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 Sixteen: Making Amends.
"She looks just like you," Ada fussed holding her niece in her arms, she couldn't believe that Rosemary had one of these now and she was sure that Thomas would be thrilled when he finally came home from the war. Kathleen was adorable and Ada couldn't help but want one of her own, she was sure that she would be a wonderful mother; she had experience from looking after her nieces and nephews.
"Aye but the devil in her eyes are all her father," Polly said with a smile, she could only imagine what would happen when Kathleen was a teenager and Thomas had to deal with that. He was already very protective of Ada and Polly could only imagine what he would be like with a daughter to take care of and think about.
Rosemary smiled at that, she found herself agreeing and she prayed that Thomas would be home soon so that he could see Kathleen for himself; she wished he could have been here when she was born. Ada rocked Kathleen in her arms as the baby started to get fussy, her little face scrunching up as she started to cry making Polly laugh softly before she took the baby from Ada.
Slowly handing Kathleen over to her mother, Polly watched Rosemary with her baby; she knew that Thomas had been very lucky to find a woman like her. Polly could only imagine what would have happened if Thomas had settled upon another woman; she didn't think her nephew would have ever been truly happy with anyone else.
The sound of a knock on the front door made Polly frown wondering who that could be, she waved Rosemary off allowing the other woman to nurse her child before she headed for the door. Approaching the front door, Polly pulled it open and frowned when she saw that no one was there; she peeked up and down the street only to see nothing.
Moving to step out of the door to see if anyone was rushing away, Polly found her foot blocked before she could put it down on the step; she looked down and stared at the basket that had been set there. Ducking down, Polly opened the basket and stared at the items inside; she frowned realising that it was stuff for the baby and she stood back up and looked around again.
There was no sign of anyone in the street but Polly knew who had dropped it off, she glanced behind her knowing how much a gift like this would mean to Rosemary. Picking up the basket, Polly knew that there was something that she needed to do; she tucked the basket away knowing that she would show it to Rosemary when she had the answers that she needed. The last thing that Polly wanted was to see Rosemary hurt, it was hard enough right now with Thomas being away fighting in a war and she had a newborn baby to deal with.
"Ada. Look after Finn. I will be back as soon as I can… there's something that I have to do," Polly called from the doorway, she had no doubts that her niece would probably stick around here for awhile and fuss over the baby. Making sure to grab her coat, Polly stepped out of the house and pulled it on before she started down the street; she knew that Thomas would be thankful that she was dealing with this now.
Polly held her head high as she walked down the street, she had no idea what she was going to say but she knew that things could not be allowed to continue like this. She was doing this for Rosemary and she prayed that what she said wasn't going to make the situation worse; she knew that things hadn't ended well the last time that Thomas had been to the house.
Victoria Parker paled as she stared at the woman on her door step, she hadn't thought that anyone would come to her home and she had very much doubted that her gift would warrant such a visit from anyone. It had been stupid, she had known that but as soon as she had heard that Rosemary had birthed a healthy baby girl; it had taken everything in her power not to go straight around to the house.
Victoria very much doubted that she would be welcomed and she had never thought that things would carry on like this; she had spent months trying to work out how to talk to her daughter again. However, nothing seemed to be good enough and she wished that she had approached Rosemary much sooner instead of waiting months to do so.
Stepping aside to allow Polly into her home, Victoria couldn't help but feel nervous; she very much doubted that the Shelby woman had anything good to say to her. The two of them moved towards the kitchen without saying a word, they both knew what this visit was about and they both knew it had been a long time coming. Taking a seat at the kitchen table, Victoria peered down at her hands as she waited to see what Polly would have to say to her; she doubted that it was anything that she was going to want to hear.
"You know why I am here," Polly said not wanting to beat around the bush, things were hard enough right now without messing around and Polly wanted to get back to her family. Victoria nodded her head, she was sure that the other woman was going to tell her off over how she had acted but she wasn't going to cause any trouble.
"I will not tolerate anyone messing around with my family, if you wish to make amends then do it," Polly said knowing just how much Rosemary had missed her mother recently. There was a new life to consider and no matter what had happened in the past, or who was in the wrong, they needed to stick together with a war beating down on them.
Times weren't easy and supplies were short, there was no sign of this war ending and with everything that was going on; Polly was determined to keep her family close, she had no idea when the boys would be home. Victoria looked surprised at what Polly was saying, she had expected to be told to stay away; she deserved it and she knew that if she wanted to make amends then this was it.
"You aren't going to ask me to stay away?" Victoria asked looking at Polly, she searched the other woman's face as she tried to work out what she might gain from this. A part of her was sure that this was a trick and she would deserve no better, she had left Rosemary alone for far too long and she would never forgive herself for missing out on so much.
"It's not about you or me… it's about Rosemary and that little girl of hers, they'll need all the help that they can get while Thomas fights in that war," Polly insisted, she would do what she could but her hands were busy with the business and also trying to help Martha with her children. Things weren't going to get easier the longer that the boys were fighting in a war, the woman would have to make do with what they could for the time being.
Victoria nodded her head at that, she would do anything that she could to help; she knew that Colleen had Peter's family to help her and she had her husband as well. The fact that Peter hadn't gone to fight in the war was a continued source of embarrassment and shame for the family; people hurled abuse when they saw him in the street.
"I will do whatever I can to make things right," Victoria promised, there was much for her to talk about with her daughter and she just wanted a chance to make things right.
Hearing the front door open and close, Rosemary peeked behind her knowing that it was Polly returning from wherever she had gone; she rocked Kathleen in her arms as she waited for her to appear. However, the person that stepped through her living room door made her pause and Rosemary couldn't help but wonder what her mother was doing here with Polly following after her close behind.
"Mum?" Rosemary asked not sure what to make of the fact that she was here, she held her baby close knowing that she wasn't prepared for her mother to show up. Polly offered no explanation instead headed straight to the kitchen to give them some space to talk; she hoped that she had done the right thing in approaching Victoria. Lingering by the door for a moment, Victoria stared at her daughter for a moment before she started to cry; she made her way over to Rosemary and dropped down before her.
"I am so sorry," Victoria apologised knowing that she should have done this a long time ago, she knew that she needed Rosemary's forgiveness and she hoped that she would get it.
"I was so blind in what I thought was best that I made you think that you had to hide things from me," Victoria rambled hating that she hadn't gotten to see her eldest daughter marry and it had been her own doing. No matter how much she disliked Thomas in the past, she wished that she had been more supportive so that Rosemary hadn't felt like eloping was her only option; she had been too stubborn and proud to see what she was doing to her children. Rosemary was speechless as she watched her mother cry before her, tears filled her own eyes at the fact that her mother was actually here with her right now.
"I only wanted the best for you, Rosie… I wanted you to have a life better than mine where you never had to worry where you're next meal was coming from," Victoria continued shaking her head, she had feared that the police would be knocking on her door every day because of whatever Thomas was doing.
The fact that Thomas had signed up for the war and had done right by Rosemary before he had left only made Victoria regret not getting to know him before he had left; from what she read in Robert's letters, he was a fine man. Robert had been rather impressed with Thomas while they had been at war and had told his wife that they couldn't have asked for a better husband for Rosemary. He was much preferred to Peter who was still here and brought shame upon them, he was wrapped around Colleen's finger and whatever she said went in their marriage.
"Mum…" Rosemary whispered not sure what to say to that, she swallowed the lump in her throat knowing that it would take time for them to truly fix things but at least they were making a start. Victoria looked up at her and was almost afraid that Rosemary would demand that she leave; she wouldn't have blamed her if she did so.
"Would you like to meet your granddaughter?" Rosemary asked not knowing what else to say, they would work this out she was sure and she was just so grateful that she was here right now. Polly and Ada had been amazing but having her mother here was all that she had wanted especially as she learnt the ropes of being a mother while her husband was away fighting.
Victoria nodded her head, wiping away her tears as she got to her feet and moved closer to get her first glimpse of Kathleen; her heart melting when she saw her. The little girl was beautiful and Victoria felt honoured when Rosemary carefully handed her over so that she could cuddle her granddaughter; she would do anything to prove that she had changed and could do better.
Please Comment, Favourite and Follow xxx