"New necklace?"

Nancy immediately grabbed the pendant that was hanging around her neck when Henry mentioned it, his eyes flickering between the diamond on his ex-wife's chest and her eyes.

"Yes."

"Who bought you that?"

"Does it matter?"

Henry was stood on the doorstep of Nancy's home waiting for Vincent to finish tying his shoelaces before they left to watch the football together. Nancy had been trying her best to let Vincent see his father, even if she desperately wanted to have him with her at all times, she knew that she needed to be the bigger person in their situation.

It wasn't often that Henry asked to see his son, but he'd waited by the school gates on the Friday to catch Nancy and ask if he could take Vincent out the following day for the match. She hesitated at first, knowing it was the day Arthur was coming home and that Vincent would want to see him, but she agreed anyway.

"Not really, just interested in who's around my boy."

"Well," Nancy sighed and pulled Vincent's coat down from the hook on the wall, "It's nothing for you to worry about."

Henry said nothing, just narrowed his eyes at Nancy before breaking into a smile as Vincent squeezed past his mother in the doorway and jumped down the step.

"I might take him out for some food after, that alright?"

Nancy nodded, "I'll be home, bring him back whenever he's ready for bed."

"See you later mum, I love you."

Vincent hugged his mother's knees and she hugged him back, making sure to give him a kiss before sending him on his way with his father.

The house felt empty without him. There was no noise, no footsteps running around and no echoing of toy cars being raced across the floorboards. Nancy was so used to being at home with her son all the time that it felt strange for her to be in their house alone.

She tried to pass the time as quickly as possible. Nancy wasn't sure what time Arthur was due to return home, but she wanted the house to be spotless when he walked through the door. She cleaned the floors and changed the bed sheets, even running to the corner shop to make sure she had everything to cook Arthur's favourite meal that evening. She missed him dearly and had felt like a part of her was missing since he'd been gone.

Nancy pulled on a clean dress after spending the last hour cleaning. She opted for a white slim fitting dress with beading detail across the front, deciding to add some red lipstick and some blush to her cheeks. She wanted to make sure she looked her best for Arthur.

After spritzing herself with some perfume, Nancy sat and watched the seconds tick by on the clock before the knock at the front door finally came another hour later.

She rushed to the door, smoothing out her dress and taking a deep breath before swinging it open.

"Henry?"

"Nancy," Henry blinked a few times as he stood and gazed at her, his eyes racing up and down her body over and over again, "You look incredible, absolutely beautiful."

Nancy wasn't sure where to look, feeling incredibly awkward at the compliment from her ex-husband as he looked at her in the most admirable way he had done since their wedding day.

"I thought you were taking him for food after the football?"

Vincent ran past his parents back into the house, heading straight up the stairs and closing the door to his bedroom with a loud thud.

Henry rolled his eyes, "He wanted to come home. Started crying at half time but he wouldn't tell me why, I thought it was best to just bring him back to you."

Nancy just nodded, her mind racing with thoughts as to why her son might've been upset. He usually loved spending time with his father and it upset Nancy that Henry didn't put more effort in with his son, but it puzzled her as to why their time together got cut short that day.

"I'm sure it's nothing, he's probably just tired. Maybe you can take him out next weekend?"

Henry let out a big sigh, "Yeah, maybe."

He paused and gave Nancy the once over again, making her shift behind the door slightly.

"Seriously Nance, you do look incredible. Whoever this bloke is, he's the luckiest bastard in the whole of Small Heath."

For a split second, Nancy felt like she was having a conversation with the Henry that she'd fallen in love with. His eyes were kind and his smile was genuine. His aura was calm and for a moment, Nancy forgot about all the awful things that he'd done to her, she just saw the man that said I do.

That was, until, he saw Arthur's cap handing on the coat hooks by the door, the afternoon sun glinting on the razor blade that was sewn into the peak.

Nancy watched Henry's eyes land on the cap. She saw the colour drain from his face and the smile that seemed to genuine a second ago had disappeared before she'd had time to savour it.

"You're joking me?"

Nancy said nothing. She looked to the floor and chewed on her bottom lip, her hands on the door.

"That fucking Shelby bloke? I really thought you had higher standards than that. And you let someone like him, that goes round killing men, around our boy?"

Nancy began to panic. She was all too used to the tone of anger in Henry's voice and she saw the way he began to ball his fists and broaden his shoulders as he grew more and more jealous.

"And this?"

Nancy gasped as Henry took a sudden step towards her and grabbed the chain that was round her neck. Their faces were inches apart and his eyes were boring into her own, cutting her like knives.

"He bought you this fuckin' necklace did he?"

She couldn't move. Nancy just closed her eyes and whimpered quietly, trying to hold herself together and not cry.

Henry let out a sarcastic chuckle, "N V A, Nancy, Vincent, Arthur. Think you're some kind of happy family now do 'ya? I used to have respect for you, Nancy, I really did. But now, you're just a fucking little who-"

"Get your fucking hands off her."

Nancy let out a breath that she'd been holding in when she felt Henry's presence being ripped away from her. She opened her eyes and watched as Arthur threw him to the floor, standing over him with a bunch of flowers in his hand and a football tucked under his arm.

"Look who it is!" Henry laughed as he scrambled to his feet, brushing himself down, "Arthur Shelby himself."

"You lay your hands on her again and I'll-"

"You'll what?"

Henry smiled at Arthur, antagonising him with a sinful smirk and devilish eyes that made Nancy's stomach turn.

"Blind me? That's what you lot do, isn't it?"

Arthur clenched his jaw, "I'd have killed you with my bare hands a long time ago if you weren't that little boy's father."

Henry just laughed, shaking his head, "At least you're aware that I am his father. He doesn't need some lowlife scum like you pretending to be his dad, he's already got one."

Nancy knew Arthur was seeing red from the way his shoulders were pushed back and the glare in his eyes as he looked at Henry. She watched his chest rise and fall slowly, knowing he was doing his best to keep himself calm, the flowers still tightly in his grip.

"I think it's time you left."

Henry turned away from Arthur, stealing a long lasting glance at Nancy once more. He winked at her, making her cringe all the way down to her bones.

"See you later, darling."

Nancy wiped a single tear from her cheek as Henry walked away down the street. Arthur watched him the whole way, making sure he'd disappeared around the corner before he took a step towards the front door.

He threw the flowers down onto the coffee table and dropped the football down onto the floor, grabbing Nancy and pulling her into him without letting another second slip by.

Nancy squeezed her eyes shut as she buried her head into Arthur's chest, her arms wrapped around his body tightly, breathing in the scent of his aftershave, taking in everything she'd missed for seven long days and nights.

"Are you alright?" Arthur lifted up Nancy's head gently, stroking her cheek as he looked down into her eyes with a soft smile.

Nancy just nodded. She was fine, she would always be fine if Arthur was there.

"I missed you so much. God, you look so beautiful, Nance."

"I missed you too."

They shared a kiss, a long, passionate kiss that made Nancy feel like her heart had either stopped beating or it was beating far too fast for her to realise. She felt surreal whenever Arthur kissed her, it was as if he made her feel more alive than she could ever feel on her own.

Their moment was broken by the sound of footsteps bounding down the stairs. They hesitated, silence falling across the house as both Nancy and Arthur turned their heads towards the door.

Vincent stood shyly in the doorway, only his head poking around the frame, his hands clasped on the wood.

"Arthur?" Vincent spoke in a small, quiet voice.

"Yes mate," Arthur smiled at the boy and let go of Nancy, "I'm back."

Vincent grinned and sprinted towards him. Arthur scooped him up into his arms and spun him around in the air, both of them laughing wildly together as Arthur kissed the boy's neck, tickling his sides as he screamed with happiness.

Nancy's heart felt full. She felt herself reaching for the diamond around her neck again and clutched it tightly. Everything felt right, this was her happy family.