Arabella || Peaky Blinders [Michael Gray]

fourteen

Chapter Fourteen
"Do you love the woman?"

In the three months that had passed, Arabella had spent a lot of time travelling up to London to meet with Tommy, who'd spent a long time in hospital since getting a fractured skull from an altercation with a priest named Father Hughes. Arabella was glad he'd escaped without any lasting injuries, though was very amused that the gangster boss now had to wear glasses to read properly as a result of the damage to his skull.

Arabella and Michael had been working extra hard because of Tommy's time in hospital, though Charlotte Murray had continued to make life incredibly difficult. Arabella decided to counter that by occasionally bringing Nick to the office, picking up on the fact Michael was very irritated with the American.

In fact, Arabella had spent most of her spare time with Nick, who'd now moved in with her. They often went on romantic dates, and occasionally he'd bring flowers to her at work, which Michael had described as "sickening."

Any time other time that Arabella had free was spent in the Garrison getting drunk with John, or with Mallory and Isaiah, who had finally gotten together – much to Mallory's mother's disapproval.

It had now been two weeks since Tommy was allowed back home, and Arabella was heading into the kitchens of his house where Michael, John, Arthur and Johnny Dogs were gathered waiting for a meeting.

"Right, you've got two choices, Michael," John began as Arabella slipped into the room, moving past Michael to get to the kitchen sink. "You fuck off to America with Arthur, join the Apaches, or you marry the girl."

Arabella dropped the glass in her hand, the sound making an almighty clash. The four men turned around to face her with questioning looks, John almost smirking at the thought that Arabella was panicking about Michael marrying Charlotte, until she instead turned her attention solely on his older brother. "You're moving to America?" She asked Arthur, moving away from the sink.

"We'll talk later, Bells," Arthur told her, noticing the disheartened look that glazed over her eyes. Arabella slowly nodded her head, unable to prevent the feeling of her stomach dropping at the news that the eldest Shelby was moving away. She defeatedly turned back to the sink, filling her glass up with water, when suddenly another thought dawned on her, and she whirled back around to face the others. "Wait, fuck! Michael, you're getting married?!"

John grinned to himself. "There it is."

"This isn't a joke," Michael spoke up, ignoring Arabella's exclamation as he shifted his attention back to John, eyes hardening in irritation with his cousin.

"Arthur, are you really going to live with the Apaches?" Johnny Dogs asked in almost disbelief, though Arthur was not interested.

"Told her father yet?"

"No," Michael responded simply. Arabella turned back around, leaning against the sink as she took a sip of water, trying to keep up with all the announcements.

"He'll fucking shoot you, man."

"Are you sure the kid's yours?"

Arabella practically spat out the water in her mouth, her airways feeling clogged as she began to choke in surprise. "Wait, hang on, you got her pregnant?!"

Michael briefly spared a glance at Arabella before sighing heavily, not bothering to answer her. "I wish I hadn't told you."

"Then think of marriage as a beautiful road flowers all the way down it," Arthur responded, gesturing with his hands.