What About Us | John Shelby

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

1919, Small Heath, Birmingham

Days later

Tessa and Anna were making their way down to the Garrison for a few drinks. Tommy, Arthur, John and Will were already down there in the snug probably drunk off their heads by now.

"Polly, have the kids?" Anna asked from beside, with her arm linked into one another.

Tessa nodded her head "She does, she's at my place looking after them for me with Finn"

"Ah, okay ... the whole situation with Ada though"

Tessa wrapped her coat around her more, as the cold breeze was nipping at her brave legs, making her whole body drop in temperature.

"I know, that bloody girl. Christ"

"It's crazy, first we all find out she is pregnant. Then Tommy blows the whole thing up because of Freddie being the father, then she was going to leave the city and now she's back here again in Small Heath engaged to Freddie"

Tessa laughed slightly "The whole thing is just bizarre to me .... but think, soon enough the three of us will all be married. We are finally living our teenage dreams"

Anna laughed along with her now "To think, you're married and myself and Ada are engaged ... I bet if Greta was still here, herself and Tommy would probably be married by now"

The conversation had quickly turned dark and sad. Thinking back to the girl they lost all those years ago from sickness. Would Tommy be different if she was still around telling him off for his behavior, no one would ever know. She was now sadly in the past, or in our own dreams at night.

Tessa piped up "Enough about the past, to the future"

Entering the Garrison it was like a new place there lately. All the men shoulder to shoulder singing their hearts out. It was actually quite a nice sight to see, after everything that happened in the war to many young men, it was a nice new change to the scenery.

"I'll be in, in a minute" Tessa shouted into Anna's ear, making her way towards the bar. She stood at the bar, with two older men standing to her right.

"What can I get for you Mrs Shelby" Grace was serving her "Rum please, Grace"

Tessa turned around from the bar, looking around at all the happy people, not a care in the world. Beers in everyone' hand with a cigarette in the other, singing out like they were on a stage.

"Here you are" Grace played the rum in front of her, turning back around to face Grace.

"Tell me, what deal did you strike to be able to have singing back in here?" She questioned the woman, yes Tessa was still not sure what Grace's intentions were or what she was doing here in Small Heath. Word has been going around about herself and Tommy, and if anything were to happen she would have to accept Grace for whatever she was.

"It was Tommy, he changed his mind" That made Tessa raise her eyebrows in suspicion of what the two were really up to in their own time.

"Oh yeah ... so you and Tommy seemed to have bonded recently" Grace's eyes twitched slightly.

"How do you mean?"

Picking up her drink "Whatever happens between a man and women, in their spare time is between them" As she winked at Grace and walked away from her.