Calloway // Michael Gray x Reader - Peaky Blinders Fanfic

Chapter 40

Calloway

"I can't do it." I cover my face with my hands, relenting only when Michael pulls my right hand free, positioning it to tie the sling around my neck once more.

"Yes you can," he says, smirking in the morning light. "I wouldn't have thought the word can't to be in your vocabulary."

"Fine. I won't do it."

He rolls his eyes. "You're going to avoid my mum forever? Under the same roof?"

"If I have to."

He rubs his hands reassuringly over my shoulders, soothing me as we stand beside the window, clean and dressed for the day. "Come on. Remember what I told you about her and Aberrama."

"Oh god," I groan, laughing softly at the same time. "That's even worse."

"Bloody right it is. So if you get embarrassed that she heard us, just remember I heard—"

I burst into laughter. "Don't remind me!"

"She's got some interesting requests, to say the least," he mutters, smiling as he wraps his arms around me from behind. "So no need to worry. It won't even come up."

"Fine," I agree, wrapping my hands around his own at my waist.

Our laughter subsides as he leads me down the stairs and we compose ourselves. As we reach the bottom, we find Polly already in the kitchen, sipping on her morning tea.

She raises an eyebrow, greeting us both with a knowing smirk. "Morning, you two. Sleep well, did we?"

My eyes narrow as I glance in Michael's direction. It won't even come up.

Michael says, "Morning, Mum." He moves to pour coffee from the pot, his tone nonchalant as he tries to keep a composed expression. "We slept just fine."

"Well I'm glad you've sorted yourselves out, at any rate," she adds with a roll of her eyes.

"Any bacon left?" Michael asks, setting a coffee in front of me and kissing me softly on the forehead.

Polly's eyes glitter as she gestures to the stove. "Help yourselves. But mind you don't make too much noise with the cutlery."

I choke on my coffee. By the time I've finished spluttering, my face thoroughly flushed, Michael returns with two plates.

"You trying to do Cal in, after all that work to keep her alive?" He asks.

I busy myself quickly, slicing into the eggs and watching as the orange yolks spread across the plate. When I risk a glance at Polly, I see her eyes threatening to swell with tears of joy.

"Mum," Michael groans. "Don't..."

"I thought we might have a picnic," she says quickly, standing and busying herself at the sink. "The three of us. I'll be in town for a few hours, then we could meet at the park."

Michael glances at me, waiting for my response. But all my embarrassment fades. I'm powerless to say no to Polly.

"I'd love that," I tell her honestly. "We could make the tea, so it's still hot."

She smiles, bringing a hand to her chest, then lowering it again. "Alright. I'll stop at the bakery."

She kisses Michael quickly on top of his head before she leaves. Then, faltering for just a moment, she does the same to me. Takes my hand and squeezes it for just a moment. I smile at her, her perfume like cloves washing over us, and then she heads out the door.

Michael rolls his eyes as soon as it closes behind her. "Sorry," he mutters. "Mum can get a bit..."

"Please don't apologise," I say quickly. "I love your mum." And I mean the words as I say them.