To Be Alone | Tommy Shelby

Chapter 6

"Celia! You've got something from the post!" Edith called as she stepped into the tailoring shop, the bells clanging on the door. Celia appeared from the back, where she was working on a piece. She wiped her hands on her apron before accepting the letter Edith was holding out to her.

"Thank you, Edith," Celia smiled and the woman nodded before she moved to the back, surely in search of her husband. Celia flipped the letter and opened it, having an inkling of an idea on who it'd be from.

Celia,
I am sorry that I haven't written to you sooner. It's been a tough few weeks here, but Katherine and I are happy to say that Samuel's condition is starting to improve.
He is eating and drinking, and is starting to act more like himself again after the treatments he'd been getting started to show their effects.
He is not out of the woods yet, and the doctors keep reminding us of that, but we are seeing his improvements and remaining hopeful.
As always, I will update you when we learn more. How are things there? Mom and Dad haven't bothered to reach out. Samuel loved hearing the words of encouragement you sent, and sleeps with the bunny you got him most every night.
Please write if you can. We miss you.
Your's truly,
Joseph Farraday

Celia wanted to burst out in cheers. She had been waiting for Joseph's next letter, wanting to hear how her nephew and godson had been doing. It still killed her that she couldn't be with them, and she hoped that her small care package made it into their arms. Joseph's confirmation that it did and that Samuel loved its contents caused her to be overjoyed. The wide smile was still on her face when the bells to the front door clanged, and she didn't make attempts to shrink it. Stuffing the letter into the front pocket of her apron and making a mental reminder to take it home with her, she looked up to greet the customer.

"Hello, Ms. Gray!" she chirped, her hands resting on the counter as Polly stopped in front of her.

"Hello, Celia. In a good mood today, I see," Polly commented on the woman's cheery attitude.

"Yes. I just heard some good news from back home," Celia disclosed, not really caring if Polly wanted to hear about it or not. She couldn't hold it in.

"That is good to hear. Good news always puts people in brighter spirits," she pointed out, Celia nodding right along with her.

"Your items should be ready to go in the back. I'll go check," Celia said then, moving to the back where she grabbed the two pieces that were ready to go off the hook, "there looks to be one more that is still being worked on. It seems to be almost finished though, so you can come back tomorrow to retrieve it. I'll make sure that it will be ready for you," she informed the woman at the counter then.

"That is fine. I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow then," Polly stated, making Celia nod before they both shared a smile. Polly left then, and Celia continued on with serving customers, the smile not even dulling from her face when some man tried to argue with her that he should have had two pieces but was only given one.

Hopefully her mother and father would be as happy about this news as she was, although she knew that that ask was a stretch.

—

"Ma?" Celia questioned as she stepped into the family's home. Not hearing a response, she moved into the kitchen to see her mother and father engaged in a sort of stare off.

"Hello, Celia," her mother greeted her as the younger woman sat down in the chair that sat in between the couple's staring contest.

"I got word from Joseph again," Celia started then, turning her head to look at her mother and father, gauging their reaction and if she would be able to continue. "He's updated me about Samuel," she continued on.