Candy [THOMAS SHELBY]

Chapter Fifty-One

As Josephine predicted, Theodore woke up midway through the car journey. At first, he was content to rest against his mother's chest after he had his morning stretch but he soon became hungry. Whining and squirming until he got what he wanted.

Tommy glanced at them for the corner of his eye before he pulled over to the side of the road.

"Tom?" Josephine looked up at him. "What are you doing? We can't stay out in the open for too long"

"Hop in the back and feed him." He said as he killed the engine, "He needs to eat, we can't force him to wait."

Josephine but her up as she looked in between her son and her husband and slipped in the back. Tommy was right, Teddy did need to be fed.

The back seats of the car were filled with things Tommy had deemed essential to bring along with them so it was a bit of an obstacle course for Josephine to get settled properly.

Tommy was sitting up in front with his gun in his hand. He was on alert, eyes flickering everywhere and ears picking up every sound.

Watching him overwhelmed Josephine with anxiety, so she looked back down at her son and ran her fingers over his head to calm herself.

Theodore was over six months old and in the best way possible; chunky. He had chunky legs and arms, along with the softest cheeks. Jonas had told her that while she was a round baby, she wasn't as chunky as Teddy was. So Josephine chose to believe that Teddy's chunkiness came from Tommy. The thought brought a smile to her face which caught Tommy's attention.

"What's got you smiling?" He asked.

"I was wondering if Teddy got his chunkiness from you."

Tommy smiled at her words.

A little bit of happiness in an otherwise dark situation.

"Why do you think I'm the reason behind it?" He asked, still facing frontwards on alert.

"Pappa says I was round but not that round" Josephine hummed.

"Maybe it comes from both of us," Tommy suggested

"One half from me and one half from you to make the cutest baby in existence." Josephine cooed the last of her sentence.

Soon they were back on their way to Small Heath. Teddy warmly wrapped up as he gazed out of the window with big eyes, watching the scenery speed by.

As she shifted Teddy in her arms for the nth time, Joesphine was reminded of the fact that she'll have to haul him around until Tommy is able to buy the' things that they were unable to bring along.

They received the call five minutes after they arrived at the small house in Small Heath.

The Italians had struck. John dead and Michael was in critical condition.

Josephine stumbled onto the couch, her legs becoming weak. She lifted a shaking hand to her mouth as if it could stop the sob that escaped her mouth. Tears ran down her cheeks and despite how much she wiped them away, they were quickly replaced.

She couldn't believe it. John, sweet sweet John, who tried his hardest and had a good heart was dead.

The sound of muffled sobs caught her attention and she saw Tommy with his hands clasped over his mouth and slumped against the wall. Tears were spilling over his cheeks, his chest was heaving and his shoulders shaking.

Josephine's heart broke for the broken man in front of her.

She quickly made her way to her husband and pulled him into her chest, letting him sob into her coat. She ran her fingers through his hair and pressed kisses all around his face, while she cried herself.