VICES AND VIRTUES | Thomas Shelby

FOURTEEN

"Flo, what on earth are you doing here?" Imelda exclaimed as she stared at the daughter she had barely seen over the past four months.

"Good to see you too, Ma," Florence grinned, "Elijah had business in the city so he dropped me off on his way."

"Oh, well then you better come in," Imelda smiled, leading her into the house, "How have you been?"

"Good," Florence replied, closing the door behind her, "We've been working on the house, you'll have to come and see it."

"I look forward to it," Imelda answered half heartedly, having struggled with seeing so little of her daughter given how close they were.

"It's going to be magical at Christmas, with the new baby as well, you'll stay with us over Christmas won't you?" Florence replied as she and her mother took seats at the kitchen table.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Imelda smiled, "Even if it means spending Christmas with Margaret Harrington."

"Did she pay well for Diana's wedding dress?" Florence asked, referring to Diana and George's wedding which had happened about two weeks ago.

"Well enough that I've been able to work less," Imelda nodded.

"If you're struggling please tell me, Ma," Florence insisted, taking her mother's hand in hers, "Elijah wouldn't see you go without."

"The boys all miss you," Imelda interjected, not wanting to discuss her financial situation with her daughter.

"It's felt odd not to see them every day," Florence replied, realising that it was the longest she had gone without seeing any of the Shelby brothers since the war.

"Finn's playing out the back, Pol asked me to keep an eye on him, something about a family meeting at the Garrison," Imelda explained, "I'm assuming you don't have any plans to see Tommy while you're here."

"I've not seen him since the wedding, I've not seen any of them since the wedding, Pol sent flowers but apart from that it's been very quiet," Florence told her.

"Polly tells me that Tommy's changed since you and Elijah got married," Imelda told the girl, unable to forget the moments she had noticed between Tommy and her daughter prior to the wedding.

"I wouldn't know, I've not been here," Florence replied, unsure of what else to say.

"Floss," Imelda sighed, bracing herself for potential fall out, "Is that baby actually a Harrington?"

"Why would you ask that?" Florence reported, finding herself immediately defensive.

"Don't think I never saw the way Tommy was with you, a mother knows," Imelda reminded her daughter.

"Anything that happened between Tommy and I was dead in the water before anything happened between Elijah and I," Florence insisted, hating herself for lying to her mother.

"Flossie," Imelda soothed, taking her daughter's hands in hers, "Tommy thinks the world of you, it's quite obvious."

"Don't hold your breath, mother," Florence sighed, "That couldn't be further from the truth."

"What happened between the two of you, hmm?" Imelda continued to probe her daughter, "You were so close not long ago, Pol agrees with me."

"So you've been talking about me?" Florence sighed in frustration.

"Only to Polly, we both want the best for you," Imelda answered, her voice trailing off at the sound of shouting next door.

"What was that?" Florence muttered, "I thought you said Polly and the boys were at the pub."