𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙏𝙞𝙢𝙚 ▻ 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘣𝘺 [1]

𝙎𝙞𝙭

𝙎𝙞𝙭. 𝘈𝘴 𝘐𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘴

...

THE FIRST WORDS that Thomas said to her after 11 years continue to repeat in her head. Out of all things he could have said to her, of all the things she was expecting or imagined he would say when or if the day came. A mere comment about the hat on her head and nothing more was what it was, which left the girl baffled to say the least. She often thought about what would happen if she ever crossed paths with Thomas Shelby again. Wondering what would happen, what he would say, how he would react, and planning a response for every scenario she could think of; Angry, resentment, happy, relief, confusion, surprise. But this one was not in the book of plans stored in the blonde girl's head.

    She found herself now holding the hat in her hands as she sat at the kitchen table in front of the burning fire. The familiar comfort the the Shelby home still managed to give the girl was something that she hadn't felt for a long time. Prior to this she found more comfort at a hospital ward than her own empty home back in Dartford. One would think that this meant the girl would be inclined to stay, yet as she sits by the fire she thinks about how she is to leave. It is not because she doesn't feel welcome, but it is the feeling of regret and shame that follows her around as she walks down the streets of Small Heath, especially when she looks at a Shelby. How could they just forgive her like that?

The sound of someone walking through the door into the room causes Elizabeth to look up. Her eyes are met with a woman this time who first looked like she was about to shout at the girl, but her face quickly softens out of realization. "I thought those boys were just taking nonsense", Polly says as she sets down a bag on the table, "Pullin' at my strings like usual."

Elizabeth gives a slight smile, as she can't exactly tell if the woman is happy or upset that she is in her kitchen. After all, she did basically abandon her nephews without warning, and she very well knew how protective the women was of her boys. Pol proceeds closer to the girl who finds herself digging her heels into the floor, anticipating only the worst.

Although the lady was only six years older than the girl, she still called her Aunt Pol like the rest of the lot; Mostly out of respect. If you were to ask a young Elizabeth she'd say she would rather take on three angry Shelby boys all at once over one angry Aunt Polly any day of the week. And that exact thought blossoms in the golden haired girls mind in the moment.

Polly stops in front of the girl and stands there, staring down at her, her dark brown eyes swallowing Elizabeth's hazel ones like a black hole.

As her heartbeat rapidly beats in her chest, a feeling of nausea from the angst almost comes over the girl. "Don't just sit there", Polly says, "Act like it hasn't been 11 years, give me a fuckin' hug, at least pretend like you bloody missed me for Gods sake."

A mental sigh of relief floods Elizabeth's body as she gets up from the chair and is instantly engulfed in a hug.

"Thank you for coming back", she quietly says as they continue to embrace one another, "If not for anyone else, at least for Tommy's sake, thank you."