Tommy felt very content with his life.
Although work was busy and with the factory workers constantly threatening strikes around the city, none of it mattered to him.
Not when he had her. Not when he saw how happy she was. Not when he could work hard during the day and come home to a warm bed with her at night.
Bella's been spending more time at home with Charlie recently, with everything going on with the unions, Tommy insisted that she did.
Not that she was against the unions, in fact Tommy knew she disagreed with him about some of his labor views. But she never says anything, not when their home life was so perfect.
But Tommy didn't allow her at the office as much unless she was with him. It could get dangerous and he refuses to put her in any form of danger.
He had been working more at the factory itself. Set up office in the conference room upstairs, where he could step out and view the manufacturing of the vehicles from the balcony.
It was a week before Christmas and Tommy was just getting home after a long day at work.
As usual, it was Bella waiting for him at the door instead of one of the maids.
She smiled at him, taking off his cap before leaning for a kiss.
"Hello Bella" he mumbled against her lips
"Hello Tommy" she mumbled back "how was your day?"
He rubbed his chin, Something he does whenever he's stressed. "More strikes breaking out, but business is still running."
Pursing her lips. Thinking about the state of the economy, it was going downhill. She couldn't even imagine where she'd be on the social scale if she never met Tommy, so she sympathized with the families that are struggling.
"Everyone wants more money, but there are other expenses to be paid." He continued, "how was your day, peach?" He asked wanting to change the subject
Smiling again, "good! Took Charlie to see the horses, he asleep now. Tired from running around with Baby."
Raising a brow "he loves that dog."
Starting to walk upstairs towards the bedroom, she laughed "of course he does! How could you not?"
"I do, I do. Just not to the extend that boy does." Tommy said in a surrendering stance, he'd never admit it but he likes the dog a lot more than he leads on.
Bella stopped at the top and turned towards him, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I love our family, and that includes Baby. So thank you letting him stay. Ada will be here at the end of the week, so we have start preparing something for Charlie for Christmas." She told him, knowing that it'll be a small Christmas with the family still not on speaking terms. But maybe Ada and Eleanor will stay for dinner.
Tommy kissed her softly, "we'll make it special, I promise."
Kissing him back "thank you...Frances keeps telling me the new chef wants to know how many people will be in attendance."
Furrowing his brows "new chef?"
"Yeah, I'm told that he's foreign and likes to make big meals. Wants to know who in the family will be in attendance."
The whole situation seems off to him, this is his house, yet he didn't know about this chef.
"Leave it to me, I'll take care of it, maybe Johnny Dogs and his tribe will come."
She nodded at him, turning to continue their way to bed.
It was finally time to rest.
*****
A couple of days later, Bella was in the family room with Charlie and Baby.
As usual, the two were playing together and Charlie was telling Bella about all the things he hopes to get for Christmas.
Smiling at the boy as he sat next to her on the sofa. "Mummy?"
"Yes, Charlie?"
"Do you think Father Christmas thinks I've been good this year?" He asked sounding worried
Feeling her heart drop at the thought of Charlie thinking he's been bad, and won't be getting any presents. She wrapped an arm around him, scooping him up into her lap, lightly poking his chest.
"Now you have been wonderful this year, and Father Christmas would be silly to think otherwise!"
Charlie's eyes widened as he covered her mouth
"You can't call him silly Mummy!"
Bella laughed behind his hands, pulling them away from her face.
"I'm sorry, not silly. But you have nothing to worry about, you've been a good boy. Now how about some afternoon tea?" She asked, knowing the boy would want a snack by now.
Nodding his head, jumping off her lap "yes, please!"
Standing up as she held her hand out for him "alright well then, let's go down to the kitchen, see what they got for us"
She carried him as they walked down the stairs to the basement where the kitchen was.
Walking into the back room, where the chefs were, smiling at the familiar ones.
"Hello, we were wondering if you be able to please get Charlie here a little snack." She asked
One of the men, who she learned goes by Chef Max, smiled and nodded "of course, Ms. Ray. I'll prepare some biscuits for you two."
Returning the smile "thank you very much. Oh! And for supper tonight can you please prepare something for Baby to eat as well?"
"The mutt can eat the scrapes out back"
Furrowing her brows, she turned to her left. Seeing a man sat at the end of the long cutting table, sharpening one of the kitchen knifes.
"Excuse me?"
Looking up at her, he stopped his movements. He wasn't familiar to her at all, must be the new chef that Frances told her about. He had dark hair, a mustache and was very tan. Obviously Italian.
"I said that the dog could eat the left overs out back."
Opening her mouth about to say something about his tone but Chef Max saved him, sensing the rough interaction.
"I'm sorry Ms. Ray. Will we have a nice dinner for your pup as well."
Holding the man's stare for a second longer before turning back to Chef Max,
"Thank you."
Giving the new chef one more look before leaving the kitchen with Charlie still in her arms.
"I don't think he's on the nice list." Charlie said as they walked up stairs
Looking down at her son, nodding her head in agreement
"I don't think so either."
*****
"I'll be there Christmas Day dear."
Eleanor's voice chimed through the phone.
It was December 23rd, 1925. The second Christmas the Shelby family won't be celebrating together. Bella was still trying to convince Tommy to go to Johns New Years party, but he's really convinced he doesn't actually want him there.
"It'll be nice, Mum. Johnny Dogs is coming so there'll be plenty of kids for Charlie to play with." Bella told her
"Oh how is my soon to be grandson?"
Smiling while thinking about Eleanor's new relationship to Charlie
"He's good, sleeping now."
Eleanor smiled thinking about that little family, feeling the tears in her eyes
"I can't believe you're getting married. My baby Bella, marrying a wonderful man. When do you want the wedding?"
Bella playfully rolled her eyes at her mums gushing
"We're thinking about a fall wedding"
"That'll be lovely Bella,...you have a good night. Tell Thomas I said hello."
"I will mum, have a good night."
Then hung up the phone.
Making her way down the hall to the bedroom, where Tommy was waiting for her. He was sitting up in bed waiting for her to join him.
Turning from the paper he had in his lap, fixing his glasses as she crawled onto the bed.
"How's your mum, peach?" He asked as she rested her head on his shoulder
"She's good, says hello and is very excited for the wedding." She told him sweetly
Tommy smirked thinking about Bella wearing an elegant dress, walking down the isle.
"Suppose we should start planning it soon, huh grumpy?"
He turned to her with a fake annoyed look at the nickname, causing her to smile.
"Unless you've changed your mind about me?"
Taking off his glasses and moving the document to the side table, he turned back to her. Leaning over her so she had to laid back on the bed, smiling up at him.
"Never." He said before smashing his lips onto hers.