Nicotine // [michael gray / peaky blinders]

Thirty-Eight

"She's down for the night, I reckon." Michael says, climbing back into bed, resting his head in my neck.

Tillie's been giving us some grief ever since we got married, probably because we've had her sleeping in the other room so that we don't keep her up with our, ahem, late night activities.

"I'm exhausted, love." I run a hand through his hair. "And I've got to see Tom tomorrow."

"Sleep?" Michael looks up at me with big eyes and I nod.

"Stay on me. Maybe you can get a full night if you're touching me."

"Don't have to tell me twice." He mutters and places a kiss on my collar bone, hands gripping me a little tighter as I become his pillow for the night. "I love you, Florence Gray." He whispers into the skin of my neck.

"I love you more." I press a kiss to his forehead and close my eyes, quickly falling asleep in my husband's arms.

-

The next morning I'm up early, quickly replacing my body with Michael's. This is the most that he's ever slept through the night, which is a relief. We both need to cut back on our cocaine habits, we're not kids anymore, we're fucking parents. I down a scalding hot tea, throw on a new dress and heels, kiss my sleeping husband on the forehead, and pick up Tillie, she's got to come with, I can't trust Michael with her alone yet, sadly.

"Morning, Flo." Ralph walks into the house and I smile at him.

"Morning, Ralphie, want a tea? There's water in the kettle if you want some." I change Tillie's diaper and put her in a dress that matches the color of mine, a light green, and put a white hat and shoes on her. "You look so sweet, my girl." I kiss her sleepy nose and she babbles back to me, reaching out and grabbing a lock of my hair and I hold her on my shoulder as I walk to the kitchen.

"You going to carry a gun today?" He looks at the sleeping baby on my shoulder and large bag of supplies for said baby on the other.

"Can't risk it. You've got one for me?" I ask and he nods.

"Under the passenger seat in a cigar box."

"Thanks." I smile and he nods, finishing his tea. "Ready?"

"If you are, boss lady." He holds his hands out to take Tillie while I put my jacket and hat on. "I'll never get over you in that hat." He says as I pull a few strands of hair out of my peaky cap.

"Fittest Peaky Blinder of them all." I smirk and take my baby, making sure to put her on the other side of the blade hidden in my cap.

"You're still armed." Ralph says and I nod. "That's why you always wear it, huh?"

"It's better than having nothing, don't you think?" I ask and his face softens with a nod.

"Yeah. I suppose it is." He says and opens the backseat for Tillie and I to get in and I lay her in between my legs, sitting back as we head towards one of Tom's factory. Where I'll be the first woman to walk in for months, and I've got a fucking child.

-

"I don't think you should bring Till in." Ralph says, peering into the factory. It's full of smog and dusty air.

"Probably not." I mutter and pass her over to him. "If she wakes up, there's toys and other shit in the bag in the backseat." I say and then head inside, looking straight ahead as the factory workers slowly turn and watch me pass by them, heading straight upstairs and to the office with Thomas Shelby's name on it.

"Florence." He spins in his chair. He looks better than he did last time, his eyes brighter behind his new round glasses.

"Thomas." I take off my hat and coat, hanging them on a hook behind the door.