When The Boys Are Away

Part 40

As soon as the lounge door clicked shut behind her, Harlow clenched her shivering hand over her mouth to eradicate the noisy sob attempting to burst out from within. It took all the strength she had left to contain her burning emotions, but by blinking up at the beautiful ceiling she was able to bat the tears away.

 Michael watched in silence, not giving away his presence as he leaned against the wall patiently. Once Harlow unclenched one of her hands and let the other fall from her mouth, Michael coughed gently, not wanting to scare the poor girl. 

Half surprised, yet half alarmed, Harlow twisted around, sighing in relief when she saw his face. As he glanced into her distant eyes, Michael couldn't help the wave of sympathy that came over him, and Harlow saw it too, "No, don't look at me like that." She demanded, her voice slightly hoarse, however it never lost its authoritative spark. 

"I wasn't." Michael responded, both of them knowing full well it was a flat out lie, "Fancy a walk?" His offer was followed up by him politely offering his arm, and waiting with a raised eyebrow.

Harlow attempted a smile and graciously linked her arm through his, "I'd love one."

***

"Do you remember when you first brought me to Small Heath?" Michael quizzed, as the pair wandered slowly past the large patches of tulips and various other beautiful plants. Harlow smiled at the memory. Polly's excitement from that day was something she never wanted to forget, and she doubted that she ever would.

Harlow nodded and let out a small hum in response, allowing Michael to continue, "And back then, you had fell out with Tommy." Coming to a halt, Harlow glanced up slightly at the Gray, trying to see what he was getting at. 

"Well I'll say the same thing now that I said back then. You brought me home, so you - Miss Harlow Bad Ass Winters," She couldn't help but laugh, "And I are and always will be a team."

Harlow smiled fondly at the boy, extremely thankful for his support. She knew that he could read her response from the pure look of gratitude on her face, so Harlow thought better than to respond with a bunch of words that could never capture the essence of her feelings. 

Instead, she decided to reconcile her plans which she'd arranged before the bombshell that occurred the night before, although they had to be altered slightly. 

"How do you feel about being a stand in Thomas Shelby?" Harlow suggested, tugging on Michael's coated arm to lead him back to the house. Doubtfully, Michael rose his eyebrow, awaiting the next mission the Winters girl had set her sights on. If it involved the big bad boss himself, he assumed it must have been something dangerous, and that sent an anxious tingle down his spine. 

"It's nothing business related - I just need to show Jay and Lizzie around their new house." Michael pulled an interested looking face, obviously unaware that the newly weds were being presented with such an expensive present. 

"Oh, so now you're intrigued." Harlow laughed, dragging Michael along a little faster. The only thing that gave her the urge to keep going about her day without having a breakdown was the thought of the excitement on her brothers face when he saw his new home.

Harlow had specifically picked it herself, taking into account every detail that Jay loved, and of course, everything Lizzie desired and squeezed it into one beautiful property. 

"Well in that case, I'd be honoured." Michael grinned, attempting to perfect Tommy's thick brummie accent, but majorly failing nonetheless. Since Michael had been away from Birmingham for so many years, it almost sounded as if he had no accent at all. If you were asked where he had been rehoused from the tint in his voice, it would be an impossible challenge to guess.