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enchanted chapter 35, the grace shelby institution.
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The opening on the Grace Shelby Institute came around and during the lead up to it Esme was getting closer and closer to giving birth making her more unsettled as time went on so everyone including John walked around her on eggshells. Rory however was hardly ever home not wanting to get shouted at so she was either with Evelyn which was very rare since she was always with Finn and Isaiah.
Robert was also nowhere to be found after he attacked Rory but that's only because Lilian, Tommy and Arthur had threatened him on separate occasions. Isaiah swore to himself and Rory that if he ever showed his face again he'd kill him and Evelyn and Finn agreed to help. Rory finally came clean to Freya about what Robert had actually been doing and why she kept it a secret, the older blonde was hurt that Rory didn't feel she could trust her but after she got over it (which was quick) they shared a long hug where Rory eventually fell asleep. While Rory was sleeping Freya felt guilty that she didn't pick up on her niece's behaviour sooner.
As the family showed up to the Institute for the grand opening, Rory held Flo in her arms, and when it came to the picture, she kept hold of her. The rest of their kids stood around them, Katie holding Alice's hand, the boys standing beside them and Henry standing infront of Rory with her arm wrapped around him.
Once the photo was taken, the kids ran off to be with their uncles, leaving John, Esme and Rory to walk inside with Henry and Flo between them well only Rory because Henry refused to let go of her hand and Flo wouldn't go to anyone else.
Rory took her seat beside Esme and John sat beside Esme, hand resting on her baby bump as they watched Henry cuddle into Rory and Flo playing with her necklace to entertain herself. Henry was the spitting image of John but also had some of Esme in his features such as his nose but that was it. Flo was the opposite she looked the spitting image of Rory which by extension looked like John but mainly Rory, she had her dad's blue eyes and their blonde hair but Rory's button nose and her mouth. The baby could be mistaken for Rory's but everyone that knew the Shelby's knew that Rory was just her big sister who she was closest to.
Polly stood up, approaching the stand and greeting everyone, "Welcome to the opening of the Shelby Institute for the non-insured children of the poor. I would very much like for vou to join me in thanking the man who made the founding of this establishment actually possible. Ladies and gentleman, Mr Thomas Shelby."
Tommy made his way onto the stage as applause rang out. Arthur was cheering loudly, hollering, "Speech! Speech! Say it, Tom, say it to 'em!"
"Lay the foundation!" John shouted as Flo slapped him for scaring at her making Rory laugh.
"Um, I didn't come here to make a speech," Tommy began. "But I will say this. These children are now safe. In our care, they will be safe. Because we are from the same cold streets as they are. And in our care, they won't be shipped away to the colonies. Or separated from kin. Or made to work for men, in their... various ways. They will grow up here, at home. Loved. In Birmingham. Because this is our city."
"Safe? So they can become blinders? Funny sounding safe," Rory muttered.
"Shush and listen, you're right but just be quiet," Esme told her.
"By order of the Peaky Blinders," Arthur declared. "Get up."
Arthur started the applause, and the crowd joined in slowly. Pol took her place on the stage again, a smile on her face, "Now let us sing, Immortal Invisible."
Once that was over, it was time to socialise, something Rory hated. She held onto Henry's hand tightly as they entered the room that was slowly filling with people. James walked behind the girl to help ease her nerves and it helped. John went to talk with Tommy, and stood with Ada, who had Charlie in her arms.
"Thanks," she told him smiling and he nodded.
"Just because you're older doesn't mean I'm not going to look after you," James told her before walking off to find George and Finn as soon as Rory was standing with their dad, uncles and aunt.
"James," she called making him walk back over. "Make sure you, George, Katie and Alice don't go off with anyone," she told him and he nodded.
"God, how do you get them to stop crying?" Ada asked, as Charlie continued to cry.
"I would say give him here but Flo won't go down or to anyone else," Rory replied.
"No, no babies," Tommy said, as he handed Charlie to one of the nurses.
Henry would not leave Rory's side despite the nurse attempting to take him and Rory glared at her. "He's fine with me fuck off," she snapped as her brother began to cry. She then tried to take Flo and got another glare, "Leave them alone, they're fine with me."
Finn came up behind Rory with Evelyn. "Why are you so mad?" he asked as he put his hands on her shoulders.
"That nanny, nurse whatever the fuck she is won't leave these two alone," she told them and they looked around.
"Who?" Evelyn asked.
"She's fucked off now," she replied in a duh tone.
"Oh, where's Charlie?" Finn asked.
"Went with Tommy I think, poor kid was crying I bet he's sick of being passed around like a disease," she replied.
The five of them walked over to Esme and Ada, "Can we go now? We're bored" Finn sighed.
"No, behave and mingle for another hour and then we can all fuck off home," Esme replied as she took another sip from her drink.
"You sound like a proper mum," he complained.
"Probably because her first kid was Rory and she's a nightmare," Freya told her twin after appearing from nowhere making Eve and Finn jump.
"Has Charlie got a new nanny?" Eve asked as she looked around for the boy and the nanny.
"Tommy replaced all his maids a while back but he'd never replace the nanny in case it upset Charlie," Finn explained innocently.
"Then who took Charlie? And where have they gone?" Rory asked panicked looking around the room as Eve looked for Henry and Flo cuddled into Rory's shoulder.
The flash of the camera blinded Tommy so he lost sight of his son. Tommy and Rory had lost sight of Charlie, and the panic began to set in. They looked over to see Tommy panicking as equally as they were as he asked everyone in sight where his son was. He ran up to them and the boys immediately told them where to start searching.
"Uncle Tom a nurse took him not the normal nanny," Rory told him as they started to head out.
"Tommy, someone said they saw a nurse take him through the back door," Ada ran up to them and added.
The boys ran away as Ada and the girls trailed behind them before they left Rory look back at Esme to watch her counting her kids. Katie, Alice, James and George were all sat playing with Karl in the window bay, as older women swooned at how well behaved they were. Before Esme looked around to see Rory holding Flo. "Where's Henry?!" she asked.
"With Evelyn don't worry," Rory told her holding Flo impossibly tighter and closer to her.
"Right, you go. Give me Flo, get Henry," Esme instructed taking Flo from her which the baby didn't particularly like but calmed down when she saw her mum.
