The Monster Within - Peaky Blinders

Family Meeting

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Lily spent a lot of her free time at the Garrison. Her brothers had a room there reserved for them where they would talk business. She would always beg to join in, but they never allowed her to.

Tommy had told her she could listen in on a family meeting once she turned eighteen, but she hated waiting. She hated feeling excluded.

As she was very rarely allowed to join her older brothers, she spent most of her time with her friend, Isaiah. Isaiah was the same age as her and she always thought he was really easy to talk to.

Isaiah's dad, Jeremiah, fought with Lily's brothers in France, meaning they weren't opposed to her hanging out with him, like they were opposed to her hanging out with most boys.

Lily pushed back the doors of the Garrison and was instantly greeted by the most common smells in Small Heath. Booze, cigarettes, and men.

She carefully stepped over a drunken man who was knocked out on the floor and made her way over to the bar where Isaiah was sitting.

Lily tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention and pulled a stool up beside him. "Hello, Zay."

Isaiah turned to look at the girl. "Hello, Lulu." He playfully smiled.

"I take it my brothers are currently having one of their super secret meetings?" She said in a mocking tone.

Isaiah took a sip of his whiskey. "They are indeed. You gonna get a drink?"

"No can do, Tommy has put me on a drinking ban."

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Drinking ban?"

"Yep. He seems to think the reason I keep ending up in random places without remembering why I'm there is because I started drinking too much too early."

"Well I think that's stupid. You're fifteen. He practically started drinking when he came out of the womb and he's not fucked up in the head like you."

Lily started at him blankly. "Thanks for the kind words, Zay. Means a lot." She deadpanned.

"..Okay that definitely came out wrong, but you know what I meant. Alcohol clearly isn't the issue. He's in his room anyway, he won't know if you sneak a shot."

"And that, Isaiah, is where you are wrong. Thomas Shelby has eyes and ears everywhere." Which was true. Lily could never do something behind his back and get away with it. He'd always find out one way or another.

Lily opened her mouth to speak again when she heard the voice of an Irish woman behind the bar. She looked up to see a blonde lady she'd never seen before serving drinks. "Who's that?" Lily asked.

Isaiah shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno. Must be the new barmaid."

"Isn't she too pretty to be a barmaid in a place like this? I mean, the men here will rip her to shreds."

"Probably. I bet she won't even last a week."

"Make that a day."

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When Isaiah had finished his drink and the pair grew tired of waiting for Lily's brothers to finish their meeting, Isaiah walked Lily home.