The next few days were a blur for Florence, it was as if she was being allowed glimpses into her life. She had no sense of time and she couldn't say if these moments even happened on the same day, the first thing she could remember was lying in a warm pool with Tommy screaming. There was chaos around her, Polly was pushing on her chest and she could hear Arthur shouting. A lot of the time she couldn't tell if it was a dream or if she really was awake.

A week after the dinner Florence opened her eyes fully for the first time
"Shit look she's awake" She heard a man say, her eyes hadn't properly adjusted yet but she felt her hand being grasped tightly
"Florence, it's Michael you're in hospital" Michael said carefully
"Where's Tommy?" She asked groggily
"'e's with Arthur, they've gone to Wales"
"Why" She was confused if she was in hospital why would her husband be so far away?
"It's Arthur 'e's gone off the rails" Michael muttered.

Their conversation was interrupted by a nurse disturbing them
"Mr Shelby you ought to not wear her out, let her rest" She felt a sting in her arm and the world went black again.

This time when she woke again Tommy was sat by her side
"T….Tommy" She croaked
"Florence" He stroked her face
"Where…where were you?"
"I was with Arthur, there's something you need to know. Grace is dead" He said softly.
"What?" Florence gasped, her voice weak.
"There was two shots, meant for me but they missed. One 'it you and the other Grace"
"That's awful" She sobbed
"Don't upset yourself. I'll call for nurse" Tommy turned to the door ready to call for the nurse.
"Please don't, no more drugs" She grabbed his arm weakly
"Okay, just rest." He murmured, kissing her forehead with as much care as he could.
"How is Charlie?"
"'e misses his Mum, Charlotte's been staying at the 'ouse"
"Where's Arthur now?"
"With the Lee's, 'e needs to travel now"
"How is he?"
"'e's mad as 'ell. You should see what 'e did to Angel Changretta's face"
"He killed him?"
"Yes, the war with the Italians has stepped up."
"You need to be careful" She started to worry.
"Don't worry about me you get better. Your son needs you."

After a month in hospital she was finally allowed to come home again, she was relieved to be back in her home however she felt a pang of sadness when she saw Charlotte playing with Charlie. Ada had collected her from the hospital, as Tommy was dealing with Changretta himself. She shuddered at the thought of what that meant, but he deserved it he tried to have her husband killed.
"How is she doing" She asked Ada gesturing towards Charlotte
"She asks for her Mum every night" Ada said sadly looking over to the little girl.
"The poor barn" Florence replied. "Where's Arthur?"
"He comes back sometimes but he mostly sleeps outside, he won't go back to their house. But he won't let anyone empty it to be sold."
"How's his head?"
"It's fucked"

Surprising to everyone was that Arthur solved his own problems in his head, he found a woman and she helped him find God. They married quickly and she fell pregnant, the news of her pregnancy softened Arthur again. As much as the family didn't like Linda they couldn't deny that she had helped Arthur find his way again and she was a wonderful mother figure to Charlotte also.

In those months Tommy had grown increasingly distant to his wife, his earlier promise of including her had disappeared. He didn't feel it was good for her to worry about what was happening, she needed to focus on getting better. She had mostly recovered by now, and even she was aware of how much time he was spending with the Russians. Their house keeper had told her a worrying tale of what happened whilst she was in hospital.
She confronted Tommy head on after hearing this, he'd barely walked through the door and she had jumped down his throat
"Why the fuck when I was laying almost in my deathbed was that Russian whore half naked in my house?" She snarled, picking up a statue and throwing it at him. Tommy ducked and narrowly avoided it hitting him.
"She stayed the night, in another room she took my gun and played roulette with it. Nothing happened"
"It's a shame she didn't blow her mad head off." Florence snarled "Why did she stay the night?"
"The mad bitch put a nail in her tyre"
"You should have made her walk, or at least make her sleep with the other animals in the stables." She spat, her arms folded.
"I 'ad to warn her that the priest is feeding information to the Soviets"
"The priest who watched me get shot"
"Yep"
"The one who threatened our child?"
"Yes"
"Why isn't he dead yet?" She hissed, she needed to keep her family safe.

Tommy cautiously moved over to her, taking her into his arms.
"He soon will be" He kissed her "I promise"

Charlie was out in the field screaming with laughter and pleasure as he had a riding lesson with Johnny Dogs. Who was having a hard time stopping the child from kicking the horse to gallop. As much as Florence enjoyed watching him having fun she did worry he would get hurt, he had a lack of fear just like his father.

It had been months since she'd ridden herself and she'd finally had the okay to get back onto a horse. She saddled up and took the horse out for a gallop around the grounds, on her way back she saw Tommy's card driving up the drive and raced him to the door.
"You've finally took him out again" He commented as he stroked the horses nose "'e didn't like anyone else riding him"
"Join me then"
"I'm busy, the women went on strike"
"Which women?" Florence could feel the jealousy building up within her.
"In the bookies, Pol was giving speeches off the back of a milk lorry apparently"
Florence laughed
"I'd love to have seen that"
"When all of this business is done we'll go on a family ride, but for now will you settle for a ride of me?"

Florence giggled, dismounted and followed her husband into their house.