Lovely ∝ Thomas Shelby

Chapter 16; If I meant to kill you, I would have.

"Effie. Effie, listen to me." Tommy ordered, one arm situated around my shoulders and one hand placed on my bent knee. I looked at him, wearily and completely exhausted. The sweat running down from my forehead mixing with the tears falling from my eyes at the excruciating pain. "You're doing amazing. We just need you to push a few more times, alright?" He stared into my eyes, but I shook my head and leaned my forehead against his shoulder.

"I can't, Tommy." I cried, shutting my eyes tightly. "It really fucking hurts."

"I know, I know. But we're going to have a baby when it's all done. You're going to be a mother, I'm going to be a father, and we get to raise our little boy or girl." He told me softly, kissing my head as I opened my eyes, finding some form of new strength from Tommy's words. The thought of him becoming a father excited me more than the thought of myself becoming a mother. I was excited for his journey to bring up our child.

"Okay, I'm going to need you to push again, Miss. Cavell." The doctor said from the bottom of the bed. I sighed and looked at Tommy as he gripped onto my hand and looked back at me.

"You can do this. You've been through worse." He encouraged me as I nodded at him before looking at the doctor and nodding also.

"Okay. Push." The doctor ordered, and with every bit of strength I had, I pushed, screaming out as the pain travelled through my body. A few more pushes and I suddenly felt the release. It didn't hurt anymore as I took in the deepest breath, and the sound of a low-pitched, repetitive cry rang throughout the room.

I lay my head back, shutting my eyes for a moment in an attempt to catch my breath. I feel Tommy's lips placed on my forehead for a moment or so, the crying getting further away as I open my eyes again.

"Where are they going?" I asked, breathlessly, watching as the nurse walked over to the other side of the room with our baby.

"It's alright. They're just cleaning the baby up." Tommy reassured me, moving my face to look at him. "I am so proud of you, Effie." He whispered as I smiled slightly.

"Okay, here's your baby girl." The nurse told us as my eyes lit up.

"A girl?" I asked, making sure I got the information correct.

"Most certainly." The nurse told me, handing me my baby girl as I cradled her in my arms.

"Just what Jess wanted." Tommy commented with a smile as he looked over my shoulder at the tiny, beautiful girl in my arms.

"She'll be so thrilled." I whispered, watching as our baby's eyes began to flutter open. I gasped slightly in complete awe as I saw her father's stunningly beautiful, ice blue eyes. "They're just as beautiful on her as they are on you."

I glanced up at Tommy, the two of us smiling as he laughed ever so slightly, "I'll have to disagree. I think she just about has me beat." He joked as I laughed and looked back down at our baby.

"Shall I go get Jess?" He wondered, causing me to nod without even moving my eyes from her. "Alright." He placed another kiss to my temple as I heard his footsteps leave the room.

"Hello, my beautiful girl." I whispered, leaning down to place a kiss on her head. "You are going to be the most spoiled girl in the whole country, I promise." I told her, smiling to myself.

I soon heard the door open again as I looked up, smiling at Jess as she walked through the door with Tommy behind her.

"Oh my gosh." Jess whispered in awe as she slowly walked towards us, her eyes never leaving the baby. "Is this her?" She asked, pointing a finger at her. Myself and Tommy laughed at her question as I nodded.