LONELY| Thomas Shelby

5.7

"I love you endlessly Tommy. I'd go through hell and back a thousand times if it meant I got to spend every moment I have with you and our little family. Our mums, my dad and our brothers are here today. I can feel it in my bones." Beth grinned, huffing as she wiped the tears carefully from her eyes incase she smudged her makeup. "Gosh I can't stop crying." Beth laughed, holding his hand tightly as Tommy wiped his eyes quickly. "Neither can you!" Beth grinned, her voice quiet louder than she expected making the church laugh as she stared at her soon to be husband with a shy smile.

"Thomas, I will now ask you to say your vows to Bethany." Tommy nodded, his hands sweating as he stared at her nervously before glancing down at his cards. "I'm not afraid of a lot of things." Tommy began, the room spinning as he tried to calm down. Beth reached forward, grasping his hand tightly and giving him a reassuring nod with a big smile. Tommy felt the air finally get into his lungs as he grinned up at her, finally breathing. "I'm not afraid of a lot of things but I'm bloody scared of Bethany Clover." The church laughed and Tommy couldn't help but grin at the look on her face.

"I'm scared of Beth because she's the love of my life. She could tell me to do anything and one look in her eyes and I would. She's the one who calms me down when I'm gone a bit.. mad. She's the one who stuck by my side through every fuck- oh god. Uh- sorry." Tommy coughed, glancing up at Beth who began to cackle the priest glaring at them both. "Oh dear lord they're like bold children." Ada murmured, her and Polly holding in laughs. "She's the one who stuck through my side through every mistake I made." Tommy continued, a grin on his face. "Bloody right I did." Beth murmured, grinning softly at Tommy who rolled his eyes.

"She's the mother of my beautiful little Jane and stepmother to my son Charles." Beth reached over, wiping the fall tear that escaped down Tommys face. "I love you Beth. I love you more than anything. Thank you for staying by my side because god knows I haven't made it easy." Although she had never second guessed their marriage, in that moment everything seemed to slot together like a jigsaw. Beth's heart grew warm as she smiled like a Cheshire Cat, her eyes wandering past Tommy to her baby in Ada's arms.

This was it. This was everything she had waited for since a child. The priest began to talk again but it was fallen on deaf ears as Tommy and Beth stared at each other like it was the end of the world because in ways it felt so guilty to feel this happy and content. Every shred and gap of loneliness that followed over Bethany Clovers shoulders as she grew up through all the break ups, the arguments, the cry's in the graveyard- it was all worth it. She had won. She had gotten her Tommy. The pastor continued on and then came the words Tommy was dying to hear.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Tommy pulled her in with a hard tug, their lips meeting as everyone around cheered, the photographer snapping a photo. Tommy and Beth walked down the aisle, both smiling widely as they greeted the family the passed as everyone followed them outside the church for a group photograph. "I think I've fallen in love with you all over again." Tommy grinned, pressing his lips to hers once more as they stood in each others hold. The group took their pictures and then Beth, Tommy, Jane and Charles all stood for a photo that Beth was bound to put up in the sit room after the wedding.

Her journey back to Tommy had started in a church and now was ending in a church and although it must have been wrong, as they danced their first dance that night with Beth pulled tightly against his body, everything couldn't have been more perfect and she was grateful for the way it all had turned. "I love you so bloody much. I'll never let anything ever come between us again." Tommy murmured, pulling back slightly to grin down at her. "I love you more than anything Thomas Shelby." Beth whispered, a smile wide on her face as everyone watched but yet no one would ever know the whispers they shared.

"What's next?" Tommy asked, his blue eyes never leaving her own. "Maybe we build a house of our own. Spend time with Jane and Charles. Watch them grown tall as we grown short. Get a wheelchair maybe so I can push you round the nursing home, eh?" Beth teased, watching Tommy roll his eyes. "I didn't take that long to marry you. We're not dead just yet." The first dance ended and everyone made way to sit down, Beth and Tommy sitting at the top of the table and conversing with their family around them when Arthur stood, clinking on his champagne glass.

"I'd like to make a toast." A blind man could see with the glare Tommy shot at Arthur, going to stand up Beth tugged him down with a scowl on her face as she shot him a warning look. "My brother Tommy is a tough cookie to crack and I've never seen him love anything quiet like Beth. And it wasn't just random he's loved her all his life." Arthur grinned, glancing over at Beth who smiled at him proudly. "John and Calvin would have loved to see her in her wedding dress but Beth was right. They're here tonight and they're looking at Beth and they're going how the bloody hell is it okay for someone that beautiful to marry a Shelby boy."

The table laughed along with Beth who squeezed Tommys hand who hadn't yet to crack a smile. "You've got it all Tommy. You've got the American dream. Don't mess it up with time, eh?" Arthur grinned, winking over at Tommy who couldn't help but grin. "To Bethany and Tommy." He raised his glass up, the table coursing it as Beth smiled nodding at Arthur lovingly. "That was beautiful Arthur, thank you." Beth spoke, leaning across the table to kiss his cheek. "Anything for my little sister, eh?" Arthur grinned happily, glancing over at Tommy who nodded in approval. "She's right. Well done Arthur."

"I guess it's your turn to speak then." Polly nodded, gesturing to the newly wedded couple. Beth cringed, glancing over at Tommy who shook his head. "No way. Your go. I could barely speak at the church." Beth scoffed, shoving his shoulder lightly although she couldn't help but grin. She gulped down her champagne before picking up his glass and standing up. "Atta girl Beth!" Finn cheered, him and Isaiah laughing as she refrained from throwing him the finger. The table went quiet as Beth collected her nerves, glancing around at the familiar faces.

"It's been a long journey." She began, a wide smile on her face. "It's been a long bloody journey for us all. We've loved and we've lost but one thing that's fair to say is that Tommy and I have stuck together through nearly all of it." Beth teased, grinning down at her husband. "I'm sure most of you sitting here have watched our journey. Kids who were best friends to teenagers who were in love and separated by war, to adults who found each other and fell in love all over again. We're not perfect, never have been but we love each other more than anything and I suppose that's all that matters. Thank you to everyone who's came and thank you to everyone who listened to us through every fight and breakup."

The table laughed as Beth herself couldn't help but smile wide. "This one's to the man I love the most. To my Tommy." The table raised their glasses, cheering off as Tommy tugged Beth into his lap, the champagne in her hand being saved from spilling by Ada who quickly grasped it. Beth laughed happily, Tommy placing his lips to her own as the table cheered once again. Pulling back, Tommy shook his head  "To the queen of Small Heath. My Bethany Clover." The table all cheered as Tommy stood, tossing her over her shoulder. "Oi! Where are you two going?" Polly yelled as Tommy trekked upstairs, the newly weds laughing loudly.

Tommy placed Beth down gently onto the bed once they reached the bedroom, his eyes fixated on her as he shook his head in awe. "You really are the most beautiful woman I've ever met." Beth couldn't help but melt, pulling him down against her as their lips went once again. "I love you more than anything Thomas Shelby."

"And I love you Bethany Shelby."

BOOK THREE PENDING.......