Living With Mr Shelby

Chapter Seven

"Rosie I know it's hard but..." I tried desperately to get through to Rosie just how badly it would affect Danny to have her leave.

"Look. I love my husband but he's not the same. I mean he killed a man because he was holding a knife." Rosie snapped preparing the evening meal for her boys; I took up a knife and started helping her prep some vegetables.

"Why don't I ask Tommy if he can find a place just outside of Birmingham, you know those new houses they've built there won't be as many loud noises to set him off and the space will be bigger so if he does go off it won't be as dangerous." I suggested gently biting the inside of my lip as I thought how Timmy would react to me offering his services. Rosie agreed to wait until I had spoken to Tommy and I stopped by the Garrison on my way back. Making sure to buy Tommy's favorite bottle of whisky and cigarettes and used the last of the shopping money Tommy had given to me to get his favorite sandwiches from the bakery hoping that the gifts would put him in a good mood.

"What you got there Lola?" Arthur asked as I poked my head round the door of the offices to say hello, I pulled a face and both John and Arthur seemed to guess what I was trying to do. I quickly snuck into Polly's office waiting until she had finished her letter.

"Is Tommy in a good mood? I have something big to ask him." I muttered instantly feeling worried as Poll stood up trying to examine me.

"What?" Polly snapped. I still had no idea why Poll was so protective over Tommy when it came to women but I knew better than to get more than one Shelby angry at a time, especially when it came to Tommy and Poll.

"I was thinking Tommy might be able to move Danny and his family into the country houses just outside Birmingham, it'll be bigger and safe and quieter." I stopped explaining because Poll had an odd look on her face.

"You're going to do well here Lola." She muttered, shooing me out the room to go up to Tommy; I left her a small iced bun for her to snack on while she worked.

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"Tommy?" I knocked on his door and waited for his reply but he was silent. I rolled my eyes and entered the room anyway, irritating Tommy who was sitting at his desk. His hair looked like he had been running his hands through it. A sure sign that he was still stressing about Danny.

"What, I don't have any time, just hurry up and tell me what you want." He snapped quickly. I let his sharp response slide without my usual sarcastic reply and set the presents in front of him making him look at me guiltily.

"I spoke to Rosie and we have an idea but we will need your help." I said carefully, Tommy instantly perked up and looked at me expectantly pulling open the paper parcels I had set in front of him.

"If you helped him move to one of the bigger houses just outside of the city it'll be quieter so he won't be set off by much and the farms will have loads more jobs than in the city. I'll even talk to some of my Grandfather's friends to try and get Danny and the boy's apprenticeships." I said hurriedly hoping that Tommy would agree with me he looked at me happily and lifted his glass in the air as if to toast the idea.

"Alright then you go do whatever you do and I'll get everything sorted." Tommy said getting up and shooing me out of the room, I crossed my arms and frowned at him.

"You know if you told people I was safe to hire I could get a job." I narrowed my eyes at him. He was about to tell me women looked after the home like he usually did when we had this conversation, but fell silent when Polly and Esme descended on him with frowning faces. He sighed and hurried back up the stairs before I could take the conversation further. They both gave you sly smiles of victory and Polly decided to treat everyone to lunch, on the company's money.

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After complaining several times to Ada about Tommy's refusal to give out the ok that I could work. She had suggested I become a tutor. I had decided to start teaching some of the neighborhood children to read and write something the mothers appreciated greatly. Mainly because their children could have a better future but having the children out of the way while they sorted their daily routines helped. But often they joked about how lovely it was to have their children out from under their feet.

"Good job Marcus, Lizzy your C needs to go the other way round." I explained to the two children currently sitting at the kitchen table. John strolled into the house looking through papers and drawers trying to find something. He froze when he saw the children and the tooth pick between his lips almost fell to the floor.

"Bloody hell cho gone and stole some kids for?" John asked, still a little surprised, I bit my lip and put my hands together as if I were praying. With a quick sigh I hurried over to him.

"Please don't tell Tommy, I just got so bored playing house and I'm making a really big difference and he hasn't even noticed that I've been teaching them for the last week." I begged John who looked torn. Finally he seemed to come up with an idea and by the looks of it I wasn't going to enjoy it.

"Fine but on Saturday, when we go to the races you have to help Max with his reading he's almost old enough to work." I shrugged and nodded my head that didn't seem a bad deal seeing as it was only one of John's children.

"So... we're not telling Tommy?" I asked as I helped the children down the stairs at the back of the flat and watched them hurry to their houses down the path before turning to go back inside and jumped as I came face to face with Tommy. Or rather chest to face as I'm a foot or two shorter than Tommy.

"Not telling Tommy what?" He asked as he glared at me as if I'd shot John but I just smiled weakly and tried to duck past him without success.

"I'm sleeping with your brother." I yelped rather loudly, blurting out the first thing I could think of that would be shocking Tommy. The sudden outburst made John double over in laughter as we headed back up the stairs to the flat.

"Bloody better not be." Tommy said with such harshness that John straightened up instantly; I rolled my eyes and tried to hide the papers I had forgotten to clean up.

"Nah, we were um making a deal... bout a present for you." John said lamely. I slapped my face with the palm of my hand and hid the papers that the children had left on the kitchen table in my room. When I came out John had gone and Tommy was looking rather amused, he sat down at the kitchen table and poked at my loaf of bread approvingly. It had improved since Polly had taken to teaching you her own methods.

"I already know you're teaching kids to read and write, the mothers keep thanking me and the single mothers offer to pay in... um well never mind how they offer." Tommy mumbled. My eyes widened as I realised what he meant and I folded my arms feeling a little jealous something Tommy seemed to pick up on making him chuckle to himself. I rolled my eyes as he watched me fiddle with a few things in the kitchen with a great amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Shut it Shelby." I muttered and walked into my room slamming the door.