Candy [THOMAS SHELBY]

Chapter Forty-Five

Tommy couldn't keep the gleeful smile off his face for the rest of the day. He was a sight to see with his bright eyes and wide smile and Josephine loved to see it.

Tommy's hands often drifted to rest on her belly even though she wasn't far along enough to have a bump but Josephine still found it endearing.

Raising a child wouldn't be easy but Josephine knew that she and Tommy would be great parents. It was a great shame she couldn't share the news with Polly, Arthur and John, not only could she not visit them but she was certain that the relationship between them and Tommy and her by extension was in pieces.

Josephine was especially upset as this was something she wanted to go through with Polly by her side. The woman had filled the motherly role that she didn't have ever since her mother had passed, while not crossing any boundaries.

Honestly, Josephine never imagined Polly not being there but now she had to face the music and accept it as reality. Her child is her first priority now.

She and Tommy kept the news to themselves for the first few days, the only other people who knew were the house staff, who promised to keep tight-lipped.

After a few days, they invited her father around for dinner so that they could tell him in person. They waited until after they had eaten to tell him.

"Hey pappa, Tommy and I have some news" Josephine started.

Jonas looked at them with mild concern, "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is great pappa, in fact, everything is amazing." Josephine

grinned, "I'm pregnant."

"Pr-pregnant."? "Jonas gasped looking at them in surprise.

Josephine and Tommy nodded with identical smiles.

"Oh, my baby is having a baby!" Jonas cheered before he stood up and brought them both into a warm hug.

Jonas looked at his daughter with a proud smile, "You're going to be an amazing and wonderful mother, min blomma"

"You think?"

Jonas nodded, "I know."

The rest of the evening was spent with Jonas telling them stories at when Josephine was a baby and stories of both Josephine and Tommy when they were children

Josephine also sent a letter to Ada who had moved to America about the news even though she was afraid that the younger woman wouldn't reply, but Ada did. She had sent a long letter congratulating her along with giving her many useful tips and tricks that she had used with Karl.

Weeks passed and Josephine was growing along with the baby. Being pregnant was a feeling that is incomparable and it still surprised Josephine that she was growing a baby, sometimes it didn't feel real. Luckily her nausea and morning sickness had faded out a not so long ago but she was still sensitive to certain smells.

Tommy had become overprotective and while she appreciated some parts, she really hated how he tried to baby her, acting as if she couldn't do anything by herself. His extreme behaviour had caused an argument between them that resulted in Tommy sleeping in the spare bedroom. He apologised for his behaviour and dialled it back immensely and they had made up and moved on.

Tommy had been understanding of her mood swings and Josephine always felt terrible when she snapped at him. He tried to brush it off but Josephine refused to, not wanting things to be brushed off simply because she was pregnant.

The pregnancy was a learning experience in more than one way.

She had a visible bump now and Tommy always made sure to give it a gentle rub and a loving kiss before they went to sleep.

At the dinner when they had told Josephine's father about the pregnancy, he had described a blanket that Josephine had when she was a baby and behind her back he and Tommy went and got a replica made, going off of Jonas' memory but altered enough so that it was unique for their child.

When they presented it to her, she cried and cried, so overwhelmed with emotions and love.

It was near Christmas when Polly, Arthur, John and Michael were released and somehow in whatever deal Tommy had made, he had also received an OBE.

Tommy didn't agree with her wanting to go visit Polly but didn't stop her but now as she stood on Polly's doorstep repeatedly knocking and pleading through the door, she realised that he didn't agree because he knew what would happen and wanted her feelings to be spared.

Polly refused to open the door, so Josephine tried one last attempt.

"Pol, I'm pregnant and I need you so badly" Josephine spoke through the letterbox, hoping that Polly could hear her, "I need you, Polly, I don't think I can do this without you''

When she didn't reply, Josephine let out a sob before giving up and returned to the car where the driver had been waiting the whole time.

When she returned home, Tommy didn't say anything about her swollen eyes or tear-stained cheeks and just gave her a kiss on the cheek before he wrapped her up in a hug.

He let her cry into his shoulder and reassured her that everything will be alright but he knew that even if he had hired the best medical professionals in the country, nothing could come close to having someone close and a mother-like figure being there and supporting you while you gave birth.

When Christmas arrived, it was just her, Tommy and her father and though it felt vastly different than the usual Christmases with the whole family it was still nice nonetheless.

The doorbell went off in the early afternoon and Josephine who was on her way back from the kitchen after checking on the food went and opened the door.

They had given the state the week off, so they could spend time with their family and have a break, so they had to cook and answer the door by themselves, which was fine since they were capable.

The person on the other side of the door was one of the last people she expected.

"Michael?!"

Michael did one of his half-smiles, half grimaces at her, "Merry Christmas Josephine, can I come in?"

"Of course!" Josephine let him in, "I didn't expect you, Michael."

"I'm not angry at Tommy, not completely," Michael told her before his eyes flicked down to her bump, "Congratulations"

"Thank you" Josephine thanked with a smile before she stepped into the living room where Tommy and Jonas were, Michael a step and half behind her and partially hidden.

"Who was at the door?" Tommy asked when she walked in.

Josephine moved to the side, revealing Michael and watched as Tommy's eyes widened.

Tommy took Michael to his office so they could talk and left Josephine and Jonas to talk between themselves.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Jonas asked.

Josephine shrugged, "I don't really care about the gender, as long as they're healthy."

She was now around halfway through her pregnancy and her dresses fit nicely around her bump but she knew that soon it would no longer be and she'd have to transition to shirts and skirts.

Tommy and Michael didn't take long and soon returned.

"Josey, Michael's going to stay for dinner," Tommy told her as he settled down next to her.

Josephine sent Michael a warm smile, "That's great, the more the merrier."

"I don't want to disrupt you."

"You're not don't worry, we have more than enough food to go around" Josephine reassured him.

It's still 1924 in this scene and I'll be doing a few more chapter to do with the baby and stuff before we reach S4 :)