Thick As Blood

After another long and eventful night, Cecelia had fallen asleep curled in the crevice of Richards arm. He hadn’t quite had the courage to pry into her past. Both of them had willingly shared parts of their past, but she had done that on her own accord, and he thought asking would be rude. Richard was smart enough to tell however that there must be a lot more to her past then she let on. He didn’t know why she didn’t tell him about it, but he hoped she would with time.

Her body became warm against his chest and her could feel her chest rise and fall. Again, he wasn’t used to the feeling of someone laying against him… for comfort. He hoped that she was in her right mind with him, it would only tear him apart completely to find out that she didn’t actually care about him. Which was why he was so cautious in letting himself think she would be around long enough to love, or even to marry. After all that was really all he ever wanted.

As usual when Richard let his mind wander it would begin to settle on the war. Some cold nights he’d feel like he was back at a station, waiting for a target. He sometimes envied the men on the frontlines because at least their work was constant, at least they were always moving. But for Richard, it was lying motionless in the mud... waiting for your target to show itself, looking for the perfect opportunity to strike. The work was long and strenuous; holding your rifle for hours while you could only hope another man didn't have his sights on you. It left you alone with your thoughts. It left you with feelings of death, and sorrow. You spent weeks on end waiting to end someone’s life, fearing for your own, and missing your loved ones back home. Richard couldn’t count how many times he had dozed off dreaming about home. And now the same thing would happen when he finally was home, only he’d doze off and dream that he was staring down the scope of his rifle.

He was being shaken, he was now wide-awake, terrified from his dream. He could feel how the sweat made his shirt cling to his skin. He could feel Cecelia’s hands on his face, and her breath, she was asking him if he was alright, what was wrong?

He closed his eye and tried to get a grip on where he was, why he was here, and whom he was with. He struggled to calm down even when he realized he was in a soft bed, and safe. He realized he was holding her wrists, tightly, he was gripping them like if he let go... he’d become lost. But he did let go, as not to hurt her. He sat up, away from Cecelia. He felt embarrassed, like he often did with her, the way he acted, the only way he could act. He rested his head in his hands, and without his mask on her could feel the damage that had been done by the war, he almost wished it was only a bad dream but he knew that it was all too real.

He felt Cecelia’s hands glide up and down his back, something he found soothing. He could tell she was worried about him.

“Sometimes.” He began, “I just wish. I could forget.”

“Hush…” she whispered. “It was only a bad dream, you’re not there. Not anymore.” she said into his ear.

“You. Don’t have to carry me, as your burden. I know that. I’m messed up.”

“Richard. shh. Don’t say that. You are not a burden, you can’t change what happened to you.”

“Mhm. I wish. I could.” He said.

“But then how would I have met you?” she asked. “You’d still be on a farm somewhere, you would never have seen Atlantic City, or Chicago… or me.”

Richard could feel his instinct telling him to leave he didn’t know what really to say to her. She was so kind to him, and obviously caring.

“I’m sorry.” He said. His embarrassment made him want to get up and leave. But Richard was starting to let himself need her. The way her nails were scratching his neck and back made him relax, it grounded him, and brought him home. He closed his eye and tried to think of something peaceful, an empty beach, his home, his sister. But a lot of what clouded his thoughts was Cecelia. The way she had climbed under his skin was so unnatural. He hadn’t expected it – for so long he’d been alone, but… for the first time since the war, he was actually letting someone in.

He laid back down against Cecelia, who was wide awake worried about him. He kept his eye closed while she ran her nails lightly across his chest. And eventually Cecelia saw that he was taking deep breaths once again.

Cecelia’s second performance night was the first that didn’t seem so crowded. It had been the night of a big boxing match, leaving many men already drunk in the streets, however there were familiar faces. She noticed Gillian, standing with Jimmy, and she made a mental note to avoid them at all costs. But even though Cecelia would avoid them – she couldn’t help but note how pleased Gillian looked, and how coldly Jimmy stared at her. She knew on some level Jimmy had to be interesting, or kind, or anything other than the only cruelty she’d seen. Richard spoke very highly of him, and often. Cecelia knew that Jimmy must just see her as an outsider, but perhaps because of the type of outsider she was, that was why he was so willing to keep her far away from his family.

After singing a few songs and making her way in and out of the crowd she was exhausted and ready to make her way upstairs. She disappeared behind the curtain and met Richard’s gaze almost instantly. She was curious who was talking to him though; most people didn’t approach him, especially women. Cecelia watched as Richard walked over to her offering Cecelia his hand. The short woman followed him, and Richard introduced her as, Angela.

“I’m Jimmy’s wife.” She said with a grin on her face. “I’ve been wanting to meet you.”

“Angela! Of course!” Cecelia said pulling her into a hug. “It’s about time I got to meet you. Gillian told me a lot about you.”

“All good things I hope?”

“Of course! But she didn’t do your beauty justice. Come! Have a drink with me upstairs?”

“Well the show just ended… I suppose Jimmy will be looking for me.” Angela said worried.

“Ohh right. Jimmy isn’t that fond of me.” Cecelia said. “I wouldn’t want to get you into trouble.”

“It’s okay, I was just telling Richard how odd Jimmy’s been lately. I’m sorry if he did anything to hurt you.” Angela said.

“Darling, it’s nothing I’m not used to. He doesn’t scare me, if he doesn’t scare you… perhaps we should all have that drink? Hm?” Cecelia coaxed.

Angela tried to look through the curtain to see if she could see anything about the crowd. She could hear commotion, laughter; perhaps she could get away with just one drink.

“Oh I suppose just one!” Angela said smiling again. Cecelia took her arm, like she often did Richards. Not only was she interested in getting to know Angela, but in making Jimmy mad. Richard followed them upstairs, but only because Cecelia had reached behind her and found his hand, like that night they were hiding in the closet. She liked Richard close.

The three of them ended up in her room, “Come’on you have to tell me all about my brother.” Cecelia said.

“I’m sure I can’t tell you anymore than Richard could…” Angela said.

“Oh please, a wife would know her husband better than anyone.” Cecelia said handing her a glass of poured scotch.

“I don’t drink often…” Angela said when she made a sour face after taking her first drink, “and usually its just champagne.”

Richard had chosen to stand awkwardly against the wall; he hadn’t said anything since introducing Angela. Cecelia felt that perhaps he thought this wasn’t a good idea either. Richard knew that Gillian had spent time with Cecelia since Jimmy’s demands. He had irritated Jimmy just by asking first, but now everyone but Tommy had been around her – and Jimmy wasn’t going to be happy about that.

And just as Cecelia expected, there came a knock at her door. Both Angela and Richard looked at it suspiciously. Cecelia made her way to the door and opened it slowly. Gillian and Jimmy both stood out in the hallway, Gillian had a similar look on her face that Cecelia had found on Angela’s, and Jimmy, although calm – seemed to be mildly irritated.

“Jimmy!” Angela said, “I was having so much fun telling your sister here about Tommy and how we met.”

Without looking away from Cecelia, Jimmy addressed his wife: “Angela we’ll be going now, Mom, you too.”

“Why Jimmy? Don’t want to spend time with me?” Cecelia asked. Even though Jimmy did not think of her as his sister, he still had no problem fighting with her as if they were siblings.

“You’re not my sister.” Jimmy said shaking his head. Everyone stayed quiet after Jimmy’s comment. Cecelia stepped out into the hall joining Jimmy and Gillian. “Leave my family and friends alone why don’t ya?”

“Make me Darmody.” Cecelia said, egging him on.

He took the cigarette from his lips and twirled it between two fingers.

“What? Don’t want to hit me again in front of mommy?” Cecelia asked. She was sort of hoping that Jimmy would lose his cool, if he did, he’d have nothing to go on – no reason to keep Richard from her. “Don’t want to cause trouble?”

“Nucky told me Lucky stopped by, paying you a personal visit. I think I can assume you’re in enough trouble of your own.” Jimmy said.

“Jimmy let’s just go.” Angela said walking out of the room to Jimmy’s side.

“Richard, you too.” Jimmy added.

Cecelia felt the airs on her arms raise when he said Richards name, she needed Richard, not Jimmy.

Cecelia stepped foreword invading Jimmy’s space. “Cissy baby, why don’t we just go inside and we’ll talk about the show, and Jimmy can move along.” Gillian tried to offer, but Jimmy held up his hand.

“Nah Ma. You’re comin’ home with us. Don’t you remember? You’re watching Tommy in the morning.”

“Ah Tommy. And when do I get to meet him?” Cecelia asked.

The mention of Jimmy’s son was what sent him over the edge. Like before he slapped her. It was forceful enough to knock her head back against the wall. And as Richard pushed Jimmy away from Cecelia, she couldn’t help but smile.

Richard was holding his hand back so he could not strike her again, and both Gillian and Angela made their way to Cecelia to see if she was alright. Cecelia’s plan had worked, and Jimmy had been dumb enough to take the bait. Now everyone was worried for her, and appalled at him.

She heard Richard say: “She is your sister. I would. Never hit my sister.”

“Jimmy how could you!?” Gillian asked while placing her hands all over Cecelia’s red cheek. “I taught you to never hit a woman!”

“You never said anything about my sister.” Jimmy said, “In fact you never said anything about her at all.”

Gillian gave him a glare while her and Angela were checking for any other injuries.

“She’s bleeding.” Angela said. “How could you do this Jimmy?” she asked as her hand pulled away from the back of Cecelia’s head. Her finger tips were doused in blood.

“She needs to go to the hospital.” Gillian said. Jimmy was slightly puzzled when he saw the concerned look on Richards face when Gillian spoke. It was a look that worried Jimmy, worried him that his sister had sunk her devious claws into him as well. To him Cecelia was a threat, and now everyone he called family was concerned for her, and irritated with him. She was sly, and smart, that was for sure.

After Jimmy stopped struggling, Richard came over to check on Cecelia’s injury as well.

“She’ll need stitches.” Gillian said. ”Jimmy go home.”

“Fine, my wishes to you for a speedy recovery.” Jimmy said sarcastically. He reached inside his coat pocket to pull out a tin flask before gulping down the rest of the contents. He staggered the rest of the way down the hallway before Angela caught up with him to make sure he got home safely. She grabbed his arm and he pulled it away from her. Then together, they silently left the Ritz.

Richard was very concerned for Cecelia. Although he was slightly irritated with her, she had obviously brought up Tommy to get a rise from Jimmy, putting him in an unpleasant position. But despite his slight unhappiness, his concern won him over. Jimmy’s anger had caused little damage to her face, but the contact with the wall - had. He helped Gillian carefully walk her to the car where they promptly drove her to emergency care.


The next day Nucky visited Cecelia personally in the hospital. Although by the time he arrived she was being released. And Nucky couldn’t have been happier to find out that he didn’t need to cancel her Friday show. And since Richard had left her alone that morning, she accepted Nucky’s ride back to the Ritz.

“Stitches huh?” Nucky asked.

“Ten.” She said. “I must have a weak head.”

“Well from now on I would avoid pissing off your brother. James is a disturbed man, he’ll go off if you push him enough.”

“As I so quickly found out.” Cecelia said with a smile.

“Listen, James isn’t my favorite associate. We don’t always see eye to eye and he tends to have his own idea about how things are run. The war messed him up, he wasn’t the same kid that left and ran away from Princeton.”

“Princeton?” she asked. Nucky nodded. Cecelia silently scoffed at how much of a pig she now thought Jimmy to be, he was a scholar, a business man, a powerful man. And he sat here calling her pathetic? He had it easy, his hand in Nucky’s pockets, an education, a family, a mother. What did she grow up with?

One dress, one pair of shoes, and a meal twice a day.

She had made something of herself by giving men a fantasy – she kept her dignity and always fought for herself. No one had ever bought her; she had never like anyone enough to get close to her.

Until Richard.

She had had many suitors when she became of age. Rothstein did her a kindness by keeping an eye on her, and Lucky Luciano had been one of the many. Some were cute, some were rich, and others had power. But so had her father.

Cecelia had not only inherited her mother’s good looks, but her fathers dark hair, and sharp features. It was no wonder that Gillian had made the mistake of letting him coax her into bed. Her father was a handsome man, every woman thought so. Cecelia knew this was why she had immediately trusted Richard from the start. His scarred face didn’t let him hide behind flawless features or wide eyes. Richard was displayed solely by his movement, and speech. She liked that about him, because she knew who he was. He couldn’t sway her with the battery of eyelashes and cheeky smiles, he had to act how he felt, he had to say it. Looks were the very reason she had kept away from Lucky Luciano, Jimmy, and all her suitors. She couldn’t trust a pretty face.

Not even her own.