CHAPTER 14

Janice sat in front of the fire, a cup of tea in hand. She looked tired. "You okay, mum?" Tilly walked through to the kitchen, wiping down the table. Janice hummed, not looking away from the fire.

"I'm going out for a bit, going to pick some things up from the shop. Thought it'd be nice if I made dinner for us," she called out.

Janice leaned forward, placing the cup onto the wooden table. She stood up, joining her daughter in the kitchen. "That'll be nice," she said quietly, forcing a small smile.

"Finn, Polly and Arthur said they'd come round too. I did invite Ada but she can't get back from London in time," Tilly continued, placing clean plates into the cupboard.

Janice nodded slowly, walking forward and wrapping her arms around the young girl. Tilly's eyes widened and she slowly hugged her back. "You're a good girl, an you know i do love you, don't you?" Janice said quietly.

"Yeah..yeah i know. Are you sure everything is okay?" Matilda said, growing worried.

Janice pulled away, nodding. "Everything's fine, I promise. You run along and go to the shops, they'll be closing soon." Janice stepped away, walking back to the living room.

Matilda was slightly confused at the older woman's sudden affection.

She shrugged it off and walked out toward the small shop on Powis Street, a few lanes away from Watery Lane.

"Ay, Willows!" She heard a voice call out. Tilly snapped her head around, realising it was Harry Woods. "Sorry about that scene this morning," he laughed awkwardly. She shook her head, "it's okay,"

"But Billy is a fucking prick."

"Don't i know it," she sighed, looking up at him as he walked with her.

He laughed slightly, clearing his throat. "Right then, i'll leave you to it. See you around, yeah?"

"Yeah." She agreed.

-

Tilly walked into her house which held an empty presence. "Mum?" She shouted, running her fingers over the wooden table. She frowned, realising her mother wasn't home. "Hm," she hummed, looking at the clock.

"No dinner then," she whispered to herself, feeling disappointed that she wouldn't be able to celebrate with her mother. Tilly placed the bag of food she'd bought onto the counter.

She kissed her teeth, picking up an old photograph of her late father. A small smile sat on her lips as moments from before the war filled her mind.

"My girl," The older man greeted, lifting the young girl from the floor and spinning her around. "Hello, dad." She grinned, hugging him tightly. He closed his eyes, holding her. "Happy birthday Tilda," he said, pushing a strand of her hair away from her face. "Thank you!" she said excitedly as he placed her on the floor, taking her hand in his. They joined Janice and Polly Gray in the living room. Eighteen year old John Shelby sat beside his aunt, moving over to allow Matilda to sit. "Happy birthday," he said, pulling her hair. She groaned, pushing the older boy away. He laughed at her and watched as Polly handed her a present. The small girl thanked them all for the gifts and crossed her legs. "Where's Finn and Arthur?" she hummed, tapping her feet on the floor. "They're on their way," Polly said, placing the wrapping paper in a pile. Time had passed and the two other Shelby boys joined them, Arthur stood with a pale face, letter in hand. "There's..er..something happened."

They all looked at him, worry filling him. Matilda's father took the piece of paper from Arthur and scanned the words. Matilda watched as dread washed over his features.

"Bloody hell, what is it!" Polly asked, getting frustrated. The older woman snatched the letter from his hand and read it. "Dear god," she whispered, her hand covering her mouth.

Finn and Matilda shared a worried glance and Janice joined Polly, the same expression appearing on her face. "What is it?" Finn asked, concerned.

Janice sucked in her bottom lip. "The men are going away for a while," Polly finally spoke. John realised what had happened. "They're going to France, to fight for the king."

Matilda wasn't stupid. She knew a war had began.

Her lip trembled and tears brimmed her eyes. John lifted her onto his knee, wrapping an arm around her. "We'll be okay, Tilly, we will be back before you know it. I promise," he held his pinky finger out. She shook her head, refusing to accept the promise. Finn watched sadly, too feeling sad.

"John, er, come on." Arthur grumbled, waiting at the door. John placed a kiss on Matilda's forehead and left with his eldest brother. Finn looked over at Tilly with sad eyes.

"Ay," Isiah entered the house, causing her to snap back to reality. "Finn, John and Arthur are going the Garrison, they want you to go with them," he said.

"Why are you here?"

"They sent me to get you," he told her, taking a cigarette and lighting it. Her heart pounded and she took a deep breath, nodding.

"I'll be over," she told him, waiting till he left.

Tilly placed a hand on the wooden drawers, leaning against the wall, taking deep breaths. That was one event she remembered more than the others. The day they got the news that all the men would be sent away to the battle fields. She remembered Finn sitting with her by the canal, looking at the stars, trying to see pictures in the sky like they would with clouds. She remembered him telling her how they'd be okay and how she could have 'sleepovers' at Polly's house with him.

She finally grabbed her coat and locked up the house, quickly making her way over to the Garrison.

When she pushed open the door, her eyes landed on Billy who sat at the bar beside Victoria Riley who's hair was now short, neatly pinned up, a red ribbon finishing the look. She kept her head down and walked into the snug.

"Ello, you," John said happily, throwing a poker chip into the middle of the table. "Hi, John." She sighed, sitting opposite him.

She glanced over Arthur's shoulder, looking at his cards. A small grin made its way to her face when she realised his cards were shit, he was bluffing. Tilly looked at Finn, shaking her head to tell him that Arthur had nothing.

He licked his bottom lip, pushing the remaining pile of chips into the centre.

"Fuck," Arthur mumbled, "i'm out," he gave up, placing his cards on the table. John thought for a moment. "Yeah, same." He agreed, also placing his cards down.

Finn whistled and pushed the large pile of chips toward him, laughing as they all looked at his cards. Finn also had shit cards but still won by bluffing.

"You bloody bastard!" Arthur shouted, kicking the bottom of her chair. "Excuse me," she raised her eyebrows, kicking his knee.

He shook his head and walked out, going to get a drink.

Matilda took that as her opportunity to move next to Finn.

"Ello," he nodded, draping his arm round the back of the part of the booth she sat in. She smiled at him and took the pile of cards, quickly shuffling them.

Arthur soon returned and they started up another round, only to be interrupted by Isiah and Micheal who had cuts on their faces and blood on their knuckles.

"Here they are, look" Arthur said. "Junior peaky boys"

The boys sat down and Matilda examined the two.

"What's happened, have you been scrapping?" he looked at the boys.

"Some idiots at the Marquis of Lorne, tried to stop us from drinking but it's all right. We fought them off. We had to stand out ground and we did."

"The Marquis, eh?" Arthur asked, standing up. John and Finn stood but they pushed Finn back to his seat causing Tilly to snort with laughter. "Where's your dad?"

"Preaching"

"Right" he sighed, picking up his cap and walking to the door. "Don't nick any of me chips Finn" John shouted.

"Where are you going?"

"We won't be long"

"Where are they going?" Micheal asked Isiah. "The Marquis of Lorne, shame it was a nice pub"

Tilly leaned into Finn slightly, his fingertips resting on her bare shoulder.

"My mum wasn't home, looks like we aren't celebrating tonight," she pursed her lips into a straight line. Finn frowned. "Sorry, Til." He said, genuinely sorry for her.

"She's been quite..absent lately, I hope she's okay," Tilly's mind wandered to the worst possible thing that could've happened.

"Oi, stop causing issues in ya head," he stopped her.

"Where are they going?" Micheal repeated. "Fucks sake, Micheal, they're setting the Marquis on fire." Matilda snapped causing all three of the boys to raise their eyebrows.

Time has passed and all four of them grew tired, well, Tilly had grown tired so Finn had offered to walk her home like he always did.

"Looks like the big bastard got cut" Isiah said, smiling as Arthur and John walked toward them.

"You didn't have to do that for us" Micheal shouted. "We didn't do it for you Micheal. We did it for the good name of the company"

"None of this happened all right" John shouted as they walked away.

She laughed slightly at Johns behaviour. He suddenly turned again, walking backwards. "Ay, Finn boy, you get her home safe, yeah!"

"Yeah, i always do!" Finn said as if his brother was inferring he didn't ever get her home safely.

"Right we'll be off," Isiah said, referring to him and Micheal.

"See ya's tomorrow then," Finn nodded, his arm around Tilly's shoulders. "It's fucking freezing," she yawned, so tired she was hardly able to walk.

"Yeah, well, it's midnight, it's not going to be warm, is it?" He said sarcastically, She rolled her eyes and grabbed the keys from her pocket, unlocking the door.

"You coming in?" She asked, keeping the door open. He said nothing but stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

She left him for a few moments whilst she walked through the house in search for her mother. "Mum, you home?" She shouted, walking through to the living room.

Tilly's eyes widened and a blood curdling scream left her mouth.

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