The Falling Man

Chapter 42

Tommy's POV

Myself and Andrew make the short walk to the pub around the corner. "Just giving you a heads up, some of my friends will be here this evening. Thought it would be a nice offer for you to join us, you know, get to know you, Mr. Shelby, on more of a personal level." I roll my eyes at his statement. I've already said yes to the offer so no backing out now. "This is the pub, is it?" I say as we arrive, to the familiar club where we spent the evening after being kicked out of Sabinis a couple years ago. Andrew nods his head as we head inside. "Right. Nice." I say following his lead.

I really had no want to hang out with the man and his friends but again selfishly wanted to get to know the man that gets to love Ethel better. The clubs dance floor is filled with tables, I suppose they treat it more as a pub on the weekdays and a raging dance club on the weekends. The noise of people chattering fills my ears as we head up the familiar stairs to the upstairs area. I take a look around taking in the surroundings and people's faces as the loud roar of laughter and talking from them plays along with the soft music of the band from the stage.

We make our way through the tables. "Ah they aren't up here must be out the back on the patio." Andrew turns around to tell me. I clear my throat and give a nod, wanting to find an excuse to leave. We make our way back down the stairs heading towards the back of the club now. "Oh, Frances. You know Frances, right?" Andrew says as the familiar brunette woman walks up to us. She is another one of the newer Switzer hires of the business. She acts as part of the council, and has become a close confidant for the family. I also know she was the woman who ran the Irish Pig alongside Ethel.

"Uh, yeah, I think we were in a meeting together before." I say as she comes to stand in front of us. "Oh." She states, as I decline to mention the times I met her in her old pub, before letting out a laugh. "Uh, well, actually before we head out let me get you a drink." Andrew states walking towards the bar. "After you." I state to the woman. "Thank you." She says following behind the man. As we both arrive to the bar, Andrew taps his fingers on the edge of the wooden surface as glasses are sat in front of him by the barkeep. "What have we got here? Uh, is whiskey okay for you?" He asks handing me one of the glasses.

"Yeah. Cheers. Thank you." I state back to the man. "So you're not heading back to Birmingham tonight, then?" He asks me. "Sorry?" I state back trying to hear him over the many voices chattering behind us. "You're not going back to Birmingham tonight?" He repeats slightly louder. "Uh, no, I'm staying in London. Yeah." I reply. "Uh, I can see a fun night on the horizon then." Frances states. "My girlfriend has been to Birmingham a couple times, actually." The man states. I chuckle not sure if the man knows me and his girlfriends history.

"Oh, right. Well, uh, there you go." I say. Frances raises her brows looking at me. Andrew laughs softly. There's a slight uncomfortable silence before I break it."Yeah, you come here often, eh?" I ask the man. "Mm. Yeah, it's not bad prices for the London pub scene." He says. Frances looking slightly uncomfortable standing to the side of us, as we talk to eachother, I notice. "Ah, it's lovely, eh? Do you have your own table and that?" I ask. "Yeah. God, yeah." He states chuckling. "You're not expecting the Switzers to have their own table?" Frances buts in jokingly.

"Oh, I am, yeah." I reply with a nod and a sip of my drink. "Ah." She says. "Oh, that's, yeah, that's what comes with the business, Mr. Shelby. As you know." Andrew says with an awkward chuckle. "Jesus. Are you seeing any women at all?" Frances asks after shaking her head at Andrew, I can tell more so out of curiosity to report back to Ethel than for her own knowledge. "Or a guy?" Andrew says at a poor attempt to be funny, London was quite open to the gay scene, it was often something you saw in clubs but was never outwardly seen in public. "Yeah." Frances says laughing, Andrew joins in.