Sunbeam

51)

"You feeling any better about Edith becoming apart of your life?" Tommy asks. They'd just been to check on the Garrison repairs, and were now walking back to the house for a family meeting.

"No, Bea still hasn't told her," Kez responds, "she'll be apart of your life too, brother, we are a close family after all."

"Have you spoken to Bea about telling her?" Tommy questions, and Kez looks at him, "you and Tess told me to wait, you also said you'd look into her."

"I did," Tommy states, "her story checks out, she is Bea's sister, everything she's said about her past and everything I have come to know, it aligns."

"Have I waited long enough? If Edith is to be apart of our life, surely Bea can't think this... us, can stay a secret?" Kez responds.

"I think Bea must have thought about it, but you need to speak to her, I think you've waited an appropriate amount of time," Tommy says.

"Okay," Kez nods, "you know John isn't keen on London, right? You're going to get an earful when we get in there."

"He'll come around," Tommy says confidently, as he pushes the door to the house open.

When they walk into the betting den, all eyes but Esmé's turn to them, her eyes turn down towards her book, "I'm told only family are allowed to speak."

"Everybody's allowed to speak, on your feet, Esmé," Tommy replies, "let's hear what you have to say."

John clears his throat, "I speak for our household."

"Your household wouldn't be running if it wasn't for Esmé, let her speak," Kezia tuts, "on your feet, Esmé."

Esmé and John share a look, before Esmé raises to her feet, placing her book down, "I have kin in Shepherds Bush and Portobello, it's more like wars between armies down there and the coppers fight side by side with them. The use of bombs is the least of it. I have a child, I want his father to see him grow up. I want us to someday live somewhere with fresh air and trees, and keep chickens or something. But London is just smoke and trouble."

Kezia reaches for a full glass of whiskey on the table, thinking over Esmé's words momentarily before downing the drink and placing the glass back on the table, "is that all?"

"That's all," Esmé nods.

"That was... a lot of words," Arthur hums, handing Tommy a drink, "wash them down with a nice drink."

"Thank you, Esmé," Tommy says, finishing the drink, "firstly, the bang in the pub has nothing to do with London. It's something I'm dealing with on my own. Secondly, we have nothing to fear from the proposed business expansion so long as we stick together. Nine-tenths of what we do in London will be legal after the first few weeks. The other tenth is in good hands, isn't that right, Arthur?"

"That's right," he nods.

"Some of you have expressed your reservations, so if you want no part in the future of this company, feel free to walk out the door right now," Tommy states, "go and raise your chickens. For those with ambition, the expansion process begins tomorrow."

-

"Bea, you home?" Kezia calls out, closing the front door, walking down the hallway into the kitchen, "oh, Edith, afternoon, I didn't realise you were coming over today."

"I wasn't meant to, Bea wanted to tell me something," Edith responds, "she's just gone to the lavatory."

"Has she told you?" Kezia asks.

"She has," Edith nods, "it's not all that surprising, given the way you dress, and I've heard of you, I just didn't realise that you... were you? Does that make sense?"

"Not really," Kezia replies, "what exactly did Bea tell you?"

"The gang," Edith says, "she wanted me to be aware that being close to your family could come with consequences."

"It won't," Kezia states, "I'd- we'd never let anything happen to Bea, she's been Ada's bestfriend for the better part of two decades, she's... family, and your Bea's sister, that makes you family too. Look, you're both safe is my point."

"I know you'd never let anything happen to her, Kez," Edith responds, "and I would never come here and tell you to change the way the both of you have been living your lives. I know she's safe here. If she wasn't, I trust she would have had the sense to leave, and I trust that you would have had the brains to leave her alone."

"Kez, you're home," Bea smiles, walking into the kitchen, where Kez was looking at Edith suspiciously as Bea's older sister raised an eyebrow at her... did she know?

"How's the pub?" Beatrice asks.

"It's getting there, still a shithole at the moment though," Kezia replies.

"I hope you don't mind Edith being here, I was telling her about you, we were only part way through the conversation though, it's good you're here for this next part though," Bea states, taking a deep breath as she turns to her sister, "we lied to you."

"You did?" Edith replies.

"We're not roommates... well we are but we don't sleep in separate rooms, Kez is my partner, I love her, she's the best part of my life," Bea states, "and if you can't accept that, if you can't accept us... me, then I have no choice but to demand you leave."

"I know," Edith laughs, "you're not the most subtle person in the world, Beatrice. Especially not within the confines of this apartment."

"You knew? Why didn't you say something?" Bea asks.

"It's really none of my business, it doesn't change that your my sister or that I want to continue to get to know you," Edith says, "I knew you'd tell me when you were ready to."

"Oh, well this is much more anticlimactic than I had anticipated," Bea states, "I don't know what to say now."

"You needn't say anything, I came here searching for one sister, and it seems that I have gained two," Edith smiles.

-

"Thank you," Kez says, kissing Bea's cheek.

Edith had just left, and Bea was tidying up the kitchen.

"For what?" Bea asks.

"Being honest with your sister," Kezia responds, "I didn't want to speak to you about it in case you felt as though I was pressuring you, but I appreciate you telling her."

"I had to, if she's going to be a continuous part of my life, she needs to know the important things about my life, like you. I knew it was stressing you out not being able to be open in our home when that is exactly the reason we moved in, so we could be ourselves," Bea states.

"Are you happy she knows?" Kezia asks.

Bea nods, "of course."

"Would you still be happy she knew if she had reacted differently?" Kezia queries, "if she had decided to leave?"

"I'd be hurt that our relationship would be enough for her to decide she no longer wanted a sister, but I'd never regret telling her because it means I know what her thoughts are, and I don't need to be close to people who won't accept me for who I am. Kez, if she had walked out, I hope you know that I would never have blamed you... I feel as though that's what you're actually asking me," Bea states.

"I'm just aware how difficult it is for you," Kezia says, "so I wanted to thank you for telling her when it could have potentially resulted in losing her."

"There's only one person I'm worried about losing and she's standing right in front of me," Bea replies, "I truly think that there are less stars in the sky than there are reasons that I'm in love with you."

Kezia smiles, "you're perfect, you know that, right?"