What About Us | John Shelby

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

March, 1919

Small Heath, Birmingham

"I am looking for Edward Dog's" Tessa was standing in her home, at the telephone in the hallway, ringing up about what had happened the other day with the Lee's.

The other end of the phone was silent for a while, as Tessa stood waiting for her brother to pick up the call.

"Hello, this is Edward Dog's speaking"

"Edd, it's Tessa" She smiled hearing his voice over the phone.

"Tess I can't stay on long, it's busy over here"

Tessa sighed "I'm just calling to see if your alright with everything that happened the other day"

"You mean ... yes I'm alright everything's fine. Da, is just trying to get some of the Lee boys to calm down with all the whole situation, seeing as Tommy, Arthur and John are our family"

"That's good, thank god. I was only calling to see how everything was over there" Tessa sighed out of relief.

"Look Tess, I gotta go It's manic over here right now. I'll speak to you soon" Edward sounded like he was in a rush.

"Okay, okay. Tell da, I was speaking to you. Stay safe the both of you"

"You too Tessa" The phone call was then disconnected, Tessa put down the phone running a hand through her hair. Picking up the slip of paper Charlie had given to her last night, it had the house number of the sister that was looking for her brother that Tessa had killed months back.

The house was in Small Heath somewhere, but god knows what street it was located on.

Throwing on her coat, Tessa made her way out onto Watery Lane.

"A'right kids" Tessa shouted over to her kids that were playing not too far from the house with Finn and Isaiah.

Making her way into the Shelby house, she was met in the kitchen by Polly and Ada standing facing one another. The situation looked quite tense.

"Everything alright?" She spoke up. Both their heads snapped in the direction of her voice.

Polly put on a fake smile to her face "Everything is fine, love. What can I do for you?"

"Everything's not fine" Ada shouted, making the two women jump slightly "Ada no-"

Polly was cut off by Ada "No Aunt Pol ... she should know, out of anyone. Tess ... I may be pregnant"

Tessa gasped, very much surprised by the news she was just told. She didn't know what to say, seeing as it must be Freddie's. How would Ada explain that one to Polly or the family.

Polly spoke up "Whose is it?"

Ada sighed, resting her arms against her chest "If I tell you, you'll tell them and they'll cut him to pieces"

"Not if he marries you Ada, they won't" Tessa thought of the idea.

"Will he marry you?" Polly questioned Ada as she smoked from her cigarette.

"I don't, don't know where he is"

Polly gasped "Jesus Christ, Ada!"

Ada tried to persuade her aunt "He's gone away but he said he'll come back ... he's a good man. He promised " The girl had finally broken down. Crying in the arms of Polly, she cried out.

"Ada, I need the name of the father if I am to do something about this" Polly said from next to the girl's head. Ada pulled away from the embrace, facing her aunt once again.

"It's ... Freddie ... Thorne" Ada couldn't even look her aunt in the eyes, finally spilling her secret, a secret she has kept hidden for some years now.

Polly rose from her seat "Christ Ada, this is not good"

Ada had tears welled up in her eyes again "This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. Why do you think I kept us a secret for so long"

Polly tilted her head to the side "How bloody long Ada" She rolled her eyes "Couple of years before the war"

Tessa interfered, as the two didn't speak to one another "Why don't you first, get checked to see if you really are with a baby. Then you can go from there"

Polly nodded her head "Yes, yes you're exactly right Tess" Ada smiled slightly up at both Polly and Tessa.

"Charlie, Char-" Tessa was shouting out the man's name, when she was met by Tommy in the yard instead of just Charlie and Curly.

Walking towards the three men, she patted down the horse Tommy was sitting on top of "So, this is the horse me da, traded for a ride in the family car"

"It this, and a fine one it is" Tommy spoke from the top of the horse.

"Of course it is, he loves his horses" Tessa felt proud for what her dad does for any of the horses he cares for.

"I'd better be off then, busy day" Tommy rode off out of the yard, looking powerful on top of the horse like he owned the world.

Tessa turned around to face Charlie "Come on, sit down" He gestured for her to come sit down at the table in the yard.

Sitting down on the chair, she couldn't stop her feet from shaking out of fear "I have just been to the sister's house"

Charlie turned to Curly "Go clean up the stables Curly"

Curly nodded his head "Yes Charlie, yes" Staggered away from the two, to be left in private.

She ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head "I'm so fucked. I'm so fucking fucked"

Holding his beer in his hand, Charlie spoke up "Why, who is the lass?"

Tessa stood up abruptly "Lizzie fucking Stark" She screamed out, kicking over the chair she was previously sat on. "FUCK, FUCK, FUCK"  Tessa kept on shouting, Kitching around anything she could see on the floor.

"HEY, HEY" Charlie shouted, getting the girl's attention "You shut the fuck up first ... and sit back down"

Tessa breathed heavily. She breathed in and out, trying to calm herself down.

"How do ya know the girl?" He questioned her, after she had calmed down a bit.

"I knew her through John. Lizzie had always had a little crush on John when we were teenagers. I haven't seen the girl in years now, last time was when we were probably fifteen. I, I didn't even know that was her brother"

"If you knew at the time it was that young lasses brother, would you have still killed him then?"

Tessa sighed, leaning her head back "Of course I fucking would have still shot him, he knew far to much about me mother"

"Exactly, if that sister of his finds out what you did. God only knows what will happen"

"No ... no. I can't, I won't fucking shoot her. I don't have it in me to do it. What am I gonna do Charlie?" 

Even though Tessa had barely known Lizzie Stark, she had known her briefly once in her life, she may have killed her brother but she just couldn't do it to Lizzie. Tessa didn't have it in her to do it. She secretly wasn't brave enough, but she would never tell Charlie that she would feel and look vulnerable in front of the man.  

-CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR-

-PEAKY BLINDERS-