Rising | Thomas Shelby

what a liar

tommy's pov
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Scar tried to talk sense into me about why I should give Freddie a chance and I didn't question it but Ada was my baby sister. Freddie doesn't love her, he won't come back to her. He won't do the right thing. I burned Ada's letter to him, out of impulse I wish Polly did hit me maybe it would've beaten some sense into me. I just don't want Ada to hurt, I also don't want to kill Freddie. And if Freddie hurts Ada then that's him dead, it's easier if we tell her he's gone away then she can forget about him and live a bastard free life and continue growing up then one day, when she's ready, she can get married then she can start a family.

I really shouldn't of burnt the letter though. Well, no use in regretting- it's nothing but ash now.
Turning into the road of the Lickey Tea Rooms, time to meet the Inspector Arsehole as Scar likes to call him. Thinking of Scar makes my lip twitch up in a smile, we really need to have a talk.
I walk into the dining hall, making my way over to him. The room is full of rich, middle age women that sip tea and talk about this weeks new hottest gossip. Interesting choice of location.

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scars pov

Working the late shift, joking around with Grace. Teaching her to smoke, she had only smoked once in her life and she hated it but I thought it was time for her to become a real Small Heath gal.
"Cmon Grace, it ain't that bad. Once you get through one, you'll be set for life." I say as go to light up her cigarette.

Loud banging on the door stopped me before I could strike the match, Grace looked up with wide eyes and I told her to say behind the bar. I open the latch of the door. I nearly choked on my own spit, it was Tommy, wet from the rain. If it wasn't for the sad look behind his eyes, I would've said he looked perfect.

I get a grip of myself before letting him in, I didn't need to be asked I got him a glass and a drink giving him the bottle so he could pour as much as he wanted or by the looks of things needed.
Grace stood staring at us, amazed at how no words had been spoken between us since he walked in and yet we just knew. I sit down beside him, ready to talk when he needed to.

"Shall I leave you alone?" I heard Grace say, not sure if she was welcome to stay. I look toward Tommy to see what he thought, it was him who was upset. "I came here for company, where's Harry?" I was disappointed by that, I thought maybe he wanted to talk to me not the both of us. "Grace and I gave him the night off, he went to the pictures" I answered abruptly as I stood up. If company is all that he came here for then he can find that in Grace.

Tommy could tell that I was irritated. I leant over the bar to grab my cigarettes, I stood leaning up against the bar before losing track of where I put my matches when Tommy had leaned up to light mine for me. His eyes stared into mine as if to say this is what you told me to do. Men, they're idiots. I told him to get close with her, not when you're sad go confide in her instead of me. Grace was now sat next to him, watching us intensely have a stare off before Tommy turned back round to have another drink.
"How's your beautiful horse?" Trying to fill the awkward tension. After a few moments Tom replied saying he just shot him.

Tommy has always loved horses, that's all he wanted to do was to work with horses, ride horses to just be around horses. I remember his mum had given him a horse, he basically lived on it that's how much he was on it. I would stand with his mother and watch him, he was so happy and that was the Thomas I always like to think of. I used to be petrified of how tall they were, so Tommy used to force me to get up but he would also get on so I wouldn't panic. He wanted me to love horses as much as he did, not knowing that by him loving horses and me loving him was enough.

I move forward after putting my cigarette out to put a hand on his shoulder before moving round to sit on other chair beside him. I knew how much that would've broken him to kill the poor horse.
"Was he lame?" Grace asked softly, "He looked at me the wrong way, it isn't a good idea to look at Tommy Shelby the wrong way" I huff air out from my nose at his joke.
Tommy then got his own cigarettes out offering Grace and I one as well. To my surprise she accepted. Tommy then lit everyone's cigarette, he's just being friendly he couldn't of lit yours and left her to do her own. Grace started smoking with ease. Was she not just worrying about smoking a minute ago? But now Tommy is here she does it with no fuss? Grace wasn't meeting my eyes as I stared at her in disbelief, what a little liar.

"You know, in France... In France, I got used to seeing the men die. Never got used to seeing the horses die. They die badly" Tommy rarely spoke of the war but when he did it could break your heart. "Hm, I lost count the amount of times the girls would have to drag me away from the horses, trying to help them as much as I could. I cursed myself for not becoming a veterinarian instead of a nurse. There was plenty of nurses yet no vets." I added. Grace looked at me then, "You were there in France?" she was shocked. "Yes, I was a nurse." I looked towards Tom who was looking at me. We understood it, never had to explain it to one another.

Grace couldn't relate and didn't like the moment that Tom and I were having. "I dug out a dress like you asked." Oh yes, the races. I awkwardly coughed into my hand. Tommy just looked at her. Grace didn't know that Tom and I had planned for him to take her so I tried to look as awkward and jealous as possible. Which surprisingly enough wasn't that hard. "Is it Cheltenham you're talking about? Cheltenham is a grand affair is it not?" I just looked down at my hands to keep from saying anything. I felt their eyes on me. Tommy didn't want to take Grace he wanted to take you and he had planned to before you told him to take Grace.
"The King will be there"
"King George?" Grace exclaimed, I stifled a laugh as Tommy explained that it wasn't King George but King Kimber instead.

"What must I do?" she questioned. "For two pounds you'll do what I ask you to do." Grace looked uncomfortable then, flicking her eyes over to me as she had forgot to mention to me that he was paying her, that he didn't ask her to go with her to the races, she was doing a job. I obviously already knew this but I raised my eyebrows up at her as she blushed, knowing she had been caught out in another lie.
"I want 3" This bitch and her demands, in a way I respect it she just didn't care. Tommy and I both chuckle at this, "If i'm meeting the King, I can't be wearing a cheap dress... I asked for you to let me sing, that's part of the deal now too." The girl was unbelievable. Tommy raised his eyebrows at her "since when?" "Since you nearly smiled."

I didn't want to listen to her shamelessly flirt with him so I turned my attention on to my shoes. After a few moments of deciding on whether or not it was time for me to treat myself to new shoes . I can hear Tommy confront her about lying about working in Dublin, saying he thinks that she got pregnant and bringing in a child ruined her life. I could tell what he was thinking of Ada, I thought I had convinced him to give Freddie a chance. Obviously it hadn't worked.
"You guys won't tell anyone my secret?" I tried to give her my best friendly smile "your secret is safe with us. Do you really think Tommy over here tells people things?"

Moments of just looking at each other passed, "What do you sing?" Tommy asks her. "Anything" she replies surprised at his question. "Alright then little Grace, up you go. Sing us a song" I saw signalling for her to get up on the chair behind her.

Grace had a grin on her face, she truly did love to sing. I had a feeling that was the only thing she had said that she genuinely meant. "Happy or sad?" she had asked her audience. "Sad" both Tommy and I said simultaneously. We shared a glance as she warned us that it'll break our hearts. I grabbed Thomas hand under the table after he said "Already broken."