Another love

Part Fifteen - 1914

1914

There was only a few men in the Garrison, most of whom were singing drunk choruses, as the news of the war had caused a stir throughout Birmingham. Sarah shook her head in amusement as she cleaned the bar top, surprised when the boys walked in grinning. Sarah frowned, "Why are you looking so happy with yourselves?"

"Hello to you, too," Tommy said as he pressed a kiss to her lips, making her smile. "What's going on?"

Arthur rubbed his hands together and cleared his throat

"Well trouble, we have just entered the new world, taking a chance, fighting for-"

"-We've signed up for our king and country," Cain told her with a smile. Sarah's jaw dropped as she looked at them all, she leaned over and smacked the back of her brother's head.

"Have you lost your fucking minds?!"

"What?" Cain asked as he rubbed his head.

"You're going to get yourselves killed! This isn't a game."

"It's not like we don't know how to handle ourselves," Arthur said with a smug smile

"This is different," Sarah turned to look at Tommy, "Why didn't you speak to me about this first?"

"Well, I thought you'd like that we're going straight and that you get to have a chance at running your own business-well you and Pol."

"Wait! Why? Don't tell me John is as well?"

The three men looked at each other, unsure whether they should answer or not,  "You fucking idiots!" She smacked all three of them this time. At this point, John swaggered in looking proud of himself

"Run for your life," Cain said under his breath. Sarah's eyes glazed over

"You! You're just going to leave your wife and children behind whilst you get yourself killed!" She snapped as she walked around the bar and jabbed his chest hard with her finger. After exchanging a look with each other, Cain pulled John by his collar into the snug with himself and Arthur, leaving Sarah and Tommy alone together

"What were you thinking?!"

"They might not even call me out to fight in the front line. I thought you'd be proud."

"I am, but Tommy, you could do so much more. You could carry on at school, go straight, do the right thing."

"That's what I'm doing. I'm building a future for us."

"You have to be alive to be able to have a future." She pointed out.

"Sarah, trust me."

"This isn't about trust, Tommy."

Tommy put his arms around her waist and kissed her, Sarah lightly pushed him away "Are you trying to distract me by kissing me?"

"Is it working?" He smirked at her. Sarah shook her head at him and stifled a laugh. Their moment was interrupted when someone else entered the pub.

"Kitty!" Sarah smiled as she pulled her friend into a hug, "feel like I haven't seen you in ages."

"I know," Kitty said with a smile, "hi Thomas." She nodded politely. Tommy and kitty had always got on quite well, she didn't necessarily agree with his lifestyle, but he has always been there for Sarah when it mattered, even when he was being an asshole he still made sure people were looking out for her

"Alright, Kitty?" He asked, returning the smile

"Yes, well, sort of."

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked. Tommy looked between the two of them, trying to decide if he should leave the two girls to it.

"No it's OK, Tom," Kitty told him after noticing his indecision "with everything that's going on, I think we'll be leaving Small Heath."

"What? Why?"

"Things haven't been the same since Greta passed," Kitty said looking to the floor. Sarah gave her a sad smile before pulling her into a hug, "and the war is changing everything anyway, so mum and dad think it's best to move on now."

Sarah shot Tommy a look at the mention of the war, before carrying on comforting her friend.

"We'll miss you, kitty."

"Yeah." Tommy agreed genuinely. "Thanks, we leave next week, just wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone else."

"How about I'll come round tomorrow and help with the packing."

"Thanks, Sarah." Kitty smiled at her friend before nodding goodbye to them both.

After they watched her go Sarah turned to look at Tommy who was determined to speak before her

"I understand your concerns. You don't want to lose me, I nearly lost you to consumption, and it almost killed me. This is something I have to do."

Sarah nodded at him and hugged him tightly.

"I guess you're right, you may not even get drafted."

"Exactly." He mumbled into her hair.

It hadn't even been a week since the boys told her what they had done, and Sarah had been naive enough to think that they wouldn't end up being drafted. It was an early evening after she left the Garrison, she wandered home trying to decide if she should even attempt to convince Cain or Tommy to cook or maybe they would go to Polly's, as she started laughing to herself at the memory of Cain trying to cook chicken. When she opened the front door it was as if all the happiness had been sucked from the house "Dad?" She frowned when she saw him stood over a sitting Cain, who was holding a piece of paper in his hand. The last time her father had been 'consoling' her brother it was when their mother left, which is how it clicked in her mind, she shook her head and ran across the street to 57 Watery Lane, she didn't even hear her brother and father trying to call her back because her heart was pounding in her eardrums as she kept banging on the front door until a teary-eyed Polly answered the door, knowing who it was. Tommy was steadying himself on the staircase as he watched her run at him with waving fists, he grabbed her wrists and pulled her to him as she screamed an agonising scream into his chest "You lied! You said they wouldn't call you, you lied!" At least that's what it sounded like she was yelling, her voice was all muffled due to Tommy holding her so tightly.