16) The Races

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"What the fuck is going on with Kez?" Arthur questions, "I asked her if she wanted to come to the pub last night and she called me a 'moustached prick', I don't appreciate it."

"She's just... she's going through something," Tommy states.

"Doesn't mean she has to take it out on us," Arthur complains.

"Would you rather she take it out on us or herself?" Tommy responds.

"I'd rather she just wasn't going through something," Arthur grumbles, "Tommy, she's out of control, is it safe to bring her to the races?"

"She'll be fine, Arthur," Tommy assures, "she's Kez. She may be going through something, but she's still dependable. She knows what she's doing, so trust her."

"Alright, alright," Arthur nods, "but she better not call me a moustached prick again."

"I can't promise that she won't," Tommy chuckles, "just don't take it to heart, brother. She's always been a grumpy git."

"Yes, but I can't even tell if she's taking the piss anymore," Arthur says, "what if she really thinks I'm a moustached prick?"

"Arthur, you are a prick, and you do have a moustache, it's not like her description is all that wrong, get over it," Tommy replies, "now, people are waiting for you, off you chop, I'll see you at the races."

-

"John, if you poke me one more time I'm going to snap your fingers off," Kezia says, not even sparing a glance at her younger brother who had been prodding at her for the past minute or so.

"Well, if you'd just pay attention to me and stop staring into the bloody wilderness, then I wouldn't have to poke you," John remarks.

"What do you want, Johnny?" Kezia sighs.

"Well firstly, I want you to smile, secondly, I want to know what your part is in this plan," John states.

"I'm just here to oversee things," Kezia shrugs, "my hands will remain clean today."

"Okay, now how about that smile?" John chuckles, pinching her cheeks, Kez stares at him, "perhaps my hands won't remain clean, fucking stop it."

"So no smile? That's a shame, you have a nice smile," John says.

"If you touch me again, I'm going to shoot you," Kezia warns, watching John lift his hands, "I'm not touching you," he smirks, his hands close to her face, but not making contact.

"What do I have to do to get you stop with this shit?" Kezia asks.

"Give me a smile, sis," John says, "flash those pearly whites."

"Never say that again," Kezia states, giving him a mocking smile, "now stop bothering me."

"But what else am I meant to do with myself? The moustached prick thinks he's our boss, doesn't want to sit with us," John complains.

"I can still hear you, John Boy," Arthur shouts, "is moustached prick sticking?"

"Afraid so, Arthur," John responds.

"This is your fault, Kez," Arthur states.

"Accountability accepted," Kezia acknowledges dryly.

-

"Why are you stood out here by yourself? I hope they're not refusing entry to such a fine young lady. I'm sure if you asked nicely, a gentleman such as myself might let you come in as my acquaintance."

"Piss off, Marty," Kezia responds, taking a drag from her cigarette.

"That's not asking nicely," Marty chuckles, walking down the few steps to join her where she was stood against the wall, "your lot have gone rabid inside."

"Perhaps it will teach your lot to keep to your patch," Kezia shrugs.

"It's a shame how things have ended out," Marty says.

"Is it?" Kezia hums.

"Well, we can't be friends anymore if our families are fighting," Marty pouts sarcastically.

"How will I ever survive?" Kezia replies.

"We did used to have some good times," Marty says, "me pissing you off, you chasing me round the fairs with a large stick."

"Why're you out here?" Kezia asks, looking him up and down suspiciously.

"Has your weapon of choice changed? Or is still whatever stick you can find?" Marty smiles innocently, "can't I just re-acquaint with an old friend?"

"Will I be needing a weapon?" Kezia responds.

"Not here, I'm on my best behaviour, we are at the races after all," Marty says, "but your brothers have fucked up, you all ought to be watching your backs."

"Is this a warning or a threat?" Kezia scoffs.

"It's whatever you perceive it to be," Marty responds, "but let's just say, I'm not stupid enough to threaten a temperamental woman who carries a gun."

Kezia puts her cigarette out, "you should go back to your clan, Marty."

"So I take that as, your lot should be emerging soon, and you wouldn't be willing to vouch for me against them?" Marty teases.

"Of course I wouldn't, but I will tell you that it'd be a good idea to get the fuck out of here, and soon," Kezia states.

"How soon is soon?" Marty responds, "because I've been quite enjoying our conversation."

"Soon is now," Kezia says, as Arthur's voice sounds from nearby, Marty tipping his hat to Kez, before bolting in the opposite direction to the voices.

-

"Your brother is an arse," Grace rages, storming into the snug where Kezia was having a drink with Theresa.

"Sure," Kezia agrees.

"You're not going to ask what he did?" Grace responds.

"I think I know," Kezia states.

"You knew what he was planning to do with me? You knew he was planning to whore me off to that disgrace of a man?" Grace exclaims.

"You were never in any danger," Kezia responds.

"He said I had the clap," Grace says.

On cue, Tess claps her hands together, before apologising, "sorry, that was what we used to do in the trench, it was my natural reaction."

Kezia laughs at her friends horrified face, before looking back to Grace who looked less than impressed, "is this funny to you? Whoring me off? Is that just a joke? Do you think I'm easy? Is that it?"

"No, Grace, that's not it," Kezia responds, "if I thought there was any chance that you'd be put in harms way, I would've shut Tommys idea down. Nothing was ever going to happen to you."

"You're just as much of a prick as he is," Grace states.

"Sure," Kezia nods, taking a sip from her drink.

"That's all you have to say?" Grace replies, obviously she wasn't happy about the way the conversation was going, but if she expected anything more, then she evidently didn't know Kez as well as she thought she did.

"Are you acting like an arse because she's here?" Grace asks, "because when we're alone, you're never like this."

"Oh Kez, you have a lover girl side?" Theresa teases, nudging her friends arm.

"What do you want from me, Grace? I told you that you were never in any danger, that you were never going to get hurt, what more do you want?" Kezia responds, ignoring her friends jests.

"I want an apology, and I want you to realise that you should have told me beforehand, you had plenty of opportunities to, that you shouldn't have just let Tommy spring it on me whilst we were already there," Grace states.

"Fine, I apologise, and I should have told you," Kezia replies.

"That was the least sincere thing I have ever heard," Grace scoffs.

"I told you what you just said you wanted to hear," Kezia responds.

"Fuck you," Grace seethes.

"Oh darling, you already have," Kezia says, finishing her drink.

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