Little Roe (Peaky Blinders)

When the dead talk

(Tommy's P.O.V.)
"How is she?" I asked Polly while walking inside the hospital room. She was holding Roe in her arms and she turned around. "She still hasn't talked" she calmly told me, not wanting to wake up her sleeping grand niece. I sighed as I took Roe from Polly and sat down on a nearby chair. Roelynn hasn't talked ever since the accident. She did talk one time, but only asking for Mr Monty, sadly after that she never made a sound. I watched her eyes flutter open with a yawn. Then she realized I was now the one holding her and she smiled at me. "Hello, my darling" I softly spoke and kissed her on her head. "Can you say hello back?" I asked her. I watched her open her mouth, wanting to speak, but she quickly closed her mouth again and pouted. "Its alright, my little Roe. We'll take our time with this" I said telling her it was okay that she didn't reply. "So she is not talking? Interesting" Someone commentwd walking inside the room. My eyes looked up and I saw a female walking in, wearing expensive looking clothing. "My apologies, where are my manners" she said and walked further into the room while extending her hand out, "my name is Pauline Bronze. Marie's twin sister". She continued to hold her hand out for me to shake it, but I refused to shake it. She nodded and I could see in her face that she felt disrespected by my move before walking away to take a seat to my right. Instictivly I pulled Roe closer and wrapped my arms around her, protecting her from the stranger beside me. We didn't talk to each other but both me and Poll both looked at each other communicating through our eyes. She also did not seem to like this person. Something flickered to the side of me and I noticed it was Pauline. She was holding a cigarette in her hands and lit it before taking a hit and eventually blowing out a cloud of smoke. Roe squirmed before getting a coughing fit because of the smoke. Angrily I turned my eyes at her. I had stopped smoking and ordered everyone else to stop doing it around Roe aswell because I didn't want her health to go down further. Poll noticed my anger and stood up to take Roe back from me. As soon as she had Roelynn I stood up and fiercely grabbed a hold of Pauline's arm and pulled her outside. She laughed like she was expecting this responce from me. I let her go once we arrived outside of the building. "Don't fucking smoke near my child" I snarled at her. She chuckled "oh, Mr Shelby. She isn't your child and eventually I will take her home where she'll be safe and as far away from you and your family as possible" she smirked before walking away. My fist clenched and I felt my knuckles going white. I sat down and grabbed a cigarrete to light it. Before sitting down and smoking it. Thoughts raised around my mind. Ones that questioned if I was really good enough to be a father for Roe. Ones that confirmed I was really the one that Roe needed. What if's also raced through my mind. What if Roe was safer with this Pauline? And I didn't have an answer to any of them. I flicked the butt of the cigarette away and got up to go back inside.

Later that day I was back home and I was looking through the files of paperwork that was on my desk. Desperatly trying to find a loop hole in the guardianship documents that had been signed by Steve and Marie. But of course I couldn't find anything. Frustration filled my veins and annoyed I threw some papers away.

In the proces of moving the pile of paperwork something was knocked from the desk and shattered on the ground. I cursed as I realized what it was that was broken on the ground. It was a jar and inside was a flower. It was the flower that Roe had picked and gave me when she had her first day of school. I sighed and pushed the chair back before walking around the desk. I squatted down and started picking up the glass from the broken jar. Before carefully picking up the flower. I had dried the flower so it could be preserved for a longer period of time inside the mason jar. With the flower in my hand I walked to the kitchen to find another mason jar, hopefully I would be quick enough to preserve it. Then I realized something as I looked back at the flower. It was the same kind of flower that Roe had also given Steve when we where by his grave. I grabbed my coat and walked outside to go drive towards Steve's grave. It was a familiar route towards his grave, I had driven or rode to it multiple times. I started doing it more often with Roelynn. I parked the car on the edge of the field and got out before making my way to the lonely tree that stood in the middle. I arrived and put my hands in my pockets before looking down at the grave with the name: Steve Eden. "Pauline Bronze. Does that ring a bell, my friend?" I questioned. But of course he didn't reply, he was dead. But sometimes the dead give us a sign. And Steve always did when it had something to do with Roelynn. "Answer me!". Still nothing. I sighed and hung my head low as I realized he was not going to reply anytime soon.

"Of course I know her". My head snapped up and I saw Steve's ghost standing behind the gravestone. He looked pissed after hearing the mention of that name. "Marie's twin sister. You have no idea how much I despice her. Even more than I do you at the moment. And that's saying something considering you shot my kid!". A breath hitched in my throat after being painfully reminded that I was the one who put a bullet in Roe. "Then why did you sign those custody papers if you hater her that much?" I asked him. "you think I would let her get custody of my child if something happened to me and Marie?" He questioned stepping forward. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I'll give you a hint, my friend" he said bowing down and leaning to my ear "compare my signature on Roe's birthcertificate and the one on the custody document. Then tell me that's really my signature on both documents" he said with an annoyed an dissapointed voice like he just got accused of a crime he did not commit.

Published: 10th of January

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