Invisible String - Thomas Shelby

Chapter Fifteen

Tommy had come over this morning to hear what I decided about meeting with Grace and I had told him I'd go with him, he told me we'd be leaving later today and meeting her tonight. Until then I'm here at the store, I hired a new assistant a little bit ago and she had been learning from my father and I how on store runs and tomorrow will be her first day alone, since I and my father will both be out of town. As I'm cleaning the windows I see a young man walk down the street, the closer he got I realized it was Michael. I ran outside to stop him.

"Michael!" I yell.

He stops and smiles at me and says, "oh hi Ivy."

I look at his appearance and he looks terrible, "oh Michael I'm so sorry this happened, you look like shit."

"I feel like shit too," he says forcing out a laugh, I know this was so hard on him, just now adjusting to this life and then being thrown in prison.

"Did Tommy get you and Arthur out?" I say.

"My mum got me out, I'm not sure if Tommy got Arthur out," he says.

"Oh well I'm happy you're out," I say giving him a hug.

"Thank you Ivy, I better head off," he says.

"Oh where's your mum I wanted to talk to her about something," I say wondering why he isn't with Polly now.

"She let Campbell fuck her to let me out," he says curtly.

"What?" I said that doesn't seem like something Polly would do.

"Yeah can't believe she'd stoop so low, anyway Ivy I really do need to go," he says walking away.

"Okay bye Michael," I say still in shock.

He continues walking but lifts his arm up to wave to me.

I walk back in and notice Annabelle my new assistant staring outside the window.

"Who was that," she asks.

"Oh he's a family friend," I say grabbing my rag and continuing my cleaning.

"He looked very rough, what kind of family friends do you Collins have," she says.

"Peaky Blinders," I say honestly.

She just gasps and turns away to continue working, Annabelle had told me she grew up on a farm not too far from Small Heath but even there they knew about the Peaky Blinders.

The whole day all I've been thinking about is Polly and how she must be feeling right now, I know she only did that to get her son back again. Michael should be more grateful to have a mother that would do anything to get him out of trouble like that, it's just sad Polly had to do it.

I had been home for a little bit getting my bag packed waiting for Tommy to pick me up. I hear a knock at the door and open it to find him holding some flowers.

"Hello love," he says smiling.

"Hello Tom," I say while he hands me the flowers.

"Are you ready to head out," he asks stepping inside.

"I guess," I say closing the door.

"You have nothing to worry about sweetheart, seeing her won't change my mind about you," he says pulling me into a hug and kissing the top of my head.

"I hope not, here can you put these in the vase my mum has one the cabinet while I go get my bag," I say unwrapping myself from the hug and handing him the flowers.