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Birmingham, 1919
"You could have dressed up a bit." Tommy nodded in a greeting to Isabella when she came up to stand next to him in the crowd. Mockingly rolling his eyes at her usual get-up, a burgundy button-up shirt, black trousers and her usual array of jewellery; silver rings on most of her fingers, a couple bracelets in both silver and gold on both hands and a couple necklaces. "And I see you brought Nicholas."
"You never told me not to bring a date and Papa and Mama D are here, would've been dangerous to leave him all alone without any adult supervision." She chuckled when Nicholas elbowed her in retaliation, only to be dragged away from her by a scolding Edward. "And this is an original silk button up shirt and cotton trousers, both one of a kind Coco Chanel, and both designed and tailored to perfection to me. Don't diss Miss Chanel."
"Oh, well of course, how dare I speak ill of Miss Chanel." He sarcastically hummed. "And how is it that you got your hands on an original silk one of a kind Coco Chanel button up shirt and trousers tailored to perfection?"
"Gabs loves me." She shrugged.
"And who is this Gabs?" He asked, trying not to sound too interested in the small insight she was giving him into her new and mysterious life.
"Gabrielle. We mentioned her in the Garrison."
He nodded to himself, trying to remember. "Gabrielle, that doesn't really explain anything." He mumbled to himself.
She looked through the crowd of mostly Lee's and some of her family members and acquaintances. She had yet to lay her eyes on the mysterious bride to be and her brother, the groom.
Noticing Ada walking towards them, she tutted slightly before she turned to escape to the safety of the Matthews'. "Ada's coming this way. I'm going to make myself scarce."
"Wait." Tommy almost reached to grab her arm to stop her from walking away, but he clenched his hand into a fist before he could touch her, not wanting to ruin the small step forward they had made the past day. "She look happy?"
She turned to gauge Ada's face for whatever emotions she was displaying. "As happy as Ada can be. Good luck trying to un-fuck whatever you fucked up."
Once Isabella had stepped away from Tommy she quickly walked, almost ran, to Nicholas' side, before she wrapped her hand around his wrist.
"You okay?" Nicholas asked. Carefully prying his wrist away from her arm before throwing it around her shoulders and reaching his other hand towards her, allowing her to wrap her hand around the wrist.
"Don't know." She mumbled as she leant into his comforting embrace.
Everything felt wrong, and right, and wrong again. She was certain she was awfully messed up in the head, that she had a fair amount more than a couple screws loose. She was ignoring everything in her mind screaming at her to hate her brothers. She was actually somewhat getting along with Tommy, she hadn't gotten along with him for years. She could feel the walls she had built, brick by brick, over the last couple years begin to crumble. "Everything's fucked. I miss who we were just mere months ago."
