Heaven On Hold | Peaky Blinders

What Ambition Might That Be?

The man held up his hand with the coin in it and then put it away into his jacket. I looked back at what the man had said and I bursted into laughter quickly before putting up a straight face while walking their way.

"And before that time... Please don't again disrespect my friends or their valued property. We missed Christmas, let's have it now. Peace on earth, goodwill to all men!" Gold nodded at me and I nodded back as we all sat down at the long table. Let's just say, a lot of booze would go through today.

~~~

"Toast to my Brother, John, raise your glasses all of you." Arthur said as he spit out the cork before raising his whiskey glass full of liquor to toast with us. "Raise them up, all of ya! John Shelby!"

"Cheers!!" We followed with our drinks and laughed happily while our glasses collided. Of course we weren't very cheerful inside, especially not with the thoughts of John's death hidden in the back of our heads and the threat of being killed wherever we go... but it was a relief nonetheless to be together. I patted Thomas on the back when my mom, Ada and Lizzie approached us and knew my mom was still mad at Thomas while she lit up her black cigarette. He knew he had to make it right, even if what he did was necessary otherwise we would have been dead, and got up to join my mother who was smoking hatefully while sitting on a box in the distance.

I didn't want to be annoying and didn't want to interfere with them so I listened to them from
where I was sitting. I could hear Tommy ask about my brother's health who was of course still in the hospital before Tommy admitted he needs my mother back, fearing she will go the way his mother did which concerned me even though I didn't know much about his mother. I knew my mother had become just like Tommy and Arthur which she admitted in the conversation and it did cause some worry in my mind, only... my mother was strong and she would pull herself through it, even without my help. Though, that wasn't everything they discussed.

Further, she warned Tommy not to hire anyone in the factories or to sleep with whores who have not been cleared by Lizzie because that could increase the chance that there could be spies among them and pass the information they gained to our common enemy. She also silently warned him about Mr. Gold and the real cost of the alliance between him and our family. After that they rose to their feet with their cigarette between their lips and both pulled a chair from underneath the table to take their seats next to me. I hadn't been able to talk to my mom since I arrived at John's funeral and smiled at her when she had calmed down a bit. I must say it was a pleasant experience to talk to her again and soon I would visit my brother with her as well.

~~~

After the little feast that we had with all our old friends and family, I was asked to go with Tommy as he was planning to talk to Mr. Gold and his son in the stables they were located in. Of course Gold was smoking while his son was taking care of a beautiful black and white racehorse as Tommy put down some booze with me standing behind him, my hands on my hidden blades. I know we had an alliance, but still, it gave me a calm feeling. "She's a fine beast this one."

"Nothing you see if for sale, Mr. Shelby." He mirrored Tommy's words from a few hours ago and Tommy smiled before grabbing a bottle as he sat down besides Gold. "You know your grandfather camped with mine for a while?"

"Yep... and it didn't last."

"No, it ended badly in a pub called the Wenlock. We were owed money, still are."

"Other than money, and this scrapyard that's clearly not for sale, what is it that you want from Thomas, Mr. Gold?" I questioned as I said across the men who now laid their eyes on mine.

"How do you know I want anything from him?"

"Well, because my company treasurer is a certified accountant and also apparently, a witch and because my niece here is a assassin who knows more than you think." Tommy continued my conversation for me and I nodded, staring into the horse's pretty eyes. She was so calm, so free, nothing to worry about. Meanwhile we had everything to worry about in this particular world we lived in.

"You're a sporting man."

"Yes, I am."

"And a gambling man. Bonnie, take off your shirt." Confused, I had to think twice about what Gold had said and I shook my head. He asked his son to take of his shirt? For fuckin' what? Luckily, my confusion stopped as he only took off his blouse, revealing a white shirt underneath it while his father explained what he wanted from Tommy. "What I want from you, Mr. Shelby, is for you to take a gamble on him. I want you to help my son achieve his ambition." Silence followed as Bonnie awkwardly boxed around in the invisible air, making me chuckle a bit.

"What ambition might that be?"