chapter sixteen / season one episode four.

OLIVIA HUFFED AND CROSSED HER ARMS ACROSS HER CHEST. John was getting married today, and that upset her for two reasons: the first being that it would be to a woman he'd never met before, and Olivia had known and kept the secret from him (which she felt incredibly guilty about) and secondly that it was only her and Polly who sat in the teen's room getting ready.

Ada should be here.

It should be Polly and Ada trying to de-tangle the bird's nest that perched itself on-top of Olivia's head whilst poking fun at her and making remarks about the glum look on her face on a celebratory day.

Yet, Ada wasn't here. And Polly was muttering under her breath as she yanked the hairbrush through Olivia's hair and tried to make it presentable. When the girls had been younger Ada's hair had never been like this, and the elder Shelby girl had always been happy to sit crisscrossed in-front of her aunt and have her hair done in a new way, or an old way.

Ada just enjoyed having her hair done.

Olivia not so much. Especially not when it was Polly yanking at her scalp. Her aunt usually had a gentle touch, but clearly not today. It must be the wedding stress or something like that.

After all, Olivia had only ever attended one wedding before. And that had been Ada's super-top-secret wedding. Olivia had worn a beautiful pale frock, which had by the end of the night been covered in a man's blood and tears.

In the mirror, Olivia glanced over her shoulder to another pale colored dress that had been ironed and hung so that it looked beautiful for this morning. Except, Olivia didn't think much to it and was frankly frightened to slip it on. What if it happened again? What if she had to kill again?

The pale colored dress made her stomach turn.

"Do I have to wear that?" Olivia asked. She hadn't been very talkative this morning, Polly supposed it was down to the girl's anger at John's arranged wedding.

Not because her sister wasn't here. (Yet.)

"Yes."

"Why?"

"The Lees said—"

"But, can't I wear what I want?" She was being argumentative, Olivia knew that. She also knew that she was being fussy and picking a fight on the day of John's wedding but the dress was so similar to the one she wore that day.

And it felt like nobody else noticed.

"No, Olivia." Polly sighed, glancing behind her to the pale dress. It was a pearl like color, one that would compliment Olivia so well.

It would compliment her better if Olivia didn't imagine the dress splattered in blood.

"I really don't wanna wear it, Pol." The dress would set her skin on fire, Olivia was sure of it. And on a day she was trying her best to be happy, she really didn't want that. She had to be happy.

Weddings were supposed to be happy. Regardless of if they were forced or not.

"I know you've been wearin' all those dark dresses but it's a wedding, Liv—"

Olivia cut in, she had to because she couldn't wear this dress. She truly couldn't. "It just... any other dress, please, Pol. Not that one."

Polly set the hairbrush down with a sigh, and her hands on her hips, "What's wrong with it?"

Olivia's toes curled. She didn't have to say it, did she? Did she really have to spell it out for Polly?

Olivia felt like the words she wanted to say, the truth, were stuck in the back of her throat. "I just don't like it."

"I bought it you months ago, Olivia, and I haven't seen you in it once!" Somehow this had turned into a classic Polly rant. The aunt telling Olivia off for making her aunt buy her clothes just to never see them again.

Olivia had liked this dress months ago. Before the seasons had changed, and her world had changed and before people had been killed. Things were different months ago, Olivia liked different things months ago.

This was not something she could like ever again.

Olivia couldn't help but feel like she was being childish. It was a dress. A fucking dress. And here she was having a paddy over it, like a four year old who didn't want to put the glittery tights on underneath their pretty frock.

Olivia stumbled over her words, twisting in the seat that Polly had sat her down in, "'Cause— 'cause I don't like it no-more, alright?"

"I don't see why." Polly stated with a shake of her head, "It's a beautiful dress—"

"It's just like the one I wore—" Olivia raised her voice.

The front door to Watery Lane slammed shut. Neither of them had even heard it open.

Polly stared at her niece in shock.

Her younger niece. Because the eldest was stood in the doorway cradling her bump and looking between the pair with furrowed eyebrows, "What is wrong with you pair?"

Olivia's eyebrows raised off of her forehead, "Ada!" She squealed, jumping out of the chair that Polly had confined her to and straight at her sister. Having forgotten all about the bump that rested heavy on her sister and instead too focused on the fact that Ada was here.

Home. Ada was home.

Olivia hadn't seen her sister in a handful of months, and it was hard. It was hard to wake up every morning and not hear the snarky comment about how live and ready Olivia looked for the day, whilst also having those arms to come home to after a long day where just needed your sister. A day where you didn't need Tommy, Arthur, John or Finn. Not even a day where you needed Polly.

You just needed your sister.

Olivia had miscalculated how many of those days she had. The world had become a wretched place for Olivia, and she was tackling it one day at a time but that was exhausting. It was like taking your steps for the first time all over again, trying to find your footing and your place in this world. Olivia had grasped for Jack's hand in that time of need, and had quickly snatched it back out. (She wasn't sure how to feel about him at the moment.)

Olivia could hold onto the hand of her brothers, or her aunt. But, she knew, Olivia knew that she just needed to hold her sister's hand.

It was why her head had nuzzled against Ada and relished in the moment. Olivia wasn't sure how long they'd have together, this could be a fleeting moment. Or maybe it was something else.

There was something so innocent and childish about how Olivia peered up at her elder sister, face lit up with a grin and a childlike hope spreading throughout her. "Are you comin' home?"

Ada ran her hand through the knotted mess known as Olivia's hair, peering down at her sister with a small smile. "Only for today, nutter. You didn't think I would miss John's big day now?"

Ada had missed many big days. Finn's birthday. Polly's birthday. Even Arthur's birthday had passed them by. So had Mother's Day. (In which Olivia had treated Polly to another tea reading) (Which would never be happening again.) Many events had passed Ada by, many cards she hadn't signed, many moments with her family she'd missed.

Olivia felt upset by it. But, she couldn't tell anyone. Because Ada was growing up, and growing up meant she had to start her own family and couldn't be with the Shelbys all the time.

Sometimes Olivia wished they'd all just stay under the roof of Watery Lane and never have birthdays, because then they'd stay together. All the Shelbys under one roof. That was a perfect chaos in Olivia's mind.

"Now," Ada tapped the girl on her cheek, "What's this I hear about you not wantin' to wear a dress?"

"I wanna wear one." Olivia glanced back to her aunt who had scoffed, "Just not that one."

"She says she don't like it."

Ada thought it was a pretty dress. The bow was a cute detail and the color would compliment Olivia nicely.

But, she could also see Olivia's apprehension not to wear the dress, for a reason the older sister couldn't quite place but it was good enough. Clearly, Polly was far too stressed about the wedding and whatever else she's got going on to see Olivia's apprehension and instead see it as Olivia not wanting to wear a dress.

Ada faked a grimace, "It's a bit out of fashion, don't ya think?"

Polly watched the silent conversation the two sisters had merely by looking at each other in bewilderment, "Out of bloody fashion! I bought it two months ago."

"Fashion changes quick, Pol." Ada responded, opening up Olivia's wardrobe and searching through the different dresses. Ada also had to wrestle with how many clothes were in here, "Jesus, Liv, you wanna think 'bout a clear out anytime soon?"

Olivia shrugged.

Polly huffed, "I've been tellin' you for weeks to give it a good clear out—"

Ada glanced over her shoulder, "Orright, Pol. Give it a rest. I know how nervy you get at weddings but stop takin' it all out on poor Liv."

Olivia gazed at the floor. She knew she'd been fussy this morning. She'd left a slice of toast untouched because the butter smelt funny, and she hadn't drank any water because it came out the tap a bit cloudy. She was being difficult. She didn't mean to be.

Just, today was John's wedding day. So, everything had to be perfect. There was no room for anything feeling off or going wrong: that means no funny smelling toast, or funny looking water or dresses that remind you of a wretched alleyway.

It had to be perfect. He may not be marrying a woman he loved, but he deserved to have a perfect wedding.

❋

Olivia clung to Ada's hand much like a child did. She couldn't help it. She hadn't seen her sister in months, and Olivia could never be sure if she'd see Ada for another few months after this wedding. She had to get all the quality time she could with her sister.

To Olivia, it felt like her sister could just disappear on her one day and she would forget everything. Olivia would forget this feeling of holding on tightly to her sister, and the delicate nature of Ada's palms that weren't calloused like their brothers.

Olivia was safe with her brothers. Of course she was.

But, you couldn't blame the girl for wanting more moments like these. Having a sister was a special thing, not everyone had the ability to say they had someone who felt like their other half, just older. Someone they told stories to, gossiped with and always had on your side even if you were in the wrong. Brothers could sometimes be too honest, or not understand the situation at all.

Ada always understood. Ada understood the matters that Tommy would see as trivial.

Olivia had so much to say to Ada, so much to ask about. But, today was John's day. Olivia was just going to have to cherish holding onto Ada and make the most of the time they had.

The crowd wasn't large at this wedding. It was just the Shelbys and the Lees, and yet it felt large to Olivia. It was the feeling she'd felt at the market that day with Mrs Faye, when all eyes were on her and it felt like they knew every bad thing she'd ever done. The feeling she'd had before the adrenaline of being a Shelby had kicked in. Olivia was waiting for that to kick in again, because she felt very seen in this crowd as her, Ada and Polly approached.

Maybe they were looking at Ada. The Shelby who had herself away with the communist. They were looking at Ada.

But maybe they were looking at the murderer too.

She could see John knelt down already, with his veiled wife beside him. If pregnant Ada didn't hurry up they were going to miss the wedding. The perfect wedding.

Somewhere, beneath all her nerves and fears of being in this crowd was excitement. Because weddings were joyous occasions and she hadn't attended John's wedding to Martha, and Ada and Freddie's had just been her in the crowd. This was family, this was all of them together, celebrating.

That would cheer Pol up.

It might even convince Ada to come back home.

It might even make Olivia think she doesn't have a target on her back.

"We're here today to join in matrimony," Johnny Dogs spoke loudly, hoping all the Lees and Shelbys could hear him as the three Shelby women came to stand beside Tommy.

Polly was smiling widely with her arm wrapped around Ada's arm, and Olivia holding onto Ada's other hand. Olivia had to stand next to Tommy, but because she hadn't quite grown fully yet Tommy could still look over Olivia and straight at Ada.

"This man and this woman." Olivia thought that calling John a man might've been a stretch, but she'll save that comment for the after party.

Polly dropped her arm from Ada's and made her way through the crowd. She'd always loved weddings. And she'd always loved being on the front row, which was why Arthur had saved her a seat.

Olivia, in all her wedding-goer experience, stayed at the back with her brother and sister because that was where she felt safe. Safe in her light blue dress instead of that creamy dress with the bow. Her hand holding onto Ada's and now glancing at Tommy's.

Tommy nodded his head at Ada, "You look well."

"Which is sanctioned and honored by the presence, and power of these two families around us." The veil was lifted, and John glanced back to his family with a boyish smirk.

Olivia rolled her eyes because even at his wedding he couldn't act like an adult!

"Do you John Michael Shelby take Esme Martha Lee to be your beautiful wife?"

Esme. Olivia had always thought that Esme was a beautiful name.

"You got my invitation." Tommy spoke monotonously, staring at the wedding ceremony taking place but clearly not paying attention.

Olivia wished she'd hurried up to the front with her aunt just so that she didn't have to listen to awkward exchange between her sister and brother.

It was painful to watch, but also painful as a whole. It shouldn't be like this. Ada shouldn't have to be sought out and invited to her brother's wedding, and brother and sister should not stand next to each other with straight faces. They should be jolly. And Ada should've been her all along.

"Grace said there's a truce."

A truce. That's what they were coming down to.

"Family day."

Olivia frowned, and pulled her hand away from Ada's and merely clicked her knuckles in-front of herself. What family has to call a truce simply to celebrate? Was that even family?

Tommy eyed his younger sister.

She couldn't help but feel so guilty for thinking like this when she should be celebrating. But, it was hard to celebrate when you were stuck between Ada and Tommy pretending you were a family.

Olivia's hands fell loosely by her sides.

And it wasn't long until Tommy picked up the hand closest to him and held onto it tightly. Squeezing slightly.

Olivia glanced up at him.

He stared at the ceremony still.

"Your husband couldn't make it?" He asked.

Olivia knew it was a snide remark.

"He's not speaking to me." Olivia looked down to the gravel at Ada's words because it felt like there was a dark cloud looming over the three Shelbys at the back corner of this wedding.

"And when he does he calls me, 'A fucking Shelby.' Even though I'm a Thorne now."

Olivia didn't like to remember that her and her sister no longer shared a last name. It was just another factor that separated them.

"Thorne in my side that's for sure." Tommy replied.

Olivia huffed, "I was gonna say that."

Tommy smiled down at her.

Even Ada chuckled lightly. Whether she meant it or not, Olivia couldn't really tell. Her sister wasn't so easy to read after not seeing one another for months.

"My God, Tommy, you admire him don't you?" Olivia wasn't quite sure how they'd ended up on this railroad. Admire. It wasn't exactly the word that came to mind when Olivia thought about Tommy and Freddie.

But, nowadays Olivia wasn't so sure what came to her mind.

Tommy simply glanced at his sister.

"There remains one more part of the ceremony. That's the mingling of the two bloods."

Blood wasn't so scary before. Blood was just blood, floating around our bodies and keeping us alive. Sometimes you had a little blood on your finger from a cut, but you were never covered in it.

Olivia couldn't see blood like that anymore. Not when she'd been coated in it, and it hadn't been a little amount. It had been sticky, and it stained her skin and stained her minds for the next years of her life. It was dark. And it had oozed out from Johnny Faye onto her.

Olivia could barely see the knife Johnny Dogs held, "Where the two families become the one family." Yet, it still sent shivers down her spine.

Blood was being spilt here.

And yet it wasn't a gruesome alleyway, with Olivia about to be murdered. It was a wedding. There was a crowd. And Tommy was keeping her safe.

And Ada had kept her safe too.

Esme and John's cut hands came together, Johnny exclaiming, "I now pronounce you man and wife!"

"Come on, John, kiss the bride, will you?"

Everyone stood up and applauded for the two as Esme and John engaged in their first kiss as a married couple.

Olivia cupped her mouth and heckled loudly. "Boooo!"

Polly instantly turned round from where she stood on the front row, glaring at her youngest niece and her head nodding at Tommy.

Her elder brother squeezed her hand, "Stop it you."

"Kissin' is gross." Olivia replied, returning back to clapping before Polly made her way down the aisle and gave the girl a stern talking to.

Tommy raised his eyebrows, "'M sure you say that to the Cockney too."

Olivia glared at Tommy.

Ada's eyebrow raised inquisitively, "Cockney? Has Liv got a boyfriend?"

"No!" She groaned.

"Not yet." Tommy replied over her groaning.

"A Cockney, really, Liv?" Ada asked in bewilderment. You really did miss out on things when you leave home and start your own life.

Olivia turned to glare at her sister, "You married a commie!"

"That's different."

Tommy chuckled, quietly, at Olivia's perplexed face. His hands moving to the girl's shoulders and leaning down to whisper in her ear, "Orright, c'mon we've got some celebrating to do, don't want you starting any fights."

"Fights? I wouldn't fight a pregnant lady."

"Stop looking like you would then."

❋

It was a real celebration now. A real party. It was how a real wedding was done. There was singing, dancing, a lot of drinking and a whole lot of laughing.

If Olivia ever got married she wanted it to go just like this: people enjoying themselves, people making fools out of themselves. People just happy.

It had been a long time since Olivia had felt just happy. And maybe the ciders she'd been sneaking from Curly without anyone noticing her something to do with it, but she didn't care.

She was celebrating. And she was happy about it.

She had been pestering Esme and John for at least the last hour. (Olivia loved Esme. She hoped John would love her too soon.) "So, you have chickens back home?" Olivia tilted her head to the side as she perched herself beside Esme, on the ledge of the carriage.

Originally, it had just been the newlyweds sat there, watching the crazy crowds and laughing amongst themselves. Olivia had soon made her way over and John had tried to send the girl away, but Esme had pulled Olivia up onto the carriage and sat her beside her.

She was very sweet.

John not so much.

Esme hummed, thinking of the life she was leaving to join John for peace. "Loads of 'em. Crappin' out eggs and cluckin' like no tomorrow."

"Cool." Olivia gushed. She'd always been jealous of the farm Eleanora had lived on before Small Heath, and now she was going to be jealous of the life Esme had before Small Heath. At least this life Esme could take Olivia back to.

Eleanora's farm was no doubt owned by someone else now.

Whilst, Esme would always be allowed back to the Lee's land.

"Did any of 'em ever poo on you?"

"Olivia!" John groaned, throwing his head back. It wasn't often that he referred to the girl by her full name, which meant he was getting very annoyed, very quickly. Because of his secret relationship with Lizzie Stark he'd forgotten how embarrassing it was to have your little sister pester your date/ partner.

Now he was reliving it all over again.

It felt Liv was 5 again and meeting Martha for the first time. The questions had been relentless that day, and Olivia hadn't stopped holding onto Martha's hand. Martha had spent more time with Olivia that day than her boyfriend.

"What!" Olivia mimicked his groan, causing Esme to laugh, "It's an important question, John, I swear."

"You've been asking important questions for the last hour!"

"So!?"

Esme lay her head on John's shoulder, whilst laughing, "Alright you two. It's fine, John. Olivia's good company, you don't have to send her away."

John grumbled under his breath.

"Thank you, Esme!" Olivia gushed. It was always a good sign when your brother's partner was already taking your side. It would be no time before Olivia had Esme wrapped around her little finger.

And then the chaos could really start.

"Bloody sisters."

A drunken Arthur approached them, his hands up in the air. "Orright, I'm gonna take the nutter off your hands, so you two can get to know each other better." He winked.

Olivia rolled her eyes, "You're so gross."

Arthur's laughter boomed. Reaching out to grab Olivia by the waist so that he could lower her down onto the floor. "I know what you are Liv, but what am I?"

Olivia had been placed on the ground by Arthur, but the man didn't exactly have the most firm footing in the world, so they stumbled causing Esme and John to laugh at their misfortune as Olivia tried to get Arthur to stand up straight.

Olivia huffed a strand of hair out of her face, "How much have you had to drink?!"

"Not a lot." He lied.

"Yeah right."

"Let's go dance, Liv."

"Absolutely not."

Arthur frowned, holding onto Olivia's arms, "Why not?"

"You're gonna spin me round, I know it."

"I ain't."

"Yes, you are."

"Orright, I was but I won't now."

Olivia narrowed her eyes at her eldest brother. She couldn't say no. It was Arthur. Sweet, but violent, Arthur, who liked to drink too much. He was still her brother, despite his faults. And he had always tried hard for the kids.

Olivia doubted she'd ever be able to say no to her brother.

She grabbed onto his hand and led him to where everyone else was dancing. A wide smile now on her face, "No spinnin'. Orright." She pointed a finger at him before lacing before their hands together and jumping around.

"I told you I ain't gonna spin." He slurred.

Olivia wasn't all too sure what good this dancing would do for Arthur, she didn't want to be anywhere near him when all he'd drunk inevitably came right back up.

Olivia hummed, as cheering sounded as Esme and John came to joining the dancing.

Arthur looked down at his sister with the widest grin she'd ever seen, and she didn't even care that it happened when he was drunk. "One day, right, 'M gonna dance with you, like this, at your own wedding."

Olivia looked up at him, confusion laced within her features, "Huh?"

"You 'eard me." He said, his smile never fading, "Me and you, prancing about at your wedding. Your husband, stood in that corner looking at us like we're loonies and wondering what he's got himself into. But, me and you, we're 'aving fun and it's just you and me. Dancin'."

Olivia giggled, "You're crazy."

"Me?" He laughed, "I ain't crazy. I just want you to have the best future possible."

Olivia let his words settle. The two just staring at one another before they started spinning.

Arthur cackled.

"Hey! You said you wouldn't!" Olivia laughed, clutching on tightly to her brother's elbows as he spun them round and round.

"I don't know why you believed me!" He roared with laughter, and nobody else could hear it over the fireworks and even the gunshot that had sounded.

But, Olivia had heard it. It was perfect, it was brillant. And it was Arthur. It was the happiest he'd felt in months, and she was glad because she was happy too.

They were having the time of their lives and no-one could stop them.

"Alright, you two." Aunt Polly huffed, separating the pair as they stood still. Or, tried to stand still. The world was spinning and they both felt like they could lose their footing. Polly laughed under her breath, "I don't know in what world you thought that was a good idea."

"Arthur's idea." Olivia managed to mutter, whilst trying to get the world to stop spinning.

Arthur drawled something incoherent from his lips.

Olivia and Polly managed to share a look before shrugging,

Arthur was quickly off, claiming that he needed to rehydrate after such vigorous dancing. They both saw him stumble off in the direction of the beer table.

Olivia and Polly laughed, as the aunt looped her arm around Liv's. "You havin' fun?"

Olivia nodded, "I annoyed John for a whole hour."

"Good girl. The groom should always be annoyed at his wedding."

Olivia glanced up at her aunt, because she wondered if it was also a requirement to annoy your aunt on the day of a wedding.

Polly glanced down at her too, and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, "You look beautiful, Liv."

Olivia took that as an apology.

It was a wedding and she was in high spirits, and her aunt was clearly over her mood so that was good enough.

"I think you look beautiful too, Pol." Olivia knew her aunt didn't have a husband anymore to tell her how beautiful she looked everyday, it was Olivia had always made it her special mission to tell her aunt.

"Thank you, love." They approached the table where Tommy sat watching everyone like hawk.

Olivia wondered if he'd been sat there this whole time, lighting his cigarettes, drinking from his beer and just watching. More like a viewer than an attendee to the wedding.

Olivia then realized she didn't need to wonder that, because she should know that's exactly what Tommy's been doing this whole time. Ten years ago Tommy might've got up and danced, sang, cheered. But, now he preferred to watch from the sidelines.

Unbothered by the events taking place around him.

"Orright?" He nodded in Liv's direction, who chugged from the glass of pop he had fetched her about an hour ago, before she'd gone to pester Esme and John.

She chugged nearly all over it before turning to him with a smile, "Yep!"

"Arthur spun me 'round like crazy!" She gushed. They heard a cheering. "Now he's doin' the same to our Ada, believe me the room'll be side-to-side when he stops."

Tommy merely nodded.

"Are you alright?" She asked, "You haven't danced."

"I don't dance, Liv." He tapped the ash away from his cigarette, before stubbing it out because his sister was now sat with him.

Olivia frowned, "You used to."

Tommy hummed.

"We could dance. Me and you." She smiled. "I promise I won't spin ya."

There was a beat of silence. And that was Olivia's answer.

Luckily for Tommy, he didn't have to verbalize his answer because Polly tapped him on the shoulder and nodded in Ada's direction, "You should tell our Ada to slow down."

Olivia watched Ada be spun 'round again, and wondered why Tommy and Polly wanted to her to stop having fun.

She looked to her left and saw Tommy starting straight at the scene. (She was sat to Tommy's left, because after all she was his right hand man.) "What makes you think she'll listen to me?"

"I tried to stop her but she's been drinking. She's been stuck in that basement for weeks. What do you expect? She's going off like a firecracker."

Foolishly, that ignited the hope within Olivia that maybe this scene would be enough reasoning for Tommy to bring Ada home.

Polly watched in horror, "Oh, Christ, Tommy, please." She practically begged.

Olivia looked up to her aunt, "Maybe I can get her to stop." She shrugged.

"No." Tommy huffed, standing up from the seat he'd resided in all night, "I'll go."

"But—" He was already walking off into the crowd as Olivia watched him go. She wanted to tell him he'll be mean, because she knew he would. But, it was too late.

Olivia stood up too, to follow after him.

"Ada, come on, have a rest." Tommy spoke to her like a child. "Sit down." Sure, Ada might've been acting like a child (or perhaps a woman who had been stuck in a basement for weeks) but she would take Tommy's tone the wrong way.

"Come and look Esme!" She cheered, "Look at the family you've joined!"

So, Ada had picked up on Olivia's thought from earlier that this wasn't exactly a family anymore.

"Come and look at the man who runs it! He chooses his brother's wives for them! The man who manipulates his littlest sister and keeps her 'round for the future of the family! Who hunts his own sister down like a rat and tries to kill his own brother-in-law."

"Ada that's enough." Arthur warned but it was pointless.

Even Olivia didn't want to help anymore, because she wondered what manipulation her sister was talking about?

"Now he won't even let me have a fucking dance!"

Olivia wondered if Ada knew she was speaking nonsense, because Tommy loved his littlest sister. The business wasn't always his main priority when it came to her.

"Not even at a fucking wedding!"

Olivia rested her head against Arthur's arm, watching the scene unravel before them.

"Sit her down." John ordered.

"Calm down, Ada." Polly muttered as Ada held on tightly to her aunt's elbows, "Ada, you must calm down."

There was a sound of trickling water.

Olivia checked Arthur's trouser leg, "Did you piss yourself?"

Arthur's eyebrows furrowed, "Nah. I told you last time was the last time."

Lovely.

"Holy shit. Water. Right."

Olivia's eyes widened.

"Bloody hell, Ada, you do pick your times!" Arthur groaned.

And Olivia was filled with the sudden confusion that she didn't quite know what to celebrate right now.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
me when i updated this book four times this month: 😝
me when we have parallels in this chapter to tommy's wedding: 😕

i also refuse to tell you if olivia gets married and arthur and her get that dance because you and i will both cry regardless of the answer

also liv's so confused rn omg 😭😭 she's just a teenage girl about to deliver a baby guys!! forgive her.

can you tell i have a sister that i miss dearly guys. like the ada x liv sister-ship hits so hard that i then had to go and make esme x liv sister-ship because i miss mine (she moved half way across the world) (i'm not okay about it.)

there's also only six chapters left of this act. IM NOT READY. literally because i haven't planned act two yet, and because this is my safe space. SEASON ONE IS MY SAFE SPACE. (season two is not safe at all.)