Chapter Text
birmingham
“oi jolene!” a young man could be heard screaming her name, trying to keep up with her pace.
“you’re gonna have to be faster than that finny boy!” she hollered back, looking over her shoulder to see him waving her down.
“well there’s no need to run off without me jo.” finn was now stood next to her. she lit a cigarette taking a few puffs while waiting for her friend’s explanation. “listen tommy’s making me do a job, you want to come with?”
the look on the young girls face was full of excitement.
…
“this is not the kinda job i thought you meant finn.” she was sat at the door of the private room in the garrison waiting for men to enter then leave again, helping finn with addresses.
“well you wouldn’t have come if i told you what it really was.” he gave her a cheeky smile.
“exactly my point. i’ve got a date tonight finn i could be going and getting ready instead of this.”
“you know the brummie boys round here aren’t worth marrying jo.” he was handed another address. “NEXT!”
“so? who knows maybe i’ll find myself a handsome soldier who can take me to new york away from all the assholes here, including you shelby.”
“the day that happens we’ll have to shoot him ay arthur?” jolene hadn’t seen john exiting the room behind her.
“too right john can’t have them taking our little jo.” he reached out to ruffle her hair causing her to slap his hand away.
“maybe this’ll be the one jolene. make sure to keep the spirits high, act like a lady.” tommy told her while getting himself a glass of whiskey.
“i’ll make sure to do nothing of the sorts mr. shelby.” tommy knew she only called him mr. shelby to annoy him. he gave her a ghost of a smile.
“our jo? a lady? that’ll be the day i die.” john quipped pulling his coat on to leave.
“where are you lot off to then?” she questioned.
“pols.” arthur told her.
“i’m coming with. i have to ask her to read my leaves. see if this date is worth going to.” she shrugged her coat on making sure to tell finn bye quickly before following the older brothers out of the pub.
…
the group barged into polly’s house making fun of the digbeth kid they had spoken to.
“get out of town kid or i will shoot your fucking head off!” john shouted towards jolene. they had their weapons pointed at each other pretending to be cowboys.
“times up! pew!” arthur pretended to shoot john who seemed put off of the game suddenly. “you’re dead go down. john!”
“john you have to go down when we shoot you!” jo chastised. she suddenly recognized the weird energy in the room turning towards polly. “oh.” her and the boys put their weapons away slowly, somewhat embarrassed.
there sat next to polly was a young man with brown hair, a ridiculous suit and nice lips. at least that’s the only things jo noticed.
“alright then polly who’s this?” arthur questioned while him and john struggled to keep in their laughter.
“gentlemen this is your cousin.” thomas told them. “polly’s son, michael.”
there was silence in the air so jo took it upon herself to clear it.
“i’m jolene. a friend of the family. pleasure to meet you.” she stuck her hand out to the young man. he seemed almost shocked by her forwardness. he shook it staring into her eyes for a mere second then moving to shake arthur and johns hands.
“pleased to meet you.” he said to the men.
“i’m arthur you’ve already met me.” he seemed shocked still. “i used to throw you out the window so john could catch ya.”
“oh yeah i used to put you in a shoebox and kick ya down watery lane.” john added.
“bet your glad to be back.” tommy said to michael.
“don’t worry they did the same to me til i was fourteen.” jolene cracked slapping the arms of boys next to her.
“i don’t remember any of it. all i remember is the day they took me away.” michael said. polly moved towards her son grabbing his face first then embracing him in a tight hug. jolene, arthur and john awkwardly looked around each other not knowing what to do about the emotions heightening.
“well you’re here now son.” thomas stated placing his hand on michaels shoulder. “welcome to the shelby family.”
“later on we’ll show you the ropes.” arthur added.
“mm yeah well show you what’s what.” john continued.
even jolene could read the look of disapproval in polly’s face. she seemed almost scared of michael being in the men’s presence.
“let’s leave him be for now eh?” tommy suggested to them. “come on boys.” this caused jo to clear her throat. “and jo.” he added before walking off. the other three gladly followed.
“nice suit.” arthur jabbed at michael before leaving the room as well.
…
“i just don’t understand why you don’t date a blinder jo.” she gave finn an incredulous look while brushing her hair getting ready for her date.
“is this your way of asking me out finn?” she enjoyed teasing the boy to no end seeing as his whole family wanted him to marry jolene.
“as if i’d ever marry a ginger gypsy woman like yourself.” he scrunched his nose while saying so.
“i certainly would.” isiah said beside her. she punched him in the arm in response.
“that’ll be the day mr jesus.”
“so let’s make it today mrs jesus.” he was still rubbing the spot she hit last when she punched the other arm, making him regret all of the flirting with her.
“so who’s the lucky lad?”
jo then went into detail about some artist boy she found at the bakery recently and though the boys gave her shit they did want to see her happy and with a man who cared.
…
“just give me another shot harry.” jo told the older man behind the bar.
“i hate to be captain obvious but i don’t think your dates showing up miss jo.” she threw the shot back into her mouth wincing at his words.
“i know that harry. otherwise i’d be wined and dined right now instead of looking at all these sad pub crawlers.” she hesitated with her next words, “i know tommy said to not let me and the boys drink it, but i could use whiskey right now harry. and lots of it.” she smiled at the man hoping the sad day would change his heart.
that may have been the only time she was lucky tonight seeing him sigh and pour a large glass for her. her thoughts swirling with anger for not remembering to ask polly to read her leaves.
“have i ever told you how much i love ya old man?”
…