The Me You Can See [1] (T. Shelby/OC) BWWM✅

Chapter 14 (S1, E3) - Cheltenham

"Ada and Freddie got married today" Polly reveals to Anna as she smoked her cigarette, holding a glass of whiskey in her hand while Anna drank her cup of tea. 

Polly was clearly quite stressed about it and Anna could feel it rolling off of her in waves.

She was happy for her friend but she worried about what it meant for Ada to be the wife of a renowned communist. Loathe as she is to admit it Tommy was right about how being affiliated with Freddie could be detrimental to Ada and seeing as she was already pregnant Anna was even more concerned for her friend's safety.

"Tommy's not going to be happy about that" Anna replies with a sigh as she rubs the bridge of her nose at what she can already anticipate to be his reaction.

She doesn't even believe in it but heaven help them.

As if conjured by the devil himself the man makes his way into the Shelby home as Polly and Anna share a nervous look at this.

"Are you armed?" Anna asks him.

"No" he says as he takes his hat off.

"Then I'll tell you" Polly says, "Ada and Freddie Thorne were married today" she adds. "They defied your orders. They haven't left the city" she adds as Tommy sighs in heavy annoyance at this as he leans against one the chairs in evident frustration. "I'll deal with it" Polly assures him.

"Tommy" Anna says as he turns to face her, "Polly will deal with it" she adds in order to reassure him.

"Where are they?" he asks them.

"Freddie's comrades have safe houses, why do you want to know?" Polly asks him.

"I want to send them flowers. Why do you think?" he asks sarcastically.

"Would it be so bad if they stayed?" Anna asks him.

"I promised I'd run Freddie out of town" he informs them in a whisper.

"Promised who?" Polly asks him in a whisper of her own as he looks away as she goes to close the door separating the rest of the house from the betting shop.

"Tommy, you didn't" Anna accuses with wide eyes as he looked at her.

"I told the coppers Freddie wouldn't come back. It was part of the deal" he says after Polly has closed the door.

"What bloody deal?!" Polly asks him. "What happened to family votes? What happened to meetings?" she asks him and he has the decency to look slightly ashamed of himself. "If you let me deal with Ada and Freddie it'll end in peace, Christ knows you've had your fill of war" she adds sadly.

"You get Freddie out of town, Pol, or else I'll deal with it myself" he says to her.

"She's pregnant, Tommy. Don't do anything that will distress her" Anna calls after him as he walks off. She turns to face Polly who looks as stressed as Anna's feeling.

⚜️The Me You Can See⚜️

"Ms. Williams" Tommy says to her when he makes his way into her office as she's getting ready to leave.

"Mr. Shelby" she says, regarding him in suspicion.

"I have new work for you" he says.

"And that would be?"

"I need someone to handle the accounts for The Garrison" he adds, "I don't trust the blonde barmaid not to share information about our transactions with the copper" he says.