LONELY| Thomas Shelby

1.3

SITTING INSIDE TOMMY'S office, away from the Shelby's. Beth worked hard keeping up with the business that Tommy was missing as he mourned the death of Grace. It had been a hard few days for both Tommy and Beth. She had offered to leave the manor and go back to London for a week or two but John and Polly begged her to stay, insisting that Tommy and the family needed her through this hard time. Beth had written to Alfie seeing as he had written to her after finding out about a Shelby woman dying.

The news had travelled quickly and Alfie understood that she'd need to stay for a while longer than intended to help with the Shelby business. Looking up from the glasses that sat on the bridge of her nose, a gold pair Alfie had sent from Camden town in which Beth needed to read with, Beth peaked behind the curtain to see Tommy mounting off the black stallion he had taken out with him to the field. It was a nightly routine, Tommy would place a kiss to Beth's cheek as she lay awake, reading at night and she would ask him if he'd stay but he'd leave and Beth would lay awake listening to Charles call for his mother.

Closing over the curtain, Beth turned back to her work and began to finish her calculations. The door was creaked open but Beth never looked up to know it was Tommy. Closing it behind him he stripped from his jacket and walked towards Beth, standing behind her chair. "You deserve a break." He spoke, his voice tired. Beth shook her head, and looked over her shoulder at Tommy. "If anything I think you deserve the break Tommy. Some sleep. In a bed. Some time with your son." She grumbled, looking back to her work.

"I want you to go out with John today. Stay with him for a few nights, have fun. Then come home to me and we will have dinner." Tommy instructed. "My home is in Camden town Tommy don't confuse yourself. I'll do it though, only if you promise to spend time with Charles." Beth mumbled her pen wavering as she wrote scribbles. Leaning over Tommy swiftly took the pen from Beth's hands and tossed it to the desk harsher than he intended.

"I promise. Now bloody go I have to deal with the Shelby's. Get yourself some food." Standing up, Beth frowned running her hand over Tommy's face. "I will, Tom. I will." Turning to walk away, Beth sighed. Tommy quickly caught her hand and pulled her back into his chest hugging her tightly. Beth hugged him back slowly as they stood in silence, his head tucked into her neck. Tommy pulled away first and coughed awkwardly before sitting into his desk. "Tell Polly and Michael they're first."

•

Sitting in the big kitchen beside John, Beth picked at slice of buttered bread as she leaned against him. Polly scolded her hitting her onto the back of the head as she walked past. "Eat Bethany. You're loosing weight again." She instructed. Beth let out a low grumble of curse words as John sniggered. Sitting Carl down infront of the fire, Ada walked towards the wooden table. "The thing is we all naturally came in here where the servants eat." Ada spoke, walking past Beth and John.

"It's nothing to do with politics Ada. It's fucking freezing in the big room." John spoke loudly sipping on his tea. "John mind your language infront of Carl." Polly scolded, taking a tray of cheese and moving it onto the table. Beth sniggered at this as John looked down at her and smirked playfully. "Ada, we're in the servants quarters because it's where the fucking booze is kept." Arthur exclaimed. Polly closed her eyes and threw her hands into the air in frustration as John stood up and nudged past his brother. "Arthur find better words!"

"Yes." Arthur grumbled. "Eh, Pol? Does swearing in gypsy count?" Beth asked tiredly, a grin on her face as John laughed. Polly walked past John a large knife in her hand as she glared towards him. "There's no reason for us to be speaking worker or shelter in any case." Polly spat. Arthur and John let out a loud cheer and Beth couldn't contain her laughter as her and Ada shared a look. "I'm just saying there is so need!" Polly finished. "When she's drunk my wife can't speak fucking English. Even Beth spoke it in her fucking sleep a few times."

Polly's eyes widened as she pointed the knife at his back. "John!" She exclaimed. "Fucking right!" Arthur coursed winking at Beth who sipped on her tea, her eyes rolling. Finn let out a laugh as he sat down into John's seat, Beth now between Arthur and Finn. "Here drink something stronger to wake you up." Arthur mumbled, leaning over and pouring some whiskey into Beth's tea. Beth grinned and set a wink back at him. John went to walk but Michael entered at the wrong time causing John to step back.

"You dealt with it?" Polly asked her son. "Incentives, no threats. Implied consequences without specific reference to physical harm." Michael babbled as he poured himself a cup of tea. "That's why your Michael is the boss. He knows better words, right Pol?" Arthur spat, staring into his drink. "Since when was I your boss, Arthur?" Michael asked. "First the boss meets you. Then the workers meet you." John added, placing his hand behind Beth's chair as he glared at Michael. "When did either of you three do a days work?" Finn teased, earning a laugh from Ada.

"I'm the old days Finn." Arthur spoke. "It might surprise you Finn but someone had to create a business while you were sucking on your mothers tit." Beth grumbled, a loud laugh emitting from John and Ada. "Family meetings  used to be all of us together." Arthur spoke, pouring himself a drink. "Arthur shut up." Polly spoke effortlessly. "Now me and John, we're just fucking bin men who's duty it is to obey. Hm? And god knows what Tommy's doing with Beth. Making her obey too, that's why she's still here."

Beth's face scrunched in anger but John caught her hand shaking his heads. Polly walked towards him. "Arthur shut up. Finn go and get us cigars." Polly demanded. "So what are we going to do all night, eh? Climb fucking trees?" John asked. "John stop swearing infront of the kids." Polly scolded, once again. "Yeah and who said your staying the night?" Ada asked. "I know what we can do! We get the guns out John. We go outside and we shoot some fucking pheasants. That's what the bosses do, innit?"

Beth grumbled tiredly, standing up and downing a gulp of whiskey. "Fuck off Arthur." Michael spat. "Fuck you just say to me?" Beth's eyes widened and she made a face at Ada who grinned. "I didn't ask for separate meetings today, all right?" Michael spoke. Arthur stood up quickly anger on his face. "No, no what the fuck did you just say?" Cause I didn't fucking hear you?" He spat getting into Michael's face. John stood up quickly and pulled Arthur back along with Beth who yanked him harshly.

"I didn't ask for separate meetings today, all right?" Beth opened her mouth to yell but Carl bet her to it, standing at the table with a toy car in his hand he get out a yelp. "Fucking pheasant!" Ada's face paled, as her eyes widened and she instantly grabbed her child in her arms. Beth and John nearly toppling over in laughter. "Carl you can't say things like that!" Ada spoke, trying to hold her laughter. "Now look what you've done." Polly spat. Beth tried to stay serious for a moment before a loud laugh echoed the room and she snorted out loudly.

Arthur chuckled and grabbed Michael and John by the shoulders. "Alright brothers. It's just the fucking whiskey talking." He grinned. "I don't ask to be protected , all right?" Michael grumbled. "Right shut up, the pair of you. Sit down." Arthur and Michael say but Polly turned to look at John and Beth with a glare. "Sit!" She demanded. Beth scoffed and slid into a chair. Winking over at Michael who was staring at her, his cheeks turning a shade of red causing herself and John who had been watching to snigger.

"Look around you. Look at this house. Look how far we've come. I thinks it's about time we all started acting in a way more appropriate to our station. We're none of his bin men anymore, Arthur. Tommy needs us all together. I'd like to propose a toast." Polly began. Beth picked up her glass, along with the rest of the table, including carl who picked up a mug. "It's a family united that shall never be defeated." Beth raised her glass bud sat up hearing someone running.

"Tommy's gone! Swear to god he's in a wagon with Johnny dogs!" Finn exclaimed. Beth's face pailed and before anyone else could react she sprinted past Finn and through the house, out the big front door and out into the yard. She could have caught up to the carriage but instead she seen Tommy holding Charlie in his arms as he nodded towards her. Beth stopped running and nodded back, a small smile creeping onto her face.

AUTHORS NOTE
i'm thinking of writing a john shelby fanfic and i've already started a bit of it but i'm not sure. thoughts? also does anyone know how to make a trailer hahahahh
ally xx