Anna [J.Shelby]

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

"I was told you wanted to see me?" Anna stepped into Tommy and Grace's room.

"Im nervous, Anna" Grace admitted as she looked over herself in the mirror.

A small smile fell on Anna's lips, "its okay to be nervous on your wedding day"

"I'm scared something will go wrong, do you know what the terrible thing is?" Anna looked at Grace blankly.

"They wore their uniforms" Grace laughed.

After a short pause, a whistle-like chuckle left Anna's lips.

"As much as the men will strongly resent that, this is your day, Grace. Don't let anything or anybody ruin that for you. But if I don't leave now I'll be late for your wedding and you might too"

Anna joined the family amongst others in a walk to the church, John holding onto her hand as the kids bounced around them.

"Let's bet on who will sing louder in the church" Anna mused, glancing up at John who laughed with a cheeky grin.

"The toffs" He betted.

"Linda" Anna challenged.

"She reminds me too much of my mother, it's scary" Anna grimaced as they both watched Arthur and Linda walk in front.

"She reminds me of your mother too,"

"John, you're supposed say she's nothing like her, she's your sister-in-law for god sake" Anna chuckled beneath her breath.

"Still, she makes Arthur happy- even if Arthur isn't Arthur anymore"

"But she's got nothing on you, I reckon I've got the best wife of them all" John looked forward with a serious expression.

"I'd like to see you try to justify that, Mr Shelby" Anna glanced up at John with a small smile before they entered the church.

Katie handed Harriet to Anna before they separated off into rows, Anna giving the kids the 5th warning glare that morning.

"If they cause trouble in front of the toffs, they're your kids, remember that" Anna reminded John.

Anna passed Harriet onto John before taking the sheet off one of the choir boys, glancing over all the familiar prayers and hymns, snorting as she heard Polly decline it saying, "some of us know the words"

Grace's family and friends looked to the rowdy Shelby side in distaste, and as Jeremiah walked down the aisle, their faces turned to a mix of shock and disgust.

The wedding music soon began and all quietened down.

"Here come the fucking cavalry. Late as usual" John spoke as Grace walked down the aisle.

The ceremony went smoothly, cheers and banging errupting as the pair kissed before they were all ushered outside for photographs, Anna laughing beside Linda as Arthur shooed the women arguing over the flowers out of view of the photos- which Anna was sure caught everybody off guard.

And when the photographs were over, Grace and Tommy got into the carriage and were pulled away, the guests making their own way down to the house. The Shelby's led with smiles on their faces, the kids running all over the place.

There were even louder cheers as Tommy and Grace entered the house, closely followed by the guests.

The reception was well under way, with drinks being served and the Shelby men had seemingly dissappeared not an hour into it.

Anna spun Katie, giggles errupting from the girls mouth as Anna grinned at her step-daughter.

"Have you noticed how half the Peaky Blinders and Co are missing?" Ada butted in, holding Harriet in her arms to which she passed her back over to her mother.