Chapter 20

AN: This is just a short filler chapter, hope you enjoy!

"Edith? Michael's here to see you." Polly says, sticking her head around the kitchen door. Edith frowns, wiping her hands on her apron as she heads out of the room, finding her cousin stood awkwardly in the centre of the hallway. He nods a greeting when he spots Edith, the young girl immediately walking straight into her cousin's arms, his encircling her body with a sigh of relief.

"Thought you were pissed off at me too." He admits, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head as she lets out a scoff.

"Nah." She says as she pulls away. "Come through to the kitchen, I've just put a cake in the oven. And I cooked a pie."

"Look at you, a proper domesticated housewife." Michael teases, nudging his shoulder into hers.

"As if!" Edith laughs, moving to fill the kettle. "I just needed something to do. Figured I'd cook Pol dinner, as a bit of a thank you."

"John said you turned him away the other night." Michael comments as he takes a seat at the table. "Figured you'd do the same with me."

"You know I'd never turn you away Michael." Edith replies, settling into a chair opposite Michael.

"I saw Bonnie in the street today. He said you were ok, I wanted to check in with you for myself though." He continues, leaning back in his chair.

"I'm fine." She says with a shake of her head. "But I'm not coming back to Small Heath. So don't think you're going to be able to change my mind." Michael sighs at this, raising his eyebrows at his cousin.

"Edith..." He tries, only to be cut off by Edith holding her hand up to stop him.

"No Michael. Don't bother. Don't waste your breath." Edith protests, rising from the table. "I'm done with the company. I'm done with the fucked up things my brothers do. I need time away..."

"They're your brothers Edith!" Michael protests. "Family!"

"Look what this family has brought upon your mother! And my sister! Grace!" Edith shouts in response, Michael now rising to meet her eye. "Ada's gone! So why can't I?"

"That's different! You're not Ada." Michael responds, shaking his head in disbelief. "You've always said that family comes first! And now what are you doing? Running away!"

"I'm protecting myself!" She exclaims, letting out a yell of anger as she turns away, her head in her hands. The two cousins stand in silence for a minute, Edith leaning against the counter, back still to Michael as she takes deep breaths, attempting to calm herself.

"I didn't come here to argue with you Edie." Michael says softly, walking around to her side of the table. "Edith?" He places his hand gently on the small of Edith's back, her body immediately turning, engulfing him in a tight embrace as she begins to sob. Michael stands frozen for a second before winding an arm around his cousin, his other hand coming up to cup the back of her head as she clenches her hands in his suit jacket.

"I hate this, Michael. I hate this." Edith sobs as Michael cradles her head to his chest. "I just want my big brothers back. The ones I knew before the war fucked them up."

"You're going to be ok. Everything's going to be ok." He assures her, rubbing his hand up and down her back. Edith takes a few minutes to calm fully, content in being rocked in her cousin's arms before pulling away, swiping at the tear streaks on her face.

"I'm going away Michael. I don't know for how long. I don't know where yet. But Bonnie and I are going travelling." She explains quietly, pulling out a seat to sit down, resting her head on the table. Michael takes a deep breath before joining her, taking a seat beside her at the table, pulling out a cigarette as he does so.

"Ok," he says slowly, nodding his head. "I get that. I can see why you feel like you need to get away. Your brothers won't let you without a fight though Edith. You know that, right?"

"I know. But it's not going to stop me." Edith replies stubbornly, turning her head to look at Michael.

"I figured." He says, running a hand over his face. "I'll miss you."

"I won't be gone forever." She says with a smile, nudging her foot against his leg.

"I know." He admits

"You can't get rid of me that quickly!" Edith teases rising from the table again. "Now, how about some cake?"

"Why do you not make cakes more often? This is great!" Michael says minutes later, mouth full as he cuts himself another slice of cake, Edith rolling her eyes with a laugh as she watches him, still tucking into her own piece.

"Can you imagine if I baked cakes at home? It's only me and Finn around to eat it. Scrap that! Finn would eat it all! Can you imagine how fat he'd get?" She jokes making Michael laugh.

"Well, you can always make cake for me." He offers with a smirk, Edith shaking her head in response, pouring herself another cup of tea.

"Oh! And have you get fat instead?" She teases, the pair falling into fits of laughter, unaware of Polly hovering in the doorway, smiling softly at the sight in front of her. "I'll make you another before I leave, how about that? But you have to promise you'll share it with Finn and Pol, deal?"

"Deal." Michael states, holding his hand out to Edith, who takes his hand in hers, shaking it firmly.

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"Edith." A stern voice calls from behind the young couple as they load the last of their things into the caravan they had borrowed from Aberama. Edith curses under the breath, slowly turning to find Tommy stood behind them, hands shoved deep in his pockets. "What are you doing Edith?"

"What the fuck does it look like I'm doing, Tommy? I'm going travelling." She states not giving him time to reply, turning away from her brother, moving up the steps of the caravan away from him. "Look, Tommy, just go home." Edith sighs, stopping in the doorway and turning around again. "I just-" Edith gets cut off by Arthur storming down the lane shouting her name. "For fuck sake." She mutters under her breath, moving to stand back beside Bonnie, weaving her fingers through his. "How the fuck did they find us?" Bonnie gives her a sympathetic look, squeezing her hand tightly in his. "Let's just go."

"Edie..." He starts, eyes following Arthur who continues his path down the lane towards them.

"Bonnie, please." Edith whispers, begging Bonnie with her eyes, tears pooling there.

"Edith Mary Shelby. You get over here right now." Her oldest brother yells, coming to a stop beside Tommy, pointing to the ground in front of him. "Or so help me God-"

"Really Arthur?" Michael cuts him off with a scoff as he too heads down the lane. "We all know religion means fuck all to you. Settle down, eh?"

"Fucking hell." Edith breathes, tugging her hand free of Bonnie's to run her fingers through her hair. "It's like a fucking family meeting. Jesus Christ."

"I don't know what you think you're playing at young lady..." Arthur bellows, pointing his finger at Edith. "But you'd better buck up your ideas. This has gone far enough."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Edith explodes, rounding on her brother. "You're not my dad! You don't give a fuck what happens to me! All you care about it drink, drugs and that fucking company!"

"Edith, that's enough." Tommy cuts in, stepping forwards. "You know that's not true. We all care about you, which is why we're not going to let you run off like this."

"You. Can't. Stop me." Edith yells, throwing her hands in the air. "Just look, Tommy. Look what this fucking business has done to our family!" Edith cries, flinging her arms out to her sides this time. "Just let me go! Please!" Edith lets the silence settle around them, breathing hard as she glances between her brothers. "Please," she begs quietly. "I just need to get away from here for a while. I need to get out of Small Heath."

"Tommy. Just let her go." Michael says quietly, moving to stand beside Tommy. "Look at her, Tommy. Just look." Tommy grinds his teeth together before turning to look straight at Edith, finally taking in the sight before him. His baby sister was exhausted, he could tell by the slump of her shoulders, the bags under her eyes, the usual twinkle in them had disappeared; he was unsure when these changes had occurred, but he knew, he should have taken more time to keep an eye out for his sister.

"I'm sorry, Tommy." Edith eventually whispers, lips trembling as she watches her brother observe her stance. "I'm really sorry. But I need to go. I need to get away." Tommy nods once, pulling out a cigarette and placing it between his lips.

"You can't be serious Tom?" Arthur laughs incredulously from the other side of his brother, running his hands through his hair. Tommy nods again, turning away from Edith to face Arthur.

"Look at her, Arthur." Michael repeats his earlier words, also turning to face Arthur who eyes Edith once, immediately spotting the same things Tommy had, choosing not to comment on it. "Let her go, she'll be back." Michael says, turning to give Edith a warm smile.

"Go," Tommy says, not taking his gaze away from his brother. "Go on. Before I change my mind." Edith lets out a sigh of relief, mouthing a thank you to Michael as she follows Bonnie around to the front of the caravan, accepting his hand to help her up.