Too Late To Say Goodbye | Tommy Shelby {1}

56.

He had fallen into a very lonely routine.

Wake up, eat breakfast with Charlie, spend the day at the office and go home, where he'd lay restless until the sun came back up.

He sat in his Digbeth office, fixing his glasses as he looked down at the many papers on his desk.

No matter what happens, the work never stops.

There was a knock on the door, soon followed by Lizzie walking in.

She stood tall, with a blank look on her face. Marching up to his desk, throwing a small stack of papers down on it.

"These needs to be reviewed and signed, if you wish to proceed." She told him, then turned making her way to the whiskey cart.

Tommy leaned back in his chair, watching the woman. Knowing what was about to come, the same conversation he always had with Lizzie over the last few weeks.

"Alright, Lizzie, say what you need to say."

Taking a long drink, she slammed it down, "you're pathetic, you understand that, right?"

Tommy crossed his arms in front of him, raising his eyebrows at her.

Frustrated, Lizzie sighed. "How do you expect to get them out of there by just sitting at your desk all day?"

Taking off his glasses rubbing his eyes, "everything is lined up, Lizzie. I have to wait for the call, it's about timing now." He explained

"And Bella?" Lizzie pushed

He didn't expect that from her. Any emotion he felt left his body.

"And What about Bella?" He asked

Getting more frustrated as the conversation went on "have you talked to her? Have you even tried to?...we can all see that you're miserable without her, yet you're doing nothing to fix it!"

She was right. Tommy hadn't tried to talk to her. He wanted to though. Every night he laid in bed, wishing she would roll over any minute and curl herself into his side.
He still spoke to Eleanor every few nights. He needed to make sure she was safe and happy.

"I'd rather have her safe and resent me, than dead or with the Priest." Tommy explained

"So that's it? You've just given up? What about Charlie, I'm sure he misses her just as much."

Tommy couldn't listen to this any more, not when he already knew everything to be true. He made this bed and now he had to lay in it.

Sighing, putting his glasses back on to read the paper in front of him "you've done good today, Lizzie. You may take the rest of the day off."

Lizzie stared at him for another second. But he was already looking through the papers on the desk.
Sighing again, she turned slamming the door shut behind her.

He didn't flinch at the sound, keeping his eyes down as she left.
When he was sure she was gone, he looked back up at his desk. Looking at the small framed picture he had sitting on the surface. The one of Bella smiling from her birthday celebration.

Picking the frame up, leaning back in his chair as he analyzed the photograph.

He wished to go back to that moment. She was so happy, and the family was all together. he missed seeing her smile.

Rubbing his chin, he sighed placing it gently back down.

He missed them.

He missed her.