Thomas Shelby Imagines

The Letters

Tommy normally opened the box when he was nervous. The box of long letters on delicate paper that had a faint smell of lavender. They comforted him, despite being crinkled and folded as many times as he could to fit in the now cramped box, they'd been a source of hope and distraction through the war.

But now he was faced with the prospect of meeting you, the girl who dotted her I's with tiny circles and looped her Y's, the girl who patiently sent letter after letter even when he couldn't write back for months at a time.

Of all the things to make him nervous it was this, he knew you well enough from your letters, even keeping a folded picture of you in his pocket watch as if you'd been close before he left. He'd thought it would make him happy to know that as he sat staring at the box you were preparing yourself to take the train to Birmingham.

"I don't see what you're getting so worked up about." Poll huffed as Tommy finally set the box down and left his room.

"If I knew myself I'd do something to calm my nerves." Tommy sighed and looked over at her.

"You'd better keep a close eye on her, these country girls never stray too far from their towns." Polly reminded Tommy and he sighed again.

"I know, John and Arthur should be in the offices' while I'm with her." Tommy mumbled.

"Does she know how to get here?" Polly smiled when Tommy chuckled.

"Yes she's gettin' the train up to Worcester and then on up to Birmingham." He smiled as he recalled the long rambling letter you'd written about the train station foreman who was desperately trying to convince you that travelling to Birmingham was not something a nice young lady should do.

"Well at least she has a head on her shoulders." Polly let out a cloud of smoke from the cigarette in her hands and Tommy chuckled.

"Well according to her there's only two kinds of girls that come out of her town, ones looking for rich husbands and ones that work hard." He glanced at the clock and headed very to the door, grabbing his jacket as he went.

"Which ones she?" Poll asked before he could leave.

"I'll let you know when I find out." He muttered.