19th April 1919, Small Heath, Birmingham.
"Which way do we go?" Libby questions, while walking down Watery Lane.
"This way," Ada replied, pointing to a cut that led to another street with a bar on the corner.
"What's this pub like?"
"It's alright, a bit rowdy sometimes but it is usually okay if you're a Shelby."
Libby hummed and nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement.
"Don't go getting any ideas mind, Libs. Your dad would have a heart attack." Ada warned.
"I won't but I'll make no promises."
"You really are like your mother."
"You know, i divvn't nar whether to take that as a compliment or not, cos if ye think I'm like me muva then I'm screwed. God, I mean she was nothing more than a dirty slag that couldn't keep off the fucken' drink, not even for her kids." Libby ranted, slipping between her natural thick Geordie accent and a softer, easy to understand standard English.
"Hey, that wasn't what your mother was like. She was a beautiful, caring, loving woman, who would do anything for anyone."
"Well I think we knew different versions of her cos I can't remember a single time so tucked me and James in at night, stayed with us when we were sick or even made sure that we ate. She didn't care about us and neither did her nana."
"A lot must have happened to her. However I'm not making excuses, you and your brother should have never been kept from your dad and neither should your mother have been."
"Thanks, Ada. It's good to talk to someone about it."
"It's no problem and we are at the market now anyway." Ada smiled at her niece. She was glad to have someone so could talk to without them being scared of her family name. "Aw, god. There's Freddie Thorne."
"Who's that like? Your lad?" Libby teased the older woman.
"Don't be daft. My brother would have a fit but I have been seeing him well not really seeing him, just you know." Ada admitted with a small smile on her face.
"So you're basically shagging him and My dad doesn't know?"
"Basically but that's not all. It was his best friend before France."
"So you're shagging my dad's ex-best friend behind his back."
"Yeah, basically." Ada looked down. Libby had put it very bluntly in a way she hadn't thought about.
"Ar, here. That's pure belta that, like." Libby managed to say while laughing.
"Shhh, he's coming over. Be quiet."
"You alright Ada. You didn't show up yesterday." Freddie asked, walking over to Libby and Ada.
"Yeah, I was out of town with Tommy and John, sorry," Ada said, smiling up at Freddie.
"It's alright. Don t worry. Anyway, whose this. I'm surprised Tommy let you have any friends, he's a bit of a control freak."
"I mean you're not wrong. Personally, I have known him for about 24 hours now and it's been a roller coaster, to say the least." Libby butted in before Ada could answer. Freddie was taken back by how strong of an accent the young girl who could have been no older than 15 had and how much she resembled Tommy. It freaked him out a bit. She was like a younger, prettier, girl version of Tommy.
"Bloody hell, you look like him don't ya, love" Freddie blurted out.
"Okay, now I'm offended. He's like old and wrinkly and has a weird haircut like you." Libby snapped.
"Okay," Ada intervened, "Freddie, this is Tommy and Maddie's Fourteen-year-old daughter. She also has a twin brother. I was out of town yesterday because I was in Newcastle picking them up with Tommy and John."
To say Freddie's face was priceless would be an understatement. It had Libby in stitches and Ada was trying to get her to stop laughing. Freddie was trying to process the information he had been given. Maddie was like an older sister to him and when she left it hurt him a lot, so to find out she had two kids with his news frenemy was a bit of a shock.
"So, so, is erm, so is Maddie here." Freddie stuttered.
"I'm sorry, Fred. She died seven years ago. We only found out two days ago ourselves. I knew yous were close." Ada had tried to let Freddie down gently not wanting to upset him but as soon as the news was broken to him his eyes clouded over and his stomach dropped. He wanted to cry but how could he. He hasn't tried to find a woman like his sister in fourteen years and now her child was stud in front of him looking unfazed by the news. His guilt was overwhelming and all he wanted to do was hug Libby but he knew he had no right to feel like that so he left.
"Ada, I'll speak to you soon and Libby your mother was amazing, I'm so sorry." and with that Freddie Thorne had disappeared from the market leaving a stunned Libby and a slightly upset Ada.
"What was that about?" Libby broke the silence between the pair.
"Your mother was like an older sister to him, he was guilty he didn't get to say goodbye. Not to worry now tho. I still need to get the rest of the shopping and get you back before your dad thinks I've kidnapped you."
The rest of the trip around the market was fairly normal, Libby thought. Apart from the eagerness of people to give the pair stuff for free of the way everyone moved out of the way for them. They had soon finished and started to walk back to the house on Watery Lane.
"Don't mention anything about Freddie to your dad or my other brother please," Ada begged.
"My lips are sealed but only if you promise to help me sneak out when I need to."
"God, you really are gunna cause your dad some trouble, aren't you?"
"Oh, yes I am." Libby laughed as she and Ada entered the front door of 13 Watery Lane.
"Yes, You are what?" Tommy asked, sitting at the kitchen table reading his newspaper.
"Nothing, Dad," Libby replied, a little too quick for Tommy's liking.
"Alright," He said as he eyed her sceptically, "Did you have a nice time at the market?"
"Yeah, it was alright. Everyone is so nice, you know. They were moving out the way for us and giving us free stuff. Everyone must worship this family around here." Libby said, letting on to the idea she knew more than what they were telling her. Ada had choked on the water she was drinking at how casual Libby had said she knew they weren't just a normal family. However, nothing could prepare her for the truth, that her new family were the leader of the Peaky Blinders and Tommy knew this so just nodded, deciding it wasn't an appropriate time to explain he was the leader of a gang and she was his heir. James may have been older but Tommy knew he didn't have the brains to run the gang but he had a feeling Libby did. So when the eneveratable happened and he, John, Arthur and Polly were no longer here Finn would become the leader and Libby would be the Matriarch of the family, both leading the gang together.
"I have somewhere to go, so Ada your in charge, look after her," Tommy continued grabbing his peaked cap off the table, "And, you behave, will ya?"
"Yeah, I will don't worry." Libby said Picking up a pot of tea from the stove, "Where's James?"
"Out with Arthur and John so probably in the Garrison getting drunk." Tommy replied open the squeaky front door, "But don't get any ideas Lib cos if he is, I'm gonna kill him and me brothers." Tommy disappeared down Watery Lane leaving Ada and Libby to start cooking tea before Polly came back from church.
A/N:
so another Ada, Libby bonding moment and a one with Freddie as well. I love Freddie and personally don't think he got enough screen time before they killed him off.
where is Tommy going? Who is he going to see?
I'm going to try to get to season one son, I want to in the next couple of chapters but I sort of want Libby to work it out for herself first because I feel like she is smart enough to do it and I want James to work it out as well but I think he might have to be told of Libby first
----- Jane x