Shelby Madness

chapter 10, 'It wasn't like a boarded a boat to fucken Australia,'

19th April 1919, Small Heath, Birmingham.

The rickety stairs screeched as Ada ascended them. Everyone had arrived for the unsuspected family meeting. Tommy had sent Ada to fetch the twins while he briefed everyone on what had happened.

"Can I come in?" Ada asked as she knocked on Libby's door.

"Yeah."

"What's the matter?" Ada asked as she entered Libby's room.

"Nothing, James is just a dick." Ada chuckled lightly "Does dad want us now/"

Ada was shocked, to say the least when Libby referred to Tommy as 'dad' She saw how uncomfortable it made her when James referred to Tommy as their dad but Ada covered the initial shock up well.

"Yeah, everyone's downstairs in the den waiting. What happened between you and James?"

"He just doesn't know when to quit, to be honest. I know he is looking out for me but he needs to back off. Ada, in all honesty, I hate arguing with him but when he goes on like that I just can't help it."

"I know how you feel, I've got three older brothers," Ada answered feeling sorry for the young girl.

"You know it's nice having another girl to talk to, thanks, Ada."

"I'm here for you. Now go get ur brother before Tommy sends another search party out for ya."

"He didn't," Libby said, looking slightly traumatized.

"Yeah, he did have everyone looking for ya." Ada laughed out loud.

"I was only at the bottom of the street. It wasn't like a boarded a ship to fucken' Australia, was it?"

Ada was nearly crying while laughing, "No. No, it wasn't."

"Right, I'll get me brother and meet you down there."

"Okay."

"James, come on Dad wants us," Libby said loudly but not loud enough for anyone but James to hear.

"Are you out of your huff?"

"James, come on, I wasn't in a huff, move will ye?" Libby said, getting impatient.

"All right in coming, '' James said, opening the door.

Meanwhile, in the betting den, Tommy was briefing everyone on why they were there. "Right, so as most of you know, I was out of town yesterday and just got back this morning. me, John and Ada had to go to Newcastle of all the fucken places." Tommy continued, with a stoic expression, " as it turns out I have two kids. Twins, a boy and a girl."

"Bloody hell Tom, How did you manage that?" Charlie Strong interrupted.

"Right, and before you meet them," Tommy said, quickly gaining control of the betting den again. "They don't know anything. Not about the betting den. Not about the illegal business and certainly not about peaky blinders and I want it kept that way."

"Tommy, you are going to have to tell them about the betting den." Polly reasoned.

"I will Pol, okay. I just don't want to scare them off. I mean Libby already tried to run off."

"Yeah, but that was only because she didn't want to leave Newcastle," John said, immediately jumping to the defences of his niece.

"Alright John, calm down." Polly snapped, giving John 'the look'.

"Ada, will you go and get them please?" Tom asked.

Ada didn't answer, just walked out and slammed the door causing Tommy to sigh and run his finger down his face.