XII. 1919

Janet and Vivian had dragged the three boys out for the night. Scott was the easiest the get out of the house, especially with a house full of girls. And Isaiah was the hardest drag out for the night because he was in a mood after some girl bullied him the whole of the previous day — that girl being Vivian. Ryan just wanted away from Kol after they got into a fight.

The girls were already drunk when they knocked on each of their friends' doors. Luckily it wasn't Kol, Jeremiah or Scott's mother who answered the door when they appeared at dusk.

The Greene girl had her arms linked with the Shelby girl while the boys hung behind. When they made it to the Golden, it was packed with people, just as drunk the girls.

"I'm so drunk." Janet sang as they approached the bar for more drinks.

"Really? I feel so sober." Vivian slurred, giggling as she leaned against Scott who had been holding her up since they had walked through the doors.

Isaiah laughed at them as they spoke to the bartender who tried to figure out what they wanted, as the two ranted on about different liquors. Soon Ryan ordered and Scott down put down some coins. The bartender didn't have time to collect the money before Ryan shoved them back to the Gilbert boy and payed with his own money. The girls were too drunk to notice but Isaiah didn't miss the dirty look the Jones boy gave Scott.

They found an empty booth — well it was empty now after Vivian fell into the seat beside one of the men and whisper something in his ear. The men beside him watched as his smirk dropped and he muttered his apologies, "So sorry Ms. Shelby." and he dragged his mates out of the booth with him.

"What did you say to him?" Janet laughed beside her as the boys took their seats. Vivian didn't answer as she shrugged, grinning. So far, between the two girls, they probably had three bottle of whiskey, and now they were downing another glass.

After the girls, Isaiah was probably the loudest of the night. He was the drunkest of the boys, Scott not far behind. Ryan downed whiskey after whiskey and yet remained in a horrible mood.

Isaiah ended up dancing with Vivian, and Scott with Janet while Ryan had found Margaret who he met there a few weeks ago. She couldn't count the amount of times Isaiah twirled her but it was enough for her to end up throwing up over the toilet bowl. He held her hair back. The Jesus boy couldn't help but laugh as she laughed at herself.

"Isaiah, shut up." She cried although she continued to laugh as well. She felt her hair drop to her shoulders and the shadow disappeared from beside. She door behind her opened and closed behind her, "That bastard left me." She said to herself.

She sat on the dirty bathroom floor with her head against the wall. It was about five minutes after Isaiah left, that he came back, this time with Scott and a glass of clear liquid. The two crouched down beside her, one handing her the glass.

"I'll stay, you go back." Scott said to his friend.

"You sure?" Isaiah said, looking between the two. Scott didn't answer, only nodded to the door, patting the Jesus boy on the back as he went.

"Drink." He said as he tilted the glass up to her mouth.

"Sorry, didn't expect to get this drunk." She laughed, pulling the glass from her face. Scott pushed some loose strands behind her ear.

"What d'ya expect? You appear at my door, drunk, only to invite me out just to get more drunk." He chuckled lightly, "Anyway, I'm drunk too, so it doesn't really matter."

"You seem different today." She mentioned, sipping her water, "I mean, different enough that drunk me noticed."

His gaze hardened, but softened in the span of one seconds, "Just home . . . sisters are a right pain recently." He answered.

"Everything alright? Anyway, I can help? Babysit, maybe? When I'm not drunk of course." She asked.

Vivian hated to admit it but she actually missed babysitting. John was teasing her whenever she volunteered to go to his house, just to see the kids. The fact she complained about it the whole time but now she missed the little monsters.

"Nah, it's fine." Scott mumbled, "any Shelby drama recently?" He asked, almost diverting attention off of him.

"Everyone hates Thomas, dad's back and Ada's alone. So y'know, the usual." Vivian said, almost like it was normal. She stared at him, "Are you sure you're okay beca-"

"I'm fine Vivian, just leave it." He snapped, causing her to flinch at the sudden outburst, "sorry, that didn't come out right- I'm sorry." He apologised, holding her hand. She watched his body language as he tensed up and then relaxed.

"No sorry, I shouldn't have-" she cut herself off, unable to realised what she was apologising for, so she just took a sip from the glass again. She could sense he had more to say and that he was thinking a lot. She watched his jaw clench and his ears turn pink, as he made himself angry.

The girl let him hold her hand, not knowing what to say, "thanks for coming out tonight. Think we all needed it." She spoke quietly.

He nodded stiffly at her statement, "why did you need it?" He spoke, "Your dad is home."

Vivian tried to pull her hand out of his now tight grip. "What?" She said.

"I mean at least your dad is home and you are out tonight to what? to mourn his arrival." He glared at her as his nails dug into her hand, turning her skin white. She dropped the glass on her lap, making the water spill over her dress. She refused to let a tear fall. He had drawn blood as she used her other hand to pull his arm away.

It clicked in her head what he meant. Scott had lost his father in the war, and missed him terribly. She remembered when she had stayed the night he found out, and all he did was tell her stories from before the war. He cried and she comforted him, until he drifted off into a deep slumber

"He isn't here for good reasons, You know that." She hissed through the pain, trying to pull her hand away, but she couldn't, "Let go, Scott." And he did — after a moment or two —, before standing up and walking out, making sure to slam the door.

She remained on the floor for a good ten minutes in her damp skirt.

—

    Ryan and Vivian had there held up Isaiah as he tripped over his own feet. "You are so heavy." Vivian groaned, as Isaiah stepped on Ryan's toes, causing him to grumble in pain. He laughed to himself, as his friends complained.

Vivian stopped, as Isaiah hit her in the head, by accident, "Y'think he can walk on his own from here?" She looked at her sober (enough) friend. Ryan looked at Isaiah as his head hung low, chuckling to himself still. He gave her a nod, and then they let go. As soon as they let him go, the Jesus boy fell flat on his face.

"Ah shit." Vivian muttered as the two help pull him up again. The boy laughed even with his face, now littered in scratches and cuts.

She had sobered up as the night went on. When she returned from the bathroom, Scott was gone and so was Janet. Ryan said Janet was tired and said she'd catch up with her tomorrow. She didn't bother asking after Scott. He'd stormed out mere minutes before Janet.

So her and Ryan were left with a not so sober Isaiah Jesus. They couldn't take him back to his house and Kol and Ryan hadn't made up so the only safe place was Waterly Lane. Vivian hated the idea but it was the only idea, because neither of the boy wanted to sleep in the stable.

She gave a small knock on her own door, hoping someone would answer. After what seemed like hours. It was Polly. "Hello aunt Pol." Isaiah slurred, smiling at the woman. Her aunt gave a small smile to the drunk boy before giving a sharp glare to Vivian. Pol turned around, leaving the door open for the three teens.

Ryan and Vivian pushed and dragged Isaiah up the stairs, only to be stopped at the top, "they aren't sleeping in your room." Polly spoke.

"Come on, Polly, we have made it up this far, and I would never dream of doing that with either of these two. It would be a nightmare if i ended up in that situation."

"That is true, she tells us everyday." Isaiah inserted, drunkenly. She nodded, as Ryan and her held his weight.

"The boys won't like it." Polly said. She knew they were only friends. She knew Vivian only saw Ryan as another brother and Isaiah. . . well Isaiah was different. They were once each others nemesis, but now each others friend, and Pol knew that was all it would ever be. 

"Boys? One is eleven, another is twenty-four with four kids, a third one is at the brothel every night and worships the bastard that left us and the last one — you hate." She pointed out.

Vivian noticed a faint smile on her aunt's face, as she moved out of their way. Ryan let out a sigh of relief as they got Isaiah onto the landing. "Good night, aunt Pol." She spoke quietly. They made it to Vivian bedroom and Isaiah instantly flopped on to the bed.

That night, Isaiah took the bed, Vivian took the chair in the corner and Ryan slept with a pillow on the floor that Pol had gotten for late and drunk comers.

—

    John and Pol were in the kitchen when Vivian slammed the door open, "D'ya know, Arthur is being Dad's little travel guide around Small Heath, like honestly." She had just gotten back from Ada's. Still no answer but at least she was taking the food Polly left and Vivian's little presents for her nephew and for Ada, things to make the place feel more homely. No one knew she was going to Ada's — or at least she hoped.

John scoffed as Polly didn't look up and continued to read the papers, "Let 'im at it."

The girl looked at her brother. It wasn't obvious you'd see the Shelby brothers just standing around the family home, especially John with his herd or children. "Where's your wife?" She asked.

"Home." He said simply, twirling the toothpick in his mouth. Vivian nodded in response. She didn't even know why she asked, she didn't really care. She didn't know Esme enough to say if she liked her or not but so far, she was nice. At least she wasn't babysitting the kids anymore.

Looking between the two, she asked, "Why is it so quiet?" But no answered came, just a subtle shrug from John before he made his way out of the room."Where's Tom? Or Finn?" She asked her aunt.

"Thomas is out and Finn is with Arthur." Polly said, still not looking up.

It took Vivian a moment to process it, "With Arthur. Wait, Dad Arthur? The one he barely knows Arthur? He's with him? And you're just letting him off with the bastard."

"He can do what he likes." Polly answered, but Vivian knew she hated it, "And he's with Arthur." Referring to Arthur jr.

Vivian sighed loudly, making her way out the door she came in just minutes before. She hated it, her dad being back, but she hated how Arthur and now Finn thought the world of him even worse. She didn't even know where to look for them.

She found herself walking across the street. Knocking on the door, she waited for an answer, but nothing came. After a moment she knocked again. She heard her friend inside faintly and soon enough she heard the chain on the other side of the door.

"Hey Viv, what-how are you?" Janet asked, opening the door just enough for her head to peek through.

"I'm fine, just wanted to make sure you got home last night." Vivian answered taken aback form her appearance, "not like you to sleep in to one clock, even after a few drinks." She mentioned. Her hair was frizzed and her makeup was smeared as if she forgot to remove it last night. The longer she stood there, Vivian noticed how pale she got, "Are you alright, you seem a bit washed out."

The girl stood there quietly until she answered with a small smile, almost unnatural, "Oh I'm good, just very very hungover."

"Well if you are feeling up to it, we can go out tonight?" She asked. She didn't know why she even went to Janet's house. It wasn't like she wanted to tell her all about her family drama and her dad coming back. In the recent months she's know Janet, she found comfort in her presence, a sense of security.

"Um, I'll see how I am, but I'd love to, it feels like forever since we went out." She chuckled lightly.

Her face was very pale and it got whiter by the second it seemed, "Are you sure you're feeling alright? Cause you don't seem y-"

She interrupted in her soft voice, "I'm fine, just- I'll let you know how I feel." She smiled as she closed the door over. Vivian turned to the busy street, looking at the people going about there daily routine. She thought over that strange interaction.

Janet was an early bird, up early and getting things done with so much energy. She was usually jealous off the girl who never seemed to be effected by a night out, or at least she'd deny feeling an effect. The girl who was rarely sick, looked as white as a ghost.

Making her way down the street, people moved out of her way. She kept her head down, watching her feet as she kicked the small pebbles. The same road she walked up just less than ten minutes ago.

—

"Hello dear brother, find out who shopped Freddie yet?" He wasn't going to reply especially when she had that smug look on her face. He took a drag from his cigarette.

She stared at him, with the same smirk she had spread across her face for the past hour, "What do you want?" He finally answered.

She sat in front of him, swinging her legs beneath the table, "Just had a little question or two to ask. What happened to blondie? And why is there a blood stain of the floorboards out there that I can tell you wasn't there yesterday when I was here?" She watched as he clenched his jaw and stared at the table, "I know you had something to do with it."

"Some business, late last night." He answered, taking another drag as he looking back at her.

"Alright. And Grace?"

"She was there." He replied simply, "Why do you want to know? It's none of your business." He stated.

"I heard the coppers stopped by late last night too. So forgive if I was worried, it's not like you wouldn't end up in a cell." She replied, her smirk now gone. None of your business, fuck off, "For once, I was actually glad to hear that you walked the barmaid home. I wasn't worried so much, maybe a little but not so much."

He stared at her for a moment after she finished speaking, "That all?" He asked.

"What happened last night? Why was Grace and the coppers there?" When she first heard, she thought it had something to do with Grace working for the Inspector, and Tommy finding out.

"Business. Business that is not yours." He glared at her, "You always have a tendency to get involved where you shouldn't."

His words weren't entirely false. Vivian always had to know what was going on. She hated not knowing and not understanding. Even before war, she'd asked everyone questions. From asking them about themselves and about their day, or just asking them their favourite colour. Sometimes asking question you wouldn't expect from a eight year old.

People stopped answering her questions so she had to go out and find out things for herself, so now, she didn't really ask question unless she needed to. Now she got her information from those around her that couldn't keep quiet.

"I'm the only family that is talking to you right now, and I'm worried about you." She ignored his comment.

"You know I don't trust her. I am not jealous but you are blinded by her looks and putting too much trust into someone you barely know. I don't want you to get hurt." She continued.

Vivian was straight with her brother, because the moment the words would leave her mouth he would just shut her down, "Do what you like but if you want my help getting the family on your side again, ask her about the night Freddie was picked up. You'll know who was at fault that night." Vivian stood up and turned around, leaving.

—

NOTES
I feel bad its been so long but im almost off for summer and exams are done, and i have True Hate started and My Girl started too. I want to start act two before the end of June, so I have to get on with a routine.

I want to some back to act one and edit it. Nothing major will change i just need fix it so it is less confusing.

I have tried posting on Tiktok regularly. Edits and updates there and on ig. Please comment and vote and give any feedback. I have too many edits and it is effecting other apps with the storage — Anyway have a lovely day or night xx