It was the next day and I walked into the market, closely followed by George and Robert. George was carrying the basket as I picked up various vegetables for that nights dinner. Polly knew how much I needed to get out the house and had sent me with a long list. I spoke to the women, smiling at the various children running around the place. "Evelyn Michaels." a voice said behind me. I turned to see Edward Cooper smiling at me. "Edward!" I shouted, happily wrapping my arms around the man.
I saw Robert reach for his cap beside me. "You better leave that hat on your head." I told him sternly, linking my arm with Edwards. I hadn't seen the man for years, since before the war and knew we had some catching up to do.
I had been 15 when I had started dating Edward.
It was in the summer of 1913 and the looming threat of war didn't seem to bother anyone in Birmingham. He was a pleasant boy, a year older than me who had quickly gained Polly, Tommy and Arthur's approval. He treated me like a princess and had even survived a sit down with the two eldest Shelbys. He was in school, unlike many of the boys his age in small heath. His parents owned the local bakery and we were often found sat at the little table and chairs that his father had put outside for us so he could keep a watchful eye on us while he worked. It was the closest to alone we got with my house filled to the brim with five Shelbys, me and Aunt Polly and Edwards mother insisting she be in the same room at all times when we were at his.
One sunny day, we were sat there, eating pastries and watching the world go by when Tommy, John and Arthur came walking down the road. I rolled my eyes as they came to a stop before us. "Look at these two little lovebirds." Arthur joked, ruffling my hair. "Stop!" I told him, rushing to pat down my unruly curls. Mr Cooper came running from the bakery. "I have been watching them, he's done nothing improper." he told the three, nervously twiddling with his fingers. I wasn't a Shelby by name but I was as good as in Small Heath. I groaned in frustration, looking up at the three men. Arthur and Tommy were laughing but John caught my eye. He was looking Edward up and down, the way he always did when he saw him. He must've felt me looking as his eyes darted to mine. He held my gaze as Tommy and Arthur spoke to Mr Cooper.
It felt like forever but it must've only been a moment when Arthur clapped John on the back. "Come on then. There is a pint with my name on it." Arthur laughed, missing the intense look John had been giving me. The three men went on their way, heading towards the Garrison. John had been looking at me weirdly since I started dating Edward. He had distanced himself from me but he always seemed to be there, watching.
It was a few weeks later that Polly had caught Edward and I in bed. We had been cuddling in the aftermath when we heard the door slam below us. We both shot up, rushing to get dressed. "Ada? Evie?" Polly had called up the stairs. That woman was like a bloody hawk. "I'll be down in a second!" I shouted back, willing my voice to stay level. I was just pulling up my stockings and Edward was doing up his shirt when the door flung open. We both froze and looked at a just as stunned Aunt Polly. Polly regained her composure first. "I will see you both downstairs in five minutes." She told us both, sternly. She was not happy. Edward and I shared a look before continuing to get dressed.
When we got downstairs, Polly was stood by the fireplace, one hand on hip and the other holding a cigarette. "Sit." she commanded. We quickly did what we were told, neither of us looking at her. "Am I to take this to mean that you are now engaged?" Polly asked, looking between us. "Polly!" I shouted, my face flushing. "Well, Evelyn, you want to run around with Edward doing things that husbands and wives do then you have to deal with the consequences." she told me, taking drag from her cigarette. It was silent for a few moments before Polly spoke again. "Edward, you better be getting home. The boys will be home soon and I doubt you want to be here when they do." she told him. He looked to me and I nodded, signalling that he should go. "I'll see you tomorrow?" Edward asked, standing. "I'll let you know if and when you can see her." Polly told him, sternly. He nodded, giving me a small smile and leaving.
Once the door had closed, it was like a switch in me. "Why did you do that?" I asked, looking up at the woman who had been like my mother for the last five years. "Why did I do that? Why didn't you think before jumping into bed with him?" she countered. "Against popular belief, I am not a child and you cannot tell me what to do. Neither can Tommy or Arthur." My voice was beginning to rise and hot tears threatened to spill from my eyes. "You are acting like a child who, if you are not careful, will end up with a child." she responded, her voice rising in anger. "I am not stupid." I told her, getting up from my seat.
"No, you're not. So what do you think Tommy and Arthur are going to do when they get hold of him?" she questioned. "You can't tell them! They'll kill him because, like every fucking thing else, they think they own me. I do not have to listen to you or them or Ada or whoever fucking else you are going to try to fucking use against me." I was shouting at the end, angry tears streaking down my face. "You better tell me that you didn't do this to get back at John, I've seen the looks you've been giving each other." I was silent. "Do you love him?" she asked, voice calmer. I scoffed. "Who? Edward or John?" I asked, spitefully. "Edward fucking Cooper." she shouted, obviously losing her patience. "Of course I bloody don't." I shouted before I could stop myself. Polly went to say something else but we both went silent as the back door slammed.
Arthur came in first, looking between us. "What the fuck are you two shouting about?" he asked, coming into the room closely followed by Tommy and John. Polly and I looked at each other, my hands shaking. "Maybe one of you can talk sense into the girl as she is clearly too grown up to listen to me." Polly said, finally taking her eyes off me and looking at the brothers. I shook my head in disbelief as I sat down on the armchair. "Is someone going to tell us what the fuck is going on?" Arthur demanded. Tommy took a different approach, coming over to me and crouching down so he was nearer my eye level. "Evie, what's happened?" he asked, kindly, wiping a stray tear from my cheek with his thumb. Arthur had come to sit on the arm of the sofa behind his brother and John was leant against the doorway, hands in his pockets.
"I have just found her and Edward here alone." Polly informed them. I rolled my eyes as the three men straightened, all of them contemplating what she had said. There was a long silence before Polly spoke again. "She tells me nothing happened. I found them in here, reading books." she added, watching me closely. Arthur and Tommy visibly relaxed. Looking over at John, he was looking away from me, the anger still evident in his eyes.
I hadn't seen Edward again after that, the family bakery was boarded up the next day and I was told they left the city. I had a suspicion that Polly was behind it but never confronted her about it, terrified of what she would have said.
I smiled up at the blond haired man as we made our way around the market, I had handed the list and some money to George and asked him to fetch the rest of the things while Robert followed us closely. "How have you been?" I asked, nodding at a few passing men. "I've been well, we moved down to the coast. A lovely little cottage by the beach. Mum and dad love it." he told me, eyeing around him to Robert. "Oh ignore him. He's harmless." I laughed, earning a frown from the teenager. "Officially a Shelby then." he said, looking down at the ring on my finger. "Yeah, John." I replied, turning the ring with my thumb. I quickly noticed the band flashing on his. "You're married too." I commented. He laughed. "Yeah, her name is Elizabeth. Lovely girl. We've got a little boy." he told me. "That's great!" I laughed.
We walked in a comfortable silence away from the market and after a few moments, I realised where we were heading. It didn't take long for us to reach the bakery that was once his families. We paused outside and looked at each other. "Mr Green owns the place now. He does wonderful cakes, not as good as your father but still good." I told him. "Shall we have one? For old times sakes?" he asked. I nodded, smiling.
I went in the small shop first, picking my cake and letting Edward pick his. I reached for my purse but Mr Green stopped me. "It's on the house, Mrs Shelby. Tell the boy to get something too." he told me. "Thank you, Mr Green. How's the wife? And the twins?" I asked, smiling as Edward picked up the cakes off the counter. "They are wonderful, Mrs Shelby. The twins have just started walking." he replied, grinning. "They'll be a handful then." I laughed, before saying my goodbyes and following Edward outside.
We sat at a small table, eating our cakes and making small talk. George was leant against the wall a few feet away, happily eating his cake but watchfully looking up and down the road. We must have been sat there longer than I thought as I saw George stand bolt upright, throwing the cigarette he was smoking to the ground. He was looking over my head and I turned to see John, Scudboat, Lovelock and Robert walking towards us. I rolled my eyes before turning to Edward. "I'm so sorry for this." I told him, standing and turning towards the approaching men.
"Out for a stroll?" I smiled at the men once they had reached us. I heard Edwards chair scrape backwards behind me and George came round the side of me. "You've been gone hours." John told me, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me into him. I looked up at him as he noticed who I was with. "John, you remember Edward." I said. Edward held out a hand to John. John stared him down for a moment before I elbowed his side, signalling for him to play nicely. He reluctantly took his hand, shaking it once and dropping it. "Sorry, I've been so long. Time got away from us." I smiled, pulling away from John. "Robert here nearly gave us a bloody heart attack. Saying you'd wandered off with some guy." Lovelock told me, trying to lighten the mood. I rolled my eyes and looked at the teenager. "We will work on that." I told him.
"I best be getting back to Elizabeth anyway." Edward said behind me. I turned to look at him. "It was lovely to see you." I told him, wrapping my arms around him. He was hesitant but hugged me back, giving me a squeeze before releasing me. "You too." he replied before looking over my head. "John." he nodded before quickly leaving. I glared up at my husband. "Really? Was that necessary?" I asked. He looked down at me eyebrows raised. "He should think himself lucky I didn't cut him five years ago." John told me. I rolled my eyes, shaking my head.
A/N This was a bit of filler/background chapter for you. I am hoping to do a couple more of these within the main story over the next few chapters as I have loads of things written for "Prewar" Evie/John! Let me know what you thought and if you want more memories/flashbacks like this :)