Chapter 8
"Ready?" Elijah whispers to Bessy as they head towards the main part of the betting parlour where Tommy was about to hold a family meeting.
"As ready as I'll ever be." Bessy murmurs in reply, taking a deep breath, plastering her usual smile on her face as she moves towards her brothers. She gives Finn a wider smile as she passes him, bending her head down to press a kiss to the top of his head before dropping into the seat beside him. "Your eye looks good." She whispers to him, softly brushing her thumb over his cheek. "Thought there'd be more of a bruise if I'm honest."
"Yeah, doesn't hurt too much." He replies, rolling his eyes as Bessy tweaks his cheek gently.
"Big brave boy!" She teases as he playfully pushes her hand away, both of them letting out a laugh as they settle back into their chairs, tuning back into the conversation around them.
"When did we all vote on this expansion south?" John asks as Arthur passes out glasses of whiskey.
"John." Bessy says softly, turning to him, laying her hand on his arm.
"No Bessy. We all have a right to speak, so here it is. This is what I think." John replies, gently shaking his twin's hand off.
"You have anything to say, you wait for Thomas." Polly states, turning to face John, glancing over at Bessy who rolls her eyes, looking back up at her brother.
"I know." She says gently, reaching up to take his hand in hers. "But Pol's right. We should wait for Tommy."
"They're fucking right." Arthur grunts, nodding his head.
"I see all the books. Legal and off track. See stuff you don't see. In the last year, the Shelby company limited has been making 150 pounds a day. Right? A fucking day. Sometimes more." John continues, ignoring Bessy who looks up at Elijah helplessly.
"John," Bessy tries again, rising to stand beside him, her hand on his arm again. "Not now. Eh? Later. Let's talk to Tom about this later."
"So. What I want to know, is why, are we changing things?" John asks, raising his voice. Bessy shakes her head as she drops back into her chair, rubbing at her forehead as Elijah places his hands lightly on her shoulder. She glances up as Tommy enters the room, eyes flitting over to Esme as she starts to talk, drowning out the conversation as she rests her head in her hand, elbow resting on the arm of the chair.
"This is ridiculous." She whispers to Elijah, looking up at him, drawing the attention of Tommy as he downs the glass of whiskey Arthur had passed him.
"What was that, Bess?" He asks, placing the glass on the table, turning to face his sister.
"I said, this is ridiculous. Why are we arguing about this?" She questions, throwing her hands in the air.
"Ask your brother." Polly replies with a smirk, raising her eyebrows at Bessy.
"I am." Bessy snaps, glancing around the room at John and their older brothers. "John, you heard Tommy, it's being dealt with. But Tom, I can see where John and Esme are coming from-"
"As I said, Bessy. If anyone had any objections, the door is there." Tommy replies, motioning behind Bessy as she rolls her eyes, letting out a long, frustrated breath, looking up at Elijah. He squeezes her shoulder lightly, giving her a sympathetic smile as she drops her head into her hands. Bessy runs her hands through her hair as she brings her head back up, watching as Arthur and Polly push back out of their chairs, ready to call the meeting to an end.
"I'm pregnant." Bessy blurts out, rising quickly from her own chair, Elijah letting out a shocked whistle from behind her, before stepping in close, his chest brushing against her back.
"What the-" Arthur starts, slowly turning back to his sister. "You're what?"
"Pregnant." She repeats, slowly the lump in her throat, nodding her head once. "I'm having a baby, Arthur. Me and Elijah."
"Jesus Christ." Polly mutters, dropping back into her chair as Tommy too slowly turns around, leaning against the door frame, looking over at Bessy.
"Someone say something!" She exclaims, throwing her arms in the air as she looks around the room.
"Congratulations Miss Bessy." Curly says, the first one to break the silence, making his way over to Bessy, arms open wide to her. She gives him a gentle smile, wrapping her arms around the older man as he gives her a gentle hug.
"Thank you Curly." She says as she pulls away, only to be pulled straight into the arms of her uncle who repeats Curly's statement. Bessy pulls back, her smile turning to a frown as she hears the door slam shut behind her, watching through the window as Arthur storms off down the street.
"I'm going to be a fucking uncle." John breathes out, the twins lying together in a comfortable silence later that afternoon.
"You are." She replies, turning to watch John as he lets out a whistle.
"You're going to be a fucking mum."
"I am." Bessy laughs, cupping John's chin with her hand. "You're so clever!" She teases, laughing as he swots her hand away.
"I uh, I kind of already knew." He admits, Bessy immediately rolling on to her side to look at him.
"You what?" She questions, hand on his cheek to make him look at her.
"Esme let it slip."
"Fucking Esme." Bessy sighs jokingly, shaking her head as John laughs.
"I've just been told to distract you while Tom and Arthur cut Elijah a smile." He jokes, tweaking at Bessy's nose.
"John!" Bessy shouts, snapping upright.
"Fucking hell. Calm down. I'm joking." He says, pushing her back down to lie on the bed.
"That's not funny." She snaps, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I thought it was." John replies, still laughing as Bessy rolls over, turning away from him.
"Piss off." She grunts, curling up on her side. The pair sit in silence for a few minutes until John speaks again, Bessy rolling back over to look at him again. "You took your bloody time. I've popped out 3 in the time you've created one." He teases, Bessy giving him a kick in the shin at the joke.
"Shut up." She huffs jokingly, John letting out a scoff.
"You shut up!" He exclaims, Bessy launching at him, hands ready to grab him as he turns, taking her in his arms and rolling her on to his chest, flailing her arms about, shrieking in laughter.
"Alright. Enough you two. John. Put her down. Let Bessy-Jo rest now." Tommy calls from the doorway as he walks past to get to his room. John drops her back onto the bed, kissing her temple as he rises, Bessy blowing him a kiss as she curls up on her side again, watching as he leaves the room, Tommy still lingering in the doorway.
"You can come in ya know, Tom?" She calls out to him, rolling on to her back as she pats the bed beside her. Tommy slowly makes his way into the room, pulling out a cigarette as he does so, pausing to glance at Bessy, silently asking if she was happy for him to smoke in her room. At her nod, Tommy lights the stick, dropping on to the end of the bed with a sigh, rubbing at his eyes with his free hand.
"Fucking hell, Bess. You do pick your moments." He groans as he lifts his head, staring off into the distance.
"Sorry." Bessy replies quietly, nudging her foot against his thigh.
"I know." Bessy hums out a laugh as she watches Tommy continue to smoke. "Can't believe you're pregnant."
"Tommy-"
"No, actually, that's a lie. I always knew you and John'd be first." Bessy pulls herself up, leaning back against the head rest.
"You did?"
"Uh huh." Bessy hums again, nodding her head as she continues to observe Tommy.
"I'm sorry." She says softly, drawing her knees up to her chest.
"Why are you sorry?" Tommy asks, turning his head to look at her.
"We were so careful," she whispers, running her hands through her hair. "But, clearly, not careful enough."
"Are you unhappy? Do you- should I get Pol? She knows people-"
"No! No. Jesus. That's not what I meant!" Bessy protests with a groan, dropping her head back to rest on the top of the headboard. "I just know you have things you want me to do in the company. Having a baby changes things. Right?" Tommy nods, humming in response. "And I'm not married-"
"We can sort that-"
"Has Elijah asked you?" Bessy's head shoots up, wide eyed as she looks over at Tommy who meets her eyes, shaking his head quickly.
"No. Not yet. He will. I'm sure. What I mean is-"
"We're not doing some quick wedding, Tom." Bessy cuts him off with a shake of her head. "If, Elijah asks me," she continues, emphasising the 'if'. "Then I will say yes, and we'll do it our way."
"Of course." Tommy agrees, pulling out another cigarette, holding one out to Bessy.
"I really shouldn't..." she trails off, leaning forward nonetheless.
"Go on. One every so often won't hurt. We just won't tell Pol." Bessy smirks at her brother, quickly taking the burning stick from his hand, bringing it up to her lips with a sigh.
"Fuck, I needed this." Tommy lets out a chuckle as Bessy takes another long drag, sighing again in contentment. "I've been avoiding Pol."
"I can tell."
"She's going to kill me. Maybe in my sleep. Shit. Maybe I should sleep in your room with you-"
Tommy lets out another scoff, shaking his head as he raises his hand to stop her. "You're a grown woman, Bessy. We're not kids anymore. You're not sleeping in your big brother's bed. And Pol won't kill you in your sleep. That's a cowards way out. She'd kill you while you're awake."
"Oh great, thanks Tom. That makes me feel so much better." Bessy rolls her eyes, sliding back down on to her back as the pair laugh. "I'll talk to her tomorrow." She decides. "Where's Arthur? Not seen him all day either."
"He's at the Garrison. He'll be ok." Tommy replies, reaching over to squeeze her thigh.
"He's not ok?" She asks, fear lacing her voice.
"His baby sister just announced out of the blue, that she's pregnant. In the middle of an argument, at a family meeting. No he's not ok, Bess." He says, turning back to face Bessy as she covers her face with her hand. "He's protective of all of us. Especially you. You know that. You should talk to him too, Bess." Bess groans in response, nodding her head. "I'll let you sleep. You think about what you're gonna say to Pol and Arthur, eh?"
"What do you think I should say?" She asks, hand reaching out to grasp Tommy's wrist before he could move away from the bed.
"What you just told me. The truth." Bessy nods, giving Tommy a smile as he bends to kiss her forehead.