CHAPTER THIRTY TWO | the misses is here
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Lucie knocked on the large wooden door where the 'bakery' was covered. A man, no older than thirty wandered out in an apron and waistcoat. He looked her up and down then chuckled.
"Alright Love, what do you want then?" He asked.
"I'm here to see Mr Solomon's." Lucie replied, mustering all the courage she had.
"He's busy." He replied, turning his back to leave.
"He asked to see me so you'd better let me inside." Lucie followed the man inside, not caring if it was rude.
He led Lucie down a long corridor covered with barrels. He stopped her in front of multiple bottles of what seemed to be rum. Ahh yes 'bread'.
"Take off your jacket." The man spat.
Lucie removed her jacket and handed it to the ignorant man. Rolling her eyes as she did. At the end of the corridor she could see an office, with two men inside.
"Right at the end. Wait till he's done." He spat once more.
"Yep." Lucie sharply replied, obviously not going to listen.
She wandered down the corridor until she reached his office. She looked inside to see two men. Tommy? Why was Thomas here?
Lucie didn't bother to knock on the door, instead she just opened it and looked straight to Mr Solomon's who shot up.
"Who the fuck are you?" He spat and pointed a gun at Lucie.
Thomas turned his head to see Lucie, visibly shocked to see her here. She was the bruises on his face. One of his eyes was blood red. He looked to be in a lot of pain.
"It's alright Alfie, this is Lucie." Thomas gestured towards her.
"Oh, what's your misses doing 'ere then?" Alfie questioned.
"Well I was coming to ask you to meet Thomas, like we had discussed, however, I've learnt you know my parents." Lucie began, pulling a spare chair next to Thomas.
"Fuck off, you ain't Michael's daughter are you?" Alfie asked surprised.
"In the flesh." Lucie giggled.
"Fucking hell. Lucie Scott. Sight for sore eyes you are." Alfie laughed.
Lucie sat as Thomas and Alfie made conversation and negotiated a deal to join forces against the Italians. Which reminded Lucie of her prior encounter on the train.
"Who's Sabini?" Lucie questioned.
"Woah, how the fuck do you know him?" Alfie questioned, practically reading Tommy's mind.
"I caught the train down here Tuesday night. An Italian sat beside me. Told me 'Tell your boyfriend I hope he enjoys hospital with love from Sabini'." Lucie tapped the desk.
"He's the Italian we're at war with as of now. I'll explain on the way home." Thomas smiled.
The pair rose and got ready to leave. Thomas shook Alfie's hand and whispered something to him. Alfie moves towards Lucie, engulfing her into a hug.
"Alright Little Lucie, I'll tell your parents your safe." Alfie smiled.
"Thanks, Alfie." Lucie replied before moving towards Thomas.
The pair walked out together, collecting their belongings from the rude man Lucie previously met. The both waited until they were outside to speak.
"Tommy what's happened? I've been so worried. Are you hurt? Who hurt you? Why are you here? What's happened to your eye? Did you get my letter? How—." Thomas stopped Lucie's rambling by pulling her into a tight hug.
"I'll explain everything, I promise. Let's just get home then? It's Aunt Pol's birthday tomorrow, and we've got a train to catch." Thomas held her close.
Lucie didn't want to look up, she didn't want Thomas to see her cry over something she thought was so little. Truth be told she didn't understand why she was crying. But she was.
Thomas wrapped an arm around Lucie's waist and walked with her to the train station. Thomas kept his promise and when they sat down on the empty train he told her everything that had happened.
"Sabini, his men beat me, and Mr campbell found me. He's back. And feels as though he saved my life. The night you left, I was going to see you at the train station before you left but never got there. I was a sitting duck in hospital, so I left, came to see Alfie. But now I must carry out assassinations, by order of the government." Thomas explain.
"Not by order of the Peaky Blinders?" Lucie giggled and lent against Thomas.
He just laughed. Something Lucie had missed this past week.
"I just don't want to kill them, Luce. I have no vendetta towards them, it's just. My job." Thomas gave a lopsided smile.
"It'll all be okay, Tom. Let's just get through this week then?" Lucie smiled.
"It's time to get off, you can stay with me tonight." Thomas informed Lucie, smiling down at her.
"I don't want to be any trouble." Lucie kept her head down.
"No. No trouble. But Ada told me, I saw her yesterday. Why didn't you just tell me?" Thomas looked down at Lucie, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"Sometimes, if I tell people my problem, then I know it's real and I must deal with it. If I tell nobody, I can pretend it's not real." Lucie smiled, her eyes teary.
"But I could've helped you. Luce, darling. Let me help you." Thomas stopped in front of his home and turned to face Lucie, holding her head up to him.
"I don't want to become dependent on you." Lucie looked up and gave a small smile.
"I would buy you the world if I could. Just to show you how much I cared. Luce I—." Tommy sighed. "I care for you so much."
"I care about you too Tommy. You know I do. I couldn't thank you enough. But I'm going to sell my house anyways. It's damp and cold and too far away. I shall ask Polly or my Aunt if I can stay with her." Lucie smiled.
"Well you know I can help, and you're welcome to stay here. It's small. But it's home isn't it."