Stumbling through the dark streets of Birmingham, my dress was covered in stains from spilt drinks, my hair was frizzy and in a mess, my ankles were swollen from stumbling and tripping in my heel, and to my side were both Arthur and John. Who was also in the same state? It was late evening, the three of us had just returned from the garrison after a day of drinking. None of us could remember our names, let alone the street we lived on. So we had just been stumbling through the streets of Birmingham, occasionally swigging on the bottle of whiskey that John had stolen from behind the bar of the Garrison.
Finally, we reached Watery Lane after an hour of searching all of Birmingham from top to bottom. Opening the front door, the three of us trampled each other to get in. Almost tripping on the rug, I fell face-first on the floor.
"Fuckin hell-" Arthur laughed, rolling me over. The three of us burst out into laughter, me rolling on the floor, John and Arthur taking the last swig of whiskey before helping me up. Getting picked up by John, I fell onto his shoulder bursting into laughter. The alcohol was still running through my blood, so everything was spinning and my brain was all delusional.
Polly walked into the hall, "Oh my god..." Walking up to John and Arthur she slapped them across the head, her eyes darted to me and a snarl formed across her face, "What do you three think you're playing at? You're already an hour late to the family dinner."
All of us fell silent, we had completely forgotten it was a Sunday. Polly and Ada always cooked a roast on a Sunday. John sighed, "Pol...we forgot." Giggling at John, Polly shot me a filthy look.
"Good job Ada told us to wait...now move you're lazy good for nothing asses into that bloody dining room-" Polly grabbed Arthur and John by the ear dragging them into the dining room as I stumbled behind, kicking my heels off to try to stop tripping over my feet. Going into the dining room all eyes were on us. Freya rolled her eyes as I tripped in shoeless, makeup smeared across my face, my dress covered in drink stains and not a single brain cell left. John and Arthur got dragged by Polly to two seats in between her and Ada.
"Sit there-!"Polly snapped her finger to a seat next to Finn and Freya for me to sit. As soon as I sat down everyone began to dig into the food. Tommy had an empty plate like usual, he never seemed to eat anything.
"What happened," Freya sighed munching on a potato, "You look like you have been through the wars-"
Finn snapped, chucking his fork on his plate, "She has been drinking of course! Look at her!"
"Fuck off." I snapped, grabbing a potato.
Polly clicked her fingers at me, "That's enough out of you-!"
John and Arthur laughed, trying to grab another drink before Ada slapped their hands.
"I think you should go to bed..." Tommy muttered, lighting a cigarette between his lips.
"And I think-" I paused as the room began to spin, the alcohol was slowly wearing off. Reaching for another, "I think that-"
"Is she alright?" Ada asked Polly, as she watched me while sipping her drink.
Polly rolled her eyes, "Oi-" she snapped her fingers in front of me, "Girl?"
Taking a sip of my water I perked up a bit. John was still laughing his head off with Arthur, joining in the three of us sniggering at everything, taking the piss out of everything and not knowing at the same time about anything we were doing.
Polly muttered under her breath, "Your friend has caused another family meal to be ruined."
Tommy rolled his eyes at her comment, "What and you don't blame Arthur or John for getting her in that state?"
"All she has bloody done is caused trouble, Tommy." Polly snapped back, "If it wasn't for her being Freya's friend she would've been gone by now."
Freya muttered something under her breath, looking at her she had her drink in her hand, death glaring at me. "Sorry, what was that?" I asked, hoping she would repeat what she just said under her breath.
"Nothing." She smiled back sarcastically.
"No...you said something under your breath..." my voice raised to a slurred shout, intoxicated from a mixture of vodka and whiskey, "If your gonna say something under your breath about me...then say it to my fucking face-" slapping the drink out of her hand, I knocked it all over Freya's lap.
Freya looked at me in shock as Finn stood up helping Freya to dry off. "Stupid bitch-" he yelled at me, "Look at what you fucking done-!"
"Sit down Finn!" Tommy yelled across the table, Ada placed her face into her hands, obviously used to the arguments. John and Arthur laughed their heads off and Polly looked like she was about to blow the whole house up.
"Oh I'm the stupid bitch-" I pointed a finger to Freya, "I know-"
"Know what?" Freya hissed standing up so that she was level with me.
"I know..." I pointed to Finn the back to her with a laugh, "I know that you guys have been-"
A cold hand hit me across the face, Freya had hit me. "Fucking hell-" Polly screamed, grabbing Freya and pulling her away.
"Yeah!" Freya screamed back, "I can leak your secrets too...LIKE YOU AND TOMMY-" she screamed at the top of her lungs before Polly dragged her upstairs.
Tommy walked over to me, stumping his cigarette out on the table. "Everyone leave." He muttered, John and Arthur scuttled off, as Ada sniggered while leaving the kitchen. "You've had too much to fucking drink-" he snapped.
"Oh fuck off..." I muttered, stumbling away from him, "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be drinking."
"Blame me?" He grabbed my arm pulling me back towards the dining table, "This wasn't my fault."
"Yeah well, I'm getting married...I'm only twenty." I pulled my arm away from him as nauseous suddenly began to hit me
The room began to spin and everything split into doubles. Then it hit me, throwing up all over the floor, all over my dress and shoes. Looking back up, Tommy had no emotion on his face. None of the disgust, merely just disappointment.I realised what I had done. I could never show my face in Birmingham again.
YOU ARE READING
Too Close For Comfort - A Peaky Blinders Story -
RomansaTwo Friends have recently arrived back in Birmingham, both trying to create a new life for themselves in style and riches. Jazz clubs and nightlife are typical scenes to them until one night they bump into the Shelby's. Both the girls wish for a...