#Polly Adler

[travsd]

Madam: A Biography of Polly Adler

April 16 was the natal day of Pearl “Polly” Adler (1900-1962); it seemed the most apt date for this review of Debby Applegate’s 2021 book Madam: The Biography of Polly Adler, Icon of the Jazz Age. Adler’s career as America’s (one time) best known madam began just over a century ago, when she was 20 years old. No apparent relation to the famous acting family, she’d come to the U.S. from Belarus…

[creativepawsworld]

Silence - Chapter 49

Pairing = Thomas Shelby x OC

Summary = Ana and Tommy spend some time together checking on business in London. Tommy drops an unexpected bombshell on Ana.

Warnings = Language...Grammar...mentions of brothels... guns...violence.

Word Count = 3210

Note = Hey, so it's been a hot minute. I don't know if people are even reading this anymore and if not I completely understand it has been neglected. I had covid and to be honest, sitting around feeling sorry for myself had me actually writing to stop being bored so, i guess it was a good thing. Anyway, if your still reading enjoy. 💙

I sat in the passenger seat next to Tommy as we drove to London. I had told the doctors at the hospital I would be gone for a few days. I was nervous to do so considering the stage of healing both my parents were at. My mother was at her most vulnerable, scared of most males that entered her room, only mumbling incoherently under her breath until they left. My father was traumatised, although he tried his hardest to hide it when I was around. He still relied on a pad of paper and a pencil to communicate. His tongue was still too painful to form a word despite the physiotherapy.

I couldn’t help but feel guilty for leaving them when they needed me most. But I also felt I had neglected my relationship with Tommy long enough. I moved between our apartment and the hospital. Tommy moved to gather information needed to hunt down the Italians who did this to my parents and threatened me inadvertently. Both of us passed like ships in the night.

We had arrived in London before 10 am. Our first stop was at the docks in Camden Town to check on his shipment and Arthur. I watched as men unloaded boxes from the Shelby boats, my shawl wrapped tightly around my shoulders to shield me from the cool morning breeze. Tommy stood talking to a smaller man while watching the shipment arrive. I could tell from Tommy’s reaction that this was a man he trusted without question, he even smiled a few times during their conversation.

I walked slowly towards them, mindful of my step as the men set hard at work unloading the never-ending shipment. “This your lovely future wife to be Tommy?” The smaller man asked as I approached, his eyes dropping to my swollen stomach.

“Anastasia Adler” I offered my hand to him to shake but instead he kissed the back of my hand, removing the peaked cap he wore before putting it back on his head with a confident smile.

“Johnny Dogs.” He introduced himself and I nodded. I had heard the boys and Polly mention his name a few times. It was nice to finally put a face to the name. “When are you tying our Tommy down? Been a while since we had a good wedding mind ye”

“Oh, we haven’t really…discussed that yet,” I answered holding my shawl tightly.

“No?” Johnny asked surprised. “Good-looking lass like that? Tommy, you need to tie her down before another man comes.”

“All in good time Johnny, all in good time.” Tommy slapped a hand over his shoulder, whispering something in his ear before reaching for my hand. Once I had accepted he gently pulled me away from the dock and up the metal staircase where a man he referred to as Billy commented on how safe the shipment would be under his watch.

Leaving the docks we drove into town stopping outside a popular club I heard the boys talking about. The Eden Club. I instantly inhaled, this was that man Sabini’s club. Although I knew Tommy and the Peaky Blinders had taken it over, the memories of that man and the beating he ordered on Tommy came flooding back and it made me nauseous. It all started with Tommy, John and Arthur coming to this club a few months back. To me, this place screamed trouble. I didn’t care how fancy or popular it was. It was cursed.

As we walked through the long elegant hallway of the Eden Club I heard what sounded like skin slapping and grunts coming from somewhere. I walked behind Tommy, the noises becoming louder and louder. Looking around I spotted the source and sickness rose in my throat.

“Morning Arthur.” Tommy strode past his older brother fucking a whore without so much as blinking an eyelid. Arthur had his gun drawn thinking it was an intruder. “We are just passing.” Tommy sighed and continued walking. I held a hand up over my eyes as I hurried my step after Tommy.

I shivered at the image I was sure would haunt me for the next few weeks as Tommy entered a curtained drawn room, this place was darker. Moodier. I started to wonder if the Eden Club was also a brothel of sorts. It had what I felt would be the makings of one. A lot of soft furnishings, and almost pornographic paintings on the wall. Curtained off areas. The dark moody, intimate atmosphere. It would be a high-end brothel if it were one.

Tommy looked over the books as I walked around the room making my assumptions about the place. My thoughts were broken by Arthur coming into the room snapping his fingers and demanding a drink. He was partially dressed this time as he approached me kissing my cheek as a hello before sitting in front of Tommy at the table he had chosen to check the books.

“Whiskey Tommy? Arthur asked buttoning up his shirt as a waiter appeared with a large bottle of brown alcohol and a few glasses.

“No. I have a long drive ahead.” He inhaled on his cigarette his eyes not leaving the books. His lips parted to blow out a puff of smoke as he studied the numbers.

“You off home?” Arthur asked trying to make conversation. He looked over at me for a moment for an answer but Tommy was quick to answer.

“Eventually,” Tommy answered. I walked over to him, my hands resting on his shoulders and I started to rub them. I looked over at Arthur who smiled, his cheeks slightly red from what I had witnessed only ten minutes ago.

“To Birmingham then eh.” Arthur cheered the air. “Good ole Birmingham.”

“What’s this?” Tommy asked, tapping his middle finger on the paper. “Olives?” I sighed softly rubbing Tommy’s shoulders as Arthur explained what an olive was and the stick on which they sat making me chuckle.

I understood it was business, but I couldn’t understand the importance of the olives until I realised that olives were code. The conversation takes a more serious, darker turn. I remained quiet, standing behind Tommy I rubbed his shoulders gently.

“The home secretary is cracking down and I don’t need this fucking everything up. Do you understand?” Tommy asked in a harsh tone, a cold look on his face as he looked up at Arthur.

“I understand.” Arthur nodded, pulling his hair towards the back of his head before pouring another whiskey.

“People down here are scared of you Arthur. But if you don’t straighten up it’ll be John’s turn in London.” Tommy warned a serious threat laying in the undertone of his voice.

“No need. I can handle this.” Arthur shook his head. “I got this yeah.”

“Fucking tidy profit though eh?” Tommy smirked, at the money on the table. Arthur smacked it smiling back.

“It’s happening Tom.” Arthur nodded towards both his brother and myself. I didn’t know what exactly was happening but I knew better than to question it when they discussed business.

“Good. Make sure it does.” Tommy instructed as he stood up, nodding his head for me to follow as he walked towards the exit. “Straighten up soldier.” He yelled.

“See you later Arthur.” I smiled gently touching his shoulder before running off after Tommy. He was like a man on a mission trying to get through his business here in London.

******

We drove through a fancy housing estate in London. It was quiet, posh. I immediately felt out of place. Tommy pulled the car over on the side of the road, we had stopped outside what looked like a gated home. Tommy immediately pulled out his pocket watch, holding it in one hand. With his other hand, he pulled out a map from the side pocket of his door, placing it on his lap.

“Tommy, what are you doing?” I asked confused by his actions. If anyone knew where they were going it was Tommy. I always believed he had a built-in compass inside his body.

“Sir I am afraid you will have to move along. There is no stopping in this area.” An armed soldier came over to the driver's side of the car. Tommy looked up in acknowledgement.

“Apologies. I was just checking the map wasn’t I love?” Tommy looked at me and I smiled nodding. I didn’t know why we had to lie but it became second nature to me when it came to defending Tommy.

“Well move along, this is a no-stopping zone.” The soldier spoke nodding his head, his eyes falling on my pregnant stomach before stepping back allowing Tommy space to move the car.

Tommy handed me the map checking his stopwatch one last time before driving off through the wet streets of London. “23 seconds” Tommy commented turning the corner. I looked at him waiting for an explanation but received silence.

“What was that about?” I asked softly holding the map in my lap. “That is something to do with that file you hid in your desk the other day isn’t it?” I felt myself getting a little annoyed. “Is that why you brought me along? Use me to help cover your tracks?”

“The less you know, the better Stace. You know this.” Tommy spoke in a long drawn voice. “You trust me don’t you?”

“Of course I trust you Tommy but I also worry for you. We have a baby on the way I would hate to have to raise them alone.” I huffed looking out the window. Tommy sighed a troubled look in his eye as we pulled up to Ada’s home.

Over the weeks when Freddie died, I felt myself getting closer to Ada. I reached out to her personally via letters, which she happily returned. I had so much admiration for her. For her bravery in Garrison Lane when her husband and brothers went to war against Billy Kimber. To her strong, powerful way of raising her child after the loss of her husband. She was a pillar of everything I wanted to be.

Tommy and I didn’t speak again as we left the car. Knocking on the door, we stood in silence when a younger gentleman opened it catching us both by surprise. Ada hadn’t mentioned him in her letters to me.

“We’re looking for Ada” Tommy spoke hands deep in his pockets, his infamous stoic look on his face as the almost boy-like man took in his appearance.

“And who are you?” He asked keeping a calm exterior which I found rather impressive considering Tommy’s imposing nature and cold stare. But Tommy didn’t provide an answer, instead, he pushed his way past the young man and into the home.

“It’s her brother. I am so sorry for his behaviour.” I sighed following in after Tommy. The young man closed the door behind us as Tommy removed his hat and coat hanging it up and walked into the living room, hands still deep in his pockets as he greeted his sister.

Hanging up my coat, I caressed my bump following in after him with a small smile as I reached out to hug his sister. The young man comes into the living almost like he is ready to protect Ada from her brother.

“Who’s he?” Tommy asked sparing the young man a glance, standing before Ada with an annoyed expression on his face. Tommy didn’t trust anyone he didn’t vet personally and even then the trust was sparse.

“James rents a room” Ada answered in annoyance her brother would be so forward in front of the young man who hadn’t done a thing.

“You need to rent out rooms?” Tommy asked sarcastically.

“Actually she doesn’t charge rent,” James answered, causing me to furrow my eyebrows looking at Ada with confusion while Tommy stared him down.

“He’s a writer. Means he is skint” Ada chuckled sitting down, patting the seat next to her for me to take. I was glad to accept it stroking my baby bump as I did. Tommy had yet to take his eyes off the poor man when he asked Ada about the whereabouts of her son.

“What do you want Tommy?” I could feel the tension in the air shift at the mention of his nephew Karl. “Oh god before you start seizing him up for a wedding suit. He is not interested in me. Or of girls of any kind.” Ada smirked slightly rubbing my bump.

“Ada” James looked at her worriedly, Tommy’s gaze still upon him.

“What? Tommy and Ana won’t judge you. And he sure as hell won't go to the police” She sniggered and for the first time Tommy broke eye contact with him, choosing to look at something on the floor as he reflected on his sister's words.

“Look, I’ll go and get dressed” James didn’t make eye contact. With my emotions all over the place, I felt bad for him. He was outed in front of strangers which would have been hard for him I had no doubt.

“James.” Tommy sighed stepping towards him. “I’m Thomas. Nice to meet ya.” He extended a hand for him to shake which made me smile. James looked down at his hand, over to Ada then back to Tommy’s hand as he accepted the handshake. “And that’s Anastasia.”

“Nice to meet you” James nodded at me as I waved to him.

“Can I have a moment with my sister please?” Tommy asked calmly.

“Yes of course” James smiled taking in Tommy’s appearance. I could sense that he appreciated Tommy for showing him respect. The action alone had me biting my lip as I sized up Tommy from my position on the sofa, my sex drive was crazy, making itself known at the worst times.

Once James left, Tommy sat on a small armchair in front of us, clearing his throat as he looked around the room. He folded his hands on his stomach inhaling deeply as he looked at Ada.

So, does the lodger know your name?” Tommy asked causing me to roll my eyes. Here we go I thought to myself as I stroked my stomach.

“Yeah. Throne. You'd think I’d tell anybody anything else? “Ada answered “You Brummie boys are all over the papers. Just one last push eh? Then you’ll go legit. Just one more obstacle to get around? Then it’ll all be straight?” She asked.

“Actually yes,” Tommy answered in a bored tone making Ada laugh.

“Personally I find it quite amusing. Men like you are becoming very fashionable around here. No society party in London is complete without a gangster the girls go giddy for. No offence Ana.” Ada took a dig at her brother but it felt like my offence. Tommy looked down at his lap, thinking over his words which worried me. Something was bothering him. “Anyway, what is it that you want?”

“I’m about to have a child Ada. So I have set up a trust fund the beneficiaries will be my baby obviously but I want to ensure that Karl and John’s kids are looked after as well. But in order for Karl to benefit I need your signature.” Tommy spoke solemnly pulling paper from the inside of his jacket. I was speechless as I held my stomach looking at my future husband. What was he talking about? He was scaring me.

“I’ve set up an account where the money will be transferred in the event of my death” Tommy finished putting the paper on the table, then sitting back as if he hadn’t just dropped that bombshell. I felt sick.

Ada leaned forward taking the paper as I stared at Tommy who wouldn’t look at me in this moment.

“Are you sick?” Ada asked.

“I’m just doing what any ordinary man would. Putting my affairs in order.” Tommy answered so casually.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I snapped feeling angry that he didn’t talk to me about this before coming to Ada. I leaned forward in my seat glaring at Tommy as he looked over at me. “You're not going anywhere, Tommy.”

Tommy looked down at his lap again, a troubled look on his face even though he tried to hide it.

“Do you hear me? You’re not going anywhere” I growled standing up, feeling the need to pace. My hands were shaking at the thought of losing him, tears settled in my eyes as I walked the floor. “I’m not raising this baby alone. I’m not.” I started to panic.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Ada tried to soothe me walking alongside me as tried to get me to recollect my breathing.

“Why would he say that? Why would you do this?” I asked in a panic, tears falling down my face. Tommy was never like this. What had changed over the last few weeks that had him thinking he was going to die?

“Stace, it’s only a precaution. I wanted to make sure you and the next generation of Shelby’s are looked after…” Tommy started to speak.

“This is all to do with that fucking file, isn’t it? What is going on Tommy?” I snapped. Ada’s eyes widened at the sound of me cursing. It was a rarity for me but I felt like this situation warranted it.

Tommy shook his head standing to his feet once more. He came to stand in front of me cupping my face into his hands as he rubbed the tears from my face. He slowly leaned forward kissing the tip of my nose.

“It’s a precaution. I will come back to you.” He promised looking deep into my eyes. His deep blues swirled with so many emotions it was hard to pinpoint just one. “We will raise this baby together.” He lets go of my face to hold my swollen stomach.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were doing this? We did I have to find out like this?” I asked tears continuing to fall from my eyes.

“I thought having our Ada’s support would help you understand better” He spoke calmly. “I wanted to show you that even without a husband you will be fine, looked after just like Ada.”

“We are going to marry Tommy you can’t…you can’t do things like this and expect me to react normally”

“It's just a precaution, Stace. Just a precaution.” Tommy repeated holding me close to his body.

******

That evening when we returned to Birmingham we stopped at the betting shop. Tommy went straight to Polly’s office to look at the financial gain from the day whereas I went straight to John who was looking at a book in the shared office.

“Alright Ana, how was London?” He asked offering me the cheeky smile he had.

“John I want you to do me a favour and I don’t want you to tell Tommy about it. Not yet.” I asked quietly checking over my shoulder for Tommy. “What is it?” John asked curiously. I exhaled loudly as I stroked my baby bump, thinking of the words I wanted to say. I needed to do this to protect my baby, to protect Tommy.

“I need you to teach me how to shoot properly.”

Taglist

@shelbyteller @seleneshelby @forgottenpeakywriter @babayaga67 @sweetmilkshakeluminary @slutforcoffein @sydneyyyya @happysparklingshadows @margew76   @midnightmagpiemama  @pierre-gasssllyy  @duckybird101 @muhahaha303 @thenattitude  @dolllol2405

Anyone wanting on or off the tag list please just let me know 💙

[the-bi-library]

Bi books out in June!

This month we have 18 books!

Also, preorders help greatly, so preorder any book(s) that catch your interest 💕

Here is the goodreads list of these books.

Books listed

💕 Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler 💕 Old Enough by Haley Jakobson 💕 When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw 💕 By Your Side: A Queerplatonic Short Story by Margherita Scialla 💕 Of Knights and Books and Falling In Love by Rita A. Rubin 💕 Ode To My First Car by Robin Gow 💕 When the Stars Alight by Camilla Andrew 💕 Things I'll Never Say by Cassandra Newbould 💕 The Secret Summer Promise by Keah Brown 💕 Not Queer Enough by Madison Nicole 💕 The Surviving Sky (Rages, #1) by Kritika H. Rao 💕 The Longest Summer by Alexandrine Ogundimu 💕 Vivian Lantz's Second Chances by Kathryn Ormsbee 💕 Keep Your Witches Close by Colette Rivera 💕 Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier 💕 We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian 💕 The Good Ones by Polly Stewart 💕 The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman

[the1920sinpictures]

1953 does the 1920′s in this illustration for Polly Adler’s autobiography “A House is Not a Home”, excerpted in “True: The Man’s Magazine”. From Silents, Please!, FB.

[densnake]

Writing list

This is the list if characters i write for. Any characters or fandoms not listed? Ask and they might get added!

Stranger things

Steve Harrington

Billy Hargrove

Nancy Weeler

Johnathan Byers

Eddie Munson

Joyce Byers

Jim Hopper

Good Omens

Aziraphel

Crowly

Slashers

Micheal Myers (og)

Corry Cunningham

Jason Voorhees

Thomas Hewitt

Chucky

Tiffany Valentine

Stu Macher

Billy Loomis

Freddy Kruger

Brahms Heelshire

Yautja (Male and Female)

Otis Driftwood

Beastars

Anime only sorry

Legoshi

Louis

Bill

Riz

Pina

Haru

Juno

Jojos Bizarre Adventure

Anime only sorry

Johnathan Joestar

Caesar Zeppeli

Joseph Joestar (part 3 and 4)

Jotaro Joestar (all parts)

Jean Piarre Polnareff

Noriyaki Kakyoin

Muhammad Abdul

Josuke Higashikata

Yoshikage Kira

Okuyasu Ninimura

Koichi Hirose

Giorno Giovanna

Guido Mista

Leone Abbacchio

Narancia Ghirga

Bruno Bucciarati

Jolyne Cujoh

Weather Report

Narciso Ananusi

Dio Brando (all parts)

Dialtown

Oliver swift

Randy Jade

Karen Dunn (platonic only)

Jerry

Bigfoot

Phonegingi

Norm Allen

Dead By Daylight

Dwight Farfield

Claudette Morel

Jake Park

Feng Min

David king

Ace Visconti

Nancy Weeler

Steve Harrington

Leon Kennedy

Trapper

Wraith

Doctor

Shape

Huntress

Legion (all except Susie)

Ghost Face

Oni

Deathslinger

Trickster

Nemesis

Detroit Become Human

Connor

Markus

Kara

Luther

Hank

Gavin

Red Dead Redemption 2

Arthur Morgan

Dutch Van der lind

Sadie Adler

Resident Evil

Leon Kennedy

Luis Sera

Claire Redfield

Chris Redfield

Jill Valentine

Ada Wong

Carlos Oliveira

Ethan Winters

Alcina Dimitrescu

Karl Heisenberg

Stardew Valley

Sebastian

Elliot

Shane

Alex

Sam

Harvey

Abigail

Hailey

Krobus

Monster Prom

Damien LaVey

Liam De Lioncourt

Polly Geist

Scott Howll

Vera Oberlin

Miranda Vanderbilt

Calculester

Zoe

Oz

Amira

Vicky

Brian

Life Is Strange

Max Caufield

Chloe Price

Warren Graham

Nathan Prescott

Mark Jefferson

Until Dawn

Joshua Washington

Christopher Hartly

Mathew Monroe

Jessica Riley

Michael Taylor

Ashly Brown

Our Life

Cove Holden

Cliff Holden

Derek Suarez

Baxter Ward

Obey me!

Lucifer

Mammon

Leviathan

Satan

Asmodeous

Belphegor

Beelzebub

Simeon

Diavolo

Barbatos

Raphael

Thirteen

[juchily]

Artemis Crock, Zatana Zarara, Raquel Ervin, Dinah Lance, M'gann, Karen Beecher, Jade Crock (Young Justice)

Clementine, Carly, Lily, Katjaa, Christa, Rebecca, Sarah, Sarita, Mariana Garcia, Violet, Ruby, Minerva (Telltale's TWD Game)

Annabel Lee Whitlock, Lenore Vandernatch Morella, Eulalie, Berenice (Nevermore on Webtoon)

Ashlyn Banner, Taylor Hernandez (School Bus Graveyard on Webtoon)

Valentine Wiggin (Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game" series)

Sadie Adler (Red Dead Redemption 2)

Pandora, Athena (God Of War 3)

Caroline Becker, Grace Walker, Sigrun Engel (Wolfenstein 2: The New Collosus)

Katara, Toph, Suki, Ty Lee, Azula, Mai, Kyoshi (Avatar The Last Airbender)

Elena Fisher, Chloe Frazer (Uncharted)

Anne Boonchuy, Sasha Way right, Marcy Wu, Polly Planter, Ivy Sundew, General Yunan, Lady Olivia, Valeriana (Amphibia)

Luz Noceda, Amity Blight, Camila Noceda, Willow Park, Eda Clawthorne, Lilith Clawthorne, Vee (The Owl House)

Oracle, Catwoman, Poison Ivy (Batman: Arkham City and Knight)

Mary (hiimmarymary on YouTube)

Max Mayfield, Eleven/Jane Hopper, Joyce Byers, Robin Buckley, Nancy Wheeler (Stranger Things)

Beverly Marsh (IT)

Sydney Novak, Dina (I Am Not Okay With This)

Lottie Matthews, Natalie Scatorccio, Van Palmer, Taissa Turner, Shauna Shipman, Jackie Taylor, Laura Lee, Misty Quigley (Yellowjackets)

Sidney Prescott, Gale Weathers, Judy Hicks, Kirby Reed, Jill Roberts, Tara Carpenter, Sam Carpenter, Mindy Meeks-Martin, Amber Freeman, Anika Kayoko (Scream)

Faith Seed, Jess Black, Mary May Fairgrave, Kim Rye, Joey Hudson, Grace Armstrong, Adelaide Drubman, Carmine Rye (Far Cry 5 plus Far Cry New Dawn)

Olivia Dunham, Astrid Farnsworth + plus their variants (Fringe)

Hello, tumblr user. Before you is a tumblr post asking you to name a female fictional character. You have unlimited time to tag a female character, NOT a male one.

Begin.

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 4.16

Beer Birthdays

Emil Schandein (1840)

Mathias Leinenkugel (1866)

William H. Biner (1889)

Alan Eames (1947)

Don Scheidt (1956)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Kingsley Amis; English writer (1922)

Aristotle; philosopher (384 B.C.E.)

Ford Maddox Brown; artist (1821)

Henry Mancini; composer (1924)

Garth Williams; illustrator (1912)

Famous Birthdays

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; L.A. Lakers basketball player (1947)

Edie Adams; actor (1927)

Polly Adler; madam (1899)

Ellen Barkin; actor (1954)

Bill Belichick; football coach (1952)

Joseph Black; Scottish chemist (1728)

Bruce Bochy; San Francisco Giants Mgr (1955)

Charlie Chaplin; actor, comedian (1889)

Jon Cryer; actor (1965)

Merce Cunningham; dancer, choreographer (1919)

Jose de Diego; Puerto Rican political leader (1866)

Anatole France; French writer (1844)

Peter Garrett; Australian pop singer, politician (1953)

Bennie Green; jazz trombonist (1923)

Lukas Haas; actor (1976)

Wendell Johnson; speech therapist (1906)

Dick "Night Train" Lane; Chicago Cardinals/Detroit Lions CB (1928)

Martin Lawrence; comedian, actor (1965)

Herbie Mann; jazz flautist (1930)

"Pigmeat" Markham; comedian (1906)

Spike Milligan; comedian (1918)

John Millington Synge; Irish writer (1871)

Barry Nelson; actor (1917)

Ike Pappas; television journalist (1933)

"Lonesome" Dave Peverett; English bassist (1943)

Shu Qi; Chinese actor (a.k.a. Hsu Chi; 1976)

Gerry Rafferty; rock singer (1947)

Selena [Quintanilla Perez]; pop singer (1971)

Hans Sloane; naturalist, collector, British Museum co-founder (1660)

Bill Spooner; rock musician (1949)

Dusty Springfield; pop singer (1939)

Peter Ustinov; actor (1921)

Bobby Vinton; singer (1935)

Wilbur Wright; inventor, 3rd successful airplane flight (1867)

[katetraumt]

Good Morning, Girlhood: KateTraumt 1/5

When I awoke, I was given girlhood. My mother screamed and squeezed her eyes shut and suddenly there was me, the baby girl. The gentle rising of the sun in the dewey morning of us. In June of 2003 I became her baby girl and I screamed and squeezed my eyes shut and without knowing anything else I knew I was the newborn daughter. 

Quickly I became the first of two. Emmi screamed along with us in January of 2006. Without knowing anything else I was her sister. The previously inappropriate amount of pink sheets and tulle skirts and hair clips and polly pockets became more abundant. I gazed at her soft head and slimy bare gums and wide blue eyes and knew I would never know anything like I knew her.

Quickly we became three. Sophie screamed her way out even sooner. By August 2007 I knew what I was, that being their Big Sister would always be the most important task at hand. I gazed at her patchy brown hair and rounded cheeks and how her face looked just like mine in the photos from before. I never have known anything as true as my little sisters.

I had no choice in the matter. They were morning, midday, afternoon, dusk, evening, and every moment in between. We stuck together like the elmers glue on our hands after preschool art projects. I could see Emmi’s lips waver during snack time and know she needed me to hold her hand and remind her that Mom and Dad were coming to pick us up just a little later. 

I could hear Sophie’s red faced screams from behind the door and know it meant she needed me to smooth her hair and whisper that some people are mean and why don’t we go watch a show and make an Apfelsaftschorle. 

We were the Beemer girls and we acted as such. The three Beemer girls wore long skirts and purple shrugs and had bangs and pigtails and took ballet lessons were quiet and got upset when someone teased that we had a crush on the boy who was mean to us during Recess. 

In this essay series I want to unpack my identity through my socialization as a girl, and my identity as a sister and daughter. I will continue on with the series to discuss my view on motherhood and the typical role of a wife/mother. I will be discussing the movies, books, music, etc that have defined my perspective.  In these definitions I hope to unpack and criticize the ideals I know as baseline. I will analyze my sexuality and sexual experience, with the intent of undoing some of the unfair cycles I have willingly put myself through due to my gender identity. 

I hope through reading this you may be able to see or realize something new about yourself. I also hope you can enjoy my writing, and appreciate this very personal glimpse into who I am and how I came to be this way. 

So back to sisterhood. The psychology behind birth order is something most of us are familiar with. First introduced by Alfred Adler, the theory behind birth order is that “the order in which a child is born shapes their development and personality”(Web MD). Each child has unique traits depending on them being born first, second, third, and so on. Now this is clearly not a hard rule, as everyone is unique and inherently has their own personalities independent of the order they were born in. Reading up on this was not completely accurate to my own experience. But, just like horoscopes, the birth order theory did shed some light on the way I am as compared to middle children and youngest children. 

Being the oldest means I was the first child my parents had. I was treated with extra caution. They had no gauge of how fragile I was, so they played things very safe during my childhood. I was a glass balanced on the edge of a very wobbly table. If I was out of sight, it was very probable that I would slide off and shatter into pieces all over the ugly postmodern tiles on our kitchen floor. Maybe they didn't want to cut their feet by stepping on broken shards, or maybe the glass was a very very special piece of crockery. Either way, I had lots of rules and bedtimes and required vegetables and the only-one-tv-show-per-day law and helmets and knee pads. 

I didn’t realize until I got a little older that my parents treated me this way because they had no clue what they were doing. I was learning to be a person while they were learning to be parents. By the time Emmi and Sophie came around they had noticed that I was still Smart when I watched two shows in a row and I was still Alive when I rode my razor scooter down the driveway without a helmet on. 

I was jealous that they didn’t have to be the guinea pigs. But I also always felt a little bit special for being the first. I was the age of their discovery. I was unraveling the world in front of them, and things were hard but I was brave enough to do them. I could show them the way. I still live like this. I still see my parents fucking up at my expense-and who could blame them! I can be brave and I can find peace in mistakes because I know what to do for Em and Soph. 

When they deliberated about enrolling in the hard 5th-grade math class, I could tell them it was actually easy and they should take it because I already took it and here I am. When they felt scared to have a sleepover I could tell them that it's actually really fun and you get to stay up late and your friends will whisper secrets and maybe put fun eyeshadow and lipgloss on you. When they didn’t know what to wear to the service of a bat mitzvah I had the shoulder-covering dress and pretend high heels. When they cried because they kissed a boy and the boy turned out to be a liar, I knew what to say. I knew what to say because I knew what I wanted to hear when it happened to me. 

To me, being an older sister means I will have to take a deep breath and keep experiencing things before them. It means they will never leave me alone, whether I want to be alone or whether I’ve never felt lonelier. It’s been hard, leaving home for college and feeling the distance grow between us. It’s scary to look ahead and know that we will never be those screaming little girls again. But we will always be the three of us, coming home to each other eventually. Womanhood feels impossible, but luckily, sisterhood is the easiest thing I’ve ever known.

[wiiusho]

anyone is free to rb!!

Tagged by @princekirijo

Rules: Make a poll of your favorite female characters, as many or as little as you want, and see who your followers like the most!

10 felt like a good number! I tried to limited one character per series, so it was tough to narrow down! Thanks so much, prince!!! 💜

I suck at tag games, but please feel free to do this and say I tagged you ✌️✨

[newyorkthegoldenage]

“I did not kill her,” insisted Kaufman. “What I’ve told you, Mr. Singer, is the truth.”

Singer rubbed his chin with the palm of a hand. “So you think maybe there’s some connection to this shindig where Valentino took sick. Boy, am I not looking forward to this investigation.” Mrs. Parker sat up like an eager lapdog. “Why not?” “Ahhhh, already there’s talk that there’s a cover-up going on in Valentino’s death. Like maybe he was poisoned, who the hell knows.”

The Dorothy Parker Murder Case, by George Baxt, opens with Mrs. Parker slitting her wrists (unsuccessfully). It’s August 24, 1926, the day after Rudolph Valentino’s death. Mrs. Parker and Alexander Woollcott set about trying to solve the murder of a chorus girl found in George S. Kaufman’s apartment. This is soon followed by the murder of another.

Over the course of the book, a slew of celebrities shows up: George Raft, Polly Adler (who comes off well), Texas Guinan (who does not), Vincent Youmans, Nita Naldi, Horace Liveright, Judge Crater (not yet vanished), Florenz Ziegfeld, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and, of course, Mrs. P’s Algonquin Round Table buddies Kaufman, Neysa McMein, Edna Ferber, Harold Ross, Robert Benchley, Marc Connelly, Heywood Broun, and Robert Sherwood. They are joined by some interesting fictional characters. Prohibition life—for the Manhattan fast set, at least—comes vividly alive. Speakeasies, orgies, drug use, gangsters—it’s all there. Witty dialogue abounds.

This was the first of four mystery novels that Baxt wrote centering on New York celebrities. The others focused on Alfred Hitchcock, Tallulah Bankhead, and Noel Coward. After that, unfortunately, he took off for L.A. and set his books in Hollywood.

[harrypotterhousequotes]

SLYTHERIN: “I couldn't live my reputation down — all right then, I'd live up to it.” --Polly Adler (A House is Not a Home)

[creativepawsworld]

Silence -Chapter 46

Pairing = Thomas Shelby x OC

Summary = The Aftermath of finding the Adler’s in blood. 

Warnings = Seriously 18+ , Language, Grammar,  Alcohol, mentions of selling a person. Mentions of possible Death, Violent descriptions, Sexual Assault, Suicide mentioned. Child Abuse.

Word Count = 2438

Note = This chapter in my opinion is pretty heavy, with the lightest touch of fluff. I mean the lightest. It is dark and honestly it was tough to write as it was so mentally heavy? Does that make sense? Please everyone take care and remember this is only a fic, if you are uncomfortable with any of the warnings, i can recap in the next chapter just not as heavy...LOVE YOU ALL 

Sitting at the Shelby family kitchen table I just stared at the wall in front of me. My vision was only slightly blurred by the hot steam coming from the tea cup Polly had placed before me. She was sitting next to me, unsure of what to say. Unusual for the matriarch.

Tommy had taken me back to his former home, it had happened all so fast. From him peering through the window to arriving at the black doors I had once feared. He had quickly informed Polly of what had happened before taking his brothers back to the crime scene.

I felt like something was wrong with me. No matter how much inner turmoil I was experiencing, I couldn't shed a tear, not one single tear. I just stared ahead of me, like it wasn't happening.

My mind went back to my childhood, growing up was far from easy but compared to most it was not hard. It wasn't like Tommy's upbringing, my mother didn't kill herself and my father wasn't a raging alcoholic who beat his children for fun.

Yes, my parents weren't perfect. My father had a temper, his face would turn purple when he yelled, and spit would fly from his mouth soaking our faces when he did, but he never hit us.

My mother, well my mother was more mentally and emotionally manipulative. I hadn't seen it until I spent time with the Shelby family. I spent twenty-five years of my life thinking everything that came out of her mouth was God's law.

"Has she moved?" I heard Tommy's voice interrupt the Silence Polly and I had been sitting in.

"No." Polly sighed, her hand reaching out. She took my hand into hers, giving it a tight squeeze of support.

"Alright, Stace," Tommy called. I saw him move closer towards me, squatting down low next to me. The smell of his cologne, smoke and whiskey filled my nose. "Stace…" He tried again, placing a hand on my upper thigh before softly caressing my bump.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I looked down just as Tommy jumped back slightly – he was just as startled as me. A small laugh fell from my lips as a smile grew on Tommy's face. Reaching out I pulled his hand back, placing it back on my stomach. Our blessing.

I could feel Polly's confused glare looking between us but all that matter at that moment was the fluttering sensations I felt inside my stomach, along with the odd thump which Tommy could feel.

Thinking back over my timeline, and doing the math inside my head I was just over halfway. It would have been 21 weeks and I was in no way prepared.

Standing to my feet, I quickly walked through the large green doors, entered the betting shop and disappeared into Tommy's office. Taking a pen and piece of paper into my hands, I began to write down everything I needed to do, get and buy for my baby. They were all that mattered now.

"Stace," Tommy sighed, quietly closing the door to his office behind himself. The rustling of clothing told me that he was shrugging the long black coat from his shoulders. "I need you to listen to me."

"I have to write this list. The baby is coming Tommy, they are all that matters now." I shook my head, not bothering to look up at him as the pen continued to scribble across the white sheet of paper.

"Not for a few weeks," Tommy replied, walking over to the desk, and taking the pen from my hand. I opened my mouth to protest when a quick look immediately shot me down. "Listen to me." He started again, tongue darting out to moisten them.

"Are they dead?" I whispered wanting a quick answer, hoping that it would be quick and painless instead of drawn out and torturous.

"No. They are in a bad way but they are not dead."

I felt my breath hitch in my throat, and wetness on my cheeks as I leaned back on Tommy's chair. My hand came up to cover my mouth, my mind replaying his words over and over. They were alive.

"They were taken to Birmingham General. I can take you, the car is outside but I must warn you, they may not make it. Your father in particular lost a lot of blood." Tommy spoke softly. So softly it was almost foreign coming from his mouth.

"What happened to them?" I asked breathily, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I could instantly see Tommy's reluctance in telling me. His tongue ran along the front of his top teeth as he thought about what to say.

"I don't…"

"Tell me," I demanded, a nauseous feeling taking over. I wasn't sure if it was from the baby moving or the events of today catching up with me. "Please, don't…stop, just stop hiding things from me."

Tommy's eyes fell to the floor as he considered my words. I chose to remain silent as I got out of his chair to stand in front of him. I could feel the tension radiating from him, as I slipped my hands into his, lacing our fingers together.

"Your father…your father suffered multiple stab wounds to his upper chest and torso. Whoever attacked him attempted to remove his tongue but must have been disturbed before they could finish." Tommy spoke. His tone was flat and cold, almost as if he was trying to distance himself from the words he had to speak.

"And my mother?" I asked trying to keep my face unaffected even though my head and insides were spinning. Tommy's tongue ran along his bottom lip before resting between his teeth.

"Stace,"

"Tommy you agreed. If I asked you wouldn't hide anything."

"If they ever, ever try and…I swear to God I would watch them all burn Stace. I will watch them…"

"It's okay Tom, I'm okay." I squeezed his hands tightly, stopping him mid-sentence knowing what he was about to say. I felt the bile rise in my throat as I finished his sentence in my head. As bad of a person I believed my mother to be no one, no one deserved that.  

*****

Sitting in the hospital waiting room, Tommy sat by my side, smoking cigarette after cigarette. He was never comfortable inside a hospital. I couldn't blame him, I felt the same. It had this aura of death hanging around it.

The two men that guarded our front door were now positioned outside the hospital. Tommy put them there to protect my parents. I knew I wasn't going to be allowed out of his sight after Arthur returned from my parent's house, just before we left for the hospital with a white box addressed to me.

Opening the parcel inside the car under the supervision of Tommy and Arthur I found a loaf of beard. Pandoro bread.

A cold shiver ran through my body at the sight of the star-shaped loaf. I had only tried it once before with Lizzie but it was enough. Tommy was right. I had exposed myself openly to the Changretta's and this was their message.

Arthur sat in the corner of the hospital his leg shaking, bouncing up and down. His thumb was in his mouth nibbling on the skin as we waited for any kind of update on my parents' condition.

No one knew what to say, the silence was deafening.

I just stared at the doors, hands caressing my small but ever-growing bump, waiting for the doctor to come through the door. My mind wandered back to the last conservation I had with my mother, it was horrific.

I had just found out I was pregnant, it was happy news. Tarnished by the revelation that I was sold to pay a debt. I felt the tears in my waterlines as I thought about hearing that news for the first time. It floored me. Out of all the excuses, all the reasons my parents could have. That wasn't what I expected.

My father showed remorse. He regretted his decision I could see it in his eyes each time I spoke to him. Talking to him yesterday my heart broke, he hadn't been looking after himself again. There were huge bags under his eyes, he was thinner and paler.

I found myself forgiving but I wasn't sure if it was for him or myself.

I knew that keeping all that pent up wasn't good for me or the baby. But I was having difficulty letting it go. Every time the memory came to my mind, I cried.

"Miss Adler?" A voice called, turning in my seat towards a different set of doors, I noticed a nurse standing with a soft smile.

"Yeah?" I stood up, wringing my fingers between each other as I cautiously walked toward her. Her eyes dropped towards my bump, her smile faltering as I approached.

"The doctor would like to see you." She forced out a reassuring smile, eyes glancing behind me.

I felt Tommy step up behind me, hand placed on my lower back rubbing soft circles, to show his support. The nurse, instantly recognising him looked away, opening the set of double doors and allowing me to walk through.

Following her down a long corridor there were rooms on either side of Tommy and me, each one containing sick or injured patients. A dark feeling of dread washed over me as we approached the end of the corridor.

Without another word, the nurse knocked gently on the door but didn't open it. Instead, she turned with another smile, standing off to the side. Glancing up at Tommy, I could tell he was on edge, watching every move the nurse made, hand twitching at his side when the door opened revealing a much older gentleman.

"Are you Miss Adler?" The older gentleman asked. I felt Tommy relax next to me at the sight of the man in front of us. "Mr Shelby, it's been a while. Keeping out of trouble I presume."

Looking between the two men, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion before I recognised the grey-haired gentleman. He was one of the doctors looking after Tommy when he was brought in after our ambush with Sabini.

"Now Miss Adler, your parents…" The doctor began again not waiting for a response, I doubt he would have gotten one from Tommy. "Your father remains unconscious due to the injuries sustained in the attack but we believe him to make a full recovery."

"And my mother?" I asked, stopping my breath as I waited for the answer.

"She is recovering. Unfortunately, we have had to sedate her, the effects of the attack have left her highly volatile." The doctor sighed, eyes glancing towards Tommy.

"Oh okay, thank you." I nodded, unsure of how else to respond.

"You may see them if you please, Mr Shelby, can accompany you." He continued, handing over the clipboard I hadn't realised he was holding to the nurse, his eyes glancing at my stomach. "But be aware Miss Adler, they look worse than they are."

Nodding I reached my hand out for Tommy to take, instantly I felt the warmness of his hand in mine. Sending a small smile towards the doctor, the nurse opened the door he had just left to reveal the two beds inside the one room.

I stopped halfway inside, my eyes falling on the two beds where my parents lay. The sun shining through the tall window cast over them hiding the full extent of their injuries.

"If you need anything, I will be just outside." The nurse smiled, placing the clipboard in the slot provided at the end of the bed before disappearing back out the door.

Refusing to move, I bit the piece of skin at the corner of my lip – trying to decide whether or not I wanted to be there. Tears welled in my eyes, I felt myself shake and I couldn't pinpoint why.

I was completely overwhelmed. I had flashes of Tommy laying in the hospital bed and almost hated myself for wanting to be there for him but wanting to run away from my parents, especially when they needed me the most.

"Would you like to go home, Stace?" Tommy offered picking up on my discomfort. Glancing towards my parents in their beds before returning his gaze to me.

"In a minute" I whispered, willing myself forward, the soft heels of my shoes clicked along the tiled floor.

Reaching my father first, he was almost unrecognisable. His hair was pushed back out of his face, revealing a deep cut to his right temple. His eyes which I thought were black before had shades of purple, yellow and blue. His mouth had many small cuts from whatever weapon they had used to try and take his tongue.

His hands which lay just outside the blanket had cuts along the knuckles. He must have tried to fight back and defend himself. But he was so frail, I was sure he wouldn't stand a chance against a child, never mind a grown adult.

My heart began to break at the sight of him. I hiccupped back a cry as I brushed a few strands of his hair from his head before turning to my mother.

The drugs did nothing for her, she was bones with little skin. Her hollow cheeks had a deep cut, similar to Tommy's and some nasty bruising surrounded it. Closing my eyes I inhaled through my nose, part of me feeling guilty, believing that this was my fault.

Tommy almost sensing what was going through my head was quick to remind me that it was them that got involved with the Italians, long before I got involved with him. This was their own doing.

Silently agreeing with his words, I opened my eyes looking down at my mother's skeleton-like arms, dark bruises were beginning to form where they must have held her down. What kind of monsters attacks two elderly people?

"Tommy?" I whispered, gently rubbing the skin of my mother's wrist, turning to look at him over my shoulder. "What do we do now? What if they come for me?" I asked looking at the man who seemed to always have an answer.

I watched as Tommy inhaled deeply through his nose, his hand twitching in his pocket. This was the longest I had seen him go without a smoke today alone. His icy blue eyes stared into my own, and an almost sinister smile graced his face.

"Let em try."

*****

Extra note = Apologises to those who believed her parents to be dead, I did say they were potentially dead! I hope you all enjoyed reading this anyway. I really do appreciate every last one of you. 

Taglist 

@shelbyteller @seleneshelby @forgottenpeakywriter @babayaga67 @sweetmilkshakeluminary @slutforcoffein @sydneyyyya @happysparklingshadows @margew76   @midnightmagpiemama  @pierre-gasssllyy    @duckybird101

[blackphoenixalchemylab]

“H.L. Mencken called me an ecdysiast. I have also been described as deciduous. The French call me a déshabilleuse. In less-refined circles I’m known as a strip teaser.”

-- Gypsy Rose Lee, as quoted in American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee, 2010

[aefward]

[the1920sinpictures]

1923 Queen of the Madams, Polly Adler with her chow chow at Lake Hauptcong, New Jersey. From Silents, Please!, FB.

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 4.16

Beer Birthdays

Emil Schandein (1840)

Mathias Leinenkugel (1866)

William H. Biner (1889)

Alan Eames (1947)

Don Scheidt (1956)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Kingsley Amis; English writer (1922)

Aristotle; philosopher (384 B.C.E.)

Ford Maddox Brown; artist (1821)

Henry Mancini; composer (1924)

Garth Williams; illustrator (1912)

Famous Birthdays

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; L.A. Lakers basketball player (1947)

Edie Adams; actor (1927)

Polly Adler; madam (1899)

Ellen Barkin; actor (1954)

Bill Belichick; football coach (1952)

Joseph Black; Scottish chemist (1728)

Bruce Bochy; San Francisco Giants Mgr (1955)

Charlie Chaplin; actor, comedian (1889)

Jon Cryer; actor (1965)

Merce Cunningham; dancer, choreographer (1919)

Jose de Diego; Puerto Rican political leader (1866)

Anatole France; French writer (1844)

Peter Garrett; Australian pop singer, politician (1953)

Bennie Green; jazz trombonist (1923)

Lukas Haas; actor (1976)

Wendell Johnson; speech therapist (1906)

Dick "Night Train" Lane; Chicago Cardinals/Detroit Lions CB (1928)

Martin Lawrence; comedian, actor (1965)

Herbie Mann; jazz flautist (1930)

"Pigmeat" Markham; comedian (1906)

Spike Milligan; comedian (1918)

John Millington Synge; Irish writer (1871)

Barry Nelson; actor (1917)

Ike Pappas; television journalist (1933)

"Lonesome" Dave Peverett; English bassist (1943)

Shu Qi; Chinese actor (a.k.a. Hsu Chi; 1976)

Gerry Rafferty; rock singer (1947)

Selena [Quintanilla Perez]; pop singer (1971)

Hans Sloane; naturalist, collector, British Museum co-founder (1660)

Bill Spooner; rock musician (1949)

Dusty Springfield; pop singer (1939)

Peter Ustinov; actor (1921)

Bobby Vinton; singer (1935)

Wilbur Wright; inventor, 3rd successful airplane flight (1867)