Disclaimer: I do not own anything Peaky Blinder related, that belongs to the series creator Steven Knight.
Some of you will have noticed that several chapters have disappeared, I decided to rewrite and explore what happened during the years that I originally planned to skip since the story felt lacking without them.
Chapter Twelve: Wishful Thinking.
The news that Colleen had given birth to a baby boy arrived early that morning and it left Rosemary unsure what she should do; it had been months since she had seen spoken with any of her family. It was something that had not improved in the time that Thomas had been away at war and Rosemary doubted very much that things would change if she didn't do something about it.
Walking down the street towards the shop, Rosemary shivered wrapping her coat tighter around herself as she hurried down the sidewalk; the street feeling emptier than usual. The Christmas rush had certainly gone now that it was January and New Year had been a rather quiet one while the men were away fighting in a war that was meant to be done by now.
Rosemary tried not to think about it, she wondered more and more when she would see Thomas again and if he would be home in time to see the baby born. Her pregnancy was moving along nicely and she was thankful for the fact that she had Martha and Polly to help her through this now; she wasn't sure what she would do without them.
Each day she felt her baby move made her smile and she wished that Thomas was here to experience it all with her; she was sure that he would be a wonderful father to their child. Reaching the shop, Rosemary quickly hurried inside pleased to find herself stepping into the warm and to see her friends; she offered a smile to a lady who stepped out of the shop.
Things were still a little slow at the shop and Rosemary was more than thankful for any distraction or work that Mary could offer instead of sitting at home and waiting around. The house was so empty now that Thomas was gone and Rosemary found it hard to be there when she knew that there was a chance that this would be where she raised her child alone while she waited for Thomas to return home to her.
"Morning," Rosemary greeted Mary, she removed her coat and moved to hang it by the door as she eyed the dress that her friend was working on; it was a beautiful wedding gown that they'd had for awhile now. The wedding was of course postponed until the groom returned from fighting in the war, if he even returned at all; now the dressed remained at the shop until the bride knew what was going to happen.
"How was your doctor's appointment?" Mary asked setting down her needles and moving to greet Rosemary, she had been surprised when her friend had announced that she was with child but it was very welcome news. With everything going on, there was little to be happy about in Small Heath and Mary knew that many would receive bad news before this war was over and she prayed that things would end better for Rosemary.
"It went well… the doctor is sure that I shall deliver in early May," Rosemary replied trying not to think about what would happen should Thomas remain away when she went into labour. The fact that her husband had been gone for such a time made Rosemary wonder daily when this war would end and allow him to come home to her; she was frightened for what might happen if she didn't survive the birth. Her child could be left without both their parents, she knew that Polly would set up should the worst happen but she feared that Thomas would never get to see their child.
"I heard that you have a nephew… Robert after your father according to Mrs Perkins," Lily said smiling, she knew that any birth was a joyous occasion and she had seen people heading to Rosemary's parents house to see the new baby. She was aware that things weren't good between Rosemary and her family, something that wasn't going to be fixed if Rosemary continued to avoid them; Lily was sure that if they just talked that things would get better.
Rosemary nodded her head, she had heard that too and she was surprised that her sister had made such an announcement with everything that was going on. The fact that Peter remained Birmingham instead of signing up to fight, still wasn't sitting right with quite a few people on Small Heath; they were disgusted that the coward remained here with them.
"Are you planning on going to see him?" Lily pushed hoping that her friend would say yes, she was sure that the birth of a child would soften even the hardest hearts. Rosemary looked away from her friend and tried to find something else to focus on, she had considered it but she doubted very much that her sister would welcome her to do so. Sensing that Rosemary was comfortable with Lily's question, Katherine was quick to change the subject; she didn't understand why Lily had to keep pushing things like this.
"Have you had any more letters from Thomas?" Katherine asked moving across the room as she stepped away from the shirts that she was mending; she was sure that Rosemary's husband would be thrilled with news of her pregnancy. Letters from Thomas were something that Rosemary cherished and Katherine wished that she had someone special to write to like that; she was a little jealous that Rosemary had found someone to spend her life with.
"Not since just after Christmas," Rosemary told her, she had received just one letter from him expressing his happiness that she was with child and his hopes that he would be home soon to see them. His letters were few but she wrote to him whenever she had the chance, she wanted him to know everything that was happening while she was here and he was wherever he was in Europe.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, Thomas paused for a moment to catch his breath as he leant on his shovel; the lanterns did little to light the tunnel that he worked in alongside Danny Owen and Freddie. The work was not easy and Thomas was sure that things weren't going to get any easier, he had been doing this for months on end and he doubted that the end was anywhere in sight.
The only light that he seemed to have in this monotonous routine that he was stuck in where the letters that he received from home; he received letters often enough from his family but it was Rosemary that sent the most. Thomas only wished that he could write home more so that she didn't have worry about him so much; it couldn't be good for the baby and he couldn't wait to hold his child in his arms for the first time.
"What are you thinking about?" Danny asked seeing that his friend had stopped, he paused on his own digging for a moment to look back at him while Freddie continued to dig. They were covered in dirt and things were silent around them as they worked, it had been the same for days and nothing seemed to break the silence that they often found themselves in. They always spoke quietly fearing what would happen if they were discovered or overheard by enemy tunnellers; it was something that could happen at any moment.
"Home," Thomas murmured with a frown, there was no telling when they would see their homes again; he just wanted to be home in time for the birth of his first child. Closing his blue eyes for a moment, Thomas prayed that he would be home in time for his child's birth in May; however, he got the feeling that wasn't going to happen.
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