𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓱 𝓑𝓻𝓮𝓮𝔃𝓮 𝔁 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐛𝐲

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓞𝓷𝓮

A hand rubbing soothing circles on her upper back was enough to rouse the woman from her sleep. Slowly lifting up from the kitchen table, a hiss left her as the kinks in her neck protested. "What are you doing sleeping here?" Moving away, her mother began to prepare breakfast. Isabella sniffled and reached up to rub at her eyes, doing her best to catch her bearings so she could reply with something at least semi-coherent. "Fell asleep..cleaning." Her voice was gruffer than usual from her sleep heavy body.

"Go freshen up, breakfast will be done soon." The usually boisterous woman only nodded and raised unsteadily from the table, stumbling to the right some. "I'll be back mum." The woman turned and made her way upstairs and to her own room to freshen up and get ready for the day. Whilst going through her regular routine she began to wake up some more and the fire behind her eyes lit.

She had a mission today and she would be damned if she failed at it. Luck was on her side since she was great at remembering faces but she only had the name to go by.

Tommy.

All she had to do was ask around and someone was bound to lead her to him so she could demand an apology from the arsehole and get her reputation back. Deciding on an emerald green dress for the day, she couldn't help but twirl as the soft fabric danced around a bit below her knees. After situating her stockings and boots, Isabella got to work with her hair.

Deciding just brushing it would be fine, she had absolutely no plans to cut her hair for the chic look. Instead she held onto the youth her inches had given her, despite being only 22 years old. Making her way back downstairs and into the kitchen she placed a sweet kiss on her mother's cheek. "Good morning mum!"

"Did you get into any trouble last night?" Irene fixed her daughter with a look that demanded nothing but the truth. "I actually didn't, I promise." A grin was on the younger's face as she sat at the table. "I met a few people...there's this pretty barmaid that I made friends with, I want to talk to her again today."

Irene nodded her head as she placed a plate of food down in front of her daughter. "I'll look into getting a job also." Isabella spoke quickly to try and get out her plan before the older woman could tell her no.

Shoveling the food into her mouth she only slowed once she saw the glower from Irene. "When are you going to marry?"

"Never"

Speaking before she could even swallow her food, Isabella coughed some and patted her chest. "I'll just live with you forever." Irene couldn't help her exasperated sigh as she got her own food and sat down. "I don't need a husband mum, what can he do for me that I already can't do for myself? God knows pleasure won't be one of em."

Irene hurriedly made a chiding noise as she lightly hit her daughter's shoulder which elicited a laugh from the latter. "What!? It's true!" Isabella stood and reached out to grab her dishes but her mother waved her off which the younger grinned at. "I'm off mum, gotta find a job." Deliberately leaving out her main focus for today, Isabella shrugged on a black coat and headed out into the chill air. The best place to start was where she saw that devil last. Maybe he had drunk himself into a stupor and ended up staying there overnight, all the better to surprise attack him with.