Chapter 18
The sound of the front door slamming open against the wall rouses Edith from her sleep, being vaguely aware it's the middle of the night, she registers that it's probably one of her brothers coming home from the pub drunk. She had decided not to join her brothers and boyfriend at the pub, just to watch them be stupid and get drunk, instead going to the pictures with Millie, walking her friend home after the show and then continuing on to Watery Lane, deciding to wait in bed for Bonnie to return. At the sound of glass shattering, Edith bolts upright, calling out for Finn, expecting it to be him. At the lack of reply from her brother, Edith creeps into the hallway, pausing at the top of the stairs to listen out for any further noises. Hearing voices she had never heard before, Edith walks backwards being careful to avoid the creaking floorboards, holding her breath, into her bedroom, quietly shutting and locking the door behind her.
"Oh god." She mutters under her breath, quickly tiptoeing across the room to the window which she slides open, taking a deep breath before swinging a leg over the windowsill. This had been a regular occurrence for Edith as a child, often sneaking out of the house at night to meet up with her school friends, spending the night hiding in the shadows of Watery Lane, or after having been sent to her room by an older brother, slipping off to Polly's unnoticed for a few hours. She sits on the windowsill for a moment more, glancing back inside her room before sliding down, holding her breath as she lands on the roof of the back porch, shimmying down the drain pipe to the ground, hissing as she feels something sharp catch on her thigh, blood immediately dripping down her leg. As she reaches the floor, Edith stays low crawling over to the back gate, intent on heading to the Garrison to find her brothers, if not to her Uncle Charlie's, pausing as she hears gruff voices on the other side of the garden wall. She lets out an internal groan, quickly moving back to the porch, crouching down beside the steps to the back door, deciding to stay there until Finn and Bonnie returned.
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"Edith?" Bonnie calls as he enters the house, heart pounding as he brushes aside broken glass with his foot. "Edith?" He repeats, making his way through the house, Finn on his heels, swearing quietly under his breath. "Fuck!" Bonnie shouts as his search of the house fails to lead him to Edith. His heart pounds in his chest, fearing the worst until he hears Finn shout for him. Bonnie pounds down the stairs, running into the kitchen where he finds Finn holding Edith up, practically dragging her in to the house through the back door. He quickly makes his way over to the siblings, taking his shaking girlfriend into his arms, Edith collapsing into him, knees buckling as they both sink to the floor.
"Edie? Love. Open your eyes for me. I'm here. I've got you." He gathers her further into his arms, hers immediately coming to circle his body as her silent tears turn to sobs. "Jesus Edith." Bonnie breathes, running his hands up and down her body as Finn rushes out of the door again to find their older brothers. "Fuck. Edie. You're bleeding love. Where are you hurt? Huh? Where?" He asks frantically, trying to find the source of the bleeding as Edith continues to sob, unable to form any words.
"I was so scared." She cries into his shoulder, rather than answering his question. "I just froze! I didn't know what to do!"
"Sshh," Bonnie hums, rocking her in his arms. "I've got you now. You're safe." He reassures her. "Edie. You need to tell me where you're hurt love. What happened?" Edith shakes her head, clutching on to Bonnie's shirt. "What hurts love?" He repeats, Edith barely points to her leg, Bonnie gently lifting her nightdress to see a deep gash on the side of her thigh, quickly shrugging off his jacket to press against the wound. "What happened?" He repeats this time, running his free hand up and down Edith's back.
"I don't know. Someone came into the house, I thought it was you and Finn. But it wasn't. So I climbed out the window and hid in the garden." She frantically explains, still holding on tightly to Bonnie.
"Fuck," Bonnie mutters, his arm around her waist tightening on her. "You're ok now. They're gone. You're safe."
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"Holy shit, what happened in here?" Edith breathes out as she and Bonnie walk hand in hand into the Shelby offices for a family meeting the next morning, taking in the damage to the main office.
"Sit down Edith. We all need to talk." Tommy commands, Edith scowls at this, but takes a seat beside Michael anyway, her cousin quickly sliding his hand into hers to give it a quick reassuring squeeze.
"You ok?" He quietly asks her, Edith nodding in reply, her grip on his hand tightening nonetheless. "Good." He mutters, leaning over to press a kiss to her temple. Bonnie drags a chair over, placing it beside Edith's, an arm coming to rest over the back of her chair, her hand coming to rest in his free hand in his lap.
"We've called this meeting to discuss everything that happened last night," Tommy starts, standing from his chair behind his desk. "We were hit by a family called the Crimleys, looking for revenge."
"Revenge for what?" Edith asks, leaning forward in her chair.
"That doesn't need to be discussed now." Tommy curtly replies, barely glancing down at his sister who raises her eyebrows with a scoff, sinking back into her chair as she shakes her head. "All that you need to know, is that it's being dealt with."
"And my broken front door?" Edith bitterly asks. "And my living room window? That's being dealt with too?"
"You know it will be Edith. Today. There's no need to be so grumpy." John replies, rolling his eyes at his younger sister.
"They came into my house, John!" Edith shouts, leaning forward once again. "They kicked down my door while I was in bed! They smashed anything they could get their hands on, and stole my most treasured possessions. Mum's jewellery! Her ornaments, distroyed. Anything that was worth anything, gone!" Finn visibly winces at this, knowing how much their mother's possessions meant to Edith, Bonnie knowing this too, rests his hand on her shoulder, rubbing soothing circles there as tears begin to flow down Edith's face.
"And while we were distracted there, they took our money!" Arthur bellows, rising from his chair. "We all lost things last night Edith!" Edith gasps at this, letting out a choked sob as she too rises from her chair.
"Oh so I'm a fucking distraction now, am I Arthur?" She cries, shaking herself free of Michael's hand on her arm, watching as everyone rises from their chairs, Finn slowly making his way across the room to his sister.
"Edith, you know that's not what he meant." He tries to sooth her, shooting a glare at their oldest brother.
"None of you fucking listen to me!" She shouts, picking up a glass from Tommy's desk, ignoring the protests from the men surrounding her. "None of you fucking care!" At Arthur's bitter laugh, Edith throws the glass across the room in his direction, Arthur ducking just in time to miss being hit, the glass instead shattering against the wall.
"Edith!" Ada shouts in shock, now joining the youngest boys in the family in trying to calm her sister. The youngest Shelby sibling was not known for holding her tongue, nor her temper at family meetings, but never had she resorted to causing a mess or starting violence between herself and her brothers. The sight of Edith this upset and willing to start a fight shocked the older Shelby's into silence, Bonnie holding his breath as he tried to take Edith's hand in his, anxiously waiting to see who would make the next move.
"That's enough drama now Edith. Sit down." Arthur bellows, breaking the silence of the room. Edith seeing red at this, shakes off the hands of her brother and cousin, flying across the room at Arthur. By the time Bonnie pushes through the men, Edith had taken a swing at Arthur, catching him on the cheek, her rings cutting at his skin before Bonnie could wind his arms around her, pulling her backwards and into his arms. Edith stills as soon as Bonnie's arms are around her, tilting her head as she watches her oldest brother let out a laugh and swipe at the blood running down his cheek. "Are you high?" She questions, narrowing her eyes at the glazed look in her brother's eyes. "Are you seriously fucking high right now?" She lets out a bitter laugh and a shake of her head. "He's high as a fucking kite." She states, Bonnie's arms relaxing around her body as she turns to face Tommy who was still stood behind his desk. "Did you know he was high? And you still let him say that shit."
"Edith. What Arthur does in his free time does not concern us." Tommy replies, hands in his pockets as he watches his sister's response.
"Seriously?" She spits out, shaking her head with a laugh. "You know what? Fuck you. Fuck all of you." Edith turns in Bonnie's arms, pushing past him as she storms out of the room. Bonnie raises his eyebrows at Finn who was still glaring at Arthur before following Edith out of the room.
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"What are you doing Edith?" Millie asks as she hovers in the doorway of Edith's room.
"I'm leaving." Edith states, throwing her clothes from the wardrobe on to the bed to pack into bags.
"Edith. Come on." Millie sighs, stepping into the room.
"I can't fucking be around them anymore Millie. I can't." Edith exclaims, throwing her hands in the air. "Someone's going to get killed and no one will care. Business will go on as usual. I can't be a part of this anymore." Millie sinks down on to the bed, taking Edith's hand in hers to pull her down beside her.
"Where will you go?" She asks gently as Edith rests her head on her friends shoulder.
"I don't know yet." She replies, sitting for a while longer before standing again, beginning to fold her clothes, packing them carefully into the bags on the bed.
"Edith, is this really the best idea?" Millie asks gently, laying a hand on Edith's arm. "You've joked about running away before...but Edith. This sounds real."
"It is real." Edith states.
"Edie. Come on. The boys need you. You're needed here." Millie protests.
"I can't be here anymore, Millie." Edith says tearfully, shaking her head to clear the tears away. "The boys will be fine. Small Heath will continue running without me around. I, will be fine. But I can't stay here."
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An hour later, Edith finds herself on her Aunt's doorstep, bags at her feet, giving her Aunt a weak smile as she opens the door. "Aunt Pol? I need your help."