Kimber's Daughter - Tommy Shelby x Reader Fan Fic

Chapter 69

Tommy's POV

The Garrison was packed for a Friday night. It seemed like every man in Birmingham had to come to the Shelby's pub to drink — and half the women, too. The Shelby's were just finishing up a week's work. And finishing up work meant drinking more whiskey than any man's stomach should have to suffer, and recounting stories until they were blue in the face.

"Keep your fucking hat on Arthur," Tommy said as he reached behind the bar for more alcohol.

But there was the hint of a smile at his lips, in his voice. He was lighter than his family had ever known him. Not that he wasn't still terrifying in his line of work — he'd snapped the necks of two of Sabini's men just the night before. But his wife had instilled a kind of peace inside of him. A tranquility he hadn't known in years. It wasn't that the nightmares didn't come, or that the war had never happened. But with Mrs Shelby in his life, the horrors of Tommy's past faded into insignificance, like a drop of wine falling into a lovely lake.

"I'm telling ya, Tom. He was a real nasty fucker," Arthur slurred, his arm wrapped around a woman he'd never met before. "I reckon we take him, just in case."

Tommy raised his eyebrows as Polly sighed. "Can we have just one night without planning to kill someone?" She muttered.

It wasn't often Polly came out with them like this. Tommy knew it was because Michael was here. Polly gazed at him fondly, clearly over the moon to have her son back. Blinded by a mother's love, Tommy supposed.

But though he didn't fully trust Michael — and didn't think he ever would, that's just how he was wired — he did appreciate more time with his aunt. With family. He was growing to enjoy being surrounded by people he loved. And in just six months, yes he was counting down the days, he'd have a son of his own to add to the mix.

"When's my lovely wife getting here, anyway?" Tommy asked, swigging his drink.

"You know what her and Ada get like," Polly replied. "Probably still awake chatting."

"Probably fussing over Karl, more like," Tommy replied. Though he couldn't blame his wife if she was. Karl, barely a few weeks old, had captured everyone's hearts already. He didn't do much but cry and feed, but there was something about his rosy cheeks as he lay all swaddled up that had had invoked something within Kimber. And with a baby of their own on the way, Tommy felt a stronger connection with this nephew than he had with any of his others.

They drank a little longer, but Tommy's happiness soured around the edges as the night began to turn to morning, and Kimber still hadn't arrived. His frown grew more and more prominent. He didn't like the thought of her driving at night, not all the way from Ada's. He'd tried to forbid her from going to see Ada at all to begin with, at least not alone, but the stubborn woman she was, she'd crossed her arms and marched to the car and stuck her middle finger up as she drove up the driveway.