LONELY| Thomas Shelby

4.9

POLLY STORMED INTO TOMMY'S, office her eyes expecting Tommy. Sighing she nodded at Beth who instead sat in his desk sipping on a cup of tea as she scanned through the pages of her book. "Where's Tommy?" Polly demanded. "He's gone out. Won't be back till four." Beth hummed, keeping her head down in her book. "Where?" Polly questioned. "How would I know Pol?" Beth grinned, glancing up at the frustrated woman with a teasing tone. "You spend every second of every day with the man. He's your fiancé." Polly drawled, rubbing her forehead. "Doesn't mean he tells me stuff. It's Tommy." Beth recalled, placing her book down. "Why are you in a rush to find Tommy anyways?"

"Who's he out with?" Polly pressed, ignoring Beth's question. "May Carleton." Beth grumbled, her face twisting in disgust. "The newest shiny thing in Tommy Shelby's like of site." Polly scoffed a smile covering her face. "Considering the amount of sex you two have, I wouldn't have thought you'd be so jealous." Polly teased. Beth's eyes widened as her cheeks flushed a bright red. "Aunt Pol!" Polly only shrugged cheekily, her eyebrows raising. "It's not like I can't hear the bed hitting the wall. I'm surprised he hasn't broke through the wall and out onto the streets of Birmingham." Beth let out a laugh, shaking her head at Polly's teasing.

"Where's his diary?" Polly asked. "Read my tea leaves and I'll get you his diary." Beth retorted, pushing her teapot toward Polly. "You pour the tea." Beth did as told, pouring the cold tea into an empty cup. "Now swirl it around. Think of happy times with Tommy. Think of happy times with Calvin. Think of happy times John. Now pour the tea away, give me the cup and get Tommys diary." Polly instructed. Beth emptied her cup, sliding it towards Polly as she stood to get Tommys diary off one of the shelves. Slamming the leather book down, Beth flicked through the pages opening the corresponding date. "See if Tommys got a free afternoon in the next seven days."

"Friday." Beth spoke, watching as Polly turned her cup. "Make sure he leaves it free." Polly instructed. Beth rolled her eyes nodding anyways as she sat back into Tommys seat. "Make sure Tommy keeps that Friday free. Tell Lizzie to tel him I have an appointment for him. And then go to the doctors." Polly grinned, turning to walk away. "What why?" Beth called, standing up as the Shelby woman turned, raising her arms up. "About the baby in your tea leaves." Beth's stomach turned as she stood, her hands shaking as she gasped. "There's no way Polly." She shouted, shaking her head but Polly was paying no mind.

•

Beth walked out of the doctors, her face scrunched in worry as she walked with speed towards Polly's. Her mind raced as she thought of a thousand words to say the simple sentence. Nearing toward Polly's she grinned nervously at Tommy who stood against a wall, a cigarette between his lips. Reaching out for her hand, he took it in his and began to walk her in the opposite direction. "Where are you taking me Thomas?" Beth mumbled in confusion, glancing around wearily. "I want to show you something. Where have you been all day?" Tommy asked, glancing toward her. "Out." Beth replied, catching the face he pulled. "How's May Carelton?"

"May is May. Where have you bloody been all day?" Tommy repeated, growing impatient. "Off with my other lover. She's short with black hair and loves horses so much she's even beginning to look like one. Oh sorry no- pardon me I'm thinking of a cow." Tommy laughed, pulling Beth into his side as he continued walking. "You have no reason to be so jealous Bethany. I'm all yours love." Beth scoffed, rolling her eyes with a grunt. "I am not jealous Thomas." She spat. "Seems like it. Now if you don't tell me where you bloody were all day I'll find out my fucking self."

"I went for a walk up to the graveyard with flowers." Beth lied, rolling her eyes as she did so. "We're here." Tommy declared, grinning smugly as he got his way. Here happened to be a distillery, a beautiful looking one. Shelves upon shelves of gin lined the walls and the place smelled brand new. Glancing around in awe, Beth suddenly became envious of the fact she wouldn't be able to drink for the new upcoming months of her life. "I didn't expect this. New hobby, darling?" Beth pondered. "I don't have time for hobbies. This is more of a place where I try things out. I decided if we're gonna be stuck here in Small Heath, I may as well do something useful. More a venture than hobby."

"Why show me this now and not earlier?" Beth pressed, raising her eyebrows as Tommy lifted a crate from the ground. "Because it's finished. And I wanted you to be the first person to see it. Before the Prohibition, I've been sending single malt Scottish whiskey to Boston, Halifax, Nova Scotia, hidden in crates of car parts. But my supply lines from Scotland have been unreliable. There's been a lot of thefts and in this day and age, American women drink as much booze as the men and woman apparently prefer gin." Tommy explained.

"So with the help of a friend of ours in Camden Town, I've set up my own source of supply. Junipers, potatoes, sugars and water all turned into US dollars." Beth grinned nodding. "Good man Alfie. I'm surprised you two didn't kill each other but I'm glad." She watched as Tommy picked a bottle of gin and poured it into two glasses and she internally cringed. "When we're up and running we'll produce over two hundred gallons a week. But before then-." Holding the glass up, Tommy nudged it into Beth's hands. "I need my recipe right, tell me the truth Bethany." He instructed.

Looking from the drink to Tommys expecting eyes, Beth internally cursed herself for being so daft and raised the glass to her lips taking a sip of the gin. Grinning she placed the cup down onto the table and pulled Tommy in. "The truth is your the love of my life and I want to spend every minute of every day with you." Tommy rolled his eyes at her words and placed a kiss to her lips. Placing his forehead against hers, he smiled. "And the gin?"

"Too sweet, a problem I thought Tommy Shelby to never have."