𝔹𝕠𝕣𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕃𝕠𝕤𝕖 | Tommy Shelby

𝕏𝕏𝕀𝕀. ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪʀᴀᴄʟᴇ

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July 4th, 1931.

I found that every Birmingham resident knows that I work for the Shelby Company Limited. This morning, when I applied for a job in different stores in the city, I saw that, when saying name and work experience, a forced smile froze on the faces of each of the managers and they all told me exactly the same thing: "We'll contact you if we need someone".

But they won't contact me. Even if I was the last unemployed person in the world and charged them a measly two shillings, I know they would rather close than hire a woman who worked for the Shelby clan; specifically, for the leader of this one.

Taking advantage of my outrage, I drafted my resignation and knowing there was no possibility of delivering it to Thomas' hand without exposing myself to an unpredictable reaction, I resolved to visit Polly Gray and ask her to deliver it for me.

I was aware she was at her home since Ada had left Beth there and, as a member of the Board of Directors, I could delegate such responsibility to her.

So I went to Polly's house, at times somewhat hesitant and wondering if showing myself up unannounced was the right thing to do, since until then, I had never visited her house and, despite the fact the last time we spoke it seemed to me we got along better, I couldn't assure she liked me at all.

I arrived at the beautiful house and knocked anxiously on the door. A maid received me and told me to wait in the hall, as she was going to announce my visit. I hadn't finished taking in what I was doing when the maid came back and told me to come into the living room.

The tobacco smoke greeted me before any human being, and when I entered the room, my body froze and my heart skipped a beat. Sitting on a soft couch was Polly, with one hand she was holding the cigarette and with the other she was rocking Beth's crib. In front of her and standing, was Michael with a glass of whiskey. They both put their eyes on me, between surprised and curious, and I greatly regretted having gone to that house.

"Hello, Olivia", Polly greeted me, more to motivate me to talk than to be nice to me.

"Hello, Elizabeth". I looked at Michael. "Mr. Gray".

"How can we help you?", Polly asked, taking a drag on her cigarette.

I looked at the envelope that I was carrying in my hands which both, the mother and the son, had already noticed. I was sorry to have to report my decision in front of Michael but he was the Chairman of the company and sooner rather than later, he was going to find out about my resignation.

"I've come to bring you my resignation", I said in a voice so low it was inaudible.

"Your what?", Michael asked, tilting his head.

"My resignation", I repeated and felt my cheeks heat up.

"Oh God, what did he do to you?"

Polly's questioning made me crumple the envelope a little, anxiously. Michael took a sip of his whiskey and like his mother, he waited for me to expose whatever it was that Thomas had done to me.

That made me angry. While Polly hadn't been wrong to assume the reason for my resignation, I found it regrettable to have to explain myself in front of her son when we both knew how rough the relationship between Michael and Thomas was.

"I think it's time to leave the company. Just that", I answered.

"You're lousy at hiding things, you know?". Polly stood up and stretching out her hand, she requested that I give the envelope to her. She opened it in front of me and it was enough for her to read the first line to make her squint. "Your resignation is addressed to Thomas, why don't you give it to him?"