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Esther once again found herself in Tommy's car. The wind swooshed through her hair as she watched the green scenery fly by. The car ride was quiet, she liked it. It gave her time to think.
The Garrison was full, men laughing and clinking their glasses. Esther sat next to her youngest brother, his friends laughing and occasionally slamming their hands on the table they were sitting at with a laugh falling from their lips. Esther only propped her arm on Finns shoulder with a cigarette between her lips. "Esther." Isaiah's voice caught her attention. "There was something i wanted to tell-"If you hit on her again-"No, Finn. Fuck." Isaiah shook his head.
Esther smiled and took another drag from her cigarette as Isaiah finally said what he wanted to. "A few Blinders and me held an eye open for the bastard." She knew who he meant, of course. Isaiah seemed to despise Vincent more than Finn, weirdly.
"He wanted to leave town." Esther chuckled and took a sip from her glass, the alcoholic liquid flowing down her throat with ease. "Of course he would." he nodded and lit a cigarette for himself. "We didn't let him, obviously." he chuckled. Esther only reached her hand out, patting his arm with a small smile. "Good boy." she smiled, he only ducked his head with an embarrassed smile.
"What're we doing in London?" Esther asked, Thomas not answering as he stepped out of his car. She followed, her foot almost drowning in a puddle of rain water. She hissed and stumbled to the side. "Couldn't you park the damn vehicle somewhere else?" she barked at him. Thomas only rolled his eyes, reaching a hand out to her. "Stop whining, come on." he said as he threw his done cigarette to the ground, quickly stomping on it. She could feel her sock getting wet, way to ruin her mood.
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"Who the fuck do we have here?" A rather unfamiliar voice caught Esthers attention as she walked besides her brother. The building they entered was filthy, it smelled like piss and rum, not a good combination if you asked her. The men working halted their doings as they watched her and Thomas walk along, mesmerized with the unfamiliar faces.
"Thomas fucking Shelby, who may you be?" a tall man, face almost disappearing in a thick beard. She raised her head slightly, looking the man in the eyes as she squinted hers at him. "Esther, I'm his older sister." The man in front of her was seemingly amused at who she introduced herself as, reaching for her hand to kiss the back of it. "This only gets better." he smiled, a golden tooth presenting itself. "Never would've guessed that there was a catch along you, judging from the eyesore you are." he chuckled. Esther tried her best not to laugh, Thomas only rolling his eyes. "Thank you." he sighed.
"Ollie! Open up a good one-"No need, we won't stay-"Oh shut up, i'll take a glass." Esther interrupted her brother. "That's what i like to hear." The bearded man laughed. "Who are you? If you don't mind me asking" She spoke, plopping herself down on a wooden chair. "Alfred Solomons Jr." he smiled at her. "But you can call me Alfie." he opened the bottle of rum and poured a glass for her and one for himself.
Esther took a sip from the glass and sighed, the car ride exhausting her. "So, I've read very bad, bad, bad, bad things about you Birmingham people." Alfie started, Esther only cocking her head to the side. "Bad things?" she smirked. Thomas raised his hand a bit, barely noticable to Alfie but a clear sign for Esther. He was done letting her joke around, business was next. She didn't have anything against the way he controlled situations. He ran the business, he was the head of the family, to some degree.
She pursed her lips and took another sip from the glass before lifting herself from the chair. "I'll leave you gentlemen to it." Esther smiled and gave her brother a pat on the shoulder before heading out. "The rum was a-class, Alfie." she smirked, the man only giving her a warm smile before she disappeared through the door.
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Esther took one final look in the mirror before spraying a bit of perfume on her chest. The dress pants Polly had sewed smaller fit well and the dress shirt she snatched from Esme hid her small figure quite well. She had been eating more, a healthy color slowly but surely returning to her body. She sighed and brushed through her hair once more before grabbing the jacket Ada had gotten her for her birthday last year and headed out the door.
The Garrisons grand re-opening was a big event, Small Heath needed this. The people needed some time to breathe, to believe in something else than the endless violence that seemed to engulf the city.
The streets were busy, people rushing and practically fleeing the streets as they caught sight of the woman. Word traveled fast as someone saw her in her usual attire again. People thought she had calmed herself, leaving the brutal and violent business to her brothers. A woman had no place in such a world after all, how wrong they were.
When a few people caught her in a dress, smiling as she walked along side a rather handsome young man people started to whisper. It was the talk of town. Esther Shelby finally becomes the woman she's supposed to be.
But now that she's in her Blinder fit again, gun tucked in her pants as she wandered the streets of Small Heath, gleeming with confidence, they knew she returned.
They once again whispered.
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"What did you do to her?" Esther whispered in Thomas' ear as she took a sip from her glass, the alcoholic liquid gliding down her throat. "She's pissed" she rolled her eyes and sighed. "I can see that." Right there she stumbled passed the two, nudging Esthers' shoulder, visibly drunk. "Pol." Esther spoke, the woman trying to look her in the eyes. "I didn't know-"I don't want to speak to you, not you nor your brother." she hissed, pointing a finger at her niece.
"I want an adress." she almost whispered. Esther only sighed and turned around, she couldn't help her.
"Let's hope this works out, Tom." she patted his shoulder.
"For both our sanity."
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I'm doin my best here