The Scandals of Vera

Chapter 5 - when the Shelbys go

"Tommy" vera calls out for him, she steps into a room she never went into his house, the sound of Debussy being played, there he was... his back to the door as he was hunched over the keys with one arm resting his head on the piano with a cigarette laced in between his fingers.

"Tommy..." he looks back eyes red and swollen  " I don't want to go vera..." his voice breaking, vera takes few slow steps towards him "I DON'T WANT MY BROTHERS TO BE MURDERED" HE SCREAM, "they won't last..." he roams his eyes on the floor "darling they will, have you not met them, they're strong men that know how to handle guns" she runs to him and pulls him to her chest.

"2,000 men were killed Vera, it's only been 3 weeks they're all around Finn's age" he looks up at her "don't worry, they will be alright you can have my word on it" he sniffles and grabs a paper and reads it out "lieutenant Thomas Arthur Shelby, you have been posted to serve in Greece Thesly, Northen France and is permitted a one week pass to return home at any time during the war." he crumples it up and throws the paper across the room with trembling rage, Vera looks down "you will be oka-" she was cut off by tom "you do know I can die during lord knows how long this bullshit war will last, I might die in the first FUCKING DAY VERA" "no you won't Tommy..." her voice stays lowered, he sits down on the piano chair that vera is sitting on and paces her a newspaper "read it."

"2,000 men were killed at the front on French soil and over 3,000 causalities with 20 nurse's deaths. today the third week into the war but no more land has been taken from the allies some spec.." vera cuts off her own reading and moves to the last sentence "remember every man who comes's back home or has died have gone for a great cause, to all families must note that they're men and boys will hopefully return home and God save the King" she sighs, tom holds her hands kneeling, Tom's icy blue eyes turn into a shade of white with a hint of blue when the sunlight strobes his face

 "Vera... promise me you won't do anything foolish, don't become a nurse nor let Cat" he gives a weak smile and she nods "I finished the meal" she smiles grabbing his hand and runs with him downstairs revealing a table filled with meats, sides, and sweets "Jesus" tom's mouth parts " go set the table I will get everyone" vera orders him, tom salutes chuckling with vera.

she walks up the stairs and knocks on Polly's door seeing Ada sitting with her "food time, I made as much as I can " they get up going into Arthur and John's room, she walks over to her room to fetch Cat, she walks into the room seeing Michael kissing Cat "ugh on my bed too"vera rolls her eyes "go sleep in your soul mates room " Michael teases her "foods ready assholes" cat stays for a little to get dress a little, Michael walks with Vera and says "jealous?" hoping for her to say yes but instead gets an eye roll, she arrives downstairs seeing Tommy give a lightly considered seeing them arrive together  "Vera you should be a chef" John says with a stuffed mouth, she chuckles and sits with Tommy he holds her hand that's left on the table Michael stares at "alright so time to plan" Polly says above the chatter.

"did you all get your bloody letters" Tommy says "ya me and Finn are posted in south of France" John says bitting into his chicken leg "France but balls deep" Arthur laughs but Ada groans in disgust "what about you Tommy" Finn asks "Greece and France" he mumbles earing a whisper of "shit"from John "are they allowed to place you around like that" Cat says "we are all the crown's bitches, King George can suck my co-"Arthur gets cut off" ENOUGH, we all understand that you can all come back at least once during this bloody war so use it wisely, you all have lovers so commit to them so you have hope write to all of us even the ones in the war and keep them aware, now. I will be taking care of the company from Glasgow and I will take everything in the office and move it all to a bunker. you can never be too careful, we will split everyone's money to the rightful owner, Ada will go to New York tomorrow and Michael will go with the girls to wales in Vera's family home since no one lives there anymore" Polly gives an apologetic look to vera "wait alone? he will be there only the two of them"Tommy says gripping vera's hand "yes" Polly gives a frustrating sigh "everyone done?" vera gives her signature smile making Tommy forget his anger but also earning a weak smile from Michael without anyone noticing but Tommy.

she clears the table with Cat as everyone goes upstairs, "I heard Tommy's cry of depression across the hallway is he okay"  vera nods "he's scared theirs so many men wounded and 2000 men died"she says will scrubbing the plate "already.." she puts the leftovers in a large plate "ya even nurses died, he said to join them" she smiles looking down "ya because you already have attended medical school" she teases "Michael has been rubbing off on you, quite literally" she mumbles "I heard that" Cat replies with a laugh

"so what are we going to be doing in wales anyways" Cat sits on the counter with a spoon full of chocolate. " I'm not sure, live off the land a little and clean the house up I want to live there at the end of the war, my tommy will leave this gangster life, there is a school for the future and he can work at home making designs for the military, he always wanted to be a weapon engineer " she smiles looking down drying her hands smiling at the thought of their future "wow you have your life planned out" she smirks and wraps her arm around her friend grinning, "of course she does but knowing vera she will somehow make it interesting" Tommy smirks leaning on the doorframe of the kitchen with crossed arms.

"what's Michael going to do," Cat says drying the plates "I'm not sure, get a job in town? get money for us to buy food maybe a radio to be updated but I won't use Tommy's money that's going in for something special" vera kisses his lips "come upstairs"she whispers in his ear, "YOU BETTER NOT GET PREGNANT UP THERE" Cat yells up the stairs, "YOU TOO" Tommy and vera say together at Cat, Michael heared them and watched them going into their room.