BRUTAL LOVE || JOHN SHELBY

Chapter 7

Today was the day.

The day the boys went off to fight a war that wasn't theirs.

The girls were not handling it very well. They didn't want to let them go but they knew they had to. Libitina was taking this so hard, she had to witness John and Martha saying their goodbye's knowing she couldn't say goodbye to him like she wanted to, but she was happy he had Martha by his side through everything even though it hurt her.

The two lovers shared as much time together as they could even though it was wrong. They both knew if anyone found out people would be hurt, but they couldn't help falling in love with each other.

"Are you not going to say bye to him?" Ada spoke up to the sad girl standing beside her.

"I can't bear it and he's saying bye to Martha and the kids, I'm not going to pull him away from that and be selfish." Libitina said in a sad voice, tears threatening to fall.

John looked over at his sister and the sad girl next to him hating to see her like this when he can't do anything about it. He decided to say bye to Martha and his kids and tell Martha he's going to say bye to everyone else. Kissing her lightly then kissing his kids on the foreheads. John took small but quick steps towards the 2 girls.

"Hi girls, you alright?" John spoke up to the 2 sad girls.

"Good thank you, I'll leave you two it, going to say bye to Tommy and Arthur. I love you John please come home in one piece." Ada said whilst hugging her older brother goodbye.

"I love you too Ada, I promise I'll be home by Christmas." John said breaking out of the hug and letting his sister go to the rest of the family.

Then it left the two lovers alone, just staring at each other so they would remember each bit of one and another while they were apart.

"Hi." John whispered lightly to the girl in front of him not knowing what to say.

"Hi." Libitina whispered back with a small smile on her face.

"I'll come home, I promise, and I will write to you as much as I can, you won't loose me, not again." John stated worried she wouldn't believe him.

"I know Johnny, but when you come home you won't be the same man you are right now, the war will change you, and that's what I'm most scared of." Libitina said truthfully not wanting to lie to him.

Just as he was about to say something the train arrived at the station. Looking into each others eyes saying the million words they didn't have time to say. John pulled Libitina into his arms for the last time until he comes home.

"I love you Tina." John said with tears in his eyes.

"I love you too Johnny, stay safe and remember to write." Libitina said while pulling out of the embrace they were sharing.

And just like that, John walked up to his brothers, sending one last look in Libitina's direction and disappeared onto the train.

Libitina's legs buckled on her making her fall to the floor in tears, Martha already being gone she didn't care who saw her like this, the love of her life and the two men she called brothers just got on a train to go and fight a war they may not come back from and even if they did they would be changed men.

Ada and Polly came to the girls side and hugged her, she didn't even realise they were there until she got pushed up and back to their home that was now quiet.

It was weird coming back home with out the boys, the house seemed quite and empty. Polly started to make tea and some food for the girls and Finn. They all sat around the dinning room in silence not having a word to say.

Libitina ate her food and decided to go upstairs to her shared bedroom, Ada didn't want to bother her so she stayed downstairs with her aunt and little brother.

Libitina headed to her wardrobe and got out the bottle of whiskey she stores in there for when she's feeling down knowing it will help her with her feelings even though it only worked for a few hours, but she didn't care, she couldn't handle it.

She took a big swig from the bottle, wincing at the taste in the back of her throat, she felt tears in her hazel eyes threatening to fall. Libitina closed her eyes letting the tears fall down her blushed cheeks, she was stuck in this feeling again, being away from John not even being able to look at him, she was back to the young girl she was back in 1911.

She was broken and alone, not having a care in the world anymore.