A/N: This will follow the series in terms of events, however, events won't unfold as they do in the series. Hope you all enjoy!
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Most things came easy to Veronica. In fact, it would be strange for things to not come easy to her. She was educated, and came for a well-known and respected European family that could trace its roots all the way back to the formation of the House of Hohenzollern.
Yet she didn't want to run her own business, or get a job at a museum or a children's school. She didn't want to travel to Spain to see her mother's family, the Basques, talk about revolution. What Veronica wanted to do, at least for the winter season, was spend it in England with her friend Ada.
Her parents tried to dissuade her in vain- they knew that they would be giving into her demands sooner or later, as they did with their other children. "You're too headstrong for your own good, Veronica," her mother would tell her. "I don't know if you get that from your dad or from me."
Nevertheless, two tickets were booked for Veronica; one for the train ride and another to get off the continent. All to see her friend whom she had met two summers ago while on holiday from school in London. The two girls met at a sweets shop, and immediately bonded when the shopkeeper with the shrill voice kicked them out for ordering too many cake slices. "You girls will get fat!" She'd hollered. "No man will ever be able to find your womanhoods!"
And though it seemed that neither of them had changed much from that summer- Ada remained lithe and of mid height, and Veronica tall and curvy- other aspects of their lives had indeed changed.
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"Ada, I know how much this must all be for you," Veronica says to her friend when they are finally left alone after her arrival. Polly had fussed about Veronica's always being early and no men around to help with the luggage, but once she got her warm welcomes in, she left the girls alone, happy to have Ada talk with someone her own age for once.
"But you are so strong, you are. You can do this alone if you really want," Veronica continues, taking her friends hands into her own.
"Pol is afraid that he'll never come back, that he'll never see his child and never marry me," Ada replies, her face stoic.
"Well, your Pol, wise as she can be, can also be wrong. And who cares? If he doesn't come back, then I'll be the baby's dad," Veronica finishes with a wink.
Ada instantly cheers. "Argh, no one has ever accused you Germans of not having a sense of humor," she smiles at Veronica. "So what would you like to do first? We can go smell the dirty sea air by the boats, watch kids fight over scraps by the slums, or have a nice chat with the people whose lives my brother's have recently threatened," Ada says with a raised eyebrow, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up.
"Actually, I was thinking that I could take you shopping? Your birthday's just passed and I would feel awful staying here and not getting you- or the baby- anything."
Ada looks doubtful for a second. "Well, I'm not even sure if I'm keeping it, remember? I, however, will not turn down a gift. Let's go!"
The girls walked out of the Shelby home, arms intertwined, and headed down the street to the shops. Birmingham had changed a bit, Veronica noticed. There were less homeless about, and though the place would not be turning into the pinnacle of fine English society anytime soon, it was obvious that all the hard work its residents had put in had worked.
"We're so proud here at Small Heath," Ada commented, noticing Veronica looking about. "The whole of the place could be in shambles and we would still not leave."
"The whole place could be in what?" Veronica asked, a laugh bubbling at her chest.
"Shambles? Like chaos," Ada explained, looking at her friend. "It is a real word, Ronny- stop laughing! It's a real word!"
"It's a funny word is what it is," Veronica giggles, her laughs fading away.
Ada and Veronica walked around the city the whole afternoon, window shopping, literal shopping, and stopping to speak to old acquaintances who'd remembered Veronica, even after all this time.
"We should be heading back, Polly is probably preparing dinner right now," Ada states, checking her wristwatch.
"Ugh, we've been walking for hours, A. Let's take a cab," Veronica whines, running a hand over her neck.
"A cab? Are you bloody mad?! We haven't enough money, we've been spending all day!" Ada says, looking incredulously at her friend.
"Ada, my dear," Veronica starts, taking out her coin purse and shaking it at her friend. "Do you know who you're talking to?"
:
Back at the Shelby's home, Ada and Veronica stood at the kitchen counter, Veronica seasoning a chicken, and Ada cutting vegetables.
"Oh Ada, these are a lovely pair of shoes, but you shouldn't have," Polly gushes, looking positively radiant as she admired the shoes. It had been a while since she had received a gift out of nowhere.
"You're welcome Pol, but I didn't. Veronica did," Ada turns to look at her aunt with a smile on her face.
"And before you say anything," Veronica says, turning to look at Polly, "I am not taking them back. They're yours, and I want you to enjoy having them. They are a thanks from me for letting me stay here with you for the winter. I am very grateful, Polly," Veronica sincerely says.
"You are lovely, Veronica, thank you," Polly nods, her eyes shinning with happiness.
The women went back to happy chatter, glad for each others companies. With the slam of the front door, however, the peace of the house was shattered.
"Pol, what's-a-that you got cooking in that oven, ey?" Veronica heard the voice before she could see the person. She turned to look at her friend beside her, who in turn just rolled her eyes. "I remember you having a lot of patience, Ronny. That's gonna come in handy right now," she says, her mood slightly dampened by the arrival of her brothers.
"Arthur, John, we've got a guest so please do mind your manners during dinner," Polly warns her nephews as they enter the kitchen. "Where's Finn off to now?"
John and Arthur both give a shrug and turn their attentions to the aforementioned guest. "I remember you," Arthur says, raising a finger at Veronica. "Yous is Ada's fancy friend, ey?"
"Arthur," Veronica replies, crossing the small kitchen to embrace him. "I've read a lot about you, you as well... John, right?" Veronica acknowledges John on her left.
John gives a nod and a smile, giving Veronica a quick hug as well.
"We've heard about yous as well. Though we for sure thought these gals were exaggerating when they said of how lovely you were," Arthur smirked, looking at her up and down. "And you are lovely."
"Arthur, please do not scare the young girl away. We are going to have a nice, harassment-free dinner, okay?" Polly tells Arthur in her no nonsense voice. "Now, let's all take a seat, dinner is almost ready."
Everyone complied with Polly's orders, sitting down at the dinner table. John and Ada both flanked Veronica, with Arthur taking one of the head table places; this left three open seats in front of Veronica open, as well as one next to Ada.
Polly finishes setting the table, looking around to make sure everything is perfect, before sitting down and the other end of the table, across from Arthur. After a quick prayer, everyone started to eat, and small conversation began.
"So, Veronica, what brings you to these parts?" Arthur began, his mouth full of food. He earned a scowl from Polly, but was oblivious to it. Veronica smiled.
"Well, Ada and I write nearly every month, and I kept putting off a visit because... Well, I don't really know why. Laziness, I guess. But Polly sent me an invitation to spend the holidays here and I didn't really want to go to Spain with my family so here I am," Veronica said before taking a bite of her mashed potatoes.
"Your family is Spanish?" John asked.
"Ma's family is, yes," she replied.
"And what do you think of our small town then?" Asks Arthur.
Veronica smiles good-naturedly. "Well I think it's just enchanting."
Arthur stops with his forkful of food halfway in his mouth. "You think it's what?!"
"Arthur, do mind your manners, please," Polly says shaking her head. "Besides, she's just messing about."
Arthur looks from Polly to Veronica, who just winks at him.
Not a minute later, young Finn Shelby comes barreling through the kitchen entryway, coming to a full stop only when he notices the stranger in the room.
"Do I know you? I think you're in my seat," he asks Veronica, looking at her closely.
"Finn, Veronica is our guest, therefore she can sit wherever she likes. Come over here," Polly motions to him to the other side of the table. "There's plenty of space here. Now, where have you been this afternoon?"
"He's been outside the pub all day, tinkering about with his friends," Thomas Shelby's distinctly deep voice carries into the kitchen before his body.
"Now what's this about a guest, Pol?" He comes into full view and stands behind Arthur, who takes the opportunity since everyone's distracted to get a second helping.
"Veronica is my friend from abroad, Tommy. She'll be staying with us for a couple of weeks," Ada replies.
"She's the fancy friend, Tommy," Arthur adds before returning to his food.
Thomas quirks up an eyebrow. "Fancy? Well then, I hope our small town will prove welcoming enough during the duration of your stay. Wouldn't want everything to be in shambles now, would we?"
At the mere mention of the word, both Ada and Veronica, who'd found it fine to let the previous moments of conversation unravel before her without any comment, both turned to each other and let out positively loud shrieks.
"Shambles!" Yelled Ada, clutching her chest. Veronica just hid her face and laughed.
"Girls, please!" Polly berated them both to no avail.
The men just stared at their sister and her friend, John slightly bemused, Arthur thoroughly confused, and Thomas wondering if he's stepped into the wrong house. Finn joined them.
"Sorry, sorry," Veronica apologized a minute later after they had both calmed down, wiping away a few stray tears.
Thomas, now sitting down in front of the two girls, poured himself a drink and considered the guest in front of him.
It would be a few interesting weeks indeed.