Till Death Do Us Part

~Chapter five~

-----

~Guess whos back~

!TW! !Strong Language, Self Harm and Violence!

-----

Days have passed by. Ivy once again was slowly getting the gist to the way her new life run, it wasn't much different. She just didn't have a job, basically just a stay at home house wife and nothing else. Cooking, cleaning, shopping, then picking up the pieces of John. Yes she wanted the 'normal' life, but maybe this wasn't what she really wanted after all.

"He's back," John announced coming into the bedroom. He was doing up his shirt and began to look out the window.
"Who's back?" Ivy questioned confused, who then sat up in bed and closed the book she was reading.
"My dad." He replied looking towards Ivy. John could see all the cuts over her arms, chest and face. She was wearing her nighty that's how he could see. She stayed sat and didn't say anything for a moment. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine." John began to tuck his shirt. His face was all flustered.
"Well you don't look it," Ivy slipped herself out of bed, walking towards John.
"You're my husband now, so tell me what's bothering you?" Ivy began to do Johns tie.
"

How did you get them cuts all over ya'? Why do you keep holding your ribs every time you walk?" John questioned, his eyes scanned her arms while she was doing his tie. Taking ever bit of her in.
"It's nothing," Ivy practically chuckled.
"Answer the fuckin' question!" John demanded. Ivys smile slowly faded.
"Okay, alright. Danny Wizz bang had this episode, he thought he was in-" Ivy was then cut off.
"I know what happens to him, so just tell me how you got the cuts all over ya'" He demanded asking again.
"I was working, he came bursting in, flipping over tables and glass flew everywhere. Which caused a table to hit into me," Ivy explained, she then finished doing up his tie.
"So your not hurting yourself?" John spat out. His face no longer flustered
Ivy scoffed turning away. Confusion filled her face "No!" she snapped back.
John huffed out in relief.
"I've um- gotta' go to Pollys," He picked up his suit jacket that was on the floor.
"Why- why would you even ask that?" Ivy walked over to the bed and sat down. She stared at the floor pulling another confused look.
"Before you left you were- because of that ma-" John stuttered, who was then cut off by Ivy.
"No don't, don't do that. Adas already brought this up, in front of everyone." Ivy felt nothing but ashamed.
"I'm- I'm sorry," John huffed. He rubbed his eyes, almost frustrated with himself. They stayed in silence for a moment. John shared looks at Ivy but she only sat drowning in her thoughts.
"Come with me to Polly's, you haven't seen her since the wedding." Johns voice softened. His look was gentle. "Hm, yeah." Ivy forced a smile.

-----

Ivy and John had just made their way to Polly's. It wasn't far, only across the road from Johns house which was now Ivy's house too.
They let themselves in, John chased Ivy inside. Which then they both became quite and the smiles faded off their faces. Johns father was sat at the table. Ivy looked at Polly pulling a face. A look to say 'what the hell is he doing here?'. Polly huffed and rolled her eyes. Ivy didn't understand as to why he was here, Polly very much disliked him.

"There ya' are," Arthur said coming from the kitchen with a plate of food. He placed it in front his dad.
"Thank you. You're a good boy," he nodded at Arthur.
Arthur pulled out a seat for Ivy to sit in. She sat down in front of John, who then lent on the back of the chair.
"Bless you, father for these bounties we are about to receive-" Arthur Sr was cut off. Arthur, Johns brother had the same name as their father.
"Jesus christ," Polly said placing her hand to her face.
"Please women- not in vain"
"Finish your sandwich and sling your hook." Polly spat. Ivy glared at him.
"Polly-anna, I'm the guest of the head of this family."
"As if," Ivy remarked, she almost burst into laughter.
"So why don't you tend your mangle or your scuttle?" Arthur Sr added, glaring at Ivy.
"The head of the family ain't here." John huffed as he twirled a tooth pick around his mouth.
The boys father looked around the room at everyone. Who then glared at Arthur.
"Tommy... he ugh- sometimes helps me with business," Arthur practically stuttered looking at his father.
"I hope you don't mind me sticking my two pence in-" Ivy paused looking at Arthur.
"But why you lying? Tommy runs this family and the whole business. He keeps everyone of us in line, even me when I wasn't a Shelby." Ivy said crossing her arms. She looked up at John who towered over her. He smiled proud at Ivy because nobody else in the room would say it as it is.
"My, my. Ivy is now one of us." Arthur Senior said pretending to be shocked.
Ivy let out a chuckled, Arthur Sr glared at Ivy with an unpleasant face.
"Your not really one of us-" John spat but was then cut off by the back door opening. John bit down onto the tooth pick in his mouth, his jaw was clenched.
"Ah, well. Speak of the devil," Arthur Senior announced standing up out of his chair. The sound of the chair scraped against the wooden floor underneath him.
"How are you son?"
"Get out." Thomas demanded, he nodded his head over to the door.
"Come on, son. I'm a changed man."
"This family needed you, ten years ago when you walked out on it." Thomas paused for a moment and glared at his father.
"Not now. Get out of this house."
"Tommy, he's different-" Arthur was then cut off by his brother.
"You, shut up!" Thomas snapped.
"Its alright, son. Arthur Shelby never stays where he is not welcome," Arthur Senior picked up his coat from the back of the chair he was sitting in. Polly glared at him while he did so.
He nodded as he looked at Thomas, then breathed in deeply. "Quite something you've become."
Arthur turned around, "Bye son," He said on his way out rubbing Finns hair.
Finn looked back as he watched his father leave for another time. John reached over and pulled him back.

"He's our dad," Arthur said looking up at Tom.
Thomas scoffed shaking his head.
"He's a selfish bastard!"
"You calling someone a selfish bastard? That's a bit rich, Tommy. I mean thanks to you, we're already a bloody sister down," Arthur snapped in frustration.
"You wanna' see him, Arthur? You want to see him? You can go with him." Thomas pointed towards the front door. Arthur slammed his hands onto the table and stood up. He squared up to Tom and then stormed out.
The sound of the door slamming shut echoed through the house.
"John business as usual," Thomas nodded at John.
John clenched his jaw another time as he nodded at his brother. He placed a hand on Ivys shoulder.
"I'll see ya' tonight, yeah?"
"Yeah," Ivy muttered back.
John kissed the back of her head and then left.
"I ugh- I thought this was the shop," Ivy questioned.
"He's got other business and Poll clean them cuts up of hers." Thomas disappeared behind the double doors of the betting room.

Polly and Ivy sat for hours talking. Telling each other every little detail that's happed over the nine years of not seeing each other. Ivy adores Polly, she meant a lot to her back then and still now. Polly was the only person to seem to understand and listen to Ivy, well that was how she felt.
In a way Polly felt like another mother to Ivy, not that her real mother was there or cared for her anyway.
John loved the way Ivy admired Polly, he knew if Ivy didn't talk to him about how she felt with any situation she would go to her. And if he done anything in anyway to hurt or upset Ivy, he would have it in the neck straight away from Polly. She took care of everyone that is close to her, she somehow always understands what everyone feels when they spoke to her. That was why Ivy loved her so much, she just got her in a way nobody else did. When family business got tough for the Shelby's, Polly was always the one to pick up the pieces Thomas left behind and to help everyone who needed out. But sometimes, she wouldn't look out for herself.

Eventually, the night came around. For Ivy it flew by very quickly. It was time for her to leave but there was no sigh of John who said he would see her tonight. So Ivy made her way home, although Poll insisted she stayed until John came to pick her up. It was almost midnight, Ivy wasn't waiting around any longer. She got back home and there was no sigh of John, the whole house was blacked out as no lights were on. Ivy went around through lists in her head debating if she should go and look for him or stay home. But she knew John wouldn't be impressed if she was walking the streets of Birmingham this late. Ivy made her choice, she was to go and look to see if he was at the Garrison. If John was not there she was to return home and wait. Ivy wasn't going to leave without some sort of protection. Ivy lifted a plank of wood from the staircase, that headed upstairs. Pulling a gun out, she checked to see how many bullets were in the gun, its fully loaded. Ivy slipped the gun into the side of her dress, carefully placing the wood back onto the step, just how John left it. Ivy didn't want John knowing that she knew this was where he hid some of his guns, otherwise he would change the spot.

Ivy finally left. But however, she didn't know what mess she was just about get herself into.