Tommy was released from the hospital a few days later and he was back to his normal schedule. The family was in the office doing business as usual. They all went to the Garrison last night to celebrate Tommy being better, but there was one person missing. No one had seen or heard from her since the night she killed the priest. No one said her name around Tommy because he was like a ticking time bomb.
"Do you think she left?" John whispered.
"She wouldn't leave without saying goodbye." Arthur said back.
"Shhh." Polly scolded as Tommy walked out of his office.
He looked over at them.
"Don't whisper on my account." He said sarcastically.
"Do you think she left?" Ada blurted out.
Polly shot her a look and then someone came through the door.
"Do you think who left?" Scarlett smiled.
Their faces lit up and Ada ran over to her and then stopped.
"Why do you have a box?" She asked.
Scarlett sighed.
"To get my things from my desk."
Ada backed up.
"So you really are leaving?" She asked quietly.
Scarlett tilted her head and gave a small smile.
"It's time."
Scarlett looked at Tommy who could not look up at her. She walked into her office and started packing her things.
"We have to stop her." Arthur said as he looked at Tommy.
"We will come up with a plan after the wedding." Tommy said.
Scarlett walked out and sat the box on the big table everyone was around.
"Where were you last night? We missed ya?" Arthur said.
"I'm sorry...I...uh.....I was packing."
They all gave her a sad look.
"I'm glad you're okay. It's good to see you dealing with business again." Scarlett said as she looked at Tommy.
He nodded without looking at her. She reached in her box and grabbed some papers and handed them to Tommy.
"The last of the numbers."
He took them and walked into his office and never came back out. She pursed her lips and looked down. Scarlett looked up at the group and gave a fake smile.
"I came to talk to each one of you individually."
John stepped up.
"Me first."
The two walked into her office.
"John boy." Scarlett said like Arthur.
He laughed.
"I'll never forget the first day we met. You, you were the one that challenged me and I liked it. I gained respect for you that day. I am so glad that I got to become close friends with you. All the missions and fun we had. Making Tommy jealous." She laughed.
"That was our hobby." He laughed.
"I'll never kick ass with anyone the way I did with you."
He pulled her into a hug.
"I'll miss you SJ." He said as he held her.
They pulled away.
"Promise you'll come see me in New York."
He smiled and nodded. She squeezed his arm and then he walked out. Ada came in after. Scarlett took a deep breath and just hugged her.
"Don't leave me with these idiots." Ada said into her shoulder.
Scarlett laughed and then pulled away.
"If only you knew how much you mean to me. I have never had any girlfriends and I came here and met you. You were right. That first day we met and you said we would be great friends."
Ada sniffled.
"I consider myself lucky to call you my friend. All the memories we made and the fun we had. No one was ever on my side more than you. We've been through a few deaths, broken hearts, and a baby being born. And I just know I couldn't have gotten through half of the stuff without you."
"Me too." Ada cried.
"You know, every girl back home was scared to be my friend, but you weren't. You didn't see me as Al Capone's daughter. You just saw me as Scarlett and I cannot express how grateful I am for you."
Scarlett and Ada hugged.
"I love you, Scarlett."
"I love you too."
Ada pulled away and was balling.
"How are you so good at this?" She asked her.
"I'm conditioned to say goodbye." Scarlett said.
Ada wiped her tears as she walked out.
"Good luck." She said to Polly.
Polly walked in and Scarlett had two cigarettes in her hand. Polly grabbed one and looked at her.
"Burn one last one." Scarlett said as she lit hers.
Scarlett blew out smoke.
"Polly, I didn't even know where to start."
"So don't. Don't say goodbye and don't leave." Polly said.
Scarlett looked at her and sighed.
"I can't thank you enough for reaching out to me and asking me to come. I just can't imagine my life if I had never met you and everyone else. I think you believed in me more than anyone. You always let me fight my own battles and had my back when I needed it."
"I have watched you take down these gender barriers and stick it to the men. There's no one like you, Poll. And watching you be a mom to Michael. He's really lucky and you two have a beautiful relationship. I wish my mom would've been half the mom you are. You are the smartest person I've ever met. I really hope I go home with some of your traits." Scarlett said.
"Bloody hell." Polly said as she wiped a single tear.
"I'm sorry I'm leaving you here alone to deal with Grace." Scarlett joked.
"I might kill her." Polly laughed.
She pulled Scarlett into a hug.
"It should be you walking down that isle tomorrow and becoming a Shelby." Polly said.
Polly pulled away and looked at Scarlett.
"Whether an actual Shelby or not, you are family and you're one of us." She smiled.
"And I am forever grateful."
Polly walked out and sent Arthur in. Arthur immediately hugged Scarlett. She knew he was one of the hardest to leave behind.
"And my American Angel fly's back to New York." He said sadly.
She looked at him.
"You are my best friend, Arthur. My partner in crime. My dancing partner." She said with a laugh.
"You never doubted me and my abilities. I'll never forget how you bragged to everyone about who I was and how you were friends with me. No one has ever been that proud to know me, but you were. We've been through a lot together, but it has made us stronger. I don't just let anyone call me Angel face."
He laughed.
"You brought light to this dark city. You came in and flipped our world and I don't know what we will do without ya." He said.
"I don't know what I will do without ya." He added.
"I knew you were sent to me when you told me that if I tried to killed myself you would do it yourself." He smiled.
"I can't live without that Arthur Shelby smile......God I'm gonna miss you. I'm gonna miss embarrassing ourselves as we danced, the drinking competitions, the kicking ass, and the deep talks."
He looked down as he teared up.
"I think I'll miss you yelling "by order of the peaky blinders." The most." She said as she imitated him.
They both laughed. He walked out of her office and she followed.
"Do you practice that? You're way too good at it." He joked.
Scarlett smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She looked at the Shelby's who looked sad.
"I just want you all to know how thankful I am for every single one of you. I never knew what a family was until I met you guys. You accepted me and showed me how a real family is supposed to be and I am forever grateful. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. You mean the world to me and I'm going to miss you all so much." Scarlett said.
She took a deep breath and walked to Tommy's door, which was open.
"Tommy, can I talk to you?" She asked softly.
"We can say our goodbye later."
"No, we can't."
"We can say it the day you leave, which is Monday I assume because of my wedding."
She bit her lip and looked down.
"I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon." She said.
He shot his head up and looked at her.
"What?" He said as he got up.
"The boat leaves tomorrow at 5." She said as she backed up.
He walked closer to her in the main room where everyone was now watching.
"No it doesn't. My wedding is tomorrow."
She looked up at him and sighed.
"I'm not going, Tom."
He widened his eyes and shook his head.
"You aren't coming to my wedding? Seriously?" He raised his voice.
"We are friends...how can you miss my wedding. I want you there." He added.
"Tommy let's talk about this in your office." She said.
"No. We do our business in front of each other in this family."
"Not this. Come on, let's go into your office." She said as she started to walk that way.
"You're really leaving the day of my wedding." He scoffed.
"It's time for me to go home." She said without turning around.
"So you're just gonna run away. Run back to New York. That's not like you, Scar." He cut.
She whipped around and stared at him.
"Yeah, well neither is falling in love." She said coldly.
He looked at her with wide eyes. She shook her head.
"Don't leave." He said as he got closer to her.
"I have to." She said quietly.
"Scarlett, don't leave!" He yelled.
"I can't stay."
"Why?" He yelled again.
"Because I'd rather love you from a distance than sit here and watch you love someone else." She screamed.
Everyone was silent as they watched the two. Tommy looked at her.
"Did you ever think about how I would feel sitting and watching you marry someone else. Watching her walk down the isle as I sit there and wish it was me."
"You don't think it has slowly killed me everyday, watching you two. Watching the wedding being planned." She yelled.
"So, no. I will not be attending the wedding tomorrow because I think watching you get married to someone else will obliterate me." She said coldly.
She started to walk away, but he grabbed her hand.
"Scar."
"No, Tommy. Nothing you say will make me stay. I mean look at me. I'm yelling my feelings in front of everyone, which is something I would never do, but I'm doing it for you. Because that's what you wanted." She snapped.
"You have to let me go, Tom. It's time. Let me go." She said quietly.
She pulled away and made eye contact with him as her eyes watered.
"Good luck tomorrow. I really hope you are happy and you get everything you've ever wanted." She said sincerely.
She grabbed her box and walked out. Ada's cheeks were stained with tears and Arthur sat in a chair, looking at the ground. Tommy went into his office and slammed the door. Night fell as Scarlett was packing up her house. Every single one of the Shelby's cams and tried to get her to stay. John, Ada, and Polly. Her door opened and Arthur walked in with a bottle of whiskey.
"Come on." He said as he climbed her stairs.
She followed and he walked into her bedroom and opened the window. He crawled out onto the roof and she followed. They sat on the roof and passed the bottle as they stared at the stars.
"John, Ada, and Polly have all already been here trying to get me to stay." She said.
"I'm not here to get you to stay. I know why you're leaving and if this was happening to me....I would've left weeks ago."
"I'm here to drink." He said as he took the bottle.
They laid back on the roof and drank 3/4 of the bottle. Scarlett laughed as she looked up at the stars.
"I miss the old me." She laughed.
Arthur turned his head and looked at her.
"I did whatever I wanted and I did it for me. I didn't answer to anyone." She shook her head.
"All I've done the past few months is what Tommy wants and what would make him happy. I didn't kill Grace for him, I go on business for him, we go to meetings that he planned without asking. I sat and swallowed my pride too many times to count for him. And the worst part is, is that I didn't mind because it made him happy. When does it end?"
They both sat in silence.
"I'm a fucking puppet." She laughed.
"Fuck love." She said as she grabbed the bottle and sat up.
Arthur sat up.
"Fuck love." He said.
She passed him the bottle and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Are you gonna miss all this. The quietness. Your friends just a few doors down?" He asked.
She sighed.
"When I first met you...I never thought anyone could hurt you. You are the strongest person I know." He added.
"You may miss the old you, but everyone loves this you. You're still ruthless as hell, but you also have love in your heart. People like us don't get that." He said.
He pulled away and looked at her.
"You know, Tom was right about one thing he said today."
"What?" She asked.
"Leaving like this. That's not you, angel face."
She looked at him for a minute and looked away. Arthur got up and went back in through the window as she followed. They were on the porch and he hugged her.
"It's a shame we didn't get that last dance." He said and then walked off.
She watched him disappear into the darkness and then walked back in her house. She made sure everything was packed and ready. She put her ticket and house keys on the table and went to bed. By this time tomorrow she would finally be on her way home.
YOU ARE READING
American Angel
Fanfiction"There is God and there is the New York Mafia. One signs and seals your fate....and the other, delivers it." She said with her glass raised. She had the face of angel, but did she have the heart? Did he? Were they too similar? Or were they a pe...
