𝙿𝙴𝙽𝙼𝙰𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝚃. 𝚂𝙷𝙴𝙻𝙱𝚈

27

Juliet stares at the hospital wall, her face pale and eyes void of any emotion as the plain white walls stare back.

"Miss Barrie," A nurse walks into the room. "How are you feeling?"

Juliet turns her head, but too slowly to be normal.

"How do you think?" Juliet asks. "My baby died"

When she speaks her voice trails slowly like her words are unwilling to take flight. There is a sadness in her eyes, the brown too glossy. Too haunted.

Mourning came as a sad song, soft and low, a lullaby that spoke of the time of healing to come, of a road that must be travelled one step at a time.

Juliet's eyes move to the wall once again as the nurse fusses around her.

"Mr Shelby signed himself out this morning," The nurse says. "He's in a bad way"

"That's Thomas," Juliet says monotonously. "Won't listen to anyone. Only himself and the shit that rattles in his head"

Juliet's eyes slowly open as the door to her hospital room opens. In walks Tommy who looked the worst she had ever seen. He was still bruised from his encounter with Sabini but it was clear it was still healing.

Tommy stares at Juliet who turns her head to look at him.

"If you wanna leave then go ahead," Juliet says. "Fucking leave"

"Jules-"

"What do you want me to do?" Juliet asks. "Cry and scream?"

"If you need to,"

"If I cried every time someone left," Juliet begins. "I would never stop crying"

She looks at Tommy and he notices the fire in her eyes has been dowsed with ice water, the dark brown was dull as she stares at him. It's like she had just crawled inside some invisible shell and she's unreachable. She moves her eyes more slowly like they're heavy almost as if it's an agonizing effort to move them.

Tommy sits on the edge of her bed and she stares past him, refusing to make eye contact with him.

"Juliet," Tommy says. "Look at me"

Juliet's eyes flit to him and he sighs, taking her hands into his own.

"It's okay to cry," Tommy says.

"I don't know if I'll be able to stop," Juliet says.

"I mean physically your eyes will dry up like prunes," Tommy says and Juliet stares at him.

Tommy sighs and wraps his arms around Juliet.

"When Polly told me, I cried," Tommy admits. "First time I've cried since the war. I found it strange, you know? That I held love for a small baby I didn't even know about and I realised that's what John means when he talks about dying for his kids. That's what it means to be a parent which, with Esme's help, gave me an idea. I want to find Polly's kids"

"Polly had children?"

"Two," Tommy says. "Taken from her when they were young over some sheets and a distilling machine"

"What business did you have in London Tom?" Juliet asks.

"I had business with Alfie Solomons," Tommy says and Juliet moves so quickly that it takes Tomy by surprise.

"Alfie Solomons?" Juliet's voice had a waver in it that Tommy detected instantly.

"Yes, do you know him?"

"No," Juliet swallows the lump that was forming in her throat. "I've just heard somethings about him that are less than desirable. Especially things that will impact the business you're trying to make legitimate"

Juliet takes both of Tommy's hands into her own and she stares into his eyes, panic flashing through her own.

"Promise me you'll be careful with him Thomas," Juliet says and Tommy's eyes search her own.

The fear in Juliet's eyes was real and Tommy knew there was more to her knowledge of Alfie Solomons but decided not to push it.

"I promise I'll be careful," Tommy says. "Don't you worry"

"I always worry," Juliet whispers.