Shelby Sister

Bonfire

After she rushed out of the house Riley went to see if Jenny was okay. She figured after all the commotion, Jenny most likely would have forgotten that they were meant to meet at the yard. Coming to Jenny's street Riley frowned as she watched men pick up what was left of their belongings from the street whilst the women gathered around their upset children. Moving further down the road Riley caught sight of golden blonde hair on top of a middle aged man and woman. She could see from their features they were definitely related to Jenny, probably her parents. It appeared that Jenny's mum was trying to calm down her enraged husband as Riley could practically see the veins ready to pop from his kneck from here. Not wanting to intrude Riley walked past the couple as she heard the man complain about the coppers raiding their house. However, just as she went past their house Riley saw Jenny rush out of the door. Riley stopped as Jenny appeared to be in quite a state. Turning to her parents Jenny found the object of her unease in front of her. "Riley! Thank god you're here! I'm so sorry, I forgot we were meant to be meeting up!" the young Irish girl quickly stated to the amused Shelby. Riley stuck her hands in her pockets as she brushed off her apology. "Don't worry about it. I think the coppers fuckin up the neighbourhood would make anyone forgetful." Jenny breathed a visible sigh of relief as she heard her best friends reply. Jenny grinned and looped her arms with Riley's as she noticed her parents curious gazes. "Da, mammy. Meet my best friend Riley Shelby. She's the one who saved me the other day." Riley became embarrassed as everyone's attention was directed at her. She flashed them a brief smile but was suddenly engulfed in Jenny's mothers suffocating arms. Not used to such displays of affection Riley kept her arms awkwardly at her sides. I see where Jenny gets her affectionate side from she thought unamused.
"Oh honey! It's so nice to meet you! Thank you so much for helping our Jenny here!" She gushed in a strong Irish accent. Although if she thought Jenny's mothers accent was strong she was proven wrong when her father spoke. "Yes lass thanks a bunch for saving Jenny." The middle aged man flashed her a bright smile. Riley noticed Jenny's blush at her parents words making Riley smirk.
"Alright. Alright Da."
Jenny turned to Riley.
"Do you want to come in?"
"Oh yes dear! Please do come in. We were just about to have our tea if you would like to join us?"
Riley looked at the loving Irish families welcoming smiles and found herself bashfully nodding her head.
"Brilliant! Lets go in then."Jenny's father exclaimed ushering everyone inside the small terrance house. As Riley entered she inspected the house. It wasn't the ritz hotel but she could see that it was a very well looked after family home. Pictures of their family lined the walls and home made blankets were placed on the couches.

Riley sat down next to Jenny at the dinner table as Jenny's mother dished up sausages and mashed potatoes, Riley's favourite. After Jenny's father had said grace, Riley was practically drooling at the mouth in anticipation. Throughout the meal Jenny's parents made conversation with Riley but she only gave them vague responses as she was weary of them finding out too much about her family. She finally found a friend who didn't care who her family was and she didn't want to ruin that.  Whilst Jenny's mother cleaned the dishes and her father read in the sitting room, Jenny talked Riley's ear off about the raid trying to see if Riley knew more than she let on. However, Riley remained tight lipped not wanting to involve her only friend. Just as Jenny for the 5th time begged her for more information the front door banged. Jenny's father answered to find a little boy. "What is it lad?"
"We're having a bonfire at Watery Lane. You'll get two bob if you bring your picture of the king to it." Riley heard her younger brother Finn explain. She quickly ran to the front door with Jenny following her.
"Finn? What you on about?"
Seeing his sisters face Finn smiled "Riley!"
Jenny's father moved to the side in confusion as Riley approached the front door. "Why do you want the picture of the king?"
"It's Tommy! He just told me to get the whole streets pictures for a bonfire."
She should of known it had something to do with Tommy. Riley finally noticed the commotion outside as everyone appeared to be going in the same direction where a-load of noice was coming from.
"For two bob you can have it lad. Not like the kings ever done anything for us lot anyway." Jenny's father said as he handed over the picture.
"Da I'm going to go with Riley to see the bonfire." Jenny said as she grabbed Riley's hand rushing off with Finn hot of their trail.
"Alright! Be back by 10!" Riley heard Jenny's father shout. Before Riley could question why Jenny needed to hold her hand, she saw Scudboat and Lovelock standing between two parked cars which appeared to be blocking the street entrance to the bonfire. They pushed their way to the front of the queue which wasn't very hard as people recognised the youngest Shelby siblings and moved aside for them.
"All right, Finn, Riley." Scudboat greeted them. Riley nodded her head as Finn said "All right, Scud."
"We are blocking the entrance, mate.
Come on, keep making your way through.
Come on. Come on, gentlemen." Scudboat said letting them through.

As they approached the huge fire Jenny griped Riley's hand tighter in excitement. "Wow this is huge! I can't believe they're doing this in the middle of the street!"
Riley unfortunately could believe that Tommy would do this in the middle of the street . Riley noticed her three older brothers next to the bonfire as Jenny dragged her up to the front of it.
"Now come on Chuck them on, boys." Tommy shouted. People cheered in response chucking their pictures on top.
"Well, I hope to God you know what you're doing." Riley heard Arthur say as she moved into their line of sight.
"Riley I see you've decide to return after storming off" Tommy teased. She glared at his smug looking face. "I didn't have much of a choice." she mumbled as she thought about Jenny's strong grip. Tommy eyes  moved to the blonde girl holding his sisters hand which caused him to raise a brow in question.
"Whose the lass next to ya Riley?" John asked her. Riley felt her face grow hot from embarrassment as she saw the curious and teasing faces of her brothers. "I'm Jenny. Riley's friend." Jenny softly said. Riley found she was oddly proud of Jenny for standing up to her teasing brothers.
" Didn't know you had friends Riley." Arthur chuckled. She sent him a cold glare. "I don't."
Jenny smiled at Riley's flushed cheeks which Tommy saw, causing him to smile briefly glad that his sister finally had a friend. He wasn't an idiot, he knew that people kept away from her because of her last name and that although she would deny it she had been lonely. Luckily for Riley's embarrassment, Scudboat interrupted telling tommy there was a reporter here for him.
"Come on, folks, give us a bit of room.Move back for us, please, folks."
"You're Mr Shelby?" The reporter asked. Riley noticed that he seemed nervous surrounded by the drunk and rowdy crowd.
"I am."
"You said I would be protected."
"You're protected."
What's going on? Why is he speaking to a reporter, she thought. 
"There are some things I want you to write down. Now, first of all it's not that people round here are disloyal to the King. It's the opposite. You see, we don't want our beloved King looking down and seeing the things that are being done to us. So we are taking down his pictures."
Riley smirked amused. Ooh he's good, she thought.
"But why are you burning them?"
"We went through hell for our King. Walked through the flames of war." Riley frowned as she noticed Tommy eyes seemed to darken like he was remembering the horrors he saw.
"Write all this down And now we're being attacked in our own homes. These new coppers over from Belfast, breaking into our homes and interfering with our women." Tommy glanced at Riley as he thought about the bruises those coppers left on her still angry about it.
"We don't think our King would want to see that happening. So, we're lighting fires to raise the alarm."
"May I ask you, in what capacity do you speak?"
"No capacity.I am an ordinary man.
I won gallantry medals at the Somme.
I want you to write in your paper what's going on here. Go on, go."
The reporter rushed off, obviously in a hurry to leave the wild crowd. Riley caught Tommy's eye and smirked.
"You know I forget how ingenious you are sometimes Tom-cat." Tommy smiled as he smoked his cigarette.