The Angel of Small Heath

After billy the kid

"He did, I used the key on the nail. Look, I've been listening. I want to go with them" Micheal stepped forward his eyes flickering between the leader of the family and his mom. 

"You see!" Polly shouted her hand raised towards her son who was now looking adamantly at Tommy. 

"I love horses, I could even help"

"Over my dead body!"

"It'll be alright, mum. I've been to loads of horse auctions with my uncle. They're very respectable, people bring their butlers"

It seemed Micheal addressing Polly as his 'mum 'for the first time softened her heart at just the right time. Micheal was learning quickly, Tommy thought.

"Let him come, Polly. Aurora's going and you know damn well Tommy wouldn't bring her if it wasn't safe" Arthur told his aunt with a brief smile, he could see her resolve cracking before his very eyes. "We'll go there, buy a horse, come back"

"I'll drop him back at the house in Sutton before it gets dark. You can spend the day with Anna and her husband, they're coming for dinner aren't they?" John piped in with a cocktail stick hanging from his lips in an attempt to keep him focused. It was a habit he picked up after the war, something to keep him distracted from his thoughts.

"No, f*cking no" Polly argued defensively, she couldn't lose her son, not when she just got him back. She rather him be annoyed at her then dead.

Micheal didn't take her refusal kindly because he walked straight out the door slamming it behind him without a glance back. 

"All right, that's it" Tommy finalized, redirecting the men's attention back on him once again.

 "Back to work, Come on" 

The men didn't hesitate to pick up their belongings and head towards the door, they had work to do. The Shelby company expansion required everyone to give their maximum effort, Tommy Shelby would expect nothing less.

"Aunt Pol" John called out addressing his aunt with an offshore look on his face. He waited until the room cleared out before opening his mouth to speak, it wasn't something other people need to overhear.

"When I was Micheal's age, I'd killed a hundred men and seen a thousand die. If you want to scare away that kid away forever, carry on how your going. But if you want him to stay, let him come. Aurora's going to be there in one of her fancy dresses, she might even bring the triplets" John explained leaving Polly to contemplate her decision, it wasn't often John told her something wise.

***

"Damian! if you turn Tommy Junior's toy train into a snake one more time your on time out" Tommy warned his eyes lifting off an important business document for a brief moment. 

For the past two hours Tommy had ended five fights and two potential deaths. It had been a while since he was left with all the kids on his own. Arthur and John had disappeared the moment they had arrived much to Polly's amusement. 

"But look dad! they like him" Damian shouted pointing to his little brother who was laughing hysterically as the snake hissed in his face.

Startled Tommy shot up from his seat to rescue his boy, Aurora would never leave him alone with them again is Tommy Junior got bit by a snake. He didn't hesitate to rip the brick red snake off his youngest child who tried to reach out for it immediately. Tommy Junior loved snakes, they always seemed to find him.

"No TJ! you can't play with snakes" Tommy shushed before turning to his oldest boy, "don't make me get your mother, turn it back into a train now"

"I'll do it dad!" Rose giggled her hair a bright pink to match her mothers dress. She was the only child who was playing peacefully in the corner. Aurora had gifted her new dresses for her dolls before she left much to Rosie's delight, it was the main reason why she hadn't caused any trouble for Tommy yet.