Anna [J.Shelby]

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Small Heath, Birmingham 1920

Anna placed her head in her hands, feeling dizzy and her head felt heavy. It was before opening times, and the ladies were just coming in and setting themselves up.

"Anna, are you alright?" Polly asked her, with concern, walking over to her.

Anna glanced up at her, nodding slowly.

"No you're not, come with me" Polly led her into the separate room and sat her at the table before closing the doors and curtains.

Polly glanced over her as she sat down, her eyes trailing every inch of her body with suspicion. Polly's eyes zoned in on her significantly largened breasts and larger stomach, before locking with Anna's knowing eyes.

"How long have you known, Anna?" Polly asked her, her voice stern and face almost stoic.

Anna sighed, rubbing her head out of distress.

"3 weeks, 4 at most"

"Jesus Christ, Anna!" Polly screeched.

"I know, I know. I just didn't know how to tell him." Anna sighed.

"How far along are you?" Polly quizzed.

"Maybe 4 months"

"Again, Jesus Christ Anna!"

"Well how exactly do you tell a man you're pregnant with his child. It's not exactly something I've done before is it, Polly?" Anna snapped, before apologising profusely.

Polly untucked Anna's shirt and raised it, "Bloody hell Anna, how have you managed to be able to hide this?"

"He's off gallivanting most days, or Tommy has him working. He's never home any more!" Anna defended herself.

"You can't hide this any longer, if you wait another week you'll pop, an' that'll be a sight for him. You tell him, or I will" Polly told her sternly, her maternal nature seeping through her words.

The door opened, making Anna hastily pull down her shirt.

"Polly, Tommy's wondering what's kept you from opening" John called, walking in the room and pausing at the exchange between Anna and Polly.

"What the fuck is going on?"

"Nothing, John" Anna told him just as Polly announced, "Anna's pregnant"

"Oh for fuck sakes, Polly" Anna cursed her.

"You never was going to tell him until he could quite clearly see" Polly replied, before escaping the room that was thick with tension.

Angrily, Anna turned and pulled her shirt, "Is this enough proof for you? You wouldn't have noticed because you're never fuckin' home anymore"

Anna stood, locking eyes with John, unsure of what else to say to him but John did the talking as he took strides towards her and placed his lips on her, kissing her softly, in every way he had never kissed her- it wasn't that it lacked passion or force, it was quite uncommon for John and Anna's kisses to not be lustful and long.

"Well now we have to get married" John announced, caressing her waist as he stared into those green pools.

Anna chuckled, amused by his lousy proposal, "that's not exactly my idea of a proposal, John"

"I'll come up with one some other time, you should of told me, Anna" John wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in, her head in the crook of his neck, feet barely on the ground.

"I know, I just didn't know how. I had to go as far out as possible because every bloody woman around here knows who I associate with" She laughed.

"I'll be home for now on, I'll pick the kids for school and if Tommy asks me to work over time I'll tell him to fuck off" John told her, both hands holding her cheeks as he pulled her into him, arms wrapped around her in an embrace unlike they'd ever had before.

John and Anna soon married in a small ceremony with only the Shelby Clan and their closest friends present. That was enough for Anna, to see John's grin as he watched her walk down the aisle in a white dress and veil, with flowers the children had picked. This time, John didn't marry for his children or because Anna was pregnant, he married because he was in love.

The morning after their wedding, John left his wife in bed, took the children to school, surprisingly, and turned up to the betting shop with a grin, presenting himself as finally happy and content.

Tommy, Arthur and Polly were pleased that for the first time since the war, John could admit he was happy.

◇◇◇

Surprise.