VULNERABLE | thomas shelby

✞ F O U R T E E N ✞

CHAPTER FOURTEEN ; BETH IS BORED

BETH STUMBLED THROUGH the Garrisons doors, a wide smile spread across her face seeing the empty building. Graces head perked up from her view from the counter and she smiled towards Bethany. "Good morning Bethany." Grace cooed. "Mornin' Grace. Have you seen Harry?" Beth asked walking around the bar and picking up an apron.

"No, Arthur Shelby is in the back doing work. Harry said you'd be working a shift with me today." Grace answered. Beth picked up a glass and opened a bottle of rum, and poured the drink into the glass. She downed it quickly and smiled at Grace when she noticed she was staring. "Are you okay?" Grace nodded quickly, she wasn't used to the kind side in Beth but she wasn't complaining about it either.

"Bethany- I just wanted to say, thank you for taking a hit for me at Mr. Kimber's. I know we're not friends and we got off on a rough start with Tommy but I think we could get along." Grace rambled. Beth nodded, picking up her glass and the bottle of rum and another glass. She turned to walk into Arthur but paused glancing back at Grace. "You can call me Beth."

Arthur looked up from his work when he heard footsteps. "Well fancy seeing you here!" Beth exclaimed, sliding into a chair at Arthur's desk. Arthur let out a small grumble as he stared at the sheet in front of him. Beth hummed sliding her glass towards Arthur who shook his head. "Not today Beth, I've got work to be doing. Heads already fucked love. Go find John." Arthur said, sliding the glass back towards the blonde.

Beth nodded her head slowly before standing up and walking out of the back office. She looked around for Grace and grinned seeing the girl working on damp boxes. "Grace, I've to go. Business to attend to. Keep an eye on Arthur and if Harry asked I worked all day." Beth grinned reaching into her back pocket and pulling out the Garrison keys to Grace leaving her to lock up before disappearing out the doors of the Garrison.

Beth had popped into Polly's kitchen, sitting down to have a cup of tea with Pol before deciding to go to the grave yard. As much as she hated to admit it Beth missed Ada. Home was quieter without her and she hadn't even seen Finn yet that day. Tommy was off on some sort of business (as per usual), Arthur was 'working' and as much as Beth loved John she couldn't bare to listen to all his children.

Beth wanted a family, maybe a child or two but the thoughts of all of Johns children- which she couldn't count- made her spine shiver. She was a quiet child, same with Calvin- it was the way they were raised not daring to speak out but much to her mother and fathers dismay Beth got outgoing and overly confident. Calvin was different though.

He always put up a strong guard for everyone. He was best friends with Arthur and John. He and tommy got along like a house of fire but Calvin only ever got the chance to talk to Tommy in France considering how clingy his sister was to him, Tommy watched Calvin die in France and it haunted him to the day- Calvin didn't deserve that. He wasn't a business man or a mad man who walked around shooting people, he was just a kindred spirit.

Beth walked over to her mothers grave and sat down, against the tree beside it and closed her eyes letting the tiredness drain her into a dark sleep.

•

Beth woke up with a jump, she looked around quickly scanning the graveyard and sighed in delight seeing it was empty. She could have slept for a solid three hours considering the blue sky had turned into a dark black. She pushed herself off the tree and stood up. "I'll see you later Mum and dad." Beth murmured before beginning to walk through the row of gravestones.

She opened the gate and slipped through and began to walk down one of the back alley ways that led to Watery Lane. A loud shriek escaped her lips when she was pushed harshly against the brick wall behind her. Beth froze for a moment glaring up at the inspector who held his hand over her mouth pushing his hands into her waist to tight for Beth's liking. "Miss Clover."

Beth glared growing tired of the hand placed on her hips causing her pain and leaned into inspector Campbell's hand, biting down as hard as she could, the inspector pulled his hand back a loud gasp escaping his lips. The inspector caught her arm before she could rush away and hunched over her body. "You know Bethany, you should be more lady like considering you don't want to turn out like your bother."

Beth gasped looking at the inspector in disgust. "Excuse me? My brother died fighting for this county, more than you ever did you ugly old man." Inspector Cambells hand waisted no time latching around her hair and pulling her head back harshly. "Nothing but a burden to the Shelby's, Thomas wouldn't even miss you if you were gone."

Beth didn't waist a moment as she wriggled out of his grip and kicked the inspector between the legs. "Whatever business you have with Thomas, gives you no right to attack me. You leave me and my brother out of this or I'll kill you myself. "Beth spat beginning to rush away.

The inspector shook his head a cruel smile on his face as he stood up. "This isn't the last time we'll talk Bethany." Beth ignored his shout that echoed through the streets and pushed herself to keep walking around the bend and stopped outside Watery Lane. The inspector had pushed her so hard into the wall Beth wasn't surprised when she stopped walking she was left panting and coughing for air.

Beth placed her hands onto her knees and bent down in attempt to catch her breath. A hand was placed on her shoulder from behind and before Beth's would even think she turned on her heel quickly and swung. Tommy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he glared down at Beth who had just swung at him, hitting him hard into his aching jaw.

Beth's eyes widened as she instantly fell into Tommy's arms. "Jesus- sorry. You scared me." Beth mumbled. Tommy shook his head pushing her back slightly. "What happened?" Beth bit down on her lip and shrugged. She knew Tommy would find out what happened eventually but now wasn't the time, she wanted to see what the inspector wanted her for. "I-you just- I just got a fright. It's dark, I slipped on the way up and got winded."

A small gust of wind blew threw the streets of Small Heath and through the smell of piss and shit, Beth somehow managed to smell the scent of a certain Irish barmaid in the air. "Have you been talking to Grace?" Beth questioned, standing up properly. "I asked you what happened first. Answer the question." Tommy demanded, his cold face looking down into hers in a scold.

"Like you'd even care!" Beth growled stepping back away from Tommy. "Eh- it's always been me and you Bethany, I don't know why you'd think that I wouldn't care." Tommy chuckled leaning against the brick walls and placing a cigar between his lips. Beth shook her head her hand reaching up to rub the place where her hair had been pulled by the inspector. "Sorry Tom. I'm just all over the place."

She smiled sweetly at Tommy one last time, leaned in and placed a kiss on his cheek before rushing inside her house- letting the tears begin to pour from her eyes.

AUTHORS NOTE
sorry but I feel like Beth is so boring because she's not really out of her shell yet, but she's going to explode soon hehe