Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
October 10th, 1905.
Alicent Meadow's sat on Martha Shelby's sofa glaring at Thomas Shelby while she rubbed where she felt the twinges that she brushed off. Martha snickering at her son's girlfriend's actions.
"I said it was an accident," Tommy repeated.
"An accident Thomas is dropping a cup not getting kicked out of school again," Alicent harshly spoke. "I'd expect this shit from Arthur not from you."
"I was doing it to defend you," Tommy argued, watching Ali stand up and make her way into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. A smash was heard along with a gasp, Tommy and Martha looking at each other before rushing in.
"My water broke, Tom," Ali looked up at him. "Sorry about your cup Martha. I'll buy you another one."
"Tom, go get Pol," Martha instructed her son while she helped Ali upstairs to wait for Polly. Ada exiting her bedroom at the sound of Ali's groans of pain.
"What's going on?" the girl asked looking at Ali with concern.
"Oh, Ada," the woman sighed in relief. "Go, get me some towel's and water and Arthur for help with the water."
They watched the girl rush downstairs to get the towels before entering Tommy and Ali's bedroom where the latter got changed into more comfortable clothes and letting out a breathy when they heard Ada scream over to the other end of the street, "Arthur, John the baby's coming and I need help!" Both Shelby's looked at each other before rushing over.
Ada came rushing in with towels and practically threw them at her mum before moving over to Ali's side and wiping the bead's of sweat that had already formed off using a towel while Martha laid towel's down over the bed sheets.
"I'm scared," she admitted quietly. "It's all real now, it's not just a dream anymore. I'm going to have my baby girl soon."
"It's normal to be scared, Al," Martha chuckled, stroking her hair as she watched her face twist into pain when a contraction hit. "The pain will all be worth it soon, when you hold her."
John came in with a bowl of water and asked, "Do you need anything else?"
"Go find your fucking brother before I have this baby and rip his fucking head off for missing it," Ali spoke through gritted teeth watching as John's face paled before rushing out to find his brother and aunt already walking through the door. Ada stood beside Ali the older brunette squeezing her hand but not as tightly as she wanted since she didn't want to hurt the girl.
Tommy and Polly then entered the room Ada smiling at her brother while Ali let out a sigh.
"She was going to rip your head off if you didn't show," Ada told her brother as he took over and held his girlfriend's hand. Ada was then told by her mum to go downstairs with her and wait.
"Sweetheart, listen to Aunt Pol, when you feel you need to push, do it," Polly told the girl.
Ali tried to breathe, her breath coming out in gasps as her abdomen contracted, leaving a searing pain to continuously jab at her. She couldn't describe the amount of pain she was in. "If you ever get me pregnant again, Tommy I swear I will chop it off," she wheezed while squeezing his hand.
"Why didn't you tell me you were in pain earlier?" Tommy asked, ignoring her last comment. "I knew something was wrong."
"I was mad at you," she shrugged. "And I didn't think they were contractions." Tommy looked at the girl in disbelief as he wiped the sweat from her forehead and moved her hair off her face.
"You're already crowning, Alice, hold onto Tommy's hand and push for me, love," Polly ordered her.
With her chin to her chest, Ali pushed with all her might, pain overcoming her as a scream almost escaped her lips, hot tears falling down her face.
"Why is this taking so long," she cried out, her head resting on Tommy's shoulder again.
"Some babies just take longer," Polly assured her.
For what felt like days was actually half an hour, Ali sighed in relief when she heard Polly say, "One more push, come on sweetheart." Ali squeezed Tommy's hand tighter than before while he ran his hand through her hair. The brunette groaned while Polly guided the baby out. The baby screamed like there was no tomorrow, her little lungs most definitely worked. Alicent looked at her screaming daughter with tears in her eyes and a small smile while Polly cut the cord and wrapped her in a towel before passed her the baby who she held close. She was finally here and the two couldn't be happier.
Ali looked at her daughter and immediately fell in love with her, her tiny hand clutching onto Tommy's hand, her button nose, her head of dark hair and little plump lips.
"She's beautiful," Polly commented, smiling down at the girl who she could consider a daughter or niece to her.
"What's her name?" Ada whispered, having heard the screams of her niece she decided to sit at the top of the stairs.
"Olivia Alicent Shelby," Tommy told his sister with a small smile.
"Wait when did we agree on her middle name?" Ali asked looking up at him.
"Well it's only fair because when we have a boy his middle name will be Thomas," he replied cooing at the baby.
"Either way it's a beautiful name and she's beautiful," Polly commented before moving to stand next to Ada by the door, the couple waving her over to come and see her niece. Ada stood beside her brother looking at the baby with a smile.
"Ada, come on now," Polly waved her over.
"Hold her, Tom," Ali whispered holding the baby in his direction. Tommy's face fell turning serious.
"What if I drop her?" he asked worriedly making Ali chuckle.
"You won't," she shook her head while passing him their baby. "Support her head," she whispered watching him cradle her. Once the baby was secured in Tommy's arms the brunette girl laid her head on his shoulders letting out a content sigh.
"I'm so proud of you, you know. I couldn't have done that," Tommy kissed the side of her head.
"I nearly didn't," she laughed.
"I love her already," Tommy whispered, feeling Ali's head lift off his shoulder and lay down on the bed laying on her side as her eyes began to grow heavy.
"Go to sleep, Ali. I'll wake you up when she wants feeding," Tommy whispered while getting out of the bed with their daughter in his arms while he pulled the covers up and over Ali. The brunette was asleep before he even left the room.
He ventured downstairs where his mum and aunt helped him carefully clean and dress Olivia where he swore to protect her as much as he protected Ali.
