𝓡𝓔𝓥𝓔𝓡𝓘𝓔 - 𝓟𝓔𝓐𝓚𝓨 𝓑𝓛𝓘𝓝𝓓𝓔𝓡𝓢

1

February 14th, 1900-

Cara Shelby was screaming. Her sister in law, Elizabeth Gray was wiping her forehead with a damp cloth as the local midwife was between her legs.

"Push Mrs Shelby!" The midwife calls. "The head is coming"

Cara screams loudly as she pushes, the pain tearing through her entire body.

Newborn cries fill the room and Polly allows tears of joy to fall from her eyes, looking at the beautiful baby. She turns her glossy eyes to her sister and in a shaky voice that she has a beautiful daughter. Through her exhaustion, Cara smiles, and she lets her eyes leave Polly's face to take in the baby that is being brought to rest on her bare skin. At that moment she begins to cry the sweetest tears she's ever known, all the pain of moments before melting away. She's only minutes old and her tiny girl begins to root, mouth wide, her instincts strong.

"The baby's here," Polly says as she enters the living room.

"What is it?" John asks.

"A girl," Polly says and John huffs.

Tommy races up the stairs, stopping in the doorway when he spots his mother cradling a small bundle of blankets close to her chest.

"Do you want to hold your sister?" His mother asks and Tommy nods.

Cara gently hands over the newborn baby to Tommy who gently cradles her as if she was made of glass.

Tommy holds his newborn sister to his shoulder and he notices she's smaller than a bag of sugar from the grocers. Tiny toes peek from her small pink blanket, dangling in the winter breeze.

Her head, a mass of fluffy brown curls, wobbles beneath his supporting hand. The ten year old boy still can't believe how tiny new humans are, how vulnerable.

"Do you want to name her?" Cara asks and Tommy looks at his mother in shock.

"Me?"

His mother nods and Tommy grins down at the baby in his arms who blinks at him.

"Maura," Tommy says. "Maura Shelby"

"Rebellious?" Cara asks and Tommy nods.

"She's going to have all the boys chasing her," Tommy says.

Five year old John and thirteen year old Arthur poke their heads around the door. Three year old Ada was resting on Arthur's hip, her thumb in her mouth.

"Come and meet your sister," Cara says. "Maura Erin Shelby"

John scuttles over to where Tommy was sitting in the small rocking chair, holding his sister close to his chest.

John carefully climbs into Tommy's lap, careful not to knock his sister.

"Wow," John says, poking her face with his finger and Maura's nose scrunches up in discomfort at the sharp jab to her face.

"Carefully John," Tommy says softly and the boy nods in understanding.

"She's so small," John whispers.

"She's a Shelby alright," Arthur says.

"She's got mummy's eyes," Ada mumbles, her head resting on Arthur's shoulder.

Instead of the signature Shelby blue eyes, Maeve's eyes were a light brown, the kind that reminds you of trees in the brightest summer sun.

She peers up at Tommy curiously before looking to John who grins at her. Her small hand reaches up and John holds his finger out. Maura's small hand wraps around John's finger and the boy giggles.

"What's his name?" Arthur Shelby Senior strides in with Fabian and Dorothy Thorne close behind.

Ten year old Freddie has his three year old brother's hand firmly in his grip as they enter the room.

"Her name is Maura," Tommy says quietly.

Dorothy moves over to Cara as the two women begin to converse as Freddie moves closer to his best friend to peer at the newest addition to the Shelby clan.

"Freddie, meet Maura," Tommy says. "The most beautiful baby in all of Small Heath"