red↳ thomas shelby

- XXIV. -

[ B i r m i n g h a m , 1 9 2 2 ]

Thomas Michael Shelby had royally fucked up.

One minute, everything was fine. He left Ada's house feeling accomplished and ready to go back home to the love of his life. Then before he knew it, he found himself driving somewhere else entirely.

He couldn't tell you why he drove to May Carleton's estate, using the poor excuse of needing engine oil when asked by her staff. Curiosity perhaps? Or an early midlife crisis brought on by nearly approaching fatherhood?

It had started off innocent, with small talk about his horse and her late husband. But when May invited him to stay for dinner, and then the night, Tommy knew exactly where the night was going, yet he did nothing to stop it.

He was fully aware of the beautiful woman he had waiting for him at home. The woman who he would go to the ends of the Earth for. The woman who made his dream of becoming a father a reality, but instead of taking the engine oil he didn't really need and declining May's invitation to spend the night, Tommy spent the night in another woman's bed.

As soon as he woke up the morning after, Tommy put his clothes back on and left the estate, sitting in his car and wallowing in his own self-pity. Now that it was over, Tommy didn't know what to do. He couldn't tell anyone. His family would skin him alive, they loved Zara almost as much as he did. He sure as hell wasn't going to tell Zara, that he was sure of.

As he sat in his car, watching the daylight pour in, Tommy's blood ran cold as he realised how stupid he actually was. If she ever found out, Zara would never forgive him, and he would lose the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Tommy released a shaky breath and took out the small box that was burning a hole in his coat pocket. As he stared at his mother's ring Tommy did the most unexpected thing.

He broke down and cried.

♔♔♔♔

Tommy took a deep breath as he stared at the front door of the home he shared with Zara. He shouldn't be scared to enter his own home, but in reality he was scared shitless. Tommy was terrified the second he walked in that door Zara would be able to tell exactly what happened.

Eventually, he slowly opened the front door and tried to mask his terror. The house was eerily quiet, which only made Tommy more on edge.

"Zara? Love, where are you?" He called out, searching for his girlfriend.

"Be quiet!" Finn hissed at his older brother as Tommy came into the living room. Zara was fast asleep on the sofa. Finn sat next to her on the floor, staring at his brother with worry. "We've been up all night. I finally got her to go to sleep."

Tommy nodded. "Thanks, Finn. You can go home now." He tried to ruffle his little brother's hair, but Finn pushed his hand away.

"She was really worried about you, you know? Where were you, Tommy?"

"Nowhere important, Finn." Tommy sighed.

Finn nodded and left Tommy alone with Zara. He stared at her sadly, and kneeled next to her where Finn sat before. Tommy took her hand that fell off the couch and held it in his. "I love you. So much." He pressed a kiss to her hand, tensing when he felt her hand wiggle in his grip.

"Tommy?" Zara asked sleepily.

"Good morning, love." He said softly.

She quickly became fully awake, sitting up and staring at Tommy with a fury he had never experienced before. "Where the fuck were you?"