Passion Bearers

The birth

It was a complete stroke of luck that Tess was in the hospital when her water broke.

She had been picking up some books Nurse Masters left for her to read. It was by Nurse Masters' suggestion that she keep these books to make busy while waiting for the baby.

But as she was dropping by the hospital, the baby deemed it the perfect time to arrive.

Tess had been walking out of the hospital when she felt something wet run down her legs and she felt a pain in her lower abdomen, causing her to clutch it. Martha saw her and instantly rushed her inside, calling the midwives to hurry and get her set.

After that, it was seven hours of labor, during which Tommy and his family had allegedly come in. She didn't see no sign of him, just Polly and Martha, who gripped her hands tightly as she screamed her lungs off. They were a great help but not enough to alleviate the absolute pain that Tess was going through to deliver the baby.

" Just one last push, Tessie girl, come on", said the midwife through her thick Scottish accent.

Tess screamed, feeling as if her voice cords had ruptured from the strength of it, and pushed. She felt relieved at an instant and immediately after that, she heard the cry of a baby echo through the room. It was followed by Polly and Martha's relieved laughter, whose eyes followed the bundle that the midwife was holding.

After snipping the cord between her and the baby, the midwife cleaned took it to the sink to wash it, while it cried and screamed. Although Tess was still recovering from the pain, she felt love swell in her heart as soon as she heard her baby. She felt like crying herself, barely holding back from all the emotions.

" There you go, dear", said the midwife as she handed her the baby, " It's a beautiful baby boy".

Tess took her son into her arms and she started sobbing the moment she met his clear blue eyes. Just like Tommy's , she thought as she cried, love overflowing within her, filling every jagged corner in her heart.

She was so overwhelmed with all the love that she didn't hear Tommy coming in so when he appeared right next to her, she looked up a little startled. His smile was wider than any smile she's ever seen, illuminating the room, making her laugh a little herself.

" It's our baby", she whispered as she gave him their child, " It's our son".

Tommy looked at the baby in his hands as if he had discovered gold, happiness radiating off him in waves. Polly and Martha shared a small smile at the sight of his huge grin. Behind them, John and Arthur had come in as well, their smiles just as wide as Tommy's.

" Aye Tommy boy, you got yourself a good one, eh?", John hollered as he clapped on Tommy's back and gave Martha a sly little smile.

John and Martha got their twins just a year ago but already, Matthew and Mary became the jewel in their eyes. They were like Tommy and Tess in a way, forced to marry after finding out that there would be a baby coming. Unlike with Tommy, everyone expected John to get in trouble like that. As Polly once said, John was the most virile of all Shelby men she's ever met.

But currently, Polly was obviously not happy with her nephew, obvious by her instant fuming.

" Who the fuck you being all rowdy for, John? The baby's just been born, for Christ's fucking sake", she hissed, effectively shutting both the Shelby brothers down.

Tess let out a little chuckle at the antics and instantly brightened as little Finn and Ada, carrying him, entered the room. She gestured for them to come closer and watched in delight as her sister-in-law's eyes blurred with tears, watching the baby struggle in Tommy's arms.

"Alright then, boys, take a look at him, will you", Tommy said as he passed the baby to his brothers, who took him with glowing faces, displaying him to the rest of their siblings, as well as Martha and Polly.

The rest of the night was spent in celebration as they took the baby home, the boys pulling out the best whiskey and going down to the Garrison with the other Peaky boys. Tommy briefly dropped into the celebration, later returning home to Tess and the baby.

He caught her as she was feeding Charles, a name that Tommy announced as he stood on the table of the Garrison, proudly declaring the name of the new Shelby as if he was a part of royalty.

Tommy shut the door behind him as he walked in his eyes instantly landing on the little one in Tess' arms.

" He's surely one for the tit, eh?", Tommy teased as the baby burrowed himself further in his mother's chest.

Tess shot him an amused look and stroked Charlie' head, seeming to forget about all else for a minute.

" He's going to be a healthy boy, isn't he?", Tess wondered out loud, kissing Charlie's forehead.

" Of course he will", Tommy assured her, hugging her and the baby, surprising Tess by his sudden softness, "He'll be the King of Birmingham. He'll have the whole country on their knees by the time he's old as I am".

Tess chuckled.

" That's too many expectations for a newborn, don't you think, Tommy?", she asked him as she raised a brow.

Tommy laughed in response, as he had a lot in the past few months that he had been with Tess. Nevertheless, it never failed to warm Tess' heart but also cause it contract, aware of the feelings that she was developing for him, but too scared to think of them.

" I think the boy is sleeping", Tommy informed her as Charlie's eyelids closed.

Taking it as que, Tess took him to the cradle they had installed in the bedroom a month before. She kissed him one last time before tucking him in and turned off the light before returning by Tommy's side, her arms wrapped around his torso.

He gave her a small peck as he brought her underneath his chin, her head nestled between his collarbone and jaw. She traced patterns on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it jumped by her ear.

" We have a son now, Tommy", she whispered into his chest.

" Good", he replied, " Means we should have a daughter next".

Tess gave him a small slap.

" Did you know how much pain I just went through him pushing him out? And you want me to have more children after that?", she complained begrudgingly.

" We'll have seven", he stated confidently, with an air of amusement in his voice, " We'll get a big house in the country and we'll have all our children running around, plucking grass and flowers".

She nodded, slowly being lulled into sleep by his deep voice.

" That doesn't sound like a bad idea", she said.

" No", he agreed, "it doesn't".

They both fell asleep soon after, their dreams carrying them away into that house by the countryside. They were all just one little, happy family in their small house down by Watery Lane, not realising that soon, their world would be changed.