Losing Tommy seemed to be the only thing that had gone wrong in Florence's world. She had a baby on the way, a secure home and a husband who cared deeply for her. She couldn't ask for much more, and with each day that came the pain of the fractures between her and Tommy shrunk, and the love she had for Elijah slowly began to grow.
The pair existed in their perfect little bubble while they waited for the baby's arrival, Elijah would make any excuse necessary to work at home rather than at the brewery. Florence would sit in the office with him unless he had clients visiting, she'd sit on the chaise lounge opposite his desk, reading whatever book she had retrieved from the library. Elijah would find himself asking her opinion on business matters and she would eventually end up sitting on his lap at the desk, the pair using work as an excuse to live in each other's company.
"Just so you know, I'm still adamant that's a girl," Florence muttered as she sat in bed with her back resting against Elijah's bare chest, as he rested his back against the headboard of the bed.
"Do you have any ideas for names?" Elijah asked, running his hand up and down her arm.
"I have a few," Florence smiled up at him, "I know your parents will despair about a modern name, but I won't have our child being named something that belongs in the previous century."
"In their world of tradition, they'll want us to call her Margaret," Elijah told her, kissing her shoulder.
"I'm not naming our child after your mother, Elijah," Florence replied, "If there were any women for me to name this baby after, it'd be my mother or Polly."
"Polly's real name is Elizabeth isn't it?" Elijah muttered, "What about something like Eliza?"
"I'd like that," Florence nodded, but she knew deep down that the baby's name would choose itself the minute the woman would set eyes on her child, "My grandmother was called Rose, that'd be a beautiful name."
"And have you got any ideas in the event that the baby may in fact be a boy?" Elijah asked.
"I do," Florence whispered, turning to face Elijah, "But I'll be saving them for our future children."
"Our future children, huh?" Elijah smirked, unable to hide his happiness, "How many do you suppose we'll have?"
"Eight," Florence joked with a smile, pressing her lips against his, "Enough to fill every bedroom in this house."
"Eight?" Elijah grinned as his lips melted into hers, threading his hands through her hair.
As he ran his tongue over her bottom lip Florence couldn't help but smile, whispering, "Posh boys don't kiss like that."
"Yes they do." Elijah muttered against her lips.
"Do you have to work today?" Florence sighed as she rested her head against Elijah's chest, cradling her baby bump as her white nightdress clung to her skin.
"Unfortunately yes," Elijah replied, kissing the top of her head, "I can't let our child's inheritance crumble can I?"
"Indeed," Florence smiled, reaching over to the drawer of her nightstand and pulling out several small photographs as her back rested against Elijah's chest, "Ma gave me these last time I saw her, thought you'd want to see what our little lady will look like."
"You're still convinced, aren't you?" Elijah grinned, kissing the girl's shoulder.
"I know you weren't brought up around gypsy traditions, Eli, but Polly has never been wrong before," Florence assured him as she handed him the photos.
"You were a charmer from day one weren't you?" Elijah sighed, flicking through the photos with his arms around Florence, so they could see the photos together.
"You were the one who asked to marry me, remember?" Florence teased.
"I would argue that it was a two way proposition," Elijah muttered as he continued to admire the pictures, reaching one of him as a little boy, "Where'd you get this?"
"Your mother gave it to me last time she visited, you know she'll be making comparisons between you and the baby eventually," Florence sighed, sitting up straight, "She'll say the baby has your eyes, or your nose, but we'll know won't we? And if we have other children, this one will stand out, and then they'll know."
"Hey, slow down a minute, Floss," Elijah soothed, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "We've always known that would be likely to happen, and if at any point someone has questions we'll face them the way we've faced everything else, together."
"But I'm right, you know I'm right," Florence replied, fear rising in her voice, "Your mother doesn't need a reason to dislike me."
"Florence, look at me," Elijah said firmly, causing the girl to turn and face him, "We made vows, didn't we? And I vowed to protect you so that is what I'll do, nothing that anyone says can change the way I feel...about you."
"I know," Florence sniffed, wiping her glossed over eyes, "I just worry."
"I know you do, darling," Elijah whispered, pulling her towards him and kissing the side of her head, "But I won't let anything happen to you, okay?"
"Mmhmm," Florence nodded with a smile.
"Do you need me to stay at home today?" Elijah asked, "I can take the day off."
"No," Florence shook her head, knowing she had plans she needed to follow through that would only worry Elijah, "You've got an empire to build us, remember?"
A woman's intuition is rarely wrong, and when Imelda had called a few days after George's run in with Kimber, explaining that Ada was still locked away in her basement flat, she knew that what Ada needed was someone with a better understanding of what she was struggling with.
So despite being almost full term in her pregnancy the minute Elijah left for work after their morning in bed Florence had one of the drivers prepare a car and take her to Small Heath. She had no intention of visiting the blue eyed Shelby man, her priority was Ada's welfare. Before she left the house she took some food from the pantry as well as some clothes for the baby, she already had more than she needed, what harm would it be to donate a few?
The car pulled up in the familiar street, just a few roads back from Watery Lane. It wasn't an ideal place to raise a baby, but Florence knew that Ada would've felt she didn't have a choice but to escape the grasp of her family.
"Would you like me to wait out here, Mrs Harrington?" The chauffeur asked as he helped her out of the car before handing her the basket of food and provisions for Ada and the baby.
"The local pub will be fine," Florence assured him, "I'll meet you at The Garrison when I'm done."
"Very well, Mrs Harrington." He smiled.
"Have a good afternoon, Geoffrey," Florence replied before he drove in the direction of the Garrison.
Slowly, Florence made her way around to the side door of the building in which Ada lived. She pushed the door open tentatively before making her way down the steps, clinging to the handrail as the weight of the baby lay heavy on her pelvis. She knew that the baby's arrival was soon to be imminent, she knew that Elijah would be worried that she wasn't resting and she knew that Margaret would go spare if she knew that Florence wasn't at home preparing for the baby to arrive.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs she noticed a basket of food that must have been left by Polly and Imelda, so she knocked gently against the door, hoping for a response or sign of life from Ada.
When no reply came Florence concluded that perhaps Ada needed to feel secure again before allowing anyone into her space, "Ada, it's me, Florence, I just wanted to check how you are."
Ada continued to remain silent as Florence stood on her doorstep, proceeding to continue talking to Ada, "I know you're upset, and I know you're angry, but what you need more than anything right now is to be surrounded by love, and I know that what Tommy did was heartbreaking-"
"Did he send you here?" Ada answered, "To reel me back into the family."
"No, no one knows that I'm here, Ada," Florence assured the girl, "I came to see you, and the little baby, because I just want to be sure that you're both alright."
"We're fine, you can go," Ada replied.
"But you're not, Ada," Florence sighed, resting her head against the door, not willing to give up, "You've not left the flat since the baby was born, you've not breathed fresh air, you've not felt the sun on your skin, you need to look after yourself so that you can look after that little boy."
"I don't need any help, Flo," Ada muttered.
"I know, but you shouldn't be experiencing this alone, and I know that Tommy's actions didn't help in that respect, but we both know that when my mother gave birth to me, she would've been lost without the support of Polly," Florence told her, "Please just let me make sure that you're alright."
"I'm alright, so you can go home now," Ada replied.
Florence felt defeated, but not entirely as she knew that she had one final option to resort to, knowing that while it wasn't exactly ideal to let someone else in on the secret, she was willing to risk it for Ada's wellbeing.
"I just want us to make this right Ada, because," Florence paused, "I couldn't bear the thought of this baby growing up not knowing its cousins."
The door promptly opened and there stood Ada, looking pale and tired, her hair a mess as she looked exhausted standing in an old silk nightgown, "So it's true, you and Tommy?"
"If you let me in, we can talk about everything." Florence smiled graciously.
"Come on then," Ada sighed, allowing the girl into her flat.
"This is for you," Florence smiled, placing a basket on the kitchen table, "There's some food, and some bits for the baby, Margaret's been bombarding me with things that we'll never get round to using."
"The baby's sleeping," Ada told her, gesturing to the little crib beside them, both women smiling fondly at the little boy, "So before he wakes up, why don't you tell me everything."
"Well," Florence sighed as she sat at Ada's kitchen table, "Tommy and I had been seeing each other since the war ended, but he never exactly wanted us to be more than just something that happened behind closed doors."
"Could've fooled me," Ada smirked, "The way he looks at you?"
"I found out I was pregnant a few weeks after you," Florence explained, "I told Tommy, and he said that he couldn't marry me-"
"Why would he do that?" Ada frowned.
"Because he believes that by being tied to him, the baby and I would be in danger," Florence replied.
"So where does Elijah come into all of this?" Ada asked.
"I told him everything, except for who the baby's father is, and he offered to marry me and we will act as though he's the baby's father." Florence told her.
"And Tommy's alright with that?" Ada remarked.
"It was Tommy's idea," Florence explained, "Except in Tommy's world, he suggested that I seduce and bed Elijah so he'd believe the baby was his, but there was no chance I could have used him like that."
"And you and Elijah, that's all for show?" Ada muttered.
"It was," Florence smiled, reminded of the shift in her relationship with Elijah, "It's real now."
"Does Tommy know about that?" Ada asked.
"No, and for now it's best that he doesn't for now," Florence told her, "You're also the only person except for Tommy who knows the truth about the baby, so please keep it to yourself."
"Of course," Ada smiled, reaching out and squeezing the girl's hand.
"Enough about me, how are you? How's the baby?" Florence asked, glancing at the little boy sleeping peacefully in his crib.
"It's tougher than I ever imagined," Ada sighed, "All he wants to do is sleep, eat and cry."
"I'm told it gets better when they learn to walk and talk," Florence assured her, "Polly always says that you and I were a pair of little trouble makers once we'd learnt to walk."
"Small Heath won't know what's hit it fifteen years down the line when our children are causing havoc and breaking hearts," Ada smiled fondly.
"He's definitely a little heartbreaker, that's for sure," Florence grinned at Ada's baby boy who lay sleeping in the crib, "Just like his uncles."
"Flo, I am truly sorry for what my brother has put you through," Ada muttered, squeezing the girl's hand.
"You shouldn't be apologising for him, Ada," Florence sighed, "Besides, I don't know if Tommy and I would've survived marriage, but with Elijah, I know that he cares about me, and he cares about the baby."
"He's a rare man, you hold onto that one and never let him go," Ada instructed her.
"Oh, I won't," Florence replied, "I should be heading over to my mother's now, do you want to come with me and bring the baby?"
"I don't think that I'm ready, Tommy might be around, I don't think I could face him," Ada explained nervously as Florence stood up from her seat.
"That's understandable, Ada," Florence replied, resting her hands on her hips as her body continued to ache.
"But you can tell Polly that I'd be happy to see her, whenever she has time," Ada smiled.
"I'm sure she'd be glad to see you both," Florence assured her, knowing that Polly would be itching to meet the little boy properly.
Florence made her way to the house she once called her home, appreciating the time to walk, given that since Ada had given birth she had spent most of her days inside the house she shared with Elijah. She could feel twinges over her lower body, but pushed it to the back of her mind, having heard from any women she knew that it was completely normal.
She reached the house, knocking on the door and when no answer came, she assumed that her mother would be at Polly's. She made her way to the Shelbys, knowing that the door would be unlocked given that it was still during trading hours.
Florence pushed the door open, greeted with the sound of the ever so lively betting shop. She made her way past the familiar customers, glancing down the shop to see Polly and Imelda seated at the kitchen table. She walked past the punters, the men's eyes lingering on her longer than they should, given that a woman's presence was rare in that place.
"Florence?" Polly's eyebrows raised as she set eyes on the girl, "You should be resting, come, sit."
"I'm alright, Pol," Florence smiled as she sat between the two women.
"What are you doing in Small Heath, love?" Imelda asked, "It's lovely to see you, but you should be resting."
"It was driving me crazy being inside that house all day everyday, regardless of how big it is," Florence sighed, cradling her bump, "I came back to see Ada."
"You've seen Ada?" Polly remarked, pouring the girl a cup of tea.
"I wanted to check that she was alright, and given that we'll both have babies born within months of each other I thought that'd help me get through to her," Florence explained.
"And did it?" Polly muttered.
"It did," Florence replied, "She told me how she's been, I gave her some food and some spare baby clothes because Margaret has given me far too many."
"You're a sweet girl, and you're going to be a wonderful mother to that little one," Polly assured her, grateful that her niece had Florence in her corner.
"I keep telling Elijah that it'll be a girl, he's not entirely convinced by my reasoning," Florence told the two women.
"You think she's taking your shine?" Polly answered, having been the one who'd told the girl the theory when Tommy's mother was expecting Finn.
"Absolutely, and I know his parents want a boy to inherit the family name," Florence told them both.
"But the three of us know that a powerful woman in charge of a business like that would be unstoppable," Polly smirked, "That little lady has the world at her feet, you've done well for yourself, angel."
"Thank you," Florence smiled, squeezing Polly's hands, "Are any of the boys around?"
"John's loved up with Esme, Arthur's licking his wounds after his father came and left and Tommy's still being Tommy," Polly told her.
"Their Dad's back?" Florence muttered, knowing how strained Tommy's relationship with his father had been.
"And he's taken five hundred pounds that Arthur gave him straight from petty cash," Polly admitted.
"Why'd he do that?" Florence sighed, knowing just how angered Tommy would've been.
"Tommy and John remember everything about that man, Arthur chooses to forget," Polly muttered with regret, "You remember what he was like, don't you?"
"I remember the look on Tommy's face when he left, he tried to put on a brave face, but that lingers in my mind," Florence replied, concerned for how Tommy might be coping, "Has he been alright?"
"Tommy's never been truly alright, he came back from the war a different man," Polly told her.
"I remember, the way he smiled, the way he laughed, the way he was so gentle with those horses, with everyone," Florence smiled fondly, "He made me feel so safe growing up."
"He's always adored you, you've been his best girl since the day your mother gave birth to you," Polly sighed, "He would never let anything or anyone hurt you."
"I'm not so sure," Florence mumbled as she stood up from the table, feeling harsher twinges in her stomach as she rested against the dresser.
"Florence, is everything alright?" Imelda asked.
"I think," Florence whispered as she felt an unfamiliar feeling between her legs, "I think my waters have broken."
authors note: time to meet baby shelby/harrington....