Charlotte was sat outside with Eliza and Flora, she was teaching them how to thread flowers together to make bracelets. Finn and Dan were there too, they were just chasing each other around the field instead. There was a comfortable silence settled amongst the three sisters, both children concentrated on there bracelets, leaving Charlotte's mind to wander. Usually, being the middle child was disliked. From time to time Charlotte could resonate with that. Sometimes she felt all the stereotypical ways a middle child felt, forgotten about. Often she felt like she melted away into the shadows of chaos of both her older and younger siblings. Quieter and more thoughtful than most, Charlotte would sit in the corners unnoticed until she was needed. For each and every Winslow sibling she was always there, she was a constant light of safety and happiness and provided a sense of stability in there unstable life, a sense of reassurance was provided with that they could rely on her to always be there and she would always be the same. She lived so cheerfully that her positivity was radiated to everyone around her, her ability to find as silver lining on the stormiest of clouds was strong and no matter what life threw her way those traits never faltered. There's an element of sadness to feeling forgotten and unnoticed, the feeling that people take advantage of you because they know that it's in your nature to always radiate this light and that you would never have the heart to not be there when needed by someone. However, she couldn't feel completely sad about this reality because she wasn't a bitter or resentful person and as for her siblings, they were all she had and she loved every single one of them with everything in her.
"Well done Flora." Smiled Charlotte at her youngest sister as she held the bracelet she'd been making up. "You as well Eliza."
"Thank you Charley, I'm making one for Alex." Said Flora.
"I'm sure he'll love that." Laughed Eliza, Charlotte let out a small laugh too.
"Charley, I've got a question." Said Eliza.
Charlotte looked at the girl curiously, "Ask away." She encouraged.
"When you was our age, I mean I know that was a long time ago but cast your mind back." Joked Eliza in her usual cheeky tone, Flora giggling along.
Charlotte did a gasp, a smile on her face as she put her hands on her hips pretending to be mad. "Watch what you say, cheeky."
Eliza laughed, "What did you want to be?"
The question caught Charlotte off guard, she paused for a moment placing the bracelet down as the two girls looked at her with wide, curious eyes. "Well, quite a question 'Liza." Laughed Charlotte lightly. "I always loved animals, especially horses. I thought maybe I would work at a stables or something of that sort. Or a simple job, like at a flower shop or a bakery where I could talk to people."
Flora spoke absentmindedly, "You are good at talking to people Charley, Betty always says you're the people person of the family." Charlotte smiled at the girl.
Eliza looked thoughtful before she spoke, "But you're so clever Charley, you could've been anything you wanted."
Charlotte smiled, "That's very kind of you Eliza. I suppose I just never had much encouragement growing up, Mom was preoccupied and Dad was just Dad. Perhaps if you was around to boost my ego like that then I would be in a very different position." She joked at the end with a laugh, Eliza smiled. "What do you two want to be?"
Flora shrugged, "I want to be eight forever."
Charlotte laughed, "Fair enough Flora, I wish I could be eight again too."
"I think I would like to be a nurse. Maybe. I'm not sure. I'm not smart enough at the minute but maybe in a few years, you have to know a lot of stuff to be a nurse."
"You're very smart Eliza." Said Charlotte, "It's okay if you don't know yet, you're only eleven but I'm sure you would make a brilliant nurse. It's important to have aspirations, you both can be anything you want to be. You've got your whole lives ahead of you to do anything you want to do. This city is yours, more importantly this world is yours. Take it and don't let anybody get in your way."
"Thanks Charley." Beamed Eliza.
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《
Charlotte was now at her shift at the garrison, the afternoon rush had just finished so she and Grace were cleaning up the glasses and any mess that was left. For some reason, unfortunately for Charlotte, Alex was babysitting the three youngest Winslow's and had decided to bring them into the garrison. Flora was sat on the counter in front of where Alex was sat while Danny and Eliza were playing some game sat at one of the far tables.
"Charley look!" Shouted Flora, holding Alex's arm up in the air so her bracelet she had made earlier was on show.
Charlotte laughed at Alex's embarrassed expression, "Oh wow!"
"Alright Flora, don't wave it about too much." Mumbled Alex, putting his arm back down.
"You did a great job Flora, it's a beautiful bracelet." Smiled Charlotte.
Flora beamed back, "Thanks Charley."
"Alex, you know a pub isn' exactly the best place you could bring children too." Said Charlotte, leaning on the counter in front of Flora and Alex.
"Well, there not just any children and this isn't just any pub." Defended Alex with a sarcastic smile, Charlotte rolled her eyes.
"What would Betty say?" Smirked Charlotte.
Alex's smile fell, "That is a question I don't tend to ask myself, I quite like happiness."
Charlotte laughed, "True."
"Besides, they just wanted to see there big sister." Alex tickled Flora earning a laugh, "Right?"
"Right." Smiled Flora.
"I saw them this morning." Replied Charlotte, knowing Flora would agree with anything Alex said.
Alex sighed, "Fine, I just like to have the safety net of an extra pair of hands. These children are feral." He whispered the last part, Charlotte stifled a laugh.
"Alex, they are just children. Come on the stuff you deal with, this should be a piece of cake."
Alex scoffed, "I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy."
"Gosh you are so dramatic." Charlotte rolled her eyes at her brother before turning the attention to her fellow barmaid, "Have any siblings Grace?"
Grace looked up, a surprised expression on her face before she answered. "No, I'm an only child."
"Lucky you." Joked Charlotte, "You can have some of mine if you want, I've got five to give out."
Grace laughed while Alex gasped, "Well, we see where were not wanted." He stood up and walked over to the door gesturing to the twins who walked over, "Come on Winslow's, we're going to see Pol."
"You really can't do anything on you're own. So codependent." Teased Charlotte, Alex scoffed before opening the door.
Before he could walk through Charlotte laughed, "Alex!"
"What?"
"You're missing one." She pointed at Flora who was still sat on the counter.
Alex huffed and stormed over, "You should really do a headcount so you don't accidentally forget one."
"I did not forget you Flora." Said Alex as he picked Flora up, giving Charlotte a glaring look.
Charlotte laughed as the four left the garrison, "See you later!"
Charlotte went out the back to throw some buckets away, the final part of cleaning to be done. After around twenty minutes she was heading back inside, tired and feeling drained. When she entered the bar she found it to still be just as empty as before apart from the odd person here and there, glancing to her side she noticed Grace hovering by the hatch looking as though she was listening intently.
Charlotte wandered over with a confused expression, "What are you doing Grace?"
Grace seemed startled and jumped away from the hatch picking up a disregarded rag and glass on the counter, "Nothing."
"Who's in there?" Asked Charlotte, her tone just curious and confused not an ounce of accusation. In the back of her mind there was alarm bells ringing, telling her that this was strange and that the girl was suspicious but she pushed them back and put Grace's intentions to just plain curiosity.
"Tommy and two other men, I don't know who they are." Replied Grace.
"No point listening in on Tommy." Said Charlotte eyeing the girl in front of her suspiciously, Grace seemed visibly nervous now only adding to Charlotte's suspicious making it harder to push those thoughts to the back of her mind. "Awfully boring usually, he's a simple man. Nothing of interest, especially nothing of interest to you Grace." Charlotte walked away to the other side of the bar and leant against the counter picking at her nails, while her mind wondered, waiting for someone who needed to be served.
Charlotte was not an accusing or suspicious person, she believed the best in everybody around her and equally treated them all with kindness. However she was also a smart person and it didn't take a genius to see through Grace. She couldn't help how her mind wandered to the Irish woman's suspicious tendencies she had been noticing the past few weeks, or the way she suddenly appeared with a rubbish excuse of wanting to see somewhere new. After a few minutes Tommy came out the private booth followed by two loud cheering men. Charlotte watched from where she was leaning against the bar. Tommy went straight to Grace and Charlotte didn't let the bitter feeling she felt inside show on the outside, partly because she didn't want Tommy to have the satisfaction of knowing she was bothered by him and also because she was making a conscious effort of reminding herself of the nasty things he had said to her the night before and how she had sworn to ignore him. She still listened in as the pair talked though.
"What did my countrymen want?" She heard Grace ask Tommy.
"They're nobodies. Drink in The Black Swan in Sparkbrook. They're only rebels because they like the songs." Explained Tommy, referring to how they had exited the booth singing loudly. Charlotte scoffed, Sparkbrook. The list of people Tommy was getting involved with was endless. His eyes flickered to the side so Charlotte consequently caught his stare. She felt her cheeks redden as she had been caught listening in. Tommy's eyes were narrowed in a questioning, annoyed way. Charlotte just looked away pretended to be distracted by the ceiling of the garrison as she twirled a strand of her hair and stared upwards ignoring the burning stare at the side of her face.
"You have sympathies with them?"
"I have no sympathies of any description." Answered Tommy bluntly, Charlotte fought the urge to scoff. 'At least he's self aware' she thought bitterly.
"Their accents are so thick, it's a wonder you could understand them. Next time, I could translate." Offered Grace, voice sickly sweet. Charlotte was not usually a bitter or jealous person but this whole conversation she was hearing was bringing out the worst traits in her as a swarm of jealousy raged within her.
"You would work for me?" Said Tommy.
"I thought I already was."
"So you are coming to the races."
"Two pounds, ten shillings." Argued Grace, Charlotte eyes widened. She tried to discreetly look over by leaning to the side to see whether Tommy was actually going to hand that much money over.
"Ten shillings." Said Tommy and Charlotte heard the clang of coins on the counter, "Buy something red, to match his handkerchief." Charlotte hid the smile that took over her face at that, Grace would not be matching Tommy's handkerchief.
"Whose handkerchief?" Asked Grace, only to be ignored. With a sigh Charlotte watched as she walked off to the back of the garrison.
Charlotte walked over to the hatch and opened it up, "Lottie the hatch is only supposed to be opened from this side." Said Tommy, not even looking up from his hands where he was shuffling papers.
"Arrest me." Charlotte rolled her eyes, "I'm still not talking to you and I'm still upset and angry about how you spoke to me last night. But this is important so here I am."
"Go on then." Said Tommy, placing the papers on the table and leaning back in his chair as he starred intensely at Charlotte while smoking his cigarette.
She shuffled nervously, avoiding his stare. "Well, earlier I caught Grace listening in to your conversation with, god knows who they were. The two awful singers. Irish. Don't tell me, I don't want to know."
"They said they've heard rumours of robbed guns." Explained Tommy.
"Right well you just go ahead." Mumbled charlotte rolling her eyes at how he blatantly ignored her.
"They said they would pay good money for them, came to the right place really didn't they?"Continued Tommy in an unsettling calm tone, as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Charlotte's eyes widened and she shushed the man, "I wouldn't be shouting that about if I was you Thomas. Anyway, I know you're not selling those guns, they wouldn't be hidden away in Danny Whizz Bang's grave otherwise." She whispered harshly. "Can you focus please, I'm telling you there is something going on with her. She's watching you all the time, listening in and asking questions. It's strangely obsessive."
"Come on Lottie, what do you think she is?" Laughed Tommy.
"Yeah laugh about it, I'm being serious." Huffed Charlotte, "I've seen it with my own two eyes."
Tommy smirked, "You know what it sounds like Lottie, you sound jealous."
Charlotte scoffed, "Why would I be jealous?"
Tommy shrugged, "You tell me. I have already made it strictly clear that I'm not taking Grace out for personal reasons."
"Alright." Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Thanks for that repetitive information that I don't care about." Lied Charlotte, her heart did a little flutter in relief hearing that. "I am certainly not jealous, I was just warning you about something I thought you would consider important. Goodbye Thomas." Charlotte shut the hatch sending a last sarcastic smile to the man.
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《
The Winslow's were all gathered around the kitchen table eating there dinner, there was an awkward silence settled amongst them all. Charlotte was looking between all of them with narrowed eyes trying to figure out what was going on, she had not a single idea why there was such animosity. Eventually she ruled it down to the twins and Betty as they were all aggressively poking at there food while Alex and Flora were acting completely normal.
Charlotte cleared her throat awkwardly, everyones eyes turned to her. "So, how was everyones days?"
"Great!" Smiled Flora.
"Eh." Shrugged Alex.
"Good." Replied Betty.
"Awful." Said the twins in sync.
Charlotte's eyes darted between all her siblings a look of disbelief on her face, "Some lovely one word answers there guys, just love how talkative we all are as a family."
"You're talkative enough for us all." Mumbled Betty.
"Rude." Charlotte pointed at Betty, "See we can all do one word answers. Right no one asked but my day was extremely boring spent most of it working, had a lovely morning with you three though." She gestured to the twins and Flora.
"Me too!" Cheered Flora excitedly.
"Well Flora is carrying the excitement for the team here. Like I am the conversation." Charlotte held her hand up and high-fived the youngest girl. "I shall continue then, why was your day so awful 'Liza, Danny."
"Take a wild guess." Drawled Eliza sarcastically as she glared at Betty.
"If looks could kill." Mumbled Charlotte.
"It's alright Betty's used to people looking at her like that." Laughed Alex, Betty kicked him under the table and only Charlotte laughed at his joke.
"Sorry." Mumbled Charlotte as Betty glared at her.
"God this is more infuriating than usual, can someone please just air whats wrong so we can all take sides." Groaned Alex.
"No! There will be no side taking." Scolded Charlotte, "Someone just say so we can resolve it."
Dan, Eliza and Betty all started speaking at once. Not a word could be understood as they were all just speaking over each other. They stopped and looked over expectedly at Alex and Charlotte.
"Did you get anything?" Asked Charlotte.
"Not a word." Sighed Alex.
"Dinners over!" Exclaimed Betty as she started collected all the finished plates and stormed out the kitchen.
"What a delightful family dinner." Mumbled Charlotte.
"As always." Joked Alex, earning a small laugh off Charlotte but no one else at the table.
"I'm going to bed." Eliza screeched her chair backwards and stormed out the kitchen.
"Me too." Dan mimicked Eliza and stormed out the room.
"Flora, are you ready for bed?" Smiled Charlotte as she got up from her seat and walked over to her youngest sister.
"I am after that catastrophe." Mumbled Alex.
"Yes Charley." Replied Flora, she stood up on her chair and held her arms out.
Charlotte laughed as she picked her up, "Can you stay this lovely forever Flora?" She joked.
"Impossible in this family." Laughed Alex.
"Hello?" Charlotte shook her head and gestured to herself with one hand.
"Who told you that you're lovely?" Teased Alex, Charlotte rollecd her eyes.
Flora sighed, "Seriously can I go to bed now. That's tired me out."
Charlotte laughed, "Of course Flora."
"Night Flora!" Smiled Alex.
"Night Alex." Replied Flora before resting her head on Charlotte's shoulder.
Charlotte put Flora to be and then came back downstairs to find Betty and Alex on the sofa, Charlotte walked over and threw herself down between them. The pair groaned as she had landed slightly on the pair of them and shuffled aside allowing Charlotte to wriggle comfortably in the middle.
"So, you both know Grace." Said Charlotte.
"Yes." Replied Betty, Alex nodding along.
"There is something really off about her." Sighed Charlotte, "I've tried to ignore it but I can't anymore."
Betty gasped, "Charley! This is so unlike you."
"Honestly, Charley are you feeling alright?" Alex put the back of his hand to Charlotte's forehead jokingly, she whacked it away.
"I'm being serious. I keep catching her listening in to conversations, being nosey and she asks so many strange questions."
"She did literally turn up out of nowhere as well." Agreed Alex.
Betty shrugged, "She seems harmless, I mean what do you think she is?"
"I don't know, I just know she's not what she says she is."
After going to bed that night, Charlotte's mind was whirring and sleep just couldn't find her. With a sigh she put her coat on and headed downstairs, walking outside she was met with the harsh chill of the late night and she wandered down the steps to her usual thinking spot. She stopped in her tracks when she saw her bench was occupied, Tommy sat there not even noticing her.
"Excuse me." Said Charlotte stepping closer, "That is my bench."
Tommy turned to her with a confused expression, "Why are you up?"
"Why are you up?" Charlotte mimicked him as she took a seat next to him on the bench, she turned to look up at him while his head remained fixated forward.
"Touché." Mumbled Tommy.
Charlotte remained silent, Tommy sighed before turning to look down at her beside him. "Lottie I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I didn't want to upset you, that's the last thing I would want to do ever. One of the things I like most about you is how much you care, how you worry about everyone and always want to help. I shouldn't have said that against you."
Charlotte swallowed nervously, with her all too forgiving heart she smiled weakly. "That's ok. Apology accepted. But I'm still staying away from you because there are other things that need to be addressed."
"I know." Muttered Tommy.
"If you know then why are you doing this? You always do this, we have these secret conversations where you're so lovely to me and then everything is back to normal within a few hours. One step forward and three steps back." Said Charlotte, a fed up tone to her voice.
"I don't know, I just can't." Sighed Tommy turning away and rubbing his hands over his face.
Charlotte took notice of his distress and against her mind she went with her heart. "What did you do today?"
Tommy didn't look at her but looked up from his hands, forward again. "I met with Freddie, you don't want to know how that went down."
Charlotte sighed, "That was a bad question, I never want to know what you spend your days doing."
Tommy gave a slight chuckled, Charlotte smiled. She hoped Tommy hadn't noticed it, but he did just out of the corner of his eye. What Charlotte didn't know was that it made him smile too, just as she his hers he hid his. "On a brighter note, I gave Arthur the garrison."
"You what." Spluttered Charlotte.
"I gave Arthur the garrison." Repeated Tommy.
"What? So he owns it now, it's his."
"All his." Nodded Tommy.
Charlotte beamed, "That's amazing! I bet he's so happy, he's always wanted his very own pub. Christ that means he's my boss now, what an awful turn of events. Can you take it back?"
To her surprise Tommy laughed, a blatant and genuine laugh. Not muffled or hidden or fake. It was a real laugh. Charlotte couldn't help her small laugh that followed his. This is what she missed, this is the man she once loved.
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 。* 。° 。* 。 • ˚《