Birmingham | Tommy Shelby x Reader

Part 9

Dearest (Y/N),
It is so nice to hear back from you. Knowing you are safe allows my heart to rest, even if only slightly.
I know you said you are hesitant, but I think that you should come home to visit me. I think it could benefit the both of us and allow for some closure for me. It breaks my heart to know that I cannot see my only daughter whenever I please. I know of your distaste towards the family's dealings and have asked your brothers to take a break from their work so that you will feel comfortable being back in Sheffield. They will not bother you when you are here. I will make sure of it.
I've taken it into my own hands to arrange things so that you can come to see me. The best time to do so would be this weekend, Saturday to be exact. Come around noon. We can have lunch together. If you don't write back before then, I will know that you have accepted the invitation. You are even welcome to bring Matthew along with you. I would love to meet him.
Please consider it, dear. I really miss you.
All my love,
Mum

(Y/N) read through the letter three times in order to get its words to sink into her mind. Her mother wanted to see her again, so much so that she was even willing to step into her family's realm of business and halt them for the weekend just so that she'd feel comfortable with being there. Although the thought of going back into Sheffield again after leaving it so abruptly made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, she really wanted to see her mother again.

It had been killing her these past few months with only writing home and not being able to physically see or hear her mother. She knew it was what was best for the both of them, and it was one of the ways that they'd both be able to stay safe through it all. Going back there to meet in person would surely be a death wish if the circumstances weren't perfect. But she was looking at this opportunity differently now that some safety was going to be ensured.

With many thoughts still swirling around her mind, she slid the letter back into its envelope and set it down on the table. She had work today, and needed to gather her things so that she'd be able to leave. Once she was ready, she took one last glance over at the table, where the letter was still sitting, before she opened the door and exited her apartment.

Matthew was waiting for her, leaning up against the wall of her apartment building like he normally did. He grinned when his eyes fell onto her, and he pushed himself off of the wall to fall in step with her. "Hi, darling," he greeted her as they began walking.

"Hi, Matthew," she responded, trying to muster up a smile and make it seem like her mind wasn't running at a mile a minute. After a few silent moments of walking, she noticed something. "Why're we taking the long way today?" she questioned, just now realizing that they hadn't turned where they usually did, two streets back. She must've been too consumed with her thoughts to remember to make the turn.

"Because I can tell by how you greeted me, and by the fact that you missed the turn, that something's on your mind," he pointed out, "what is it?"

(Y/N) sighed. She'd been found out. "We haven't got long," she stated, trying to deflect his desire to know what was bothering her.

"We took the long way for a reason," he pointed out, and she mentally cursed the fact that what he said was true. "Did something happen, (Y/N)?" he asked her after a few silent seconds had passed, his brows furrowing together as he began to worry that something was wrong with her.

"No, nothing happened, it's..." she shook her head before trailing off with a sigh. She then looked at the ground as they continued to walk, wondering how she'd bring up what was on her mind to him. Should she bring up what was on her mind to him? "I got a letter back from my mum," she started off after deciding that it'd be better to get it off of her mind and chest.