Michael Gray: Better Man

Alone in America

"I wish it wasn't four am, standing in the mirror, saying to myself, you know you had to do it."
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It was Thomas and Grace's wedding reception.

The band was playing a tune everyone was familiar with, making most of everybody to go on the dance floor.

Olivia stood on a corner, sipping on a drink while Ada was beside her, rambling about politics. While on other days she does listen with much interest with what the she had to discuss, tonight just didn't feel like an  appropriate place for it, she thought. But nevertheless she didn't stop her dear friend as this was the first time they have seen each other in a while.

The members of the Peaky Blinders came out from wherever Tommy called them in from for a brief meeting.

Olivia scanned through the men, and after a few seconds, there emerged Michael, already looking at her with a smirk on his lips, heading straight towards them.

"Ada! I've missed you." He greeted his cousin with a side hug.

"I've missed you too, Michael. Now do us both a favor and take your girl for a dance before I talk her ear off." Ada replied with a laugh.

Michael chuckled, turning to Olivia, and offered his hand.

They were now both dancing to a slow tune, just looking at each other with a small smile.

Everybody who knew the both of them had an inkling that they'd get together soon enough after weeks of constant flirting and bickering ever since they've met.

And it did happen. The past few months that they've been dating has been nothing but bliss to both of them.

"What did Tommy meet you all for?" She asked, breaking the silence.

"Honestly Livy, I wasn't paying much attention. All I heard was him telling everybody 'No fighting' over and over again, and next thing I knew, a waiter was on the ground, and Arthur threw a carrot on the poor guy."

She let out a laugh. Michael hasn't been a member that long, but he was slowly getting used to everybody. And although he was working only on the legal side of the family business, much to Polly's relief, Olivia knew he wanted to venture more on the side he wasn't allowed in. And Tommy had no problem in welcoming him if he wanted to.

"What do you think of the wedding?" He asked her, sliding his hand from her waist to just above her bottom.

"Honestly, I really like it. This has been the only occasion I've ever been to where we're celebrating something other than business."

Michael smiled sweetly at her.
"Meh. I think we can top it.  And we'd appear even later than Tommy and Grace." He teased.

"Well duh, Michael. And knowing you, the guest might even start to wonder if we'd ever show up." She chuckled.

"They can't blame me, Livy. I love you too much." He gave her a long, swooning kiss in the middle of the dance floor.

When they broke off from it, Angel spotted Polly sitting on the dining table next to Lizzie, with a grin on her face.

"Aren't you gonna argue that you love me more?" Michael teased.

And just as she was just about to, she realized that she couldn't move her lips. It felt as though it was sewn shut. Michael was still looking at her expectantly.

She tried and tried and tried but her mouth just wouldn't move.

Michael started looking like he was getting irritated. And it suddenly felt all too familiar. It was the face Michael constantly made during the last few months where she was on the edge of breaking everything off with him. The Michael that started taking her for granted.

And with all her might she tried one last time.

She jolts awake.

Looking at the clock on her bedside table, it was only 4 in the morning. She gets up from her bed and stands in front of her mirror.

She looks better now compared to how she did when she first got here in America two years ago. She's not as skinny, not as pale, and not as stressed. She touched the ends of her hair. It's long again.
The first week she got here, in a moment of just pure yearn for self reinvention, she took a pair of scissors and cut it all uneven to a length by her shoulders.

It's been a while since she had dreamt of him. And when she did, it would always start with a happier memory of them and end with Michael just either walking away, ignoring her, them fighting, or him just saying the worst of things.

Just like how it was before she left him.

The last contact she's had with a Shelby was with Thomas. She had called him after hearing about the passing of his wife Grace.

"Where are you, Olivia?" He asked her. She called to send her deepest sympathy but it seemed like he'd rather not talk about it with someone just yet and so she just let it be.

She sighed.

"I'm in America, Tommy."

"And do you have a roof on your head? A job?"
Tommy always treated her like a sister, an equal to Ada. They did grow up together under Pol's care.

"I-I'm trying to make ends meet." Her voice was shaking. "I've been renting this small room, although I'm a bit late in paying. But don't worry. I just landed a waitressing job in a small restaurant about a few blocks away."

The other line was silent for a second.

"I know you don't want anyone knowing where you exactly are, but please Livy, let me send you help. I swear never to tell another soul."

She was about to protest when he cut her off.

"Not even Michael."

She was still contemplating.

"Please?" Tommy insisted.

"Okay, Tommy." There was no use in arguing with Thomas Shelby. If she'd refused, he'll probably still end up finding her on his own, anyway.

"Before Grace and I got together again, she stayed in New York. She still has an apartment to her name there. I'll send you the keys and the papers. And quit your job, okay? I'll send you enough to get by for a few months, and another to help you start whatever business you'd like."

And with that, she gave him is address.

Grace's apartment has been what she called home for the past two years. And just a block away from it was where she had her small office. She's become an accounting consultant. With her background in helping in numbers for the Shelby business with Michael, she easily got clients.

"You've gotten a lot better, Olivia." She told herself with a small smile. Sighing, she went back to bed for a few more hours of sleep.

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