Reflections- Tommy Shelby

Purple Dreams

Two years later and his world had changed. Tommy Shelby was a man who couldn't be stopped as he conquered enemies across the country. As his business life began to thrive his personal began to suffer but it wasn't enough to deter him.

Withdrawing personally had become second nature to Tommy. There had been women who had tried to get close to him but he kept them at arms length, only sinking lower when he used them physically.

The only woman close to him was the one that haunted his dreams, begging him to come to him over and over again.

Instead of sleeping he would pour himself into booze, women and drugs but there where moments when his medicines didn't work and he would have to dream. Those nights where restless bouts of sleep that if he could manage without he would.

Today was no different as he nursed a headache in the betting den, plying himself with cigarettes and looking over the latest books as a distraction.

"You look like shit" Polly said as she entered his office.

"Morning to you to Pol" he mumbled as he swiped his hand over his chin, feeling two day old stubble.

"Ada was right Tommy, you need to go to the doctor. Get something to help you bloody sleep before you drop"

Tommy raised an eyebrow towards his aunt "Ada has spent too long in London. I don't need a quack up in my head" he dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Polly shrugged before taking a cigarette from his box "Do what you want Tommy but for heavens sake go shave. You look bloody homeless"

--

Stood by the cut Tommy was masked by the fog as he waited for his brother. Arthur had been sent to London to check on Ada after a near scare with a rival gang. Arthur was to only return once their sister was secure on his orders.

As Tommy watched the canal boat slip under the bridge he saw the usual smirk on his brothers face and nodded. Now it was time to get back to business.

"Smell that Tommy? Birmingham fuckin air man!" Arthur boomed as he hopped off the boat and onto solid ground.

"Welcome home brother"

Both men began to walk, heading back towards the Garrison where John was waiting for them. As they began moving through the crowds of working people they watched as the crowds parted in fear.

"Ada's not appy. Threatened to pop my balls when she first saw me" Arthur sighed before glaring at a man who was in his way "I told her to come home but she's having none of it"

"Polly will sort it" Tommy mumbled as he caught the eye of John who was waiting outside of The Garrison. As his eyes slipped back to his brother he saw a group of young women on the opposite side of the road walking together. Normally his eyes would slip away without a speck or curiosity but today was different.

Everything around him began to slow as his ocean blue eyes caught sight of the woman in the middle who was laughing at something her friend had said.

A mix of adrenalin and fear spiked in his heart as he he saw her familiar face. The familiar big green eyes that haunt him, her plump lips that have whispered to him many times before...it was her.

A woman with no face next to her began pulling them over to his side of the road and for the first time in his life he was lost for words.

"Tommy?" Arthur called but it sounded too far away.

Tommy watched as his ghost began heading his way, completely unaware of him as she laughed with her friends.

Tommy thought she was eerily beautiful as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. The woman in front of him had only ever existed in his head and now that she was here he felt for the first time in his life the urge to run.