Oceans [A.Shelby]

THIRTY-TWO

LILLIAN SWIPED her lipstick delicately across her lips, brushing her curls out of her face and ironing her dress down with her hands. The dress was of champagne and black colouring, with beading and hung loosley below her chest. Even so, she had to try on multiple dresses before she found one that fit in the slightest, even a loose dress was becoming too small for her changing body. It seemed Lillian wouldn't stay petite like her mother did with all three of her children.

"Nothing pissing fits," Lillian complained as she descended the stairs in her home, Ada standing at the bottom of them with Karl.

"Stop complaining, you look beautiful. Now, come on before my brothers drink the bar dry, not that it would affect you mind," Lillian frowned, she rather missed having a glass of something. She remembered her mother telling her a story about a very close friend who drank each evening while with her first child and the child was born with quite significant defect. The family announced the child had passed while actually, they were placed in a home for children run by a Church. Of course most women drank something weak while pregnant but that and combined with her aversion to it, Lillian had decided not to.

The pair walked in the bitter cold, bundled in big coats as frost began to settle.

"When shall you be returning to London?" Ada questioned as they walked along.

"'Next month, Faith has her dress fitting, as do I. Although I can't imagine it'll be much help as I'll be 9 months gone once the wedding rolls around. My mother chose a pink dress for me, I'm starting to think it'll make me look like a pig" Ada couldn't help but snort at the woman's comment.

"It'll be worth it, once he's with you, while you watch him grow." Ada reassured her.

"But will Arthur be here to watch him too is the question I ask myself," Lillian murmered to herself, although her sister-in-law heard what she said, and felt a little pity for the woman.

Her brother was not an easy man to be married to, even more so recently so she heard. The man was a casualty of war, trauma, a casualty of his own mind and mental state.

He had always been a tough and difficult man, but she knew her brother and Lillian's marriage was without a hitch  previous to 1914. She had always applauded the woman for staying faithful and not leaving the man when most women would've. She had every reason to leave and the means to do so, but she didn't. Time and time again she chose to stay, to ride out the storm and wait for it to pass.

The Arthur the pair saw as they stepped into the Garrison was very questionable, the man looked and sounded more alive than he had been in days.

"Oh Ada, I didn't know you were coming! What a treat!" Polly exclaimed with a drunken lazy smile, Ada sharing a side glance with Lillian as the Aunt hugged her niece.

"And Karl, little Karl," She smiled, stroking his cheek gently.

"Here, I'll take him," Lillian offered, lifting the young boy from his mothers arms and navigating through the men and women until she reached a few members of the family.

Finn, John, Esme and Theo sat surrounded by drinks, Lillian placed Karl next to Finn before she sat beside her brother.

"About time, I remember how it used to take you half a day to get ready but I thought you'd grown out of it," Theo teased his sister who glared at him.

"I'd be here if I had one bleeding dress that fit! And before you say it's your own fault, refrain for the sake of your own health." The blonde haired lady warned her brother who shook his head with a smirk.

"Have you seen Arthur? It's like he's higher then a kite fucking hell!" John laughed loudly as their heads turned to him, it took 30 seconds of watching her husband before something clicked in the woman's head.