#Crazy In Poughkeepsie | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kmhappybunny240 · 2 months ago

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The French Nurse

Chapter 4

Grace woke with a lazy cat like stretch. Today was the first full day of their weekend in London. This was the first time in a while Grace got Tommy all to herself. The whole weekend was about them and their wedding. They had a relaxing night with champagne and sex. She thought since Tommy was turning his company into legitimate business that he would be with her more but his family still had their claws in him. He still ran the peaky blinders which she hated. Tommy was better than a common street criminal. He was made for better things. Arthur and John could very well handle the blinders while Tommy built the company into greatness.

Grace would admit that she enjoyed the idea of gangster Tommy. It was an aphrodisiac knowing Tommy had a gun under his jacket. She practically mauled Tommy the other night when she saw him put on the shoulder holster. She loved the idea of danger that came with Tommy but didn't like the consequences that could follow. She prayed everyday he wouldn't be arrested or get killed. She would hate for Tommy business to be splashed across the newspapers and cause great embarrassment. She never had to worry with Clive.

Clive Macmillan was the perfect husband. He had a respectable job as a banker , he came from good stock of family , and he loved Grace with all of his heart. They met on a train ride to Poughkeepsie . She was visiting her cousin and he was moving for his new position at a bank. They talked the whole trip and for the first time since Tommy , Grace felt her heart lighten. They dated for six months before he proposed. It was a lovely proposal . Clive rented a cabin at an exclusive resort and they spent a romantic week together. On their final night the resort threw an end of the summer party . After dancing for hours they took a moonlit walk down to the lake. He got down on one knee and poured his heart out. She was stunned and small part of her wished it was Tommy but she said yes.

Grace almost backed out of the wedding a few times . All because of Tommy. She missed him like crazy. Her thoughts kept going back to him and what their life could have been if he ran away with her. If only he didn't have his family holding him back. It was the week before the wedding when she finally broke down and told Clive about her time in England. She confessed to being a spy and falling in love with a lowly book maker. She did everything to make Clive feel sympathy towards her. She turned Campbell into a bigger monster than he was. She of course left out that she killed a few men and almost destroyed the Shelby family. After she was finished with her story Clive just got up and left. He came back an hour later and apologized. He just need to clear his head and process the information.

Clive reaffirmed his love for Grace and continued with the wedding. It was a small yet perfect event. Her life felt like a romance novel but it came crashing down when they tried to get pregnant. The American doctors and Clive convinced her that it was all her fault. A small part of her started to believe them. It was suggested they go to London to see a specialist. Her heart dropped when she heard those words. She never thought she would ever go back to England and never get close to Tommy either. Before they left she wrote to Tommy.

She didn't know what to write but she told him she was coming to London with her new husband and if possible they could meet. It was a betrayal but she didn't care. All she wanted was Tommy and have his child not Clive. When she arrived in London she got her wish. It hurt to leave poor clive but she belonged with Tommy. When she missed her period after she slept with Tommy she knew she made the right choice. She was meant to be with Tommy. His trust in her waned when she got her period. It didn't help when Polly accused her of lying and trying to trap Tommy . Their relationship was cold but then she got the news Clive killed himself. Grace grieved for him but secretly relived he was gone. She wouldn't have to go through a divorce. She told her family that Clive became depressed after an employee he hired was embezzling. The bank blamed him and he couldn't live with it. She spun her web and garnered sympathy and respect for Tommy. She went on and on about how Tommy saved her from the despair Clive caused and healed her aching heart. She wanted her family on her side before they found out who Tommy truly was.

Grace got out of bed when hearing voices and plates clinking in the next room. She put on her robe and headed into the living room. Tommy gave the bell boy a sizeable tip and sent him on his way. The service cart was filled with her favorites. Eggs Benedict , sausages, fried potatoes, and pastries. She pushed the cart into the balcony and started laying their breakfast feast. She was filling up their cups with orange juice when Tommy came out and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"Hope you like what I ordered. I think I got it right."

Tommy smiled at Grace while he cut into his eggs. His was rather simple. Over easy with bacon.

"It's delicious." Grace was elated to see how light Tommy looked. He didn't have dark circles under his eyes and the melancholy wasn't seeping through as it usually does. Maybe London was the place for them and not Birmingham.

"So I was thinking after the cake tasting at eleven we should look for new china. I've been looking at some patterns from Royal Worcester and narrowed down to three. It will be an expensive order ."

Tommy tuned out Grace when he heard china. He didn't want to but today he would be meeting with Nucky Thompson associates and he hasn't told Grace yet. Officially Shelby company would be selling car parts to Nucky Thompson's dealerships he co owns all over New Jersey. Unofficially , he would also be smuggling crates of gin. Nucky also set him up with contacts in Canada and a few other cities on the east coast.

It was mere happenstance that they met. Tommy took Grace to Atlantic city when they had their month long vacation. The hotel lost their reservation and as Tommy was getting ready to throttle the poor clerk , Nucky stepped in. Nucky could tell the couple had money based on how they were dressed. He could also see the small outline of a gun under his coat. Being the charming politician he was, he rectified the situation with an upgrade of the room. They met for dinner the following night and nucky found out who Tommy really was. That was the beginning of a very lucrative business relationship.

"Tommy. Tommy can you hear me ?"

Grace slapped his hand with a butter knife to get his attention.

"Ouch you didn't have to hit me." Tommy pouted but knew he deserved that. His mind was wondering to the meeting and what Grace reaction would be.

"You weren't listening to me." Grace saw the guilt in his eyes. It the same look that he got when delivering bad news. She set down the silverware and took a drink of orange juice to ready herself for the news she knew was coming .

" So what is it Tom. I know you have something to tell me. "

Tommy looked at Grace and it freaked him out a bit. She was too good at reading his emotions. He needed to stall so he could gather his thoughts. He pushed back his chair, got up and walked inside the room to get his cigarettes. He lit the cigarette and took a couple relaxing puffs. He had promised Grace that he would be open and honest about his illegal activity but all he wanted to do was lie. To tell her there was a dispute at a factory that only he could handle. He would tell himself that he wanted to keep Grace safe , which was true but not the whole truth. He knew he wouldn't be satisfied with just the legitimate business. He had to keep going, build his family into greatness where no one could touch them. After all the hell the Shelby family has gone through its what they deserved.

Tommy felt a phantom pain in his back knowing that Grace wouldn't object when finding out how much he would be making on this deal.

"At three o'clock today Myself ,Arthur , and Polly will be meeting with associates of Nucky Thompson to finalize the deal of car parts to his dealerships across New Jersey." Tommy sat down and waited for the explosion about to go off. He watched Grace like a hawk. She slowly chewed her food and held onto the knife with a death grip.

Grace could feel anger bubble in her stomach. How dare he pick business over her , and illegal to boot. She wanted to jump over the table and stab him in the neck with the damned knife. She sat back and thought about what Tommy had planned. It must be big to pull his attention away from their wedding planning.

"There is more to the deal than just car parts. I want to whole truth Tommy."

Tommy stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and looked Grace directly in the eyes.

"Along with the car parts , I will be shipping gin. Hundreds of bottles. Gin has been in high demand amongst rich American women and it doesn't look like prohibition will be ending soon. As you know Nucky is a very powerful man and we can benefit greatly from an amicable professional relationship."

Grace processed every word Tommy was saying and felt the anger dissipate some. Having an American politician in their back pocket did excite her. She enjoys the fact Tommy is an OBE and hopefully with new powerful friends in both American and British governments, he could ride to his full potential and become a member of parliament. She could see it now. Fancy dinners with statemen and their wives. Tommy delivering impassioned speeches in the house of commons.

They could moved out Birmingham and into a posh London town house. Of course they would keep arrow house as their weekend and summer home. Her social life would be booming too. She could finally have intelligent conversations with women at her level. She hated having to converse with the women she has been around recently. Ada was the only female of the family she was able to get along with. Polly was always passive aggressive. Esme wasn't very smart so their conversations were very limited. Arthur got married recently to some neighborhood girl and she didn't even remember the girl name. Jenny, june, jane. It started with a J but Grace didn't care enough to learn it. Then there was Lizzie Stark . She hated the tramp with a passion and tried to get her fired several times but Tommy wouldn't budge. He did make her Polly Secretary . That was a small win for Grace.

Her future was starting to look bright once again.

"How dangerous will this partnership be ?"

" There will always be risk but Nucky isn't reckless like other men I've dealt with in the past. "

"Mmmhhhmm"

"And how much will you earn off the gin."

"An estimated hundred thousand pounds by the end of the year. Not including the car parts."

Grace's eyes lit up at that number. She tried to hide it but Tommy saw . The phantom pain was back but now it felt like a knife was twisting between his shoulder blades. He was right. She loved the thought of all that money and the perks that came with it. Deep down he wanted her to talk him out of this. Wanted her to yell at him and tell him enough is enough. That she didn't need the money or the big house. He wanted to hear that He alone was enough to make her happy. He knew Greta would feel that way. He knew Olivia would feel that way. She would love a simple life with him in the country side.

Grace got up and made her way to Tommy. She hiked up her night dress and straddled him. He wound his arms around her waist and held tight. She grabbed his face in both hands so she had his attention. She needed to make her point the only way she knew how.

" I will support you in this but after today that's it understand. You promised this weekend would be about us and I'm holding you to that. "

" After today that's it. "

Grace smiled and drove home her point with a passionate kiss. She swivel her hips a little and felt him harden almost instantly . She was luring him in to her web. They didn't make it to the bedroom. She pulled him out and rode him right there on the balcony. It was a thrill for her and knew Tommy was enjoying their adventurous coupling.

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After their very public display of affection , They made haste to the bakery. She could tell Tommy had his mind on other things but did appreciate the effort he was putting forth. All Tommy could think of was everything that could go wrong at the meeting. He had so much riding on it and couldn't let anything happen. He mumbled to most of the questions being asked by the baker and tasted a few samples of cake. As the appointment went on Tommy 's eyes almost bugle out at all the details. He was going to be spending way too much money on a dam cake.

"Six tears ,five that are white cake ,and the top tear will be chocolate. I have some sketches of how the cake will look and we can make adjustments to the decorations if you would like."

Tommy can admit he was impressed. The baker pushed several pieces of paper forward with detailed drawings of what the cake could look like.

"Tommy do you have a favorite ?"

He looked at the drawings and just pointed at the third one. They were all extravagant and ultimately Grace had the final say. As long as she was happy he didn't care.

"That one is my favorite too. We will take this one." Grace beamed with happiness and kissed Tommy on his cheek. That's what he wanted to see. A genuine happiness and giddiness that made Grace seem human.

" I'm assuming this is going to cost more than my first race horse. " Tommy smirked and pulled out a cigarette. Grace jabbed her elbow in his side playfully.

"Go smoke that outside please. If I bat my eyes enough I'm sure I can get the price down."

Tommy smiled and kissed Grace temple. He walked to the end of the store front outside and enjoyed the moment alone. He watched people go by and was slightly envious of them. They all had mundane lives. Waking up , going to a stable but boring job, coming home at a reasonable hour to family , going to bed at a reasonable hour and starting it all over again. That's the life he was going to have before the war. Now it's just one dangerous thing after another. Tommy was exhausted and all he wanted was to sleep for days without any nightmares.

The bakery door bell rang signaling Grace's exit. Tommy threw the cigarette to the ground and walked over to Grace towards the car.

"I managed to get twenty pounds off the price."

" Oh yeah how did you manage that ? "

"My charm. " She gave him a devilish smile.

"I also mentioned since my fiance owned such a large company there would be events that needed to be catered with deserts."

" Since when does the Shelby company hold events. "

"Since now. We should start with a Christmas party this year. Which said party will need a large amount of pastries , breads , and desserts. That can all add up."

" But if possible , you could strike a mutual agreement and have an exclusive baker for all company and family events at a reduced price. "

"You are a crafty thing."

Grace gave him that smirk again. Getting a discount on baked goods might not seem like such a triumph but to Grace it was. She had to start with small tasks to gain some respect in Tommy eyes. She needed for him to trust her and see she wasn't just a retired spy. It would be a plus if she could make Tommy turn on Polly some. He had the idea to start the Shelby foundation for charities and she desperately wanted to be the one in charge. She knew Polly would fight her on that but Polly was just the company treasurer . Tommy was the head of the family, his word was law and Grace planned to use that to her advantage.

They arrived at the hotel and got to their room to unwind for a few minutes. Tommy had to calm himself for what would be one of the biggest business deals he has made so far. He felt his heart racing and thankfully Polly and Arthur showed up before his mind could spiral out of control. He splashed some water on his face and left the bathroom. He got there in time to stop Polly from throttling Grace. She had a deadly glare that he knew all too well from childhood. Grace looked a little to smug for his liking. She was enjoying getting under his aunt's skin.

" Grace tells me we will have a company Christmas party this year. It will be a grand affair apparently and cost us. " Polly hated being blindsided even with a simple party. She could see what Grace was up to. Making moves like she had a say in the company. She wished she had followed Grace to the train station that day. She would have pushed her in front of the train and been done with her.

"We can talk about it later Pol. We have to go or we will be late."

Tommy was the last out the door as Grace grabbed his hand. She gave him a kiss and told him to be safe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The car ride was tense. Tommy was driving and ignoring Polly. Polly was next to Tommy burning holes in the side of his face. Poor Arthur was in the back knowing and hating that a fight was about to break out. The only reprieve would be that Tommy was going to get yelled at and not him. Arthur just blurted out the first thing he could think of to break the stale mate.

"So did you buy a cake today." Tommy looked through the rear view mirror and gave the smallest of smiles. He knew Arthur couldn't handle the awkward silence.

"Yes Thomas , do tell us about how grand the wedding cake is going to be. I'm sure it's going to be the grandest cake that ever existed. "

"Polly." Tommy have her a warning glance , but she didn't care.

"What I want to know is why Grace is making decisions without notifying the board."

"She isn't making decisions just suggestions."

"It's a stupid suggestion." Polly mumbled .

"I don't know about that Pol, Jenna looks forward to the Christmas party her boss puts on every year and even gets bonuses . That's how she bought me this pocket watch." Arthur said proudly as he took out his favorite gift from his wife.

"Knowing Grace she will throw away to much money on some stupid party. It's unnecessary."

Tommy felt relieved that they had reached their destination. He turn the car off and turned to Polly.

"Alright listen up both of you." He turned to Arthur and gave him a pointed look.

" I don't fucking care about some party or bonuses right now. Right now we need to focus on what is important and that is the potential of making a lot of money with this deal. It has to go smoothly today , there is no room for error . Do you both understand. "

"We understand brother.'' Arthur patted Tommy on the shoulder and got out of the car. He helped Polly out as Tommy rounded the car. The valet met them and Tommy threw the keys to the young man. All three entered the high class restaurant and were quickly escorted to a private room. He scoped out the large dinning room and saw blinders strategically placed near the private room , he could never be too careful. When they entered it was empty. Tommy made sure they arrived fifteen minutes early to stay one step ahead .

"Mr. Thompson's associates we are about to meet are named Jimmy Darmody and Richard Harrow."

"Do you trust them ?" Polly asked before Tommy could finish .

"For the most part yes. They were both in the war. Jimmy fought in the trenches and Richard was a sniper. Now I have to warn you not to stare at Richard , his face was injured and it's quite noticeable."

" We know better than Tom . " Arthur was hurt by Tommy warning. He wasn't some Neanderthal who didn't know how to behave.

Polly looked out the window overlooking the street and got a bad feeling. It started in the pit of her stomach and made way to her heart. The claws of dread started to squeeze. The waiter came with their drinks and his behavior didn't make Polly feel any better . He kept looking towards the window and a shifty look in his eyes. Polly was about to warn Tommy but two well dressed men walked in. The first man shocked everyone. It was Richard. He had brown hair slicked back. What should have been flesh on the left side of his face was replaced with a tin mask and glasses. The second man was Jimmy , he had blonde hair and a noticeable limp.

Tommy and Arthur felt sympathy towards them. They had to wear their war injuries on the outside for the world to see every day for the rest of their lives. Tommy and Arthur might have not have physical scars but the mental impact was just as bad. Tommy could hide his trauma and keep it secret. Arthur did the best he could and didn't think he would survive a constant reminder on his body.

Polly just wanted to hug the men. She saw instantly in their eyes how tired and sad they were. Just like her nephews are. The only one who dealt with the shell shock slightly healthy was John and that was because he had Esme and the kids.

Jimmy and Richard introduced themselves and when they shook Polly hand she didn't let go. She looked deeply into their eyes and felt at ease with them. She gave a small nod of approval to Tommy. Polly unnerved Jimmy and Richard but didn't want to be rude and say something. For a moment Richard thought she looked into his soul and could see all the wrong he has done over the years.

They quickly got into business. Jimmy and Tommy had their own briefcases filled with contracts. It was a tedious two hours but they managed comb through the details and agree on terms. Tommy felt he had room to breathe after months of worry. Now he really had no choice but to focus on the wedding.

After another hour of small talk and a light lunch , the meeting began to wrap up and all hell broke loose. Polly's arm and neck hair began to stand on end and she almost wanted to vomit. That feeling was back and worse than ever. The shifty waiter cleared the tables but didn't leave the room. He instead put the plates on a service cart and stared out the window. He was clearly waiting for something or someone. Polly grabbed Tommy's forearm and squeezed for dear life.

"We need to get out of here , I don't feel right about it." Polly whispered in Tommy ear .

Tommy jerked his head to Polly and could tell she was serious. He stood up to grab Arthur when they heard tire screeching outside the window. The waiter ran towards the curtain and a few seconds after leaving several men came in with guns. Outside four men stood with Thompson sub machine guns. It was an ambush and he had no clue who was behind it. All the men pulled out their own guns and even Polly had a small one in her coat. They weren't going down without a fight.

"Who the fuck are you" Arthur spat out with venom.

"Nothing personal to you peaky blinders. This is between Nucky lap dogs and Mr. Masseria. He sends his regards."

Arthur flipped the table and dragged Polly behind it. The shootout began. Bullets were flying everywhere. Tommy and Arthur killed at least two men outside through the window while Richard and Jimmy physically fought the thugs inside the room. Polly was terrified but shot a few rounds to help. She watched as Jimmy was laying on the ground struggling and trying not to be strangled to death. She grabbed a fork and quickly ran to him. She stabbed Jimmy's assailant repeatedly in back and side of the neck. Warm blood squirted down on Jimmy and onto Polly face .

On the other side of the room Richard overpowered a man and bashed his skull in with a heavy crystal vase. Tommy and Arthur continued to shoot out the window and managed to take out all of the men. The hidden peaky blinders took out the rest and all went quiet except for all the screaming in the main dinning room. Dead and broken bodies were strewn about the floor and blood painted the walls .

"Pol . Pol. POLLY GREY!"

Polly was broken out of shock by Arthur yelling her name. She looked across the room and down at the body that was next to her. She killed a man. She went on instincts and had to protect the young man. His death was self defense but she would be replaying his death over and over again in her nightmares.

"I'm alright Arthur." She reassured him while being helped up.

" We need to get out of here and fast. The police will be on their way soon. "

Tommy heard moaning and saw Richard with his mask knocked off. He held a napkin to Jimmy side and the napkin was turning red very quickly. Polly was right they needed to get to a hospital before any coppers showed up. This wasn't Birmingham. He didn't have any officers in this district on his payroll. They were sitting ducks. They gathered themselves and made a run for it. Somehow no blinders died only injured. All the dead belonged to Masseria men.

They made way to the hospital down the block and Tommy had a moment to collect himself. Arthur went with the injured men while he and Polly cleaned themselves up. He sat down in a waiting lounge and sat back in the chair. He just stared at the ceiling wondering how everything went to hell. Her made sure to hold the meeting in neutral territory. He made sure the peaky blinders had peace with any possible enemy . Tommy even had Alfie on call just in case. He thought he had every back up plan readied but he didn't take into account Nucky's enemies. Tommy had no clue how he was going to clean up this mess that wasn't even his problem to begin with.

Tommy sat straight and looked ahead when he heard Polly's heels clicking on the floor. She wasn't hurt but clearly shaken. She was able to wash most of the blood off herself and the rest on her clothing she covered with her coat. She was worried what this meant for the family. Polly sat next to Tommy.

"Do you know who this Masseria man is. He obviously has enough power and connections to kill across the ocean."

"I have no clue Polly. None at all and I don't like this feeling." Tommy had to fight back the urge to cry. They finally had peace and now there was the potential for a bigger and badder enemy that could destroy everything they built.

"Judging by the name he is Italian. My guess would be mafia."

Polly felt sick. The fucking American mafia.

"You heard the ring leader , he said nothing personal against the blinders. That's something to hold on to right ?"

Tommy hoped she was right . This mess was becoming too much for Tommy. He felt the panic starting to take over. His skin began to crawl and he felt the air being squeezed out of his lungs. He jumped up and started pacing back and forth the room. His vision was starting to blur and could faintly hear Polly call out to him. She knew what was happening and wanted for him to calm down. She tried to grab his arm but he shook her off and walked down the hall . He walked a few feet and that's when he heard it. Her beautiful voice singing that beautiful song.

Quand je marche dans la rue

La rue vers le Sacré-Cœur

Je me souviens de promesses

Au nom de l'amour

Je,je vais t'attendre lá

Viendras -tu pour moi?

Je vais t'attendre lá

Seulement toi

His feet led him in the right direction. He felt under a spell that he didn't know if it was real or not. Polly was following Tommy trying to get his attention but he wasn't listening. She stoped when he did in a door way. That's when he realized that the singing wasn't a figment of his imagination. A woman was sitting on a hospital bed blocking the view of a child . This woman looked familiar from behind. Her dark hair was the same. Her body was the same. How could that woman be his Olivia. Maybe he finally lost his mind and Polly needed to check him into the mental ward. He had to see that woman's face and feel her to make sure.

"Olivia." Tommy called out but she didn't move. All she did was stroke the child's upper arm. She continued to sing like a siren in the sea crying out for her lost lover .

" Les ombres grandissent

Et les foules s'effacent

Je,je vais t'attendre lá

Viendras-tu pour moi?

Je vais t'attendre lá

Seulement toi

Seulement toi"

"Olivia" He called out again with a little more force. Once again she didn't move. His heart was fluttering like a humming bird. He couldn't breathe. His head started to hurt. This was it. He was truly cracking up. The longer the woman didn't respond the more he thought he was having a mental break down. He called to her one last time .

"Olivia DuBois." The woman turned and it was her. His long lost love was here in London , right in front of him. He could see the awestruck look on her face as she stood from the bed. He knew she was alive and well but seeing her now made it a reality. She was more beautiful than he remembered. An older more a mature beauty. He made his way into the room a little more and she met him half way.

"Yes Tommy it's me." She touched his cheek and he leaned into her hand. It was her . His Olivia was right in front of him. He opened his eyes and saw tears start to form in hers. She still had those deep brown eyes. He put his hands on her hips and sunk his fingers into her flesh. He had the urge to lean forward and kiss her but Polly broke him out of his spell.

"Oh sweet jesus. This is the last fucking thing I need to deal with right now." Polly exclaimed. The exhaustion of the day was starting to set in and she didn't need this added stress. As she was following Tommy she was preparing to drag him back to his hotel room and figure out the predicament they were in but that changed when she him with some woman. When she heard Tommy call the woman Olivia her heart broke. Tommy did odd things when he was overwhelmed. She watched the woman turn around and was floored.

The second woman Tommy has ever been truly in love with was standing right in front of them. She had a mixed feelings about this reunion that she simply couldn't deal with today. It was strange that after all these years she just happens to be at the same hospital at the same time as Tommy. On the other hand she did feel some joy at the sight. She could see the twinkle back in Tommy's eyes like before the war. He was holding on to the girl so tight she would probably have bruised. Movement in the bed caught Polly's attention. It was a small boy mumbling for his momma and settling back down for a deep sleep. The boy peaked her interest . She slowly moved towards the bed and could only see part of his profile and his dark hair. Her throat felt like it was closing and had to gasp for air. That boy was a Shelby.

"You're here. I thought you were in France ."

Tommy took a small step back so he could look at Olivia. He was elated that she wasn't a hallucination.

"I moved to London three months ago. I work at this hospital actually."

Tommy leaned in to Olivia and rested his forehead on hers. He closed his eyes and breathed her sent in. He was in heaven until he started to process what was happening. Olivia has been living and working in London for the past three months. A small flair of disbelief and anger could be felt. After all these years she shows up out of the blue and didn't let him know. Tommy grew tense and stepped back. Olivia could see the sudden change in his demeanor.

"Maman."

" Maman. "

Tommy stopped and looked towards the bed. A little boy was mumbling for his mother. He saw Polly off to the side with her fingers covering her mouth. She had a loving look on her face that Tommy didn't understand. The rustled around and asked for his mother again.

"Are you working right now ?" Tommy asked even though he noticed she was wearing casual clothing and not a uniform .

"Um." Was all that Olivia said. The boy was mumbling a little louder and she hurried over to him. She kissed his forehead and whispered to him while rubbing his back. The only thing Tommy could hear cleary was "Go back to sleep my sweet boy."

That sentence made Tommy 's blood run cold. He caught a better glimpse of the boy and he looked familiar. So did his blue eyes.

The boy settled down and Olivia returned to Tommy.

"Your boy ?" Tommy asked. How did she have a child. Peter told him she wasn't married or had any kids.

"Livy , Oscar will need to be woken up in an hour so doctor… " A nurse walked in and trailed off when she noticed two strangers in the room.

"Sarah can you stay with Oscar I will only be a moment." Olivia asked the nurse. She agreed . Olivia told Tommy to follow her and including Polly , they went to the lounge area. Tommy was standing and starting to get angry. He needed the truth and needed it now.

"I was told that you weren't married or had children. I had Peter find you."

" I know that. " Tommy could see how uncomfortable Olivia was .

"You need to sit down for this . Both of you." Olivia gave Tommy and Polly pointed looks.

Olivia took a deep breath and dropped the biggest bomb Tommy has ever experienced in his lifetime.

"Peter didn't lie to you Tom, he just didn't tell you the whole truth." Olivia was bitting her nails and Tommy was getting fed up.

"Get to the point girl." Polly said. It was clear in Polly voice she wasn't happy with the delaying tactics .

" The boy in that room is mine. He was born April fifteenth 1919 . Nine months after we last saw each other. His name is Oscar Charles Shelby. "

Tommy just stared at Olivia. It was like she was speaking another language. His understanding was muffled but at the same time he did understand. Olivia was saying he had a boy she named Shelby. He helped conceive a child with a woman whom he thought abandoned him five years ago. How could this be happening right now.

Tommy could hear his heart pumping rapidly in his ears and his chest was tightening. It felt like He was having a heart attack. He jerked up and out of his chair startling both women in the room. He punched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes so tight he saw stars.

"Tommy are you alright?" Olivia's voice was meek. He had his back to her and didn't think he could look at her with out falling apart. He kept his head down and eyes closed. He had so many questions. He needed Polly out of the room.

"Polly I need you to go and check on Arthur."

"Are you sure ?"

" YES. NOW JUST GO. " Tommy snapped at her. He will feel bad about it later. She left with one last look of sympathy and the room filled with a suffocating silence. Tommy sat down and blurted the first thing that came to mind. It was a valid question.

" How can you be sure he is my son. " His tone was harsh and cold. He could see a flash of betrayal on Olivia face but didn't care. Deep down he knew that she was being truthful but he had to be logical about this .

"I've only been with two men. Jack before the war and you Tommy. You were the only person I had sex with during that time and since." Olivia walked to him and crouched down in front him . She grabbed his chin and Tommy couldn't look away.

" I swear on my life , I would never lie to you and push a child on you that isn't yours. "

He felt tears slipping down his cheeks. He believed what Olivia was telling him. He brought Olivia between his legs and buried his face in the crook of her neck. He nuzzled her and felt whole again. She was back in his arms and they had a child together.

"We have a boy." He whispered happily.

" Oui mon amour Nous avons un fils. "

(Yes my love. We have a son)

Olivia started to kiss his cheek and moved closer to his lips. The outside world melted away when their lips touched. Tommy deepened the kiss and the tension between them became passionate. He hasn't felt that type of heat and wanting in years. Five years to be exact.

Five long years of pain and suffering. The pain of not knowing if she was alive. Constant fear that she had abandoned him , that their relationship was a lie. Five years of nothing until this random encounter. She kept their son a secret and all to herself. How could she lie to him ?

"You lied to me. You and Peter."

He grabbed her by the upper arms stood them up. Anger was flooding his veins and saw fear in Olivia's eyes.

"You and my best friend conspired to keep my son out of my life."

"Wait Tommy.."

" HOW COULD FUCKING BETRAY ME ? "

Tommy always strived to be better than his father. He never wanted his future wife to worry he would gamble the grocery money. Stay out all hours of the night with random women. Above all he could never raise a hand to his family. To instill the constant fear of being hit for the smallest reason. His mother was a bright and happy soul. She loved her children like a fierce lioness and she protected them the same.

Tommy hated the way all of his mother's joy would disappear when his father came home . She turned into a cowering abused dog who still had a slight wag in its tail, just hoping for affection from its owner. Arthur Sr was a vulture who fed on his wife love and kindness. Every day he ripped out chunks of her until there was only bones left. By the end of her life the essence of her being was gone. The last time he saw his mother was in the vardo before it was set aflame . There was a small guilty part of him that was relieved. Her death finally put her out of her misery.

When Tommy realized he was yelling and shaking Olivia it was a brutal shock to his system. He had been a father for all of ten minutes and already he was becoming cruel like his own.

"Tommy please stop. You're hurting me." Olivia pushed him and Tommy stumbled back. She had ugly tears streaming down her cheeks and her nose was red. She was coming undone and it was his fault. Just like his father. Tommy was the son that inherited the evil sickness that took hold of Arthur Shelby SR. It must be fate.

Tommy let go of Olivia and stepped into the hallway. He could hear several calls of his name from different people. It all became too much , so he ran. Tommy ran until he got outside and threw up in a bush. He vomited until his throat hurt. He pulled out a small flask from his coat pocket and took a long swig. His throat burned . He didn't care , he had the need to hurt himself right now.

The Olivia he knew was a good hearted person. A kind fierce soul like his mother. She didn't hide the boy out of spite. She had a good reason. He just didn't know what it was. The first thought in his mind was that he wasn't worthy. He proved that by shaking her and making her cry. How will she ever trust him to be a father to their son ?

"You alright brother ?" Tommy looked up to see Arthur. He slowly approached Tommy like you would with a skittish horse. Polly had sent him after Tommy. He didn't know who the crying woman Polly was consoling but whatever happened between them had an alarming affect on Tommy. The only woman he saw Tommy get truly upset over was Greta.

"Tommy."

" I'm alright Arthur. " Tommy stood to his full height and finished off the flask. He needed to get his head on straight.

"When Jimmy and Richard are released I want you to escort them to their hotel and I want our men watching them. Also tell Polly I need Olivia's information. Her address , telephone is and she isn't aloud to leave the city." Tommy put his long coat back on and rushed towards his car. Arthur tried to catch up with his brother. Dodging people and children on the side walk.

" who is Olivia? Where are you going ? Tommy fookin stop. " Arthur caught up to Tommy just as he was about to slam the car door.

"I will be back at the hotel in a few hours. Just do as I say . Everything is fine . I promise."

Tommy sped off leaving Arthur behind. Tommy needed more answers and the only place he could get them was from Peter.

Polly handed Olivia another tissue and rubbed her back. That couldn't have gone worse if she planned it herself. When Polly came back to the waiting room Tommy was yelling and shaking Olivia. This was what made him finally snap and Polly didn't know what was going to happen next.

"Pol."

Polly looked up at the call of her name. Arthur was panting. She walked over to him and noticed Tommy wasn't with him.

"Where is he ?"

" Tom drove off. Said he would be back in a few hours. He told me to take Darmody and Harrow back to the hotel and put guards on them. He said you needed to get that woman's information. She can't leave town. "

"Dear Lord , where in the hell did he go ?"

"I don't know Pol. I'm doing what I was told. Please just get her information and then we can leave."

Polly wanted to yell but it wasn't Arthur fault. It was all Tommy. Chaos followed him like a dark omen. The family has gone six months without any incidents. Now Pandora box has been open and Olivia couldn't escape the consequences. She and her boy are forever tied to the chaos. All Polly could do from now on is pray nothing happens to them.

Polly took a pad and pencil from the nurse's desk. Olivia blew her nose and looked at Polly with trepidation. The pad was shoved into her hands.

"I need your address and phone number. Tommy will contact you when he is ready."

" What ? "

"I have to be going so hurry."

Olivia wanted to argue but was to drained to do so. She wrote down the information and gave it to Polly.

"Where did tommy go ?"

"I don't know but no need to worry. " Polly said and started to walk away.

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't of hidden Oscar but I couldn't , I didn't know if he was alive and …" Olivia couldn't finish her sentence. Polly could see it was all too much for her to handle at the moment.

"Go into your son's room and hold him. That's all you have to worry about right now. Hold him and don't let go. Tommy will contact you soon."

Olivia nodded and sniffled some more. Polly have her and hug and left. She didn't feel the need to threaten her. Olivia wouldn't run. She hopes that having new family members could bring not and peace to the family. The big obstacle would be Grace. Polly was ready to die on this hill. Grace would not come between Tommy and his son.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tommy hid in a small alcove on the side of Peter's porch. There was an eerie feeling in the night. Fog filled the air and all Tommy could see was the glow of the gas street lamps. He felt as if he was in a scene of a gothic novel. This would be the part where danger is around the corner. Headlights flashed and the car was parked. Peter got out of the car and ran up the walk way. Tommy crept up behind Peter as he was opening the front door.

" You lied to me. "

"FUCK !" Peter screamed. He turned so fast with his fists ready for a fight but Tommy anticipated that. He pushed Peter in to the home and against a wall. Peter's eyes were wide like saucers . Why in the hell was Tommy attacking him ? "

"Tom. Calm down."

" YOU FUCKING LIED TO ME. YOU KEPT MY BOY FROM ME. "

They wrestled for control until Peter pushed Tommy into a table , knocking over a vase. Tommy felt pure rage but managed to calm himself some. He wouldn't get answers if he beat Peter to a pulp.

"Why did you lie ?"

Peter processed what Tommy was saying and had to be careful with his response. He really didn't want to get killed tonight.

"I will explain everything but first we go into the sitting room and have a drink. I won't talk to you when you look like you want to murder me."

Tommy didn't say anything .

"Thomas , Do you agree ? "

Tommy took off his jacket and went into the sitting room. He laid the coat over the back of the couch and sat. Peter walked over with a drink and Tommy gulped it down. He was going to need ten more to get through this conversation.

"I know you are angry and you have every right to be but Tommy you have to understand , I did what I thought was right."

"You came into my home ,telling me she didn't have any children but she did. She had my son. "

"Yes I lied Tommy but it was for the best at the time , and before you say anything else just let me tell you the whole story."

Tommy nodded. He held his glass up for a refill. Peter topped off the glass and paced around.

"I was so happy when I ran into Olivia at that court house. When we had dinner to together she told me how her life was going but she held back. I could tell she was afraid to ask about you. She broke down in tears when I told her you were alive. "

Peter had to stop. Replaying the memories was hard.

"We spent a few days together before she decided to tell me about Oscar. I was set to leave the next morning when she invited me to see her home and meet her family. Imagine my surprise when I see a miniature Tommy Shelby on a pony trotting up to me. I almost had a heart attack."

Tommy felt his heart warm. His big on a pony. He would love to see that.

Peter continued.

"You have to understand tommy , she was broken after the war just like us. Her mind was torn apart and the only thing that saved her was Oscar. I've wanted to tell you since I found out but she begged me not to. I've hated myself for lying to you and if you want to throw punches I will take the hit but please Tommy , don't take it out on Olivia. She has her reasons and she will tell you in time. "

"Does she think I will be a bad father. Is that why she hid him." Tommy had a sad child like look in his eyes. Completely broken down. All he wanted was to be loved by Olivia and their boy. He wanted to feel worthy of the title father.

" Dear God no Tommy . "

Peter sat down next to him. He put his hand on Tommy shoulder and squeezed to comfort him.

"She has her reasons but you being worthy was not one of them. That boy is going to love you and I know you will love him too."

"I think I already do. " Tommy said in a weak voice. Saying that out loud made it real. He has a son he wants to love.

"I think you should sleep here tonight. I will go and make up the first room."

Tommy just nodded. When Peter went up stairs Tommy walked over to the telephone. He called Polly first. He told her he was alright after getting an earful and made another call to Grace.

"Grace."

" Dear Lord Tommy, are you alright. Polly told me what happened . Why haven't you come back to the hotel ? Where are "

" Enough Grace. "

Tommy slightly shouted at her. He was too tired and didn't want to argue. He would apologize later. He could hear her seething . Tommy knew Grace wanted to tear into him but she picked her battle wisely.

"I love you Tommy. I'm glad you are safe." Her voice was flat yet sweet. He was going to spend months making up for this incident .

Tommy sighed.

"I love you too . See you in the morning."

He slammed the receiver down and went upstairs to the bedroom. He and Peter said goodnight and Tommy collapsed into be. The only article of clothing he was able to take off was the shoes. That night Tommy cried himself to sleep. All the pain and fear he cried out of his body. He had so much to reconsider about his life. He needed to make way for a boy that might not want him for a father.

He dreamt about Olivia again. It was the perfect dream that kept him calm all night. He was watching his wife Olivia helping their boy on his horse. Laughter filling the air like music . That's what he wanted his future to be. Olivia was the only one who gave him true happiness. Both in his dreams and in reality. When Tommy woke he realized something that worried him. He needed Olivia more than Grace.

Across town in the hospital Olivia was able to bring Oscar home. He didn't have a major head injury and that relived her. Saturday was a world wind of emotions. It started with the potential of losing her son and ended with the reunion with Tommy. She never thought that was how she was going to tell him. That wasn't the Tommy she knew. He he changed and not for the better. She had a great to go consider now and that also how to tell Oscar about his father.

She tucked her son into bed and laid next to him. Watching his little chest rise and fall. He was drooling .She loved the way he slept . She loved everything about him. Olivia stayed with Oscar all day and prayed. Prayed that when Tommy did contact her that he would take him away. She would be able to live without her baby boy. She had the belief that her Tommy was still in there somewhere and they could have a peaceful relationship.

She couldn't let her son get his heart broken by tommy. She wouldn't allow it.

#peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders #peaky blinders fics #tommy shelby fic #tommy shelby x oc #original female character #arthur shelby #polly gray #aunt polly #john shelby #ada thorne #lizzie stark #grace burgess #ww1 #the french nurse #lost son #lost love

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