Ray Of Light - Tommy Shelby

The return of a love

One sunny, May morning Addi was working a shift at the hospital and when she was told by one of the doctors that a soldier was being transferred from a hospital in London, following him being involved in a rather large explosion, his wounds had healed but he was in need of rehabilitation after being a full body cast and it would be her job to welcome him to the hospital and help during his rehabilitation process. 

After collecting the file she made her way to his room;

"Hello Mr Hammond, my name is Adaline Rhodes, I'm going to be looking after you while your here" 

"Please, call me Lon but it's nice to meet you Adaline" he gave her a gentle smile 

"Okay I'm going to help you sit up now Mr Hammond" Brining her leg up on the bed to bend over him and support his back while bringing him up to a sitting position 

"May I ask you a question miss?" he said as she helped bring his legs off the edge of the bed 

"Of course," she said handing him a glass of water to drink 

"Well, I uh, notice you're not wearing a ring and well I was wondering if I could take you out sometime?" 

"Excuse me?" Adaline said slightly taken back 

"Like on a date miss... now before you decline, I'll have you know I am an excellent dancer or was before all of this" (he gestured to his body that had been badly damaged in the explosion) 

"Well, okay Romeo, we'll just have to see about that date but we have to get you better first," Addi said smiling 

"I'll hold you to it, Miss Della, if I may call you that" 

"No one has ever called me that before but you may," she said smiling and nodding her head and helping him lay back down, remembering that Tommy had called her that in his letter

"I'll see you soon" 

As Addi walked away glancing back at him every few steps, she realised that for the first time in four years, she felt butterflies but then, she felt the guilt of feeling butterflies, from a man that was not Tommy while he was still away fighting, but she reminded herself that she had not heard one word from him for four years, nor were they in any way involved with one another, and so Addi allowed herself to feel this moment of happiness and butterflies. 

Days changed to weeks which in turn passed into months and Addi and Lon grew closer as she helped him get better, reminding her continually of the dance that she had agreed to when they first met. Eventually Lon was discharged from the hospital and would be returning to London to work out of an army officer and see his family;

"Now Della, don't forget I'm all healed now, so I'll be back for that dance" 

"Okay Romeo"  was all she said waving goodbye to the man she had grown close to these last few months

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As more months passed it was November, more specifically it was Monday 11th November 1918 and the war was finally over, people cheered with excitement for the soldiers that had been gone for so long would be returning. The moment Flo realised that Charlie would be coming home safe, she rushed to the apartment and pack up her stuff, ready to move back into her home with her soon to be husband, and Addi, well she had a mixture of emotions, she was filled with excitement for her friend getting her husband back safely and her dear friend returning, as well for the many families that would be finally be reunited after all these years but she also felt anxious, because she would finally see the man she had tried so hard to move on from, all with possibly seeing the man that she had grown close to again. 

Friday 15th November 1918 was the day people had been waiting for - the return of the men who had been away and everyone flocked to the train station to celebrate their return. The morning of, Flo had arrived at Addi's apartment at an unholy hour, filled with pure excitement of seeing her true love once again, and Addi would not dare to complain because her best friend had waited 4 years for the moment that was only a few hours away. As Flo dragged Addi out the front door and down the street towards the Train station, Addi saw the Shelby family making their way towards the train station too, giving Polly and Ada a gentle smile and wave as she carried on being pulled towards the station by Flo. As they got into the station the train was arriving and people were cheering louder than they ever had before, Addi was sure the building might collapse but she and Flo went and stood next to the Lamppost where Charlie said he would meet them if he were to return safely. Flo couldn't stand still, she rocked from one leg to the other, almost bouncing up and down, Addi grabbed her had to support her but also try and keep her still but then she heard a scream come from Flo's mouth and knew exactly what had happened. 

As Addi turned round she saw Flo rushing towards Charlie who was making his way to her through the crowd, she watched her dear friend jump into the arms of her love and kiss him as she had never kissed him before - Addi held up her camera and captured the moment, she knew they would want to remember forever, she felt the tears slowly roll down her cheeks from watching the joy of her to best friends being reunited after all this time, as walked over to them, she saw not only Flo crying but charlie as well as he pulled both of them into a big hug. 

As they started to leave the station Addi looked around to see if she could see Thomas or the Shelby family but she couldn't and so continued walking with her friends, listening to Charlie tell all about his time away and his appreciation for being back home and Flo was telling him about how much she missed him and the party that was being held at the Garrison tonight in honour of the mens return, but at that moment, Addi saw her blue eyed man across the road only he didnt see her, she looked at him in amasement at how much he had changed in the four years, he had lost weight, become more pale, looked exhaused, but above all the smile that made her heart do flips had been replaced by an unexpressive straight line and Addi did not have the heart or the courage to go up to him, so she kept walking but, little did she know that he saw her at that moment too, only he noticed how happy she looked, with her long blonde waves blowing in the wind with a young mans arm around her shoulder, and all he felt was anger and jealousy because after four years of waiting, picturing and dreaming on his golden girl, he saw her with another man.