𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 · 𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

POLLY GRAY WAS never wrong - at least, that's what everyone agreed upon. Nobody brought up the time that she said that Tommy would grow up to be a star in the pictures, or when she said that Finn would be the smartest of the lot - even when she said that she swore Ada had a crush on the girl that lived down the street.

While all of those wild ideas were incorrect, if there was one thing that everybody could trust Polly on being right about it was whenever someone got pregnant. Evelyn swore her aunt had a sixth-sense and could just tell whenever someone she knew was having a child - sometimes even before they knew.

Evelyn could recount the moment that Polly had stormed into her bedroom to claim that Ada was pregnant. The young girl almost fell out of her open bedroom window in shock when Polly swung her door open with a thud and pointed towards her.

At first she had thought she was in trouble since this was usually how the scoldings in her household went down - constantly checking over her aunts shoulder for the moment that Tommy would stroll in with his usual 'I'm disappointed with you' expression.

Instead, her aunt had began to ask her whether she knew anything about Ada's baby - only to have Evelyn furiously shake her head and try to convince her aunt that Ada was definitely not pregnant. Not even a week later, her sister showed up claiming to be low on iron - resulting in the three women taking a trip to Cardiff where Evelyn learnt to never underestimate her aunt when it came to pregnancy again - which led to her current predicament.

Shifting in the uncomfortable chair around her aunts dining table, Evelyn's hand gripped Alfie's as her family filed in and each took a seat - Finn already digging into the dinner Polly had prepared as a final sendoff to Michael who would be off to America in the morning.

A small squeal of "Aunt Eve!" had Evelyn beaming as she caught a flurry of auburn hair rush towards her - little Charlie Shelby excitedly rushing over to his favourite aunt.

"Lee Lee," Evelyn helped Charlie get on her lap, shifting so he avoided resting his full body weight on her bump - pressing kisses to his chubby cheeks. "How's my favourite boy?"

"Good! Dad got me a horse!"

Evelyn raised a curious brow towards her older brother who only offered her a shrug as he pulled out a chair for his wife, Lizzie.

"Did he, eh?" Evelyn focused her attention back onto the little boy in her lap. "And what did you name him?"

Charlie was quick to shake his head, sliding off Evelyn's legs and out of his uncomfortable position on her lap - only to climb onto Alfie's who stiffened in response. Everyone seemed to become silent, intently watching the interaction as Charlie made himself comfortable - Alfie having to wrap an arm around the young boys waist so he didn't fall.

"It's a girl horse," Charlie continued to ramble, not paying any attention to the sets of eyes on him. "Dad said to call it Penny because she's a pain."

Evelyn shot her brother an unimpressed look at his choice of name, letting her three-year-old nephew ramble to the best of his ability. His curious eyes seemed to dart from Evelyn to Alfie before he pointed a grubby finger to Alfie's eye.

"What happened?"

Everyone seemed to suck in a sharp breath, including Alfie who tried to stutter out an appropriate response to the child - not wanting to tell the boy that he was shot in the face; Evelyn was quick to answer.

"You can't ask things like that Lee Lee," she gently cupped the boys cheek in her palm, watching him adorably pout.

"Why not?"

Alfie uncomfortably cleared his throat, turning his head slightly so the boy wouldn't see the scaring. It had taken him a while to get used to it and not think he was an ugly mess whenever he looked in the mirror - he didn't want to scare the poor boy or give him nightmares. 

However, he definitely wasn't expecting little Charlie to clap his hands before hopping off his lap - looking up at the older man in what could only be described as a purely Tommy Shelby action.

"It looks cool!" He grinned, before rushing around the table to his father - Tommy lifting him up while offering his sister and brother-in-law a smile.

Alfie wasn't too sure what to make of the situation, only clearing his throat before taking the glass of whiskey that Finn had placed into Evelyn's hand - changing the topic.

"She's pregnant," he scolded the teenager, before handing him back the glass. "Go get her a water or tea – even stout if yer' have it. "

Evelyn discreetly rolled her eyes, taking Alfie's hand in hers as she watched her brother scamper into the kitchen of Polly's house to get her a drink. She gave his palm a squeeze of comfort before the family began to eat the dinner that Polly had made - eating their fill before they began to have lighthearted conversation about the upcoming races.

"Oh Pol! You have to predict the gender!" Ada interrupted the conversation that she deemed as boring - gesturing towards Evelyn. Evelyn chuckled as her aunt was quick to raise to her feet, practically pushing Linda out of the seat beside her niece as she sat down.

Evelyn fondly watched as everyone turned their attention to her, her eyes darting to Alfie who offered her a half-smile not quite believing in Gypsy magic. Polly's hands were shaky as she pressed them to the bump, Evelyn admiring the way her aunts features seemed to light up as she looked towards her.

"Mhm, I thought so - she's going to have the prettiest blue eyes."

Not being able to help the squeal that left her mouth, Evelyn was quick to turn to Alfie who couldn't help but grin at his wife's pure excitement.

"I told you it was a girl!" She teased the man, referring back to when he told her that she was carrying his son. Polly took Evelyn's cheeks in her hands pressing a kiss to each before doing to the same to a surprised Alfie.

"You should call her Julia," she told the couple. "Julia Louise Solomons - she'll be royalty."

Alfie didn't want to burst the pure happiness in the room by telling them that he still wasn't one-hundred-percent certain that Polly was correct since they had to wait another five months to find out. But nonetheless, he let his girl wrap her arms around him as she practically jumped onto his lap – basking in another moment he knew he would never forget.

"Julia," Evelyn mumbled turning so her legs were across his as Linda stole her seat. "We could call her Jules."

Alfie hummed, already falling in love with the name - letting Evelyn continue to speak to him as he ignored all the other voices filling the room.

"And if by chance Pol is wrong and we have a son, we could always call him Tommy," Evelyn suggested, snickering when Alfie pressed kisses over her face - not giving two-shits about what the Shelby's thought of him.

"No way in hell, love," he poked her cheek.

He had everything he wanted in his arms and nothing else mattered.