𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐

Maeve waltzed into the Garrison and looked about. She looked at the barman who nodded toward the snug. "Thanks Harry," she said, twisting the door handle and entering.

"The bloody bell are you doing here?" Arthur looked away from his playing cards. "Got bored, thought i'd join youse. You should be thanking me
really because John and Tommy are awfully boring," she insulted, sitting beside John who threw his arm around her and ruffled her hair. "I'll let that one slide," John muttered.

"What ya's playing?" Maeve asked, tapping the floor with her feet. "What's it look like, eh?" Tommy said sarcastically, tapping his cigarette on the ashtray.

"All right Mr 'I think I run the place', I was only asking." She rolled her eyes. Arthur practically burst out laughing and pointed a finger at Tommy, "she's got you there, she really has!"

"All right, Arthur just play the hand." Tommy said, staring down at his cards. John angled his own cards toward her and she stared at them for a while before giving him a slight nod to keep playing.

If anybody was good at playing poker, it was Maeve.

They continued playing and with her help, John ended up winning, leaving Arthur to strop as if he was a child who'd gotten his sweets taken away.

"That's not fair! He was cheating, he had help off Maeve!" Arthur drunkenly slurred. "Oh come on, Dad. Don't be such a sore loser," she tormented.

"Shut up you or i'll send you home." He pointed a finger at her. "God maybe it isn't just John and Tommy who are boring, maybe it's you as well." She said, crossing her arms. John whistled at her time. "Grown a pair of balls have you?"

"Well, John, you have missed four years so you've missed quite a bit." She reminded him, picking up his glass and swigging the rest of his whiskey. "Oi!" He scolded, "that's mine!"

"Not anymore it's not."

"Arthur, bloody tell her will you?" John argued. Arthur shrugged and shook his head, "she's my daughter, John. Next time don't leave ya whiskey unaccompanied."

John was shocked at his lack of anger toward his daughters actions. He slouched in his seat and threw his cards down.

"Not playing anymore,"

Maeve's eyes diverted to the door of the Garrison that had opened once more, Theadosia Roberts walking in alone, a white dress clinging to her body, a red ribbon around her waist.

"Oh my god!" Maeve squealed, standing my quickly and rushing away from the snug. "Thea!" She shouted, practically jumping into the brunette girls arms. Theadosia stumbled backward slightly and laughed.

"Maeve," she whispered, hugging her. "When did you get back?" Maeve asked, stepping backward. Thea thought for a moment, "last night."

Over the last couple months, Theadosia has went to live in London due to the fact her grandmother had fallen ill. So her and her mother had picked up and move down to London for a few months, leaving Maeve to be around the Montgomery brothers alone.

Which of course she didn't mind because they weren't half as repulsive as the other boys in Small Heath.

"Come, dad and the boys are drinking in the snug." Maeve grabbed her hand, dragging her into the separate room where her family sat. John and Tommy looked up from their cards. "When the bloody hell did you get back?" Tommy asked.

"Last night," Thea took a seat sheepishly. "Yeah..I heard about ya grandmother, how's she holding up?" Arthur chimed in, taking a sip of his whiskey.

Thea shrugged, "she's been better but the doctors think she'll be okay."

"Well, that's good then isn't it." Arthur grumbled. Maeve's eyes widened when she realised that Max and Cameron won't have seen Thea yet. "Excuse us, we have somewhere to be," Maeve said quickly as she grabbed Thea's arm and rushed her down Watery Lane.

"Where are we going?" Thea's laughs echoed as they ran. "Cameron and Max, they'll still be at the canal." Maeve breathed heavily, stepping over the puddles to avoid getting her dress wet.

"Maeve, they live round the corner from me I can see them whenever I like!" Theadosia reminded her friend, trying to keep up with her. Maeve lifted her dress from the floor and took a deep breath, "well they have drinks and cigarettes, so just come on."

Theadosia didn't need anymore convincing to go and see her friends. Booze and nicotine? Automatically convinced.

"Max, Cam. You still here?" Maeve shouted, careful not to slip into the cut as they walked across the cobble. "Yeah, we're still here." Max called out from under the bridge.

"I've got someone to see you," Maeve grinned. There was a slight sound of shuffling before both brothers appeared, shock automatically appearing on their face.

Max was the first to step forward and engulf their childhood friend into a hug, almost suffocating her in the process. "You're home," he muttered into her shoulder. Theadosia laughed again, "I am. And you're also suffocating me," she wheezed, patting his back quickly.

He let go of her and smiled awkwardly, "sorry."

Thea looked at Cameron, waiting for him to say something. "Hello to you too, Cam." She scoffed, climbing underneath the bridge and stealing their spot.

Maeve sat beside her and made room for the boys, taking the half empty liquor bottle and taking another swig. Thea laughed at her, covering her mouth in attempt to control it.

That was one thing Maeve had missed the most, the sound of Thea's laugh and the way it bounced off the walls, echoing for seconds. It gave her a sense of comfort that nothing else did.

"All right that's enough," Cameron snatched the bottle and handed it to Max. Maeve crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, "youse are no fun."

"We are fun, it's just i'm not sure I want to carry you home if you're drunk." Cameron shrugged. "You won't have to, it's always me who does it." Max defended.

One thing Ada was right about was that Max was the better brother. In many ways. He was kind and a lot more caring than Cameron despite the fact Cameron was younger than him. Max cared for Maeve a lot more than Cameron ever would, he just didn't want to admit it.

All Cameron saw in her was guns
and popularity. If he got in with Arthur Shelby's daughter, nobody would dare step out of line. He'd be connected to the Shelby name in an instant.

Max watched as Maeve and Thea leaned into each other, the ridiculous amount of alcohol rushing through their system as the time passed. Something Max had noticed that night was the certain sparkle in Thea's eyes when she spoke with Maeve.

A sparkle he didn't remember her having before she moved to London. And he could shake it from his head. There was something about the way Thea had been talking and acting around Maeve that was..different.

Maeve gagged, quickly scurrying forward and leaning over the edge of the cut, heaving as the alcohol she'd previously drank came back up and landed in the water below her. "All right," Max sighed, "come on you let's get ya home."

He gently placed his hands around her upper arms after placing his jacket over her shoulders. "See youse tomorrow, Cam you get Thea home safe, yeah?" Max shouted as he led Maeve from the canal.

She held onto him tightly as they walked back toward Watery Lane. "Told you it'd be me taking you home," he whispered, keeping his arm around her. "Yeah, you did." She whispered, goosebumps covering her arms.

"My dads gonna kill me," she groaned, throwing her head back. "Maeve, please just keep your attention on walking- and no he won't kill you because it's me whose walked you home. I'll take the blame," he offered, stopping outside the house and gently knocking on the door.

Maeve closed her eyes for a moment as the door opened, a confused Tommy standing before them. "The fucks happened to you?" He asked, blowing smoke from his cigarette.

"It's my fault, forgot to keep an eye on her whilst she was drinking. She's okay though, been with me and Cameron." Max said, noticing how Maeve had became a lot heavier as she grew tired.

Arthur stumbled behind Tommy, shoving his brother out the way. "Bloody hell," he shook his head, "yeah, all right. Thanks Max fuck off." Arthur said, putting his arm around his daughter and taking her from the Montgomery boy.

"Goodnight Mr Shelby," Max nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets and turning to go back toward Garrison Lane. "Yeah, thanks for bringing 'er home." Tommy shouted as he closed the door.

"Come on," Arthur urged, helping Maeve up the stairs, "what were you thinking, eh?" He asked calmly, helping her into her bed.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, covering her eyes as he turned the light on. "No don't be sorry just be careful. Ya know I don't like it when ya hang around lads by yourself." Arthur said as he pulled the white sheets back.

"Yeah..yeah you've said plenty of times. But Thea was there, she'd never let anything happen to me," Maeve assured him. A small smile tugged at Arthur's lips and he turned the lamp on so he could turn the big lights off. He hovered at the door for a moment. "Goodnight dad," she whispered, "love you."

Her last words were barely audible but he'd heard her and couldn't help the smile that had spread across him face. He closed the door over and let out a breath.

"Why's she home so late?" Polly appeared in the hallway, folding clean washing. "She was out with them bloody Montgomery lads, had a bit to drink didn't she." He told her, running a hand through his messy hair.

"Is she okay?" Polly questioned. Arthur nodded and opened the door to him own bedroom. "Yeah she's fine, just a bit drunk that's all."

Polly hummed and smiled slightly when Arthur closed the door. She liked seeing the happiness that his daughter brought to him. Because Polly could tell he wasn't as happy as he used to be. But Maeve would be the one thing that put a smile on his face when he needed it most.

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