It's always been you- Tommy Shelby

9 - birthday

Lydia woke, confused as to how she ended up on Tommy's sofa. Memories of downing many drinks with John from the previous night came flooding in. The usual splitting headache from excess alcohol caused a pounding in her head.

Lydia tightly wrapped the blanket she lay under around her shoulders as she stood up and headed to the kitchen. Tommy stood in front of the stove looking very dapper as expected, whereas Lydia still wore her clothes from last night. 

"Tea." Tommy plainly stated pointing to the pot of tea on the table in front of Lydia. 

"Thanks." She replied rubbing the side of her head in pain. 

"Headache? You can thank Arthur for that." He said noticing Lydia's discomfort.

"You going to your mother's grave today?" Tommy asked looking intently at Lydia. 

"Yes. I'm surprised you even remembered." She replied slowly sipping her tea.

"Well, I know you'd never miss her birthday." He said. 

"I'll drive you if you'd like. It's a miserable day to walk." Tommy said glancing out the window onto the grey streets of Small Heath.

The car journey to the graveyard was short but silent. Lydia stared at the passing fields; reminiscing over days spent with her loving mother.

Tommy and Lydia each placed a small bouquet of flowers on top of Irene May Thorne's grave. Tommy took his cap off in respect. 

"I love you mum." Lydia quietly whispered. 

 A singular tear fell down Lydia's cheek and Tommy gently wiped it away with his thumb, which lingered on her cheek for longer than needed.

The pair embraced one another as Lydia continued to quietly sob at the birthday of her late mother. Lydia's head rested on his chest as Tommy kissed the top of her head affectionately. This foreign sentiment was bizarre for both of them, but they both found comfort in each other's touch.  

They didn't stay for much longer before Tommy guided Lydia towards the car once again, his hand in hers, without a word said. 

"Tommy would you be able to drop me off at the school? The kids needed picking up as John was working today." Lydia said as they enter Small Heath again. 

"Yes, of course. I've got to see Lizzie Stark anyway." Tommy replied keeping his eyes on the road. Lydia gasped in shock in the assumption that he was using her 'services'. 

"Not like that Lydia. Bloody hell, get your head out the gutter." Tommy said. 

"Well why are you meeting her? Does this have anything to do with our John?" Lydia asked.

"It does indeed. Just making sure John is making the right decision." He replied. Tommy very rarely gave much information to anybody but it was different with Lydia. He struggled to say no to her. 

As Lydia walked up to the school to collect John's children and the youngest Shelby brother, Tommy waited in his car for a moment. He admired how caring and nurturing she was with his nieces, nephews and brother.

"Auntie Lyds!" Katie, John's youngest, called. 

"Hey gorgeous girl! How was school darlin'?" Lydia asked as she bent down to pick up Harry. 

"Good, we did singing today." Katie replied joyfully. 

"Yeah it was shit." Finn groaned.

"Finn! You can't say that word." Lydia scolded him.

"Well Arthur says it all the time." Finn replied as he rolled his eyes. 

"Well you're not Arthur are you?" Lydia asked rhetorically. 

"Harvey and Finn will you please stop shoving each other. One of you is going to get hurt." Lydia said to the pair as they approached Watery Lane. 

"Run along now, the lot of ya." She exclaimed placing Harry back on the floor. Lydia wiped down her dress and headed into John's house. She did the usual jobs around the house, such as laundry and cleaning as the children played in the front room, inevitably arguing. This was a routine that occurred during the war when Lydia was practically a mother to all the Shelby children. It would be odd if it didn't continue. In fact, Lydia quite enjoyed her time with the kids, it took her mind off everything.