Claire grinned at Meredith as she babbled on about what drama she missed while she was away. They sat at their favorite spot sipping tea and smoking cigarettes. Claire made her appropriate head nods and muttered her recognition when needed but her mind, her attention, was far from Meredith.
She thought she would feel better now that Tommy knew her secret, now that she was no longer alone in her misery, but instead she felt even worse. Should she drop Claire and return to Evelyn? How bad would it really be if she lived in the upper levels of the house? To live like she used to? And the issue of her family's money… What was she to do? Now that Tommy knew, Claire had the urge to speak with him. She wanted to confide and release her emotions and heartbreak, but she knew he would not listen. He was not there to comfort her.
Though after time, the heartbreak and boxed emotions returned to their sheltered state as Claire became distracted and busy with her life. She let Meredith take the lead on almost everything again and over the course of a few months, the life of Claire Williams was back to normal. Sam Frasier wrote letters and Claire always returned them. His life was complicated – from work to family, he was always on the go, and he still promised Claire that he would see her once more before the year ended. But the new year was coming close and still no Sam.
It was to be Claire's first Christmas holiday at the estate. The holiday, usually joyous, relaxing and welcomed for most, was chaotic and stressful at the Shelby home. Decorations needed to be put up, Christmas meals needed to be made, and the New Years Eve party needed to be planned and executed – all with an understaffed crew.
Mrs. Byrne frequented the kitchen more than she ever had. She wasn't there to help make meals but even sometimes she had to because of how understaffed the house was. Mostly it was to dictate the remaining 10-person crew's duties. She promised, as told by Thomas Shelby himself, there will be more workers present when the festivities begin.
"How do they expect us to do everything will only 10 of us?" Meredith asked one afternoon. She stopped what she was doing and placed her hands on her hips. "We should be getting a raise for this. Or at least a bonus. We're still the ones decorating and getting everything ready before the rest of the help comes."
Claire took a huff and waited for Meredith to focus back on their task at hand. They were in the middle of carrying a large trunk filled with Christmas décor from an outside shed to the main hallway of the home. It was a laborious task given the weight of the trunk and distance of the shed to the house, but Meredith stopped every 20 feet in exasperation making the job take twice as long. It didn't make the situation better that there was another trunk of equal size still in the shed that they had to carry in.
"Meredith," Claire said. Her voice straight and prominent. "Can we just get this thing inside? I'm going to freeze if you stop one more time out here."
She quickly apologized and lifted her end of the trunk. They waddled slowly and stiffly back into the house. The cold December wind chill made both their nose and cheeks numb. With their first steps inside the warmth of the house, they dropped the trunk in unison and released a long breath. Claire did not voice it, but she had to agree with Meredith. How were they, only 10 people, supposed to do everything at the estate? Just getting the décor trunk from the shed was a journey and there still had to bring it to the hallway and decorate.
"I need a cigarette." Claire muttered. She leaned against the window and dug through her coat. Meredith chuckled and joined her. Their first breath came in unison as the warm smoke soothed them. Claire let her head fall against the window and closed her eyes. She only heard their breathing, the cigarettes burning, and the wind outside. It was peaceful.
They stood like that for a while. The house was empty and the warmth it gave only them was most welcoming. Claire kept her eyes shut and drifted into that semi-conscious state. As if she were dreaming.
"What do we 'ave here?" A loud, booming voice made both Claire and Meredith jump back to the present. Meredith dropped her own smoke from the disturbance. Arthur Shelby approached them from the other side of the house. He was still far away, his coat and cap still on. He had just arrived at the estate.
"I'm sorry, sir. We only took a break from carrying this trunk from the cold outside." Claire's voice quickly rose. Her words came easy. She gave a slight gesture behind her. She had never spoken to Arthur but felt as if she knew the man from her relationship with Tommy.
Arthur removed his cap and coat and tossed it on a nearby table. He eyed the girls and the big trunk at their feet. A chuckle came from him, and he glanced behind him towards the hallway he came from. A wall blocked Claire and Meredith's vision to what he was looking at.
"Tom! You really got your girls workin', eh? Carryin' your big heavy shit." He teased. His eyes crinkled when he turned back to the two. "I almost think you're being cruel to these young women."
He waited for his brother to turn the corner. Claire briefly wondered how Meredith was doing. She glanced to her friend and saw her in a state she never had seen before -frozen as if she were in trouble. Claire bit her lip to stop from laughing. It was rare for Meredith to be quiet and truthfully she didn't blame her, if she didn't know Tommy or the Shelby's how she did, she would have been scared shitless too.
Claire waited for Tommy to make an appearance. Thought it was only some seconds that he did turn the corner and see them with surprise, it felt like forever. She had not seen him in so long. Gone were their days at the park – the cold weather forbid that. They never saw each other at the estate – though the same could not be said for Tommy, often he found himself pacing in his office and seeing Claire in his gardens. Only for a brief time did she stay outside, but those were his private moments where he could lay his eyes on her without any disturbance.
Tommy's brows rose as he stopped beside Arthur. His eyes flickered between Claire, Meredith, and the trunk. He noticed the redness still showing on the girls' nose tips and cheeks. Their hair was windblown with various pieces sticking out in different ways. The corners of his mouth twitched.
"You carried that in?" He asked. He removed his cap and pointed it at the trunk. He looked expectantly at Claire. His eyes were bright, and she could see the humor held within.
"Yes." She nodded. Meredith looked at Claire then, thankful her friend had use of her mouth in this moment. Tommy was silent as he removed his coat. He tossed it on top of his brothers.
"Well Arthur," Tommy started. He turned to the taller man. "They are working very hard, aren't they?"
"I'd say so." Arthur raised a brow at his brother. He sensed the good-natured tone in his voice and his face read with amusement.
"And they had to carry that trunk from my shed, through the cold, and into the house."
"Aye."
"They probably need to warm up, eh?" At this, Arthur nodded dramatically. Now he knew where his brother was going with this. "Do you know of anything that would help with that?" Tommy questioned him. His brow furrowed as if in serious contemplation. Arthur chuckled a deep and hearty laugh.
"I sure do, Tom. She's called Irish whiskey." He bellowed.
"Aye. Yes that usually does the trick. What do you ladies say?" He asked, turning back to Claire and Meredith. "Just for a short time. You can take those coats off and smoke comfortably."
Claire and Meredith looked to each other. It was nearing the end of the day. Meredith's composure relaxed and she smiled.
"I would love a drink right now." She spoke. Claire smiled at her friend's returned confidence. She knew she would have a lot to say about this later.
"Leave the trunk. I'll have someone take it to where it needs to go. Same for the others." Tommy said. It was a simple order that they would not hesitate to follow. "Claire, Meredith; this is my brother Arthur."
At the mention of Claire's name, Arthur locked eyes with her in recognition. This was the girl. He gave a big smile as they approached and made their appropriate greetings. They removed their coats and placed them aside the same table Arthur and Tommy did.
"Pleasure to meet you both. We have some time before Finn and the other boys arrive, 'til then you can take a break from working." He added with a friendly wink. He led the way towards the library, one of the only rooms that could casually accommodate more than four people.
As they followed, Claire felt different than she had before. She normally would have been horrified, hesitant and filled with anxiety. Now she welcomed the break from work. The break with the eldest of the Shelby's.
She had never seen or heard Tommy act or speak like he did. It had been so long since she even heard his voice. She was used to their brief moments of friendship splattered with the random feuds, always brought on by herself. Claire wondered if this was how Tommy was when he was younger. A bit playful but still courteous. A man who gratefully took a break from work to sit with two beautiful young women. It was obvious Arthur still held some of his juvenile personality. Then she remembered the look both Arthur and Tommy had when they saw them. Two young women, flushed and exhausted from a full day, smoking after lugging their boss's heavy storage that was nearly as big as them from outside. Did they look that comical?
"So preparations for the New Years party has begun, eh?" Arthur asked as he handed Claire and Meredith a glass of neat whiskey. They clustered around a group of four chairs. The women sat on one side while the two chairs opposite them lay temporarily empty.
"Thank you and yes." Meredith answered. "It's my favorite time of year, but also the most stressful."
"That it is." Tommy agreed. He stood at a bar cart and removed four fine cigarettes from a large metal box. He handed one to Claire first then Meredith before lifting a match to their ready lips. Claire kept her eyes low as he lit hers.
Tommy took the seat across Claire. He nodded to his brother as he handed him a glass. With one hand holding whiskey and a cigarette in the other, he looked at Claire and gave the smallest but knowing smile accompanied with a nod. She returned the gesture, feeling her cheeks warm as she did so. She directed her attention from Tommy and to Arthur, who had been speaking with Meredith.
"Claire, this will be your first Christmas at the Shelby estate, eh?" Arthur asked, though he knew the answer. Claire watched him as he slowly moved to sit at the last remaining chair. She answered him with sharp, attentive eyes.
"Yes. I've heard great things from everyone."
"Aye, it is a good party. At least we Shelby's know how to do that." He chuckled with a glance to Tommy. "I think we have the ballet comin'. Right Tom?"
"Aye, the ballet, some other performers, musicians."
"And fireworks." Arthur added. 'I love those damn things." A light laugh came from both Meredith and Claire.
"How many guests are you expecting?" Claire asked.
"200." Tommy answered. Claire's brows rose at the high number. He took a quick inhale of smoke. "More than that and it turns into a circus."
"200 is a lot of people by itself." She admitted. The number reminded her of the size of the parties her family held. She imagined the Shelby's were very similar.
Claire took a long sip of her drink. She realized it was the first taste of alcohol she had in a while. As Arthur and Meredith chatted, the obvious talkers of the four, Claire glanced around the library. It was a room she had never been inside but so far she found it her favorite in the entire Shelby estate. She had a deep admiration for books. She loved the power they held – the ability to take any reader far from reality and transport them to an alternate world. One that was almost always better than the real one.
"Have you been painting?" Tommy asked. Claire jerked her head to him at his question. He had been watching her. Watching her turn her smooth face in every direction to look around his library. His question not only stirred Claire, but also Meredith and Arthur. Their conversation slowed.
"Not as often as I was, or as I like to." Claire said. She felt her face grow hot again as she felt the eyes of everyone in the room on her. "It's too cold now to go into town and sit at the park."
"You paint?" Arthur questioned. Tommy looked at his brother fully aware Arthur knew of Claire's hobby. Claire smiled and nodded at him.
Meredith began to gush over Claire's talent. She explained how Claire would never give herself enough credit for the quality of her work. She was too humble and modest and Meredith, was bold with no filter. She led most conversations in the library but remained silent or uninvolved or even uninterested in the ones shared between Claire and Tommy.
Their conversations held hidden value. They spoke openly about things that were obvious but between themselves, these things held deeper meanings. It was enticing and refreshing. For Claire, she felt equal again. There she was acting as Evelyn, with her best friend, speaking with accomplished though tainted men. And there was Tommy with his brother, accompanied once more by young beautiful women but one who held more secrets than even himself.
I'm back! :) Hope every one is well. I promise the next update will not be long!