The Blood War, Peaky Blinders

𝟎𝟐𝟑 Hate me (part one)

The blood war
chapter twenty three, hate me (part one)
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-1921
Birmingham, England
Khloè and Paige were right, because later that night Tommy made a trip to London, without Milly. Ada was visiting Polly and no one knew about Khloè's... incident, apart from Michael. As Ada was at Polly's, Tommy used Ada's house at his meet up spot for his little love affair. "Is this your house?" Grace asked. "Yeah, take a seat" Tommy said. They both sit down and Tommy lights a cigarette. "Do I not get a drink?" Grace asked. "Please" Tommy said, inviting Grace to pour a drink.

Grace gets up and walks to the alcohol cabinet, "you want one?" "Yes" Tommy nodded. "Still whiskey?" Grace asked. "Yes" Tommy said. "But other things have changed. I saw vans with your name on them st the dock. "Yes, somethings have changed" Tommy said. "Does my sister know you're here?" Grace asked. "If she knew i was meeting you I wouldn't be here" Tommy said. Grace hands him a glass with whiskey and he takes it.

When Tommy takes the glass, Grace sits on the sofa next to his armchair. "Tommy i really wasn't sure about coming tonight" Grace said, after taking a sip of whiskey. "I lit a fire in the bedroom upstairs. My plan was that we sit here for a while... talk about old times, drink some whiskey. And I was going to tell you that I hadn't spent a day without thinking about you, then we were gonna go upstairs and sleep together" Tommy said, "but just now on the way to open the door, I changed my mind. So just have one drink, tell me how happy you are in New York and then you can leave."

"You changed your mind? It wasn't anything to do with my sister no? And what makes you think I would go to bed with you after a drink and some conversation. And as a matter of fact, yes I am happy in New York, and I am married" "yes, he's rich I know" Tommy said. "And he's sweet and he's kind to me. So answer the question Tommy, what makes you think I would go to bed with you after a drink and some conversation?" Grace asked. "I was accounting for three whiskeys" Tommy said, taking a toke of his cigarette. "How dare you" Grace said.

"Doesn't matter now because I've changed my mind" Tommy said. "I came here because you asked me to" Grace said, taking a swig of whiskey. "Even though he's sweet and kind to you?" Tommy asked. "I feel like an idiot" Grace said. "So then go" Tommy said. "Jesus" Grace said under her breath. They both go quiet and take more sips of whiskey. "But you're still here" Tommy said with a slight smirk. "Are you so certain?" Grace asked. "That you're still in love with me?" Tommy asked, "I was, but I'm not anymore." He looks at her for a second before asking, "you're not armed are you Grace?" Tommy asked.

"No I'm not armed. I don't carry guns, I don't have to" Grace said. "You don't have a sense of humour anymore either" Tommy said. "What are you talking about?" Tommy gets up and sits beside her. "Thing is, i hate reunions. I don't want to sit here for hours and talk about nothing and dancing around what we really wanted to say. So now... I know you're happy in New York, i know your husband's rich and kind and sweet, I know you're unarmed and you didn't come here for sex because you don't love me anymore. And it's only three minutes past. Another drink?" He asked, getting up and she says nothing.

"I'll take that as a yes." Tommy said, "it's good to see you Grace." "So you didn't light the fire?" Grace asked as Tommy poured the drinks. "You see my real plan... was that we go out. I want to impress you. Now... do you like Charlie Chaplin?" Tommy asked. Grace giggles a bit, "yes I like Charlie Chaplin." "Good. But I bet you never heard him speak" Tommy said. As they go off to find Charlie Chaplin, Khloè makes an appearance at Paige's house.

"What are you doing here?" Paige asked with a confused smile. "I had a hell of a day yesterday and I need to tell someone before I loose my mind" Khloè said. "Come in" Paige said, leading her into the house. "This kinda sucks for you, tomorrow you would have been getting married" Khloè said. "Oh please, there's bigger problems" Paige said, "so what happened yesterday?" "The only reason Michael got out today is because I... did something" Khloè said.