3rd December 1919, Small Heath Birmingham
Thomas Shelby's screams echoed through Garrison lane, a bullet had been lodged in his chest in a showdown with Kimber. Jeremiah Jesus, veteran of the Small Heath Rifles and ex comrade of the Shelby boys was desperately digging for the logged bullet in Thomas' shoulder
His son, Isaiah, meanwhile was comforting the wounded man's daughter. Libby was clinging to him like he might disappear if she let go. Everytime Tommy screamed, Libby winced.
She hated the fact that her father, the man that many feared and even more envied, was crying in pain. "I can't listen to this." Libby claimed, unwrapping herself from Isaiah, "I'm going for some air."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Isaiah asked, their relationship was still secret except from Ada and Freddie who had been spying on the two that day on the river bank and seen them kissing, John and James who had walked passed them on that same field when they were kissing a couple of weeks later, Esme who had know since her wedding to John because apparently, 'her vardo wasn't a good hiding place to have a snog', Polly who knew the matters of the heart very well and the fact Ada had blabbed, Jeremiah knew when he had walked in on Libby and Isaiah in his room one day when he was meant to be out preaching and lastly Arthur and Finn because John couldn't keep his mouth shut. So basically the whole Shelby family minus Tommy knew but they had all been sworn to secrecy so now one knew the others knew.
"No, I'll be fine, just need to breathe." Libby reassured her boyfriend.
Libby didn't smoke unlike her brother, who never seemed to have a tab out of his mouth. He was very much like their father in that aspect whereas she was like their mother, who according to Polly had never smoked and despised the habit their father and his brothers had picked up.
That, however, wasn't the mother she remembered. The woman she remembered would bring random men home and sleep with them for money infront of her children's eyes, allow men to burn them with their cigarettes to put them out, maybe that's why Libby didn't like cigarettes, bad memories.
Maddy would leave her kids alone for days on end, only to return off her face on whatever drug she could get her hands on and scream in hers and James' faces until they cried.
Libby had never told the Shelbys or anyone for that matter the abuse she and James suffered, she in a way didn't want her father to know and feel guilty, feel like it was his fault his kids had no childhood, even though for years Libby had blamed the man in the picture her mother had given her.
She blamed him for not being there but in reality it wasn't his fault, he didn't know and as soon as he found out he came for them, even after Libby's stunt of running away, he refused to leave them.
The Shelby's had opened their home to two kids who shared nothing with them apart from the obvious one, Tommy was their dad. He wasn't the best dad at the start and he would be the first to admit that but John had stepped up and made sure the pair mended their relationship.
Before the 18th of april 1919, Libby could honestly say she had never felt the true love of a parent but now there was an abundance of people behind her, supporting her and wanting her to do better than they had done.
9 months ago, Libby had sat on the banks of the Tyne and thought about ending it all but something stopped her and as bad as it sounds it wasn't James, she knew he would struggle a bit at first but after he gout over it he would be fine, he always was. No, it was something else but that what yet was still unknown.
Libby has not released how long she had been standing outside until Polly had come to find her, "Libby, darling, are you alright?" Polly asked, she always had this way, although Polly could be a cold hearted bitch she always had this maternal look about her, Libby just wondered why she hadn't had her own kids.
"Hmm, I'm fine Pol, just getting some air."
"Okay," Polly answered, understanding, whatever was on Libby's mind she didn't want to talk to her about it yet, "They have just said goodbye to Danny but your father is fine, he's asking where his girl is."
Libby laughed, "I'm coming back inside now."
"Good," Polly said, guiding her niece back inside the pub.
The drinks began to flow, Arthur and John taking it upon themselves to go behind the bar and start pouring everybodies drinks, granted more went on themselves and the floor than in peoples cups but it's the thought that counted.
In a secluded corner Isasiah and Libby couldn't keep their hands off each other. The young couple didn't care about people finding out, most of their families knew anyway. "Libs, your dad still doesn't know," Isaiah whispered, gently grabbing her cheeks with one of his hands while the other was tangled in her long, flowing hair.
"Do you trust me?" Libby asked, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Of course I do," Isaiah said, looking at his girlfriend, "What are you planning?" He asked, seeing the smirk upon her face.
"You trust me so don't worry," Libby said, getting off Isaiah's knee and walking over to the bar.
Libby walked over to a table with no one on and away from everyone in the Shelby family so they couldn't pull her down and climbed up on top of the table. "Right, everyone shut up." Libby hollowed, causing everyone in the Garrison to be quiet and give Libby their undivided attention. Isaiah's face turned the same colour as Esme's wedding dress, knowing what was going to come out of her mouth next. "Are for fuck sake, Thomas get her down now." Polly exclaimed.
"Here, Libby whtathe fuck you doing, get down now, you absult radge." James shouted from the other end of the bar.
"Shut the fuck up. I have an announcement to make," Libby slurred, ignoring her family's attempts to coax her down.
"Libby, darling. You have had a lot to drink, get down." Tommy finally spoke up.
"Right, I just wanted to say that my and Isaiah are together and we have been for a while. Thank you." Libby said before jumping down, acting like nothing had happened.
"Well it wasn't new information." John remarked, trying to ease the tension.
"You knew?" Ada asked, from across the bar. The Garrison was still deadly silent, nobody dared to speak in the middle of the Shelby family argument.
"You knew?" Arthur asked, shocked.
"So did I, to be honest." Polly spoke up.
"You all knew and didn't think to tell me?" Tommy asked.
"Even I knew, Tom." Finn said, cuddling into Libby.
"So everybody knew, except for me?" Tommy asked, shocked.
"Yeah pretty much, da." James said, grabbing another glass of whiskey.
"Can none of you fuckers keep a secert, like?" Libby asked, just as confused as Tommy as to how everyone knew.
"On another note, Isaiah" Tommy said in an eerily calm voice.
"No," Ada pointed to her brother, who looked like smoke was coming out of his ears.
"But," Tommy began.
"I fucking said no," Ada intrupted, "There happy, let them be but if he hurts her I'll blinding before any of you basters can."
"Right, everyone back to the party." Tommy roared, causing the happy atmosphere of the Garrison to flood in once again.
The night drew to a close as most people left, the last round of drinks were served as Libby fell asleep in between John and Arthur. Their shoulders draped gently across her and for the first time in a long time the Shelby's felt at peace, even if it was just for a night, they would remain wrapped up in their own little world. Each having achieved their own victory today. They had celebrated today before the real work began tomorrow or maybe the day after depending on how hung over everybody was.
Business would grow but so would the Shelbys as nobody truly knew what was to come and maybe that was the best part, the turning of the page and the new chapter begging. There would be losses along the way, some more tragic and heartbreaking than others but there would always be a light at the end of the tunnel because their story could never truly be over, there would always be more to come, more people to meet, more enemies to defeat and most importantly more family to come.
The Shelby madness would never cease to exist, but it would become less like a madness and more like a drive, an ambition to keep going and maybe it would be the Shelby's biggest downfall or their greatest strength, that's the thing with the future you never know what's next.
N;A/
Season 1 is officially finished and it's been a rollercoaster but don't worried Shelby Madness isn't over, there will be a new chapter next week.