Cross my heart - Tommy Shelby

•10•

warnings: period typical attitudes to disabilities, swearing

Eliza stood in the school yard with the other staff members. There were only 5 others- including the headmaster.

They each idly talked about what they had planned for the school day, as they waited for the clock to strike 9 to mark the beginning of the school day.

Eliza was quite excited for the day if she were being honest, as today she'd have a newcomer in her classroom.

John's second youngest, Matthew, had turned 5 in the last week, meaning he would be in Eliza's classroom.

John had confessed his worry for his son, who was apparently clingy and did not do well when it came to separating from his family.

He had also admitted to taking Matthew to the doctors a while ago- saying that the doctors wanted to lock the young boy away in an institute for 'abnormal behaviour'.

That only made John worry more, as he knew his son was different- and would likely struggle in the academic side of school.

But Eliza reassured her friend that his son would be in good hands, that Matthew wasn't the first child with additional needs and he'd very likely not be the last.

The harsh reality was that no sane and rational person would turn away the child of a Peaky Blinder let alone mistreat them.

Eliza continued look around the school yard, she smiled at the children who waved at her, as she went around trying to spot the young Shelby's.

Before she cast her gaze around the small yard once more, she noticed a black car pull up.

It seemed John had decided to personally drop the children off this morning.

Eliza watched as Katie, Finn and Eddie jumped out of the car and sprinted to their friends- they shouted quick goodbyes to their father and brother and went off to their own devices.

The young woman was glad that Finn had been coming to school more often, she'd been threatening to pick him up in the mornings to make sure he kept going.

She had told him that his education was important and he needed to keep going if he wanted to learn.

The squeaky iron gate swung open as John strutted in, a small Matthew clung to his body as he hid away in shyness.

"G'Morning Miss Fenton, lovely to see you this fine day." John mock tipped his Peaky cap. Ever the bloody comedian.

"Good Morning, Mr Shelby." Eliza chuckled slightly, "And Good morning Matthew."

The little boy began to slowly peer out from his fathers neck. He had met Eliza on multiple occasions, and had taken a liking to the young woman.

He signalled that he wanted to get down from his fathers embrace, and when planted on the floor he immediately grasped onto Eliza's hand.

That was a good sign.

Eliza crouched down to Matthew's level, "Shall we say bye-bye to Daddy?" She waved in John's direction as he waved back. Matthew copied, seemingly okay with John making a leave.

The middle Shelby was obviously surprised, there was usually screaming and crying at this point.

But Matthew was calm and looking around with some interest.

He felt reassured as he began to walk back to his car, that he had his best friend looking out for his children.

//

"You look shit mate."

"Fuck off Arthur," Tommy barely looked up at his older brother, he just grumbled into his hand and continued to stare blankly at the numbers in the book.

"Thomas."

Tommy once again looked up, only this time to see Polly stood with her arms crossed an unimpressed scowl on her face.

Shit.

"Yes Aunt Pol?"

"Get your arse up, we need to talk."

When Tommy made no move to get up from his position, Polly took matters into her own hands.

She strode over to the desk and took his ear in her fingers as she pinched hard and pulled her nephew closer towards her face.

"We can either discuss what I found in front of everyone here, or do it privately in the kitchen." She pinched harder, "I suggest the latter."

And with that she strut off, leaving a wincing Tommy, rubbing his red ear.

He stood up and lugged himself in the direction of the kitchen, as he entered the room he was met with Polly's gaze once more.

"Why the fuck has a woman, been knocking at my door for the last two hour accusing our family of theft?" Her words sent and icy chill down Tommy's spine, "And why the fuck did I find a classified government file under your pillow?"

She threw the file onto the wooden dining table, as it landed with a smack.

Those words caused Tommy to freeze.

There was no denying that he didn't have that file- that he didn't know where it had come from.

Polly was neither a fool nor an idiot.

And the woman was most likely Grace- who had realised that this file was missing.

"Have we now started to illegally possess the governments documents and files now Thomas?" She looked beyond angry, "as well as stealing fucking military grade weapons?"

Tommy stood there silently, he didn't know what to say. His brain lacked sleep and he felt so tired that he had nothing left to answer with.

All he knew was that he was well and truly fucked.