When The Boys Are Away

Part 57

It was another thirty minutes before Tommy returned, and both Harlow and Grace could agree that it was the longest half an hour of their lives. The tension in the room was brutally strong, and as soon as a key twisted in the front door, Harlow felt a wave of nausea ripple from her stomach. 

Although Harlow could pretend that she was only there to address Arthur's situation and how Alfie had betrayed them, she couldn't deny that some part of her wanted to be around Tommy. No matter how many times he screwed her over, he would always have some sort of hold over her. However, despite how she felt, Harlow had drawn that line firmly in the sand meaning that a feeling is all it ever would be. 

The familiar tapping of his oxford laced boots flowed down the hallway, and in Thomas's case, ignorance was bliss. He had no idea that the two people he had ever been romantically invested in were sat together behind the lounge door, but he would soon find out. 

Whilst Grace sat like a deer in the headlights on the edge of the sofa, Harlow didn't move from her chilled position. She was tired, and presenting herself well to Thomas Shelby wasn't in her top priorities at that moment. 

The second Tommy stepped in the door, his footsteps ceased and his eyes shifted quickly between the two women. Automatically, he was drawn to Harlow, just as he had been for the past twenty plus years whenever he stepped into any room she was already in. There was something about her; an aura or a hint of magic, something that Tommy could not explain. 

"Harlow," Tommy began slowly, trying to capture her attention. When she failed to respond, he puzzledly glanced over to Grace who shrugged with wide eyes. She wasn't much help in any circumstances, apart from when Tommy needed to let off some steam. "What are you doing here?"

Harlow smirked as she steadily pushed herself into a seated position, opening her eyes to stare at the perturbed man. She could see a mix of emotions behind those deep blue lenses, just like she could when Alfie had asked her the exact same thing. 

"I think that's the third time I've been asked that very question today. Which leads me to wonder, why does everyone seem so certain that I wouldn't be here in London today?" Harlow enquired, her expression one of inquisitive nature. 

Tommy clenched his jaw, but Harlow didn't allow him time to speak, "Arthur's been arrested, you know. Alfie framed him for the murder of Billy Kitchen." 

Although she had her suspicions that Tommy already had some inkling that Alfie had planned something against the Shelby's, the plain, unemotional glance he returned reassured her that she was right. "But you already knew that, didn't you?" 

When he didn't respond, Harlow raised her voice, "Didn't you?" 

Whilst her beady glare was fixated on Tommy, Harlow saw Grace rise in her peripheral vision. "I'm going to leave and let you two talk." Her voice was high-pitched, and made Harlow snap out of her interrogative gaze. 

"There's no need." Harlow snapped, jumping up from her seat with a sense of urgency, "All I have to say is that I can't believe you let your own brother get framed for murder in order to protect yourself." With a look of disgust, Harlow brushed by Tommy who followed her out into the hallway with a sense of guilt. 

"Actually, I'm not surprised, in the end you will always protect yourself. Screw the rest of us." Harlow reprimanded, slipping on her shoes and tossing her coat limply around her shoulders. "I don't care what happens with you or Alfie or anything about the business, but you better find a way to get Arthur out of prison, and you better be fucking quick about it." 

As she slammed the front door behind her, Harlow emerged onto a dark, breezy street, completely alone in the middle of London. The two people she knew in London had betrayed not only her, but the whole family. She had nowhere to go.