weaponised - a peaky blinders story

Six

"Would you bloody be quite!" Katherine complained from her seat. The cafe had closed around ten minutes ago and eve was still cleaning up while Katherine accompanied her, puffing along on a cigarette, a habit that eve had picked up in her three months of being there.

During her three months, eve had found it quite a peaceful place. Though she had to share a stable with a stubborn horse, she had quite enjoyed her time and even though Katherine was as mad as a hatter, both women had grown quite fond of each other.

The cafe was never busy, it would have the regulars and a few tourists, but there was never more than four tables full. Eves work was quite easy, even if Katherine barely helped. But, Evangeline's love for the place was causing more heartache than she wished, the nagging knowing that she would be leaving in two weeks clung onto her as much as possible.

"I didn't say anything?" Eve looked at the woman confused, her eyes closed and a cigarette hugged between her fingers.

"Not you, you twit! That bleeding bird, it's doing my nut in." She said, opening her eyes and crossing her legs, taking a deep drag on her cigarette as she meant back in her seat.

Eves eyebrows clutched together, she couldn't hear a bird, but she was used to Katherine's behaviour and decided to just finish her cleaning.

"Your leaving soon, ain't you love?" She asked, surprising eve that she even remembered.

"You're right, wednesday after next my boat leaves." She told the woman, collapsing in the chair opposite her and pulling out a cigarette of her own.

"Your leaving the country? I thought you was just moving up the road?" Katherine exclaimed, sitting up forward and uncrossing her legs, eyes widened.

"No, I'm going back to England. I told you, I swear." Eve smiled at the woman, she knew that it was coming from a place of care, or at least hoped it was.

"Right well, you've been here for months and I haven't had a proper drink with you yet. Go and fetch me two bottles of whiskey from my flat upstairs and we can celebrate." She said, leaning over and patting eves cheek as eve let out a small laugh.

"Celebrating my departure? I thought you liked me Katherine?"

"Oh bugger off! You know what I mean. Now do you want free booze or don't you?" Katherine exclaimed, she wasn't good at taking jokes.

Eve chuckled and walked upstairs to where Katherine resided, retrieving two bottles of whiskey and two glasses and going back downstairs.

"You know, I'm glad you're leaving, Scarlett." Katherine said in a monotone voice as she peered out of the window infront of her, now holding the glass of whiskey that eve had poured her.

Eve scrunched her eyebrows together as she sat back down across from the old woman. "Why's that Katherine?"

"Well, your young, got no man tying you down. You should live your life and France is no pace for a young woman like yourself, who can't speak French. There's nothing here for you." She said, sipping on her whiskey and looking over to Evangeline.

"You managed and you can't speak French either." She said, smiling. Katherine was rarely a sentimental person.

She laughed, "sweetheart, I've had my fair share of husbands, I wouldn't want another. And I only moved here after them, I'm not young either, I've lived the life I've wanted to. I just hope that you live yours just as well." She didn't have the best way with words, but nevertheless eve appreciated the conversation, she was glad that her leaving wouldn't sadden Katherine too much.

"I'll miss you, Katherine." She smiled at her, finishing off her whiskey and pouring herself and Katherine another.

"Yeah well, I suppose I'll miss you too. Where are you planning on going?" She asked her, lighting a cigarette.