Tommy
Tommy throws his head back and howls with laughter, his hands pulling on the railing in front of him. "Yes!" He screams, punching his fist in the air. Yet another race won by grace, he could almost hear the money being stacked in the safe as he watches the horse come to a steady stop at the far side of the race track. He knew that this would be her last win for a while, they needed to slow down or the odds would have to stay low. If they let her lose a few races they could raise the odds and raise the profits. He grins as he looks out across the racetrack, the crowds collecting their small winnings. It wasn't grace that had earned him the profit today, no it was Spirit that had got him that. The stallion had come second to last and had won the previous two races. The odds against her winning were good but with a dismal placing, the profits would come rolling in.
Tommy can't keep the smile from his face as he makes his way back down the stairs to the stables, where he watched his trainer pace back and forth. May Carlton hadn't aged a day since the last time he saw her. May's brown hair was pinned back and only a few loose strands framed her face. She had on her standard blue coat for race day with her brown boots. Yes, she hadn't changed one bit. May stops suddenly feeling his gaze on her, she flickers her brown eyes towards him, seeing the smirk on his face she knows that grace has won. "Good race?" He only nods in response to her, placing a cigarette between his lips he lights it and blows out the match before dropping it into the ashtray perched on one of the wooden ledges. May watches him as he takes a long drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke slowly upwards to the ceiling. "When do you go?"
"Now," Tommy mutters, licking his lips. May knew this wasn't going to be a social visit for him, he never stayed for longer than he had to. "Goodbye May." May gives him a small, tight smile in response to his words and nods. Ever since his wife had died he hadn't been the same. She was grateful that he was at least speaking now, after all, it had been over four years.
Tommy turns away from her then, making his way out the back of the stables, he would have liked to stay and see the horses but he couldn't stand the way she looked at him, so much pity in those brown eyes of hers.
He slept most of the way home, with his pipe lead next to him he drifted in and out of consciousness allowing his body to relax with the rocking of the canal boat. It was only when they came into Birmingham did he allow himself to rise fully. He grabbed his bottle and made his way out to the front of the barge. He leans over the edge and poor's his bottle into the muddy water of the cut, the smell of stale piss making his eyes water. "Alright, Tommy?" Charlie calls from behind him. He hadn't even noticed him standing there, his mind wasn't clear yet from the smoke. Tommy sits down an leans against a sandbag, his legs bent in front of him. He leans his head back and takes in a deep breath, the smell and taste of his hometown welcoming after the fresh country air.
Corrine
"Hurry up Fiona!" Corrine barks, grabbing the small girls hand and pulling her behind her. The pair looked like sister's, they had some resemblance in their small button noses and green eyes but that's where the similarities ended. The older of the two had striking blonde hair that was pinned to her head with perfection so that not a strand was loose and the youngest had jet black hair that fell in soft waves to her shoulders.
"I'm hungry!" The young girl comes to a sudden halt, making Corrine almost drop her bags in frustration. Fiona folds her arms against her chest and stomps her foot. Corrine groans, she did not need a temper tantrum right now. She finds herself wondering if she can pick up her daughter and carry her to the train but worries she will look like she is abducting her.
Sighing she puts down her bags and kneels on the floor in front of her. She takes Fiona's small hands in hers and looks her in the eye. "We spoke about this, if we don't catch the train we can't go until tomorrow." Corrine tries not to shout at the small child but she is at the end of her tether, this was the third time they had stopped since getting out of the taxi and their train was boarding. "I have sandwiches in my bag, when we get on the train you can have one." This seems to appease Fiona who gives her mother a small smile. "Good girl." She places a small kiss on her daughter's nose, making her giggle. She finds herself enjoying the moment, in the middle of the busy crowed her daughter laughter seemed to melt them all away and calm her down instantly. The train's horn echoes across the platform for the last time, indicating the final call for boarding. Corrine picks up her bags and grabs her daughter's hand and they run to the train, climbing abourd just before the doors are closed. They sink into the two closest seat they can find and Corrine allows a sigh of relief to escape her lips. They made it! After what was already an impossible morning, she had done it! She had got her and her child on a train with all of there belongings, no one had died and it had been done with minimal tantrums from Fiona. She smiles as the train leaves the platform, she would count this as a success.
"Mum." Fiona whines, pulling her away from her thoughts. She looks down at the young girl beside her and has to contain her laughter, her daughter has her hands on her hips and has her eyebrows raised.
"Right." Corrine searches through one of the several bags before finding the cloth package of ham sandwiches. She pulls one out and hands it to her daughter, taking another one for herself. They sit in silence then, eating their sandwiches and watching the Cumbria scenery whizz past them.
Tommy
Tommy pushes the door of the betting shop open and is welcomed with complete silence. "We're closed!" A shrill voice bellows, interrupting his momentary peace. He hears her Italian heels on the wooden floor before he sees her. His aunt Polly had a new love for expensive shoes and the noise drove him crazy. "Oh, it's you." Polly doesn't give him a smile or any real reaction, she just watches him as he makes his way further into the room. "Just in time, family meeting." She nods and turns her back to him, marching away with the clip-clop of her heels Tommy can't help but think it sounds like a horse walking on concrete. He wasn't expecting a warm welcome from Polly, after all, they had only been speaking again for the last year. Tommy follows Polly, not bothering to take off his coat he knew that he wouldn't be staying long after it had finished. He had only stopped by to drop off some of the winnings from today's races. He enters the family room at the back of the betting shop, the table was dwindling in numbers nowadays. Arthur and Linda sat to the left of the table, Ada to the right, directly next to Polly and Lizzie next to her. No other members of the blinders are present, Tommy notes. It means it really is just family business. He wants to groan, whatever the meeting was about it wasn't good news.
Polly raises her eyebrows at him and looks down at the chair next to Lizzie, Tommy ignores her and leans against the door. "Now that you are here." Polly nods curtly at Tommy, the rest of the family look up at him as if they are only just realising he is here. "How did it go today?" Polly isn't asking him because she wants to know. She's asking to keep up the pretence that everything is fine like she actually cares.
"Well," Tommy responds, giving her no further information about his trip to the south.
"I have news!" Polly looks back at the rest of the family now, her eyes scanning the room. "I received a letter from a family friend and they will be coming to stay with us." Ada looks over to Arthur and then to Tommy quizzically as though they should already know.
"Who is it, Pol?" Ada questions, leaning forward on the table to be closer to her aunt, as though that would get her to say it sooner.
"Corrine Pike." As soon as the words leave Polly's lips Arthur and Ada turn to face Tommy, trying to gauge his reaction but he doesn't have one. He looks only at Polly, shooting daggers in her direction with his eyebrows raised. "Now I know we haven't seen the Pike's in a long time but Corrine is starting her training to become a nurse and she needed a place to stay." Polly nods firmly, there is no point in arguing with her, clearly, this was already decided.
"When?" Arthur throws his only input into the meeting.
"Today." Polly smiles, clearly thrilled at the idea of having Corrine back in Birmingham again.
Tommy scoffs in response, what happened to the democracy of the family vote? Hell, they had voted on the colour of Arthur's wedding suite but not this? "Tommy!" Ada shouts, but it is too late he has already slammed the back door behind him, letting the cool November air his face that had grown hot from the discussion. Tommy makes his way out of the yard and down the alleyway behind the shop, jumping into his parked car he turns on the engine but does not move as he grips the steering wheel until his knuckles turn white. He lets out a silent scream and hits his hand off the dash board. Eventually, he calms down his breathing and begins to pull away from the kerb, as he drives away from Small heathe he knows exactly what he needs to stop the throbbing in his head from the thought of Corrine being back in Birmingham and it would involve burying himself into another woman until she was gone from his brain.