Devoted (John Shelby)

Part 16

This chapter is dedicated to SDMNTWINS , I highly suggest reading their Michael Gray book "A lonely place", it's so good 💕💕

Cynthia woke up to the next morning, alone in bed and then she had to rush to the bathroom as she threw up. "Oh for fuck's sake!" She exclaimed, rising her mouth out in the sink.

After having her first child with John, she told herself to check every time she is sick to see if she's pregnant, she didn't want to risk hurting the baby if she drinks alcohol or does anything else that could harm the baby. She phoned up their nanny to look after the kids and then she rang up Rose, asking for her to meet up with her.

The carer arrived first and Cynthia asked her to make them breakfast and to call them down. She quickly nodded and hurried off. Rose arrived and looked worried, "are you okay? You sounded concerned," Rose said.

Cynthia closed the door and started walking down the street, Rose following at her heels. "I was sick earlier," Cynthia admitted, glancing back at her friend, "I want to check to see if I'm..."

"Pregnant?" Rose finished for her.

Cynthia nodded, "yeah. Pregnant. I, after Lillian, was hoping that we might stop having kids, I mean, seven is already a lot and we're running out of room in the house. Another one will just make it even more cramped."

"Well, you might not be," Rose pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess."

They walked into the betting den, hoping to find Polly. "I thought we were going to the doctors?" Rose said confusedly.

"No, I was hoping to find Polly. She found out I was pregnant with Lillian when she asked if she could read my tea leaves as a joke."

"Really?"

"Yeah" Cynthia nodded, "I guess she's not here yet. I'm going to wait for her, besides, I have to work as well. I'm sorry for dragging you here for no reason."

"It's okay," Rose told her, "but just make sure I'm the first one you tell whether you are or not, okay?"

"I promise," Cynthia smiled, "you've always been the first to know, just don't tell John that."

Both women shared a giggle before Rose set off and out of the door. Soon all of the other women showed up, ready to collect bets. Lizzie was writing in a book and Cynthia placed a book on the table. "Lizzie, do you know where John is?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Cynthia asked curiously.

"They went to Tommy's to go shooting or something like that" Lizzie said, "He really didn't tell you?"

"No, he didn't," she muttered. "That's not fair. He's always going off places and leaving me here, either with the kids or in this job I didn't even want in the first place."

"Well, you did marry him-"

"I didn't know that he was going to keep leaving me!" She snapped, "I only married him so our two families wouldn't fight."

Lizzie didn't say anything, she only gave Cynthia a judgemental stare before carrying on working.

Cynthia did too, collecting the necessary items to collect bets that day.

Polly walked in looking worse for wear. She looked over the two women who looked back. "Are you alright?" Cynthia asked.

"Just... Carry on," Polly dismissed with a slight groan, no doubt suffering from a hangover. She stumbled her way over to the safe and tried to input the combination. "Forgot the combination," she sighed as she pressed her head against the cool metal safe.

"24-8-22" Lizzie reminded the woman.

"How do you know the paper cash combination?" Polly asked the woman suspiciously. Cynthia overheard the number so if she wanted to, she could get into the safe.

"Tommy talks in his sleep," Cynthia replied to Polly, wanting to get back at Lizzie, what for, Cynthia didn't know.

"Shut up, Cynthia," Lizzie grumbled.

Polly tried to open the safe but she couldn't do it, with a massive sigh she shouted over to the two women, "he's changed the combination."

Lizzie slammed the pencil she was holding onto the table and marched over to Polly "you've put it in wrong."

"No, I haven't," Polly denied.

Lizzie went up to the safe and easily opened it.

Cynthia just watched both women silently, she watched Polly who had grabbed a handful of cash and Lizzie who looked miffed at both ladies, Lizzie briefly looked back up from whatever she was working on, "and actually, I am sleeping with Tommy, okay? Now and then," she admitted. "Because he wants to, now and then. When the mood takes him. Except we don't sleep. It's hard to sleep bent over a desk, isn't it?" Both Polly and Cynthia looked at her, Cynthia was just confused as to why she admitted that. She didn't need to know that.

"Happy?" Lizzie questioned the women.

Cynthia and Polly locked eyes before the door to the shop opened and the rest of the female workers came in.

Cynthia was also getting rather miffed. The more she heard about how unfair it was that she was at the betting den while her husband and his family and, most likely, his friends, too, are out in the countryside camping or whatever they were doing.

Someone began pounding the door to the betting shop, "can't wait to part with their money, stupid bastards," Cynthia grumbled, already having enough and the day hadn't even begun properly.

"It's alright, it's me!" Linda's voice shouted from the other side of the door. Polly walked over and let her in.

Linda began going on about bringing sandwiches and lemonade with her and how she would make tea and empty ashtrays but not do any of the actual work involving the bets. Cynthia couldn't help but ignore the woman until an unfamiliar name flowed from her lips.

"Who's Jessie Eden?" Polly asked Linda, taking a sip of whiskey.

"She's the lady shop steward at the Lucas factory in Sparkhill," Linda informed them.

"Lady shop steward?" Cynthia asked, interested in what she was saying for once.

"She's bringing all the female workers in the spot-welding and wire-cutting shops out on strike for the day. In protest at being made to work on a holy day. Poor conditions, lack of holidays, unsanitary lavatory provisions and lower pay for female workers" Linda ranted. "Apparently, all-female factory workers in the city are joining the protest in sympathy and will walk out of their places of work at 9:00 am to march on the Bull Ring," Linda had to talk over the men banging on the doors, wanting to come in. "All oppressed female workers welcome"

"My husband leaving me again to go off and do goodness knows what and left me alone to work or take care of the children," Cynthia frowned.

"Only one outside lavatory between the lot of us," Lizzie added.

"Not consulted," Cynthia proceeded to add.

"Bent over a fucking desk," Lizzie finished.

"Ladies, I honestly believe those who march on Good Friday have God on their side," Linda told them.

More men shouted and banged on the door telling them to "open the fucking door!"

The three women turned to look at Polly for her opinion. "Fuck it. I'm not in the mood today. Let's go to the Bull Ring!"

All of the women put on their coats and hats and began marching to their destination.