"I'll be home in time for Christmas, I promise."
It was the twenty-second of December when Thomas broke the news to Blair that he had to go away for work, right before Christmas.
Remnants of a snowman glowed in the lights of the stables in the back garden as Blair and Tommy shared a bottle of wine in the kitchen. They'd been in there since dinner, drinking the night away after Charlie had gone to bed.
Thomas always drank, Blair was used to that, but she'd noticed him finishing each glass a lot quicker than usual as they spoke about their day.
To some, Thomas was as closed off as they came. To Blair, however, he was as open as a book with a glass cover, not even a reflection blurred the lines.
"What is it?" She'd finally asked him, causing him to place down the glass he was holding inches away from his lips, setting his gaze onto her eyes for a moment before speaking.
"I have to go away for work tomorrow. I'll be home in time for Christmas, I promise".
His answer to Blair's where and why were as vague as always. Insecurities plagued her mind instantly, as they always did, but that time, anger was close to overpowering any other feeling.
They went to sleep without saying much else to one another, Blair feeling a soft kiss on her cheek as she lay facing the window in bed, swallowing the lump in her throat as she tried to not cry in front of him, wishing for sleep to come instead.
She said goodbye to him in the morning, exchanging a quiet few words before Charlie woke up. Thomas clung onto Blair a little longer than he usually did, inhaling her scent deeply as she rest her head against his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his torso.
Business seemed to call at the worst time for The Shelby Company Limited. As much as Thomas felt his life and soul was crafted by the blood, sweat and tears he'd poured into building an empire, he despised it's entire existence some days.
There were times Thomas imagined what his life would be like if he lived in a terraced house in Small Heath still, with Blair and Charles and a job in the factories like the men he employed.
It might've been peaceful, at least for an hour, but Thomas knew all to well about struggle, and he was by no means prepared to step foot into that version of his past.
It was just gone nine o'clock on Christmas Eve when Charlie finally tugged on his mother's sleeve, letting her know he was tired and ready to go to bed.
Blair's sister Kiera and their two brothers, Brody and Ronan, had all made themselves comfortable in the large living room, all of them strewn across sofas with their families, drinks in their hands and smiles on their faces.
They'd arrived earlier that day, all of them excited to see Thomas again and introduce their partners and children to the man and child that had become Blair's family.
She hadn't seen her brothers in a number of years and the prospect of having a family Christmas all together made Blair painfully happy. Growing up, she'd always been the matriarchal figure to her siblings when their mother wasn't around, the thought of spending Christmas together was everything and more Blair could've wished for.
Thomas had told Blair he'd be home by midday on Christmas Eve, though as she carried Charles up the stairs, she'd had not even as much as a phone call from him.
"Will Daddy be back tomorrow?" Charlie asked as he got into bed, grabbing his toy rabbit from the table beside him.
Blair perched on the edge of his bed, brushing a hand across his hair and placing a kiss on his forehead.
YOU ARE READING
Another Paradise | T Shelby
Fanfiction"There wasn't a single second that passed that I wasn't thinking about you." [mature themes throughout]
