god is a woman (arthur shelby.)

fourteen.

☾

Darkness had been slowly but surely creeping into the milliners, where Rowan was taking part in a later shift than usual. She was having to hold her eyelids open manually, but she was so stripped for cash that she'd do anything for extra pay. She had been consumed by thoughts of Arthur and the trouble he was in the whole day, even accidentally pricking herself with pins she was so distracted. The gentle music from the record player had turned into white noise.

"Rowan?" Her boss asked softly, not wanting to startle the girl. "There's a telephone call for you."

Rowan left her half finished hat on the table and went over to the receiver, thanking her boss before holding it to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked cautiously, still frightened her father would track her down.

"How's my girl then? Where's that blowjob you promised?" Arthur drunkenly shouted down the phone, almost taking her ear drum out as he yelled.

"You're alive." She whispered to herself and grinned from ear to ear.

"Tommy almost didn't fucking make it. You were right all along my darlin, I'm sorry I ever doubted you." He replied.

Hearing Arthur refer to her as 'darling' was enough to melt her insides. She could picture his face as she heard his voice and instantly wanted him to be with her. She was utterly addicted to him.

"It's okay, as long as you're all safe." Rowan beamed. "I'll see you at your house in an hour for your present." She teased.

"An hour? I don't think I can wait that long love." The line crackled as his voice dropped so that only she could hear him, despite the both of them being alone.

"You'll have to, I have a hat to make." Rowan smirked as she noticed her boss was listening in on the conversation.

"Fuck the hat, fuck me instead." Arthur spoke.

"In one whole hour." Rowan rolled her eyes jokingly. "I'll see you then."

"God I can't fucking wait." Arthur hung up the phone, desperate to have Rowan in his arms after the day he'd had.

Watching Tommy get a bullet in the shoulder was traumatizing. He could never bring himself to admitting it aloud, but losing his brothers or sister was one of his biggest fears. One single bullet could rip his own family away from him.

Rowan headed back to her table and resumed her sewing. The hands on the clock moved so painfully slowly and each song merged into each other. She just wanted to go home.

As she focused on her hat making, she heard the music stop and quiet talking came from the shop front. She could tell it was her boss and a male voice in conversation and wondered if Arthur had come to see her early. Rowan ventured into the shop front, hoping to see her man but instead was greeted with a much more sinister sight.

"Rowan Campbell, you're under arrest for conspiracy to murder." A police officer spoke as another pulled her into handcuffs.

"Fuck off! Let me go!" She wriggled as hard as she could and kicked an officer in the groin.

"You do not have to say anything, but anything you do say-" The other officer took over the arrest as the other rolled on the floor in agony from the kick.