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Tommy
"You haven't been sleeping?"
Tommy wasn't startled but the sudden voice of Aunt Pol behind him. He was used to loud surprises. But he moved the paper that he was writing on to the side of the table, out of the way as Polly sat beside him, taking one of his cigarettes and lighting it for herself. Ada was behind her, nursing a cup of tea in her hands. They were silent for a moment.
"If there's a woman Tommy, we'd like to know." Polly spoke out with a smirk as she watched Tommy continue to stair at the kitchen table.
"You better not be hiding her." Ada joked and Tommy coughed, leaning back with his hands in his pockets.
"No woman." He shook his head, his words coming out in large breaths. "Not anymore."
Polly turned around, nudging her head toward the door. "Ada, go find Finn in the Garrison."
Ada scoffed, shaking her head as she obeyed her aunt, placing the cup on the bench and leaving to the pub. Polly raised her brow expectantly, waiting for him to give up his secrets, like he always would. She said, "Spit it out."
"In France, I was taken as a prisoner of war. The camp was rescued by villagers but me and another soldier were left behind." He sighed, closing his eyes, nodding. "There was a woman."
"She saved you?"
Tommy nodded, smiling at the memories that came flooding back. Lucille had saved him- in more ways than one. She had pulled him from the clutches of the Germans that advanced in him and Dawson, nursed him back to health and loved him, for who he was.
"She drove us to her home, took care of us when we had been shot at and wounded. She managed to smuggle us out of the occupied zone before we went in to fight in the Somme." He told Polly. Her eyes were glued to him as he spoke of the girl, his eyes simultaneously sad yet happy.
"What was her name?" She asked.
Tommy let out a breath, whispering her name. "Lucille."
Polly pauses for a moment before speaking confidently. "You loved her."
"I-" Tommy stuttered, before shutting his mouth and keeping it that way.
"I can tell. I'm right." Polly insisted, pointing at him with her cigarette. "You don't need to confirm it. I know you loved her. Still do."
"I've tried to write. I've tried to leave. But..."
"You have too much keeping you here." Polly finished it for him, she shrugged. "You have to write. If she loves you as much as you do her, she'll be sad if you don't."
"I will, I will. I'll try." Tommy insisted, but Polly shook her head. She didn't believe a word he said and she was right not to. His next line was a clear lie. "But I have more important things to do at the moment."
"Thomas." Polly warned. "Don't put a hold on your heart just for the bloody Peaky blinders. I know what you're like."
"What are you going to do about the inspector?" Tommy sighed. His jaw was clenched as she spoke again. "He wants to meet you, you know."
Tommy nodded. "I know."
In reality, he didn't know what he would do. Tommy couldn't think clearly. He was torn in two. Between two countries, two sets of people, though with one it was just her. Lucille. The woman that he couldn't stop thinking about. But he knew this was important. His family was on the line and so was all the hard work that he had put in until now.
"We'll play his game." Tommy decided, nodding his head as he sat up straight.
"Write to her Tommy." Polly told him as she stood. "You'll regret it if you don't."
She left him to his own thought, which ever since France, had been a dangerous thing.
Sorry for the short chap there'll be a new one tomorrow that's huge I've posted a new Peaky blinders book called lady killers- please go take a look if you fancy x
