Shelby Madness

Chapter 8, 'A proper family,'

18th April 1919, Newburn, Newcastle.

Ada had started to panic. It had been about an hour and a half and Neither of her brothers were back and there was still no sign of Libby. It would be getting dark soon and that would mean they would either have to drive through the night or stay in Newcastle till the next morning and both of those options did not sound appealing to Ada.

"Did you find her?" Ada asked as she saw Tommy fast approaching.

"No. Has John come back yet?" Tommy quizzed, his breathing had quickened and beads of sweat began to form underneath his blinders cap.

"No, not yet but you look tired you don't you go inside and get a drink of water and i'll wait out here Tom." Ada was worried about her brother; she had never seen him this nervous. Tommy simply nodded and left to go inside.

A good half ten minutes had passed before John, James and Libby made an appearance.

"Where have you been?" Ada started to walk towards the three of them. "What happened? Are you okay?" Ada asked as she noticed her niece's tear-stained face. "What happened?" Ada looked at John to see if he would tell her since her niece had started to hide behind John's back.

"She had a panic attack, Ada, so back out of her face and give her space to breathe, yeah." John snapped, he had panic attacks since coming back from France so knew what Libby must be going through and he also knew that the last thing she probably wanted was Ada in her face asking a million and one questions that she couldn't answer than having another panic attack, worrying Ada and Tommy more which both really didn't need. Although he felt slightly bad for snapping at Ada he just didn't want his niece upset anymore.

"Alright John, I only asked if she was okay." Ada's voice was increasing at every syllable which just angered John; who hated being shouted at.

"Don't shout at me, Ada. I'm still your older brother. Libs don't want you in her face asking questions she doesn't want to answer. So just back off, will ya?" John was now shouting back at Ada.

"How do you know what the girl wants? You have only known her for an hour, John and don't speak to me like that."

The chaos and screaming outside caught Tommy's attention; he got up to go and look at what was happening. When he got outside the scene in front of him was not impressive. Ada and John were at each other's throats, James was cuddling a hystrix Libby who had her hand over her ears. Tommy first Thought was to go and comfort his daughter then kill his Brother and sister for making her feel like she did.

Tommy strode over to Libby and James and wrapped his arms around both of them. "Libby, listen to me. You're safe alright? I'm here. Calm down." Although Tommy was not good at comforting people when they needed it, it came like second nature to him when his daughter was upset. "Will you two shut the fuck up, Eh?" Tommy was clearly angry at John and Ada and they knew it.

"Sorry Tom," John answered looking down. He had got so distracted by Ada shouting at him he had forgotten that he was looking after Libby who had had a panic attack merely thirty minutes ago. Ada didn't dare to speak in fear of angering her brother more, even though Ada knew Tommy or any of her brothers for that matter, would hurt her physically it didn't mean that they didn't scare her sometimes when they were angry.

"Now will one of you please tell me why my daughter is crying and you two were too busy shouting at each other to do anything about it?" Tommy asked, but it wasn't one of those questions that didn't need an answer even though it sounded like one, Tommy was genuinely fearful as to why his daughter was upset and in that moment Tommy truly knew what was meant by the saying 'there is no stronger bond, than a bond between a father and his children.' Tommy realised he would do anything to protect them and kill anyone that hurt them and first on his list was Sister Woodhouse.

"I had a panic attack when John and James found is. Ada was just concerned nd she was asking if I was okay and then they started shouting but they were just making sure I was okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble I,I,I, ..." mumbled into Tommy's chest. In that second, Tommys broken, cold, black heart started to beat again. He had forgotten what it was like to really love someone, yeah he loved his aunt and siblings but that love couldn't compare to how he felt towards his twins.

"It is not your fault okay. You had a panic attack and that can't be helped. As long as you're okay now that's all I care about so calm down and breathe, yeah?" Tommy was now looking down at Libby standing in front of her with his hand on either side of her face looking her in her eyes. Her crying had stopped and she was taking deep breaths, looking up at her father with panic in her eyes. Tommy was happy she was okay. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and brought her closer to his body, rubbing her arm in a comforting way.

"Right, are you two completely packed?" Tommy asked the Twins. They both just nodded, not really wanting to speak."Okay, are you two ready to go?" He asked again but this time it was two Ada and John.

"Yeah, Tom we're ready," John answered for him and Ada.

"Right in the car then," Tommy said as he started to walk toward the door of the orphanage.

"Where are you going, Tom?" Ada asked.

"To let them know that I have my children and that they are coming home with me." This caused James to look down at his sister and smile.

"We finally have a family, Lib. A proper family." James whispered to Libby however he can't really whisper so it was loud enough for both John and Ada to hear it.

"Yeah, I know," Libby whispered back.

"Right you two, in the back with me," John instructed, wanting them to hurry up so he could leave. John never thought he would say it but small heath was his home and his little trip up north proved to him that he wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Although Newcastle had some nice views, in his mind it just couldn't beat the smog-filled streets of Small Heath.

The twins were now in the car, Libby in the middle of James and John in the back and Ada in the front with Tommy, the car was started and they set away from Newcastle into the unknown. The twins were leaving everything they had ever known and were about to embark on the biggest change of their life. However, they weren't scared and didn't fear the change that was inevitable. Instead, they relaxed and drifted off into an undisturbed slumber, as the car moved along the bumpy roads of the A1.