Just Words

“WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF THE SHELBYS?”

Dr. Anson looked up from his desk, glancing at me over the rim of his glasses. His lips were pulled into a tight frown that told me he’d been concentrating hard on whatever medical journal was unfolded before him. “Not much, why?”

I shrugged. The Shelby family had been trapped in my mind since I’d helped little Finn. It hadn’t been even 24 hours yet, but there was no denying that they’d left an impression. What I was trying to determine was whether or not it was a good or a bad one.

Dr. Anson sighed, taking off his bifocals and tossing them aside before leaning back in his chair. “I know that you should steer clear from them.” When I said nothing and continued polishing the freshly cleaned testing tubes, he asked, “What have you done, Evelyn?”

“Nothing.” I set aside the glass and faced him, plastering on a fake smile. “Absolutely nothing. I’ve just begun to hear some rumors milling about…”

My day at the practice was winding down. I’d come in early after laying awake most of the night. I wasn’t sure if my restlessness had been a result of meeting a certain Shelby or if it was caused by the sound of the gunshots that had begun haunting me again. Memories that I didn’t necessarily want to remember had started resurfacing. Most days, I would have stayed later to keep myself busy, but there were mindless chores I needed to do at my own house that would waste away time and energy.

The door swung open and with it came a young boy with a box and a large gust of wind. The day had been brisk enough that I’d tucked my fingers into the sleeves of my jacket on the walk over this morning and they’d still been cold when I walked in the door. I stood up and smiled sweetly at the boy who couldn’t have been older than thirteen. “What can I do for you?” I asked, drying my hands on the cloth I’d been using to polish before setting it aside.

“I’ve a delivery,” he announced, “for a Miss Evelyn Walsh.”

I took it from his hands and untied the string that kept the brown paper wrapping in place. “More supplies?” I offered to Dr. Anson. It wasn’t all that uncommon for medical supplies to be delivered under my name. Dr. Anson was often in and out of the building doing house calls for those that needed them.

The second I saw the white fabric carefully folded inside the box, I looked to the young boy. “There’s been a mistake.”

I didn’t even bother to pull the white dress out of it’s place inside the box. It was clearly more expensive than the one I’d been wearing the day before, and there was no way that I could accept it. Just at a glance I was able to see the intricate lace detail and fine material it was composed of.

“No, Miss. I’ve been told to give this to you by order of the Peaky Blinders.”

“You need to take this back,” I said, refolding the brown paper back around the box as quickly as I could so I could have the boy take it with him.

As I tied a knot in the string to hold everything together, he backed away with his palms facing me. “Sorry, Miss. I was given strict orders to leave it here.” Before I could get in another word, he’d swung open the door and run off with the wind pushing him along.

Dr. Anson, after a long moment of silence fell over the practice, repeated, “What have you done, Evelyn?”

“Do you know where I can find Tommy Shelby?” I asked.

“Rumor has it he hangs around The Garrison…” Richard said hesitantly. “Is that from him?” The doctor nodded toward the package still in under my fingers. When I nodded, he stared at the package carefully and composed a thorough thought before speaking. “If he left it for you, you should just toss it. You should stay away from him, Evelyn. He lives a dangerous life. The last thing you need is to get swept up in it, trust me.” It was a warning. I didn’t need to hear anything else to know Dr. Anson’s thoughts on the Shelby family, and it confirmed the suspicions I had that my employer disapproved of them.

I nodded, but I disagreed internally. The dress was of finer tastes. I couldn’t just throw it out. Plus, I’d specifically told Tommy not to bother. I didn’t need his charity. I didn’t need anything from him, and I wanted him to know it.

“Do you mind if I head home for the day? I’ve got errands to run…”

Dr. Anson seemed surprised by my question. I’d never left at the time I was supposed to, but he really had no reason to deny me my request. Our scheduled appointments had come and gone, I’d cleaned up before and after each patient, and I’d done the last of the inventory last night after shooing Tommy out, figuring that it would help me wind down after all the excitement.

He ran his hands through his gray hair before nodding. “Go ahead.”

“Thank you,” I said, shrugging my coat on and preparing to brave the wind once more.

As I was ready to push open the door with my still-wrapped dress tucked under my arm, Dr. Anson called out my name. When I looked to him, he had a torn expression on his face. “Try to get some sleep tonight.”

I forced a smile and nodded before stepping out into the street.

I had to ask a couple different people for directions to The Garrison. By the time I swung open the door and stepped inside, my face was numb and my hair was surely windblown into unsightly tangles.

It was a strange experience, just being in The Garrison. Filled to the brim with men with pints, the instant the door closed behind me, there was a momentary lull in the discussions going on inside. Everyone’s eyes grazed over me at least once before they continued on with their conversations. Clearly, I didn’t fit in with the regular crowd.

I stepped up to the reflective counter, working up all the strength in my body as I walked, to deal with the situation. “I need to talk to Tommy Shelby,” I demanded the second the barkeep walked over to serve me.

“Trust me, Miss, you don’t want to talk to Tommy. He’s not to be bothered by just anyone most days, but he’s in a piss poor mood today. Turn around, go home, and don’t come back if you’ve got any sense.”

I set the package that had been delivered to me today on the bar. “He delivered this mistakenly today. I just want to return it.”

“You don’t like it?”

The voice was as calm and cool as it had been the day before. He’d slid up beside me without me noticing and was tapping the end of his cigarette into an empty glass, not yet looking at me.

“I’m usually a great judge of character. Have I finally got it wrong? I pegged you as a girl who didn’t necessarily want the finest things that money can buy,” Tommy said, meeting my gaze listlessly. He was so good at pretending to be tired and disinterested that it almost threw me off - almost.

I could have answered him, but he’d made me angry by disregarding my wishes and I wasn’t in the mood to humor him. I shoved the box in front of him on the counter. “I don’t want this,” I stated firmly, turning to leave.

“Then what exactly is it that you want, Evelyn?”

“I don’t want anything.”

I could hear him puff out what sounded like a short, airy laugh behind me. “You’re a terrible liar, Miss Walsh. Everyone wants something.”

Tommy’s words stopped me cold. As much as I knew that I couldn’t react around him, knowing full and well that he lived for those reactions, my feet refused to move.

“See,” he started, “I can see it in you.” He walked in front of me slowly, like he was trying to figure a part of me out through inspection. I was very aware that he had the packaged dress dangling from the string around his fingers.

He was dead on. I wanted something, but I was sure it wasn't something that could be bought. I wasn't quite sure want I wanted for myself either, but I knew it wouldn't come from Thomas Shelby and I let him know it.

Swallowing the ball that welled in my throat, I remained calm on the outside despite the sudden nerves I felt unraveling in my stomach. “I can assure you, it's nothing that you can provide.”

He blinked calmly. “Try me.”

My mind couldn't think of a response, but thankfully I didn't have to think of one. The door swung open and two men wielding guns walked through the doors, silencing the songs being sung by drunk patrons. Another man with dark hair and a mustache walked in behind them, stepping forward. “Is there any man here named Shelby?”

His dark eyes scanned the room before he fired a single shot into the ceiling. Everyone aside from the man standing in front of me flinched or let out a quick, surprised shriek “I said, is there any man here named Shelby?” The man repeated.

I glanced up to Tommy to see that he was the picture of perfect calm. Glancing to the barkeep who'd told me to go home, the Shelby man ordered him to serve the newest arrivals a few drinks. “Everyone else go home.”

People started running for the exits. Tommy stopped me as I turned to leave and tucked the package under my arm. “Keep the dress, Evelyn.”

Sensing that it wasn't the right time to argue with him, I only nodded and followed everyone else out of the building.

I hurried home, dress tucked safely under my arm as if it would ensure that I would make it there safely. It took the entire walk home and a stiff drink to settle the shaking that had started in my hands.