What About Us | John Shelby

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

1919

Small Heath, Birmingham

The whole family gathered in the betting shop for a meeting. In the room were Aunt Polly, Tommy, Arthur, John, Tessa, Ada, Scud boat, Love lock and other men working for the Peaky Blinders.

Everyone was drinking either beer or whiskey. The air is thick with black smoke coming from cigarettes.

"Right, I've called this family meeting because I've got some very important news. Scud boat and Love lock" Arthur pointed towards the two standing off to his left"Just got back from Belfast last night. They were buying a stallion to cover their mares. They were in a pub on Shank hill Road yesterday and in that pub there was a copper, handing out these"

Arthur had finished his little speech, handling a flyer towards Tessa who was sitting closest to him standing. She went to read what was written on it, when John snatched it out of her hands to read it himself. She sighed, while rolling her eyes.

"If you're over five feet and can fight, come to Birmingham" John read what was written out loud for everyone to hear.

"They're recruiting Protestant Irishmen to come over here as Specials" Arthur started off again.

"People from my home town in the North?" Tessa questioned Arthur looking up at him.

"Yes, Tessa. These people may have even been your neighbors once" Arthur spoke to her "Christ" She sighed leaning her arm on the table, while resting her head against it.

"To do what, though?" Ada asked, also looking at Arthur.

The flyer had arrived at Tommy, who spoke up before Arthur could answer Ada.

"To clean up the city, Ada" She now looked over to her other brother speaking "He's the Chief Inspector. The last four years he's been clearing the IRA out of Belfast" Tommy spoke loud and clear.

"How do you know so bloody much?" Arthur asked with a tinge of annoyance.

Tommy spoke back to his brother, not affected by him at all "Cause I asked the coppers on our payroll"

The meeting was becoming flustered but Polly fixed Tommy with a stare "Why send him to Birmingham?"

"There's been all these strikes at the BSA, and the Austin worker lately" Tessa looked over to Ada, the two giving one another a stare before going back to the meeting at hand. Tessa had known about what Freddie was doing, Ada had told her one night while drunk.

"I reckon it's communists he's after" Tommy spoke. That was not good news for either Ada or Freddie, he was a well known communist in Small Heath.

"So this copper is gonna leave us alone, right?" Tessa asked him from her seat.

"There are Irishmen in Green Lane who left Belfast to get away from him. Catholic men who crossed him used to disappear in the night" Tommy spoke aloud.

John rose to his feet "Yeah, but we ain't IRA. We bloody fought for the king" John looked around "Anyway, we're Peaky Blinders. We're not scared of coppers"

"So, Arthur, is that it?" Tommy questioned him. Arthur is a little fuzzy but nods his head "What do you think, Aunt Pol?"

Polly looked up to Tommy once again "This family does everything open. You have nothing more to say to this meeting, Thomas?" Polly meant business when she called him Thomas.

Tommy shook his head "No, nothing that's women's business"

Polly, Tessa and Ada has all looked towards Tommy of the statement he had just announced "This whole fuckin enterprise was women's business while you boys were away at war" Tessa said to her brother in law.

Tommy heads for the door with Arthur following behind, apparently this meeting was done. All the other men got back to work in the shop. Polly reacted with a growl for her suspicions of Tommy grew more and more everyday.

Ada had propped her head closer to Tessa's, whispering into her ear "I'm off to see Freddie under the bridge again. I won't go to Anna's with you" Tessa nodded her head, understanding the girl's want for her man.

"I'll see you tomorrow then" Tessa waved her goodbye, with a kiss on the cheek. Tessa had also stood up and made her way into the chaotic and loud kitchen. Finn, Katie, James and William were running around the table making as much noise as they could.

Tessa just stood in the doorframe connecting the house and the betting shop, smiling down at the kids. Suddenly a pair of arms had been wrapped around her shoulders pulling her into the chest of a body standing behind her.

"Hmmm ... I wonder who this is?" She said sarcastically.

John sniggered, of course it was him. He placed kisses on her neck, making her bite down on her lip in pleasure.

"You coming over home, or going out?" He questioned her, placing his head on her shoulder, looking down at the kids and his brother.

"I am going to pop in to see Will and Anna for a bit"

"Don't be too long then. Your husband will be waiting ... in bed for you" He whispered the last part, then letting go of her.

"Right, give me a kiss. Come on" Tessa shouted out to her three kids running towards her malling her in kisses.

The kids kept shouting out at her to stay with them and play, but she had places to be people to see. Their father could look after them for now, seeing as she had done the same for the past couple of years.

In the background she could hear them shouting and screaming as she heard John playing with them, they had totally forgotten about her in five seconds. Kids will be kids.

-CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE-

-PEAKY BLINDERS-