In Bleak Midwinter

Chapter Thirty-Two

Emily stood and watched the garden glisten in the moons reflection from the bedroom window. She had composed herself through the frequent flushes of painful resent created by her argument just moments before with Tommy. She waited for her husband to return upstairs, hoping he would give some sort of explanation or apology to his vague conviction.

She heard his footsteps lingering in the hallway as though he was trying to prepare himself for battle. It was an unfamiliar cause to be fought as he was used to to physical battles with bad men, not a battle of heart with the women he loved. When he eventually showed his face, he asked her gently to sit opposite him so he could explain himself thoroughly.

"I'm not having an affair, Emily" he said firmly, looking directly into her eyes. He then cleared his coarse throat before continuing. "I did not want to involve you with these business plans as they are not legal. Because of this, they are also extremely dangerous. That's why John was in my office earlier".

Emily chewed her cheek whilst maintaining eye contact and then took a deep sigh before responding.
"I thought you wanted to stay away from illegitimate business?"
"I know I did. But this is who I am, Em, and there has to be some compromise in my line of work. I can't do the things I need to do without working in the shadows" He softly replied.
"You can do the things you need to do without jeopardising the safety of our family though, Tommy?" She said in a sarcastic tone, not understanding the point to his explanation.
"It won't jeopardise anyone's safety if you stay out of it" he continued, not acknowledging her sarcasm.
"Okay. But what I can't wrap my head round is that you have never been this sensitive to secret business before, so, my question to you is, what are you so afraid of?" Emily asked wilfully.

Tommy inhaled a deep breath and clicked his tongue just moments after he exhaled the integral sigh, rubbing his eyes in the process.
"Right, this is how it's going to be is it?" Tommy muttered under his breath. "I'm scared for you. I'm scared for the children. This is just how I am when I feel this way. I'm sorry if it is concerning or uncomfortable to be around, but it's not something I am unfamiliar with. I've dealt with it before, and I can deal with it again."
Emily closed her eyes in disappointment and shook her head. Just as she opened them again, she shrugged her shoulders in defeat.
"We made vows to talk to each other. You never used to hide things; it was me and you against the world, Tommy! And now, sometimes, I feel as though I don't know who you are anymore. I just don't understand what has changed?" She paused to look over at him analysing her speech. "I love you, Tom. I don't ask you to give me the world, I'm just asking you to let me in."

Tommy reached his hand out and caressed the side of Emily's cheek. "I love you" he uttered gently, his voice cracking with deep emotion before kissing her.

When the two had drawn back from one another again, Tommy stood up and prepared himself to go back to bed whilst Emily sat momentarily in a state of indifference.
"Look, I will tell you this; as you know, Arthur, John and I have been expanding the business for the past six years around the country. In completion of some transactions, there has been minor rebellion with certain groups and families, however, this expansion was necessary for business stability. The discussion John and I were having earlier was in relation to one of these transactions. I've told John not to get his personal feelings involved. That's all it was" Tommy stated.
Emily tilted her head to face her husband, narrowing her eyes in a state of suspicion. "What personal feelings?"
"Emily, you're asking questions again" he grunted, climbing into bed.
Emily gave him a stern look of disapproval which implored him to be obedient in giving her answers.
"When committing the expansion, John had a few threats made towards him. It's nothing major, just like the type of petty threats we got when we was in school" Tommy reluctantly added.
Emily scoffed and got into bed beside him.
"Oh, so now you're school children again? Honestly, you men are ridiculous, you know?"
Tommy chuckled to himself as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into the warmth of his chest.
"All will be okay, Em" he reassured. "Once this business is over, maybe we can go away for a while? Take the kids. Go to America and explore?"

Emily cuddled up beside him and smiled agreeably. "I would like that very much."

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One week later...

The sky emitted a cloudy haze across the outskirts of Birmingham. It was muggy in temperament, and yet, the grass still beamed a bright shade of green which was complimented by the emergence of new floral life brought out by the summer solstice. Tommy and Emily were visiting Johnny-Dogs camp just a few miles away from their home.

Emily watched as Charlie and Jack ran riot with some of Johnny's children, occasionally causing Johnny to shout in Romani in hopes they would calm down. Emily had never gotten round to learning the language so she watched as Tommy reacted to the situation; he chuckled at Johnny's means to be authoritative which subsequently led to Emily laughing at a distance. Tommy patted the horse which he and Johnny were discussing as Charlie bounced around them. The horse, evidently showing signs of distress to the young boys frantic behaviour, pulled itself backwards and away from Johnny's grip. Tommy quickly grabbed Charlie and hauled him away incase the horse was spooked, protecting his young boy from its uneasiness.
"Stay there, Charlie" Tommy snapped, turning back to the horse and pulling it to attention.
"Easy boy. Woah! Easy boy" Tommy hushed.

Frightened by Tommy's quick turn of tone, Charlie ran away to hide from his father. Emily rushed over to her husband, realising what was going on. By that point, the horse had calmed down and returned to its original position.
"Wow Tom, I don't know how you do that so easily" Johnny stated in disbelief,
"Is everything alight?" Emily intervened.
Tommy pivoted to look for his son. "Where's Charlie?"
"I just saw him run towards the wagon" she added.
"That boy never listens" Tommy sighed.
"Why? What did he do?" Emily asked blankly.
"He spooked the horse, Em... An accident though. He's alright" Johnny responded.
"I'll go talk to him" Emily gulped as she turned away.
"No, I will. He needs to learn" Tommy commanded, walking towards the wagon.

As he approached the wagon, he called Charlie's name multiple times, and to his dismay, received no response. He began to get frustrated, taking a deep sigh before he was interrupted by the sound of a car approaching in the distance. Everyone in the camp turned to watch a grey Bentley approaching them and abruptly stopping to reveal Arthur who emerged in a panic.
"Tommy!" Arthur called. "Tommy, I need to talk to you!"
Emily watched eagerly at the events unfolding, gradually walking closer to the men who began to converse with one another. The closer she got, the more she heard.
"He's gone a bloody done it, Tom. I told him over and over not to do it. He's a bloody idiot!" Arthur burst.
"Where there any witnesses, Arthur?" Tommy quickly demanded to know.
"You spoke to him. You told him not to do it" Arthur repeated in a trance like state.
"Arthur!" Tommy snapped. "Where there any witnesses?"
"Yes brother... He did it in the tailors. There were many witnesses"
Tommy stood back in disbelief and clicked his tongue before suddenly bursting out in a fit of anger.
"What do I have to do to make people fucking listen to me?!"

The whole camp stopped what they were doing and fell mute in fear of Tommy's rage. Emily watched her husband try to compose himself again before she broke the silence.
"Is that a serious question?" She asked in a sarky voice. She was honestly surprised by how he reacted; everyone around him obeyed him without hesitation. People died in the name of his cause. He controlled the city and the family when it came to business affairs, so she found it difficult to comprehend how he had come to the solution that people didn't listen to his orders.
Tommy looked up and stared at her in utter confusion to question before rapidly snapping back to his usual self. "Arthur, come with me. Johnny, take the horse to Curly and then await my further instruction. Emily, take the children home and don't let any visitors come. I'll be back later." He instructed before climbing into the drivers seat of the Bentley. He didn't kiss her goodbye as he usually did.

Before Arthur could grasp Tommy's quick reactions, Emily quickly demanded answers from him.
"What has happened, Arthur?"
He stared dumbfounding to himself so Emily clicked her fingers in his face, snapping him back to action.
"John cut Angel Changretta... I think it may have started a war" he said, just as he ran towards the Bentley and climbed into the passenger side...