The Angel of Small Heath

The Races

Season 1 episode 3:

***

A pregnant Ada hurried down the Garrison lane, careful not to slip on the muddy uneven ground. It wouldn't take much for her to loose her footing. Breathlessly she pushed open the Garrison door.

"Have you seen Freddie Thorne?" she asked the barmaid, looking around the pub.

"No"

"Or Tommy?" she questioned, crying out in pain as her stomach clenched.

Tommy sat his legs hanging over the cut. Freezing when he felt a gun press harshly against his head. His mind too focused on his plan's to hear anyone come up behind him, a rather stupid move from the gang leader.

"I have to find Freddie. I have to find them, I think they're going to kill each other!" Ada rambled in shock.

"Drink this first" Grace said gently, holding a glass of water. "Wait. Who is going to kill who?"

"We need to talk" Tommy told the man holding a gun to his head. "What exactly is it that you want, Freddie?" Tommy questioned, his voice steadily calm. 

"I came to tell you.." he began throwing down the notes of money and ticket to America, "That's not going to work , Tommy. Polly came round. She gave me that" 

"Well, Polly must have had a rush of blood, or port wine" he replied, pocketing the money and ticket. "Your honestly is appreciated. Now, if your not going to use that thing..." he sighed, standing up.

"I'm not finished! Sit down. Sit down. Sit!" Freddie ordered following the man with his gun. Sighing in annoyance Tommy resumed his previous position. 

"Talk to me about the guns."

"Do you remember we used to jump in here and see who could swim--"

"I'm here to talk business,Tommy" he interrupted, it wasn't time to walk down memory lane.

"Do you reckon we could still do it?" Tommy asked, waiting for his moment.  As soon as Freddie turned to face the cut Tommy wasted no time in kicking the gun out of his hands. Pulling his own gun out in defense.

"You loaded Ada with your bastard, because she's a Shelby. You thought it would mean you'd be somebody. I won't let you fuck up my sister's life for your cause" Tommy told him, staring down at the man his gun poised to shoot.

"My god. You actually believe that" Freddie murmured dropping his gun in disbelief. "I love her, Tommy. I loved her since she was nine and I was twelve. Just like you loved Aurora. And she loves me the same" he revealed standing up. "Do you even know the word? eh? Is your heart warm enough to love Aurora since you came back from the war?"

"This marriage will not stand and do not talk about my wife, she's too good to come out of your mouth" Tommy growled, leaving the man to return to his life of hiding.

***

Walking into his childhood home, Tommy sighed tiredly. The drama never stopped. 

Sitting down he rubbed the tension out of his head, he had too many thoughts running around. Pulling out the stash of cash, he dropped it on the table.