Edith gets a pet
"Hello, there." Freddie Thorne calls as he steps through the front door of number 6 Watery Lane, met with the sight of Edith Shelby pottering around the living room alone. "How's Edith today?"
"Hello." Edith greets him, pausing in the middle of the room to give him a wide grin and an enthusiastic wave. "I playing."
"I can see that." Freddie comments, crouching down to Edith's level. "Who's this then?" He asks, reaching out to stroke the cat that was laid in Edith's dolls crib, covered in a blanket. "Your brother finally let you get a cat, eh?"
"This Pickle." Edith states, patting the cat's head.
"Pickle?" Freddie repeats, glancing up at the loud groan coming from behind them, turning to find Ada stood at the bottom of the stairs with her hands on her hips, shaking her head.
"Edith! Take the cat outside!" She exclaims, moving quickly into the living room and plucking the animal out of the crib, ignoring Edith's shrieks of protest.
"Pickle!" She squeals, reaching out towards her sister who holds the cat at arms length, dropping it gently to the floor outside the front door, pushing it swiftly shut behind her. "No, Ada!"
"Pickle is not our cat." Ada explains calmly, moving to kneel beside a now tearful Edith. "Pickle is Mrs Wright's cat, not Edith's. Edith is not allowed to bring the cat into the house anymore."
"No fair." Edith pouts, stomping her little foot onto the ground, Freddie having to turn his head away to hide his laughter.
"Yeah well, life's not fair, Edie." Ada grumbles with an eye roll, rising to her feet. "You'll learn that soon enough."
"What's going on?" Tommy calls from the foot of the stairs, having ventured out of the comfort of his room at the yells from his youngest sister.
"Your little one seems to have stolen a cat." Freddie supplies, chuckling to himself. "Catnapping, if you will." Rolling his eyes at his friend's poor joke, Tommy swings a clearly very angry Edith up onto his hip, turning his attention to Ada who was stood between the two boys, arms crossed over her chest.
"She took Pickle from next door again." Ada sighs, rolling her eyes as Edith lets out an indignant squeak, reaching her hand out to tap Tommy's cheek, bringing his attention back to her.
"No Ada!" She exclaims again, pointing towards the door. "Pickle my friend!"
"He might be your friend, but you can't keep bringing him into the house, Edith. Mrs Wright doesn't like it." Tommy chides gently, smirking at the pout on his little sister's face.
"No, Tommy!" Edith huffs, crossing her arms over her chest, just as she had seen her big sister do many a time before. "My Pickle!"
"Not your Pickle." Tommy chuckles, rolling his eyes as he squats down to the floor, gently placing his sister back onto the rug by the fireplace. "Look, you've got a lovely dolly to play with instead. And Martha's coming over soon with the baby so you and Pol can cuddle him all afternoon. How about that?" Peering up at her brother, Edith tilts her head to the side, considering his words. Part of her was still cross that she couldn't play with her beloved new cat friend, but Martha coming around meant seeing John, and seeing John meant getting a sweet treat and lots of cuddles (some with her baby nephew, but mainly with her big brother who had the biggest soft spot of them all for their youngest sister, and would let her stuff her face with sweets whilst curled up in his arms, when usually she would be shooed away with a book or a toy when the adults in number 6 wanted some peace and quiet), and that thought alone placated her... for now. "Alright?" Tommy checks, watching the gears turn in his sister's head, his question followed by a curt nod from Edith who turns away to gather up her toys. "Alright." Tommy repeats with a sigh, reaching a hand out to wrap around Edith's waist, pulling her into his arms once more. "Now Pol is in the kitchen, Freddie and I are going out, Ada's meeting up with her friends, so you're to stay here until Martha and John get here, alright?" At Edith's nod, Tommy presses a kiss to her forehead, curling a hand around her chin as he continues. "And Edith, you're not to go and find the cat again, hmm?"
"Ok." Edith sighs, pulling out of Tommy's hold to toddle over to her toys again. "Bye bye."
"Bye, Edith." Tommy chuckles, shaking his head as he pushes up off the floor, rising to full height again. "Be good for Pol, eh?"
"Uh huh." Edith hums, back to Tommy, her attention now solely on her toys, carefully wrapping her baby doll up in it's blanket just as Martha had shown her to.
"Alright, let's go." Tommy mumbles, placing a hand on Freddie's shoulder and pushing him towards the door. "Before Pol finds out the cat was in the house again and gives me shit for letting Edith out of my sight long enough to go and find it."
"Why don't you just get her a cat?" Freddie asks, glancing back over his shoulder at his friend who raises his eyebrows comically, shaking his head at the suggestion.
"And what do you think Pol would have to say about that?" He scoffs, buttoning his coat against the cold chill in the air.
"It's your house, ain't it?" Freddie clarifies with a pointed look. "Get the baby a cat if she wants a cat."
"We can't keep calling her a baby, Freddie. She's three now." Tommy huffs, repeating his aunts words back to his friend. "She'll forever have us wrapped around her little finger if we carry on much longer."
"You saying you don't want that?" Freddie teases, bumping his shoulder against Tommy's. "You're really telling me you want your baby sister to stop following you around like a little puppy, begging to be scooped up into your arms and cuddled. Pleading with you with those big blue eyes. Becoming independent?" The way Tommy refused to meet his best friend's eye told Freddie everything he needed to know, letting out a chuckle under his breath. "Exactly."
"She's not getting a damn cat." Tommy grumbles, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Is that coming from you, or from Pol?"
"Me." He bites out at his friend's teasing, lifting a cigarette to his lips with a deep sigh. "Polly."
"Ah ha!" Freddie laughs, clapping his hands together.
"Stop it." Tommy grumbles, ducking his head to avoid Freddie's laughter.
"You'd get her a cat!" His friend accuses, clasping his hands around Tommy's shoulders and giving him a shake.
"Of course I'd get her a damn cat!" Tommy exclaims, shaking off Freddie's hands, reaching up to pinch his brow, feeling a headache starting to grow. "Did you see the way she looks after the one from next door? She craves having something to look after. She doesn't let John's boy out of her sight. She loves having a little person to coo over and care for. She follows us around all day, to make sure we're ok. So yes, of course I'd get her a fucking cat!" Sighing again, Tommy flicks his cigarette butt to the ground, groaning under his breath. "But Pol would fucking kill me."
"Then I'll get her a cat." Freddie shrugs, Tommy coming to a stop at his friend's statement, turning to face him.
"What?"
"You find one, we'll split the price, call it an early birthday present-"
"Her birthday is in November. It's March, Freddie." Tommy cuts in, shaking his head.
"Late birthday present then!" Freddie exclaims, throwing his hands in the air. "Come on, Tom! Think of the look on that little girl's face when you give her the pet she's been dreaming of!"
"Bloody hell." Tommy mutters under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"She'd love you forever." Freddie sings teasingly, moving away again, leaving Tommy to trail down the lane behind him.
"She already does." He calls out to his friend with a scoff, shaking his head again. "A bloody cat..."
"So we're doing it?" Freddie asks with a grin, spinning to face Tommy, walking backwards down the street. "We're getting Edith a cat!"
"Let me talk to the boys and Ada. See what they think." Tommy replies sensibly, holding up his hands towards Freddie. "Don't go getting ahead of yourself and buying a cat before we talked, alright?"
"Yes, sir!"
Sauntering into number 6 Watery Lane the following week, Freddie pauses in the doorway to the kitchen, box sealed with a big pink bow tucked securely under his arm.
"What have you got there?" Polly asks, wiping her hands on a towel and throwing it onto the side, eyeing the box.
"A present. For Edith." Freddie replies with a grin, smirking at Polly eye roll.
"Why?"
"Just a little something to make her smile." He states, carefully placing the box on the table.
"She doesn't need any more toys, Freddie Thorne. You boys spoil her."
"It's not a toy, Pol." Freddie protests lightly with another smirk. "And don't worry, I cleared this one with Tommy."
"Oh, well, in that case, that makes it so much better." Polly replies sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "You boys need to stop buying her gifts. The poor thing will grow up to expect a present every time you come to visit."
"I think I can make that work."
"No, Freddie."
"Yes, Polly." Freddie sings playfully, smirking at the older woman again, pressing a light kiss to her cheek. "Last one, promise."
"Promise." Polly scoffs, shaking her head. "Yeah right."
"Where is the little one anyway?"
"Upstairs with Thomas. She managed to get most of her breakfast in her hair, he's giving her a bath."
"Freddie!" A loud squeal breaks into their conversation, the pair both turning with matching, loving smiles covering their faces to find Edith toddling down the stairs, clinging to the railings, Tommy hovering just behind her.
"Edith!" Freddie calls back in the same tone, holding his arms out for a hug which Edith quickly gives, practically leaping from the bottom step, into his waiting arms. "I've got a surprise for you!"
"For me!" Edith gasps, wiggling in his arms, her head whipping round to look back at Tommy who feigns surprise, following the pair over to the table.
"Alright, here we go." Pushing the box in Edith's direction, Freddie glances up, meeting his friend's eye with a smile, the pair of them quickly dropping their eyes to watch the little girl in front of them pull the box closer. Peering up at Tommy, Edith waits for his nod, crawling from Freddie's lap into his, bringing the box with her as she does.
"Help?" She asks, smiling gratefully when Tommy takes her tiny hands in his, lifting the corner of the taped bow and then removing his hands to let her do the rest. The lid of the box springs open as the bow is released, falling to the ground as the youngest Shelby peers into the box, open mouthed, eyes wide, blinking slowly. "Kitty." She states, looking up at Tommy with those wide, blue eyes that were an exact copy of his, pointing into the box. "My kitty?"
"Your cat." Tommy confirms, his heart clenching in his chest as her eyes grow impossibly wider, a shriek escaping her tiny body as she throws herself, wiggling and giggling into his arms, the two men laughing at her excitement, Freddie reaching into the box to pull the tiny grey tabby cat out and placing it gently into the toddler's waiting hands. "Good girl," Tommy says softly, watching how tenderly Edith holds the kitten to her body, her free hand stroking it's back gently. "What do you think?"
"My cat!" Edith laughs again, throwing her head back to look up at Tommy with a wide toothy grin.
"That's right." He replies with his own wide smile, nodding his head towards Freddie. "What do you say to Freddie?"
"Thank you!" Edith exclaims, blowing Freddie a quick kiss before returning her undivided attention back to the kitten in her arms.
"You're most welcome, Edith." Freddie replies, stretching a hand out to stroke the kitten's head. "It's a baby boy. What are you going to call him?" Tilting her head to the side, Edith hums to herself, her eyes flirting around the room until they land on her aunt who was watching the scene unfold in front of her with amused eyes. Beside her, on the counter, sat the ingredients she and Edith had prepared earlier that morning, ready for their weekend tradition of baking a sweet treat to go with Sunday dinner, said sweet treat giving Edith (in her mind) the perfect name for the kitten. "Muffin!"
"I love it." Freddie replies, Tommy glancing up at Polly who was shaking her head at him in mock chastisement, but in reality, was struggling to keep her own grin off her face.
"A cat?" She calls with a chuckle, pushing off the counter to move towards the trio who were all watching her approach. "Really, boys?"
"She really wanted one, Pol." Tommy states softly, his heart pounding at the prospect of being whacked over the back of the head by his aunt who under no uncertain terms had told him not to get his sister a pet. Tensing slightly as she nears, Tommy smiles softly when his aunt stops behind him, leaning down to press a quick kiss to his head.
"You're a good boy, Thomas Shelby."
"Finished?" Edith asks, her hands curling around the edge of the table as she peers up at Polly who had just placed the newspaper down.
"Yes." Polly smiles, watching Edith swipe the newspaper off the table top, tucking it under her arm, ready to deliver it through the double doors of the shop to her brother. Pottering around the table, Edith gently scoops her kitten up into her arms, carefully depositing him into her doll's pram and laying the newspaper into the space the small cat didn't yet occupy.
"Bye bye." Edith calls over her shoulder, pushing her pram in the direction of the open shop doors, Polly peering around the doorway to watch her niece go. This was the only time of day Edith was allowed in the betting shop, with the double doors left ajar until the front door was unlocked at 9 o'clock sharp to let in the daily customers. Polly didn't want the littlest Shelby wandering around the shop during the day when any old oaf could step back and trample on her, her niece so small that she was barely visible when slipping by through the crowds of men, that, accompanied with the way she crept around like a mouse, often scaring her brother's half to death when she would randomly pop up beside them and announce her presence. But with the only men in the shop being her brother's and their closest friends, Polly felt safe in the knowledge that Edith could make her daily trip with the newspaper to the other end of the shop and back, unharmed.
Upon reaching Tommy's office, Edith comes to a stop, knocking three times on the door and stepping back to wait for the door to swing inwards. As it does, Edith peers around it, smiling sweetly up at Arthur who had reached behind him to pull it open and was looking out into the empty shop.
"Hello!" Edith sings, carefully manoeuvring her pram into the small room, smiling up at her big brothers as she does so. "For Tommy." She states, pulling the newspaper from the seat and holding it out to her brother who thanks her, taking it from her hands and replacing it with a small bronze coin. "Thank you!"
"Anything else to deliver?" John teases, reaching out to scoop Edith into a short, tight hug as she moves to pass him once more.
"No!" Edith giggles as John smothers her face in light kisses. "All done!"
"And how's the cat?" Tommy enquires, his heart melting as Edith whips her head around to look up at him, eyes wide with love and excitement.
"Look!" She exclaims, pointing to the kitten who had curled up on the blanket. "Sleepy kitty."
"Very sleepy kitty." John agrees, gently stroking the cat's head, Edith grinning at the sight. "You go have fun then, eh?"
"Alright." Edith shrugs, moving to push the pram from the room again. "Bye bye!"
"Bye Edith." Her brothers call in turn, all three of them smiling as she turns in the doorway to wave goodbye, blow them a kiss and then reach up on her tiptoes to pull the door shut again behind her.
"That cat is spoilt." Arthur grumbles playfully, turning his attention back to Tommy who had risen from his seat and was watching through the window as Edith ambles back through the shop, chatting away to herself.
"That little girl is spoilt." He scoffs in reply, dropping back down into his chair.