Birmingham, 1919
Grace
Birmingham, 1919.
It's been a month since Anne's been living in her home as a new member of Scott's family. The mansion more aptly called the Mansion contained Thomas, Anne and a few servants. Other families are in different homes. Every morning they all gathered at what they called the headquarters in Birmingham city centre. The headquarters is in the form of a smuggled goods trading company office with a whiskey factory as a cover.
The Blinders in Birmingham are apparently not feared by the surrounding community, instead entrusting the security of the city to the Blinders rather than to the local police, by paying security money every month. Some police officers were paid by The Blinders to cover the scars of the chaos caused in the event of war.
A war? Yes, war happens often. The petty war waged by some who dared to smuggle goods out of The Blinders was a violation of their code of conduct. Only The Blinders can control the market in Birmingham and surrounding areas, if you want to be a competitor, then look for other contraband. If he dares to smuggle the same thing with The Blinders, then he will be blind.
People who have had problems with The Blinders will not be killed. They will be marked by blinding one eye, so the group is called The Blinders, which means "Eye Cover". Those who are blind will eventually commit suicide because they cannot bear the mental burden caused by problems with The Blinders.
The Blinders are divided into two layers. The outer layer is the workers who work under the auspices of The Blinders, those who are indebted and material to The Blinders and those who idolize The Blinders so gladly become part. While the inner layer is a family member who is bound by blood and marriage.
Anne, because she's married, is now a member of The Blinders. Anne also worked as a manager with Adda and Bibi Poly. While the men work directly. Anne has begun mingling with Adda, Aunt Poly, wife Arthur and wife Jhonny, while keeping her relationship with Thomas a secret.
After a month of being husband and wife who never touch each other, they both agree to look like a romantic couple in the presence of family and other people. While in the house they are mediocre, like two opposite sex who know each other but there is no inner bond between the two.
Tonight, all the women have closed their offices and agreed to have dinner together at Anne's house while the men are out of town on a mission to buy a bar to spread the wings of whiskey sales.
After dinner together, all women enjoy a glass of wine while warming up in the living room with a lit fireplace.
"Maybe you should immediately give Thomas offspring so that they are not far away," suggested Johnny's wife, Esme.
"Uhuk! Uhuk!" Anne choked on hearing it.
"Ah that won't have any effect!" sahut Arthur's wife, Jane. Arthur and Jane already have a son who is now a teenager and is being schooled in a boarding school.
"The man will continue to do what he likes, without minding thinking about his son and wife" added Bibi Poly.
"Most importantly, always fill their bowels and empty the contents of*****they. Hahahaha," said Jane.
All the women in the room laughed, except for Anne. He laughed with force. Aunt Poly smelled Anne's awkwardness.
'BRAK!'
The main door opened and the men were back. Arthur and Jhonny looked at the women with puzzled expressions.
"Where's Tomy?" ask Aunt Poly.
Thomas soon emerges from behind his two brothers. Thomas appears with a short-haired blonde woman. The woman is beautiful and has blue eyes.
All the women were wide-eyed to see the coming of the woman who was with Thomas.
"Grace?" adda was surprised.
Anne looked at the woman in confusion. "Grace?"
Aunt Poly instantly looked at Thomas and Grace with a ready-to-explode expression, the others looking at Anne with concerned gazes, while Anne was bewildered by the woman's arrival.
"Who is that woman? Why would Thomas take her home?" confused Anne in heart.
"Tomys! We need to talk to both of you, now!" exclaim Aunt Poly.
Thomas, who understood Aunt Poly's emotions, followed her into the study. The others sat in the fireplace with their partners. Adda looked at Grace with a hostile look. No one entertained Grace, or welcomed her arrival at all.
'PLAC!'
"Where's your brain?! Why did you bring that traitor to your house? A house where a wife awaits your return!" exclaim Aunt Poly emotion.
"I saved Grace from the Lee Brothers. I just heard his explanation for what happened two years ago. He was used by the Lee Brothers to be a spy and damage us from within. He's apologized" said Thomas, who was helpless against Grace's apology.
Aunt Poly harrumphed cynically. "Well! And you still believe him?"
Thomas remained silent.
"Well, let's say that this time he's been honest. Then what do you want with him? You're married! How does Anne feel about seeing this? What if The Alexanders don't accept it and start attacking?!" added Aunt Poly.
Thomas remained silent. Even though her marriage was just above the law, she realized it was inappropriate for her to treat Anne like this.
"Well, I'll put Grace in the apartment" Thomas said.
'PLAC!'
Aunt Poly slapped Thomas's right cheek, again.
"Remove Grace, throw her out of your head! You're smart, but you're stupid when you're dealing with women!" assert Aunt Poly, then get out of the study.
***
"Include me," Anne reached out her hand to Grace who looked uncomfortable being there.
Slowly Grace returned the hand of the long red-haired woman before her.
"I, Maria Anne Alexander Scott, call me Anne. I'm Thomas' wife."
Grace looked at Anne in shock. Adda stared in satisfaction as Anne introduced herself to Grace as Thomas' wife. Jane and Esme look at Anne and Grace. The two women who were in Thomas' life stood together.
Soon Aunt Poly and Thomas came.
"Grace, tonight you're going to stay with Adda while I look for you somewhere else" Thomas said.
"What?!" Adda does not accept, but Thomas's gaze makes him inevitably accept Grace as his guest.
"Why not just here? There are many rooms here" said Anne, plain.
"No!" adda immediately agreed to host Grace at her home. "Come on Grace!"
They all finally came home. One by one, I say goodbye to Anne. When his cheek came into contact with Anne's cheek, Aunt Poly whispered.
"Grace is Tomy's ex-boyfriend. Remember, give him satisfaction, lest he be captivated by another woman! You are Mrs Scott" whispered Aunt Poly.
When she learns that Grace is Tomy's ex-lover, Anne understands why the rest of the family did not accept Grace's arrival. Anne looked at Thomas inside.
"Does he still love Grace? She was still so considerate of him" Anne said in her heart.
Thomas who caught the look, turned around. "I'll explain it tomorrow morning. Tonight I'm tired."