3 T W O

It was Saturday, early in the morning since I had to go to the pub before opening. I get dressed in a rush, putting on some makeup to look somewhat alive.

I go to my sisters room that they shared as they lay in bed looking all comfy in their night dresses. I smile down at each of them when a sudden wave of sadness befalls me.

They don't deserve to live a life like this, in a small shack that could barely fit any of us. One bathroom and one room that they had to share while I slept on a dingy old couch.

I wanted to give them everything they had before, the best of the best. But now that everything we once had was gone, it would be hard. I put on a fake smile as I softly shake the both of them. I get a lazy hm in response form the both of them.

"I'm heading out. Don't get into to much trouble while I'm away," I tease while giving them each a pinch to the arms causing them to give small squeals.

"If we can back on our own then we can walk on our own," Anna responds tiredly.

"Yeah," Eden agrees lazily.

"Whatever, just don't get into trouble or start anything that we don't need," I respond in a serious tone while I received lazy nods in return.

A small smile grows on my face as I walk out of their room and shut the door quietly. I walked out into the damp, foggy air.

♛

It was lunchtime now, the place is heavy with men. Some of them wearing blue scarfs, beer is flying over the bar and y'all is very loud. A piano plays in the background as smoke swirls in the air.

Grace and I were already learning the ropes, already pulling pints with aplomb. I turn to Harry who was brushing beside us, "is it always this jam packed in daytime?"

Harry pulls a pint beside us. "No. These boys are all on their way to St. Andrews."

"To pray?" Grace asks.

Harry chuckles. "That'll be the day. St. Andrews is a football ground. The Blues are playing." Harry gestures towards a group of four men, drinking beer and smoking by the door.

"That's the forward line and the goalie believe it or not," he continues.

Harry takes his pint to a customer. I hear a tap on one of the small windows to the private snug bar, I put my hand on Graces shoulder to stop her from going over to it. "I got it, Grace."

I open the small, frosted window. There stood a tall man with a cap on with metal pieces sowed into them. Once we peer at each other I get lost in his bright blue eyes, I feel electricity course through my veins causing me to shiver slightly.

"I need a bottle of rum," he says in a deep, rough voice that snaps me out of my trance.

I see Grace behind me staring at the man intensely as Harry comes over to me and whisper in my ear. "Irene, whatever it is, it's on the house.

I gave Harry a confused look while he gave me a pointed one causing me to give a firm nod as I turn back to the man putting coins on the bar.

"A whole bottle?" Grace asks from behind me, the man I front of me gives her a dark look causing her to look away immediately. I put my arm in front Grave, my hand resting on the bar causing his stare to go to me. Hopefully taking some of the third degree off of Grace.

"White rum or dark?" I raise my eyebrow.

"I don't care," he mutters.

I give a small nod and turn around to the spirit cupboard. I could feel his eyes on me causing another shiver to go down my spine. I find a bottle of dark rum and puts it on the bar.

"Harry said it's on the house," I shrug.

"Are you a whore?" He asks which catches me off guard for a second.

"Because if you're not, you're in the wrong place," he continues reaching for the rum when I put my hand in front of his.

"I'm no whore, i have to much class for that and I'm not afraid to swing if need be. I don't care who it is I'm swinging at," I give a fake smile then remove my hand to give him the middle finger while he has an amused glint in his eyes and a small smirk on his face when he takes the rum and leaves.

Grace comes to my side while Harry hurries to the both of us.

"He's one of the ones you told us about," Grace says.

Harry quickly closes the frosted window and locks it. "Grace, Irene, you're friendly girls but be careful. If I say 'on the house' say nothing to whoever you're serving. If they decide they want you there's nothing anybody could do about it."

"Lucky for the both of you, since he got back from France, Tommy doesn't want anybody at all," Harry continues.