Charlie knocked on her bedroom door with a child's enthusiasm that betrayed his excitement. He had not seen her in a day, and the desire to see her overwhelmed him. He waited for permission to enter the bedroom, and once he got it, the little boy stormed into the room. He laughed and climbed onto the bed to join Mary. The woman put the newspaper she was reading back on the nightstand near the bed and opened her arms to welcome Charlie in a sweet hug. She let her fingers run through his disheveled blonde hair. She leaned against the bed headrest and gently started to rock her body back and forth to soothe the young boy. She knew he had been missing his parents; the poor darling had not seen either of them for a week. Mary had been so busy that she only came home to sleep, and Charlie was already deeply asleep. Tommy was... Tommy was out of town for business reasons. Mary wasn't stupid; she was well-aware of what that business entailed. She knew that to protect his family, Tom made the choice to keep them out of the loop. Charlie did not know his father was a gangster, and Mary, technically, did not know as well.
"Mom... I am so happy you came home early. I've missed you."
"I am sorry, baby. I have been very busy, but you were always on my mind, Charlie."
"I know, Mom. Don't worry. I just wanted to be in your arms and maybe sleep next to you tonight? Would Papa join us?"
"Papa is... busy. He won't be home tonight, so you can sleep with me."
His little squeal made her chuckle, and Mary gently stroked his head and pressed another kiss to his forehead. She never corrected Charlie when he started to call her mom. He explained that soon after he first uttered the word that he loved his mother in the sky. She would always be his mother, the one who gave birth to him, and the one he loved and would always love. Mary was his mom. The mother he had on Earth. The mother he loved and would always love too. There was no competition in the eyes of this child, only two mothers he loved and cared for. For Mary, the childless mother, his love was a gift, far more important than anything else Life could have given her. She loved him like her own and thanked the Lord for his gift. As Charlie lay under the sheets, she followed him and lay on her side. Her hand gently stroked his bouncy cheek, and she smiled at him.
"Mom... What do you love about Dad?"
"Why do you want to know?" She asked in a soft voice, with a brow lifted.
"Because I want to see how you see Dad. I want to know more about him."
It made her smile. Charlie rarely asked questions, even less when it came to his father. From time to time, Mary wondered if he was afraid of his dad. She tried to put herself in his shoes, and although her past was not exactly the same as Charlie's, she thought she could relate to some of his feelings. Tom was not exactly a very open person. He was mysterious, distant, silent... And for a child, this was scary. He wanted to know more about his father, perhaps in a bid to be less afraid of him. So Mary indulged the young boy.
"Fair enough, Charlie. Your dad is a man of few words, but his heart is very big and kind. He loves his family. He works tirelessly to protect us and to ensure we lack nothing. He works very hard to ensure that we won't be in harm's way. Have you noticed the Peaky boys guarding us?" -He nodded- "That is because of your dad. A lot of people want to hurt us, but your dad won't let it happen. He might look cold and distant, but it is because he needs his solitude to think clearly. That doesn't mean he doesn't love us. Quite the contrary, darling. Your dad...Ah... He is very clever, and I think that was what attracted me to him in the first place. He is so clearly above the rest of the world. Your dad cares so much about you, Charlie. Everything he does, he does it for you."
"Have you tried to have a baby with him?" -His little voice could not hide his worries. Mary noted that he was excited, but she also knew that there was fear hidden in his words.-
"Listen, my darling, if we ever have a baby, that will never take away the love we have for you. It will only make our family bigger. You will have a sibling, and we will love you both very, very, very much. You will always be my son, Charlie. And you will always be your father's. "
"Thank you, mom."
It seemed to have calmed the child. He heard what he needed to hear. His parents would not forget him just because there would be another child. His father won't turn his back on him because he loved him way too much for that, and despite looking cold and being distant, Tommy was devoted to his family. She was happy to put her child's fear to ease and thought about mentioning it to Tom. She definitely could always say whatever she wanted; Tom had to do his part as Charlie's father. It was his job to reassure his son and to be present in his life. Mary knew that it was not exactly how things worked in their society. Fathers were rarely present in their children's lives. Fathers ended up being estranged from their families, and drama always ensued.
Mary did not want that for her family. She knew Tommy and his siblings did not have their father's love and presence in their lives. If anything, he was very abusive. Polly Gray raised them, instead, and while Mary was grateful for the woman's presence in their lives, she still did not want Tom to be absent like his father was. She did not want them to repeat the same cycles they suffered. Tom would be a dad, not just a father. She would be a mom, not just a mother. Their children would be happy, far happier than children their age in today's society. It was easier said than done. Despite her best efforts, Tom was nowhere to be found. He was nowhere to be seen. He did not even place a phone call. She knew he was busy. It's been weeks... months by now, since he left. But she was used to it. He would come back, wouldn't he? If anything happened to him, Arthur would have told her... Or Ada.. Or even Michael ( to gloat).. If anything happened to him..... If anything.... Mary simply pulled Charlie into a hug and wished upon the stars for the safe return of the love of her life.
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