Libitina woke up before everyone else, quickly getting ready for the day ahead before making her way over to the betting den to get everything sorted out before they had to open. She was there for around fifteen minutes just sorting out books and everyone's desks when she heard a knock on the door.
"We're not open for winnings yet!" Libitina shouted hoping the person would leave.
"I'm here to see Thomas Shelby!" The woman shouted back, Libitina recognising the voice almost immediately.
Libitina walked over to the door, unlocking it quickly to be face to face with the one and only May Carleton.
"I have an appointment." May said.
"Quickly come in." Libitina ushered, May running inside.
Libitina closed the door quickly, locking it once again before running in front of May.
"Thomas has his meetings in his other office." Libitina stated.
"This is the address he gave me." May said.
"This address?" Libitina questioned.
"He said it was a gambling den. I told him that I always wanted to see one since I am always reading about them in the papers. Quite the big scandal in the Telegraph lately. Anyway, he said that I could come and have a look. And now I feel like a bit of an idiot because I'm early and he's late. And I have no idea how to behave." May explained.
"He's always late, nothing to worry about." Libitina joked.
"I'll wait in the car." May said.
"No, wait, you don't have to. If people see that door open for the second time they will all want to come. They are all like flies." Libitina explained, May stopping in her tracks.
Libitina walked around, sorting the rest of the stuff out while May stood there and waited. Libitina turned to look at the beautiful brown haired woman, "So, are you training Tommy's race horse for Epsom?" Libitina asked.
"Yes, I'm pretty sure anyway." May answered.
Before Libitina could say anything else she saw the door open, John walking in with bag, "There's a fucking great Riley parked out there and nobody's watching it." John announced, putting the bags down onto the table.
"John, this is May Carelton, she's training Tommy's horse." Libitina announced, John moving closer to the woman in front of him making Libitina scoff.
"He's told us a lot about you." John stated.
"Don't know where he is, do you?" May asked.
The door closed from the main part of the house, John nodding towards it seeing Tommy walk in which caused May to turn around.
"Sorry I am late. There was a family matter. Libitina, keep it closed up for a minute." Tommy explained.
"Yeah, I figured." Libitina answered, carrying on with sorting everything out whilst Tommy talked to May.
John walked off to his office, Tommy showing the woman around whilst talking to her. Libitina wasn't really listening, there was no reason for her to listen to the business he had with this woman in front of him.
Tommy and May walked out after a couple minutes, Libitina sitting at her desk in silence waiting for everyone else to arrive before she opened up the betting den for people to come in. Libitina was reading through one of the books, cigarette in hand whilst flipping through it. She got pulled out from reading when she heard footsteps, looking up to her husband now in front of her.
"Oh, hello." Libitina said sarcastically looking back down at the book taking a puff from her cigarette.
"You can't ignore me forever, you know?" John said.
"I've been doing quite well lately so, actually, I think I can." Libitina said with a sly smile.
"Just talk to me." John said.
"No chance, John." Libitina stated.
"Look, I'm sorry. I overreacted and I know that now. I shouldn't of said what I said." John spoke, sitting down across from the girl.
"You realise that now? You literally made it sound like I was a whore and said a teenager is looking at me weird. Just cause you cheated on me doesn't mean I'm going to do it back." Libitina explained, getting out another cigarette.
"I know." John whispered.
"I have to open up, so if you'd like to get to work that would be perfect." Libitina said, standing up and opening up the door.
A bunch of men rushed in plus some of the workers, everyone starting to take in bets and money with smiles. Libitina didn't feel like working, still hating the fact she had to leave her bed to do everyday activities she felt like she couldn't do. She knew she had to get back to it though, otherwise she'd stay locked away in her room forever slowly killing herself.
When everyone left Libitina cleaned up everything so it was okay for tomorrow. As she was cleaning she heard the front door in the main house shut, making her way to the kitchen to see Finn pouring himself a glass of whiskey.
"Well hello there." Libitina said with a giggle, getting a glass out for herself.
"Hey Lib." Finn said with a smile.
"Why are you drinking?" She asked.
"Why not." Finn shrugged.
Libitina laughed, not knowing what to say to the boy she called a younger brother. The two of them sat and talked for a while, Libitina explaining everything to him about John and everything that's happened. She loved talking to Finn, he always let her speak and he always listened until he was allowed to say something. She got closer to Finn over the years, Finn looking up to Libitina like a older sister that he loved very much. Finn was always the one to stick up for her if John ever said something out of line, the other two brothers joking about with him. She respected Finn a lot and she couldn't bare the thought of loosing him one day.
The two stopped their conversation when John walked in, looking at the two with a confused look when they didn't look back at him, both pretty annoyed with him.
"We're going to The Garrison for Michael's birthday, get up." John said.
"Where's your manners?" Libitina spoke.
"Get up, please." John said, sarcasm laced in his voice.
Finn and Libitina got up, walking out before John could say another word to the two of them. They were pretty far in front of him, not feeling the need to be near him when he was acting more like a child than Finn. They walked into The Garrison heading straight into the back room where Tommy and Arthur were already sitting.
Finn and Libitina sat together on the other side of the room, talking about whatever came to their heads in that moment. Libitina smoked away, Finn taking some puffs when the other three brothers weren't looking which caused her to giggle.
John brought over a drink to Libitina, the girl not looking in his direction at all. He turned to Finn, "Well, Finn, you got two choices, mild or mild." John said.
"Mild." Finn answered.
"Here you go." John said, passing the drink over to his brother.
The door to the room opened revealing Michael and Polly, "There he is, look." Arthur announced, everyone cheering when he walked in.
"Happy birthday, Michael." Tommy said shaking the boys hand.
"Eighteen years old. You're a man today. Give him a drink, John Boy." Arthur shouted.
"There you go." John said with a smile passing the boy his drink.
"And after that we will go find you a woman of the night." Arthur said.
"Arthur!" Polly said.
Libitina didn't pay attention, just looking at the floor because she didn't want to look in Michael's direction in case she got accused of other things by her husband. When everything died down she felt someone sit next to her, that person being Michael.
"Hey Lib." He said with a smile.
"Happy birthday." She spoke.
"Thank you." He said.
"Sorry, I'm going to go speak to Finn." Libitina announced, standing up from her seat.
Michael took a hold of the girls wrist to stop her from walking away, "Why aren't you speaking to me?" Michael asked.
"First of all, let go. Second of all, it doesn't matter." Libitina said, walking away and over to Finn who was sitting with John.
"What was that about?" Finn asked.
"Nothing much." Libitina shrugged.
"Okay." Finn said with a smile.
She felt bad for not speaking to Michael, she was one of the first ones to actually meet him and accept him and now she couldn't even look at him without thinking about what John said. She hoped it wasn't true, she hoped Michael didn't look at her the way John said he did but she couldn't know, not anymore as she never gave him the time of day.
Libitina stood up after a while, "I'm going, see you later." She said with a smile, hugging Finn tightly.
She walked out, Michael's eyes following the girl before he got up, running after her. When he got outside he saw her still walking, running after her quickly before standing in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.
"Michael? What are you doing?" Libitina asked.
"I wanted to speak with you." Michael answered.
"Look, I don't want or need to speak with you right now." Libitina said.
"Why? Why have you started to ignore me?" Michael asked.
"It doesn't matter why, Michael." Libitina answered, wanting to be out of this situation.
"I think I like you." Michael announced, Libitina looking at him shocked.
"Michael, you are eighteen, I'm twenty-two. I'm with John, I love him, have done since I was a kid. You need to sort your feelings out and loose them, I don't need anymore trouble caused." Libitina explained.
"Trouble?" Michael questioned.
"Go back inside, Michael and let me go home." Libitina instructed.
"Tina?" John shouted, seeing the two talking.
John made his way over, not having a clue what the two were talking about but he could tell Libitina didn't like what she was hearing, "You okay?" John asked.
"Yeah, I was just going home." Libitina answered.
"I'll come with you, I'm tired anyway. See you later Michael." John said, pulling his wife out of the conversation and into their home.
The house was quiet, the both of them heading upstairs to get themselves ready for bed. They stayed silent for a while, both of them having no idea what to say.
"You were right." Libitina announced.
"What?" John asked.
"About Michael. He just said he thinks he likes me." Libitina whispered.
John looked at his wife for a second, not knowing what to say to the information he's just been told, "Shit." Was the only thing he could think of saying.
"I mean, I've tried to avoid him whilst still being nice, I didn't want Polly thinking I didn't like her son, but I wasn't that nice. We've had about four or five conversations ever since he arrived and he tosses that information at me? I just don't get it, I haven't given him any reason to think he's got a chance of even sweeping in let alone give him a reason for him to think I feel the same." Libitina explained.
"There isn't much you can do, boys will be boys no matter what, Lib. You could have one conversation with a girl and you'll be head over heels, that's probably him. He'll get over it sooner or later." John explained.
"Let's hope." Libitina stated.
"You sleeping in here tonight?" John asked.
"Are you done with your jealous tantrum?" Libitina asked back.
"Yeah." John laughed.
"Fine then, I'm still not happy with you John. The sofa is just horrible to sleep on." Libitina said, getting into bed quickly.
"Yeah, yeah. More like you missed me." John said, getting into bed next to her.
"Missed you? No chance." Libitina said, keeping her back facing her husband.
John just laughed, wrapping his arm around her waist moving her closer to him. He kissed her cheek gently, the both of them falling asleep almost immediately.