Yellow Roses // Thomas Shelby

Chapter Fifteen

December 30th 1916

The cake sat on the kitchen counter with 26 candles on the cake. He had been gone for two years now.

I lit a match and Lit every one of the candles. Calongero watched from his seat beside me, watching the fire grab onto the wick. I felt as if I were watching my hope melt away for the war to end.

"Calongero, it's your daddy's birthday today," I told him un-enthusiastically. He reached for the fire, but I pulled his hand back. He definitely had some John Shelby in him.

I stared at the cake while tears ran down my face. I held my child in my arms while life left my body. I was starting to think he was never coming back. He wasn't coming back and I didn't get to say goodbye.

Here I sat in a house which I bought for the three of us. I was sitting here at the table, watching my hope run out.

I had almost everything I ever wanted since I was a little girl. I had a house fifty times the size of a New York apartment. I had income coming in everywhere. My dancing career has taken off to a wonderful start, I had campaigns running for women's rights in America, I even had a child. But I didn't have Thomas. I would give it all up to see him.

"Where Daddy?" Calongero asked, raising his fist up to touch my shoulder. His Whiney little voice annoyed me, but also brought tears to my eyes. I could be holding the last part of Thomas Shelby in my arms.

"He's in France," I blew out the candles and walked over to a map, holding my kid on my shoulder as I showed him everything. "We are here," I pointed to England, then moved my finger to France. "Daddy's here. In a war."

His chubby fingers crossed over the France part of the map. "W-war.." he said, looking up at me. I smiled, pulling his curly hair away from his face.

"I think it's time for bed, aye?" His eyes dropped as I made my way up the stairs and into his bedroom. Ada told me what to get for a room like this. I hadn't had the first clue when he was a couple months away from being born.

I wrapped him up in his blanket and covered the windows in the room. He was already asleep when I shut his door, walking back down to the kitchen and to my office.

The feeling of the nicotine hit my lungs like 10,000 bricks. It burned my insides, distracting my mind from what was really going on. I was scared and helpless. Two very fucking annoying things to feel.

My pencil moved across the paper, sketching a pattern for the new summer release on the dresses Mr. Dumont was going to be released in a month. Ivanov has been looking over some of the idea's I had for the winter shows, and agreed with me that my clothing line should be a part of it.

I nearly jumped out of my seat as I heard my door open and close, the heeled shoes walk into my office. I had my revolver ready and pointed at the doors, waiting for anyone to come through. I've been this way ever since the Lee Boy's.

Ada came through the door, holding a box and walking towards my desk. I sighed, putting my gun back in the drawer and starting a new cigarette.

"Sorry Ada." I got up, giving her a hug, making sure not to drop any of the ash on her clothes. "Thought you were somebody else."

"It's alright." She smiled as she hugged me back, patting the silk shirt I was wearing. "I grabbed your post when I came up here, I hope you don't mind."

She handed me a stack of letters, some being from designers and music producers and dance recruiters. My face lit up when I saw the name Shelby on a postcard.

"I was told to take these to your house when I stopped by. They were addressed to Polly's with your name on it." He gestured down to the box, I nodded.