BITTER - Michael Gray.

THIRTY FOUR.

♛

The smell of cigarette smoke filled the air. Men were shouting and laughing, placing their bets on who would win. The day had arrived. It was Bonnie's fight.

Finn was busy patting down the men entering the arena whilst Tommy and Arthur chatted backstage. Polly, Ada, Lizzie and Olivia were meeting up in the toilet as the fight progressed.

"Gypsy boy's getting battered out there. Now you said you had some news?" Ada sat on the sink as Olivia lit up a cigarette.

"Lizzie has some news." Polly replied.

"Polly!" Lizzie turned around with a sigh.

"Well tell them, now! While the men are screaming for blood." Polly placed a cigarette in her lips. "Have a swig, you're gonna need it." Ada took a large swig if the alcohol she'd been passed, handing it to Olivia.

"I'm up the duff. And it's Tommy's." Lizzie leans against the surface. Olivia choked on the booze in her mouth, earning a pat on the back from Polly to stop her dying.

"How far gone are you?" Ada seemed shocked.

"If I was going to London I'd be in Coventry." Lizzie said.

"And do you plan on going past Coventry?" Olivia had finally recovered.

"All the way to fucking Piccadilly Circus." Lizzie took a drag of her cigarette.

"Found our whether she's having a boy or a girl Pol?" Ada enquired.

"No." Polly put down the bottle of alcohol.

"Go on then." Liv encouraged.

Polly walked over to Lizzie and started to feel up her breasts. Olivia tried to contain her giggles, but to no avail. She was glad Michael wasn't in the room, as she let out an enormous snort, causing Lizzie to throw her head back in laughter.

"It's a girl. Call her Ruby. Ruby Shelby." Polly announced. "She'll be a star in a Hollywood movie."

"I love it. Congratulations." Olivia controlled her laughter as she and Ada hugged Lizzie.

Linda burst through the doorway, the shouting from the ring becoming louder for a split second.

"Linda, welcome to the extraordinary general meeting of the Shelby ladies club." Polly shouted.

"Since when am I a Shelby lady?" Olivia asked in confusion, her arm still tight around Lizzie's waist.

"Since you started fucking Michael in his hospital bed." Ada snorted.

"Shut up. That was one time." Liv smirked. Polly rolled her eyes, pretending she didn't hear.

"Is there spit on my back? Men out there spitting it's fucking disgusting." Linda removed her scarf to inspect her back.

"No, there's no spit on your back." Polly aided her. Linda poured some cocaine onto the sink out of the little blue bottle.

"Don't let us stop you from doing what you came in to do." Olivia called from the other side of the room.

"What? It's helped me get through the fucking nightmare of being stuck in the city." Linda lined up her drugs.