Betrothed To You

Adopted Family

My mind was spinning round like a woman on cocaine, its like someone just poured a cloud through my ear into my brain its so hard to think. my innocent girl reputation has been ruined ever since I joined the Shelby family, I had never even touched a drink before I moved here, and now I'm drinking a full bottle of whisky to myself in front of the fire, spread out on the sofa...with my legs draped over John's lap! his hand stroking up my thigh for comfort. even though he is trying to stay calm and collected for me I can see his face is red from anger, and even though him stroking my leg is meant to be comforting, it is rather hard handed just making my delicate skin turn a slight red. He hasn't spoken once since I told him, he just kind of clenches his jaw every now and then, or tensing his arm. He is trying his best to stay calm I can tell, and it does warm my heart every so slightly, I can tell that he wants to leave but he isn't. I don't know whether he feels bad about my past and doesn't want to leave me, or he needs my company right now more then I need his. That's when I hear a loud knock on the door and peoples voices outside. My head shoots towards John as he fidgets in his seat uncomfortably, I'm guessing he stayed for neither of those reasons. Tommy burst through the door and looks across at me, his eyes widen as he swiftly turns around and faces the wall. What's wrong with him? that's when I remember I'm still in my undergarments, sprawled out on the sofa. You can't technically see anything, but a lot of flesh is showing. "Well, Well, Johnny boy, when you called a family meeting I didn't think you would be having a quickie with the Mrs first" Arthur laughs, walking in with a bottle of whisky gripped tightly in his hand. "Arthur!" John yells, in his deep Birmingham accent, he quickly throws his coat over me to keep my head from exploding out of embarrassment. I grip the coat tight, holding it underneath my chin like a child gripping onto their favourite blanket. "why did you throw a family meeting John?" I ask confused, pulling my legs off of his lap so that they are also under his coat against my chest. he goes to speak but his mouth quickly snaps shut as he looks to Thomas for help "Its about the letter that was taped to your front door, its threatening and it needs to be handled"  "come on Tom you don't even know where he is, how do you expect to do anything" I grumble, pulling my hand through my hair to get it out of my face, it didn't really do much seen as it all just flopped back into my face anyway. "well, I'm sure we can track him down, he can't be that hard to find, nobody is" Arthur sniggers, squaring up to the wall, taking the piss out of himself quite honestly. "Arthur, could you shut up for like two minutes, that would be great thanks, we need to think not turn into comedians" Polly tuts, pushing past Arthur so that she can sit on the arm chair next to the fireplace. I feel so uncomfortable being around these people just in my undergarments, why didn't I finish getting dressed before John got home, all of this could of been avoided. I keep biting my nails and fidgeting, this is so awkward, I cant even listen to what people are saying because all I can think about is how I am almost naked under this coat in front of John's closest family. "I need to go" I blurt out, as soon as I say it I smack my self in the mouth, I just word vomited everywhere, I feel like I can even see word vomit all over the window. I'm internally cringing, but what I said was accurate I'm not going to be able to concentrate on anything these guys are saying until I have some clothes on. I quickly put on the sleeves to John's coat and wrap it around myself in the quickest time known to man. I bolt up the stairs and into the bedroom, I hear them all whispering downstairs confused; I know John knows exactly why I went upstairs, he knows that I'm incredibly awkward. He's the Shelby that makes up for that in our family, he is the cocky one out of the two of us.

feels good to finally be in some actual clothes, I pull my hair all to one side like I usually do and walk down the stairs, I can hear a heated argument through the door. Nice to know they waited for me. I scoff with a smirk on my face before walking into the room with my hands tangled together in front of me. "I'm back, and fully clothed" I smile awkwardly looking down at the floor. "But I'm still mad at you for calling this meeting without telling me, being honest I don't even know how you did it because I was with you the whole ti" I go to say but then remember he went to the Garrison to get another bottle of whisky "You sneaky devil" I smirk, crossing my arms in front of my chest as I cluck with my tongue. John smirks back at me and winks, god even when I'm supposed to be angry at that man I still find him drawing me in. I strut over and sit next to him, leaning my head on him while his arm drapes across my shoulders. I look around the room at all the people I know class as family, Arthur the family idiot and fighter, Pol the brains behind the whole operation, even thought Thomas would highly disagree, Tommy the leader who takes care of us all, even though he would never admit that, and John the lovable cocky dummy who acts like he is gods gift, and after all that I still care so deeply about him. "So, lets carry on this family meeting shall we"