Fallen

Friday's at the Garrison

The room smelt like ale and stale tobacco smoke which somehow smell better than the air outside, which had long been polluted by the factories and mines. John lead their way through the herd of drunken men to the back of the pub. Every few or so steps there would be a different man would hit John with a congratulatory pat on the back, spirits still high from the baby news. None of the batted an eye at the way he walked with Eve, shielded. fingers intertwined. it was a common site for all of small heath. Though what wasn't common was that for the first time since she was fourteen Eve felt no electricity at his touch.

He dropped her hand when they reached their spot at the back of The Garrison. It was a cramped little corner booth with plush red seats that smelt like old lager and if you were unfortunate enough to get the edge seat old piss. Eve extended a brief gaze of sympathy to Freddie Blackthorn, who was sat on the unlucky edge. He was ranting away at Tommy who looked bored out of his mind. Eve wondered if Freddie's drunken chat was part of the reason Tommy took his smoke outside. Tommy cut his friend off mid-sentence, "So you decided to join us after all ?" The boredom in his blue eyes was replaced with mischief as he looked to Eves and his brother.

"What can I say, she doesn't like ya, Tom," John said with his usual cheeky tone. 

It shouldn't matter Eve thought. None of it should matter but for some reason it did. She cared what Tommy thought of her. She cared, what he believed she thought of him.

" He begged me." She explained."Used those puppy dog eyes he always pulled on Polly after he got caught stealing from the paper shop. Sadly, I'm not immune like Poll is." 

" Well, then that's another round I don't have to pay. Your round after John's aye?" Freddie had given up on his ramblings and was now looking at Eve with a hopeful smile. 

" She's only staying one drink," John explained as Eve watched Freddie's smile deflate. The flippin' scrounger.

"Sorry, Freddie looks like you'll actually have to pay for once." Eve gave a curious glance at all the pint glasses lined up by his head. It looked like he'd charmed half the pub into buying him a drink. " What happened to that whole spiritual gin talk you gave me at the wedding ?" Before Thomas had approached her at the bar, it'd been Freddie keeping her company. As everyone danced, Freddie had raved on about the French Revolution and something about eating the rich in all honesty Eve had zoned out as soon as she heard the mention of Karl Marx.

"That was a metaphor for how religion intoxicates the masses into accepting their class position by the false promise of a better life in heaven." Freddie rambled, he'd only read one book in his time and unfortunately, it'd been Karl Marx's communist manifesto something Freddie never shut up about- sober or drunk. He'd given Eve a copy last Christmas but she still hadn't found the time to read it- politics was the last thing on her mind and you just had to look on the front page of the Daily Telegraph to know communism in all forms was wrong.

Eve scrunched her nose, "l wouldn't say it's a false promise. Maybe just to those who call God's word a sham."

"No preaching in the pub." John looked at her pointedly, "Save it for Sunday service." John was always the first to call her out when she sounded too much like her dad. She couldn't help it he'd been a preacher back in Jamaica and though he hadn't found a church in small heath willing to let him preach, each Sunday dinner he always managed to fit in a sermon that spoke to her soul.

"All right. All right." She pulled out a chair from the other side of the round booth and sat next to Arthur, who as John had said was beyond tipsy at this point. His top half was collapsed on the table, his head laid flat on the table his face turned towards Thomas and his tweed cap was soaked from the puddle of beer across the table. Eve gave him a little shake, she'd always had a soft spot for Arthur. UnlikeThomas, who never shown any interest in Eve beyond her being John's schoolmate, Arthur had been like an older brother of sorts. He'd always given her a few pence to get sweets after school or asked about what book she was reading when she was round for tea. "Head up Arthur or you'll get drawl on ya beer mat, that a boy." She smiled as she watched Arthur stir around a bit before finally sitting up, and giving her a sleepy smile. 

"Eve, Tommy said you might come," Arthur said drowsily. 

She rose an eyebrow at Tommy curiously, she hadn't imagined Tommy spoke of her at all. He met her eye, with a casual blink of blue, and then he looked away. He was a hard read, Tommy Shelby like a poorly translated foreign book. Something you knew held great knowledge and depth but lacked all access to. She'd never imagined that she'd be sat in the pub wondering what was going through Thomas Shelby's head, before these last couple of days she hadn't thought much of him at all. His dark lashes looked up to John, who was still stood hand gripping the back of Eve's chair. "Since, you're already standing get the drinks in."

"Right what youse drinking then?"

"I'll have whatever it's no fuss. "

"A glass of whatever, a pint of a bitter, pint of lager, and Arthur we best get you started on the water before you ruin another one Polly's rugs."

***

Thomas watched Eve squint her eyes as she sipped the whiskey John brought over for her, while she was in the toilet. A look of feigned disgust, so convincing he almost forgot he'd witnessed her down 1/4 a bottle of rum straight a few days ago, what did the bible say about actresses, women who cloaked themselves in one skin but beneath wore another. All that came to his head was Eve -but even he had to confess he'd take the apple; knowledge is power after all. She'd revealed one layer to him only nights ago but he still couldn't make her out - he who knew the actions of everyone before even they did.

"Sometimes, I  wonder why we're mates." John laughed.

"So do - Christ knows how you drink that shit." She looked at the dark brown liquid with a pout.

John shook his head in disbelief. "Right then, do you want  me to get you another drink?" It tasted like lighter fluid.

" No John it's no fuss, not when I can do this." She leaned across the table to where Thomas was sat and shot him a playful smile, with a quick move of the hand swapped her glass with his, Stella had always been more tolerable. " Problem sorted. You don't mind sharing do you, Tommy?"

She took his silence for a yes and took a gulp of Stella, the foamy head of the pint so familiar to her tongue.

"Probably best you keep to the light stuff aye Eve. Wouldn't want a repeat of the other night." Freddie grinned, he didn't know. He couldn't, Tommy had given her his word that he wouldn't say anything but then again he and Freddie were best friends and most people didn't keep things from their best friends. She felt heat rise to her face but she laughed it off, it's all she could do. Besides, Tommy starring down at his cigarette case looked unruffled -she was safe for now at least. " I don't know how youse do it ?" She said to Arthur and John " My head was ringing for days."

"Gone are the days knocking cider round the back gates of the custard factory, Eve." John elbowed her. It felt like centuries ago they were sat behind the factory in their school uniform passing a cheap bottle of cider between them.

"I swear my kidneys haven't been the same since I turned 18."

"You've got to toughen up, Eve." Arthur, gave her a little nudge "We can't have light weights at our table."

"is that you offering to buy me something stronger after this Arthur?"

"If you stay another round." He'd sobered up a bit, clearly, the water had worked but was it really a night at the pub if you left the pub sober.

"I might have to take you up on that, but only if you get off the tap water. Freddie, you're in luck I'm staying another round."