BITTER - Michael Gray.

FOURTEEN.

♛

"Well look at you. Belle of the fucking ball over there." Finn shouted.

"Don't fucking swear around the kids." Olivia snapped back. She had Charles balanced on her right hip messing up her hair and Karl clinging onto her left hand.

"Nah seriously, you look great." He have her the best hug he could give as he swerved around Charlie.

"Ah, you're a sweetheart." She pecked him on the cheek as his face blushed the brightest hue of red.

"Finn, please try and keep the blood in your head and not your cock." Tommy sighed as he straightened up a lapel on Finn's jacket.

"Tommy for god's sake." Liv sighed. Karl was pulling her in the direction of the door whilst Charles bawled into her ear.

"Proper mother material there." Michael came up from behind.

"Shut the fuck up and take a damn child off me before I have a breakdown." She whined. Sighing, Michael picked Charles off her hip. "Thank you."

"Photograph time!" The photographer shouted from behind his camera curtain.

"Come on you." Michael wondered off as he miraculously calmed Charles down.

Karl had let go and run off to his mother, leaving Liv a stressed and disheveled mess. Not what she wanted before the photograph. She ran her hands through her hair in a vain attempt to smooth it down but it did absolutely jack shit.

"Anytime this week Olivia would be fine." Tommy sighed as a ripple of laughter came from the crowd.

She barged her way to the back, knowing her place being over five foot ten. Michael was to her right and Arthur to her left. Polly was stood in front of her with a now relaxed Charles on her hip. She was intimidating enough to even calm Tommy down, that's saying something.

"Oi come 'ere." Olivia was quickly spun around to face Michael.

He pulled the fag out of his mouth and licked the palm of his hand before smoothing down her wild brown hair.

"That's rank, get your spit off my hair. Anyway it looks fine." She swatted his hand away from her.

"Well if you were aiming for that dragged through a hedge backwards look then I take my hat off to ya." He laughed before facing the camera ready for the picture.

"Obviously not cause it's still on your fucking head isn't it." She too turned to face the camera. A small snort came from Arthur as he watched the two of them before, now heavily pregnant, Linda stuck her elbow into his side to shut him up.

To Olivia, Michael was unexplainable. Most of the time they barely spoke, and when they did it was usually bickering. But then they have little moments, where those stupid little sparks are felt by her. Like when he accidentally brushes her hand. They both notice and stare at each other for a few seconds, but then the world starts moving again.

For Michael, Olivia was a pain in the arse. But he liked it. He liked her passion for her work and her sharp attitude. Most girls he knew, including Charlotte, acted like puppies, loyally following him around and getting upset when he didn't pay them any attention. Olivia could go for weeks without even looking at him, and when she did it was just sarcasm. But he enjoyed the unexpectedness of it all. Would she want to kiss him or would she rip his balls off, the joy of the unknown.

A large flash went off as the photo was taken. Everyone soon dispersed and made their way into the venue.

The Grace Shelby Institute for Orphaned Children.

♛

"These children are now safe." Tommy was mid speech.

Michael was annoyed. He was disgusted at the fact that Father Hughes was allowed to be around children. The man had made his childhood hell, Michael couldn't bare to face the fact that hundreds of other kids like him were in danger too. The innocent look on the kids' faces was endearing, but then the priest was sat with them, a sleazy grin slapped on his mug.

Olivia had Charles sat on her lap. He was relatively quiet, Liv was thanking the heavens that he'd stopped crying. They were sat next to Michael, she watched as he grinned his jaw in anger.

"Relax." She whispered into his ear. He shook his head slowly as his eyes fixated on Father Hughes.

"I can't Olivia. Not whilst he's here." Michael couldn't pull his gaze from him.

Charles grabbed at his hat that was sat on his knee. Michael finally looked away as Charles was having fun with his hat. Michael picked it up and placed it on Charles's head. It was far too big and swamped the little boy, but the large giggle he let out was enough to calm Michael.

"Look, Tommy wouldn't let anything happen to those kids. They're like us. I could've been in a place like this. I promise you." She smiled at him. Michael couldn't smile yet, but he did give her a nod as an agreement.

"They will grow up loved. In Birmingham. This is our city." Tommy announced from the stage.

"By order of the Peaky Blinders." Arthur chipped in.

Clapping started and people began standing up. Michael joined in signalling for Olivia to do so as well. Charles was sat on her hip still with Michael's hat on as he helped him clap his small toddler hands. Their little interaction was the sweetest thing Olivia had seen in a very long time.

"Now, let us sing Immortal Invisible." Polly addresses the audience proudly.

Throughout the hymn, Michael was uncomfortably staring around the room. He was looking for Father Hughes, not very subtly either. He and Tommy had vanished suddenly, Michael was worried what the priest would do. Liv quickly kicked him so that he'd pay attention to the singing, but he simple handed her the hymn sheet and ran off.

"Wait-" Liv tried to stop him but he was through the door before she could do anything.

She let out a long sigh as the hymn came to an end. Charles started crying once more. She pecked him on the cheek before taking him outside.

"You're not the only one kid."

♛

a/n: my exams are done!!
a question for ya: can you all see chapter 13?? i've had some people ask me if it's working but it does for me so idk?
thank you for all your nice messages!! only problem is i can't actually reply to them but i am reading them! x