Betrothed To You

Ghost Wife

3rd person

It wasn't much of a surprise to Evangeline that John would never be home, she knew his business and what he did for a living and being home by herself wasn't exactly the worst case scenario she could think up in her head. But now she wasn't going to be home alone, staring out the window until John got home, thinking about the life she used to have. her daily routine consisted of strolling around the house, touching all the different materials and surfaces. before placing her delicate frame onto the kitchen windowsill and pulling her legs to her chest before staring out the window at her new home, at all the different people and wondering what their lives are like. This would no longer be her daily routine, she found herself asleep on the window again. Evangeline spread her legs out trying to let the blood rush back around her body. stretching her body out and pulling the hair out of her eyes. she rushed over to the clock placed above the fireplace and traced her finger on in lightly stroking where the arms are pointing. "7:33" Eva quietly whispered under her breath. she lightly tiptoed to the stairs and crawled up them letting her body feel weak. just as she reaches the top of the stairs she sees two legs stop in front of her "Morning" John yawns slightly laughing. Evangeline quickly jumps to her feet and stands up straight "M...Morning John" she stutters bowing her head at him as if he is royalty, this life is rather different to the one she is used to. The only life she has ever known is living in caravans, riding horses, and farming. he slowly stepped past her sighing slightly as he jogged down the stairs and closed the door behind him. Evangeline bolts up the stairs and into the bedroom her and John should be sharing, she just cant bring herself to share a bed with a man she barely knows. the door slams behind her as she breathes loudly trying to catch her breath from that morning encounter. she throws her self onto the bed breathing in the smell of cigarettes and whisky. The sheets are soft on her skin as she grabs the sheets and rubs them against her exposed flesh. she pulls her heavy head of the bed and looks at the Chester draws full of her clothes. scanning the clothes in front of her she finds the perfect outfit for the first day of working at Shelby Brothers limited. 

First person 

I powder my face one more time before looking at myself in the mirror, I turned my head lightly from side to side causing my hair to sway behind me. I look up at the clock. 8:20, if I don't leave now I'm going to be late, and Thomas Shelby is the last person I want to make mad 

as soon as I locked the door behind me the sound of cars honking and people shouting caused my ears to buzz and ring. I quickly jogged onto the opposite side of the road and started my journey towards my new work. just as I reached the corner of the road that lead to the Betting shop a strong hand wrapped around the top of my arm, I spun my head round to great the person holding me back from my walk "Your a pretty little thing love, you single?" he slurred, I investigated his face, he has quite a large build, scruffy hair matching his scruffy beard and deep brown eyes. He was quite an attractive man to say the least, he had a strong grip on him aswell, not someone you would really want to get stopped in the street by. "No sir, I'm married" i say smiling trying to pull my arm away. He smiles back, but his smile isn't the same as mine...its rather sinister actually. "Bet your dear husband ain't a scratch on me love" his grip tightens on my arm as he pulls me closer. I hear my name being called in the distance by familiar voices "Thomas, isn't gunna be happy if your late" its Arthur, I can tell by the voice is Arthur. i spin my head around to see him and john walking closer to the allyway I have been pulled into "I'm over here" I say raising my voice. The man looks from me to John and Arthur, a spark of fear flashes through his eyes. he yanks his hand off of my arm and steps back. "You didn't say you were married to a fuckin Shelby!" he spits. "Why does it concern you who I am married to, it shouldnt matter!" I aggressively whisper trying to stop the brothers from hearing me. As i am about to speak i feel a warm arm snake its way around my waist and pull me closer, I lift my head slightly to see John shooting arows at the man stood in front of us "You alright Evangeline, who's this?" he says tightening his grip around me. I look at John and Arthur and then back at the man sweating profusely and shaking in front of us. "Oh, nothing John...he was just giving me directions towards the betting shop, I got a little lost. Didn't I?" I glare at him trying to make sure he gets the hint. He looks at me confused until he realises what I am doing "Y...Yes Mrs Shelby" he stutters stepping backwards. Arthur jumps forwards making the man jump "Fuck off before I change my mind" he shouts as the man sprints away from us. The dirty Birmingham air makes its way back into my lungs making them burn. John notices my discomfort and looks down at me with concern "Lets go to work ay?" he asks shaking me gently. i nod shakily letting John keep his arm wrapped around my waist. we burst through the betting shop doors, every one turns to look at me, now that I'm here I realise none of them actually know me. I haven't left the house since I moved to Birmingham. I investigate all the people around the room, I immediatly see Polly eyeing me up in the corner of the room on her type writer a thin cigar hanging out of her mouth. Thomas imerges out of his office and looks me up and down "Welcome to your first day of work Evangeline Shelby" Thomas say loudly grabbing everyones attention. everyone spins around in their chairs and looks at me "So that's Johns ghost wife" One of the Peaky blinders laughs at the other side of the room. Thomas spins on his heels and shoots him a warning look that shuts him up instantly. i know im usually the shy girl that never talks but i cant let all these people think so low of me so i pull a chair from the table in front of me and stand up on it looking around the room. "I know you probably all think I'm this weird little gypsy girl that John was forced to marry. and well yeah if im honest its true, we were forced to get married because my dad didnt know what he is doing. But I'm a Shelby now and I will be a Shelby for the rest of my life. So if you still want to think of me as the...What did you say love, ghost wife was it. Then you can still bloody think that, but I'm here to work for my husbands family buisness so if you dont mind I'm gunna do my job" I step down of the chair and walk way towards John's office. As I'm walking away I look at Polly who is smiling at me and giggling under her breath which causes me to laugh aswell. An eruption of cheers burst behind me as i slam Johns office door behind me. I walk over and run my hand across johns desk, its an absolute mess covered in papers and pencils. I walk around his desk and gently sit in his leather chair. leaning back and looking at the ceiling I notice a presence in the room looking at me. "You've got some balls love, i didn't expect that out there" Polly says walking over and sitting in the chair opposite me. I look up at her and smile awkwardly. she entends her arm and hands me a cigarette which i accept kindly letting her light it for me before leaning back in the chair "I didn't want John to be given a hard time because his wife is a coward" I say taking a long drag of the cigarette. Polly tilts her head to the side and looks me up and down "well I have to admit, I didn't think you and john were gunna last this long without you running away back to your mum" she says leaning forwards on the chair so that her elbows are resting on the desk "Yeah, i havent really spoken to him if I'm being honest with you Polly, I just...it's hard" I mumble looking down at the floor. Pol leans back and sighs. "Now listen here, to fit into this family you need to act confident, so act like you know what you doing and nobody will think twice, got it!" she says toughly causing me to jump a litle bit. "got it" I smirk as we both put out our cigarettes looking at each other.