Little Roe (Peaky Blinders)

Ladybug

(Tommy's P.O.V.)
I had taken the black mare with the one blue eye out of her stable. It was a special day, the day Roe was allowed to come home from hospital. And instead of taking her back home in the car, I took Blue-Eye. I had hoped it would make her talk, but sadly it did not. Altough I was thankfull that she had smiled the widest smile when I had placed her onto Blue-Eye's back. Glad to embrace her favorite animal again. During the ride home, I tried to make her talk. Asking her if she could tell me the name of a bird that flew above our head, or the color of the flowers by the road. But she just turned her head around to look up at me but stayed silent otherwise. I sighed. "it's alright, Little one" I told her as I felt her lean back against me. Eventually, I turned the mare into the driveway of our home. Blue-Eye's hooves crunching the pebbles underneath them, making a satifying sound. One of the stable-boys was waiting for our arrival. I handed the mare over to him before carrying Roe inside.

Sometime later I had taken Roe outside to the garden. The doctor had said that being outside was good for her. Luckily, the two of us enjoyed being outside. I was sitting on one of the garden chairs taling in the sun while Roe was knelt down in the grass, not to far away from me. Picking flowers or looking at the odd ant crawling around, I imagined. "It must be good to have her home again" Polly said making me turn my head to awknowledge her.

I watched her sit down and I nodded to agreeing with her statement. I smiled watching Roe stand up and run to greet Polly upon seeing her. It was indeed good to have her home again. But my mind still questioned for how long before that woman would show up. "Did you like the ride home?" Polly questioned Roelynn, also trying to get her to talk. But she only answered with a smile. Polly gave me a quick glance before turning her attention back to Roe who was now handing her some flowers. Eventually she ran back to the spot she previously was picking flowers from. It was hard not being able to hear her endless babbles or the talk of nonsense or even the lively chitter-chatter. I just hoped it would return one day, but even if it never would. I will not love her any less. Roelynn soon arrived by my side. "What do you have there, aye?" I asked sitting up in my chair and looked down at her hand. She carefully opened her hands to reveal the red colored insect with black dots on its wings. She turned to me and wore the same expression she always has before asking 'what is it?'. But she never asked me this with words, only her facial expression. "It's a ladybug" I told her with smile. "The ladybug wears no diguises. She is just what she advertises. A speckled spectacle of spring. A fashion statement on the wing. A miniature red kite. A tiny dot-to-dot delight" I added with a wink. Her eyes began to glow as she listened to me. "In life they represent good luck with how many spots they have, whereas in death this symbology turns to bad luck" I continued, "why don't you count her spots". Roe turned to look back at the crawling ladybug in the palm of her hand. I watched her move her head to count the spots in her head. Before showing me the amount of fingers of how many spots dhe counted. Seven fingers for seven spots. From the corner of my eye, I saw Polly mile at the sight she witnessed. She must find it amusing to see that I, a feared gangleader, was talking about bloody ladybugs. But I could care less, I was just enjoying the fact that Roelynn was home. I watched her look at the ladybug with curiousity untill it eventually decided to fly away. She turned to me with a pouting lip, obviously sad that the bug flew away. "Mr Shelby". I turned my head to one of my staff members who had arrived, "there is a Ms Bronze here to see you". Immediatly I felt my jaw clench at the mention of her name. "Roe, why don't you and I go see the horses at the stables" Polly said standing up and extending her hand. Basically telling Roelynn to go with her. Roe nodded and took Poll's hand and walked away with her. After they where out of sight I stood up from my seat to follow my member of staff to my office where Ms Bronze was. "I'll come right to the point. I'm worried about Rose's wellfare" Pauline said right away. I narrowed my eyes at her after hearing her say the wrong name. "Roelynn is faring just fine, Ms Bronze" I replied reminding her what her actuall name is. "Well ever after my dear sister, god rest her soul, and that friend of yours where.... lost" she said with a smirk, "I worried myself sick over little Roe". I felt my jaw tense up and I had to control myself not to throw the nearest object at her head. "After all, what is there to become of that poor pathetic little child". "Pathetic?" I growled at her. "She is happy, right here, where she belongs. With me, with Blue-Eye and-" I continued but she cut me off, "ugh and that horse, with that hideous blue eye" she said in disgust, "that's the silliest thing I have ever seen. The girl doesn't need a horse. She needs a doctor". "No more doctors. She has seen enough of them" I told her, "that girl needs some real doctors, not your doctor who treats pigs aswell as people" she remarked sharply, "of course you agree that I can give the best that money can buy". She was right, I had done my homework on Pauline Bronze. Most wealthiest female in the south of England. I cannot compete with that amount of money. "So why now?" I ask her, "you had your chance. You knew Steve had been killed in the war and then your sister died not long after. You were signed guardian but you left her in that orphanage" I reminded her. "Well, I changed my mind. I will make the perfect, the perfect, mother. Rose will be much better off with me in the city" she shrugged. "Her name is Roelynn. And by the way you had a temporary custody agreement. So after her parents death you gained custody for however long you wanted. But as soon as you left Roelynn on that orphanage doorstep, the contract ended" I reminded her. I rose from my seat "so, the answer is no. N.O. you are not getting my daughter. Now-

Pauline huffed at me before standing up. "We will see about that" she snapped, "you have not heard the last of me, Mr Shelby. I have lawyers you know!" she yelled and slammed my office door behind her. I turned around and walked to my window. Something laying in the windowcill caught my eye. A dead ladybug. My mind instantly counted the spots, eight.... one more spot than the ladybug had that Roe had found.

Published: 28th of January 2023

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