Tommy's nightly routine was the same every night, right down to the last second. Even when he tried to purposely avoid doing it he still found him stuck in the same loop following them same steps over and over from the moment he entered the house. Tommy was certain the newly laid flooring had become indented with the bottom of his shoes and yet they would no ease their suffering and allow him onto a new path.
At six in the evening he would step through the doors of Arrow House where Grace would be waiting with a bright smile and a kiss as she pried the briefcase from his hand and plucked the cap from his head. Sometime he would get the urge to take the briefcase back and disappear down the long road again and out of sight. Instead Tommy would lightly smile at her and watched how she passed his things to Frances. She was amongst the new maids Grace had picked out before they moved into their new home. Grace had stressed to him how important it was to have an orderly home especially one as big as there's. If everything wasn't perfect then everything was out of control and Tommy didn't have the time to deal with running the household so the duty rested on Grace's shoulders, not that she had any complaints in fact she seemed to love it.
At six thirty dinner would be served on a table large enough to host every member of the Lee family and Tommy would sit at the top on his throne as if he was presiding over his own court, an empty court. Once Tommy had lit a cigarette he would ask Grace about her day and he would listen for a moment as she tucked into her plate and offered him the highlights of her day. It was only then once Tommy found himself unwillingly relaxing that the noise began to start. It would start of with the rhythm of a steady beating drum growing louder and louder until there was a final boom and chaos broke out yet Tommy remained still at the table with that same small smile and smoking his cigarette until the filter had burnt through and there was nothing left.
Then once Grace was almost finished eating he would finally excuse himself and head into his office, firmly shutting the door behind him and blocking everyone out. Tommy would open the briefcase that had been perfectly placed within the middle of his desk and open it, feeling a sense of relief as the papers stared up at him. The noise would quieten down once more, not completely but the small rhythm of the drums were now harmless. He would spend the rest of his evening in his office continuously writing until his fingers were blistered and his mind was settled once again, only then would Grace enter and hold her hand out to go to bed, interrupting the peace that was steadily flowing through him yet his joints rejoiced in the interruption.
Tommy had timed her one restless night. It took Grace seven minutes to fall asleep leaving Tommy all alone in the darkness of their new room. He didn't know why she wanted him to go to bed with her, she knew how restless she was and hated the amount of times he twisted himself during the night. In the end Tommy would turn on his side and place his hand on Grace's stomach, on top of their baby that grew peacefully inside her. She was beginning to show and with only four months left to go Tommy was both impatient for the baby and worried.
Despite all his faults, Tommy hoped he would be a good Dad. A Dad his child would be proud to have and love. He also hoped the child would never turn out like him, he or she would have a good comfortable life and so far from the mud and shit Tommy had raised himself from and continued to raise himself from. Birmingham was home but Tommy wasn't done building his empire yet. To achieve a peaceful empire for his child Tommy first had to build it up with violence, bloodshed and money, it was the only way.
The feeling of his child still wasn't enough to settle Tommy down on the night and the longer he laid there the more unrested he became. Throwing the covers from his clammy skin Tommy would put his pants back on and go back down to the office. It was now the only place in the house where he felt sane, whatever sane was and that was how he lived through each day, following the same routine until it had embedded itself into his mind.
Today was the day Tommy had been dreading. After keeping them apart for so long Polly and Grace were now coming to face to face. Every member of his family had been to the new house except from Polly, she had refused to, she didn't want to see Grace or be near her. The hate Polly had for Grace unsettled Tommy, he didn't believe Polly would kill Grace but the threat still lingered in the air. Tommy didn't want anything to happen to Grace, she was the mother of his child and had every right to raise their child alongside him no matter what grievances came with it.
After speaking with Aurora Polly's decision to not see Grace changed and she'd decided it was time to have a tour around the new house. Tommy didn't know what Aurora said to Polly but it had worked much to everyone's surprise particularly Grace's who still remained unsure about Polly visiting, expressing multiple times to Tommy that she didn't want Polly to step foot in her house nevertheless Polly would be visiting and Grace would have to come face to face with her past.
"What does it mean?" Grace asked Tommy staring at the fresh ink imbedded into his right shoulder. It was the beautiful image of two tulips, one large, one small with fragile foliage wrapping around them like a little neat bow keeping them protected and together.
"What does what mean?" Tommy grunted turning to look back at her as she continued to stare at him through the reflection of her vanity mirror.
"Your tattoo, you didn't get it until this past week" She replied delicately powdering her face. Grace wanted to look her best today, she needed Polly to see her as a woman who would not be made to feel uncomfortable in her own home. She was no longer the enemy and wouldn't stand to be treated as such.
"Me Mom used to tell me a story about a young woman who owned a small cottage in the country and outside that cottage was a garden filled with a sea of tulips. The woman was kind hearted and wanted nothing more than to live a quiet life amongst her tulips. One day a man came walking past the cottage and stopped to admire the most rarest tulip within that garden, her. He was taken aback by her beauty but not just the beauty he saw on the outside, the beauty from within is what truly captured him. He would come everyday to see her and before long the woman had fallen deeply in love with the man and brought him into her home, into that small cottage filled with nothing but pure love. The poor tulip had fallen for the wrong man, he was cruel and corrupt, everything she was not and over time he began to hurt the woman, the hurt growing deeper and more painful with each wrong action he took yet it didn't matter to his tulip she still loved him. One day the woman woke up and he was gone, you'd think she would of been relieved, they'd be no more hurt but it tore the very heart out from her chest especially now she was carrying his child, their own tulip. Whether it was from heartache or a cruel twist of fate that little baby blooming inside of her died and the woman buried her baby within the sea of tulips, forever to stay in the garden sweet and still" Tommy explained his vision becoming blurred as he though about that little tulip resting in the ground.
"Why would your Mother tell you a story like that?" Grace swallowed, her hand coming to rest on the swell of her stomach. She couldn't imagine losing the baby, her heart broke for the woman in the story.
"She wanted to teach us to appreciate the things we love before it's too late. You see the man came back one day after straying away. He loved his tulip but upon his return he saw both of them laying within the garden and he dropped to his knees, screaming until the heavens shook with grief and began to cry for him. It was too late for him, he had lost everything he'd love and if he'd just appreciated what was there in that little cottage then that sea of tulips in the garden would have two less flowers. The tulips on my shoulder are the mother and the child, they represent everything I have ever unappreciated and they will stay there forever to remind me of who I am and what I've done"
"You may do bad things Tommy but you are not cruel. You're not that man in the story. You would never abandon the woman you love or your child, I know this don't I? Am I not living proof that you are far better than he ever was. If he had truly loved that woman he would of never left" Grace smile softly taking note of the troubled look in Tommy's eyes. She understood why, it wasn't the nicest story to tell a child after all and she certainly wouldn't be telling her own child about it. There were many ways to teach a young person how to truly appreciate things without the lesson pulling at the heart.
"She was the love of his life and he fucked up. People fuck up Grace" Tommy frowned quickly pulling on a shirt, covering the tattoo from her view "Now enough stories, Polly should be 'ere soon"
Ignoring Grace's sigh of frustration Tommy turn to face away from her and continued getting ready. Hopefully this house tour would end quickly and he could go back to work and far away from this bedroom.
The tension in the air was thicker than the smoke that filled Birmingham sky as both Polly and Grace sat in the lounge together. They stared at each other suspiciously while Grace sipped from her cup of tea and Polly stirred the spoon around her own cup slowly, making sure the spoon screeched against the sides filling the room with a sickening sound. Grace clenched her teeth and kept her face straight and focused as she tried not to wince at the sound. Instead she appeared a picture of patience and continued to drink with enthusiasm. Polly could see straight through her, she didn't miss the way Grace perked her chin up or the way her eyes widened slightly. She always give those she thought less than her that look, it was her way of asserting whatever power or privilege she imagined she possessed. The only privilege she'd get from Polly was a quick death.
"So what did you think of the house?" Grace questioned placing a smile of false pretence on her face, breaking Polly away from her thoughts of grabbing her by her delicate blonde locks and slamming her face through the glass table.
"Oh beautiful, absolutely fucking marvellous. You've done a really good job with all the details it's all very......rich, befitting of Tommy's new life" Polly answered mirroring Grace's smile as she dropped her spoon loudly on the table and picked her cup up.
"Thank you, it was important to Tommy to have the best money could buy"
It was true Tommy was doing incredibly well. His wealth boomed higher with each day and he wanted to show off that wealth especially to those who never believed he could ever achieve such riches. Grace was proud of him, he'd raised himself from nothing and had done the impossible of a man who once went without shoes just to help feed his family.
"Tommy's always had a taste for expensive things, it didn't matter how ugly they were" Polly remarked through tight lips, her face a picture of kindness yet her eyes were deadly.
"Well his tastes have gotten better over the years I think" Grace chirped putting down her cup and looking over towards the open door. She wished Tommy was here but he had disappeared with Michael after showing Polly around the house. It was quite cowardly to leave her with the woman who wanted her dead but Grace could handle Polly and wouldn't be scared to deal with her if she had to.
"Have they?" Polly shrugged before the room fell into an uncomfortable silence once again.
"I think we need to t......"
"How is the baby?" Polly asked interrupting Grace looking down at her blossoming bump causing Grace to instinctively rest her hand on top of it.
"Perfect, the midwife told me the baby is growing beautifully and is as healthy as can be" Grace smiled warmly this time feeling her heart swell with love. She couldn't wait to hold her baby for the first and finally meet the person who had changed her world around.
"That's good to hear, truly" Polly replied honestly. A baby was always a blessing it didn't matter who the Mother was, Aunt Polly was going to care and love this child as much as she loved the others "Tommy's always wanted children, he's always wanted to be the Dad his couldn't be"
"I believe he's getting more excited by the day, he desperately wants the nursery finished but I told him to wait a little bit more until we can come to an agreement on colours"
Grace had every reason to be happy about being pregnant and yet her happiness continued to fuel Polly's anger.
Why did she get to be happy when so many had suffered because of her?
How was she able to just walk back into Polly's family like she'd done no wrong and never nearly gotten them killed?
"And your husband, did he want kids?" Polly enquired knowing the truth all to well. She knew the reason Grace had been in London in the first place was to see a doctor about her infertility. In the end it had been her poor husband who was the infertile one and his wife had all but laughed in his face.
"I'm no longer married, my husband is dead" Grace answered sternly, the smile on her face turning into a sour scowl. She had let Polly get away with her small childish digs so far but she was starting to cross the line.
"No thanks to you of course, practically dancing on his grave" Polly snapped "You have a habit of ruining people's lives for your own selfish needs but of course we won't discuss that, not with saint Grace"
Standing up, Grace clenched her fists and took a step forwards.
"I may not be able to remove you from my life but I will remove you from my fucking home!" Grace sneered. This little tea break was done, she would not stand to have this woman in her home for a moment longer.
"Oh will you now" Standing up Polly moved towards Grace until their faces were mere inches apart "Go on then.....remove me"
"You're not welcome here anymore, I don't want you near me or near my baby"
Letting out a cold laugh, Polly shook her head and smiled sickly sweet, a look of amusement on her face as Grace took a step back as she took one forwards.
"You seem to be forgetting one thing sweetheart. This is my family, I am the one in charge here and you're only alive because I allow you to be. You will not step out of line or take that tone with me again and you're certainly not removing me from anywhere so if I were you I'd sit back down and drink your fucking tea before Tommy sees just as much I despise the ground you walk on. Oh and I'd think carefully about your next words or this itch in my hand will slither it's way around your throat"
Stepping back Polly headed back to her chair and sat down, crossing her legs over and smoothing out her skirt as she did so. Taking her cup she raised it to her lips and hummed.
"This cup of tea is delicious, you should drink yours before it gets cold".
"Everything alright in here?" Michael asked sometime later as he appeared in the lounge with Tommy.
"Everything's fine" Grace replied standing up once again and turning to face Tommy "But I'm feeling tired, I think I'll go rest for a moment if you'll excuse me please"
"Of course, shout for Frances if you need anything" Tommy replied with nod accepting Grace's kiss on the cheek as she walked past him and disappeared from the room. He could see something was bothering her yet he put it down to a small disagreement with Polly. No one was dead which was all Tommy needed to know.
"Michael will give me and Tommy a moment?" The tone in Polly's voice left no room for refusal, she would be having words with her nephew.
"I'll go wait in the car, I'll see you later Tommy"
Tommy waited until Michael was out of sight before he turned back to Polly with a look of curiosity, his eyebrow raised as he waited for her to speak.
"There's a reason for my visit" Polly stated clearing her throat causing Tommy to let out a small bark of laughter.
"It's not like you to have an ulterior motive Pol" Tommy humoured opening the cabinet in the back of the room and pulling out a bottle of his finest whiskey. Pouring himself a glass he quickly drank it and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I've came to tell you to stop seeking Aurora out"
Polly could see Tommy's jaw slam shut and tighten right away, he was furious but she needed him to hear her.
"I know you love her Tommy but the girl has been through so much and you still being around isn't helping the both of you, in fact it's going to end in disaster. You need to let her go Tommy, it's time for Aurora to move on with her life like you are doing with Grace and she can't do that if you're still coming in and out of her life, giving the girl false hope of a happy ending" Polly explained, her words harsh but truthful. She could see they were both falling deeply in love again and she didn't want to see Aurora destroyed further.
"Did Aurora tell you this? Is this what you've been discussing during afternoon tea ey?!" Tommy demanded, his words poisonous and full of anger, anger that he was slowly losing control of.
"No the girl is fucking smitten with you which is why I'm the one standing here instead of her telling you to back down. I know what's best for that girl and it's not you Tommy, not in these circumstances. I'm going to help Aurora move on and I don't want you around while I do it" Polly retorted hoping Tommy would see that it was time to stop thinking about his own selfish love for Aurora and start thinking of Aurora as a person, a person who had to be away from him once and for all. This was about what Aurora needed and not Tommy.
"Get out Pol"
It had reached the point where Polly had overstayed her welcome and it was time to leave. Whatever was happening between him and Aurora was between him and Aurora, not Polly. He'd have no one telling him to stay away from Aurora, not when she was the only thing along with the baby that kept him sane. If Aurora wanted him gone then it was up to her to say so, he would no listen to anyone else.
"Tommy listen to fucking reason!" Polly cursed snatching her purse from the table readying herself to leave knowing too well he wouldn't listen to reason and soon there would be nothing left between them but screams.
"Get out!" Tommy barked pointing to the door, his breaths coming out short and deep as he tried desperately to keep his anger in check. Watching Polly storm from the room Tommy kicked the cabinet with all his might and dragged his fingers through his hair, tugging painfully at the ends.
He couldn't keep away! He fucking couldn't! No matter how much he tried he always found himself seeking Aurora out like she was the very breath in his lungs.
How could Tommy let her move on when he was so stuck in the past?
He'd always stressed how important it was to look to the future yet here he was praying he could go back to Christmas and marry Aurora like he'd been planning to. He needed the past to be pulled into the present otherwise he would crumble under the knowledge that both Lewis and Aurora were truly gone from his life.
Turning his head to the side Tommy caught sight of Grace's perfectly placed flowers. The house had been filled with multiple stone vases filled with the reddest roses to celebrate them moving into Arrow House. They were Grace's favourite flowers because they represented love, the love they had for each other, the baby, the stupid fucking house. Letting out a snarl Tommy stormed over to one of the vases and taking a firm grip of it he lifted it off the ground and walked towards the front door.
He could see Michael's car in the distance driving away from the house and with a loud yell Tommy threw the vase as hard as he could and watched it smash amongst the stones outside.
"Mr Shelby, are you alright?" He heard Frances frightened voice call out quietly from behind him. Turning around, his face red with fury he pointed to another vase and harshly clicked his fingers.
"I want those roses gone and filled to the brim with fuckin' tulips"
"Any colour in particular Mr Shelby?" Frances asked keeping her face steady and kind, masking the fear she felt at her boss's anger.
"White"
Stepping back into the house Tommy headed over to his office and slammed the door behind him with enough force to shake the walls.
Frances stood still in the entry way looking down at the roses on the floor wishing she had taken the job in offered to her in London instead. Arrow House had became really tense in recent days and Frances hoped for the sake of them all that it ended soon but she had a feeling that her boss, Mr Shelby didn't truly want to be here.
A/n
FINALLY WE MADE IT! It's 6am but I fucking made sure I wrote it!
Next chapter Aurora has a date 😏