𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃, ⁱˢⁱᵃʰ ʲᵉˢᵘˢ

17

"Where the fuck are they" John groaned, leaning back in his chair. "Fucking hungry i am" he added, Florence slapped him round the back of the head.

"No swearing, John, kids at the table" she said, referring to Ada's kid.

He raised his hands in defence. "Sorry"

Some time had passed and John kept engaging with the men across from him.

"What do you call an animal with a prick halfway up its back" He asked the man across from him. Esme scoffed

"A cavalry horse" John finished, laughing loudly.

"He got it, he gets it. You get it don't you Flo?" he pointed.

"Fuck it, fuck it" Arthur whispered, placing the paper that contained his speech in his pocket. "Where the bloody hell are they"

"Your best man, Arthur, go find them" Linda told him.

Linda was his new wife, extremely religious, hated by everyone but Arthur himself.

They'd chat shit about her whenever they got the chance.

-

"Hold on wait a second" Lizzie followed after Micheal. "So you're saying i'm not allowed a man.."

"It's about your choice of man" he cut her off. "I'm not allowed a man on my arm?" she asked. Arthur stopped, hearing their arguing and going to find the two.

"Thomas says there are rules, Lizzie"

"Fucking parish bastard" she scoffed, crossing her arms. "Micheal, speeches, come on" Arthur appeared before them, stopping in his tracks. "Arthur. You know why he didn't come, don't you" Lizzie stopped him.

He grabbed a bottle of wine from a passing maid, examining it. "Why who didn't come?"

"My bloody man" she hissed. "Oh you mean the wop?" he asked, opening the bottle. Micheal stepped forward, standing in front of the mirror.

"I just heard there was a fire at his restaurant midnight last night" she told him. "And a smashed back window and a smell of petrol"

Lizzie's voice began shaking.

"Lizzie, we tried to talk some sense into you," Micheal sighed. "We did checks on him"

Florence slowed down as she ran into the three, on her way to find Arthur. "What the bloody hell are you lot doing" she asked, only to be ignored.

"We did checks on him," Micheal continued, "he's had five different names in the last six years, and he's got connections with the Naples boys"

"Who does?" she asked, looking at her brother.

"Come on, Micheal" Arthur said. "What do you know about love" Lizzie gritted through her teeth, staring at the boy. "About when lightning strikes?"

Florence whistled at Lizzie's tone.

"So, it was lightning, hm? Not petrol" Arthur mocked.

"I suppose you knew about this, Florence?" Lizzie suggested. "Don't you be fucking accusing me of something Lizzie" she warned, looking over at Arthur.

"I thought you were off the whiskey, Arthur" Micheal said as they began walking away. "Yeah i am, having a couple now and again to remind myself why i don't drink it"

"You set fire to his restaurant to stop him coming, you have no right to chose who i step out with in my own time" Lizzie shouted after them.

"How could they set fire to anything if they are here, at this wedding?" Florence asked.

"Be quiet Florence" She hissed. "Watch who your fucking talking to or i swear to god-"  Florence began.

The boys stopped, turning back to them, Micheal walking to them.

"Lizzie, you now have an important position in this company. You got the order same as us" he said "You can do it"

Lizzie looked down.

"Until further notice, no fraternising with the foreigners" Arthur breathed, turning away alongside his cousin.

"Yeah well you can tell Tommy from me all the girls in the office think he's losing his fucking mind"

All they could hear was the sound of Lizzie's heels as she walked the other way.

-

"To the bride" Tommy began, raising his glass. Everybody stood, repeating his words. "And now according to tradition, my best man will say a few words"

Everyone returned to their seats.

"Go on! Here he goes! Go on, Arthur" John shouted. "Right um..i'm not one for speeches" he said nervously. "Sing then" John shouted.

"I will later, John"

"But, uh, I do..i do have some words written down here" he nodded, pulling the paper from his coat. "This doesn't include everything i want to say"

"Arthur just, just read what we wrote down, eh" Tom interrupted. "Your alright, Arthur, go on" Florence whispered.

Arthur nodded at her slightly.

"First a few words from..from the heart. This man here, my brother Tommy, helped me survive through some of the worst times" He stuttered. Tommy cleared his throat loudly, stopping him, earning a hard glare from his younger sister.

"It's a wedding, Arthur, tell a joke" Micheal said. "Yeah tell a joke" John nodded. Florence glared at her brother.

"What i'm trying to say is that, my brother and the love of a good woman, pulled me through that time. Now tommy also has the love of a good woman, her names Grace. Like the Grace of the good Lord"

"And even though, the circumstances of their union was tragic.."

Tommy slammed a hand on the table, standing. "All right. Let's uh, Arthur. Let's raise a toast eh? To uh, to love to peace to marriage"

Arthur stood, seeming defeated and upset.

"Well done Arthur, beautiful speech, really nice" John said. Arthur grabbed his jacket, walking off. "Really nice"

"God John" Florence shook her head, going after Arthur.

"Arthur" she stopped him at the door, holding his arm. "I think i messed it up, Flo" he shook his head. She sighed. "No Arthur, you had good intentions" she smiled. "Ignore John and Micheal, yeah?"

Before she could say anymore, Linda turned up, resulting in her rolling her eyes.

"Always have to turn up to try be a hero, could you not have given me five minutes with my cousin" She scoffed. "Instead of preaching about how much God loves him."