Chapter Twenty-Nine


It was dark by the time Maddie reached the bakery, she had walked at a brisk pace driven by her need to discover what her husband was hiding from her. As her brain had fired off a thousand reasons why Daniel would be keeping something from her there was only one that seemed plausable. The more she thought about the more it made Maddie angry.

"Alfie!"

When no answer bounced through the bakery Maddie stormed past the men who were busy working through the night towards Alfie's office. But when she reached the office Alfie wasn't there either, so again Maddie's temper flared.

"Ollie!" She yelled out into the bakery. "Where the fuck is Alfie? How come when he wants to find me I make myself available, but he's always no where to be fuckin' seen?"

Ollie's night was already a nightmare, there was a large order that needed to be shipped that night and even with the extra hands they were still running behind, the last thing he needed was Alfie and Maddie having a fight. Not that any of the men would ever say it around Alfie, Ollie had overheard them quietly discussing the relationship between their boss and his book keeper. It was no surprise to Ollie that they suspected the two had more than a platonic relationship they acted more like a married couple, more so than most married people Ollie knew. They argued, they made up, and over everyone in the entire bakery Alfie held Maddie in the highest regard. Having worked in close proximity with the pair Ollie himself had questioned whether Maddie was faithful to her actual husband, especially as she had left Tommy Shelby and moved in with Alfie for a while, but he'd never dare ask Alfie.

"He's out back, checking over the order before we ship it out." Explained Ollie, moving over to an extremely pissed off looking Maddie. "Look Miss Shaw we're proper busy tonight, can this wait till morning?"

The pleading look on Ollie's face didn't go missed by Maddie, but it couldn't wait she had to talk to Alfie that night or she'd go mad. "It won't take long Ollie, I swear. Then I'll be out your way, I know you're busy an' I don't want to cause you any trouble."

Giving Ollie a quick kiss on the cheek, Maddie headed off to the back room where Alfie would be. Weaving through the bustling men, careful not to disturb their work, Maddie pushed through the heavy door into the back room and true to Ollie's word Alfie was there his jacket shed, and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows as he examined the many barrels being brought through to him.

"Alfie, visitor." A tall, thin man spoke in a gruff voice as he spotted Maddie entering the room.

Closing the lid of the barrel he was checking, Alfie turned to face the person interupting his heavy work load and wasn't surprised when he saw the pretty face of Maddie. "I'm a fuckin' busy man Maddie, yeah. Too busy right now to stop for a cuppa and quick chit-chat with you, as much as I'd like that."

"It'll take two minutes, no more I promise."

Two minutes was not something that Alfie had to spare, the order was important and would bring in a lot of money, so it was of the upmost importance to get it out in time meaning Maddie's problematic marriage would have to wait. "I ain't got two fuckin' minutes, right. I'm fuckin' busy Maddie, either go home and we can discuss whatever it is in the morning, or wait in the office until I'm done. They're the only two fuckin' things I can give you right now, yeah."

"I'll be in the office." Maddie announced after a second of deliberation. There was no way she could go home and sleep before talking to Alfie about Daniel's terrifying reaction to her infidelity. "I'm sure I can keep myself busy gettin' ahead on the books." But Alfie had already returned his attention to overseeing the huge order, and seemingly wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to her. "Don't fuckin' mind me."


Adrenaline pumped wildly through Maddie's veins as she climbed down from her bedroom window into the awaiting arms of John. It was the first time she had ever snuck out in the middle of the night, and she could have burst with excitement. John had said he was going to take her to a pub, that they could drink as much as they wanted because the barmaid was sweet on his brother Tommy, and even with the tough time her dad had been having with her mom Maddie couldn't pass on the opportunity.

"You ready for tonight? It's gunna be a fuckin' wild one!"

Maddie beamed up at John with a wide grin on her painted lips; it was the first time she had ever worn lipstick, her mother didn't wear it often since she got ill so Maddie had stolen the bright red tube while she had been sleeping. "Do I look alright? Do I look like a lady, John Shelby?"

John dragged his eyes eagerly up and down his girlfriend, yes she looked like a lady and yes he was loving it. "You look fuckin' beautiful." Leaning down he pressed his lips against the cherry coloured ones that had been tempting him since Maddie dropped down from her window. It had been two days since they had decided to take their relationship to the next level, and since then John couldn't think about anything but bedding Maddie again.

"Easy there!" Giggled Maddie, giving John a gentle shove backwards when his hands began wondering under her skirt. "You promised me a night out, if you deliver maybe I'll let you have what you want."

No more encouragement needed, John took Maddie's smaller hand in his and pulled her out of the small back courtyard and onto the streets of Small Heath. The night air was warmer than usual, it had been an exceptionally hot summer, and the streets never seemed to quiet as people wanted to make the most of the good weather no matter the time.

"The others are meetin' us there."

Even though Maddie spent the majority of her time at the Shelby house she had yet to meet all of John's family. John's two older brothers were always out working, so she had yet to even lay eyes on either of them. Suddenly butterflies fluttered in Maddie's stomach, what if they didn't like her? Sure Ada was her bestfriend, and Polly treated her like she was family, but what if John's brothers didn't approve of her? Would John dump her? Maddie might have been an only child but she knew the bond that existed between silbings, and the Shelby family was the tightest family she knew. "Will Ada be there?" Atleast if Ada was there she would have someone who definately liked her.

"Yeah," John answered lighting himself a cigarette and passing one over to Maddie. "Tom an' Arthur too. Oh, an' Freddie. Him an' Ada are like two peas in a fuckin' pod."

As the pub drew nearer the swirling in Maddie's stomach worsened. There was no going back, and Arthur and Tommy were definately going to be there. They'll love you, why wouldn't they. Maddie repeated over and over in her head as John held the door open for her and the pungent smell of booze and cigarettes hit her nose.

"John! Over 'ear!" A gruff voice yelled over the noise of the other occupants of the pub.

Following John closely through the crowded space Maddie's eyes landed on the source of the gravelly voice. There was no doubt in her mind that the man she was looking at was Arthur Shelby, he completey fit every description John had ever given her.

"Who's this then, eh? This the poor girl who 'as t' put up with you?"

Maddie laughed with the others and instantly felt at ease. How could she have ever been nervous? All the Shelby's she had ever met welcomed her with open arms and there was no reason Arthur and Tommy would be any different. "You must be Arthur, I've heard all abou' you." Maddie teased as she accepted the drink Arthur was passing her.

"What lies 'as that fuckin' weasel been tellin' you? Did he tell you 'ow handsome I am?" Grinned Arthur, wrapping an arm around Maddie's shoulder and giving her a tight squeeze.

"If I told 'er you was handsome I'd be tellin' her fuckin' lies wouldn' I."

The arm that Arthur had placed around Maddie swiftly disappeared as he grabbed at his younger brother, getting John in a headlock as he laughed heartily. They were the family she had always dreamed of; as much as Maddie loved her mom and dad sometimes she got lonely, she's always wanted a sibling but that was never going to happen with her mom being ill.

Bringing the pint glass up to her lips Maddie took a large gulp of the beer and swallowed it with a small gag, she still didn't enjoy the taste of beer, but the unpleasant taste was quickly forgotten when her eyes locked with a pair of icy blue ones. Maddie wasn't sure if it was even humanly possible to have such blue eyes, and she found herself unable to look away.

"Tom, this is Maddie. The girl I've been seein'."

At the sound of John's voice the blue eyes that had intranced Maddie began to move closer to her, but still her brain didn't seem able to work. There was something about those blue eyes that fascinated Maddie, they were hiding secrets and plots and Maddie found herself wanting nothing more than to be lost in the icy orbs for eternity.

"Madeline." Muttered Tommy as he offered his hand out for her to shake.

The sound of Tommy's voice seemed to re-engage Maddie's brain, and she managed to take his outstretched hand. "No one calls me Madeline."

"Well," Tommy said from behind a cloud of smoke. "Now they do."


A/N/ Another update! I'm sorry there's been a bit of a wait but I finally got some free time to be able to write. I know not much happened but I wanted to start incorperating bits about what Maddie and Tommy's relationship was like before the war. Let me know what you thought.

Ariwolff14: I'm sorry that we don't find out if Alfie knows anything in this chapter but I promise it is coming!

ArkhamAnnie: Do you have any theories about what Daniel could be hiding? I want to see if anyone guesses right :)

Sds199523: I'm so honoured that you think so highly of my story, it means alot to me. I love strong willed females, I find it boring when they're push overs to men and Alfie was my favourite too! I was so upset at the end of season 4, how could they do that to me?!

kmhappybunny240: All will be revealed shortly ;) do you have any ideas of your own?

MarleyxRae: All will become clear I promise you :)

XO: I always felt from the moment they met that Alfie would like her more than he let on, but I didn't want to have Maddie jumping between Tommy and Alfie like a lot of other stories have done. I just don't think that fitted her or Alfie's character. I'm not going to say whether your guess is right yet, but you'll find out soon if you were :)

Guest: Like with XO I'm not going to tell you if your guess is right ;)