By Order Of The Fucking Peaky Blinders

65 - Bye Thomas

"No Tommy. No Polly. No John." Finn lists, pacing around his sisters kitchen, Ada, Arthur Chris, and Charlotte sat down around the table.

"Why does Tommy have to leave? Why is he fucking off to Canada?" Finn questions, "his family is here. His siblings, his wife, his kids."

"Partly to be closer to America, partly because he can't be here. Everything reminds him of Grace or Polly." Ada says.

"And Mum, he's mumbling about her recently." Charlotte says.

"Mum? He shouldn't be alone if he's mumbling about her." Finn responds.

"He needs some time away, Finn." Ada sighs, "we can't make him stay, he'll be back."

"When? He's leaving in two days and has been ignoring us for the past week! Even Charlie!" Finn exclaims.

"He's been ignoring you?" Chris asks.

"He hasn't been ignoring you?" Finn responds, as all eyes turn to Chris.

"No, he spoke to me this morning." Chris says.

"What about?" Arthur mumbles.

"That I need to stay in school, that if he finds out I've dropped out, he'll have my head on a spike." Chris tells them, "and yesterday he told me to call him if and whenever I needed him."

"Wait - let's rewind, he's been ignoring Charlie?" Ada queries.

"Yes," Charlotte confirms, "hasn't spoken to me in a couple of weeks, he comes over, plays with the twins, and blanks me."

"Well fuck him," Arthur mutters, taking a swig from his bottle of whiskey.

"If he doesn't want to speak to me that's fine - but if he tries to communicate once he's in Canada he's getting ignored. If he can't speak to me in person, then why the fuck should he try to speak to me over the phone." Charlotte shrugs, "he's had plenty of opportunities."

"Chris, can you see if you can get him to speak to us?" Ada questions.

"Sure," Chris nods, "I'll call him now. Can I use your phone?"

"Go ahead," Charlie smiles at him.

-

"Chris? What's happening?" Tommy calls out as he storms through the front door.

"Nothing- I'm fine." Chris says, and Tommy relaxes, "why'd you call?"

"Why've you been ignoring our siblings?" Chris asks.

"I haven't been ignoring them." Tommy shakes his head.

"Yes you have." Chris states, "you're leaving in two days, is this really how you want to leave things? Not talking?"

Tommy sighs, "I don't know how to say goodbye."

"Then why haven't you been ignoring me?" Chris asks.

"You're used to being a distance away." Tommy tells him, "I'm trying to find out how you cope being away from everyone."

"I communicate with them." Chris says, "I call you all regularly and it makes me feel like I'm not as far away as I am. They're pissed at you for not talking to them, not because you're moving."

"They're here, aren't they?" Tommy asks.

"Well this is Charlie's house." Chris retorts, and Tommy rolls his eyes, ruffling the young man's hair up like he used to when he was just a teenager.

"Seriously?" Chris deadpans.

"Nostalgia got to me." Tommy shrugs, smiling at him.

"Yeah, well let it submerge you and go speak to the others." Chris says nudging him in the direction of the kitchen.