Shelby Madness

Chapter 37,'But you'd be alive.'

3rd December 1919, Small Heath Birmingham

It was just under two weeks after Tommy and Libby had made up and despite all of Tommy's and James' pleas for her to move back home she had rebuffed every single time. In a way John was glad, he and Esme had grown used to Libby living under their roof and they didn't want her to leave.

Speaking of family, everyone was starting to speak again, even Ada, who had been hard enough for Libby to convince to speak to polly, nevermind coming home for a Shelby Family meeting.

Esme and Libby entered Watery Lane as Polly had announced the family meeting was starting, guiding them through the betting shop doors.

"Right, I brought you all here today," Tommy started as everyone took a seat, "Cos this is the day we replace Billy Kimber. This is the day we become more respectable. The day we join the official national association of racecourse bookmakers. But first we do the dirty work."

There were some long pauses and everything seemed very dramatic but that's just how Tommy was, Libby thought, over dramatic and paranoid.

"Now you all have known this day has been coming, I just haven't told anybody that date." Again there was a long and overly dramatic pause, before Tommy spun around and faced the black board. "We are going to the Worcester races, trak opens at 1, we get there at 2. Now Kimber thinks we are going there to help him fight the Lee brothers but thanks to the efforts of our John and his lovely new wife Esme, the Lee's are now our kin."

Another long and dramatic pause, "I interrupted those efforts this morning and I assure you all Job is making great sacrifices for the cause of peace."

"Yeah, alright," John interrupted as well as everybody else giggling.

"So it will be us and the Lee's against  Kimber's men." Tommy continued, "We take them out and leave the  bookies. I expect a swift victory that will send signals all the way to London that we believe in letting legitimate businesses run peacefully."

"And, er, what about Kimber?" John asked.

"I'll deal with KImber any other questions?" Tommy said.

"Yes," Polly answered after a short while, "Does anyone object if I bring a newcomer to the meeting?"

Polly opened the door that connects the Shelby's betting den to their kitchen to reveal Ada with a baby wrapped in a blanket. "I'd like to introduce you to the newest member of the Shelby clan."

Everybody erupts into applause as Tommy said, "Welcome home, ada."

"We named him Karl, after Karl Marxs." Ada announced, causing another set of laughter to happen. Karl Marxs was a well known communist in the early 20th century.

"Karl bloody Marxs, give me a look at him." Arthur demanded.

"Oh, here we go," John sighed as he knew what was coming next.

"Ay, look, looks just like me, look." Arthur exclaimed like he did after every Shelby child was born, John had heard it 4 with his 4 kids and it was getting old because none of them looked anything like arthur.

"It's his arse that looks like you." John shouted.

"He's alright, he's a Shelby." Arthur shouted back.

"Well Ada, am I forgiven?" Tommy asked his little sister at the side of the room. Everyone else was crowding around the baby.

"If what Aunt Polly said is true, you are."

"It's True." Tommy pulled Ada into a hug as everyone began to leave them room to prepare for the day ahead.

It had been a couple of hours since the boys had left and so far everything was going smoothly. Polly was somewhere but Ada and Libby were having a catch up in the front room when a panicked looking John burst through the door nearly taking it off its hinges closely followed by pale looking James, an angry Arthur and a worried looking Isaiah.

"There better be a good reason why you lot have burst in here like a fucken bull in a China shop and nearly woke up the baby and Ada." Libby snapped.

"Libby, you need to go somewhere public and safe." James rushed out.

"Nar, why?" Libby shouted.

"Word has slipped and they are coming, we are outnumbered but that doesn't matter we will be fine but we need you and Ada to be safe with the baby." Arthur interrupted.

"You're going to die, that's what you're saying." Libby asked, scared.

"It doesn't matter what happens to us, Elle," Isaiah said, stepping forward.

"I refuse to watch you die cos that's what's going to happen." Libby sounded angry but in  reality she was terrified of never seeing the only men that had ever done good in her life, including her father.

"It's better to die fighting than live a coward's life." John said.

"But you'd be alive," Libby murmerded, "Are we not enough John, are me, Esme and the kids not enough for you to stay alive?"

"I'm doing this for you lot Liza, Never forget that." John whispered as he brought her into a hug.

"If any of us died today you burn our vardos side by side out in the open so we can be free, togher, okay?" Arthur said, turning to leave.

"John, come on. We don't have long, they will be in the lane soon," James muttered out as the boys turned to leave.

'I love you' Isaiah mouthed as he left the sitting room, gone before Libbycould mouth it back.

Maybe that's why she was scared because she knew the likelihood that all of them came back unscaved was slim to none and yet they were all so proud to go, so patriotic to a cause that was now lost. Someone was going to die and more were going to be hurt and now all she could do was hope.

That didn't sit right with Libby, she hated feeling useless, but she couldn't change their minds. Or could she?

"Ada, wake up. I have an idea."

"What, what's going on?" A sleepy Ada asked her niece.

"Long story short our family is going to fight a battle they will never win and I refuse to stand by while the Peaky Blinders and Kimber's boys take shots at each other with guns outside The Garrison. So get up."

A;N/

Hope you are all having a lovely week and enjoyed this chapter. Dont forget to comment and vote.
On a side note how the fuck do you say Isaiah name. It's had me confused for ages and every time it's said on the show they say it differently.