In Bleak Midwinter

Chapter Twenty-Two

Emily strolled rapidly down Watery Lane; she had been practicing what she was going to say to him before she reached the door of his house. As she was about to knock, John emerged from his door and interrupted her knock.

"Alright Em?" He smiled.
Emily turned and looked at John; she was a little startled by his sudden appearance.
"Hi John. You okay?" She responded.
"Yeah, not bad. What are you up to?"
She looked at John blankly as if it wasn't obvious what she was doing. Instead of questioning it, she chose to continue the small talk.
"Oh. I uhm- need to see Tommy" She smiled.

John moved closer and started to behave suspiciously. He leaned in and began muttering, covering his mouth by pretending to clear his throat.
"Ehm Tommy... he's....unavailable...ehm busy?"
Emily squinted her eyes.
"John, I have absolutely no idea what you just said"
John shot an awkward look before trying again.
"Tommy... he's... uhm... busy"
"What?" Emily said again, getting frustrated at his lack of clearness.
John sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Tommy is busy"
"Right" Emily nodded. "And? That hasn't stopped me before" she continued, turning to knock on the door.

Her hand was suddenly grasped and stopped from knocking. John held her arm momentarily before realising his grip. He let go as her arm flopped back down. Emily glared and then laughed hesitantly as if he was joking around with her.

"John, what is the matter with you?"
"Emily. I'm sorry. I can't let you go inside" he ordered.
"Why not? Why are you being so weird? I came to apologise to Tommy and that is what I will do" Emily scoffed.
"Because...." John hesitated.
Emily raised her eyebrows curiously and then tutted.
"Because???"
"Because Tommy is in there with another woman... her name is Grace and she works at the Garrison" he blurted suddenly.
"Oh" Emily quietly muttered, swallowing the emerging lump in her throat.
"I didn't want you to go in and be hurt. I'm sorry" he confessed.
"Oh. No" Emily paused. "It's okay. Thank you, John"

Tommy's door abruptly opened; Grace jumped at the unexpected visitors at the door. She smiled noticing John.
"Oh hello...Sorry, I was just leaving" Grace politely spoke, awkwardly stepping out the door as the two moved out of her way. Tommy was walking down the corridor towards the door to see Grace out when he spotted Emily.

Emily was too  busy analysing Grace to notice Tommy now lingering in the doorway. She wanted to hate the woman for being with Tommy but in that moment, she felt absolutely nothing. Her heart had sank and numbed itself. She wasn't sure what she was expecting. Emily smiled at Grace sadly, watching her walk away before looking down at her feet.

"Em?" Tommy quietly spoke.
Emily looked up. She had noticed John's blatant panic before moving her eyes towards Tommy.
"Do you want to come in? Have some tea?" Tommy asked.
Emily shook her head and feigned another smile.
"No. I shouldn't" She inhaled. "I was just passing. I came to apologise for the other day. It was unacceptable of me and I said some very hurtful things that I didn't mean"
"Come inside Em" Tommy asked again.
"It's cold out" John added.
"I have things to do. Look, I'm really sorry Thomas. About everything" she paused again, trying to hold back the emotion which was now, finally building. "I've got to go... Mary's expecting me. Baby stuff I guess?" Emily said before rushing off down the street.

As she rushed away, rain began to fall down as the sky turned grey; this was no peculiar change in the scenery as most of Birmingham was grey. She could hear the splattering of running steps approach her from behind - this only made her want to walk faster.
Her clothes were now beginning to feel heavy.

"Emily!" Tommy's voice called.
Emily turned unexpectedly to Tommy's footsteps approaching. He pulled her into an ally to cover her from the rain and then wrapped his jacket around her.
"Tommy. I'm okay. I've got to go" she urged.
"No. You look at me right now" he said cupping her cheeks in the palm of his hands, catching her undivided attention.
"What you saw back there was not what it looked like. Now please, come inside with me?" He ordered.
Emily shook her head from between his soft grasp and closed her eyes.
"Tommy... I've got to go. Please..."
"I know what you said the other day you didn't mean. I get it. You were grieving. I understand."
Tommy wiped the tear that trailed down from her eye and across her cheek.
"There is nothing you could say or do that would change the way I think of you. And what you saw back there was business. She came round for tea. I need to be able to trust the people who work for me" he reassured.
Emily nodded and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in closer for a hug.

The rain poured down. By this point, both Tommy and Emily were soaked through.
Eventually, they made their way back into Tommy's house and warmed up by the fire.

————-

Tommy lit a cigarette and from a distance and admired Emily whilst she wrapped herself in blankets by the fire. She turned, noticing his admiration and smiled softly whilst she sipped her cup of tea.
"What are you looking at" she softly asked.
Tommy shrugged carefully and inhaled the smoke which trailed from the end of his cigarette. Emily turned away again and looked into the fire.

"How's the baby?" Tommy interrupted.
"It's well Tommy. Strong... I can feel it kick now and again".
Tommy nodded and smiled. He put out his cigarette, stood up and walked over to her. He leaned in and kissed her. Shortly after, he knelt in front of her and placed his hand on her belly. 

"Polly said it's a boy" Tommy spoke.
"A boy? How does she know?" Emily inquired.
"Gypsy intuition. Polly's never wrong" He responded.

Emily leaned forward, touching her forehead with Tommy's as a compassionate sign of her overwhelming happiness. As they both simultaneously pulled away, Tommy reached his hand into his pocket. He then revealed the small box and opened it carefully. 

"Miss Emily Marie Roberts, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" Tommy asked sincerely...