Defiance (Finn Shelby)

Part 21

Finn awoke to a face full of hair, he sat up and saw Bunty curled up beside him. The previous night flooding back through his memory. She came back, she's safe, she loves him.

"Finn?" Bunty mumbled, turning around and looking up at her husband with sleepy eyes.

"Yes, Bunty?" He questioned, smiling down at her.

"I love you," she told him, placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

"So I wasn't dreaming when you told me that?" He said jokingly, "I love you too"

"Oh, fuck. Today's the opening of Tommy's orphanage" Finn swore, jumping out of bed, almost knocking Bunty off of the bed.

"It's finally open?" Bunty marvelled, remembering Tommy mentioning it on the drive to Small Heath.

"Yeah, and it's today. Put on something and let's go" Finn told her, rushing to strip and get changed. Bunty soon joined him, whilst Bunty took Nickel out to do her business, Finn managed to get some form of food for them to eat as breakfast before going to the opening.

Thankfully, they made it just in time as they walked with the Shelby's and close friends. Everyone welcomed back Bunty with smiles and hugs (bar Polly who still didn't fully like the girl).

"You look so handsome in that hat," Bunty told Finn, touching the fedora type hat on his head, "it's different compared to our normal hats"

"Yeah, I just remember Tommy telling us not to wear our other hats because this is an orphanage and there's going to be a lot of children about"

"Makes sense," Bunty said.

They got to the Grace Shelby Institute for Orphaned Children and they all stood for a photo, Finn had wrapped his arm around Bunty's waist, pulling her close to him, both beaming widely at the camera.

They followed Tommy inside the institute and sat down in their seats. Polly was at the front, giving a speech. "Welcome to the opening of the Grace Shelby institute for the non-insured children of the poor. I would very much like you to join me in thanking the man that made the founding of this establishment actually possible. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Thomas Shelby."

Everyone clapped and stood up when Tommy stood up with Charlie in his arms, "speech!" Arthur shouted over everyone. "Come on, speech!"

Tommy passed Charlie to a lady as he walked up to the pedestal with Arthur still prompting him. When he reached the pedestal everyone sat down and quietened down. "Um, I didn't come here to make a speech. 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."

"By order of the Peaky Blinders" Arthur pitched in. "Get up," he said, clapping.

At first, it was Bunty and the Shelby brothers but shortly after everyone stood up applauding. Tommy nodded and left the stage and out of a side door and Polly went back to where she originally was. "Now, let us sing Immortal Invisible"

Everyone stood up and looked at their song sheet, singing the song. After the song was finished, everyone was invited to have tea and cake, the children scurried along with all of the adults following.

Bunty and Finn gravitated towards the food and drinks table as they barely ate anything for breakfast, they grabbed their tea and some cake and started to mingle with people, because Tommy told them too.

"Do you ride horses, Miss?" A lady asked.

"Mrs Shelby" Bunty corrected politely, "but unfortunately no, I never got the hang of it, my husband, Finn, is the best with horses. He's a great rider." Bunty smiled, catching Finn's attention and gesturing him to join her, mostly because she didn't walk to talk about horses, especially not by herself. "This is Mrs Harrison, her son is a jockey and she's been breeding horses for over thirty years" Bunty introduced, "and Mrs Harrison, this is my husband, Finn Shelby, one Thomas Shelby's brothers"