rose and thorn

xxvii.

xxvii.
10th August 1922
~

Tommy sat across from Alfie as their meeting came to an end. He watched the clock as the hand creeped closer to 10am. He had back to back meetings all day but was hoping to visit Rose briefly before his 11:30 and needed this one to end.

"So that's that sorted then init." Alfie clapped his hands together, placing the paperwork back in its draw.

"Pleasure doing business with you as always Alfie." Tommy announced, standing from his seat to leave.

"Oh, your Mrs was in 'ere yesterday, did she tell you?"

"Rosie? What was she in here for?" Anger flared in Tommy's chest as his mind wandered to the reasons she could've been in Alfie's bakery.

"I saw her comin' out the doctors looking all upset so I give her a couple of bottles didn't I."

"Doctors?" Concern overcame the anger as Tommy grew confused at what Alfie was telling him. "What for?"

"I dunno, Tom. I thought she would've told ya, I'm sorry." Alfie held his hands up, feeling bad for bringing it up.

"No, no. Thank you for telling me."

~

After visiting Rose's house and finding neither her nor her car there, Tommy grew worried. He was relieved when he pulled up to Ada's and saw that her car was parked right outside.

The sympathetic look Ada gave him when she opened the door only added to his confusion.

"Ada, what's going on? Why was Rosie at the doctors yesterday?"

Ada sighed, allowing him in and closing the door behind him. "I really think you'd better talk to her about it. She's upstairs in her old room."

"Right well someone needs to give me some fucking answers." He raised his voice slightly as he marched towards the stairs.

"Go easy on her, Tom." Ada pleaded but he had already disappeared upstairs.

As he slipped into the room, he looked over to see Rose curled up in bed looking out of the window. Her hair was a mess and eyes looked bloodshot even from where he stood at the door.

Her head turned to look at him when she heard the door open and his heart practically broke when he saw the pained look in her eyes.

He had come up here desperate for answers but the second he saw her, everything slipped from his mind.

Without saying a word, he gently closed the door behind him before removing his cap, coat and shoes. She watched his every move as he walked over and carefully got into bed next to her.

Instantly, she moved to be curled up in his arms, burying her face into his clothed chest and smelling that distinct 'Tommy' smell of whiskey and cigarettes.

He wrapped his arms around her without question, one hand coming to rest on her back while the other played with her hair. Their breathing synced as they both relaxed in each other's embrace.

"Why did you see a doctor, Rosie?" He whispered, not sure if he even wanted the answer given how emotional she was.

"You'll think I'm an idiot." She shook her head against his chest, trying to bury herself even further into his body.

"Of course I won't. Are you sick?"

Finally, her head tilted up, allowing Tommy to stare deep into her eyes. Never before had he been able to read her so clearly. She was hurt, more hurt than he had ever seen her and it pained him to see her in such a way.

"I thought I was pregnant." She whispered, maintaining her stare right into his eyes to try gage his immediate reaction.

Tommy's breath hitched in his throat, not fully able to process what she had just told him.

"But I'm not." She dismissed, placing her head back on the man's chest as he laid silent.

He tried to fathom a response but struggled to pin-point exactly how he felt about the situation.

For some reason he was... disappointed?

"Why are you upset about that Rosie?" He was certain she would be able to feel how quickly his heart was beating but he didn't care.

"Because for those couple of hours when I thought I was, I was scared but I was happy." She admitted.

A tingle made its way up his spine as she dipped her hands under his shirt, desperate to feel the comforting touch of his skin. Each place she touched felt like she was setting his skin on fire in the best way possible, a feeling he couldn't get from anyone else.

As Tommy's mind settled from all the thoughts whirling around it, one stuck out more than any other. She was happy to be carrying his baby.

"I would've been happy too." He whispered into her hair, not too sure if his words would make this better or worse.

Rose sighed in response, she had almost hoped Tommy would be disgusted at the idea that she was pregnant, it would've made this a lot easier.

"Don't leave me, Tommy. Stay here for today." She instructed, well aware that he wouldn't be able to.

"Of course." Gripping her tighter, every other commitment he had today fell from his head. None of it mattered, only she mattered.

It wasn't long into their silence when Tommy realised from her breathing that she had fallen asleep. Having tossed and turned all night, Tommy was exactly what Rose needed to be able to peacefully drift off.

He held her as she slept, his mind drifting to what would've happened if she had been pregnant. He would've moved her into the house, had her looked after around the clock and then given her and the baby the best life he possibly could.

A gentle knock on the bedroom door disturbed his mind wandering.

"Come in." He called, confident Rose was deep in her sleep and wouldn't be disturbed.

Ada's face softened when she saw Rose and her brother curled up, Tommy loosening his grip slightly to turn to his sister.

"How is she?" Ada asked as she moved further into the room.

"She'll be okay." He answered, looking back down to her peaceful face. "Ada there are some things I want you to do."

"Okay Tom."

"I need you to ring Lizzie and tell her to cancel the rest of my appointments for the day, say I'm sick or there's a family emergency. Then ring Polly, get her to come down here for tea or something tomorrow."

"Polly? Why Tom?"

"I don't trust doctors, he might be wrong. Polly will know."

Ada nodded despite Tommy's resting on Rose as she slept.

Once Ada had left, Tommy moved his and Rose's bodies slightly so that he too could curl up and attempt to sleep. He hoped deep down that there was still a chance his baby was growing inside the woman he was holding.