A Shelby Mistress

Drunk

Having gave up waiting for her husband and daughter, Anne had one last cigarette and went to bed. She didn't wonder what was keeping them, she knew Aurora was most likely getting her times worth of Birmingham, her times worth of Thomas Shelby. She wouldn't say it aloud or make a fuss but Anne had been wanting to go out with Aurora, she wanted to spend time with her and get away from the stress of which she called home. Jane and the children were good for distractions yet with Aurora she was able to open up without the judgement she received from her other child.
Anne laid there in the dark, staring out the net curtains wondering how she could bring her family together again, maybe being on the road was best for all of them but then the business couldn't be left, they couldn't afford to lose money.
She wasn't sure how long she had been in bed when she heard her husbands car pull up outside. Anne was exhausted and wanted to sleep however she just couldn't bring herself to until she made sure William was ok and home in one piece. She didn't move to get up and greet him by the door instead Anne laid still and listened for the jingling of keys, his heavy footsteps making their way through the dark and up the stairs to their room. What mood he'd be in after this morning she didn't know but Aurora was a good girl, Anne knew she would have done her best to calm her Dad.

"Anne? Anne?!" William called out quietly opening the bedroom door.
A part of him wanted his wife to be awake, to greet him with her timeless beautiful smile yet the other half didn't want to face her anger and tears.
"William, come to bed darling"
Darling
William smiled sadly, she wasn't angry anymore even though he knew he deserved it after everything he had put her through since coming home but his wife was too forgiving. Anne's eyes followed him around the room as he stripped from his suit and climbed into their bed.
No words were spoken between them until Anne reached down slightly and took his hand within hers.
"It should of been me Anne, laying in the mud, not him......not our boy....it's all my fault....I wasn't watching" William began to weep softly gripping Anne's hand tighter.

Hearing his cries, Anne felt her own tears running down the side of her face and on to her pillow.
"It's no ones fault Will especially not yours please don't believe that it is, there was nothing you could do, you were both fighting a war. You need to stop punishing yourself! I need you back Will, I love you! We all love you. Come back to me, we can get through this together" Anne pleaded, choking back the sobs that threatened to escape and fill the night.
"Our baby! Our precious little boy!"
Letting go of Williams hand, Anne quickly gathered him in her arms and brought his head to rest on her chest. Cradling his face with one hand, she began to use the other to softly run her fingers through his dark greying hair. Together they both cried throughout the night until their tears were spent and they drifted off into sleep.

Looking at the cigarette case that rested on her fireplace, Aurora giggled to herself, feeling the overwhelming sensation of her stomach flipping. It had been two days since her visit to Small Heath and she had yet to hear from a certain Shelby. If she didn't hear from him soon, Aurora was sure she'd drive all the way back to Small Heath and take every single cigarette he owned. She barely knew Tommy but Aurora felt herself falling him, into his world and the worse part was the fact she didn't mind. All her life she had Hayes her Dads illegal businesses, now she spent her days helping him plan just so she could feel closer to Tommy. Her doing this also brought her closer to her family which she was thankful everyday for, Aurora was done being the outcast of the family, she was done hiding from her parents.
Her Mam and Dad also seemed a lot happier since making up. Aurora didn't know what had transpired between them but they were now back to the loving couple they were before the war, she just hoped it lasted.

A knock on the door broke Aurora from her thoughts and bringing her polishing cloth off the fireplace she placed it in the pocket of her pinny.
"How strange?" Aurora muttered to herself, no one ever knocked on her door, people normally just walked inside.
Mrs Finley knocked but her knock was quiet and gentle, this knock was loud and urgent with a sense of arrogance.
Was it Tommy?
Had he come to claim his property?
Suddenly aware of the state she was in, Aurora took off her Pinny and brushed her dress down before pulling the pin from her curls, letting them fall around her face. He always caught her at her worst, he never appeared when she was dressed nicely. The knocking was beginning to get louder with less pauses but instead of feeling excitement, Aurora got an overwhelming sense of dread.
"I'm coming! Hold your horses!"
Walking out the front-room Aurora looked through the glass of her door. It wasn't Tommy, it was a woman. She had a small feminine frame and hair as black as the night sky. Aurora now knew why she was feeling this dread, she knew who was at the door and she didn't like it one bit. Instead of shying away Aurora made the decision to walk over to the door and open it.