A Shelby Mistress

Reunited

She was nervous.
Wiping her sweaty palms on her the skirt of her dress, Aurora tried moisten the dryness of her mouth knowing she would have to use her words soon and give her Dad an explanation.
Tommy had told him everything, but what did that even mean?
By the rushed handwriting on the letter she'd received the conclusion that it wasn't good hit very quickly. Perhaps she was here to learn of his hate after finding out she'd with Tommy whilst he was still married. Aurora hadn't missed the way her Dad's eyes followed her, Grace and Tommy that night at the foundation dinner. He'd been suspicious and if Grace hadn't of been killed Aurora would have been questioned sooner.
The metal gates leading into the prison yard screeched open before her and with trembling legs, Aurora made her way forwards, counting the cracks in the stone below as she went. All the gates and doors separating her and her Dad no longer existed, there was no escape she was here now. Even before stepping through the gates she felt his presence, she felt the anger that rolled off him and also the pain followed by a deep sadness. He was hurting and her and Tommy had been the cause.

"Glad to see you made it on time sweetheart" She heard his voice call out from in front and nodding her head lightly, Aurora kept her eyes on his shoes and the tattered bottoms of his prison uniform. It was strange seeing him this way, it was strange seeing them all stripped of their fancy clothes and expensive jewellery. John had even started growing a beard after telling her there was no point in trying to look good to die.
"Of course, your letter seemed urgent" Aurora mumbled kicking some of the pebbles decorating the floor forwards and watching them skitter messily.
"It is urgent but we can not talk if you're hiding from me. I thought you would of grew out of this by now. Come on Aurora, look at me so we can speak properly" Her Dad ordered softly and knowing she'd been caught out Aurora reluctantly looked up and nearly fell over in shock. A strangled cry left the back of her throat as she took in her Dad's battered and bruised face.
"Dad what happened?! Who did this to you?!" She demanded, her words sounding more like a plea for answers. Aurora had heard horrible tales of what happens on the inside of a prison she just hadn't expected her Dad to be one of the victims of it. Perhaps she was foolish in thinking his reputation would keep him safe. It didn't matter how high they rose, there would always be some who hated them.
"Tommy he"
Aurora felt her heart plummet as the name rang out in the air sending a rush of cold through her body causing her to tremble. It couldn't be, not him. He loved her Dad almost as much as she loved him. Tommy couldn't be the one responsible for this. She'd doubted all of Tommy's faults and this was the day that denial came back and hit her.
"Why would Tommy do this to you Dad?! I don't understand" She cried out taking a few steps towards him, wanting to take him in her arms and beg for forgiveness.
"Stand back!" A guard ordered from the side, starling Aurora who quickly froze in her steps and stared on at her Dad helplessly. Why wouldn't anyone let her take his pain away?
"It's alright Aurora, Tommy didn't do this. The guards did after my attack on Tommy during his visit. They only got a few swift punches in before tommy demanded them to stop and leave us to talk" William cut through Aurora's panicked cries wanting to soothe her immediately. Even after the attack Tommy had rushed to his defence, fighting back the guards and screaming at them to leave. This fight had been between him and Tommy, the attack had been well earned and Tommy took it without hesitation.

"You attacked Tommy?" Aurora frowned more to herself than her Dad, confused by the situation at hand "Why? Are you alright Dad?"
"I'm fine darling, Tommy's in much worse shape but still standing as you see I learnt something important that day and you wouldn't believe my anger when I found out Tommy had betrayed my daughter and got another woman pregnant. Then I had to find out my daughter was pregnant too and then lost her baby, burying my grandson secretly up at the stables before being left to grieve without a word. During this time she allowed her parents to praise the man who had wronged her, praise the man for doing the right thing by marrying his whore whilst he broke your heart over and over. The man I trusted the most with your heart has done the most to hurt it and that is why I did what I did and I would do it again despite the love I have for Thomas Shelby" William explained, his eyes shinning with unshed tears as his heart ached for the pain his little girl with dark curls had endured.
"I did lose my baby and I did grieve alone but Tommy isn't completely at fault for hurting me, I also hurt myself. I chose to let go of tommy because I wanted Charlie to have a Dad, I wanted Grace to be cared for. She didn't know me, she didn't do me wrong and didn't deserve to be punished. Yes Tommy has done some terrible things but he was not alone. I went back into bed with him, I was the one sleepin' with a married man instead of sticking to my promises of not going back. We both couldn't stay away from each other and in the end I hurt him as he did me" Aurora added with a sad smile wanting to share both her regrets and shame in her past actions. Tommy hadn't been the only one to do wrong over these past years, both had been foolish.
"Why didn't you tell your Mam and I? We could of done more to help you, we could of done more to support you. If I'd known I would of stopped working for Tommy long ago" William expressed with deep sorrow on his face. Had he been so blindsided by business?