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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The next morning Aurelia was on a mission. She had gotten up early to make breakfast and gotten dressed in a black pant suit, her noir curls pinned into a low bun. She had gotten her daughter up and cleaned her cuts and scrapes once more before dressing her in a beautiful sage colored dress with a head band that matched and black leather flat shoes that match her mother's heels. Once they were dressed and had breakfast Aurelia took her daughter to school. "You aren't in trouble with me you know that mi amor? You stood up for yourself and your family; I am very proud of you for that." Aurelia told her little girl holding her hand as they crossed the street to her school. "You are?" Marianna asked looking up at her mother with big green eyes. "You're a strong girl, Marianna. One day you'll be a strong woman and you'll need to fight for yourself and those you love. You did good but don't start fighting kids for no reason, only to defend yourself and your family." Aurelia specified.
Aurelia and Marianna walked into the school yard with Marianna showing her mother which teacher was hers. "Ms. Geller is right there!" Marianna said pointing to a woman about Aurelia's age who looked sweet but stern. The two went over to the group of kids Ms. Geller was lining up one of the boys had a black eye. "Is that Elliot with a black eye?" Aurelia asked her daughter in a whisper. "Yes." Marianna answered back, Aurelia tried not to show pride or amusement. "Oh, there you are Ms. Marianna! Who is this?" Ms. Geller asks holding her hand out in a handshake. Aurelia gives a firm handshake and a smile. "I'm her mother, Aurelia. I came to talk about a few of your students to the school's head." Aurelia says and sees the concern in the teachers face. She doesn't blame the teacher entirely she has an entire class of kids to take care. "My daughter is being bullied by the class for her race and for being raised solely by me. I don't tolerate that and surely neither do you, Ms. Geller. So, if you can be so kind as to bring me to the head of the school's office that would be wonderful."
Aurelia scared Ms. Geller so the teacher brought her to her boss's office on the way to her classroom. When the kids were in the classroom and no one else was in the halls Aurelia took out a cigarette and lit it taking a drag to keep her calm. She walked into the office and saw an older man sat in his chair doing paperwork. She couldn't work out how he seemed familiar. "I'm wo- oh hello Miss -uh?" The man looked up in confusion. Aurelia closed the door and walked over to the corner of his desk sitting on it after pushing his work aside. "Miss. Cruz. My daughter Marianna is a student in Ms. Geller's class." She says taking another drag the smoke coming out of her nose like an angry dragon in those old fairy tales her father would tell her. "Ah yes well I'm Mr. Carston." He introduces himself cautiously. Aurelia then grins and lets out a dark laugh as she remembers the man in front of her. "Christopher Carston. Your wife's name is Janine, you have two kids who are married off with their own families. A son, Christopher junior and a daughter Emily-Mae. Christopher and his wife are trying for a baby while your daughter has three kids. Two girls and one boy." She spewed the information that she remembered from when Lilian had told her about the old man she serviced two nights ago who went on and on about his life after his quick orgasm. Apparently, Christopher really likes taking it rather than giving it.
"How-? Who-? Wh-?" He tries to ask how this parent knows all this information. "You are going to have Elliot Thackery and Nancy Turner clean chalkboards for the next week. You will also phone their parents and tell them that their children are bullying other students and cussing at them." She says nonchalant not having broken eye contact with Mr. Carston once. "Excuse me?! Who the hell are y-?!" His sentence stopped once Aurelia grabbed his tie and pulled him by it choking him and still looking him in his eye. "Would you rather your family find out that two nights ago you paid a woman to give it to you up the ass? What would dear little Nicholas think of his grandpa then? Now reach for that phone and call the parents of Elliot Thackery and Nancy Turner while I sit and listen." She demanded blowing smoke in his face. The old man shakily looked in his files for their numbers and called.
After the phone calls Aurelia gave a nice smile fixing Mr. Carston's tie. "Now we keep what was discussed here between us, yes? I came and talked to you on the bullying issues, and you took the initiative to handle it like the respectable man you still are." The undertone of what she meant was obvious and so the man nodded vigorously. "Good. Hopefully I won't be needing to come down here again." She said hopping off his desk putting her cigarette out on his ash tray before leaving. She had a dress appointment to get to that she is very much looking forward to.
Thomas had called The Haven that afternoon around when Aurelia should be having lunch only to be told she wasn't in yet. It seemed off to him and he tried to not have worry bubble in his stomach as we made it to the betting shop. His workers and family went around with business as usual until Pol walked in and they stopped and applauded the woman. She sees her only slightly banged up nephew greeting her with a smile and confusion is all she shows. "What the bloody hell is going on? When did you get back?" She asks Thomas hugging and greeting her other nephews. "I didn't want to miss your birthday, Pol." Thomas says simply. He wants his aunt to be happy with her kids back home, the Shelby family nearly whole. His brain goes back to what Aurelia said to him during their breakfast and is sure on how to approach the topic with his aunt. He lets his mind wander to her for a moment more before calling Finn to bring the car around so he can show his aunt to her new home.
Since he's been Thomas has had to deal with more than shit from his brother's blues coming back and killing a boy to shit with Campbell and the crown. Now he's got a deal with Alfie and all his brain wants to fucking focus on is Aurelia fucking Cruz. To say he's frustrated is an understatement and her not being at the club when she should be is driving him up a wall. After telling his aunt his plans of bringing her children home he said he needed to call someone from her phone. "The Haven in London, please." He told the operator after a few seconds the phone was answered. "The Haven, Aurelia Cruz speaking." Her lovely voice travelled to his ears, and he shut his eyes in relief that she was okay.
"I tried calling you earlier, but you weren't there." He stated not knowing what else to say. "Hello, Thomas. I had a few out of office things to handle this morning and during lunch. Did you need something?" She asked and Thomas was satisfied that she hadn't run into trouble. "Just to tell you that a car will be picking you up at The Haven at eight to bring you here for the opening and they'll have you back in London by four in the afternoon the next day if you do decide to come." He hoped she would come to Birmingham, meet the rest of his family. "Ada wants me to go." She says her voice relaxed making him physically do the same. Pol watched as he talked on the phone and knew it was this Aurelia that she's heard so much about. Pol can see that her nephew's heart and head are at war about this woman, but his heart was winning, and she hoped that this time his heart was right. After a few moments of back and forth, Thomas was still not sure if Aurelia was coming when he hung up the phone.
"Ada loves her." Pol says gaining Thomas' attention. "Yeah." Thomas says getting his cigarette holder from his pocket along with his matches. "Arthur and John only spoke praises of her and her business." Pol added eyeing Thomas. "Mhm." He hummed focusing on the lighting of his cigarette. "What about you, Tommy?" She raises a brow at him, and she sees his answer before he voices it. It was in the smoke he blew out, the shaking of his head and his retreat of eye contact. "Sometimes I think she isn't even real, Pol. She's sweet and kind but she can also be strong and scary. The night I met her she put a knife through some fuckers' hand for trying to push himself on one of her girls." He spoke softly, Polly grinned. "Sounds like she's perfect for a Shelby." She spoke. "Too perfect." Thomas added. "She has secrets, that scares you. When she gets here, I'll see what I feel about her." Polly says knowing that despite Thomas' lack of care for gypsy magic and senses he still believes. "I don't know if she'll come." He tells his aunt, and she laughs. "She will, Thomas. Polly knows."
