VULNERABLE | thomas shelby

☆T W E N T Y - F O U R☆

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR; PUB EXPLOSIONS

-Birmingham 1921-

BETH STOOD IN the graveyard, a small wind blowing her black dress back, a cigarette placed between her lips as she watched Freddie Thorne be lowered to the ground. Freddie Thorne, a friend and Ada's husband had passed away days prior in the comforts of his home while he slept. Beth had been sad hearing the news of Freddie's passing, it was unfair. Freddie has fought in France and came home to fight for his love for Ada only to die without a fight, to some horrible disease leaving his son and wife, to be widow.

Beth was brought back to Earth when Tommy stepped forward, the priests ramble of words hadn't been heard, and she had zoned out completely thinking about Freddie's passing. Tommy cleared his throat before speaking. "I promised my friend, Freddie Thorne, that I'd say a few words over his grave if he should die before me. I made this promise before he became my brother in law when we were in France fighting for the king." Tommy spoke.

"Amen." Arthur praised. "And in the end, it wasn't the war that took Freddie. Pestilence took him. But Freddie passed in his soul and his spirit to a new generation before he was cruelty taken." Tommy continued. The funeral continued with tension, the only thing to interrupt was the cries of Johns newborn that Esme had given birth to a year prior. So as bad as it was to say Beth was slightly relieved when the funeral had ended. She watched Tommy and Ada break away from the group and let them speak.

Beth glanced around the graveyard and spotted Johns children, along with Karl begin to Knick flowers from the graves and she let out a small laugh before walking over to them. "And what do you think your doing?" She asked crouching down to pluck a flower from Karl's small hands. "Picking flowers. The dead people won't mind aunt Beth." One of Johns children smiled proudly holding out another flower to Beth. Beth took the flower and had to refrain from smiling. "That's not the point love, they're there to pay respects from the dead peoples family. You don't take what's not yours."

She glanced around at the children who were watching her with big eyes and mouths open. "Now on you go." She shooed standing up and chuckling walking towards Tommy who was already watching her from over his shoulder. She hadn't realised she had kept a flower in her hand until she reached Tommy and he plucked it from her hand and stared at intently. "I had to stop Karl and his cousins from pinching the flowers from graves." She grinned looking up at Ada with a sympathetic smile.

Beth's eyebrows furrowed as she realised that Tommy and Ada were glaring across at eachother the tension heavy. "What's happening?" Tommy's hand came around her waist and tugged her into his hold. "It's alright love." Tommy spoke up, taking a long drag on his cigarette. A sarcastic laugh escaped his lips. "We make Ada embarrassed." Beth glanced up at Ada in surprise. "That's not what I said!" Ada snapped, glaring at her brother.

"There's another reason we want you to come home." Tommy spoke glancing over Beth's should to look at Polly who was watching them from afar. "We're planning an expansion. I'm taking premises in London." Beth frowned, at the new information he had failed to tell her. "Tommy it's a bloody funeral. Business can wait." Beth hissed taming the cigarette from his lips and taking a drag on it. "If Ada was weeping then I'd stop." Tommy took the cigarette from Beth's lips and dropped it to the ground.

"But she's not. The expansion means it's going to be dangerous to be a Shelby in London for a while." Beth rolled her eyes looking up at the clouded sky. "Yeah well I'm not a Shelby anymore." Ada grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. "And I'm not Thorne now either- I'm free." Beth sighed tugging on Tommy's jacket. "Now is not the time." She glanced around wearily. "Too many ears around."

"I've to get Karl home." Ada stated miserably and began to walk off brushing against Beth's shoulder harshly causing her to scoff. Beth turned to the side and watch Ada walk past Polly who was approaching herself and Tommy and scoop Karl into her arms. "I told you, let me do it." Polly scolded. "It's alright. I'll have some men watch her house till the danger passes." Tommy decided, watching as Beth shuffled closer to him and reached into his coats pocket and pull out a box of cigarettes.

Beth plucked a cigarette from the box and let her eyes land on Tommy, grinning cheekily waiting for him to light it for her. Tommy let out a small huff, and took out his lighter and lit the end of her cigarette. Beth took a long drag and nodded over to Polly who watched the exchange with a smile. "The danger won't be passing for a long time, love if your planning a expansion in London." Beth mocked, Polly's smile falling waiting for an argument.

Beth's eyebrows furrowed in confusion when a motor bike pulled up, Arthur leaning over to hear what the man had to say and then rushing towards Tommy who met him half way. "Till the danger passes, that'll be the bloody day." Polly grumbled, watching as Tommy turned around quickly and rushed back in there direction. He scanned Beth's face quickly before taking her hand in his and beginning to pull her towards the car.

Beth peered over her shoulder at Polly who shrugged and began to follow behind them in confusion. "What the fuck are you rushing off for?" Beth grumbled, trying to keep up. "Somethings happened. We need to go." Tommy opened the door to the Bugatti and got in first in first, and Beth slid in beside him. Polly following behind her and sat into the car.

Tommy leaned into the front to talk to the driver and without much explanation the driver began to drive away from the Graveyard. "For fucks sake will someone tell me what's going on please?" Beth questioned looking passed Tommy over to Polly. "Someone blew up the Garrison." Tommy grumbled, a look of anger written across her lip.

Beth bit her lip and reached up to tug at her hair anxiously. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Beth rambled, watching as the car turned out onto the street of the Garrison. The car came to a halt and Tommy threw open the door quickly and stood out, his eyes never left the Garrison in front of him but he still kept his hand out for Beth who gladly took it stepping out of the car.

Beth's mouth fell open at the site in front of her the shattered windows, the burned out front and the police barricade around the wreckage all mixed into one big mess. The rest of the Shelby's joined and Tommy left Beth with John while him and Polly went to talk to Moss. Arthur wrapped his arm around Beth and pulled her into his side, rubbing up and down her arm. "Where the fuck will I work now?" She blurted staring you at the mess in front of her. Arthur grinned down at the smaller girl.

"There's always room at the shop. Tommy would love that, he'd have you right under his eye. He always complains about you working in the Garrison." Arthur rambled. Beth let out a small laugh and nodded. "Trust me Arthur, I bloody know."