working girl » tommy shelby.

chapter seventeen

Fingers linked, and heads held high, Rosie and Tommy marched through the streets of Small Heath towards Watery Lane. The voyage back to Birmingham had been occupied with amusement and chat, the two of them talking about the future and what Rosie had planned for The Eden Club. She had remained silent about her little chat with Grace, not wanting to cause anymore stress to an already unsatisfied Tommy. Even though their time in London had been perfect, apart from Grace's unsolicited phone call, Tommy had been on the edge for the whole time, fearing that the Italian's would attack or cause trouble. Rosie thought of the times when Tommy was not jittery or filled with blues, a long time ago that she wished would come back. The Tommy that she loved all those years ago was gone, a detached memory that no longer existed but every now and again, she would see twinkles of the old Tommy shine through. The magical energy that he had, the cheekiness that had landed him in trouble as a young school lad would return and for a moment, Tommy was truly content.

Tommy was obviously anxious, his breath was quickening and palms sweaty but for Rosie's own sake and mind, he acted as composed as he could. Tommy was not one to bring women back to the house for his family to meet. There was no way of knowing how people would react - not that Tommy cared that much. Polly was bound to be uncomfortable with the idea, but she was aware of Tommy's connection with Rosie and would only secretly judge the relationship in private around her friends. Tommy was also aware of the fact that Rosie had slept with many of the men that worked with The Peaky Blinders, but he had to remember that it was in the past and that the only man that Rosie wanted was him.

"Are you alright, Tommy?" she questioned, squeezing his hand tighter. Tommy turned to look at Rosie with an easy-going smile which was not convincing, only powering Rosie's uncertainties. "What is it?"

"I'm fine, just concerned about you meeting everyone," he admitted. "I don't want them to hate you or anything. Not that they have a reason to hate you, I just know what my family is like."

"I can charm anyone, Thomas. I wouldn't worry too much about it." Rosie smiled and gently shoved her shoulder into the top of Tommy's arm. The sound of enjoyment erupted from his body, receiving a few gapes as people were staggered to see Tommy Shelby amused and chuckling.

The two of them walked in peace until they reached the household that Rosie had been at a few weeks prior. It was quiet on the street with only a few women sat on the doorsteps with a cup of tea, nattering about the residents and what had happened down by the docks earlier that morning. Small Heath was full of chinwags and people not knowing when to keep their nose out of somebody else's business. It would only be a matter of time before the truth about Rosie and Tommy's relationship would come out and the two of them were guaranteed to come under judgement, but Rosie did not care for the whispers and snide comments that ran through the streets of Birmingham. If she had Tommy on her side, she did not care for anybody else.

"Polly, John, Arthur," Tommy yelled once he had entered the Shelby household. "Sit down." Tommy gestured to the table and Rosie cautiously sat down. If she hadn't been worried before, she was now. "Fucking hell, is everyone deaf in this house?" He said, before shouting for his Aunt and then his siblings. The sound of footsteps could be heard throughout the house combined with a mixture of laughs and curse words.

"What do you want - " Arthur stopped speaking when he was met with the sight of Rosie at the dinner table. He looked backwards and forwards between Tommy and Rosie. "Why is she here?"

"If it isn't my mate," John said, his laugh filling the room as he walked over to peck Rosie on the cheek. "Haven't seen you in about a week, ya mate is getting lonely without you. Me and her were having a good chat the other night, if you know what I mean."