Oceans [A.Shelby]

ELEVEN

ARTHUR GLANCED at his wife over his paper, for days she had been restless, up and down constantly. Every sound of footsteps outside their door. Every vehicle that pulled onto Watery Lane, Lillian was up against the window, or glancing out the door.

He raised a brow as she spread jam onto her bread, back and forth before spreading more absentmindly. She continued until only the crusts were visible.

"Can I not spread jam on bread in peace without you glancing over your paper at me?" Lillian raised a brow at her husband as she took a bite out of the bread.

Arthur had to laugh as the colour of the jam matched her red painted lips, "no love, it's just that you've used half the bloody jam on one piece of bread"

Lillian rolled her eyes at her husband as Finn burst through the back door, Lillian jumping in her sit.

"Arthur, someone came into the den talking about a Bugatti driving down Bordesley Green!" Finn exclaimed, before he turned to Lillian, stifling a laugh at the jam that dripped from the bread.

At the mention of a Bugatti, Lillian dropped the bread on the table, rushing to the window as she peeled back the net curtains.

"Fuckin' hell lad, what'd you have to say that for?" Arthur swore to his brother, Finn looking up at him with the shrug of his shoulders before he picked up the jam pot, grabbing a spoon from the cupboard.

"Would you come away from the bloody curtain!" Arthur told her as he walked over to pry her away, before her eyes caught something, "fuckin' hell it's your mother"

"What is it with your family turning up uninvited?" Arthur asked her, Lillian slapping his arm.

"Oi! I could say the same to yours, Finns scarred because of your antics." Lillian replied before she went to unlock the door.

Sure enough, standing beside a Bugatti with a hat pinned to her head, was Dora May. She stood, arguing with her driver.

Arthur stepped out the door, waiting with an arm around his wife's waist and locked hands. Dora May failed to notice as she continued her argument.

For Arthur, looking at this woman, who even after 6 years of marriage to her daughter, hehad never met; it brought a memory back to him.

Lillian had gone to London to tell her parents their news, and when she returned she was so gutted, she was a shell of herself for weeks.

Lillian stepped off the train, a hat pinned to her head and two suitcases at her feet. By the forlorn expressing on Lillian's face, which she tried so hard to hide with a smile set on her red lips; Arthur knew Lillian was far from happy.

"What did they say?" Arthur asked her nervously as he looked at the cases on the platform, more than what she had left with.

"They dont approve.. " Lillian trailed off as she placed the cases down, walking over to him where Arthur cupped her soft cheeks in his hands.

"I don't need any approval to love nor marry you," She smiled softly, a grin breaking out on Arthur's face before leaning down and kissing her gently.

"You dont need their approval, my family is your family." He replied, making Lillian smile. Arthur's family couldn't replace her own, as much as she liked them all.

It was unlike Lillian, being so headstrong. She so wanted her families support and Arthur knew that. No matter how much Lillian placed on an act, it was Arthur who would always see through it.

In a sense, he resented Dora, and William, for reacting in such a way, and hurting their daughter emotionally and mentally.

"Leave the poor man alone, Mother, whatever he has done cannot be so bad," Lillian called, Dora snapping her head to her daughter, not realising that she had an audience.