Promises Not Kept

6

            Tommy rarely had hangovers anymore. Or at least ones that he even noticed. He usually had a migraine so it made no difference if it was a stress headache or that of a hangover. In fact, he felt a little lighter on that particular morning after the night out with Leah. If anything could get Thomas Shelby to fall asleep it was a copious amount of alcohol and a few rounds of sex. He actually slept through most of the night once he and Leah passed out in bed.

            Itching for a cigarette upon waking, Tommy opened his eyes and stretched an arm out for his always-nearby pack. After regaining awareness of his surroundings, he realized he was pinned to the bed by a particularly cozy blonde. A rare morning smile crossed his face and his mind wandered to how it used to be. Grace always curled up in his arms when they went to sleep. But by the end of the night, she managed to accumulate all the blankets, unknowingly keeping them far from Tommy. He never minded.

            Leah appeared to be the opposite. She was sprawled out over him, her cheek resting on his sternum, one hand resting on his collarbone, the other pressed to his heart. Her legs tangled with his and if she had been a full-grown man, Tommy wouldn't be able to move. She was fast asleep and he was hesitant to wake her.

            But he needed a smoke. As carefully as he could, Tommy tried to ease out from under her. He froze when she stirred but she merely turned over, flopping off of him and onto the bed. Relieved, Tommy quietly sat up and saw his cigarettes weren't on the night table. Remembering the night before, he realized he hadn't gone through his typical night routine.

            After leaving the yard, they'd returned to Watery Lane and Tommy barely let Leah get up the stairs before kissing her. Pressing her up against the wall, his fingers already working at the buttons running down the back of her dress. It took some time but they eventually stumbled upstairs. The room showed evidence of their disregard for the world around them. They were too intently focused on each other. His things were scattered all over the floor. He'd tossed Leah's dress to the furthest corner of the room and her stockings now adorned the dresser.

            Tommy rose quietly and slipped on a pair of boxers. He searched for his coat and found his cigarette pack. But he forgot they'd run out the night before. Cursing silently under his breath, Tommy hastily got dressed and headed down to find more. He locked the door behind him so no one would wander into the room and disturb Leah. Without his pocket watch, most likely lost among the cluttered room, he had no idea what time it was as he went downstairs.

~~~~~~~~~
            No one was in the parlor so Tommy entered the betting shop to track down cigarettes. The shop was already bustling with activity. Bets were being called back and forth and money exchanging hand. His employees gave him polite nods in greeting as he maneuvered his way back to his office.

            Lizzie was waiting there for him. "Sleeping in today?" She questioned. It was rare for Tommy to not be up at dawn. The man never seemed to sleep.

            Bogged down by the extra hours of shuteye, he only gave her a glance in reply. He passed by her and dug through his desk for cigarettes. "I don't have any meetings today, I can sleep in." He muttered.

            Lizzie sighed and reached into her pocket to spare him a cigarette. Her boss couldn't function without one nearby. "Arthur said you were out late."

            "He was too." Tommy graciously took the donation and lit it.

            "He wasn't sure where you went once you left."

            He shrugged and set the cigarette onto the ashtray for a moment to fix his cufflinks. He was definitely not as immaculately dressed as he usually was. But his outfit wasn't of any importance that morning, especially to Lizzie it seemed. "I headed down to the yard for a mo' then came back home."

            "He said you were with someone when you left."

            He leaned against his desk, facing his secretary. After a few anxiety relieving puffs, he met her hard gaze. "You seem surprised."

            She wasn't. If anything, she was wounded by his callousness but wouldn't show him. "Who is she?" Her tone was clipped as she hugged a binder to her chest like a shield for her heart.

            "I have a feeling Arthur already informed you." Tommy retorted and walked around his desk to sit down. His eyes scanned over the list of things that needed to be done that coming week.

            "Maybe he did. I guess I want to hear it from you." She lifted her chin higher and didn't break eye contact even when he did.

            "I knew her husband, he passed during the war. He asked me to take care of her."

            "So you're sleeping with her? That's taking care of her?"

            He cleared his throat and focused on the words in front of him. The last thing he wanted was a conflict with his assistant. Their relationship was complicated enough and he knew that it was mainly his own doing. He could be the villain if she wanted to paint him that way. He wouldn't blame her. "If I want to talk about my personal relationships, I will. But for now, we're running a business."

            Lizzie rolled her eyes and gave a huff of annoyance. "Honestly, Tommy, you're thick sometimes." She spat before leaving the office and slamming the door behind him.

            He sighed deeply and scrubbed his hands over his eyes a few times to wake up. If only he could snap his fingers and instantly get rid of all the conflicts in his life. If only.

~~~~~~~~~~~

            Leah woke up not much longer after Tommy went downstairs. Dazed and sporting a fine headache, she turned over. The bed was empty beside her, as was the small bedroom. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head. It was nearly impossible to pinpoint the exact emotions she was feeling. It was a mixture of everything all at once. She felt cared for, as Tommy had taken care of that need she had during his absence. He'd been tender with her, much more than when they were at the hotel. They'd taken their time and in that way, she felt more important to him. But in the light of day, fears and suspicions crept up on Leah. Was he just stringing her along for an occasional fuck? Was it simply the alcohol making her think their connection was more intense than it actually was? Was she being naïve?

            Leah bit her lip and stood up to find her slip. Slowly dressing, she glanced at the mirror every so often. Tommy's presence was still strong, despite the empty room. He'd left bruising marks on her neck where he'd feverishly kissed and sucked at the skin. Her hips were mildly tender from where he'd gripped her so firmly. But she couldn't remember ever being in pain.

            As she moved around the room, she passed over his discarded clothes. His scent lingered in the air. The evidence of their alcohol intake also remained within the fabric of the night before.

            Tommy's room was tiny but mostly sparse. There wasn't anything distinguishing it as his. She picked her stockings up off the dresser and found a drawer partly open. Overly curious, she slid it open and found a few neckties loosely folded inside. But a bit of dull silver poked out from under a black silk tie. She pulled it out and discovered it was his dog tags. The tarnished silver was dirty and dinged up from his service. But she could make out the information stamped into the small circle.

Thomas Shelby

Sergeant Major

179

            Leah's thumb passed over the indented metal. Jonah's tags were under her bed, sitting in the box with his letters. She closed her eyes for a moment to breathe evenly and deeply. For a brief moment, she let her mind wander to what might have happened if Jonah had come home to her. She might not have even met Tommy. But she would have her best friend back and in her arms again.

            She dropped Tommy's tags and buried it back under the black tie. It was no good fixating on an alternate reality. Jonah would never return to her. Now she had Tommy. Or did she?

            "Time will tell." She whispered under her breath and shut the drawer. She gathered the rest of her things to head downstairs.