mozzafiato ➝ peaky blinders

dieci

watery lane

-

"Tommy Shelby, you absolute fucking dunce!"

Tommy eye twitched at the volume of his aunt's voice, and only flinched a little as she whacked him with the rolled up newspaper in her hand.

Letting out an outraged groan, Polly Gray began to pace furiously through the room. 

Her dark eyes were widened and wild, her newly cut short curls shaking as she shook her head in disbelief. She was furious. But it wasn't the first time her anger had been directed at Tommy. He was used to it. All he could do was weather out the storm. 

"What the fuck is it with you?" she hissed, shooting him a poisonous look. "We used to make decisions as a family, even if it wasn't life or death. And now, you agree to the deal of a fucking Changretta? Without even discussing it with Arthur first! Oh - "

She came barrelling back over to Tommy and beat him with the newspaper until he batted her away irritably, getting up and moving away from her, straightening his jacket.  

"Polly, if you listen to me - " he started, his voice low and rumbling.

"No," she cut over him, shoulders squared, face drawn. "You're supposed to be the smart one of your brothers" she questioned loudly, throwing her hands into the air and raising her eyes heavenwards.

"Polly - " Tommy said again. He stood stiffly in the doorframe of the room, his eyes following her as she stomped around the kitchen table. 

"God, at least tell me why you did it. And don't fuck around, just tell me straight." The older woman collapsed into a chair and rubbed a hand over her face. "You boys. You'll be the death of me, I swear."

Licking his lips slightly, Tommy scratched his temple nonchalantly before meeting his aunt's hard eyes. 

Whilst Tommy had been driving over from the factory, Arthur had rung Polly to tell her what had happened. She had been waiting for him in the Watery Lane dining room, arms folded, fuming, and asked him about it the moment he stepped into the room. He had reluctantly confirmed it was true, and she had gone into a frenzy.

While Polly was usually firm and uncompromising on a regular day, she was dealing with a lot. Michael had been badly injured when John had been killed. While four bullets passed through the latter, Michael had only taken one. But it had hit him in the side of the neck, and lost a lot of blood. If the shot had been a little more to the left, it might have killed him. He was due to be out of the hospital the next day. 

But Polly had taken it badly. She was angry at the injustice of it all. She was thinking about taking Michael away, Tommy knew it. She didn't want to risk losing him again.

He had already done his part in comforting her. Michael had survived, and would heal with time. Polly would be alright soon enough. For that moment, they were talking business. She wouldn't go easy on him if he was having problems, so he didn't see why he should act any differently towards her. It was probably what she preferred, anyway. 

"She came to me, Pol, asking for our help," he began. "If what she says is true - that she wants her father dead so she can be free of him - then by helping her, we do a good fucking deed. But even if she is lying, in which case I will kill her and send her back to her father, we can use her, Pol." 

Polly looked up at him from behind lowered brows, a hand massaging her temple. 

"We can use her against Changretta. If we need to, we can act like we're taking her hostage. She's our leverage. Hm?" He dipped his head down, looking at her in the eyes.

She merely continued to glare up at him. Still, her eyes were relenting a little. 

"Do you think I would agree to give her what she wants if I didn't think there was a chance she was truthful?" he continued, gesturing broadly with his hand. "She's barely out of school, Pol. Chances are she doesn't yet have the capacity for evil like her pops." 

He drew back, running a hand through his hair quickly before returning it to his trouser pocket. He didn't speak for a moment, drawing in a quick, deep breath. 

"Don't worry, Pol," he said lowly, returning his gaze to hers. "I'm going to think of something. Something that will help her. But I won't let anything go wrong with this. Yeah?"

The older woman drew a deep, slow breath through her nostrils. For a moment, she didn't say anything.

Then, she made a reluctant face, and began to dig around in her pocket for a cigarette. 

"Still doesn't excuse that you didn't talk to your own brother about it," she said curtly. 

Tommy shrugged lightly, and looked away.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, Tommy cleared his throat, and looked back at Polly.

"Look. She's at the factory, in my office. Don't worry, I've got boys at the door and Arthur's keeping a very close eye on her. I told her I'd ask you before I go ahead with anything. So what do you say, eh?"

Lighting her cigarette, Polly shot Tommy another hard look. "It's on you if this blows up in our faces."

Tommy smiled a sort of smile. "Yes, madam."

Leaning forward and exhaling smoke, Polly reluctantly, almost lazily, met Tommy's eyes. "So. Tell me your plan."