// Lizzie and Mary have a complex relationship. Of course, over time, Lizzie would realize that her feelings for Tommy were unrequited and she would try and better her relationship with her former rival for the good of the family and Tommy's well-being. I am also taking the opportunity to reflect on the latest storyline development.
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Lizzie watched as Mary ran from Tommy's office to the restrooms. She looked at the door, only to watch Tommy standing by it and closing it. She looked down, at her hands and pondered about what she should be doing. Should she follow Mary? Should she leave her alone? Their relationship had been highly rocky, to say the very least. Lizzie went as far as slapping the brunette in a rage after she failed to sabotage their relationship. She knew that she owed Mary and Polly her seat at the table because if anything, Tommy would have fired her and would have severed all ties with her. She grabbed a cigarette and a lighter and once her cigarette was lit, she decided to follow Mary to the office restroom. She found Mary trying to wipe out the tears that had rolled over her cheeks and ruined her make-up with a wet towel. She failed to do so and instead cried harder into the wet fabric. The noise of the door closing forced Mary to stand up and wipe out the mascara smear with the back of her hand.
"Let me help you, Mary."
"Did you come here to laugh at me, Lizzie?" -Her voice had tremors in it, indicating that she was still on the verge of sobbing. Lizzie shook her head and inhaled some smoke she puffed out.- "You could..." -She admitted in a weak tone, slowly turning around to face the woman who once was a "rival".
"I could, yeah... but I won't." -She paused for a minute. Her blue eyes set upon the green ones of Mary. She could so easily perceive the fear in the eyes of the young woman, that it moved her. Mary was vulnerable, in ways Lizzie had never seen her be before and she couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. " Stay here. I'm going to help you clean your face and you're going to tell me what's going on."
"You will think I am being ridiculous." -Mary replied as she lowered her face to look at the floor.-
"Nonsense! Do you mind if I smoke?" -Mary shook her head and Lizzie closed the distance between the two of them. She gently took the wet towel from Mary's hand and opened the tap to wet it again. She then slowly applied it under Mary's eyes- "You look scared."
"I...yes... I am... There is a lot going on." -She sighed and relaxed her shoulders. Lizzie's touch was kind which surprised the young woman. Lizzie had all the reasons to hurt her, after all, didn't Mary steal Tommy from her? -
"So I've heard..." -Lizzie said, her blue eyes averting from Mary's face to her chest. Mary was breathing hard and fast and the tall woman noticed that she was shivering.-
Lizzie heard about Mary's bad encounter with a donor from the Grace Institute. She heard that the man had tried to assault the nurse but she managed to fight him off and run away from him. Tommy had been restless, angry, and murderous since the accident. She saw the same eyes he had when Grace was killed, the desire to hurt the person who hurt Mary was written on his face. Lizzie could relate to Mary's fear since she had been assaulted in her younger years. She felt relieved that nothing worse happened to her and the incident prompted her to greet Mary whenever they crossed paths. At first, Mary ignored her, but Lizzie persisted and Mary warmed up to her, returning her greetings. Tonight was different, Lizzie decided to do more than just greet the nurse. She decided to try and comfort her, so her gesture was smooth and kind as she wiped Mary's face clean.
"Mary, I have time today. There's just you and me here, in this room. So you can talk to me and I will listen." -Green eyes set upon blue ones as Mary was scanning the face of the young woman. She was looking for any trace of lie or doubt on the slender woman's face but found none. Lizzie was sincere.-
"......" -Mary let out a sigh and closed her eyes again.- "Tommy wants me to be his plus one at a gala. I panicked and told him that he was a fool to even consider taking me there. I would cause him so much trouble than he realizes."
"Trouble? How so?" -Lizzie asked, furrowing her brows. It was one thing to feel inadequate, mostly because Mary, like Tommy, was not born into nobility and therefore could feel out of place at a gala held by the rich, the bold, and the beautiful. Still, Tommy felt right where he belonged and would never let anyone think less of him or consider he didn't. He would never let Mary be treated as a second-class citizen and would never allow anyone to disrespect her because she didn't come from a rich or noble family. Lizzie failed to grasp the fear Mary had about herself.-
"Lizzie, really? Look at me. Look at me closely and try to tell me that a person like me wrapped around Tommy Shelby's arms would not cause a ruckus there." -She put her forefinger above Lizzie's lips, sensing that the woman was about to protest her claims and added- "I am black, Lizzie. They could excuse and tolerate me if I'm poor but married rich. They could excuse me if I'm not from a good family because I would be with an MP... but they would never excuse the color of my skin and my origins. Lizzie... I have seen firsthand how they treat people like me, like Isaiah and Jeremiah... We're not wanted in public space...we're not wanted...I don't want to hinder Tommy's career... I don't want him to be mocked or insulted because he's with me...I am scared for him."
She finally admitted, allowing tears that had pooled at the corner of her eyes to roll onto her cheeks. It was a fear Mary had kept to herself for so long that the confession broke her heart. Lizzie knitted her brows together, as she felt the pain of the young woman. She inhaled some smoke and puffed it out. Lizzie shook her head and put the towel on the sink. Her hand, now free, gently cupped Mary's cheek and she stroked it with her thumb.
"I never knew..." -Lizzie started before she squeezed Mary's cheek.- "I never knew you were hurting."
"How could you? It's not an issue you have to deal with, Lizzie." -She replied, a faint smile creeping on her lips before she opened her eyes again- "For some people, the color of my skin is an issue. They don't want to know me, they don't want to know the content of my character or judge me by my deeds...For some people, I mean nothing. I mean less than nothing and they won't like to see Tommy with me. Ada's already witnessed it. Arthur soaked his hands with blood because someone punched me in the stomach for being in the wrong bar...Tommy had never witnessed it and he's an MP...What if... What if...What if I ruin everything, Lizzie?"
"Mary... I'm so sorry!" Lizzie couldn't bring herself to finish her cigarette and decided to crush the butt of her cigarette against the sink she put her other hand on Mary's other. She held her tightly and leaned her forehead against hers. She then pulled away from her and ran her hands over Mary's arms down to her hands. "Tommy..." -She bit her bottom lip and furrowed her brows as words were dying at the back of her throat.- "Tommy chose you and that is all that matters. He doesn't care about the way people see him and, as much as it hurts me to say, he is in love with you, Mary. He loves you deeply...He loves you so much that he would never let you be harmed. He would never let someone disrespect you in front of him. He would never allow you to be hurt, especially in front of him. You are, you are everything to Tommy. You make him happy. you keep him together and he would always protect you. He chose you, Mary. He chose you and he would never go back."
"You think so?" -Mary's lips quivered and Lizzie held her hands tighter. Her thumbs stroked the back of her hands and she gave her a soft smile.- "How kind of you." -She said, her voice breaking down as she spoke softly. "Thank you... Lizzie."
"Don't mention it, Mary!" Lizzie replied, her smile still plastered on her face. She gently released her hands and took a couple steps away from Mary and ran her hand through her black hair. She started to walk in a circle. Silence slowly settled between the two of them and Lizzie felt fresh tears pool into her eyes. There were a lot of things she wanted to say to the young woman, words crashed at the back of her throat and she ended up rubbing her throat. Mary followed her with her green eyes and tilted her head to the side. "Mary... I just...wanted to apologize. I have been mean to you, straight up a savage. I hurt you."
"Lizzie... we've already---" -Lizzie shook her head-
"No. Please. Let me finish, Mary. When you came into our lives, I didn't think much of you. I didn't feel threatened by you because Grace was alive then. I made my peace with the fact Tommy had found his one true love. It all changed when Grace died. It all changed because I had my hopes high. Tommy came to me, and we fucked, I thought that I would be able to win him over but I was so wrong. I was so wrong, Mary. I was nothing but a drink for Tommy, you know? He used me to drown his pain and I mistook it for genuine love and interest. When you started to live with him, I was devastated and jealous because you got to live with him and you stole my place. I was upset, so upset because I wanted to be you. I wanted to have what you had with him. I mean, why would he choose you over me? I wanted to be you but I didn't realize why I couldn't be. Ah... It took Tommy's scolding for me to realize that I was in the wrong."
"Lizzie... "
"You were right... I was looking for a way out. I thought Tommy was the solution to my problems. I thought he would make an honest woman out of me and... I wasn't able to see how much you were in love with each other and how much good you did for him. Tommy's happy because he's with a woman who loves him for who he is. You welcome everything he is... I would never have been able to do it. Mary. I feel ashamed for the way I acted before. I wanted to apologize. I am sorry, so sorry. Please, forgive me."
Mary bit her bottom lip and gently walked towards Lizzie. Her apologies were sincere and that moved the young nurse to comfort the older woman. In the end, deep down, Lizzie Stark wasn't a bad person. She was just stranded, upset, and in desperate need of companionship. She helped Tommy more times than not and she was loyal to the family. Lizzie proved to be a decent person and she seemed to truly care about Mary. The hug was welcomed with eyes wide open by the taller woman. She had not anticipated Mary to come to her so easily but she didn't deny her. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Mary's frame and cried on her shoulder. How the tables have turned!
-TBC-
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