Dangerous Things | Thomas Shelby

33

The next morning Hazel woke up and Thomas had already left, and she sat up in the bed, looking around the small, empty room, and suddenly felt incredibly lonely. She began to cry, mainly from frustration, and realised that there was a lot of things going on in her head that she really hadn't acknowledged. The main one being she still desperately missed Katie, and it hurt more than anything.

She eyed up her small case in the corner of the room and packed it up, deciding that after work she would head to Pollys and stay there for a couple of nights. She really needed someone to talk to.

She'd arrived at the betting den earlier than usual, and was engaging in chatter with Esme about her and John's children until there was a loud knock on the door, and Hazel gently banged her head on the table with frustration as a posh voice called out asking to see Thomas Shelby. May.

"Is she whoring around with him?" Esme asked defensively, hesitating to unlock the door as she watched Hazels reaction.

"No." Hazel shook her head with an exhausted laugh. "- Well. No." She sighed, trying to push that thought out of her mind as she stayed sat at her desk, not even wanting to stand up to greet the new woman.

Hazels eyes followed May as she walked into the room, and she sent her the best smile she could force as they made eye contact.

"I swear you were at the auction?" May spoke in her thick, posh accent, however the tone was kinder than Hazel expected. She was also even prettier up close.

"That's me." Hazel replied, waving awkwardly.

"Well, it's nice to see a familiar face." May shuffled slightly on her feet. "May Carleton" she smiled politely, walking over to Hazels desk and holding her hand out.

Hazel stood up and accepted it, shaking it gently. "-Hazel Knightly." She smiled back.

"Mr Shelby has his meetings in his other office. What are you to him?" Esme called out.

"Esme!" Hazel hissed in response to Esmes straightforward rudeness, although she secretly wanted to hear Mays answer.

"I'm here to train his racehorse. This is the address he gave me, but now I feel rather stupid, as I'm early and he's late." May responded shyly, blinking nervously, and Hazel sympathised with her. A posh woman coming to the depths of Birmingham. She truly did look out of place.

"Yeah, well, he's usually late for pretty much everything." Hazel shook her head "tea?" She offered.

"That would be lovely, thank you." May nodded and slowly took a seat next to Hazels desk.

"So, you know horses then?" Hazel asked as she handed May a cup of tea who took it with a smile.

"Yes, I was born riding." She seemed to relax slightly.

"As was I." Hazel smiled, sitting back down.

"Your jewellery is very nice." May commented, and to Hazels surprise she seemed like she meant it.

"Oh, thank you! Most of them belonged to my mother." She fidgeted with the rings on almost all of her fingers, apart from her wedding ring finger.
She sighed softly.

"And your hair too. My parents always made sure I kept mine so short." May smiled, admiring the long french plait which kept Hazels brown hair back, curly flyaways springing up from the style in various places.

"Mine were the opposite. My mother would be turning in her grave if i took scissors near it!" Hazel replied cheerfully, starting to warm up to May.

"Sorry I'm late, family matter." Thomas's gruff voice spoke out from the doorway he was leant against, making both the women jump up from their seats.