VULNERABLE | thomas shelby

☆T H I R T Y-F O U R ☆

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE; POLS BIRTHDAY

AS SOON AS THEY reached Small Heath, Tommy walked Beth to her home. Beth threw her jacket off, throwing it over the couch and reached down to pull her shoes off. Tommy sighed, looking down at his hands. "What's the matter with you? Thought you'd be happy to get home?" Beth asked, reaching over to rub her thumb over Tommy's porcelain cheekbone. "I've business to attend to." Tommy murmured. Beth scoffed. "You always have business."

Tommy nodded once again. "I know. I'm sorry love." Beth leaned into his touch and rested her head onto Tommy's shoulder. "Will you be gone long?" She asked. "I'll be back before you know it." He answered running his hands up and down Beth's back. "Then we can tell everyone our news, eh?" Beth shrugged, clinging to Tommy's jacket. "Be safe." Tommy nodded his head pulling her in closer. "Of course I will, don't be daft." Beth pulled away to look into Tommy's face.

"I'll have no family at the wedding." She announced, her voice shaking in disbelief. Tommy's eyebrows furrowed and he quickly caught Beth's face before she could start to hyperventilate. "Oi, don't be saying that. You've got me John, Arthur, Ada, Pol, Finn. We're your fucking family whether you like it or not." He reassured. Beth smiled sadly and looked down at her feet. "Who's going to walk me down the isle?" Tommy chuckled and leaned in placing a soft kiss to her cheek.

"Arthur or John. Now I've to go." Beth caught his arm before he could leave and leaned in giving Tommy one last soft kiss. "I love you be safe." She murmured against his lips. Tommy grinned and nodded. "Love you too." He pulled away and walked out Beth's front door, hearing it slam behind her, Beth sighed finally in peace. She stripped from her dress, in the middle of sitroom and collapsed onto the couch.

•

On the day of Polly's birthday, Beth had been sat in the betting shop amongst the men, sitting on top of Johns desk as she talked to Arthur. Tommy had returned from London and Beth was grateful for his return but they decided to keep their engagement down, at least until Polly's birthday was over in fear that Polly could react badly.

"And I threw him in the bloody cut!" Arthur exclaimed waving his hand around to show Beth what he was talking about. Beth let out a snort of laughter and looked back at John who rolled his eyes. John murmured something but Beth didn't hear it as the betting shop broke into a loud applause and Polly walked through the doors looking around in confusion. Tommy walked over wrapping his arm around her and beginning to guide her into the shop. "When did you get back?" Polly asked, looking over at Beth who smiled back at her.

"Get back to work!" Arthur grumbled, the room picking up its noise. "Wouldn't want to miss your birthday Pol." Tommy grinned. "How did you know it was my birthday? Nobody ever knows." Polly asked. "Ah, it's different this year. John, Finn, bring the car around." Tommy instructed. John ruffling Beth's hair as he walked past with Finn. "Where are we going?" Polly quizzed. "To unwrap your birthday present." Tommy replied holding his hand out to Beth who took it and walked beside him out to the car.

Beth glanced up at the Bentley and sighed in realisation that there wouldn't be enough room. "I'll wait here." Beth began, as she turned to walk away but Polly caught her arm quickly looking at her pleadingly. "Please. I need you there so I won't have a fucking heart attack." Polly begged. Beth nodded slowly and glanced over at John. "You can sit on my knee." John teased, holding his hand out for Beth. Beth glanced cautiously at Tommy who's jaw had tensed and took John's hand and allowed him to pull her up onto his lap.

Tommy began to drive through Small Heath, Arthur sitting beside him in the front, Finn squished into the corner right with Polly in the middle and John in the left corner, a smug smirk on his face as Beth held her hand clasped over her mouth to stop herself from laughing as John mocked the people they passed. The car pulled up along a row of houses and the Shelby's all piled out of the car. Arthur glanced around as they walked up to the big house and waved at the neighbours. "Good morning!"

Arthur unlocked the front door, holding it open as Polly, Tommy, John, Beth and Finn walked into the big house. Polly walking through it with a smile. "You said you were going to buy Ada a house." Polly spoke, running her hand over the silk on the couch. "Yep. That's right. I did. Just had a bit of cash left over." Tommy replied. Beth glanced around the big house her mouth parted but instantly groaned when John tried to shove his dirty finger between her lips. She pushed him away as he doubled over laughing and grinned rolling her eyes.

"This is ours?" Polly asked in disbelief. "No, Polly. This is yours." Beth spoke, smiling politely at Polly. "Because you deserve it." Tommy finished. Polly's smile fell as she looked at each person around the room, walking over to place her bag onto the couch. "What would I do with all these rooms?" Tommy raised his eyebrows, huffing a small bit as he rocked on his heel. "Well you could, relax. For one. Come here at weekends. There's a garden, eh? You love gardens." Tommy walked over to the window pushing back the curtain.

"You could grow roses Pol, I don't know, have a piano. Have people around and you could have a singsong, eh?" Tommy listed. "God help the bloody neighbours." John scoffed. "Fuck the neighbours." Arthur replied, holding out a key and handing it into Polly's hands. "Welcome home, Pol." Beth could tell by the watery look in Polly's eyes that something else was bothering her and the room fell silent as Polly sat down. "Arthur, why don't you take the boys and Beth outside. Wait by the car." Tommy instructed.

Beth led Finn out into the front garden and looked around. John wrapped an arm around her as she watched the scenery. "Your next little woman. He'll get you a big house, propose to you and knock you up." Arthur announced, chuckling. Beth let out a small laugh and brought her hand up to lie around her stomach and began to fiddle with her wedding ring without even noticing. Finn glanced down at Beth wondering why she was being quiet and he let his eyes follow her hand, until he saw the ring.

"He won't need to purpose." Finn spoke. John and Arthur's head spun to their youngest brother. "He already has. Hasn't he? That's your wedding ring, eh Beth?" Finn asked. John's arm fell from around Beth's shoulder as the three Shelby boys stared down at her in disbelief. "Is it? Or is it not? Spit it bloody out." John demanded. Beth sighed looking up at John. "We should've told you, I'm sorry. We didn't want to ruin Polly's surprise so we said we'd tell you after it." Beth spoke watching each expression change.

She glanced over at John who's smile began to intensify by the second and before Beth could even speak again she was thrown over John's shoulder. "Holy fuck!" John exclaimed squeezing her as if she was a doll. Beth laughed ruffling John's hair. "Surprise?" John planted Beth down onto the ground and pulled her into a sloppy kiss on the head. Arthur and Finn both went to wrap their arms around the blonde at the same time and clashed, but Beth let out a loud snort of laughter and opened her arms, three Shelby gangsters squishing them self's into a big hug.

The front door to Polly's home, open once again and she walked out. Polly looked at the group in confusion and Tommy chuckled. "I can't believe your engaged!" Arthur exclaimed, plucking Beth from her feet like John did. Polly gasped and Beth's eyes flew from Arthur to Polly in an instant and she smiled sheepishly as Arthur put her down. Polly took two shaky steps forward and Beth looked between Polly and Tommy nervously, but Polly took into a run nearly knocking Beth to the ground as they hugged tightly.

Tommy joined his brothers, allowing them to hug him and praise him as he laughed along side them.

Family first.