in, the boys are in here." She told him.

She looked just as beautiful as ever. Her hair was nearly pinned up and her skin was beautifully pale. Her lips were an intense shade of red and she wore black trousers and a white blouse that was loosely tucked into them.

They weren't like suit trousers but more like the trousers that all the girls with money wore in New York and London.

"Hello, trouble." John greeted the small boy that ran up to him, kneeling down to give him a brief hug. John gently placed his flat cap onto Lennon's head and watched him run off.

Despite it only being early in December, snow had already began falling and the nights went dark quickly.

"Isiah," John greeted, gently pushing his friend's shoulder as he passed him. Isiah grinned and removed his cigarette from between his lips. "John boy." He smiled.

"How's Lennon been?" John asked after giving his younger brother a nod and sitting down. Maeve sighed, messing with the gramophone and trying to play music, "well— he'd heard Isiah swear so now his new favourite word is fuck." Maeve said with disappointment.

John stifled a laugh and shook his head. "Must be in the blood then, eh?" He chuckled.

Isiah hummed and scooped his son up, throwing him over his shoulder. "Give your uncle John his cap back." He swiped it from the boys head and threw it to John.

Finn picked up a glass of whiskey and sipped it. "When's Arthur coming?" He asked. Maeve shrugged. "Hopefully soon," she huffed.

And just like it was on queue, Arthur burst in with Lillian close behind him. "Merry fucking Christmas!" He roared, his hands in the air. Lennon was quick to go over to Arthur and he was scooped up by him. "Hello, my boy." He said, holding his grandson in his arms.

"Hi mum." Maeve hugged Lillian and then stepped to the side to let them come into the room fully.

"You've gotten big, eh?" Arthur said to the boy, carrying him over to the couches. "John and Finn. My little brothers!!" He said happily, placing Lennon down on the couch.

Lillian began talking to Isiah about what to get Lennon for Christmas whilst Maeve slipped out to see where the chef's were up to on food.

"So, how's life treating you?" Arthur asked his two brothers. John sighed and leaned back onto the couch. "Same old shit, brother." John said. Finn shrugged. What he wanted to say was i finally feel like my family is my family but instead he said, "Never been better."

"Well that's good to hear, it is." Arthur nodded.

"Right—" Maeve walked back in, "we'll eat dinner and then we will make our way over to Arrow House to see Ada, Lizzie and the children." She said, holding the door open. "Dinner is on the table."

-

Maeve and the rest of them entered Arrow house with frowns on their faces as kids ran in between them. "This projector is a gift from Charlie fucking Chaplin and he sent it from Hollywood— now sit down and bloody watch the film!" Lizzie shouted from the other room.

Maeve walked through the door and was met with a smile from Ada as she spoke over the phone. "Why are Johnny Doggs kids here?" She asked.

Lizzie stood and poured herself another drink. "I've got no bloody clue but they're like animals!" She exclaimed. Maeve chuckled and shook her head. Isiah and John were quick to begin messing around with each other. "You two are just as bad as the children," Lillian joked.

"Auntie Ada!" Lennon said happily, reaching out for the woman. Ada leaned down and picked him up, smiling widely at him. "Lennon!" She responded.

After about three hours, Lizzie got sick and tired of the children running about and paying no attention to the projector so she stormed over and leaned down.

"Mum, I was watching that!" Ruby complained when Lizzie turned off the projector.

Lizzie clapped her hands together. "Okay everybody, okay! We're having this Christmas party early because tomorrow me, Charles and Ruby are going on a big ship to Canada to be with their daddy. But we told Father Christmas about the party and he's brought you all presents," she whispered. All the children cheered and ran off once more.

Maeve scanned the room and couldn't see Arthur anywhere. He was supposed to be playing the role of Father Christmas. She gave Lillian a half worried look and finished off her drink.

"John, where's my dad?" Maeve asked through gritted teeth. John pursed his lips together and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Might want to check the stairs.."

"For fucks sake." She muttered, leaving the room and as she expected, Arthur was laying on the stairs with his shirt now untucked and his hair messy. He was drunk. Very drunk. "Dad." She groaned, pulling him to his feet. "You're supposed to be giving the kids presents!" She scolded.

"Don't tell your mother," he pointed a lazy finger at her, his words slurring together.

"Dad get up!" She said angrily, forcing him to his feet. Arthur clutched onto the bannister and blinked hard. "If Polly was still here she'd never have let it get this bad." She grabbed him by the collar. "You told me you'd stopped using." She said with disappointment.

"It's Christmas, Maeve."

"Yes so where the fuck are the presents?" Maeve shouted. "Get yourself together!" She shoved him back down onto the stairs.

Maeve re-entered the room and swiped another glass of gin and threw herself down in a chair beside Isiah. "You alright?" He whispered. She shook her head slowly and kept her eyes on Lennon who was playing with Charlie. "Dad's off his face on junk— again."

"I thought he'd stopped all that."

"So did I." Maeve sighed.

-

Isiah lay with his back against the headboard of the bed, Maeve's body sprawled across him. She had her hands under her chin to hold her head up. Isiah gently ran his fingers up and down her back. "Do you think Lennon is asleep?" He asked her softly, gazing at her.

Maeve hummed and sat up, throwing once leg over his hip so she was straddling him. Isiah placed his hands either side of her waist. "Probably." She responded. Her hair fell messily over her shoulders. Isiah tucked her hair behind her ears. "You're beautiful, Maeve." He spoke.

Maeve looked away and grinned. "Stop." she said, slightly embarrassed. Isiah bit back his laugh and held her face.

Isiah peppered little kisses on her cheek before kissing her properly on the lips. Before they could go any further, the phone rang. Maeve groaned and climbed off the bed to answer the call. "Yes?" She asked frustratedly.

"Arthur was found off his face again." Ada sighed. Maeve pinched the bridge of her nose. "Call my mother. She'll get there quicker— do you need me to come and help?" Maeve asked. Isiah sat up, leaning back on his elbows. "No," Ada sighed. "Somebody needs to sort him out though, Maeve." She said.

Maeve nodded to herself. "I'll speak to Tommy or my mum. If he isn't going to listen to me he will listen to one of them."

"Let's bloody hope so." Ada tutted.

-

The next morning, Maeve received a call from Lizzie. The woman seemed distressed as she spoke of her daughter's sudden illness. Knowing that it would be some time before Tommy returned home, Maeve took it upon herself to go and visit Lizzie and the children.

"Where is she?" Maeve asked Lizzie. Lizzie folded her arms uncomfortably. "In her bedroom." She was visibly upset. Maeve touched her arm gently. "Tommy has had to come home early. He— he panicked.. started shouted. I don't know what's wrong, Maeve. He told me to speak to Johnny Dogg's eldest wife— it's all gypsy shit." Lizzie shook her head, her fingers against her lip as it began trembling.

"Oh, Lizzie." Maeve pulled her in and sighed. "Ruby will be alright." Maeve winced suddenly when a pain shot through her head. She sucked in a breath and tried to ignore it. "She'll be fine." She repeated, her head burning again.

Maeve didn't want to think it meant something — like a warning or what not like she'd gotten many times in the past. She was not going to let Lizzie worry further.

"Can I see her?" Maeve asked. Lizzie nodded and looked toward the stairs. Maeve walked up the staircase and gently pushed open the door to Ruby's bedroom. She was sat up in bed with a doll in hand. "Hello, Ruby." She greeted.

The brunette looked over to her and gave her the best smile she could. "Hi Maeve." She said. Maeve kneeled beside her bed. "Who is this?" She gently touched the doll.

"Beng." She said plainly. Maeve's heart jumped and she sucked in a breath. Beng was the gypsy word for Devil. "Who got her for you?" Maeve moved on. Ruby hummed. "The man."

Maeve frowned and readjusted herself. "The man?" She asked.

"The man." Ruby repeated. "The one with green eyes." She said. Maeve felt her heart drop. "What man, Ruby?" She asked seriously. The girl shrugged. "He came to see me last night." She said. Maeve bit her bottom lip and thought for a moment.

"Oh—" Maeve tried to think of something else to say to move on the conversation. "Are you excited to see your father?" She finally asked. Ruby nodded quickly and a small smile pulled at her lips. "Where's Lennon?"

Maeve smiled slightly. "Lennon is at home with Isiah. Once you're all better i'll bring him to see you— how about that?"

Ruby nodded again.

"Alright then Ruby." Maeve kissed her forehead. "You get better, yeah?" She said. Ruby hummed at her and watched her leave.

Lizzie came away from talking to one of the maids when seeing Maeve descend the stairs. "You need to get rid of that doll, Lizzie." She said. Lizzie frowned. "What doll?" Lizzie asked.

"The little blonde one— you need to get rid of it."

"Ruby doesn't have a blonde doll." Lizzie stuttered. Maeve raised her eyebrows. "Well she was bloody holding one just then. She said the man with green eyes gave it to her. Do you know who the man with green eyes is, Lizzie?" She asked. Lizzie shook her head. "He's the fucking devil. And that bloody doll is named Beng— Beng is the fucking devil!" Maeve raised her voice, slight panic setting in.

Lizzie's face dropped. "Just— take the doll away from her." Maeve said.

This was the calm before the storm. Something was coming. And this time it wasn't after Maeve but instead after Tommy. So they were going after his daughter..

This was just the beginning.

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