Curly picks Edith up from school
1914 - age 5
AN: Following a few reviews around a backstory for Edith, I thought I would create a new story where all of her one shots could live. These won't be in any particular order, just as I think of ideas; obviously this is a new oneshot, but you may recognise the other chapters as previous chapters in the Shelby Sisters story. New oneshots will be added as I write them. These older oneshots have been removed from this story, and anything related to Edith before Miss Edith Shelby will be posted in here! This is just a sweet Curly and Edith one shot, with a bit of John and Tommy at the end! Enjoy!
Humming to herself as she skips down the front steps of the school in her own little world, Edith lets out an excited shriek as she spies one of her favourite people standing near the back of the crowd of parents.
"Curly!" She shouts, racing off across the playground and into the waiting arms of Curly who bends down to her height as she approaches, gathering her in for a hug.
"Hello Miss Edith!"
"Hello Mr Curly!" She sings in reply, cupping his cheeks with her hands and giving them a loving squeeze. "Are we going to see the horses?"
"Yes we are!" Curly replies, straightening again, Edith immediately tucking her tiny hand in his bigger one.
"Where's Uncle Charlie?" She asks as they leave the school grounds, swinging their hands between their bodies.
"He's with Tommy." Curly states, ambling along beside the young girl who was bouncing along the pavement. "Yeah, with Tommy. He said he'll be back soon, but I had to get Edith from school."
"I'm here!" She confirms with a giggle, continuing her bouncing. "Did you have a nice day, Curly?"
"I was with the horses. Went out riding." He responds with a smile, Edith's growing as she listens intently to him. "Pepper misses you."
"I miss Pepper!" She exclaims, tugging on his hand. "I can't wait to see him!" Falling silent for a few minutes, the pair continue their walk towards the yard, entering through the main gates and pulling them shut again behind them. "I'm gonna go see the horses!" Edith calls, dropping Curly's hand and running off across the yard to the stables.
"Be careful Edith! Not so quick!" Curly shouts after her, picking up his pace to follow the littlest Shelby through the yard. He was under strict instructions from Charlie to keep his eyes on Edith all afternoon, and he wasn't going to let Charlie down, he was trusting him to watch over the youngest Shelby. When Charlie had clasped him on the shoulder earlier that afternoon, entrusting him with the school run while the boys were out on business, Curly had immediately been nervous. Never had he been left alone to collect Edith and look after her without another adult around. Yet both Charlie and Tommy knew that Edith would know to stick by Curly's side, to do what he asked, for even if she disobeyed her brothers at times, she would never dream of stepping out of line around her uncle or Curly, and would be safe in the yard with the older gentleman and the horses to keep them company until himself and Tommy returned. Edith may have been little for her age, and by far the baby of the family (in more ways than just age), but it was clear to Tommy and Charlie that she had a deep understanding of Curly, always the one to seek him out at family events, tucking her tiny hand in his, engaging him in conversations, often around their love for the family's beloved horses. If Tommy was ever to loose sight of Edith around family, he knew that he would find her tucked away in a corner with Curly somewhere, yammering away while he patiently sat and listened, chiming in occasionally. Edith was truly the family member with the most time and patience for the older gentleman, a trait she had no doubt inherited from her mother, whom had had the exact same characteristics and passions as her youngest daughter. Charlie and Tommy often discussed this being the main reason behind the unusual friendship, Curly relating and connecting Edith to Charlie's late sister in a way that only they knew, from knowing Mary Strong as a child. Not only that, but Curly seemed, like Edith did with him, to completely understand the youngest Shelby, sometimes even more so than her siblings, the young girl often running to the arms of Curly after a particularly bitter argument, or harsh punishment from a brother.
Setting his eyes on Edith again, Curly follows her through the stables, rushing to her side as she climbs up onto the chest she had pushed against the pen door, reaching out to pet her horse, whispering soft words in Romani. "Can he have a treat, Curly?" She asks, turning to the older man as he reaches out to run a hand over the horse's head.
"A treat. Yes, a treat!" Curly agrees with a nod, moving over to the shelves at the end of the barn, Edith jumping off the chest and rushing after him, tucking her hand in his.
"I can get it!" Edith exclaims, breaking free of Curly's hold and pushing the step up against the wall, reaching up onto the top shelf for a sugar cube. Once again, Curly rushes to stand behind her, hands outstretched in case she was to wobble and fall off the step. "Got it!" Keeping his hands on either side of her, Curly watches Edith step down, holding her hand out to him, waiting until his palm was settled against hers to move back through the stable. "After we've given Pepper a treat, let's go and get some food. I'm hungry." Edith suggests, holding the sugar cube out to the horse, giggling as he eats it out of her open palm. Brushing her hands against the skirt, Edith hops down from the chest, Curly's hand still tucked in her free one.
Hours later, Tommy and Charlie finally return to the yard as the sun was beginning to set, the older gentleman heading to pack away the crates they had collected, Tommy heading in the opposite direction towards where he knew he would find his youngest sister.
Leaning back against a stall just out of sight, Tommy watches Curly and Edith's interaction, smiling at the innocence of their game. In front of him, Edith and Curly had set up a picnic of sorts, Edith's tea set laid out in the middle of the circle they had settled into, Curly beside Edith, a doll on one side, a Teddy on the other, and more randomly, two vegetables (a carrot and a potato) propped up against a hay bale. Tommy enjoyed moments like this, when his carefree baby sister had no idea he was watching, purely enjoying her own company (or in this case, Curly's), letting her vivid imagination run free. It wasn't very often, now that the company was taking off, that Tommy had the opportunity to do this, only occasionally making it back to help Polly get his sister ready for bed; for the most part, he was responsible for getting her ready for school (and Finn when he wasn't off sneaking around with his mates - Tommy would leave their oldest brother to deal with that, sharing the responsibility of the youngest siblings). They found that Edith responded best to Tommy in the mornings, being more like Tommy than any of her other brothers, even at the age of five, taking her schooling more seriously than the rest. His patience a little stronger with her than Arthur's was, Tommy understanding Edith's struggle to rise from her bed early in the morning, content to remain fairly quiet until she had eaten, was washed and dressed and out of the door. Usually they would be half way to school already before she had even uttered a word to her brother, and that suited Tommy just fine. Finn on the other hand, he was a lot more like Arthur, never caring too much about going to school, and therefore Tommy's patience wore a little thin at his reluctance to join his sister. It was rare now that Tommy was around to collect Edith from school, again, this suited him just fine as this was the time of day her energy peaked, swinging off of anything, or anyone, bouncing along beside whoever had collected her and talking up a storm until the minute her head hit the pillow at night. This instead fell to Polly and uncle Charlie who shared the responsibility of watching over Edith and Finn in the afternoons, until one of their brother's returned home to get them into bed; more often than not this was Tommy, with John being in his own home with Martha and their babies, and Arthur out with whatever girl he was seeing that week, Tommy was the constant figure in the youngest Shelby's lives.
Smiling as he watches Edith take charge of the game, he lets out a snort at her comment to one of her tea party guests.
"Where are you manners Mr Potato?" Edith scolds in an affected voice, clearly mimicking her Aunt, wagging her finger in Mr Potato's 'face'. "You have to wait for everyone to have some cake before you eat!"
"Yes. Have to wait." Curly agrees, nodding along with Edith who smiles up at him.
"Now, Mr Carrot. Would you like jam, or chocolate?" She continues, holding out a tiny plate filled with leaves to the carrot propped up against the hay bale. "Jam please." She replies to herself, deepening her voice. "My favourite!" Turning to Curly, she holds the plates out to him, tilting her head to the side. "And what would you like Mr Curly?"
"Ooh, chocolate please, Miss Edith!" He responds, reaching out to take a leaf, placing it on his plate. "Ooh yes, chocolate!"
"Yummy!" Edith agrees, falling back onto her heels and taking a 'jam' leaf for herself. "Would you like some tea?" Reaching forwards, Edith lifts the tea pot, pouring 'tea' into the tea cup Curly was holding out to her. "Here." She says softly, pulling on Curly's pinky, leaving it poised in the air. "Like this." With a chuckle, Tommy pushes off the wall, Edith's head whipping around to look up at him, a wide smile covering her face as he moves towards her. "Tommy!" Leaping up from the floor, Edith throws herself at her brother who catches her, lifting her into his arms. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Tommy drops Edith gently to the ground again, the young girl letting out a joking squeal to annoyance, clinging to her big brother, grinning up at him with wide eyes.
"Mind if I join you?" He asks, lifting Edith again to turn her in his arms, throwing Curly a smile as he settles down onto the floor, crossing his legs and pulling Edith into his lap, his sister immediately resting back against his chest. "Do I get a cup too?"
"You'll have to share with me." Edith declares, leaning forwards to collect her cup and saucer again, holding it out to Tommy who takes the tiny toys, holding it as daintily as he could in his hand. "Do you want chocolate or jam cake?" She asks, tilting her head back to rest on his shoulder, peering up at Tommy who pretends to contemplate the question.
"Chocolate please." He replies, smiling gratefully as she hands him a plate to match his cup. "Have you been good for Curly?"
"Oh yes. Very good. Very good." Curly replies for her, adamantly nodding his head.
"I held Curly's hand all the way home, just like you told me." She jumps in, looking up at Tommy again who smiles down at her, pressing another kiss to her forehead.
"Good girl." Placing his tea cup and plate down on the ground, Tommy shifts Edith in his arms. "Time to tidy up now, Edie. We gotta get you home for dinner."
"Can't I have a sleepover with Curly?" She pleads, fluttering her eye lashes at Tommy who laughs, shaking his head.
"Not tonight," he replies, lifting her to stand on her feet. "I think Curly's done enough for today. You can come and see him again at the weekend."
"He'll get lonely by himself though!" Edith protests, turning to face Tommy with a pout, winding the skirt of her dress around her fingers.
"Uncle Charlie's here with him. He won't get lonely." Tommy reassures her, turning her around again, patting her bottom gently. "Off you go. Tidy up your things and let's get going. John'll be waiting for you."
"John's at home?" Edith exclaims with a gasp, spinning to face Tommy again, grin firmly placed back on her face.
"He is. And he's waiting to see you before bed, so we need to get home." With an excited squeal, Edith gathers her toys back into the wicker basket they lived in, holding it out to Curly as he rises, taking the basket from her.
"Can you take this back with you, Curly?" She asks, peering up at him with her big blue eyes. "Keep it safe?"
"Yes, Miss Edith. Keep it safe." He repeats with a nod, allowing Edith to tuck her hand into his free one, taking Tommy's hand in her other free one.
Gasping as they enter the front door of number 6 Watery Lane, Edith coos to herself as she tiptoes towards John, sat on the sofa with a baby in his arms.
"A baby!" She squeals quietly, peering over the arm of the chair down at the tiny bundle in her big brother's arms. "Your baby?"
"Yes my baby!" He teases, bopping her gently on the nose with a wink. "You're niece, Katie Rose."
"Katie Rose." Edith whispers under her breath, reaching out to stroke the baby's face gently. "That's why John's here?" She asks, turning to Tommy who nods, running a hand over her head, tucking her under his arm.
"He wanted to come and introduce you to Katie himself." Tommy replies, throwing John a smile as he shifts in the chair, patting the space beside him.
"Want a cuddle?" He asks, smiling widening as Edith claps her hands together with another squeal, being careful to climb up onto the chair slowly so as not to startle the baby. Settling Edith back against the back of the chair, Tommy squats down in front of her, reaching out to help John place the baby carefully in their little sister's arms. "What do you think?"
"I like her." Edith states, her brother's scoffing at her response. "Does she cry?"
"Sometimes." Humming, Edith leans her head down to press a kiss to her niece's forehead.
"Can she have a sleepover?"
"What's with you and your sleepovers tonight, eh?" Tommy teases, reaching up to tweak Edith's cheek gently smiling as she wrinkles her nose, shying away from him.
"I just wanna have a sleepover!" She exclaims, eyes widening as Katie shifts in her arms, letting out a tiny squeak. "Sorry!" She whispers, looking up at John who shakes his head with a smile.
"Don't worry." He whispers back, tucking his arm around his sister. "Maybe when you're older you can have a sleepover, but for now, I've gotta get Katie back to Martha. She needs a feed before bed."
"Oh." Edith sighs, dropping her head with a frown. "But when can I see her again?"
"How about tomorrow?" John asks, looking to Tommy for confirmation, his older brother shrugging in reply. "I'll pick you up from school and you can come and have dinner with me?"
"At your house?" Edith asks, immediately perking up at her brother's nod. "Ok, then!"
"But you've gotta be good for Tommy." He warns, bopping her nose again as she nods. "Straight to bed tonight, and no fussing, eh?" Nodding up at John, Edith lets him take Katie back into his arms, pushing up onto her knees to get one last look at her niece in her brother's arms.
"Give John and Katie a kiss then." Tommy prompts, patting Edith's back as he rises from the floor. "I'll get dinner on the table while you see them out, eh?" Nodding again, Edith presses a gentle kiss to Katie's forehead, pushing up on her knees to kiss John's cheek. "Say goodnight, Edie." Tommy calls over his shoulder, Edith repeating his words to John as he rises from the sofa.
"Goodnight, Edie." John says softly, running a hand over her head, pressing a last kiss to the top of her head. "Sleep well, and I'll see you tomorrow, eh?"
"See you tomorrow!" Edith calls, clambering up to lean against the back of the sofa, waving at John as he leaves the house, blowing a kiss to her over his shoulder.