Nicotine // [michael gray / peaky blinders]

Twenty-Five

It took a month for Thomas to talk to me.

And he wasn't even cold. He was frigid—ice.

"Tom-"

"Don't pretend, Florence-"

"I'm not pretending, Thomas. I actually fucking liked her. When I was seventeen and she broke your heart and ran to America, I fucking hated her. But when she came back? When she gave birth to Charlie?" I ask him, and tears fall down my cheeks. "That's who I liked. I helped plan your entire fucking wedding with the woman, Thomas. I might've been incredibly drunk, but I wouldn't have done that if I didn't fuckin' like her! She made you happy, and that was all I wanted to see. You happy." I say and I can see that he softened. I melted the ice.

"I'd like to be happy as well." He says and I nod. "Congratulations on the child, by the way."

"Thanks." I rub my barely showing stomach. "You have a bet on if it's a boy or a girl?"

"A boy. A little hell raiser, if anything."

"It's going to be part Shelby and part Walker. It's going to be a mad kid."

"Hell of a gangster."

"Or a hell of a bookie. If we ever go full legal."

"Who knows." He shakes his head. "Who. Fucking. Knows."

"So, why did you call me here?"

"I need help. You're my best worker. You know who I like and you know what to say to the people that I do and don't like. You're going to start taking my meetings for me."

"Tom, I-"

"I understand that you would want to take a step back because you're with child, but trust me, after this incident you will be heavily guarded at all times and I want you to understand if anything did happen to you, I wouldn't forgive myself. I would never, ever, forgive myself if something happened to you." He says and I nod.

"Fine, you've sold me on taking your meetings." I say and he lets out a light chuckle. "I got you to laugh." I reach over and grab his hand. "I really am sorry, Tom."

"Yeah, me too." He nods and I wipe a tear and stand. "I've got to meet with Polly and Michael and then Arthur and John. Would you mind moving into the little cottage that's closer by? It would just be easier on you if you were going to be taking my meetings, less time into London and less time to get here."

"Yes, Tom. I'll let him know what's we'll be doing on the way home." I give him a small smile.

"And I'll have a schedule of meetings you need to go to within a few days. Alfie is getting impatient, he'll probably be top of the list."

"Did him and Jessie send you flowers?"

"Of fucking course Jessie Flowers sent me flowers. Beautiful bouquet, full of the flowers that she did the wedding with, made me cry, of course. Tell her to fuck herself for that, will you?" He says and I laugh a little and nod.

"Can we hug? I feel like you need a hug. I won't tell anyone that we did it."

"Yes." He says with a chuckle and we both stand, and I give him a tight hug, wrapping my arms around his neck, going up on my toes so I can hug him properly.

"I'll send Michael and Pol in." I say once we've let go of each other.

"Give me a minute." He puts a finger up and wipes his eyes. "Don't speak of that."

"Of what?" I ask and he lets out a little laugh.

"Are you going to call Pol mum when you marry Michael?" He asks, and I laugh a little.