small heath was home to many people, the most infamous was the shelby family. opal, although not a shelby by blood was apart of that dysfunctional family. when tommy looks to expand his ever growing business, he meets camden town's alfie solomons. a...
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IT WAS A BLEAK RAINY DAY 'VERY fitting for a funeral' opal thought standing next to ada who was holding onto to karl tightly as they watched tommy clear his throat and move to the front before speaking. "i promised my friend freddy thorne, that i'd say a few words over his grave, if he should pass before me. i made this promise before he became my brother-in-law," he began, opal shot her friend a comforting look who looked visibly uncomfortable at her brother's word.
"and in the end, it wasn't the war that took freddy. pestilence that took him," john's youngest began to cry in esme's arms who was passed onto john while tommy continued his speech. tommy finished his small speech off and soon after the group broke off, standing in the cold. opal watched tommy and ada walk off down a small path before her attention was back on karl, who had taking a liking to the small bouquet of flowers at a grave.
"karl, you can't have those, come on," opal shook her head picking up the small boy, tapping him on the nose a few times to which he let out a small giggle. polly smiled, resting a hand on opal's shoulder before walking to meet the two shelby siblings at the other side. "let's go see your cousins hm?" opal hummed giving them one last glance before carrying karl off to john and and esme.
she stood at one of the cars wrapping her black coat around herself tighter trying to fight the cold weather. arthur stood next to opal wrapping a warm arm around her shoulders who was talking loudly to john bur she wasn't paying attention to whatever they were saying. instead she pulled out a cigarette from her case and a matchstick. she struck it hard lighting the match up before burning the end of her cigarette. she took a short intake before noticing the man arriving on a motorcycle, frantically making his way over to the oldest shelby.
before she knew opal was whisked back to the centre of small heath, standing outside the burnt garrison. her and tommy made their way towards the charred entrance, polly quickly joining them. sergeant moss lifted the rope up for them so they could get a closer look at the damage on the pub. "it happened at exactly seven a.m, nobody saw anything. our patrols were not in the area," moss said, while opal walked closer picking up at bit of black debris from the ground.
the brunette looked over to see polly hand over something small to tommy, intrigued she made her way over to join the conversation. "who did this to us?" polly asked but no-one answered.
-
the shelby's sat in the betting shop, opal taking a long puff of her cigarette as they waited for tommy to finally appear. "while we're waiting patiently," arthur spoke standing up and lifting one of the whiskey crates that wasn't blown up. he grabbed a few glasses, popping open one of the bottles and pouring it out. opal was quick to snatch a glass and downing it in one before the rest of them having a strong feeling she would be needing it for this family meeting.
"right. before tommy gets here, there's a few things we need to get straight between us," john began causing opal reach over to the bottle pouring herself another whiskey. she was exhausted from everything that was going on with freddy's funeral, the garrison being blown up and tommy's big plan on the expansion to london. "i want to know when did we all take a vote on this expansion south?" polly immediately walked forward, towards john "you have anything to say, you wait for thomas," she spoke sternly, before grabbing the glass out of opal's hands before she could take another sip.
john started again despite polly's stern words. he went on about the books and the amount of money the company makes a day. opal wasn't interested in the petty argument that was probably going to ensue if tommy didn't make an appearance anytime soon. luckily for her, he did. "i'm told only family are allowed to speak," esme said quietly. "everyone's allowed to speak, on your feet esme, lets hear what you have to say," tommy told her, opal stood up at the same time as esme except she took her whiskey back from polly before sitting back down to let esme speak her mind.
"i speak for our household," john spoke up once again and opal rolled her eyes at john's words. "john, this company is a modern enterprise and believes in equal rights for women," tommy's words caused an even bigger eye roll from the young brunette at the table as she shot him a pointed look. "on your feet esme," he ignored opal's looks. esme finally stood up and waiting a few seconds before speaking, "i am not a blood member of this family, but perhaps because i am not a member i can see things in a different light, so i will get to my point,"
opal finished her drink and pushed the end of her cigarette against the wooden table putting it out. "as my husband said, shelby company limited is now very successful, but london. i have kin in shepherds bush and portobello, it's more like wars between armies down there," esme began to make her point about london which completely understood. it was unknown territory for everyone in the family, opal was nervous about what it may bring down on them but tommy was stubborn and wouldn't back down from what he wanted.
that's when he told the family that the london expansion would be starting tomorrow, opal turned to face him in confusion not expecting him to act so quick about the whole ordeal he was planning, polly wasn't very pleased either. the group split off going back to whatever they were doing before the meeting had been called. tommy grasped her elbow pulling her to the side. "dress nice tomorrow, you're coming to london with us," he spoke under his breath, he obviously didn't want polly to hear.
"okay, is this so you'll have me to save your arse?" she smiled nudging him slightly in hope to get a smile in return. after what grace had done, she hadn't seen her best friend smile in a long time and swore if she ever seen grace again she wouldn't hesitate to shot her. opal received a playful roll of the eyes before he walked away knowing he would have to go speak to polly sooner or later.
-
the next day opal stood outside with arthur. she had picked a deep red dress, her lipstick matching, her dark hair was pinned up neatly a few stray strands framing her face. she wrapped her dark coat around herself, the chilly morning air nipping at her cheeks causing them to flush pink. she let out a small yawn as tommy came round the corner in the pristine car. he pulled over in front of the pair, immediately shouting for john seeing as he wasn't already waiting with opal and arthur.
arthur threw back an amber liquid before listing off times of the day he was meant to take it. opal took it out of his hands, giving it a quick smell turning her nose up at the strong smell "that is fucking awful," she gasped, passing it to tommy who did the same as opal. "same thing they gave us in the trenches to stop us from fucking wanking," he said proceeding to pour the amber liquid out. "i need you fast, not slow eh?" he nodded.
john finally arrived, "she wouldn't let go of my leg," he huffed breathlessly, while tommy and opal got into the car. she smoothed out her crimson dress, checking her reflection in the rear view mirror. tommy finally began to drive with arthur hanging halfway out the car shouting "the peaky blinders are going on fucking holiday!"
