"Elsie," John sang out, with his arm lazily thrown over his wife, Esme's, shoulders. "What do you want to drink?"
"I dunno. I couldn't drink back home," Elsie shrugged, looking over to Michael.
"She'll have a whiskey, then," Michael responded on her behalf.
"Jesus, Michael. She's going to get shitfaced," Finn laughed.
"Elsie, how old are you?" Tommy asked. "Same age as Michael?"
Elsie scratched the back of her neck nervously. "No, actually. I'm 17, a couple years younger than him."
Tommy hummed, and put his hand out to stop John from giving her a whiskey. "She's a kid. Dark mild."
"Tommy, c'mon," Michael said, rolling his eyes at his cousin with annoyance.
"She can have what she wants when she turns 18. Elsie, do your parents know where you've gone?"
Elsie shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Does it matter?"
"Yes. It does matter. We can't have your father accusing us of kidnapping, kid." Tommy puffed on his cigarette and stared at her with a straight face.
"I'll not go back," she said calmly. "My father has a temper, Mr. Shelby."
Tommy hummed again, looking at Michael now. "Michael, I trust you'll deal with her father if he comes?"
Michael nodded with a grin. "Of course. She'll be my responsibility." Michael squeezed Elsie's hand with a grin.
"Alright then, Elsie. You start work at 9 am with Isiah tomorrow morning. Michael, don't let her get too drunk. I have some business to attend to, I'll see you tomorrow," Thomas curtly said, before standing up to leave.
"So Elsie, what was our Michael like?" Arthur said after a moment.
Elsie laughed a little. "What do you mean?"
"In the village. What was Michael like?" Arthur asked, ignoring Michael's groans of protests.
"Um..." Elsie giggled. "He was very...temperamental. He always picked fights with the older boys."
"So that's where you learned to fight," Isiah laughed, slapping Michael on the back.
"In my defense, it was because they talked shit to Elsie and I for being in foster care." Michael threw his hands up defensively.
"Henry is quite the gentleman. He always defended my honour." Elsie smiled at Michael, pushing him jokingly.
"I can't see Michael caring for a girl like that," John laughed. "He's always using girls left and right."
Michael rolled his eyes at him. "I do not use girls."
"What was that one girl's name? Hannah? Suzie? I lost count," Arthur howled.
"Alright, that's enough of this," Polly suddenly piped up. "I'll be off then. Michael, lock the door when you and Elsie come home. She can sleep in the room next to yours."
Elsie snickered and poked her friend in his side. She was surprised to find out he had been sleeping around, but also not surprised because he did look quite put together and considering his line of business she figured girls threw themselves at him.
"So, Henry here finally lost his virginity. You always joked about losing it to Lainey back home," Elsie giggled, drinking the liquid John had slid in front of her.
"Yeah, um. A while back, Arthur bought me a prostitute." Michael nodded towards his cousin, then fell into a fit of chuckles when he saw Elsie's horrified expression.
"That's disgusting, ew!"
"And you?" Michael asked, wiggling his eyebrows. "Any suitors back home?"
"Not one," she said, covering her face to hide the blush. "Nobody would touch me in case you came back to fight them."
"She's still a virgin!" John howled. "Isiah, ruin her. Go on, get her."
Isiah stood up slowly, with a smirk across his face. He slowly took off his jacket, approaching her. Horror and embarrassment grew across her face as she hid behind Michael, who was laughing loudly.
"Get her, Isiah! Deflower her!" Arthur cackled.
"Come 'ere, little lady," Isiah cooed, trying to step around Michael. "I promise, you won't regret it."
"No, go away," she screeched between giggles.
"Alright, Isiah, alright," Michael chuckled, pushing Isiah back to his seat. "Let the girl have what's left of her innocence."
Isiah cackled as he made his way back to his seat. "I say, we take the girl out for a real drink. What do you say, boys? Let's go to to that club in Duddeston."
"Alright, but Michael's driving," John said, chucking his keys at his cousin. Michael rolled his eyes and helped Elsie stand up.
"Where are we going?" Elsie asked, tugging on Michael's shirt.
"To get you fucked up," he laughed.
Elsie giggled and the two skipped out of the room together.
YOU ARE READING
wishing wells - michael gray
Fanfiction"God I hate that wishing well." "Blow it up then, Henry." Elsie and Henry grew up together. They both were in the care of the Holy Fathers and moved to the village together. They were inseparable best friends. Until one day Henry leaves town, with...
