Aurelia Cruz is a well respected club owner and madame in London, but she has things she holds very sacred and sacred things that hold her.
Thomas Shelby is a Birmingham gangster making his way up in the business world, and is trying to expand busin...
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"So, what's your goal with our Angel?" One of her girls asks Thomas jutting her hip out and crossing her arms her eyes scanning Thomas' entirety. He didn't have to answer, he wasn't even sure what the answer to that question was, but he enjoyed Aurelia. He's drawn to her; he hasn't thought about Grace as much anymore so perhaps that's part of the appeal but even now the mere thought of Grace doesn't pain him like it did this morning. Aurelia was true to her nickname of Angel without even trying and Thomas is finding himself enamored with her in a way that he hasn't before with anyone. Something in his gut is telling him that Aurelia is going to be in Thomas' life from now on, God how he wants that feeling to be right because Aurelia Cruz is slowly turning into Thomas Shelby's little piece of heaven. "I just want to get to know her." Was his answer he came up with.
"Come on, let's get you to your room. We'll get some food and clothes to you as well." Dorothy said. She was the first girl to work for Aurelia and she was very protective of her. She waited until they were away from the others to ask her questions, Thomas could tell Dorothy was building her courage to ask him something. He honestly admired how every person in this building cared so deeply about Aurelia he could even see his own men taking a liking to her as their boss. They respect and care for her and her them, they were their own family. "Do you like her?" Dorothy asked breaking Thomas from his thoughts of admiration for the angel. "What's not to like?" Thomas answers trying to save his ego while also being a little honest.
"She deserves to be loved, Mr. Shelby. None of us have ever seen her even show interest in anyone." This shocked Thomas. He figured she had at least a handful of men she was interested in who was wrapped around her little fingers. "And you think she's shown interest in me?" Thomas asks getting out a cigarette and lighting it trying to ignore the feeling in his chest that burned at the possibility. "Well, I've only ever seen her act like that when Mr. Solomons comes in with cuts and bruises." Dorothy tells Thomas the burning moves from his heart to his nerves and his pride wouldn't let him say he was jealous, but the feeling was there, and it motivated the next phrase to leave his mouth. "Alfie Solomons, eh?" He only had enough self-control to hold back a scoff at the relation, because that would explain how she could convince Alfie to meet with him why Alfie Solomons gives her only the best rum from his distillery. The two were a possible item and that made Thomas.... uneasy.
"When he first would randomly come here, we thought maybe they were involved but one day he came in injured shouting for his 'little sister' and Aurelia heard him and came out of her office to see what was wrong. She told him off for being stupid while she cleaned him up and gave him some herbs to help heal him. That's when we found out they were brother and sister, not by blood of course but that doesn't matter around here much. Aurelia makes us all feel like family." The fires of envy extinguished but the slight twinge of embarrassment rose from its ashes. "She's quite the woman, but she has secrets." This excuse replayed in his head over and over hoping that by some chance his heart will listen and slow it's fast beating that took place at the thought of Aurelia. "And you don't?" Dorothy asked not looking for an answer but to prove a point. They stopped walking and were in front of a door. She reached into the pot of a nearby plant and grabbed a key unlocking said door and swinging it open giving the keys to Thomas. "Enjoy your stay at The Haven, Mr. Shelby." Dorothy gave a smile before walking off leaving the beaten brummie to think of Dorothy's boss and everything he had been told about her.
Aurelia had come home and started cooking and picking up a bit waiting for her daughter to make it home. She was getting comfortable with Thomas, she told him a lot today, not everything but quite a lot. Maybe she could come to trust him with time but there's still the panic of him knowing. There's a part of her thoughts that he has taken up and even now there he is, his voice echoing in her head and the image of his smirk. Even with a bloody lip and scratched up face he's handsome. Aurelia checked on the pot of soup on her stove and sat down with some files of paperwork, records of generous donations made to the club and records of donations the club makes to schools, Marianna's included, and orphanages that Aurelia had personally investigated. Having heard horror stories on certain orphanages with how they treat children made her blood boil and she couldn't forgive herself if she endorsed a place like that.
When Marianna came home, she wasn't as upbeat as she normally was, she was happy to be back around her mother, but her natural light was dimmed with a shadow of hurt in her eyes. "She's been like that since I picked her up, she says she's fine but..." Mrs. Goodwin's face showed concern; Aurelia nodded and told her she'd handle it before thanking her and wishing her a good night. She walked into the kitchen and saw her daughter sitting at the kitchen table doing her schoolwork. "Amor, there's something different about you. What happened today?" Aurelia asked crouching down to meet her daughter eye to eye. Marianna sighed; she knew her mother did more than her friends' mothers. That her mom was raising her by herself and there was a reason for it, and she was happy with just having her mother. Marianna adores her mother and wants to be like her in every way, but the kids at school started wondering why Marianna doesn't have a father and from there rumors started then the bullying.
"Kids at school were wondering why I don't have a dad. It doesn't bother me that I don't, I like it being just us, but I just don't want them to keep asking." The four-year-old told her mom and immediately Aurelias heart crumples in her chest. "Then tomorrow I'll go to the school an-" Aurelia's solution was cut short by her daughter's plea. "No! It's not a problem momma, if they keep asking, I'll tell them to mind their business; like Uncle Alfie tells people when they ask why he's buying dolls." Marianna says the funny image of Alfie telling toy shop owners to mind their fucking business while he holds a doll making the mother and daughter laugh. "How about this, I'll let you try and handle it but if it keeps on after you've told them to mind their own then I handle it okay?" Aurelia asks with a hopeful look. Marianna nods accepting the deal with her mom. "But you have to be honest with me about it okay?" Aurelia adds sternly and Marianna nods her head again, happy that her mom will let her handle this like a big girl. After that the Cruz household ran as normal with dinner then bath and bedtime.
Aurelia's heart still ached at her daughter's schoolmates teasing her for lacking a father. She knew for certain that leaving Steven was what was best for them, but she also knows that a girl should have a father. A man who loves her unconditionally, who teaches her how to dance by letting her stand on his feet. Someone to protect you from monsters under your bed or chase away no good boys from breaking your heart and walk you down the aisle when you found the man you love. As Aurelia watched her daughter sleep a tear rolled down her cheek, wishing she could give her daughter the things only a father could. If one thing was certain though, Aurelia Cruz would send hellfire upon the primary school if the bullying continued.
Thomas had been given some food to eat for dinner and one of his blinders had gone to get Thomas a new suit to wear for tomorrow. "I'll be back soon, Pol, I have somethings to do first." He had called home, so they knew he wasn't dead somewhere, he nearly got cut through the phone by his aunt and her worry. "Where are you going to stay, Thomas? Sabini and his men are all in London how will you be protected?" Polly asks in haste, the uneasy feeling of Thomas being in danger drove her mad. She knew he could handle himself, but she raised him and his siblings like they were her own she has the right to worry. "I'm staying with a friend; she has a team of security here and half of them are blinders. I'm protected, Pol." He said, in his own way trying to sooth his aunts worry. "She?" Pol asks a new tone of disbelief in her voice. "She who, Tommy?" Polly had two women in mind her nephew could be talking about: Grace or the woman he called after getting the note from Camden Town and her gut told her it wasn't Grace he was staying with. "I'll see you at home, Pol." Thomas said hanging up the phone.
Polly doubted he was with Grace but with Thomas Shelby you never know. Pol saw the look on his face the days before he disappeared, how he would go to the phone after dinner and moments later he would look less broken. She saw that day he called this Aurelia woman after the note and when he said her name there was a shine in his eye that even the cold soul he held couldn't hide from Pol's eyes. Perhaps this 'Aurelia' was better than Grace for Tommy, but Polly couldn't be sure until she met her in person. Right now, however, Polly Gray feels in her own soul that wherever Thomas is in London, he is just fine and will come home in one piece. "Oh, Tommy. Let's hope this one isn't out to hang us all." Polly said placing the phone back with a sigh. "Was that 'im? He alright?" Arthur asks hearing his aunt's quiet prayer. "He's fine, Arthur. He'll be home soon."
