When The Boys Are Away

Part 63

That night, the women gathered in The Garrison's private compartment, ready for a good, long catch up. It was rare they all got to go out without the men, but they were all off doing various tasks and John was having a night in with the kids, therefore allowing Rose to sneak away to meet her friends too. 

Even Polly had found time out of her busy schedule to sit with them for a few hours. With Lizzie pregnant and the others not wanting a pounding headache in the morning, they had stuck to water and flavoured sodas, but their company was more than enough to keep them happy. 

"So, Harlow," Ada's eager eyes settled on her best friend beside her who watched her carefully, slightly nervous for the interrogation she was about to give, "What was Michael hinting to earlier?" She was referring to him saying that Harlow was a step ahead of Ada in the race to get married. 

Harlow rolled her eyes and shook her head knowingly, she was sure Ada was going to bring that up. Polly narrowed her eyes in confusion, trying to piece together what her niece was talking about, "Wait, you and Michael aren't..." 

Lizzie choked on her drink, trying to stop herself from laughing as Harlow's eyes widened in alarm, using the hands to clear up the mess, "No, no Pol. Absolutely not, I swear to you, he was talking about someone else." As she finished her sentence, Harlow had began giggling herself, and Polly couldn't help but smile, hand placed on her chest, regardless of still being kept in the dark.

"I'm going to tell you something, and I don't know whether you will approve." Harlow explained cautiously, feeling the waters as she glanced around discreetly at her groups of friends. Ada and Polly eyed her warily whilst Lizzie and Rose just sat with reassuring smiles on their faces, the perfect split between honesty and support. 

"Don't tell me you've gone back to Tommy..." Ada pressed in a low tone, leaning on her elbows and staring up at her friend with an unintentionally threatening outlook. Harlow went to speak, but was cut off again, "Please don't say Arthur," The Shelby sister paused for a second, "Bloody hell, don't say Finn." 

"Ada! Stop it." Polly commanded harshly, silencing her at once and receiving a sorrowful glance, but Polly's inquisitive eyes never left the brunette girl who was on the edge of revealing her secret. 

Urging her to carry on, Harlow nodded, clearing her throat as her hands twiddle together in her lap, "Well, when I was in London, I didn't stay with Tommy, Dale, Levi and Nick," She explained, ignoring the desperation that lingered in the air between the group. 

"I stayed with Alfie Solomons." 

It was silent for a moment, and Harlow was scared to look up. However, as soon as she did, she noticed the knowing smiles on Lizzie and Polly's faces, and the look of happiness that Rose expressed. Undeniably, she'd never forget the reaction she got from Ada who practically jumped her bones in a millisecond, pulling her into an exceptionally tight hug from the side. 

"I knew it, I knew it! John owes me ten pound! I said from the moment that car exploded and he came running, I just knew." Ada rambled excitedly, as Harlow wrestled her off whilst laughing. Lizzie shook her head at the pair, holding her hands out against the wooden table so neither of them would smash their heads against it, she knew how clumsy they both were. She was mum material already. 

"How did Thomas take it?" Polly had managed to retain the image that she was mad at her nephew for literally everything he did through her stern words and narked expressions, but everyone could tell she worried about him on a daily basis. After all, she had helped raise him like it was her own son, as she did with all of the boys. 

"Who cares, he dug his grave with Grace, and I'll be very happy to watch him lie in it." Ada responded fiercely, retouching her hair which had become frazzled in the excitement. She ran her finger sharply over the corner of her lip, fixing her pristine, red gloss effortlessly as Polly narrowed her eyes, her lips twitching slightly with worry.