Invisible [John Shelby Fan Fiction, Peaky Blinders, Fan Fiction]

THE WAY WE WERE/ TRY TO REMEMBER

Arabella was currently doing her shift at the Betting House before she went to the Garrison, John asked for a family meeting but Arabella was going to go over and have a noisy. The truth was she had not spoken to John after she left his house that night. Arabella had a habit of that, getting up and leaving him.

Arabella also remembered that she said a lot of mean things to him and even told him that she might prefer Patrick. None of it was true of course. Arabella wanted John and she wanted to tell him that but she could not muster up enough courage. 

"All right, I'm off. I'm off." Tommy stated as Arabella walked over to him, slipping on her coat and grabbing her purse. Arabella did pay for her drinks in the pub unlike the Peaky Blinders. Everything for them was on the house. 

"Night, lads. See you tomorrow." Arabella smiled at everyone kindly, as she did every single day, before she turned to Tommy. 

"It's a good day." Tommy said to Arabella with no emotion. Truth be told Tommy and Arabella were harbouring a secret of their own. Arabella lied about the first boy she ever loved, it was not the man at the ice cream cart who would stay in the countryside, it was in fact Tommy. Tommy knew that though, so when Tommy came back during war when Arabella was along and worried about John. Tommy and her spent a night together, they did not have sex- Arabella promised herself she would marry to the right man first- but they did do other things. 

After that night they became incredibly close. They agreed to never speak of it again and moved on. They never told anyone and Arabella met Patrick and you know the rest. 

"John is in the Garrison. He says he wants a meeting about a family matter. After he's said his piece he'll come back and take his place with Scudboat." Arabella explained to a annoyed Tommy. He could not be bothered with a family meeting. Tommy nodded his head and started to walk off. 

"Scudboat? John will be here in ten minutes." Arabella shouted at Scudboat sweetly before she walked out of the house. 

"Five." Tommy corrected before him and Arabella made their way to the Garrison. Arabella was worried about seeing John because she did not know how he was going to react. It had been a while.

___

"All right, John." Tommy stated as he walked into the back room of the Garrison, Arabella followed after him. Her brown eyes locked with John's. 

"Hello." She smiled at him before she took a seat next to Polly and Tommy began speaking. 

"It's been a while." John whispered over at her and Arabella nodded her head in agreement. The last thing she had heard about him was with Billy Kimber and some sort of party. She could not really remember. 

"What's troubling you?" Polly asked him and John looked down. 

"Polly, you know what it's been like since Martha died." John answered and Polly held onto his hand. Arabella felt bad for him because John and Martha truly loved one another. 

"God takes the best first." Polly replied and Arabella nodded her head because she thought about her father. She missed him truly. It felt like yesterday they were sitting out in the garden together speaking about Arabella's future and him being a grandfather to her children. 

"The truth is, my kids have been running bloody rings around me. Running barefoot with the dogs until all hours." John explained and Tommy lit a cigarette for himself. 

"Pol, give him ten bob, some shoes. Is that it, John?" Tommy asked, he could seriously not be bothered with any of it. 

"Tommy, we'd be better doing this without you." Arabella stated and Polly turned to John. Arthur was just sitting there listening and drinking.