chapter six / season one episode two.
IT WAS SATURDAY AND OLIVIA WAS GOING STIR CRAZY.
There was only Sunday left and then she could return back to school, which she regrettably has to admit that she has missed. Now, Olivia didn't miss school for the learning aspect, goodness no, Olivia knew more than the teachers did. Olivia found herself missing the structure it brought her weekdays, after all it was the main place in which Olivia could see her friends.
That was the only thing she ever actually enjoyed about school anyway, and the last five days had been horror for Olivia considering they'd been at school and she'd been here, on Watery Lane.
Monday, as you know, had started with a trip round the town and listening to drunken men, and then prancing around with the giddiest smile on her face.
Tuesday had been a sister day. A whole day dedicated to Ada and Olivia. She'd loved that day. And no, that was not just because she got to rain on Thomas' parade and give him all her mighty knowledge, but because she spent the whole day with her sister. Olivia would never admit it to her older sister's face, but she really did love Ada.
Even if at times they had a funny way of showing it, or got snappy with each other a little too often.
They did love each other. And that's why Olivia had loved Tuesday.
Wednesday came and went. Olivia had nothing to say about it. She did nothing that day but mope and wish she was back at school. In response, Polly had handed her broom and told her to sweep the kitchen. That had been the highlight of her day.
On Thursday, Olivia decided that she'd need some bons bons to get her through the final days of her school suspension, and you would never guess who she saw there! Oh, it had been divine! Jack! (Olivia had no clue what his last name was) (She wouldn't want to know either) He'd been stood by the pink Bons Bons, with the last pink-striped bag in his hand, and then he spotted her.
And ever-so-chivalrously handed her the bag over.
Olivia had smiled.
And then screamed when she got home.
And then realized she hated whatever reaction she just had. Olivia had had two conversations with Jack, both of which had been cut tremendously short.
She wished they'd been longer.
Did she?!
Where were these thoughts coming from?
Anyway... moving swiftly on, Friday soon arrived. Finn had annoyed Polly to the point Olivia swore their Aunt wanted to shoot herself, so she decided to get out of the house. Olivia hadn't known where she was going until she ended up at Charlie's Yard, and had soon enough spent the whole day eating cookies and looking after Thomas' horses.
Olivia thought her rage with him had settled after getting one up on him, but it soon returned once she saw her older brother's beautiful, new white horse, that he'd told her nothing about. You best believe, Olivia will be having words with him today.
(Thomas was going to be in a dreadful mood today considering he'd been up late at night for reasons Olivia did not know, but there had been knocking on the front door late last night and shouts from someone)
(Olivia was perplexed at the thought of Thomas seeing someone. That poor woman...)
(It had been Curly.)
But none of that mattered to Olivia, oh no, because today Olivia was free from the chains of Watery Lane and not seeing any of her friends since the burning of the King's pictures. She was so excited, she barely slept.
She'd been waiting for this since... well since yesterday when Charlotte came round for a brief visit to say that they'd all be meeting up at the Garrison before heading off to one of their favorite spots (the tunnel by the canal)
Olivia had nearly screamed in delight, but she had to be mindful of her pregnant - and very angry at the world - sister who had been resting upstairs.
Olivia put on her best dress, and her new boots. To which Aunt Polly had said, "Don't go causing trouble in those new boots, I can't be buying you another pair this year." Olivia knew that was a lie, the Aunt was just fed up of buying a new pair every other month.
Polly just simply didn't understand Olivia's need to dirty the shoes that were just too clean for a Shelby and then absolutely annihilate the leather material with whatever Olivia Shelby did.
It didn't matter what Olivia Shelby did because she was out of the house, and even that made Polly excited. That Shelby girl hadn't seen her friends all week, and it had driven her mad.
Eleanora had popped round on Monday night to explain that due to their busy schedules no-one knew when they'd see each other next.
Olivia had nearly crumbled to the floor there and then!
And by busy schedules that consisted of Eleanora having to find new ways to find an income for their household now that her uncle had disappeared due to the communists raids. For Eleanora, that meant buttoning up her coat that had the most pockets on the inside and the outside and walking the streets of Small Heath from the start of sunset to at least midnight and sticking her hands into the pockets of unknowing, mostly drunk men, who never would have saw the pickpocketer coming.
It was a thrill, she had to admit. Eleanora just couldn't quite tell if she liked it yet.
Charlotte's busy schedule had consisted of homework. And not just her own. Eleanora's stack had been dumped on her ever since the girl had gotten a job. The Junia girl had pestered the Faye continually throughout the school week and the only answer she had received was that Eleanora worked in a pub.
Eleanora didn't just work in a pub. She worked in all the pubs in Small Heath, all but the Garrison. Even if Eleanora knew that the blinders had the most to steal from, she wouldn't dare.
(Right?)
So, Charlotte had been struggling with doing both hers and Eleanora's homework. And on top of that, Charlotte had been enlisted to fix Kian's toilet, which had gone tragically and had to call her Da for help.
And he'd been even more hopeless than Charlotte.
Kian now had a bucket in his living room that collected the drip from the bathroom above and had listened to his Grandma complain all weak, if anything he had been more than prepared to leave the house every day this week but everyone else had rejected him, and he'd been a bit too scared to ask Olivia.
(I wonder why...)
But, today was Saturday. And everyone was going to be back together.
Olivia was ecstatic. Everyone in Small Heath could tell just by the way she skipped down to the Garrison and had a smile on her face as she did so. She had wasted no time in bursting through the doors of the pub and throwing herself in a seat at the bar as she waited for the rest of her friends to arrive.
Charlotte was no doubt going to be just on time.
Kian too.
And Eleanora was undoubtedly going to be late.
That's just the way things happened with Olivia's friends. She'd be the one super early to any gathering, with Charlotte arriving a few minutes beforehand with Kian trotting in a few moments later and Eleanora a long time afterwards.
Punctuality wasn't her speciality.
The blonde haired woman at the bar gazed at the teenager with confusion laced on her appearance, "Sorry, I can't serve you, sweetheart."
Olivia nearly did another take at the accent. This blondie sounded awfully like Kian. Oh, surely, not another one?
Maybe her and Kian were related.
Maybe this was Kian's Grandma.
No, no. That seemed unrealistic. The blonde behind the bar had to be only just in her mid twenties, maybe pushing thirties.
Harry, the usual bartender at the Garrison, quickly spotted Olivia and his eyes widened in alarm as he rushed to the other end of the bar to inform his new barmaid (she'd been there at least two weeks) of who Olivia was.
Olivia loved when she witnessed that happen.
"Grace, that's..." He sighed and made sure to lean closer to Grace, "A Shelby, don't serve her anything but play nice."
Olivia's face screwed up in offense, "Play nice? What do you take me for Harry?"
Harry smiled, "The things I 'ear about you in this pub, Little Miss Shelby."
Olivia looked towards Grace, "Whatever you've heard, it's all lies, all of it."
Grace didn't believe that for a second. Her informant knew more about Olivia than he knew about any other Shelby. It was oddly frightening how much the older man knew about a young girl. It was borderline disturbing, and that wasn't the only thing disturbing about the Inspector.
Maybe the Inspector had another informant.
"I'm an angel, promise." Olivia wiggled her eyebrows and turned towards Harry with three Bon Bons in her hand, "Can I get a cordial Harry, please."
Harry sighed dramatically, "I've told you before Miss Shelby, you've got to start paying now that you're fourteen."
Olivia scoffed, jokingly, "Yeah? I'm paying with me Bon Bons, since when weren't that good enough for you?"
"Since the day prices went up five pence."
Olivia gasped, with lots of added dramatics, "No bloomin' way! Have five Bon Bons instead Harry! G-d knows you need them."
He graciously accepted her payment and poured her a glass of apple cordial, "For her highness." He smirked before trotting off to the other end of the bar, leaving Grace in close proximity to Olivia.
And goodness, did he hope Olivia didn't scare her away. Harry had already had to deal with Tommy and his threats, he didn't need Olivia's.
"So..." Olivia hummed, swirling her cordial as if it were wine, "What brings you to a place like Small Heath? I mean, is it popular in Ireland?"
It must've been with the influx of Irish people coming to the town as of late. Kian... Grace... The Inspector.
Olivia had even failed to connect that dot up until now. Maybe her tea leaves had been right after all.
She didn't know if she'd be able to stomach that.
Grace shook her head with a small smile, "No, no, I just fancied a change of scenery."
Olivia furrowed her eyebrows, "You went from Ireland, to Small Heath?" She asked, "Why? Usually people want to get out of here."
The Lord knows Olivia never would.
"I just fancied a life away from Galway, somewhere new, somewhere different."
"Talk about bloody different!" Olivia laughed and chose to ignore the fact Grace and Kian were from the same place. There was absolutely no way... "I mean, can you name five similarities between Galway and Small Heath."
Grace hummed as she used the rag to wipe down the surface of the bar. "I wouldn't want to bore you though."
Olivia looked up at the clock, she still had time before Charlotte and Kian arrived. And then they'd have plenty of time until Eleanora arrived anyway.
When she looked back down, Grace was yawning.
"Is it tiring being a barmaid?" Olivia queried after she sipped on her cordial. "'Cause I couldn't do it. I'd rather be in the den, or with horses. None of this smelling like beer or sick."
Olivia shuddered at the mere thought of cleaning up someone's sick.
Grace was just glad there didn't seem to be a double meaning behind Olivia's words. If Olivia knew the late night singing, and the closeness that had occurred between her and Tommy, then all the Shelbys would know.
And that wasn't good.
"It's a good job," Grace smiled, "I like it."
Olivia didn't miss the falseness in her voice. Nobody likes working at the Garrison. Not even Harry. So, why does Grace like it?
"What'd you like most?" Olivia asked, Grace seemed to still. Not for long. Not long enough for any customer (sober or drunk) to notice.
But long enough for Olivia to notice.
Grace cleared her throat and resumed her cleaning of the surface, she just failed to realize she'd already cleaned that spot at least two times during their conversation. "I like the atmosphere. The pubs weren't like this back in Galway."
Olivia thought pubs were crazy all over England.
"What pub did you work in?" Olivia tilted her head to the side. If she heard the name of Kian's pub...
Olivia wasn't sure what she'd do, it would probably just be drastic.
Grace laughed, quietly with a large sense of uncertainty. She didn't know why she'd laughed. She hadn't meant to. It was just the gaze of Olivia Shelby caused her to do things she didn't mean to. "It was only a wee pub, you probably hadn't heard of it."
"Oh, naw, go on," Olivia coaxed, leaning forward in her barstool, "I've got a mate who used to live above a pub in Galway, he might know you."
Grace waved her hand and noticed Olivia's nearly empty glass. Thank goodness. She needed to change the subject and soon. "Do you want a refill?"
Olivia nodded, but she wouldn't forget the way the topic had been changed so quickly, "Yes, please. How many Bon Bons would you like?"
Grace shook her head as she refilled the glass, that had a sticker on the bottom and the name 'OLIVIA' etched onto it in bold capital letters, "None for me, thanks."
Olivia gasped, "You gotta have a Bon Bon. They're bloody Bon Bons!"
Grace held her hand out and handed the glass over, "Two then, please."
Olivia smiled happily as she handed them over, "Blue ones are the best ones, don't ever listen to anyone who likes the pink ones."
Grace laughed quietly as she stood opposite Olivia, the only thing that separated them was the bar in between them, "You said you liked horses didn't you?"
Olivia nodded at Grace's question, "'M bloody mad about horses me. I get it from my brother, you've met him right?"
Grace's shoulders tensed.
She hadn't realized.
But Olivia had.
"Not a fan of him?" Olivia asked, Grace was definitely more than a fan, "Me neither."
Grace sighed sadly, "He's your brother, and he's going through a rough patch."
"A rough patch?" Olivia laughed, loudly, boisterously, no-one else in the pub seemed to care, they seemed used to it. Grace had never heard a laugh like it, "Thomas Shelby is always going through a 'rough patch'."
"Didn't you hear about his horse, it's terrible what happened." Grace queried.
Olivia's head snapped up from inspecting her name that was carved into the wood of the bar top, "What?"
Grace's eyebrows furrowed.
"It weren't that new horse of his was it?" Olivia asked, a sigh fell from her lips when Grace nodded her head. If it had been anything other than horses, Olivia might've been mad that he didn't tell her but it was horses. She knew he took it to heart whenever one of their horses had to bite the bitter bullet. "Poor thing, it were too beautiful to die. I wish horses could just live forever, y'know?"
Grace nodded, "It's such a shame."
Grace looked up for only a small second and for the first time since meeting Olivia, she sensed a real emotion on the girl's face. Before it had all felt a bit staged, as if the teenager was grilling her for all the information in her body but this was Olivia. The teenage girl who still made those foolish wishes on stars or eyelashes.
Grace missed when she was that girl.
And from what she'd heard about Olivia, she knew Olivia would miss that girl one day.
"Do you like horses, Grace?"
Grace shrugged, "I think they're beautiful animals, but I haven't seen much of them so that's why I'm excited to go to the races."
Olivia wolf-whistled and put her head in her hands, much like any other teenage girl who was collecting gossip from a barmaid, "And who might be taking you to the races." She wiggled her eyebrows, suggestively.
Grace's eyebrows froze, "You didn't know?"
Olivia sighed, "Oh, what didn't I know this time?"
"I'm going with your brother."
Olivia seemed to still.
And everyone in that pub could see it.
And it seemed to last a very long time before Olivia cleared her throat and spoke again.
"That's... nice!" The words were forced out of her throat, and Olivia made no effort to conceal that from Grace.
Olivia had been dying to go to the races practically since the day she was born, every year she asked and she asked and every-time, no matter whether she asked Tommy or Polly the answer was always: no. So, this year, Olivia had changed tactics. She wouldn't ask. She would behave like an angel and not persist to go to the races because then Tommy and Aunt Pol would notice her totally angelic behavior and go: "Wow, Liv! You've really turned it around this year, you better go to the races as a reward for your good behavior!"
Except, Olivia hadn't been an angel this year. She'd been nothing short of a scoundrel.
And she hadn't been invited to the races.
The barmaid had.
The barmaid who had known Tommy all but three weeks (at best!!) and not Olivia, who he'd known nearly fifteen years.
Thomas Shelby was so in for it when she saw him next.
Thankfully, Grace didn't have to speak again to Olivia as a girl crept up behind the Shelby.
"Boo!" Charlotte yelled.
Olivia didn't move, she didn't even flinch. She just slowly swiveled round in her chair and stared at Charlotte in a look of shock. "Hello."
Charlotte nodded her head, "Hello to you too..."
"Don't tell me you've gone all weird on me just 'cause I ain't seen you since Sunday."
"Nope."
Charlotte's tongue clicked against the roof of her mouth.
Olivia spoke, "I've just learnt some majorly distressing news."
Charlotte pinched the bridge of her nose, "Oh, hold on then." She took a seat in the stool next to her best friend and called to the new barmaid, "Can I have an orange cordial, please, I fear I'm gonna need it."
Olivia reached into her pocket and pulled whatever note came out first, "Keep the change."
Charlotte's and Grace's eyes widened, the Junia turning in her stool and Grace walking away to make the drink, "You just gave that barmaid a tenner!"
"I'm in shock." Olivia murmured.
"Are you lyin'? It weren't funny the first time you did it, Olivia."
The drink was placed in-front of the girl, "Thank you, are you new here, I haven't seen you 'round before?"
Grace cleared her throat, "Yes, I'm from Galway."
Charlotte laughed, and pointed at Grace, "That's such a crazy coincidence! We've got a mate who just came over from Galway too? You wouldn't happen to know him, would ya? Kian Cormac? About yay-heigh...?"
Charlotte's voice trailed off as Olivia watched every single body movement of Grace.
And it wasn't what she wanted to see either. She didn't want to see the way her shoulders tensed, and her grip on the rag in her hand seemed to strengthen, the water it contained spilling all over the counter. Grace frowned, "I better clean that up."
"Yeah." Olivia nodded her head, the alarm she was feeling was nowhere to be found on her expression, but the way she avoided any eye contact with the barmaid told Grace everything she needed to know. "You better."
Charlotte raised her eyebrows and sipped on her cordial as Grace walked away, "So... what were that 'bout?"
"She's weird."
The Junia girl scoffed, leave to it Olivia Shelby to make assumptions about the new barmaid. "You think every new person in town is weird."
"I didn't think Kian were weird." She said, focusing on swirling her straw round her glass.
Olivia hadn't thought Kian were weird. She took pity on him, because Small Heath was new to him, he knew nobody and had been struck down by a pig within his first twenty-four hours of being in the town. Olivia took pity on him. She wanted to be kind, so she invited him into her circle.
And now she was starting to regret that. But, Charlotte wasn't going to understand that, the Junia girl wasn't going to understand that the tea leaves had been right all along, and that someone is going to seriously betray her.
Charlotte wouldn't understand. And Olivia would go crazy trying to explain it to her.
And even Eleanora might laugh at the girl for believing in her tea leaves, she'd claim that Olivia was simply paranoid and that they'd already welcomed Kian (some more than others) and it would take a lot of effort to get rid of him now.
There was so much going on in this pub. And Olivia didn't understand any of it. She didn't understand why Kian and Grace weirdly knew each other, why Tommy and Grace were so weirdly close or why Grace seemed to weirdly defend Tommy to Olivia.
Why didn't she understand any of this?
"Hiya!" Kian greeted as he stepped into the pub, many of the men in the place stared at him with wide eyes. They'd been somewhat accepting of the Irish barmaid, but a wee little Irish fella drinking in their pub was too much. "Feels like I haven't seen ya in ages." He said cheerfully as he sat on the stool beside Olivia.
There were whispers from behind Olivia and Charlotte thought the Shelby might use her namesake to silence them.
But she didn't. The Shelby didn't even move at Kian's arrival.
So, the Junia took matters into her own hands. "Oi!" She exclaimed, kicking the back of one of the men's chairs with her foot, "He ain't gonna be here long, but that shouldn't matter considering he's with a Shelby."
They cast a glance back to Olivia and muttered their apologies.
Olivia wasn't all too sure she heard them.
Harry came to the end of the bar this time, looking at Kian with confusion written all over his face.
"He's with us," Charlotte smiled. Harry had known her almost as long as he'd known Olivia. He'd believe her. Although, he hadn't seemed convinced. "swear on it, Harry. Can you get him an apple cordial, please?"
Harry nodded his head, walked away and glanced back. He was sure he'd have to report this back to the older Shelbys.
Charlotte judged the Shelby, "What is the matter with you? They're about to eat Kian up in the place, didn't you warn them that an Irishman were coming?"
"Forgot." She replied, simply.
Charlotte rolled her eyes and decided Olivia wasn't going to be much good at conversation, she stood up and moved into the stool next to Kian instead.
If Olivia was going to be a paranoid, moody, bum on their reunion day then so be it, but Charlotte wasn't going to put up with it this time. The Junia girl had many good days ruined by Olivia Shelby's paranoia, they'd lost many friends because of it too, but not this time.
Charlotte had nearly rejoiced at the act of kindness Olivia had shown Kian, inviting him when usually there was steel walls wrapped around this friendship group and had to go through a test before Olivia would let them in, which nobody ever passed because it was too difficult. Kian was just let in. And Charlotte thought that might've meant the steel walls were falling, that Olivia's steel walls were falling.
But, it seemed nothing was going to change. No matter how much Charlotte wished for it to.
The bell above the door chimed. "I've arrived!" Eleanora cheered over the buzz of the pub, her arms wrapping round all their shoulders (even Kian's) (Maybe they'd been nice to each other in the past week) "And I'm ready to go jumping in that canal."
Kian looked mortified, "Nobody said anything about jumping in any canals."
Charlotte patted him on the shoulder, "Don't worry, it's just something Olivia and Nora do."
"You aren't in your jumping dress." Eleanora pointed out.
"Yeah." Olivia responded, leaving a fiver on the bar top and standing up, "In the wash. Had to wear a different one. Feel a cold coming on anyway."
"So?" Eleanora asked, her hand placed on Olivia's chest to stop her from moving any further, "That's never stopped you before, if anything that usually makes you want to do it more."
"Just ain't feeling it, alright?" Olivia insisted, shaking her head and leading the way to their spot beside the canal.
Even if she was confused by Olivia's attitude adjustment, she still followed hot on the heels of the Shelby, "What's the matter with you? Charlotte told me you were so excited about today she could've swore you were going to explode, and yet here you are, ever the mardy arse."
Olivia rolled her eyes, planting a smile on her face as she swirled around to face Eleanora, walking backwards and hoping people would jump out the Shelby's way, "That better for you?"
"Still a mardy arse." Eleanora commented, as she fell into step with Olivia, "Don't see what your problem is, we're all together again."
"I ain't got a problem," Olivia huffed, "I just didn't like the pub today."
Eleanora was baffled but didn't say anything. Olivia loved the pub, whether they were being loud, idiotic or on the odd day, quiet. She loved the chaos of a pub, because she was a child of chaos and for once it wasn't just her causing the chaos. It was everyone around here, drunk off their heads, slamming down pints like no tomorrow.
Olivia loved the pub, not even for the drink. Just because of how normal she felt there.
"Y'know, James were back this week." Eleanora said. "Everyone was laughing at him, saying he got beat by a girl."
"He didn't get beat by a girl, Nora." Olivia declared, "He got beat by a Shelby."
"Same thing?"
If only Eleanora knew how different they were.
❋
Olivia hadn't stayed out with her friends for as long as she intended, and she hadn't even jumped into the canal with Eleanora. In fact, she hadn't even stayed long enough to see the Faye girl jump into the grimy water.
Olivia had actually been the first to leave the company of her friends.
Which had only ever been done when she was grounded, and as far as her friends knew Olivia Shelby was free from any grounding, or any punishment yesterday.
So, what was wrong with that girl? (Despite the obvious)
Olivia knew what was wrong. It felt wrong to sit at the side of that canal with Kian, not knowing who he truly was, not understanding the connection between him and Grace. It felt wrong not to understand something. Or not know something.
Olivia Shelby was supposed to know everything. And when she felt as if she didn't know something, she clammed up. She'd feel out of place. Lost. Confusion and paranoia would invade every single thought that crossed her mind because she didn't understand one or two things.
She had to know everything. Because, it she didn't know everything, Olivia wasn't exactly sure where that left her. It would disappoint Tommy.
And Olivia never wanted to disappoint him to that extreme.
She'd walked into the Shelby house with full focus on her shoes, they were clean and that would be a nice surprise for Aunt Polly. (Who was currently at the train station...)
"Alright?" One of her brothers asked.
Olivia wasn't particularly fussed which one it was at this moment in time. Even if it had been Tommy Shelby who she seated herself opposite at the kitchen table.
"No."
Tommy Shelby prepared himself for another tongue lashing, or the possibility of Billy Kimber being in town and Olivia having already found out. That was just what he needed today. So, he'd have to beat her to it.
"Billy Kimber came round the pub today."
"Interesting." Olivia grumbled. Her forehead resting against the wood of the table and her arms falling idly at the side of her body.
If Tommy didn't know better he'd think she was dead. But, her leg was bouncing under the table. And usually it would annoy him, the constant squeak of the floorboard under the pressure of her foot but he could tell she needed to do something.
Tommy nodded. "It were. Said he'd shoot me in the head 'cause we fixed a race. But, then I told him we'd work for him, he agreed."
"I'd rather he'd shoot you." Olivia admitted.
"You don't mean that."
"I might."
"It's not a nice thing to say."
Olivia rolled her eyes, "So? You haven't been nice to me, so I'm not being nice to you."
Tommy ignored what she said, "Did ya know, he's got a son here? He said somethin' before he left, 'let's go see my boy'. Imagine Billy Kimber being a dad." There was an exhale of air, and Olivia supposed that was how her older brother laughed these days.
Olivia hummed, "He'd be more absent then ours."
"Good one."
"I know."
Tommy folded the newspaper shut, "Is it about the races? You ain't coming this year 'cause it ain't safe with what I've got planned. Next year will be your year."
"Cool."
Tommy wished having sisters wasn't so bloody difficult. "Is it about the horse? I planned on taking you to see him today but y'know."
"He died. Yes, I know."
"What's your bloody problem then?" He finally asked, because Tommy could only play games with Olivia for so long.
"Why's it any of your business?" Olivia bit back, "Not like you care."
"Where've you got that from then?" Tommy asked.
"Where'd you think? You cut up Freddie Thorne yet?"
"I ain't cutting Freddie up."
Olivia snorted and raised her head from its position against the wood, "And I'm supposed to believe you...?"
"I don't see why not." He shrugged, "Trusted me before. And when have I ever broken a promise of yours?"
Once, actually. He said he'd be back by Christmas, but he never was. It had been three Christmases and eleven months later when Thomas Shelby had returned home.
And Olivia was sure he'd never really returned back from France.
But it felt wrong to hold that broken promises against Thomas Shelby, he could never of predicted that he'd be gone for so long.
Olivia huffed, "You ain't gone be angry at me?"
Tommy braced himself, "What've you done now?"
"Nothing." Olivia said, "Nothing bad at least. I got a new mate."
Tommy wasn't sure how this could make him angry at her.
"And I think he's..." Olivia sighed, "Polly read my tea leaves and she said I was gonna have a big betrayal and I think it's gonna be him."
"Why?"
"'Cause." Olivia answered. She wasn't sure why she was talking to Tommy, she had swore she wouldn't. But, he was the only person around. And no matter how much she loved her other brothers they wouldn't understand, and no doubt Polly would say the tea leaves were wrong and the Shelby girl just needed a good nights sleep.
Ada probably wouldn't have a clue what she was going on about.
Tommy was the only one who understood.
And Olivia didn't know if that was good or bad.
"You can't just say 'cause." Tommy responded, his sister was stressed. Too stressed for a fourteen year old girl who had grown paranoid of her new friend. She always did this, and every-time she had the same reaction. She'd sack 'em off. No matter what the other girls said.
Tommy didn't know much about friendship, but he knew Charlotte and Eleanora must've been growing tired of the repetitive cycle.
Olivia didn't want to ask about Grace. If Tommy wanted to run round with the Irish barmaid, so be it. If it made the man the tiniest bit more bearable she was happy for him.
"He's Irish, alright!"
Tommy didn't believe he'd have to have this conversation with Olivia again. "Olivia—"
"No. Hear me out. The Inspector, Irish. My new friend, Irish. And they coincidentally arrive on the exact same day? Yeah, okay. That's just totally on accident." And we'll forget the Grace part for now, because Olivia can do her own searching on the blonde barmaid.
"It could be a total coincidence."
"It isn't."
"You're paranoid."
Olivia's eyes snapped to meet his own. "Don't call me that. I'm not..." Her knuckles clicked under the table, "I'm right, Tommy, you just have to believe me."
"He's your friend, Olivia, you make the decisions here." Tommy was quick to correct himself, in a paranoid state of mind Olivia was probable to assume he meant fighting someone. "You can either stay friends with him, or sack him off. There's just no saying how that effects your other mates."
"That isn't what I want to hear, Tommy." Olivia shook her head, she thought he'd understand, not that he'd call her paranoid.
She needed someone to tell her she was right.
"What am I supposed to say, Olivia? You've came in 'ere all worked up about your mate and I gave you the best advice I can." He shrugged. He'd never had any friends, but if you didn't like them surely you just binned them off?
Except, Olivia liked Kian. Because he annoyed Eleanora, he was sweet like Charlotte, shy around a large group of people but could be quite loud around the right group of people. Olivia was nice to him. She'd been nice. And she didn't want her kind action to go to waste on someone who might betray her.
Because, then she'd never be kind again.
Because, then kindness never got Olivia Shelby anywhere. And Thomas Shelby would've been right in saying kindness was a weakness.
Olivia groaned, standing up from the chair, "I want you to tell me that I'm right. That this influx of Irish people in this place isn't just bloody coincidental!"
"That's all it is though, Olivia. A coincidence." He'd ignored the fact she'd grouped Grace into that now, because the last thing he needed was Olivia getting involved in his Grace business.
She gave him one final shake of her head before storming up the stairs.
There were many things Olivia Shelby didn't like in this world, there were the simple things of not having her socks fit on her feet in the correct manner, or her food touching on her plate and then there was the more complex things, like being called paranoid.
Being called paranoid made her feel...
Crazy.
And Olivia Shelby wasn't crazy. She was right.
And if she had to prove it to Tommy, she would.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
the first half of this chapter was written when i was in good health and then the second i was literally so ill and i fear it makes no sense 😭😭
plus i feel bad that chapters take so long, so i'm sorry!! trying my best with the limited time i have (blame english lit and history a-levels for that, and epq!!) but enjoy the spiral of olivia shelby because it begins NOW!!!!
also finnick odair fic in the works 🤭 (i would die for that man, even tho he died first...)