What About Us | John Shelby

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

1919, Small Heath, Birmingham

Tessa and John were sitting in their living room, putting the twins to sleep. James was lying on Tessa's chest with a blanket thrown over him to keep the child warm, while William was asleep in John's arms on the armchair across from her. The fire was lit, warming the place up just ever so slightly.

A knock at the door caught the attention of the couple from their drinking session, while putting the twins to sleep. John standing up with William wrapped in his arms, he pulled out his gun aiming it in front of him while walking to the front door.

Thankfully there were no hearing of shots being fired, which suggested that it was someone they knew. John walked back into the living room with Tommy behind him. Tessa left a breath she was holding in, out at the sight of it only being Tommy Shelby himself.

"What you doing here, at this time of the night?" Tessa questioned him as he sat down beside her on the couch. Tommy took his hat off his head, placing it down on the arm of the couch.

"I have some news for you" He said leaning back against the couch, getting himself comfortable.

She looked to her right at him, waiting for the news "I am going to buy the Garrison from Harry and make Arthur the owner instead"

Both John and Tessa's head tilted to the side, not expecting this type of news from Tommy. John moved around in his seat getting more comfortable himself, while placing his hand on William's little back "How do you even know it's for sale?"

Turning to his brother, he spoke "Everything's for sale to us, John. Look, we're making a lot of money these days. We need a legitimate business to pass the money from the shop"

Tessa interrupted him "But what does this have to do with us?"

"Ahh, you see Arthur will need a partner when it comes to the money and paper work. That's where you come in handy, Tessa"

"So, I'll be working for Arthur" Tommy shook his head "You'll be working with him, we all know that Arthur is not great with numbers"

Tessa laughed quietly under her breath "But what about the betting shop, how will I manage between the two places. I'm already busy enough as it is, with the shop, these two and Katie upstairs. It's a lot Tommy"

Crossing his legs over one another, Tommy spoke "Tessa, I need you to do this and especially for Arthur. You know that he couldn't run the pub by himself"

Tessa knew she didn't really have a choice, she would have to do it. Who else would, if not her "Alright, alright. I'll do it" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well then ... John told me about Arthur yesterday. I went and visited him myself at the house"

Tessa nodded her head, being reminded of Arthur's episode yesterday morning out on the street "Everyone had seen it Tommy, Watery Lane was full of people yesterday"

Tommy sighed heavily "There is nothing we can do about it, but to just look out for Arthur .... and thank you, you always have been a help in hand for Arthur when he has an episode" Tommy had thanked her, something he did not do very often.

"I know from first hand, with helping John any time during the night when he gets the nightmares and Arthur all the time, sometimes even Will. You both know that I am here for ye, if ye ever need it and Arthur already knows that" Tessa was really talking to Tommy as she was always there for John every night when he would have nightmares or flashbacks to France, knowing he was experiencing the same thing many men were after coming back from the war. Tommy just never wanted help with it, wanting to do it all on his own.

Tommy had quickly changed the conversation, probably not wanting to talk about his struggle with PTSD "John, we need to talk business about Cheltenham races for tomorrow"

Tessa knew that was her cue to basically fuck off, as the brothers had to talk business for the races tomorrow.

Throwing the blanket around James onto the couch next to her, she stood up with him in her arms. Standing in front of John now with her free arm ready to take William from him.

Struggling to hold both the sleeping twins in her arms was starting to become a struggle as they were getting bigger now, at the age of four years.

"I'll be up in a while" John whispered to her, watching her nod her head at him and turning to leave the brothers to themselves, but not before saying "Night, Tommy"

With him just mumbling back to her "Hmm, you to"

Walking up the stairs to the twins bedroom, William cried out slightly "Daddy" Looking for John. Tessa leaned her head against his, letting him know that she was there with him "Go back to sleep, William. Daddy will be up in a minute"

Thankfully the child had quickly fallen back to sleep in her arms, resting his own hand in Tessa's hair as that was a comfort thing the child does. Really what the three kids do, the twins had developed the action from watching Katie do it. 

-CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT-

-PEAKY BLINDERS-