Only Time Will Tell - A Peaky Blinders Story

Chapter 16 - Feeling the love

"Cass! Thank fuck you're back, the kids have been driving me mad." John says with a smile as his sister enters the betting den. "I'm not surprised." Cass giggles as he engulfs her in a bear hug. "Why don't you pick them up from school with me today?" John then says as he pulls away, a hopeful glint in his eye. "Sounds like a plan." Cass says, still smiling. "I've just got to run to the Garrison first to make sure Arthur's keeping the books right. Wanna come?" He says. "Sure." Cass replies with a shrug before following him out of the building.

~

Cass and John walk with confidence down the street towards their brother's pub. "So, how was your little holiday?" John asks with a smirk. "It was really lovely." Cass says with a girlish grin. John smiles at her, enjoying the sight of his sister being so happy. She hasn't been like this since she was a teenager. "You really love him, don't you?" John then asks, slightly more serious. "With every ounce of my body, and I know he feels the same." Cass says with a happy sigh. "Good." John says before they walk through the doors of the Garrison, narrowly avoiding the sobbing woman who was leaving.

"Who broke the mirror?" Cass asks Arthur as they walk closer to the bar. "7 years bad luck that is." John says with a cocky shrug as he walks into the back rooms. "Everything alright, Arth?" Cass asks her oldest brother as she joins him at the table. His eyes are blank and never leave the flat surface in front of him. "Yeah." He whispers in reply before straightening himself up and sitting at the bar. Cass knows something big just happened to him for him to be in this state, but also knows that pushing Arthur will end up in a bigger fight than it needs to be. She just sighs before following the direction John went in.

~

"Aunty Cassie!" Lily yells in shock as she runs towards her father and aunt. "Hey, Lils." Cass says happily, accepting the giant hug her niece gives her. "Katie! Look who's here!" Lily then yells, turning back to get her sister's attention. "Yay!" Katie yells as she copies her older sister's actions. "Welcome home, Aunty Cassie." Ben and Frank say at the same time as they join the group, each giving their aunt a hug.

"So, where have you been this whole time? You were gone for so long!" Katie asks excitedly as they all walk back to John's house. "I was in London, sweetheart." Cass replies. "Falling in love?" Lily asks with a sigh, looking off into the distance as if she's listening to a fairy tale. Cass can't help but laugh as her brother tries to hold in a comment. "Something like that." She replies with a smirk.

"Can you stay for tea?" Frank asks hopefully. "Depends if your dad is cooking." Cass replies with a smirk as John pushes her arm. "Esme's cooking, actually. You can see the baby, too." Ben says, matching his brother's hope. "I guess I can stay for a while." Cass answers casually, prompting all the kids to cheer.

She loves the relationships she has with John's kids. Watching them grow up as been more than rewarding for her. They each have their own personalities, but still show John's impulsiveness and sense of humour. She only hopes that they can have better lives than the one her father has had so far. She would hate to see them suffer as he did throughout the war. Suffer the way she did too.

Cass ended up staying at John's house all night. She even put the kids to bed. John offered for her to stay on the sofa, but she declined. She'd spent the last month in someone else's bed and just wanted the comfort of her own for once. Although she would have loved to have stayed in the arms of her Alfred. She's never felt safer than when she was in his arms.