Shelby Madness

Chapter 34,'He doesn't give a flying fuck.'

13th November 1919, Small Heath Birmingham

It had been 3 days since John and James had walk into Libby and Isaiah and thus their secret relationship isn't a secret anymore. John had been surprising calm about the whole thing, although the day after he found out, he had seen Isaiah walking home from the Garrison and followed him.

John ambushed him in a side alley and threatened that if he ever hurt his niece, blinder or not, he wouldn't think twice about taking his eyes and dropping him in an unmarked grave. Isaiah had shit himself and so had John the next day when Esme, who since the wedding had become like a mother to Libby, and Libby, herself had pushed him against the back door as soon as he had entered and threatened to take his balls if he so much as threatened Isaiah again. John was then made to apologise as to which physical looked like it pained him to say.

Polly and Libby were currently on their way to see Ada and her newborn baby, that she was yet to name. Ada had understandably not wanted anything to do with her family since Freddy's arrest. She blamed Tommy for it but then again so did everyone else.

"So what is happening with you and that Jesus boy?" Polly questioned her niece.

Polly often came across strong but so was really one of the nicest people Libby had ever met. She knew she could trust her and that wasn't something she did easy. She loved her father but she didn't trust him. Libby could only honestly say she trusted 5 people completely.

First was James, who she would give her life for if it meant he got to be happy.

Next was Polly and Ada, two of the main females in her life. After was John, who had become her father even with his own four kids to look after. John adored Libby and it was clear to anyone who watched the two interact. Perhaps, it stems from the same admiration he had for Maddie, who Polly always thought would end up with him. John wass her best friend and soulmate, Polly was sure of it and as many would later find out Polly was never wrong with matters of the heart. It was Maddie's enrapturement with Thomas that evidently led to her downfall. Polly was certain that she would be John's wife and mother of his children. Although John did love his deceased wife, Marthar, he wasnt inlove with her, at least not the way he was with Maddie.

The last person she could completely trust was Isaiah, this one however Maddie was certain she would come to regret it at one point. She wasnt stupid, they were only young and she didnt want to end up like her mother.

"His name is Isaiah and he's amazing. I love him, Pol." Libby answered.

"I know, I can see it. The way he looks at you from across the room. He adores you, Libby. Worships the bloody ground you walk on." Polly answered with a subtle nod.

"He really does, doesn't he?" Libby thought out loud.

"Yes, he does, my dear but does your father know?" Polly questioned.

"John and James know and John's fine with it. He's happy for me." Libby answered, avoiding the question completely.

"So Thomas doesn't know?" Libby shook her head slowly.

"He'll be hurt if you haven't told him." Polly said.

Libby scoffed, "Hurt, are you joking me? He doesnt give a flying fuck about me or me brother. If he did he wouldn't constantly let us down and make us feel like we are a burden to him, a mere inconvenience."

"He loves you." Polly answered.

"Funny way of fuckern showing it," Libby said back, " You know sometimes he hasn't taken us in, yeah we were starved and beaten but at least we never had to guess if we belonged or beg for attention. We were perfectly fine without him."

Polly knew she had angered her niece but what she didn't know was that LIbby was ready to bust into tears. She was trying to battle her own thought and it was wearing her down, thank god they were nearly at Adas.

Like normal Ada had not answered to Polly so Libby tried.

"Ada, it's Libs. Let me in, it's fucken boltic." Libby shouted through the door.

Ada opened the door with a light chuckle, "Stop being bloody dramatic."

"Says you, you radge." Libby says as she walks through the front door, "Give me the baby and you get yourself a couple hours of sleep."

"No, I'm okay." Ada said, trying to convince herself and Libby.

"No offence but you look horrendous," Libby said with a straight face, void of any emotions.

"You're a cheeky get and don't pull that face, you look like your father." Ada quipped back.

"Don't compare me to him, that's so rude."

"And you're not." Libby had managed to make Ada smile for the first time since Freddie was taken away.

Libby had a way with people. She made them forget about their worries and laugh. She was just a bubbly, happy girl and that fact that someone could hurt her angered Ada and John, nevermind when it was their own blood.

Ada now understood how Polly felt when she was Libbys age. The urge to smother them so they never have to face the barbaric ways of life but unfortunately even if they could Libby was already damaged, she had been since she saw her mother's lifeless body floating on the Tyne.

She wasn't innocent as the Shelbys liked to think, she wasn't brought up like them. Her and James had to fend for themself and they weren't guarted a hot meal and a warm bed at the end of the day like the Shelby's were lucky to receive. They were beaten and condemned to silence and submission and unlike most the two teens never lost their fight, they never allowed their flame to be extinguished and embers to be trodden on. They rebelled and kept their composure even in the toughest of environments.

Ada had seen the scars on Libby's back and she could only imagine that James had the same. She had come close to asking her about them but never quite had the courage. It wasn that she wasn't curious because she was, she was very curious but in truth, Ada knew that whatever the reason behind them was, was too sad to share and would only either anger everyone or upset them, so she didn't open her mouth.

For one of the first times in her life Ada Shelby, now Thorne, had kept her mouth closed.

A/N:

I know this has taken me ages but it's finally here. Vote and comment please and I'll try to get another chapter uploaded by next Friday.