Game Of Bliss

(23)

"So the guns have been found, I had an enjoyable time in jail... what's next?" Florence asks.

"Black star day," Tommy replies.

"And when is black star day?" Malachi questions.

"You'll know soon enough," Tommy responds.

"I could just go to the Garrison, you write everything in the journal you keep there, speaking of, does Grace have access to it? Because if she does you might want to move the date," Malachi states.

"What are you talking about?" Tommy asks.

"She lied to you, Tom," Malachi says, "she is the reason Freddie got arrested, I had it confirmed to me by Campbell that she's one of his operatives."

"Campbell told you this?" Tommy sighs and Mal nods in confirmation.

"Are you alright, Tom?" Florence asks, placing a hand on his shoulder, offering him a cop of tea which he turns down, "I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

"I know Grace-"

"Is nothing to me," Tommy cuts her off, "I'll see you guys later. Just... be prepared."

The couple watch as Tommy walks out of the door, taking a bottle of whiskey from the side as he went.

"You not going to go after him?" Malachi asks.

"No... he needs some time alone, I know where to find him when he's had his space," Florence says.

-

"Tom?" Florence asks, arriving at the patch, seeing her brother splayed across the grass staring up at the stars.

She walks closer to him, noticing he was passed out, "Tommy, wake up."

Florence kneels down beside her brother, placing her hands either side of his face, "Thomas Shelby, wake the fuck up, you're not spending the night passed out in a field."

"Course I'm not, this isn't a field," Tommy grumbles.

"Sit up," Florence commands.

"But I'm comfy," Tommy complains, as she hauls him upright using his lapels.

"No, what you are is a mess," Florence sighs.

"I thought she liked me, beng, I didn't think I'd be a fucking mission," Tommy mumbles.

"She had us fooled, Tom, you can't blame yourself for that," Florence says.

"No, she didn't, Mal didn't trust her, he suspected something was wrong from the beginning, I should've listened, he's an intelligent man, and he loves you, that must be wonderful," Tommy responds, laying back onto the grass.

"You'll find your person, Tom," Florence assures, "she'll be beautiful, and caring, it will seem as though the universe placed her here just for you. You just have to accept that Grace might not be that person, it might be hard to accept. But if they do not value you then they are not worth it. Never let somebody else determine your worth, you're Thomas fucking Shelby."

"Not going to be fucking anytime soon," Tommy pouts.

"Oh for fucks sakes," Florence remarks, looking at him in disbelief, "seriously? Tommy just get the fuck up, I'm not carrying you home."

"I love you, you're wonderful," Tommy grumbles, sitting up again, "I'm glad you're my sister."

-

"Fucking hell my head hurts," Tommy groans as he descends the stairs.

"That's not surprising," Florence says, "now sit down, drink some water have some breakfast."

"You cooked?" Tommy replies skeptically.

Florence rolls her eyes, "Mal did, don't worry, you won't get food poisoning."

"You're great at many things, beng, it's just that... cooking is not one of them," Tommy says, sitting down at the table.

"Why does nobody know how to put a shirt on in this house?" Esmé says, from where she was sat opposite Tommy.

"Eat in your own house then," Malachi jokes.

"Food tastes better when someone else cooks it," Esmé says, taking a bite from the sandwich Mal had made her.

"I don't know what happened to my shirt, and my mouth felt dry so I came to get water," Tommy shrugs.

"You were sick on your shirt," Florence says.

"Oh, that's not very pleasant," Tommy replies.

"Trust me. I know," Florence states.

"You've got grass in your hair," Polly says, walking into the kitchen, and plucking it off Tommys head.

"Did you see, Ada?" Tommy asks.

"She'll be there," Polly nods.

"Be where?" Florence queries.

"Here. The day Freddie gets out of jail," Polly says, looking between Tommy and Mal, "will you two go and put some clothes on, the shop will be opening soon."

Tommy nods, going to have another bite of his food, but Polly interrupts, "shirt first, food after. Off you go."

"I'm hungry," Tommy says.

"And you'll still be hungry when you're fully clothed, now get," Polly replies, gently swatting his shoulder with her copy of the newspaper.

"We're going, we're going," Mal laughs, as he and Tommy walk out the room.

"So what's going on?" Polly asks, her eyes fully on Florence, who gives her a confused look.

"Don't give me that face, I can feel some underlying tension between you and Mal, what happened?" Polly questions.

"I messed up," Florence admits.

"What did you do?" Esmé asks.

"It was stupid, I know that before I get another lecture," Florence says, "the day I got arrested, it was the anniversary of Betty's death."

"God bless her soul," Polly says, making a cross.

"I may have made the decision to take something before I went," Florence sighs, "just once, I know it was stupid, I'm not going to go down that route again. As much as it feels like she's back, I know it isn't really her."

"You took again?" Polly asks and Florence nods, "but it's the last time, I swear, Pol, it's not going to be the same as it was."

"I believe you," Polly replies, "so why's it tense with Mal?"

"He's either annoyed that I thought of taking again in the first place, or he's worried he'll come home one day and I'll be high," Florence says, "I don't know what to do or say to make it better."

"Then give it time," Esmé says, "things can't always be instantaneously mended, he might be a little annoyed, but that'll pass."

"She's right," Polly agrees.