Oceans [A.Shelby]

SEVEN

THREE QUARTERS OF THE MAY FAMILY stood in the entrance of the home, the fourth not bothering to wave his daughter off back to Birmingham.

"Can't you stay longer? You drive me mental half the time sissy but the other half of the time you're the only one who keeps me sane" Edward pleaded with his sister, who laughed in response as their mother glared at him.

"What have you got to be insane about, you've got everything you could ever want or need?" Dora shook her head at her son before turning to Lillian, "but I agree, you should stay longer. I would like you too, it's not very often I see you"

"Mum, I promised Arth I'd be back within a day,"

"Oh stay for longer darling, it would do you good to be in fresher air for a while, its starting to reflect on your skin, and your hair looks even shinier than yesturday." Lillian rolled her eyes at her mother before she picked up her suitcase.

"Mum, I'm going, and that's final. Father has a car and driver to take me back to Birmingham, but I see he didn't come to see his only daughter off. What a shame." Lillian tutted, Dora opening her mouth to say something before she closed it again, deciding not to comment on the father and daughter bickering.

Lillian waved goodbye once more, letting the driver set her suitcase into the car, before she climbed in and they were off. I helped that the driver was her own from years back, she gossiped to him, gathering information on all that had happened since the last time she had visited, such as Susan, one of the cooks, having a love affair with one of the young chauffeurs which lead to a baby. And how Mrs Jones, the gardeners wife, had an untimely heart attack only weeks ago, the gardens hadn't been tended to since because Mr Jones was beside himself in grief. In Lillian Shelby's mind, there was nothing like a good nosey.

•••

Lillian reached home at 2.45pm, Arthur was yet to return home, so Lilian placed her things inside and left to the Shelby residence, nobody was home there either, besides Ada.

"You're back then?" Ada commented as she stirred her tea.

"A fly by visit. I promised Arthur,"

"You should've stayed longer, make him realise just how much he needs you," Ada laughed.

Lillian smiled, her eyes wondering to the table as she sat down, a prescription by a tea cup, Lillian picking it up before Ada could quickly stuff it away.

"Ada, why is there a precription here for iron tablets? Are you sick?" Lillian furrowed her eyebrows as she glanced up at the younger woman.

Ada was silent at first, and then replied, "In the morning, sometimes.. I've just been feeling a little tired that's all "

"Ada.." The older woman trailed off.

"No, I know what you're thinking, Lillian," Ada snapped, Lillian's face softening.

"What I'm thinking, Ada, sounds to me is the reason why you're feeling ill. You're feeling sick in the mornings, you're tired, you're low on iron, and I've noticed you've filled out a little more"

Ada lowered her eyes, Lillian reaching for the young girls hand.

"I'm late, quite late. It'd be Freddie's, if there's an it" Ada told her quietly.

"You know what we need to do now then Ada, find out if there is one"

•••

Ada Shelby was pregnant, so they found out after Lillian had a quiet word with Polly, who accompanied her to be checked. Lillian wasn't all too good with private matters such as these, the aunt would be much better, Lillian decided.

It was late when Lillian returned back to her own house, having comforted Ada when she got back.

Lillian shoved the key in the door and turned, pushing her way into the house, shutting the door behind the and shrugging off her coat.

"Where 'ave you been?" Arthur asked, leaning against the door frame of the kitchen.

"I thought you would get back earlier." Arthur added.

"I did, you just weren't here. I've been with Ada all day." Lillian replied.

"how was London?" Arthur asked her, the topic was touchy, they both knew just how much William May disliked Arthur and everything he stood for.

"An earful, quite literally. Mother wants me to visit more often, but father would rather not associate with his disappointment of a fucking daughter more often then twice a year."

A silence hung in the air as Arthur glanced at his wife, in all the beauty that she was. He wasn't deserving of her, but he was lucky to have her. He realised that, when he stopped letting the war and alcohol cloud his head.

Somebody as beautiful as Lillian May could slip through your fingers, was what Polly had told him before they married. She couldn't have been more true.

"I'm going to get better. For you. I promise. I'll be a better husband. The one you deserve." Arthur promised her, Lillian's tired eyes softening.

This happened everytime, if one of them made a mistake, or argued, they both would soften and let it go. There was no love lost, they were just standing in different times, one had endured 4 years of war and came out barely living and the other had no idea of the torment inside his head.

"And that's good enough for me, you've always been good enough for me Arth," She smiled, rubbing her fingers over his stubble cheek before placing a soft kiss on his lips with a tired smile. Arthur Shelby held his wife to his chest, just like they had on their first night as newly weds, having no idea of the struggles of marriage.

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authors note; here it is, the next chapter, so sorry updates have been so so crappy! hopefully I will have more time in the next few weeks to write for you all x