𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 · 𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬

𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

The second time Evelyn was forced to take matters into her own hands; a bullet going straight through the mans forehead as his body fell to the ground in a slump. Evelyn could still remember the way his hand felt around her throat, her struggle to breathe as she reached for the gun that had slipped under her desk chair.

"I need this. I need the fucking business," Evelyn choked out, tears beginning to cascade down her cheeks before she headed for the door. "Don't keep me away from it."

From that point on Tommy made sure that she was included more in Peaky business; per Polly's pleas. He felt like he had broken that vow the moment he wasn't there to stop those men, no screw that – he knew he had failed his sister and he intended to make up for it for the rest of his life. To protect her no matter what. 

~~~~~~~

"So why exactly are you in London, Miss. Shelby?" Evelyns attention was pulled away from the stunning champagne coloured dress in the shop window by Matya, the Jewish woman holding the hands of a little boy and girl.

After Alfie and Evelyn had shared a kiss on the dance floor over two weeks ago, he had rushed to walk her home – not before Matya yelled out to meet her outside the pub the next morning. Evelyn tried to ignore the way her heart anguished at the memory of her walk home with Alfie, a tense silence the whole way – him only offering her a slight nod when she thanked him for the night, not attempting to see her again after that.

"Just doing some business with Mr. Solomons for my brother," Evelyn forced a smile. "I'm not too sure how long I'll be here for."

"I'd say you won't be going anywhere for a while," Matya chuckled, watching as her daughter Ruth, tugged on Evelyn's coat – the small girls braids bouncing around. The Shelby woman instinctively picking her up; a questioning look on her face as she looked at Matya.

"Why's that?"

Matya only let out a vivacious laugh, running her hands through her son, David's, tiny curls. Her expression was one of amusement as she lead the four of them through the markets, stopping at a jewellery stall to look at the rings.

"You think I didn't see you and Alfie kiss?" Matya snickered, placing a couple of rings on her fingers to see if they fit – Evelyn blushing at the woman's words.

"I don't believe he was too fond of that kiss."

"It didn't appear that way," Matya tilted her head, placing the rings back before they moved along.

"He pulled away suddenly!" Evelyn exclaimed. "Then he didn't speak to me the entire walk home. He's so hard to read."

Evelyn had never properly kissed someone before Alfie. Sure, she had pecked Isaiah when her brothers dared her and made out with Jeremy in seventh grade behind the oak tree on school grounds so she wasn't caught by her brothers – but she had never kissed someone the way she did with Alfie. A kiss where she got lost in the other. 

"Is it because of my family?" Evelyn questioned, becoming lost in her own thoughts. "He mentioned my brothers hurting him, but they won't if they don't find out and even if they did then they would have to get to Alfie through me-"

Matya was quick to cut her new friends rambling off. "Eve! Take a breath!"

An embarrassed expression coated Evelyn's flushed features, her cheeks now a bright pink as Matya pulled them to the side of the walkway; besides a stall selling scarves. 

"Look, I've known Alfie since I was thirteen," Matya began to explain, pulling David back to her side when he tried to chase after a couple of other children. "He and my brother were best friends and then they were sent to France and only Alfie returned. The boy who would protect me like I was his own sister was tougher, he started up his business and bought the bar I worked at once he found out about the twins he offered my husband a well paying job at the bakery."

Evelyn listened intently to Matya's story, sadness clouding her features. She didn't know what it felt like to lose someone in the war; all her brothers thankfully coming back to her – but she did understand what it was like to emotionally lose them instead.

"Alfie's not someone who shows emotion anymore," Matya continued, her voice soft. "He thinks he can't; especially with what he does for work. But, when you kissed him last night I truly believe that he realised he was letting those feelings creep up on him; he was trying to repress the idea that there was something there with you."

Evelyn sighed, before running her free hand down her face – an action that Polly had told her mirrored Tommy, the older woman stating that the two were more similar than people could see.

"I just don't know what to do now," Evelyn complained. "I have to do business with him, my brother's relying on me. I just don't want to make him uncomfortable now that we've kissed."

Matya linked her arm with Evelyn's pulling them back through the market, a supportive smile on her face. "You could try to talk to him?" She suggested as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What if he wants to forget it ever happened? What if he never wants to see me again?"

Placing a top hat on the top of Evelyns head, Matya let out a giggle that resembled that of a school girl before picking up a fan and beginning to fan herself.

"You don't let him," Matya concluded, wrapping a feathery scarf around her neck as Evelyn placed a fussing Ruth on the ground; watching as the girl chased after her brother. "You make that man feel. Let Alfie fall in love with you. You make him feel loved, completely and fully – and if that love is madness, then make him feel that, Evelyn Shelby."

Evelyn stood in silence as she took in Matya's words. She didn't know what she felt for Alfie, but she was willing to figure it out – so long as he was by her side.