CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE | the grand reopening
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Grand Opening of The Garrison.
It was today. Everyone was extremely excited, Ada had written to Lucie informing her that she'd be coming up for the opening. Lucie felt less empty today, it was as though little by little the pieces were being picked back up.
Lucie was dressed in yet another one of Thomas' shirts along with her favourite burgundy skirt. She wanted to change for the re opening but she had no nice dresses for the occasion. Yet, she had other things to do besides worry about her clothing.
She was walking down a cobbled road towards the graveyard. However that wasn't her destination, she was actually going to see her Aunt and cousin.
Lucie knocked on the door four times, waiting for her aunt to open the door, she saw children running and splashing in mud.
"Lucie! Hello, Love." Her Aunt beamed. "Don't just stand there come on in!"
Lucie walked inside and sat in the living room. The house was small but beautiful and homely. Her Aunt always had an eye for interior decorating.
"Lucie!" A small voice screeched.
Lucie turned to see Isabelle hurtling towards her at full speed.
"Hello, trouble!" Lucie giggled lifting her into the air.
"Hi pretty lady." Isabelle laughed.
The trio sat and laughed the hours away. Lucie told them of her time in London with her parents and the affairs of the Shelbys. When Isabelle left for the bathroom, Lucie used the small window of time to tell Her Aunt what had happened on Polly's birthday.
"Auntie A, I— er — I lost my child." Lucie stuttered trying not to cry.
"Oh, sweetheart. Come here. It's going to be okay." Her Aunt held her close. "I understand what you're going through. I lost a child myself when I was young, but I had no father of the child to comfort me. You've got him, whoever he is." Her Aunt smiled.
"I haven't told him, I can't. He doesn't know but he said if he lost a child he'd be a wreck." Lucie sighed.
"Luce, what's wrong? Why are you sad?" A little voice chirped.
"Oh I'm fine, Bella. I'm just going soon so I'll miss your pretty face." Lucie wiped her tears away and hugged Isabelle tightly.
"Look I need to go, but the Garrison is opening again tonight, I'd love to see you two there, Isabelle can meet Karl Ada's son, you can meet the Shelby's and Thomas, it would be a lovely night." Lucie smiled.
"Please mummy, please can we go!" Isabelle wriggled with excitement.
"Alright." Adelaide laughed and rolled her eyes.
"I'll see you later little lady!" Lucie peppered Isabelle's face with kisses and put her down.
"Bye Auntie A, please come, meet him. Meet all of them." Lucie smiled.
"I will Lucie, Love, but you need to tell him alright." She smiled softly.
"I'll try."
Lucie made her way back to John and Esme's house. Polly wasn't very happy with her at the moment, since her and Thomas wouldn't tell Polly where Michael was. But it was do the best.
"Esme, Love, it's me!" Lucie shouted.
"Upstairs." Esme shouted back.
John has taken the kids to say with the Lees for the night, so the house was extremely quiet. When Lucie reached the bedroom she saw Esme. Dressed in a baby pink dress. Pearls and heels. She seemed to be finishing off her makeup.
"Oh my Christ, Esme! You look amazing." Lucie gasped.
"Got to impress, kids are gone all night." Esme wiggled her eyebrows.
Esme look Lucie up and down. And then up and down once more.
"Tell me you ain't going like that." Esme spoke.
"What's wrong with my outfit?" Lucie asked looked at herself.
"Well it's just. It's a chance to get dressed up and impress, you know. Spend the night a Tommy's." Esme winked.
"I've got nothing else, Esme. I haven't even got any makeup. It's all stuff I've borrowed from Polly." Lucie remarked.
"Right. Sit down, I'll do your make up, then. Go to Tommy's house and get a dress you've left there. I know it's there, John thought it were mine." Esme laughed and pushed Lucie into the seat of the vanity.
Esme began to paint beautiful makeup onto Lucie's face.
"So, Luce, I think you should go for it tonight. Enchant Tommy. Yeah? I've got some nice underwear that don't fit me no more —." Esme began causing Lucie to guffaw.
"Esme!" Lucie giggled.
"What, have you fun." Esme laughed. "Oh come on Luce, it's not like your pregnant just live a little."
"I was." Lucie sighed. "That's why I feel weird about it Esme. I was pregnant. I—er—well you can guess." Lucie sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes. It felt good to finally tell people.
"Oh, Luce, oh." Esme hugged Lucie tightly. "Take one of mine if you like." Lucie giggled.
"I don't want to dwell on the past any longer, I'll be going soon anyways, I'll get that dress from Tommy's like you said." Lucie smiled.
"Well alright then, I'm almost done." Esme began painting Lucie's lips red like hers. " Tell him Luce. He needs to know."
"I will. And I'll take that underwear off your hands too." Lucie giggled sending Esme into a fit of laughter and excitement.
Lucie left feeling better than she did upon arrival. She was walking towards Tommy's small flat. She let the snow settle on her nose and eyelashes. Enjoying the frosty breeze.
Lucie jogged up the stairs to Tommy's flat and knocked on the door, with no answer. She remember Thomas left a key on the door frame, luckily when she slid her hand across the top it was there.
When she unlocked the door, there was a dress hung on the curtain rail.
'Luce,
Did you really think I wouldn't buy you a new dress for the opening? Esme told me you were staying at her house, and had wore the same clothes everyday. So this is your dress, you can stay with me tonight, leave John and Esme to it. I look forward to seeing you in the dress.
Tommy x'
"Cheeky, cheeky man, Mr. Shelby." Lucie giggled and pulled the dress down.
Lucie looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was emerald green, the bodice was sequinned. Tommy has asked for in to be taken in at the waisted to be fitted, just as Lucie liked. Of course the dress had a neck line lower that acceptable, cheeky, cheeky Tommy.
Lucie squealed and headed down to the Garrison after locking the door and returning the key to its place.
Lucie walked through the cobbles streets, watching the snow fall before her. She loved winter, not just because it was cold and cosy but it was Christmas too.
Lucie turned the corner to see Arthur and Finn just ahead of her.
"Arthur! Arthur! Finn!" Lucie shouted down the street catching their attention.
"Lucie!" Arthur roared back sprinting towards her, lifting her over his shoulder.
"Arthur!" Lucie screamed as her walked with her over his shoulder towards the Garrison. Finn walking behind.
"Hello, Finn." Lucie giggled, whilst hanging over Arthur's shoulder.
Arthur pushed open the pub doors with Lucie still on his shoulder, she heard the up roar of laughter from people inside.
"Alright, Arthur, put her down now." Thomas spoke.
Arthur put Lucie down and held her in a tight hug laughing in her ear. Arthur moved towards the bar, leaving Thomas with Lucie.
"Don't you look gorgeous." Tommy stated, taking a step back to look at Lucie.
"Thank you, handsome." Lucie giggled.
Thomas pulled her close to him and looked into her eyes with a smile. He lent in a captured her lips in his, kissing her soft and slow.
Lucie broke the kiss and smiled.
"As much as I'd like to carry that on, I've got people to speak with." Lucie giggled and walked away towards Polly.
"Polly wait! Please." Lucie pleaded.
"What." Polly spat.
"I know Cha-Michael. I promise he will come here, 18 or not he will come. I promise." Lucie smiled.
"I know." Polly sighed. "I've not enjoyed ignoring you, misses. Now let's get you a drink, hey?" Polly laughed and led Lucie to the bar.
"Whatcha' having, Luce?" Arthur shouted.
"Two whiskeys." Polly interjected, "It's a celebration, Luce."
Lucie looked towards the door to see two familiar faces enter the Garrison. Both dressed in their nicest clothes.
"Bella!" Lucie shouted as she came running towards her cousin.
Lucie grabbed hold of Isabelle and lifted her into the air, throwing her up and catching her. She held her on her hip and hugged her Auntie.
"I'm so glad you decided to come." Lucie laughed.
"Right well, I want a drink. Will you look after Bella for me?" Adelaide smiled.
"Of course."
Lucie moved to a relatively empty space and began to dance with Isabelle. She spun her around and lifted her over her head.
"Wow! You're such a good dancer!" Lucie giggled.
Isabelle laughed and jumped up and down, signally she wanted to be lifted up by Lucie.
Lucie lifted her up and joked with her, spinning her and shaking her with glee.
Thomas watched his girlfriend in delight. He loved seeing her play with her cousin. Thomas walked over to Polly and began to speak.
"Look at her, Pol. That's what I want for us. A child we can love, half me half her. Just look at her Pol. She's so happy." Thomas lent against the bar and watched his girlfriend.
Polly couldn't hold it in any longer, Thomas had a right to know.
"Tommy, Lucie didn't want to tell you yet, not with everything happening, but." Polly drank the rest of her whiskey. "My birthday, once you'd all left. She was in pain. She — oh fuck; she miscarried." Polly sighed.
Thomas gasped at the words. That's why she had been off with him this week. That why she cried when they talked of Polly loosing her children.
"I've got to talk to her. I can't believe. Fuck! Why didn't she tell me." Tommy slammed his fist onto the bar.
"She wanted to be strong, she's scared you would leave her. She thinks you're under too much stress at the minute, doesn't want to throw a spanner in the works. Let me tell her you know first, alright?" Polly stubbed out her cigarette and walked towards Lucie.
"Hiya, Polly." Lucie beamed. "Isabelle, say hello."
"Hi." Isabelle whispered before hiding herself in Lucie's neck.
"Why don't you give Isabelle to her mother, Luce I need to speak with you." Polly asked.
"Come on then Bella, mummy's there look, to to her." Isabelle ran towards her mother, leaving Polly and Lucie to speak alone.
"Pol, what's wrong?" Lucie questioned.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't keep it from him any longer." Polly sighed.
"What do you mean?" Lucie was visibly worried.
"He saw you with that little cousin of yours, came straight to me, smiling ear to ear, I had to tell him, Love. It's gonna be okay. He's going to speak to you about it. Love, I can see in his eyes, he's not angry. He's hurt that you went through it alone."
"It's okay, it was time he knew anyways."