1914
"When I get back I'll give you a proper wedding." Tommy's deep cerulean eyes gazed down into Gwyneth's misty chocolate brown eyes. Tommy took the image of her in, memorizing every detail in case it was for the last time. Her even darker hair laid neatly curled up at her shoulders, complementing her oval shaped face. The train whistle blew signaling it was time for their goodbyes, maybe even for the last time. Blinking passed tears Gwyneth went on her toes giving Tom one last kiss.
"I love you." He uttered as he cupped her face staring deep into her eyes.
"Come back to me." Bringing her in one more time they melted into their touch. Pulling away from one another he turned, picking up his bag and walked with the other men of Small Heath to what would most likely be their demise.
Gwyneth gave her final hugs to the other Shelby brothers, they have treated her like a sister ever since her and Thomas got together in school. They were always kind to her in their own ways. Gwyneth was a sight to behold if they ever got on her bad side. She fit in perfectly with the bunch.
Saying goodbye to them was hard. A hand on her shoulder drew her attention away to the now moving train. She looked at Polly with an almost empty look.
"It'll be alright, let's get going." She held Finn closer to her as they all made their way back to John's place with Ada pushing the buggy.
That night Gwyneth prayed for the first time in a long time, praying for Arthur, John and Tommy.
1916
It was a tragedy, Polly thought. With the boys away in war, she and Gwen were running the shops until that dreadful accident. Polly felt horrible, she had a dream prior to the incident and never mentioned it. A young coal kicked her in the shoulder launching her back and hitting a rock hard enough it put her in a coma. When she woke she had no idea who she was and it broke Polly's heart. Gwen dislocated her shoulder it took two surgeries to fix it so it would heal properly.
Polly kept her composure through all of it. The boys were away and Ada was alone with 5 children. She remembered meeting Gwen when she was only 13, she was a small thing. After losing her own children within recent years during that time she always offered her bread or a cup of tea to the girl. Her parents weren't the most pleasant of people. She smiled at the thought of John and Tommy fighting over the poor girl when they were in grade school. By the end Gwen had them both by the ears to her level scolding them like they were five and demanding they made up or she would kick both of their arses.
She was Polly Shelby Grey and she needed to stay strong, not just for her family but for the business. She had to keep assuring herself under all the pressure of the business and Gwen's accident. Polly would need to return to church soon, she prayed and prayed to God to bring back Gwen's memories and to keep the boys safe. The doctors believed it to be permanent if she hasn't recalled anything this far. The physical wounds would heal over time but the mental part is what she worried most about. If the boys came out of this alive how would they react to this? Her heart broke for Thomas. She couldn't bare to tell them so whenever she would get a letter she tried her best to help Gwen come up with a response. The letters didn't come often as the war continued over the years but she knew when they return, if they return, this will break their hearts, Tom's especially.
1918
It's been over two years since the accident and Gwen remembers nothing of her past only what she was told by Ada and Pol. It was strange being 28 and and having 26 years of your life just gone.
Her name was Gwyneth Marie Pierce now Shelby. She was married to her 'husband' Thomas Shelby, they met in school when they were children but has not acquainted with him until she was 13. Her parents were Johnathan and Allison Pierce both deceased when she was 14. No siblings and the only living relative being her maternal grandmother a widow who lived in America. She never had many friends since befriending the Shelby's. Thomas has two brothers aside from Finn, Arthur and John, he also had his sister Ada who she became close with since the accident. Polly Gray was their aunt and was running the betting shop while they were away in the world war in France.
It was all strange to her. It was like experiencing life all over again and in a way she was. She would listen and try her best to remember all that they've told her but it was difficult at first. She felt like a stranger in her own skin. When she looked in the mirror all she saw was a shell of who she was. As time went her memories never came back and before she knew it more time passed and the war was declared over.
The boys were coming home, Polly and Ada would say and it scared her. She did not fear the men she could not remember but rather feared the disappointment that will come when they find out her predicament. There was an expectation. She was married. A married woman. Ada had no quarrel filling her in on everything she needed to know.
Polly would tell her not to worry and that everything will be okay once the boys were back. Gwyneth only prayed that she was right.
~
Edited
I'm excited for this because I love Thomas Shelby and have been binging a lot of Peaky Blinder fics the last few weeks.
So without further ado I introduce "You and I" please lmk what you think your comments and input helps a writer a ton!
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robbstark_
YOU ARE READING
You and I >>> T. Shelby {O.H.}
Fanfiction"Every night her thoughts weighed heavily on her soul but every morning she would get up to fight another day, every night she survived." - r h sin While the boys were away in France, Gwyneth Shelby had a horrible accident. With no memory of who she...
