sweet french. peaky blinders

62

Lucille

The warm, morning sun seeped through between the curtains, washing the room in a golden glow. Lucille stretched out an arm, slipping it from beneath her daughter, who was sprawled out in between the two of them, feet digging everywhere. She'd woken in the middle of the night, beginning her father to be allowed into their room- anywhere away from the darkness of her own. Tommy, of course, had let her.

Now, Lucille's arm was numb. She stretched it, letting the sun's rays smooth over her fingers as she dipped them into the pool of honey-coloured light that traced delicate patterns on the floor. Sighing, she brushed her hair from her face, turning to glance at Tommy and Adds as she waited for them to wake.

When she turned, Tommy's eyes were flickering open, landing on her face with a soft smile to his lips. He smiled wider, seeing Adds shuffled amongst the piles of blankets, his own feet uncovered.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Morning," he hummed, pushing himself up on one arm. Then his face dropped and he sighed, running a hand over his face.

"What is it?"

"It's today."

"Today," she murmured, letting the word truly sink in. Her eyes flickered up, eyebrows rising pointedly. "Remember your promise."

The promise he'd made the other night.

"You're awake," Tommy's voice floated through the room.

Lucille almost thought she was dreaming. His voice was so, sounding as if it was said from a far distance. She blinked, concentrating on the outline of the flower on the wallpaper next to the bed. There was a sound of a breath being released, and Lucille pushed herself up, spinning around swiftly. Not a dream.

"I was worried," she said, her own voice small.

Abruptly, she stood, moving closer to pull him closer by the jacket. He was soaked, the material of his coat feeling limp and cold in her hands. But she pulled him in, wrapping arms around his neck and letting him melt until they were dropping to sit by the bed, backs against the cool metal frame.

"The police. They came tearing through searching every corner of the house. It took us the whole evening to fix everything. I've never seen Adds cry so much. But Finn, bless him, he held her through it all," Lucille rambled, eyes wide.

"Everything's alright now," Tommy calmed her.

She shook her head. "But when I saw it, Tommy. When I saw how eager they were... I thought that was you done for," she said. "What happened?"

"I'm still not quite sure. I hid at Grace's and watched them just abandon it halfway through. I don't know why." He stared at the floor, bothered by the fact that he didn't know something.

"You didn't promise me. So this time I need you to promise, okay? Promise me you'll always come back," Lucille whispered.

"I promise."

"Tell me you love me."

Tommy smirked, letting his hand feel its ay to her neck until he was pulling her in, kissing her hard and with a passion she'd missed.

"I love you."

Tommy smiled, watching as she slipped from the bed, pulling on a dressing gown. "I could never forget."

By nine o'clock in the morning, Tommy had already rounded everyone up, knocking on doors and shouting for them to gather at the betting den. Lucille hurried around the house, Adds balanced on her hip, Finn running circles around her feet.