𝙀𝙡𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣. 𝘈 𝘉𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦
...
A WHITE STALLION: A symbol of wealth, success, heroism, and luck to name just a few. It came to no surprise to the golden haired girl that that was the horse Thomas Shelby had acquired. Of the things she knew the Shelby man wanted, it was those things she knew most; But doesn't every man? Desire to be wealthy. To be the best of the best in what he does. To be the hero. One could only be so lucky.
9 o'clock came quite quickly for the girl, and as requested she found herself at the stables to meet her once lover, much like she had when they were young.
One thing Elizabeth could clearly recall about her Thomas was his love for horses. Seeing that has not changed brings a certain happiness to her heart, revealing that even something as evil as a war still can't change some things about a man.
"You're late Mr. Shelby", Elizabeth says, knowing it's just 9 o'clock now, to the man who without a word walks up beside her.
"You're early", Thomas replies.
"If you're not five minutes early you're late", she says turning her head to look at him.
"Now where'd you hear that one from huh?", Thomas asks as he blows the smoke from his cigarette into the air.
"It's a typical saying amongst the nurses", she replies, "You'll be thankful for it when you're the one laying in the bed."
Silence stood between the two of them, only leaving the soft sound of the wind to fill the air. Although not spoken, the two's thoughts were synced; with memories of each other in that very spot but just many year ago. So naive. So young. So in love. Never did Thomas think that his Elizabeth would be standing there with him once again. Or at least not in person. "He's beautiful", Elizabeth says breaking the air.
Thomas walks up to the horse and puts his hand on its nose, "What's his name?", she asks as she stays put in her spot.
"He doesn't have a name", Thomas replies as he keeps his eyes on the horse.
"Don't tell me you brought me out here to see a nameless horse", Elizabeth exclaims, "What's a horse without a name Thomas?"
"The one's that died out there, in France", Thomas begins, still without looking up at the girl, "They die badly. Never got used to seeing horses die, men not so much."
Elizabeth knowing this man's love for horses can only image how it must have broken him. For her the horses never really crossed her mind. Their life, their fate, unintentionally forgotten by most as it has by her. The golden haired girl slowly walks up towards the horse, stopping beside Thomas who is staring off into the distance past the tall majestic stallion that stands in front of them.
"I can remember the day, the exact moment, when I failed to batt an eye at death", she says softly, "The moment that man, who I don't even know the name of, exhaled for the last time in front of me on that table whilst choking on his own blood. I remember in that moment, as the life in his eyes faded into nothingness, I too felt nothing."
Another moment of silence lay between the two, the soft wind again taking front and centre stage. Elizabeth didn't exactly know what to expect when Thomas had told her to meet him at the stables, but having a heartfelt moment was defiantly something that wasn't on her radar.
She didn't speak much about her times in the war, mostly because she had no one she cared to speak to. Though she shared a few light stories with the ladies at work, she never wanted to burden them with the horrors they were able to avoid. Why burden them with images that would keep them up at night? Why spread the rotten words of war?
"You still like the horses?", Thomas asks and Elizabeth can feel his gaze turn towards her.
"Of course", she says as she gently extends her hand up towards the stallion, "Their innocence remain even after death."
"Then it's official", he says as he stands up straight and reaches into his jacket pocket, "You will accompany me to the races."
Elizabeth drops her hand from the horse's snout as she turns her head towards him in confusion, "The races?", she echoes with a slight laugh in her tone.
The sound of coins being pulled from his pockets catch her attention and his hand can be seen held out for hers to receive. "I don't need your charity Mr. Shelby", she says in refusal to take the money.
"You've to go buy a nice dress", he says as the cigarette hang off the tip of his lips.
"I have plenty of nice dresses with me, I am absolutely offended you assume otherwise", Elizabeth retorts as she gives the Shelby man a glare.
"The dress is to be red", Thomas says as he looks into her eyes, sending an unspoken message.
Elizabeth let out a quick sigh, as she now knows why the man is handing her the money, "Thomas Shelby", she replies, "You know I don't wear red."
"Which is exactly why you'll be needing to go buy the dress", he says as he continues to hold his hand out towards her.
The thought that Thomas had remembered all those years that the colour red doesn't exist in her wardrobe brings another glimpse of happiness to her heart. Why she never wore red was for a couple of reasons: The first being it was the colour her Mother looked the most ravishing in, and anything and anyone in comparison in the eyes of the Alder girl was less than such. The second reasoning that had developed over the course of time was that the colour seemingly reminded the girl of all the blood, and why would she want to put that deathly colour on herself?
The eyes of the two past lovers stare into one another, as if trying to communicate; The blue ones in act of persuasion and the hazel ones in search of deception. "Red is still not my colour", Elizabeth says as she slowly takes the money from his extended hand; which by doing so seemingly agreeing to go to the races with him.
"I see that topic has yet to come up between you and your fiancé", Thomas bluntly states and she follows the man's gaze down to the ring that sit on her finger.
William had told her that the large stone that crowns her ring was a rare red diamond from the mountains in Russia, and that it was one of the most valuable things known to man. She can also recall him saying that she deserves nothing less than as beautiful and rare as she, when she tried to say it was too much. Although flattering, it still wasn't able to change her mind on the colour. The colour itself never came up as an issue as there were far more significant things the woman could think of to mention before it, that is, if there was ever such a moment.
Elizabeth quickly shoots her hand down from the gaze of Thomas Shelby. Embarrassed to say the least, but she would never admit.
...
The rest of the day seemed to be more like a blur to the golden haired girl. The last comment from Thomas earlier that morning continues to repeat in her head, like most things he says to her does.
Not wanting to show her face to any of the Shelby's after her meeting at the stables, Elizabeth sits alone in her home with only the sound of the fire crackling in front of her.
A knock on the door catches the girl's attention, stopping her from getting too deep into her thoughts (which in hindsight was a good thing). Elizabeth turns her head to face the door for a moment, as to who it might be at her door at this hour could only be a handful of people; 95% of them being located next door.
As she open the door she is, to her surprise, met with the two ladies of the house: Polly and Ada. As she looks at the two for a moment longer, a sense of worry or urgency comes over her. "Is everything alright?", Elizabeth asks the two.
"We're in need of a favour", Pol says and Elizabeth quickly steps aside to let the two ladies into the Alder home.
"Haven't step foot in here for a while", Pol exclaims as she takes a brief look around, "John was right, they left it just the same."
"What can I do for you two?", Elizabeth asks with the sound of slight concern in her tone.
Aunt Polly directs her gaze to Ada who stands there twiddling her thumbs; Elizabeth switching her gaze back and forth from one to the other awaiting a response of any kind.
"I- I think I might be pregnant", Ada finally speaks as she keeps her eyes on the ground.
Elizabeth's eyes go wide, as that was one of the last things she thought this visit could ever be about. Little Ada. Pregnant. Elizabeth darts her eyes over to her Aunt who stands next to the Shelby girl and she gives her a slight nod indicating the truth.
"How far along you suppose?", Elizabeth asks as she tries to stay mellow.
"Five weeks", "Seven weeks", both Ada and Polly say at the same time and they exchange looks with each other.
"Seven weeks", Ada mumbles, indicating Polly had won their brief staring contest (like she normally does).
"Can you check?", Pol asks.
"I've got stuff in my bag", Elizabeth nods.
Miss. Alder always travelled with supplies on hand because one never knows. It was a lesson she had learned the hard way a few years back in London in which she had to use a makeshift scalpel out of a teaspoon and fabric from her dress.
As the golden haired girl set up her nurse supplies, the young Ada Shelby sit on the couch by the fire. "I'll step out for a moment", Pol says to leave the two girls.
A few moments go by with silence between them. Although Elizabeth had been in Small Heath for a while, she had yet to have a real conversation with the Shelby girl; unless you count the time Ada had seemingly exploded at her during the first family meeting.
"Do you um", Elizabeth trails off out of nervousness, "Do you have an idea who the Father might be?"
Another few silent moments go by between the two, Elizabeth not necessarily expecting a response back. "Freddie", Ada says under her breath.
Elizabeth stops her movements and brings her head to look up at the girl who has her eyes gazed down at her lap. The only Freddie Elizabeth can recall is Freddie Thorne, Thomas' (and to some external hers as well) mate from way back when.
"Freddie Thorne?", Elizabeth asks and Ada nods her head.
"Wow I—", "You can't tell Tommy", Ada says quickly cutting her off.
The look in Ada Shelby's eyes speak nothing but sincereness and a little bit of desperation to Elizabeth. The Shelby eyes were always quite mesmerizing, Elizabeth had noted that quite early in her years. The depths that their blue eyes are able to communicate are like none other she has yet to come across. When she looks into Ada's eyes she sees the little baby girl she was all those year ago; her once little sister. Without another word Elizabeth gives a reassuring nod in response, and Ada immediately breaths a sigh of relief as her body relaxes just that much more.
The procedure was quite quick, mostly because the answer revealed itself to the golden haired girl rather quickly. Although she hasn't done many pregnancy scans in her past, this one didn't need much experience to conclude. "So, am I?", Ada asks and Elizabeth nods her head.
Not sure if being pregnant was a good or bad result for the Shelby girl, Elizabeth stay neutral, neither happy nor disappointed.
"Will you tell him?", Elizabeth asks, referring to Freddie, as Ada drapes her coat over her shoulders.
"I would...", Ada begins but trails off.
"My God is he—", "No", Ada quickly reassures and Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief to the fact the Father of her unborn child isn't dead.
"At least I don't think he is", Ada speaks again, which brings the anxiety right back to the Alder woman.
"Ada", which is all Elizabeth is able to get out due to angst and confusion.
"I- I just don't know where he is", she replies in a clearly worried state.
"What do you mean? He just left?", Elizabeth asks, trying to understand the Shelby girl's situation.
"He had to go", Ada begins, "But he said he'd come back. He promised."
Not wanting to upset the girl any more than she clearly was, Elizabeth chose to not bring up the the point that many men say the same thing to women each day and never return. Although all she wants to do is protect her, Miss. Alder knew that what Ada needed was support over anything, even if she never asked for it.
"It's late Ada", she says to the girl whist putting her hand on her shoulder, "How about we talk about it tomorrow, just you and me?"
Ada Shelby lifts her head from facing the floor to see the woman she once thought to be her sister looking right back at her. Like the other Shelby's, she never thought she'd look into those hazel Alder eyes again, but yet there she stands doing just that. A wave of mixed emotions flood her body, the pregnancy hormones not helping: relief, anger, happiness, betrayal. That weakness everyone seems to acquire when with Elizabeth Alder begins to overtake, and a small smile grows on Ada's face.
"There's a film playing tomorrow I want to watch, we could go there.", Ada says as a suggestion.
"I'd love that", Elizabeth says in response, too with a slight smile on her face.
Although an embrace was far from the table, the reconciliation between the Shelby and Alder girls was more than what either of them could have hoped or dreamed for. If it could ever be as it used to was up to the girls themselves, but that night Miss. Ada Shelby had gained not only a new life, but an old friend; Her sister.
...
[ Chapter Status: Not Edited ]
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a/n — liz and ada moment :') figured i post another chapter since the updates have been slow lately. below is a photo of the ring and what i picture it looking like, for anyone who cares for imagery. anyways, thanks for reading! i hope you're enjoying the story so far! <3 thanks for voting y'all!