☆

"CLARA."

The girl looked up from her book, meeting her older brother's gaze as he towered over her. She'd been lying across the couch for god only knows how long, completely and utterly invested in the stolen novel clutched in her hands. She had blocked out all noise from the betting shop, allowing herself to be immersed into the novel's world of wonder

"Tommy," she nodded, as the man lit a cigarette, taking the book from her hands. Clara was instantly on her feet, reaching for it, in a last attempt to avoid her brother from seeing the cover. "Oi, give it back!"

"Is this mine?" He questioned, turning the book over with his cigarette perched in his mouth.

"No," Clara bit the inside of her cheek as she spoke.

The man opened the front cover, "'To Tommy, From Gre–'" He read out, raising an eyebrow, keeping his temper from flaring. "You stole this from my room, didn't you?."

"I didn't steal it!"

"Well, what do you call taking something without someone's permission?"

"Borrowing with intent to give back. What's the big deal?" Clara scoffed indignantly, staring up at her brother. "I've run out of things to read 'round here."

"So, you decided that you'd rummage through my room to find this?!" Tommy scowled, sucking in a deep breath.

"I didn't rummage!"

"Clara, I swear—"

There was a sudden uproar of voices from the den, causing Tommy to swiftly drop the conversation and to stride out into the shop, closely followed by the curious girl. The two watched as an angered man was escorted out of the den. Closing time struck and it wasn't long until everyone else was being ushered out.

"C'mon, I'm halfway through it!" Clara once again started with a whine, walking after Tommy as he marched into the betting den with the book under his arm. "At least let me finish it!"

"No," The man stubbornly answered, "Consider it as a lesson not to be a weasel."

Pol exited the kitchen, her hat, coat and gloves in hand as she strode towards the two. "It's a good day." She began, briefly flipping through the books.

"Where's John?" Tommy questioned, ignoring Clara's incessant scowling.

"John is in the Garrison," Polly explained briefly, pulling on her hat and jacket. "He says he wants a meeting about a family matter." She glanced at the girl beside her. "—That includes you, Clara, and after he's said his piece he'll come back and take his place with Scudboat."

Clara raised her eyebrows, racing to put on and tie up her boots as Tommy grumpily handed her, her coat.

"Scudboat? John will be here in ten minutes." Polly announced, walking out the door.

"All right."

"Five." Tommy corrected pointedly, pushing Clara ahead of him as they exited out into Watery Lane. The walk was silent, while Clara kicked the stones and Tommy lit another cigarette. The three entered the Garrison, striding into the snug, where John and Arthur had situated themselves, the latter throwing back a glass of whiskey.

"All right, John." Tommy began, as Clara slid onto the bench, her hair being instantly ruffled by Arthur as she rolled her eyes. "There's only one man guarding the house. What's troubling you?"

"Polly, you know what it's been like since Martha died." John started, his hands fiddling with his cap— something Clara clocked to be a nervous habit.

"God takes the best first." The woman frowned, looking to the man with sympathy. Clara had liked Martha. The woman was kind and often enlisted the girl and Finn to help out and make cookies for the entire Shelby clan. She couldn't remember a lot about the woman, but she'd been kind and warm. To see her deteriorate and eventually pass away was something Clara had pushed out of her mind.

"The truth is, my kids have been running bloody rings around me. Running barefoot with the dogs until all hours." John continued, his head bowed as the girl furrowed her eyebrows.

"Pol, give him ten bob, some shoes and Clara, start babysitting the kids," Tommy ordered, earning an instant wave of protest from the girl, (which was quickly silenced by Arthur patting her shoulder). "Is that it, John?"

"Tommy, we'd be better doing this without you." Aunt Pol huffed, glaring at the man. "Now, what's your point?"

"What the kids need is a mother. So, that's why I'm getting married." Clara's eyes widened, glancing towards Arthur who looked equally as shocked.

"Does this poor girl know you're going to marry her or are you going to spring it on her all of a sudden?" Pol questioned.

"I've already proposed and she said 'yes."

"Congratulations then?" Clara spoke her eyebrows scrunched together.

"I think there's a shell about to land and go bang," Tommy remarked, lighting yet another cigarette. The family watched as John took a sip of his beer, wiping his mouth before looking up.

"It's, er... It's Lizzie Stark."

A chorus of chuckles erupted from Pol and Arthur, as Clara bit her lip to contain her snickers. She knew all about Lizzie Stark, everyone knew about Lizzie Stark. The girl bowed her head, as Arthur covered his face to try to hide his glee.

"John, Lizzie Stark's a strong woman and I am sure she provides a fine service for her customers." Pol spluttered.

"I WON'T hear the word. Understand?" John snapped, causing Clara to jump and sit up straighter, her lips still fighting the urge to quirk up. "Do not use that word."

"What word is that, John?" Tommy asked, leaning against the wall nonchalantly.

"You know what word that is."

"Everybody bloody knows..." Arthur laughed.

"Everybody can go to hell..." John persisted.

"'Whore'? That word? Or 'prostitute'?" Tommy contemplated, "How about that one?"

"Right, I want it known... if anyone calls her a 'whore' again, I will push the barrel of my revolver down their throats and blow the word back down into their hearts." John viciously spat.

"Men and their cocks never cease to amaze me," Polly stated in disbelief, holding up her hands. "John, Lizzie Stark never did a day's work vertical."

"She's changed. All right. People change." The man scrambled, standing up in anger. "Like wi-wi-with religion."

"Oh, Lizzie Stark has got religion, eh?" Tommy said, shaking his head.

"The only religious thing Lizzie Stark has ever done was get on her knees...and I doubt it was for praying." Clara snidely snickered and although her remark was whispered, Arthur snorted, proudly ruffling her hair once more as John glared the family down.

"No, no, she doesn't have religion. But... Well, she loves me." John fumbled. Clara sighed and fiddled with her hands. "Now, listen, Tommy. I won't do it without your blessing. But of all the people in the world... I want you to see it... as brave."

"It's brave all right," Arthur spoke, taking a large gulp of his drink.

"'Brave' is going where no man has gone before..." Clara looked as the woman held her hands to her face trying to hold back her laughter. "And with Lizzy Stark, John, that is really not what you'll be doing." Arthur and Clara both choked on their chuckles, their eyes avoiding one another's to evade another uproar of laughs.

"Listen, Tommy. Welcome her to the family. As someone who's had a hard life. All right? Because I need someone. All right, the kids need someone." Before John could finish the door to the snug flung open, revealing a breathless Finn.

"Tommy! We've been done over!" He yelled. Arthur jumped to his feet, followed by Tommy and John, the three men rushed to the betting den, as Aunt Pol shrugged on her coat.

"Clara, stay with Finn!" She instructed, running after the boys. She inwardly cussed out her family as Finn sat down to steady his racing heart. Clara furrowed her brows and promptly slung her arm over her younger brother's shoulders as he caught his breath.

"Let's go, Finny." She huffed, following her family's footsteps as they walked back towards Watery Lane.

"Wait!" Finn cried, breaking free from Clara's grip and rushing off. The girl groaned running after her younger brother as he sprinted down the gravel road.

"Finn, whatcha doing?" She questioned, turning the corner as she watched Finn clamber on top of Tommy's car. "If Tommy sees, he's gonna kill you."

"That's why you're my lookout." He panted, pulling himself into the car and plopping down onto the leather seats.

"Fine," Clara grinned, folding her arms, leaning against the garage wall, as Finn moved the steering wheel.

"Get out! Do this! Do that! I'M THE BOSS!" Finn yelled out gruffly, before bursting into giggles. "Get it? I'm Tommy!"

"And you sound exactly like him."

"Clara? Finn?"

The girl turned around only to come face to face with Tommy. She winced in anticipation, half expecting a clip behind the ear from the man, but when he ignored the girl completely, Clara's eyes widened.

"Clara! You were supposed to tell me if he was here!" Finn called out with a loud whine, twisting the steering wheel.

"Finn, stay exactly where you are," Tommy stated, holding his arm out, brushing past Clara with a panicked look.

"I was pretending I was you." Finn laughed.

"Which door did you open to come in, Finn?" Tommy questioned.

"I didn't. I climbed in." Finn answered, answering his brother's question.

"He was only playing, I swear he's damaged nothing," Clara spoke up defensively, stepping forward.

"Clara, get back," Tommy instructed before frantically turning back to the car. "Finn, I want you to climb out exactly the same way you climbed in, OK?"

Finn giggled and pushed the car door open, bouncing out. Clara watched in confusion as the man rushed towards the car.

"No, no... Finn! Clara! Down!" The man called out, grabbing something from the car, throwing it out of the garage. "CLEAR!"

Clara quickly fell to the floor, clutching her head as a loud bang exploded from behind her. The girl squeezed her eyes shut, her ears ringing as she shielded her head from debris. She could hear her heartbeat, her head pulsing as she pushed herself further into the floor, willing the sharp pain in her ears to ease.

"C'mon, Clara." The voice broke through the fuzziness, as a hand shook her shoulders. She shakily pried open her eyes, watching as a worked up Tommy clutched Finn's hand in his, all while helping her to stand up. As soon as she was steady on her feet, Clara found herself being drawn into a bone-crushing hug by her older brother, Finn sandwiched between them.

"Look at me," Tommy quickly ordered, swivelling the girls head, checking for damage— something she presumed he'd already done to Finn. The man crouched down in front of the small, terrified boy. "That's why you should never pretend to be me, okay? Okay."

He carefully pulled the two into another hug, his gaze focused on where the bomb had been thrown. Clara took a deep breath in, her attempts to steady her racing heartbeat was failing miserably. She looked up at Tommy with wide eyes, dirt caking her clothes and body, bloody from a small cut on her cheek dripping down her face.

"What the bloody hell was that?"

☆

IT HAD BEEN WEEKS YET THE BOMB STILL LINGERED IN CLARA'S MIND. The girl had never been faced with anything like it before. She felt stupid. Finn was in the car. The bomb was right under him. If Tommy hadn't come...she didn't even want to think about what would've happened. She knew she wasn't the only one affected. Finn had been utterly terrified and as the night had fallen over Birmingham, he had found himself crawling into Clara's bed, too shaken up from the day.

The girl brushed back her hair, wiping away all stray thoughts of the bomb as she placed down her hairbrush. Glancing at the clock on her dresser, Clara cursed and sprinted out of her room and down the stairs.

"Bye, Pol!" She managed to call out, rushing out of no. 6 with her jacket and hat in her hands. She raced down the street, weaving in and out of people as she ran.

Clara slowly came to a stop at the edge of the canal, whistling as she walked along the stony path, her jacket and hat still in hand. The girl continued until the figure of a boy came into view. Clara unconsciously sped up her pace, approaching him. She sat down on the edge of the canal, her legs dangling over the side, brushing against the boys.

"Hi, Will..." The girl tilted her head to face the boy who sat silently beside her. Will didn't look up, his eyes focused on the water below. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Dad lost his job."

Clara's heart dropped at the boy's sullen tone. She fell into a silence as he tossed a stone back and forth in his hands. She didn't know what to say...I mean, what could she say?

"Mum had to find work...I have to find work." Will continued, forcefully skipping the stone along the top of the water. "Billy took up a job helping Mr Williams in the bakery. The only one not working is Molly, and that's only because she's seven and can barely walk a meter without hurting herself."

"Will..."

"Dads fucked off," he scoffed, "Haven't seen him in two weeks, doubt I'll see him again. Everything went to shit and all you can say is 'it's been a while'?"

"You can't seriously be mad at me?" Clara retorted, twisting her head. "I didn't know. I'm sorry that I haven't been around...and I'm sorry about your dad."

"No, you're not." Will scowled.

"Why are you so caught up? I already said sorry and I didn't even know this was happening, what else am I meant to do?"

Clara watched as the boy jumped to his feet. "That's just it!" He spitefully spoke, "Your bloody family is the reason this all happened!"

It was now the girl's turn to jump to her feet. "You're being ridiculous!" She rolled her eyes, turning her back on the canal as she faced the boy. "How is it my family's fault now, ey?"

Will ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Your brother's took every last penny we had!" He scorned, "You knew we were borderline broke!"

"Your father had a gambling problem. If he came to the shop to make a bet, my brother's would accept it unless they knew of a valid reason not to!" Clara exclaimed, "The only person at fault here is him, so don't drag my family into it."

Will suddenly growled and rushed forward, shoving the girl back. Clara latched onto his arms as she stumbled backwards, digging her heels into the ground. She felt her feet hit the edge of the canal before she promptly fell back into the water, her hands still gripping Will's arms causing him to be pulled in alongside her. The two emerged from the canal, gasping for air as they threaded the water, wiping their eyes frantically. Clara angrily pushed the boy away. He locked eyes with her as she rushed forward, splashing water at the boy in fury, while he retaliated by sending a wave of water towards her. The girl coughed, spitting out any water that had entered her mouth.

"You. Dick!" She spluttered. The boy's glare softened and there were a few seconds of silence before the two burst into unceremonious laughter at the stupidness of it all. Clara allowed her lips to quirk up as she swam to the edge, pushing herself onto the pavement and lying down before Will followed and collapsed beside her.

"Are you still mad at me?" She asked, her chest rising and falling as she looked at the boy. Will shut his eyes at the question.

"Yes...and no."

"Care to explain?"

"No...but I'll let it go if you get me a whiskey tomorrow?"

"I'll take that deal." Clara smiled, standing up and stretching her hand out for the boy to take. With a smirk, the boy slipped his hand in hers and pulled himself up.

The two walked along the canal, their clothes still dripping as they talked animatedly. Clara caught the boy up to speed on the last few weeks. It wasn't until he left for home, did the girl realise that she missed being around him. She strode along Watery Lane, her wet sleeves rolled up to her elbows, her hair pulled out of her face as her feet kicked the pebbles on the road.

The girl pried open the door to number six, coming face to face with two men. She stood back watching the men pass, their lips curled in disgust as they got into their car. Clara whistled in amusement, her eyes scanning the fancy vehicle before she waltzed into the betting den.

"Gentlemen... And lady."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she took in the sight of everyone gathered. People turned towards the open door, taking in the sight of the soaking girl, many of them holding back their snickers whilst others shook their heads knowingly.

"And...Clara." Tommy sighed, his good mood unwavering as the girl closed the door. "I have in my hand a legal betting licence. Issued by the board of control." He plastered a large smile across his face, holding out the paper. "The Shelby family has its first legal racetrack pitch."

Clara's jaw dropped in shock as the betting den erupted into hearty cheers and claps. Polly rushed to Tommy as the girl clapped and hollered. She found her feet carrying her towards John and Arthur who were now in front of Tommy, their glee written across their faces.

"C'mere you!" Arthur boomed, gripping the girl in a headlock.

"Look at the state of you!" Polly laughed, taking in the girls damp appearance. "What happened to ya?" Clara weaselled her way out of Arthur's grasp.

"Fell into the cut," she shrugged with a grin, earning a wave of chuckles from her family. "So...the Shelby company have a legal betting pitch?"

"Right you are, Clara girl." Tommy nodded, his eyes scanning over the document. "This is the start of a new era for us."

"Yeah, yeah, that's great, that's great...but, is there any chance I can have your book back?"

☆

CLARA SHELBY SLIPPED THROUGH THE bathroom window, her muddy boots in hand as she stepped down off the ledge, wincing at the creaking of the window while she closed it. She'd been down in the stables with Will, the two catching up once again while caring for the horses. She'd missed dinner and her 'curfew', and due to her bedroom window being bolted shut by Tommy, she couldn't sneak in like usual, but when there was a will there was a way.

The girl crept out of the bathroom, avoiding all of the known creaks. She tiptoed down the hall, warily stopping outside of Tommy's room. She still hadn't managed to finish the book she had stolen from him, so with a deep breath,  she cautiously inched forward, looking through the crack of the slightly open door. Upon seeing the inside of the room, she pushed the door open, revealing John, messing about with a pipe.

"Whatcha doing?" Clara questioned, slipping into the room, placing her boots down.

"Trying to light this fuckin' thing." John cursed in a broken tone, he avoided her gaze as she looked down at him. "Tommy'll kill ya if he catches you in here."

"Well, then Johnny, I wasn't here was I?" She mused, sneaking around the side of the bed. "Shouldn't you be with your blushing bride to be or something?"

John sat down on the bed, his silence unnerving the girl as she bent down to rustle through a trunk of books Tommy kept.

"Me, 'n Lizzie aren't getting married." He sniffed, while the girl carefully lifted the familiar red, bounded book with gold lettering out of the box, shutting the lid.

"And why not?" Clara asked, standing back up to push the trunk back into its spot. "Thought you liked her?"

"I did," John sighed sadly, his head dropping as the girl sat beside him. "I broke it off..."

"I'm sorry, John." She frowned, awkwardly patting his arm, her hand clutched around Tommy's book. "You'll find someone...eventually, dunno who but, you will." The girl stood to her feet once more, picking up her boots. "I'll leave you be, if Tommy finds me with this in here, he'll kill me."

John hung his head as he let out a chuckle, "I won't tell him you were here," he weakly smiled, sniffing as he tried to keep his composure.

"Thanks," she nodded, opening the door to leave. "I hope you sort everything out and by the way, Tommy keeps his matches in the top drawer over there." With that, Clara nodded at her brother and retreated to her room, placing the book under her pillow with a stifled yawn.

She was quick to fall into bed, her hands wrapping around the book as re-immersed herself in the story, unaware of the events that the next twenty-four hours would hold and the heartache and pain they would instil.

☆

HELLO, MY LOVELIES!

How are you lot?

I can definitely say that I'm very glad it's Friday!!

I will say that this chapter was cut in half, halfway through writing it because it was way too long and as much as I love long chapters, editing them is a pain!

Anyways, don't forget to vote and comment to boost my creativity bc I'm an attention whore :)

LOVE YOU