𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 · 𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

EVELYN HAD NEVER been to Margate, but now it felt like it was the only place she ever was. Previously, she had only ever heard of the town from stories that Alfie told her over pillow-talk – the man promising to take her one day.

Leaning against the balcony, Evelyn looked out towards the ocean – the distant sound of a ship horn causing her to use the binoculars to see if she could catch a glimpse of it. Reaching down, Evelyn gave Cyril a pat as the dog obediently sat at her feet, his tail wagging as he looked up at her.

"It's nice here, Cyril," she bent down to his level, picking up the ball that his paw was resting on. "Shame that the first time I'm here is when he's hurt."

Cyril whined at her words, pawing at her leg as he tried to snatch the ball out of her hands – Evelyn giggled when he practically jumped into her lap. The sound of someone clearing their throat had Evelyn turning her head towards the doorway – he eyes landing on the house nurse, Margaret.

"What is it, Maggie?" Evelyn offered the woman a soft smile. The slightly older woman was new and trying to get used to her job being in a house instead of hospital, but overall she was a lovely lady.

"He's awake," Maggie softly spoke, watching Evelyn turn her attention back to Cyril. "He asked for you, ma'am."

Evelyn's head perked up, her eyes slightly wide as her mouth parted in shock. Maggie gave the woman a soft giggle before reaching her arms out to help Evelyn stand. Evelyn's hand rested on her ever growing baby bump as she stood, looking towards Maggie who was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Are you okay, ma'am?"

Evelyn nodded as she stumbled over her words. "Yeah, it's just – are you sure he asked for me? It's been three months and he hasn't wanted to see me once."

"I'm positive ma'am. He sent me to collect you."

Evelyn quickly brushed her hands off on her red dress, running a hand through her very knotty hair before thanking Maggie – rushing towards the bedroom that Alfie had locked himself away in for the last three months.

Evelyn would never forget the night that Alfie got shot, her entire world being forced into a state of panic when the ambulance arrived and took him from the floor of her club. She had forced Ollie to go get his car, the girl driving the pair of them to the London hospital in record time.

She had spent the entire night pacing the hallway, only stopping to call Tommy and inform him of what was going on – it was actually Tommy's idea to take Alfie to Margate if he made it. For an easier recovery, he had told her. But Evelyn knew that Tommy had suggested it for reasons between the pair that she didn't know about.

So when the doctors had informed her that Alfie would make it through the surgery, however, not without losing his sight and terrible scarring – Evelyn was quick to ask if she could take him to Margate. The doctor agreed, so long as he had a nurse with him twenty-four-seven.

When he had woken in bed at his Margate cottage that Evelyn had coaxed Tommy to find, Alfie refused to allow her to see him. The man yelled until Maggie pulled a sobbing Evelyn out of the room, shutting the door on her as Evelyn begged to be let back in. From that day on he ignored her whenever she asked to come inside, and only ever allowed Maggie to change his bandages and look after him. 

Evelyn had to deal with the fact that she had killed another man, watched her fiancé get shot and was pregnant by herself while she waited for Alfie to be ready to see her. Maggie would always report back to Evelyn on his condition and how well he was healing only to ever have Evelyn ask if he wanted to see her – the older woman having to tell her no. However, now that he had specifically requested for her to come see him – she was scared to enter the room.