𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 · 𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞

THE MEETING WAS Tommy's idea – exactly like the one he did on his wedding day when he got married to Grace.

He was stood beside his brother-in-law, the pair watching the Shelby men and Alfie's workers walk into the kitchen of the Margate house. Alfie grunted at the small space, the kitchen obviously not made for more than three people at once.

"Right, today I got fuckin' married," Alfie stated the obvious, deciding to be the one to speak up before Tommy had the chance. "Now that woman out there, yeah? That stunner is my fuckin' wife and I don't want to hear one fuckin' whisper of someone starting shit, because this day is hers, yer' get that?"

The men in the room all nodded and hummed in a collective agreement, Alfie taking a step back as he watched Tommy walk around the room with a glare. 

"Alfie won't deal with your shit today," the Shelby man slapped his younger brother Finn who was snickering with his friend Isaiah, upside the head. "But I will. Don't think I won't blind you for even thinking about ruining today for my sister."

"We're a fuckin' family now lads!" Alfie piped back up, not being able to help himself. "Right, now be good little boys and scurry off – I want to get back to my fuckin' wife."

The men all left in a rush, not wanting to mess with a joint unity between the feared Alfie Solomons and the ruthless Tommy Shelby – maybe individually they could deal with them, but together? Nobody wanted to risk it.

Pretty soon it was just Alfie, Tommy and Arthur left in the kitchen – Tommy pulled a cigarette out of his coat pocket before he pointed the end towards Alfie.

"You take care of her and your kin," he spoke sternly, watching as Alfie strolled over to him; placing a palm on his shoulder.

"You think, yeah, that I would do anything to hurt them? Nah, Tom, they're all the family I've got, right? Not going to let anythin' happen to them."

"I don't know, Tom, should we leave our sister in the hands of the Wandering Jew?" Arthur piped up, although his tone wasn't one of malice like it usually was.

"Yer' condescension, as fuckin' always, is much appreciated, Arthur," Alfie ran a hand through his clean-cut beard. "I'll take care of them, yer' know I will. I guess Tommy's wedding is next, Eve said yer' proposed to yer' secretary."

"Already got married."

"You fuckin' what?"

Tommy chuckled under his breath realising that he was right and Evelyn had most definitely picked up on Alfie's vulgar language, lighting his cigarette with a light shake of his head.

"You mean to tell me," Alfie removed his hand from Tommy's shoulder before gesturing around them. "That Tommy fuckin' Shelby, yeah, got married without makin' a fuckin' spectacle of it?"

Raising a brow at Alfie's exclamation, Tommy just waved his own hand in the air – shrugging off Alfie's words. "Just go to my fuckin' sister, Alfie."

Tommy rolled his eyes, trying not to break out into a grin. Because, deep down, he knew that out of everyone his sister could've fallen in love with – Alfie Solomons wasn't the absolute worse.

~~~~~

EVELYN USED TO despise having to get dolled up and attend family events. She hated having to be polite and entertain the guests that looked down on her and her family for their roots. However, if anyone were to ask for her thoughts on them now she would probably give a different answer to what she used to.

Holding her new baby niece, Ruby, close to her chest, Evelyn grinned as the small girl grabbed her thumb, gurgling softly to herself. She let her eyes drift through the parlour room of the Margate house to take in the happy faces of people she never thought would get along – her family mingling with the folks of Camden town as if they had all been friends for years.