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"Those fucking Shelbys, Tommy and the oldest - fucking dumbasses, didn't even go to school properly" one man laughed. Esther leaned at the corner lighting herself a cigarette.
"But the two sluts, Ada and Esther, would pound them real good any day" the other chuckled. She had heard enough. No one was allowed to talk about her siblings like this. She sighed as she moved her hand through her hair and puffed some smoke.
"You better shut your motherfucking mouths before I pound your sorry asses with the barrel of my gun" she growled as she stepped forward, away from the corner.
"Miss Shelby, we didn't-"Of course you didn't. If I see you in Small Heath ever again, I'll hang you myself" she spat. The two man cowarded in fear as she took a few steps towards them. She puffed some more smoke before they turned around and left the woman alone, regretting what they had joked about.
⌞ •°•❀•°• ⌟
The Garrison was packed, once again. Ever since the war had ended, all of the left over men spent every second they could throwing down drinks.
Esther kicked the door open, her gun still clutched in her right hand. "God, Esther! Put that gun down" Harry, the bartender, yelled as he saw the girl stomp into his bar. "Be quiet, Harry. Get me a whiskey" she yelled back as she walked right to the small room next to the entrance.
Her brothers were there. Tommy, John and Arthur in particular. She didn't knock, why would she. Esther didn't give a shit.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Tommy spoke sternly. She didn't look at him, too annoyed by his annoyed face. "I'm getting a drink. Ah, thank you, Harry!" She smiled a bit before she took the drink out of Harry's hand. "No problem" he mumbled.
"And why the hell are you running around with your gun out?" Tommy was quite annoyed. She could tell. "Now mind your fucking tone, little brother" she laughed before she threw the whole glass down her throat.
It burned itself into her throat, giving her a small second of pain. She rolled her eye "There were some idiots-"You shoot'em?" Arthur interrupted her. She shook her head with a small chuckle "Didn't. I threatened them" she sighed.
John reached for Esthers back of cigarettes as she slapped his hand away "You promised to buy me a new pack last week, you thief. I ain't giving you any more" she pointed at him.
"What did they say?" Tommy asked. He sat there, calmly. Looking like calmness himself. "What?" Esther looked at her younger brother confused. "What did they say?" He asked again, drinking the rest of his drink.
"Called you lot dumbasses" she began. Arthur huffed and lit another cigarette for himself "That's surely not the only thing" he encouraged her to continue. Eyebrows raised at his little sister.
She sighed again, knowing her brothers wouldn't like it. Their sisters were precious to them, Ada being the younger one made the things a tad worse. They didn't like men talking about either of them in a degrading tone.
Esther was the glue who held them all together. Being Tommy's older sister made it easier for him to talk about his trauma. She knew about his nightmares and the bad thoughts. All of them found a safe place in her, making her the rock of the family.
"Come on, Es. It can't be that bad" Arthur lightly punched her shoulder, making her give him a serious look. "Talked about fucking Ada and me" she admitted. The room grew quiet, faces fell.
"What did those motherfuckers look like, Es?" John got up, pulling his gun. She sighed again and took Arthur's whiskey. "They're probably gone, threatened them to never come to Small Heath ever again" Esther spoke before taking a sip from his whiskey.
"The next time, you come to me and I'll take care of it" Tommy said. "I don't want some assholes talking about you like that, you don't deserve that" he continued. Esther gave him a small smile
"Thank you, Tom"
⌞ •°•❀•°• ⌟
The betting shop was full, packed with eager men to bet their last coins. "Esther! Polly wants to talk to you" Ada yelled over the bunch of men. She only gave a quick nod back, you wouldn't want to leave Aunt Polly waiting.
She opened the door to the small room behind the betting shop and immediately came face to face with Polly and Finn. "Go out and play, Finn" Aunt Polly shooed the kid away.
"What's the matter?" Esther started, after Polly poured her some whiskey. She lit herself a cigarette as Polly's face grew worried. "Tommy" she started. Esther knew that tone. He either did something bad, something that only Esther could get a hang of and kinda fix or he was spiraling down a dark path again. Either way, Esther had to fix it.
"He's hiding something" Esther chuckled, dragging on her cigarette. "Isn't he always?" She smiled slightly. Polly's eyebrow twitch seemed to agree with her. "He is, but this is different." She paused to take a sip. "He's planning something big, and I don't know if it's good" she finished, eyeing Esther.
She sighed and dumped the rest of the whiskey down her throat. "I'll talk to him" Polly smiled and patted her shoulder. "I'm proud of you" she smiled, making Esther smile back at her. "Thank you, Polly"
So she walked back into the betting shop, straight to Tommy's office. "Esther-"Not now Johnny, later" she interrupted him. He threw his hands up in and mocked her "Alright" he spat.
Esther didn't knock as she opened the office door. "Fuck, Esther. Knock or something" Tommy complained as she threw the door open. He had just finished a phone call. "What's the matter?" He asked, lighting himself a cigarette.
"We need to talk, Tom" his eyes narrowed. "Polly put you up to that." he didn't let her talk. Esther took a seat and regarded of her cigarette in his ashtray.
"Look, there's nothing to talk abo-"Stop fucking lying, Tom." He sighed and threw his head back "I know there's something, tell me or I'll make this day your worst nightmare" he knew what she meant.
Telling silly stories of him to the guys at the Garrison.
"I know you love me-" She sighed. "But, you need to tell me things. Keeping it in like this isn't good" he knew that, his older sister was always right. "So tell me" she urged.
"Alright, but. You can't tell anyone" she nodded and he shook his head. "Not anyone, not Ada or Polly not even Arthur, okay?"
Esther was intrigued, what was so important that no one was allowed to know? "There was a mix up with the pick up" he stated, Esther felt more confused than ever. "What do you mean?"
"We stole a crate of guns"
Esther's eyes were wide. She couldn't believe what he was saying. Tommy looked guilty, of course he did. He didn't like to admit mistakes in front of his sister.
"Tommy-"I know it was dumb" she chuckled uncomfortably. "No Tom, that wasn't dumb. That was absolutely idiotic. They belong to the king, don't they?" She grew frantic. "Es, calm down" she shook her head. The whole family was in danger. God, Finn was just a child.
"If this ends badly -"It won't, I'm going to fix it" he assured her.
"You better, Tom. Tell me when you need my help" she sighed, armes crossed. He nodded back with a small smile. "I know you will" he didn't quite like the idea of his sister doing what she's best at, being a manace.
⌞ •°•❀•°• ⌟
Late that night Esther was woken, a small yelp and labored breathing filled the small house. She had insisted on living with Tommy. The official reason being her not having enough cash to buy her own house. The real reason was her worry for Tommy.
She walked upstairs where the heavy breathing reached her ears once again. Esther carefully opened the door. His head snapped towards where she stood at the door "I woke you, sorry" he whispered.
"It's alright, I'm here for you" she walked over to him, embracing him in a tight warm hug. That was enough for him to break. A quite sob escaped the man in her grasp, she didn't mind.
"There it is, let it out" she whispered. "God, Es. I can't do this anymore" he pleaded. His tired eyes found hers as he continued to complain.
"Every time I close my eyes, I'm back in the trenches. I can't get out" he mumbled. She stroke his hair like she did when he was just a kid. "You'll be fine, I'm here" she encouraged him.
"I'll always be here"
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