The Sun Will Rise | T Shelby

twenty two

Angelina woke up in a cold sweat, her brother's face as he kneeled in the road with a gun to his head being the last picture imprinted in her mind before she awoke, bolt upright in a bedroom that took her a minute to recognise.

Her heart soon slowed and she calmed herself down, pulling the sheets up over her body and hugging her knees to her chest. She hated this. She hated not being in familiar surroundings, she hated feeling alone, and most of all she hated the fact that Thomas' letter had forced her to drink an entire bottle of rum before she could sleep the night before.

She'd hidden the letter in suitcase when she unpacked, deciding it was better for her to put away her things than the maid that worked for Alfie.

Once Angelina had come round, she found a note and a cup of tea on her bedside table. She picked up the cup and took a sip, reading the note as she did so.

'Lina,
I've gone to work but I'll be back around 7 tonight. Mary's around to take care of you, I've given her a list of your favourite foods. If you need anything, don't hesitate to give me a ring.
All my love,
Alfie'

She smiled, instantly feeling better after reading the note from Alfie. Though, she missed him already and she'd only been awake a few minutes.

Angelina eventually plucked up the courage to get dressed and head downstairs. She wandered quietly into the kitchen and found Mary cleaning the work surfaces, singing to herself.

"Good Morning Miss Santoro! Can I make you some breakfast?"

She was an elderly lady, early sixties with greying hair and a frail smile. She reminded Angelina of her grandmother, the way she wore her apron tied around her waist.

"Good Morning, please, call me Angelina."

She took a seat at the table and peered at the newspaper that was laying next to an untouched bowl of fruit.

"Angelina, of course. Now what can I get for you? Mr Solomons did give me a list but I thought I'd better ask you just incase."

"Just some toast will be fine, thank you. And another tea," Angelina lifted the empty tea cup in the air slightly with a smile, "If you wouldn't mind."

Once she'd had breakfast, Angelina decided she'd go for a walk. The sun was shining, despite the temperature being colder than it had been the past few months. She pulled on a brown fur coat with a pair of boots and headed out the door, following Mary's suggestion of a walk towards Primrose Hill.

People were a lot friendlier in London, so far. Gentleman tipping their hats towards Angelina as she walked by, some even telling her that she looked beautiful that morning. It made Angelina less apprehensive about her new home, if she could call it that. Part of her wanted it to be permanent, but the other half wished she'd be able to return to Small Heath.

Angelina walked a while longer, eventually taking a seat on a bench when she reached Primrose Hill. She sat for a few moments, taking in the view of London, before she took a double take at a gentleman walking past who she thought for a split second was Thomas. Though it turned out it was just a gentleman walking with the same arrogance and a cap without a blade.

She sighed, closing her eyes and thinking. The words from Thomas' letter hadn't stopped swirling around in her mind. He was in love with her. Thomas Shelby was in love with her. It was hard for Angelina to even comprehend the sincerity of Thomas' words, but it hadn't made her move to the capital any easier.

Angelina had been in denial for a long time about Tommy, but she knew deep down that she had developed feelings for him that weren't platonic. Angelina had found herself falling for him, as much as she resented him and the way he'd constantly ruin any expectations she had, she couldn't stop herself longing to lay beside him and look into his eyes the way they had done only one, meaningful time. Angelina knew Thomas thought about that night just as much as she did. It was the one time she saw the real Tommy. The caring, loving, emotional Thomas that wanted all of her, every last part.