Ada and Polly looked at one another, as the school teacher sat quietly in the back of the car. Nothing had been said since they had left the Garrison. Not that the two women had expected that much would be said. The pair sure that (Y/n) might still be in some kind of shock. Having gone from beginning the evening with nothing but smiles and happiness, to the ending it with........well, seeing what they had seen. Ada and Polly only able to imagine what was going on in her head. The older woman even more angry at the turn of events, given what she and the teacher had spoken about only moments before.

"(Y/n)..............?" Ada finally said, as she turned around.

"Are.........are you alright................?"

"What? Oh, yes, fine. I just want to get home and get out of this ridiculous dress. All that money I spent on it, and now all I want to do is throw it in the bin." (Y/n) replied, with a strange chuckle. Ada doing her best to smile in reply, as she reached over and took the school teacher's hand.

"You know, Arthur................."

"Your brother is a free man, allowed to be with whoever he wants. I have no right to stop him. It is not as though we are in a relationship or any such thing. I have to face the facts that I am just a dull little school teacher, and I cannot compete with any of the women that Mister Shelby seems to have a preference for. I even think that he only invited me tonight, because he felt sorry for me............"

"(Y/n), you know that's not true............" Polly interjected, as she looked at (Y/n) through the rear-view mirror.

"Well.........there seems to be no other reason to have asked me. Especially when the evening ended as it did. Perhaps he should have just asked those two...........ladies, to begin with.........It was obvious that he was enjoying their company, far more than he was mine." (Y/n) continued, letting out a soft sigh, before turning back to look at the dark streets go by.

Alright, now both Ada and Polly were really worried. To them, it would make more sense if the teacher was angry; if she wanted to punch Arthur in the face for what had happened. If she was shouting, crying. But she was doing none of that; instead, just seeming to accept what they had seen. Though they did have to respect the dignity with which she was handling herself.

"We'll come in with you................." Ada said, as her aunt pulled up out the front of the house. (Y/n) just nodding, as she opened the door of the car, and slipped out into the cool night air.

                                                        >>-----------------------------------<<

"There you go................" Ada said, as she handed (Y/n) a cup of tea.

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay...............?"

"I'm fine, really. You two should get back, I'm sure that Freddie is wondering where you have got to. You deserve to be able to enjoy yourselves. But.......if you will give me a couple of moments.............." The school teacher replied, as she quickly got to her feet and left the room.

"Do you think that she's alright?" Ada asked, as she looked to her aunt.

"I don't know, but if she says that she's alright.......... I'll go down to the school tomorrow and check up on her." Polly said, the pair smiling as (Y/n) came back into the room.

"If you could give this to Mister Shelby.........I mean Tommy, in the morning, I would appreciate it. It's nothing important, just something that I should have told him before I left.............." (Y/n) explained, as she handed Polly an envelope. The teacher smiling as Polly nodded in agreement.

"Thank you.......and, thank you both for bringing me home. I really appreciate it. I really appreciate everything that you have done for me." (Y/n) added, as she gave both the women a hug, before escorting them to the front door. Ada and Polly making their way back to the car; giving a smiling, waving, one last look, before Polly started the vehicle and made their way back into the night.

                                                               >>-------------------------------<<

The smile dropped from (Y/n)'s face, as she closed the door. In truth, she wasn't alright; her mind was spinning, her thoughts filled with what she had seen. The whole thing playing out over and over again and making her feel sick to her stomach; but she was not going to cry, even though her heart was breaking. She was not going to let anyone, especially Arthur Shelby, see that her spirit had been crushed. But she would be doing something. She knew that her decision was the cowards way out. Knew that she would be letting a lot of people down, particularly the children; but she also knew that Small Heath was only a small place, that by the morning, what had happened in the Garrison would be all around the town. But the thing was, she wouldn't be there in the morning. She hated the idea that some people might feel sorry for her; others laughing at her behind her back. So, she would make sure that she didn't have to face any of it. That she didn't have to face Tommy coming to see her, or worse, Arthur, making up excuses as to why he did what he did. Coming up with some pathetic apology; that was if he even cared.

Slowly, she made her way up the stairs. There was a train first thing in the morning, and she would be on it. The letter that she had given Peggy would explain to Tommy why she had done what she had done. She had written her thanks for all that he had done for the school, for her and the children. An apology for not being strong enough to face Arthur or the rest of the family, and a recommendation of someone that could take her place at the school. (Y/n) just praying that Peggy would do as she had asked, and not give the letter to her nephew until the morning. The school teacher reaching for the suitcase on the top of her wardrobe; hoping that she would be able to fit into it, all that she needed to keep her for a while.