red↳ thomas shelby

- XXV. -

[ B i r m i n g h a m , 1 9 2 2 ]

Zara King stirred from her spot next to her fiance. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't sleep. Trying to be as quiet as possible, Zara removed Tommy's arm from around her waist and climbed out of bed, walking towards her office. She passed her twin brother asleep on their sofa, softly snoring. Zara smiled and carefully closed her office door behind her.

She stared at the pile of letters on her desk. The ones she didn't give to Theo. Zara felt insanely guilty for the part she played in Theo's sadness, and now that they were on better terms she intended to fix that. That started with getting in contact with Grace Burgess.

Zara took a deep breath and picked up the phone, telling the operator the hotel and room number Grace said she would be staying in while in London. She waited as the phone rang, exhaling when she heard a man pick up. She assumed this was Grace's new banker husband.

"Hello?" He said.

Zara put on her best cheery voice and responded. "Hello, you must be Grace's husband. I apologize for the late phone call but I'm one of her old friends from the last time she was in England and I am just so excited that she's back! Is Grace available?"

"Oh, that's wonderful! Grace never mentioned anyone to me. I'll go get her."

Zara rolled her eyes at the American. She perked up when she heard the familiar Irish accent for the first time in a few years.

"Hello?" Grace said.

"Grace." Zara said simply.

Grace Burgess' blood ran cold. "What do you want Zara?"

"Relax, I'm not going to threaten you. How soon can we meet?"

♔♔♔♔

"What did you tell your husband?"

Grace Burgess sat as still as a statue as she heard Zara King come into the room. She was shocked as she noticed Zara's baby bump. Theo hadn't mentioned anything about Zara being pregnant in his letters.

"That I needed to see an old friend." Grace responded stiffly. The Irish woman looked around the simple, yet cozy London flat. "Where are we?"

"One of my personal safehouses." Zara said. "I don't need Tommy hearing about this yet."

Grace nodded. "And what did you tell Tommy? I'm sure he will be worried."

Zara just shrugged. "I didn't. John came with me. We're going to see Arthur."

"Why am I here, Zara?" The former barmaid took in a shaky breath. "I thought you were going to kill me if I ever stepped foot back in England."

Zara rolled her eyes and slowly moved closer to the sofa she sat on. "Let's call it a change of heart, Grace. I know that you and Theo have kept in contact."

"I see." She started to defend herself.

"Don't interrupt me." Zara snapped, and Grace grew quiet. "I don't know what he's told you in his letters, but Theo is sad. And I know it's my fault."

Grace looked up at Zara in confusion. "What are you saying?"

The King woman exhaled deeply. "If you still care about Theo... you can see him. I won't stand in your way."

Grace scoffed in disbelief. "How dare you! I'm married now, and he's sweet and kind to me, and I'm happy!"

"If you meant that then you wouldn't be sending letters to my brother now would you?"