𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐕.
women's business
❝ IN THE WORLD ALONE ❞

BIRMINGHAM,
ENGLAND 1919

♜ ━━━━━ ADELINE SHELBY WAS ANGRY.

And the best way to soothe anger, the six year old reasoned, was with some biscuits.

It was what she deserved, after all.

She'd been in the kitchen, on her tiptoes, sneaking said biscuits from the tin on top of the cupboard when there was a knock on the door. She'd been so startled she dropped it and soon the tin was clattering onto the floor with a loud bang! Del jumped again, then froze, certain someone was about to come round the corner and give her a hiding to remember.

No one did.

A blessing.

The knocking continued.

Adeline wasn't supposed to open the door unless it was family. Which was a moronic rule, how was she supposed to know if it was family if she didn't open the door?

Adults were painfully thick.

Della hopped from the counter to the chair to the floor and then laid on her belly while she crawled towards the front door. That was what Finn used to do, when they played pretend—soldiers when the real soldiers were away at war. By the time she reached the door, Del's stockings had slipped down and now her kneecaps were pink and scratched. She paid no mind, loading her imaginary gun and yanking the door open with a flourish.

Her imaginary gun lowered and her eyes went wide.

An unfamiliar man stood in the doorway, a man with a hat, a mustache, and a painted smile.

Behind him, chaos reigned.

Del watched in horror as the whole of Watery Lane was in disarray, men and women being turned out of their homes, children that Del knew running down the road in fear, coppers blowing their whistles and everyone screaming something terrible. Monstrous horses rode by while men were on the ground getting beat with nightsticks.

Del wasn't sure whether to cry or be angry.

"Morning Miss Shelby." The man towered over her, speaking in a distinctly Irish accent, "Pleasant day."

Suddenly there was a thud above her head, and Del jumped before glimpsing up to see his hand was preventing her from slamming the door in his face. Pity.

"My name is Inspector Chester Campbell, I presume you've not heard of me, have ya, dear?"

Her face soured. This was the voice that the more dim—witted of adults used specially for children or the simple—minded. Such blatant snobbery was enough to ruin any self—respecting six year old's day. 

Still, she shook her head, Del, scratching a tangled curl out of her eyes.

"No? Well, I've some questions, if you've the time."

The copper was coming in, whether she allowed it or not. Del ran through her options of what to do as he stood leering, a forced smile beneath his bushy caterpillar mustache.

She could just start screaming, wailing and kicking him in the shins like some sort of deranged banshee. Or maybe she could start barking, growling and drooling from the mouth to look rabid. Maybe if she fetched the gun she knew Pol had hidden in the china cabinet, she'd be able to take down a few of the blasted coppers before dying in a blaze of glory.

Doubtful. The most she'd get was a smack on the mouth for her trouble. Or she'd get arrested. Or sent to a workhouse. Altogether, not grand options.

Del swallowed hard, dug into her pocket, and then produced Uncle Arthur's watch she swiped last week. She'd yet to learn how to tell time, of course, but it was important to keep up appearances.

"I've the time." Del shrugged finally.

He gave a tight smile, forcing the door open all the way, "Most kind."

Della felt on the backfoot, watching while Inspector Campbell wandered 'bout their house.

Looked right by the shop's hidden double doors to take in the sitting room, the dining room, and the staircase that led up to their bedrooms. He paused at the mantel, the inspector, frowning at the pictures he saw there. From her father and uncles' army photo to their family portrait from the day after the men came home to the one with a younger Tommy holding Del who was only a baby.

Della didn't like how this copper looked at them, invading their privacy in a way that felt dirty. Tommy wouldn't like this either, nor would Pol or Arthur or anybody. Del began to feel a tingle in her stomach, a sure fire sign that a whacking was imminent. She just couldn't be sure who the whacking would be meant for.

The girl shifted uncomfortably, the floorboards creaking beneath her feet.

"Tommy won't like it." Della spoke up, trying to get him to look away from the pictures, "He ain't home."

"I'm well aware, Miss Shelby. Off at a fair, is he?" The inspector hummed, hands folded behind his back, "Such a shame he's not taken you, what sort of a man leaves his only daughter home all alone?"

Talk of the fair was a sore subject. She'd been all ready to go along, shoes and jumper on when her uncle John told her in no uncertain terms that she'd not be comin' along. She'd whipped round to her father, ready to argue but he'd been out the door before any such "discussion" could be started. She'd never been so disrespected in her entire life.

Indignance soon led to anger. Missing the fair also meant missing swimming in the river, or eating stuffed peppers and baked bread, or riding any horses and the ferris wheel, or seeing Johnny Dogs who was one of her absolute favourite people.

No matter if he was a war—shy gyspy b—stard, or whatever it was her Tommy said.

Del wondered where she could kick the copper that would hurt the most.

"And where's your mammy, then?"

"Gone." Del said flatly, no hint of emotion in those blue eyes that looked even paler in the light.

"Dead, is she?" Inspector Campbell tsked sympathetically and Della had to roll her eyes, "A sad thing for a young lass, I'm sure. A girl needs her mother."

"Got Tommy."

She hoped she did, anyway. She had Finn and Pol and Ada at any rate.

"What does your father do?"

He did many things, Del thought. He had to, for he was constantly busy. He ran the shop. He went to the Garrison. He had meetings with strange men at all hours. He rode the horses from Charlie's yard. He came home with blood on his cuffs and on the blades in his cap. He smoked the funny pipe when he thought she was asleep. And sometimes, if she was very lucky, he might stand at her door as she laid in bed to say goodnight. She wasn't sure how to put any of those things into words, but, and she wasn't sure if she should share them if she could.

So, Del shrugged, "Dunno."

"You're certain, Della?" The girl stiffened at the nickname and the inspector smiled in a way that oozed fake kindness, "A curious lass like yourself is sure to overhear things occasionally... Doesn't your father ever let things slip?"

"No."

He looked amused, crouching down in front of her, "Now, Della, you wouldn't lie to a policeman, would ye?"

"Cross me heart," she did the markings on her chest.

"Hope to die?"

"Stick a needle in your eye," she smiled ever so sweetly.

He was no longer amused at their little game.

Inspector Campbell very delicately brushed the loose hairs from Del's face, looking chillingly concentrated while the tips of his fingers brushed her burning cheeks. Then he rested a hand on her shoulder, heavy enough to pin her in place. It made the skin under her dress and his hand feel itchy. The urge to squirm grew nearly too great to resist, even under his leveling stare.

"Has your father ever mentioned a secret place?" He was much more serious now, the inspector, a hint of a threat in his eyes, "A place for hiding things?"

Del's head cocked to the side, her curls shifting and falling along her shoulder. A hiding place? What sorta things would her da need to hide? Della hoped it would be something like buried pirate treasure. Tommy did say he was working on moving them up in the world, maybe the pirate treasure would help do that.

In any case, she doubted her da would want a copper knowing 'bout any pirate treasure.

Della blinked, wide—eyed and innocent, "Never, sir."

The door flew open and nearly off its hinges, and in stormed Aunt Polly with a near snarl on her painted lips. Del practically sank with relief. It'd be orright now that Polly was here. She was far too powerful for even a bloody inspector to stop.

"Now isn't this just desperate!" Her aunt took in the sight and practically spat at Campbell, "First the church and now here? You get the f—ck out of this house!"

The inspector's hand didn't leave her shoulder as he tipped his hat at her aunt. He still wore that sneaky smile, like he was so far ahead of her even though he was the one who'd been asking her questions.

Men, the girl rolled her eyes.

There'd been a pause where the copper looked like he might defy her, where Della felt her hackles rise, and where Polly looked nearly ready to strike.

Then but, "Good day, madam."

And the inspector let Della go and waltzed out their front door without a care in the world.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

When the men finally rolled back into town, nearly all of Small Heath had been overturned.

Tommy slipped from the car outside number six, feet crunching in the grit before he pushed through the front door and into the shop. Polly was already back from wherever she'd been, kneeling down before Del who sat curled tightly into a chair.

"Campbell's been here?" Tommy breathed rather than said.

"He was." Polly clenched her jaw and nodded to the girl, "Crouching right there in the parlour with this one under his arm."

Pol stood back and away when Tommy stormed towards the kitchen table. His knees thudded the wooden floor rather painfully and his hand was coarse against Del's cheek, calloused and scratchy against soft flesh. Del looked between his two bright eyes with wide eyes of her own, breathing in time with his heavy breaths, like they'd just run a marathon to get to each other.

"Orright?" Tommy muttered softly, in that voice he usually reserved for spooked horses and the like.

Della couldn't swallow so she only nodded. His face was close to hers, noses nearly touching as he searched her eyes. It was hard to tell whether she was more shaken by the copper or by this strange new behavior.

"Sure now?"

She nodded again, slower this time.

In one fluid motion, Tommy took her arms and pulled Della up with him as he stood. Without even thinking, her arms had wrapped round his neck and legs round his waist. It was an unusual sort of thing, unusual for Tommy and Del anyway. He hardly held her hand, much less carried her like this. But it was... nice.

"Where's our Ada, eh?" Tommy snapped at Polly, "She said she'd watch her."

Their aunt rolled her eyes, "Well, she didn't."

"Pol."

"Let's leave it for later." She raised a hand, giving a sigh, "For now, we talk the business outside. The coppers told everyone Arthur had agreed to it when he was arrested. They said the Peaky Blinders had cleared out to the fair to let them do it."

Tommy shifted Del to his hip, leaning back against the china cabinet while John scooped up a mug of beer.

Del felt very limp suddenly, like all her arms and legs couldn't support her weight anymore. Everything felt so heavy. Her head drooped beyond her control, slipping until it settled awkwardly between Tommy's neck and shoulder. He stiffened somewhat, but he didn't brush her aside or tell her stop. Del felt tense, too.

Arthur growled, "No one never said nothin' to that copper about smashing up bloody houses—!"

Del jumped and her small hands tightened round the collar of her da's jacket.

"Orright." Tommy gave a sigh to rein him in, "Which pubs did they do?"

"The Guns, The Chain, The Marquis. All the ones that pay you to protect them. The only one they didn't touch was The Garrison." Pol lit a cigarette and shook out the match, "Make sure people think we were in on it. Smart, this copper."

Arthur growled again, glancing out the window.

"So go on. Drink your beers. Get out!" Pol was back to givin' orders just as quick, "You better show people you're still the cocks of the walk."

"Hand out some cash to the landlords of the pubs." Most everyone filed out as Tommy joined in, pacing them round the table, "Pay some veterans to fix the places up."

While John ruffled Della's hair on the way by, Arthur paused by the door and shifted onto the other foot, "So, what about you, Tommy?"

Her da dismissed him casually, "I've to go to Charlie's to stable the horse. She looked foot sore in the box."

Arthur hesitated, glanced at Del resting her tired face on his shoulder, and then gave in — as Tommy expected.

"Let them see your faces."

Pol closed the shop's double doors behind him.

"And you." Tommy set Del down, pushing matted curls from her face in a way that felt more matter—of—fact than tender, "Did the copper say anything you remember?"

Her da's hands slid from her face down her arms to her sides where he held her upright; it was a good thing, too. Adeline stood there, feeling as if all the energy had suddenly been sapped from her body. Her knees felt weak and her legs like jelly, and all she wanted was for him to pick her back up again.

Della rubbed her eyes to banish away the sleepiness, "Asked what youse do, if you've any hiding places."

"I see."

"Yea." She yawned, blinking a few times to remember, "Are you hidin' treasure, Tommy?"

"You'd like that, would you?"

"Mmhm." Del grinned sleepily, "Buried pirate treasure, loads of it."

Polly smiled.

"And where would you hide pirate treasure, eh?"

"Uncle Charlie's yard." Her da and aunt shared a look over her head that she didn't quite understand. She was too sleepy to bother trying so she let herself babble, unsure what would be important for him to know, "I didn't tell him but. I told him I'd stick a needle in his eye."

Pol snorted and Tommy raised a brow, "Is it so?"

"It's so." Del confirmed amidst another yawn, thinking hard, "He asked after me mum."

Something in Tommy hardened and turned cold, "Yea?"

"Mmhm. Why'd he do that but?"

"Wish I knew, Del." Tommy squeezed her shoulder just a little, fingers ghosting ever so softly over her cheekbone and eyelashes, "Now go upstairs. You're looking pale."

"Or I could go with you to Uncle Charlie's?" Her eyes were drooping nearly closed and she was practically leaning into him for balance, "To see the treasure?"

He shook his head, a near smile on his lips. It was strange and wonderful.

"Not that kind of treasure, I'm afraid." He took her shoulders and gave her a turn around, "You go to rest."

She was already halfway to the staircase, "You'll see me before you leave but?"

"Sure, little trouble."

But when Adeline finally fell asleep, Tommy'd already left.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Finally, something good was happenin'.

That same night, Del woke from her nap to find Finn and a mission. The two kids went from house to pub to factory to collect all the pictures of the king they could. Racing and giggling, Del and Finn sprinted down the streets to throw all the pictures together and watch as they went up in flames. The bonfire was glorious, the biggest she'd seen in all of the Small Heath, especially in the middle of Watery Lane of all places.

Tommy hadn't waited round for her earlier, but there was no way for her to pester him about it now. He was too busy talking with a strange man with glasses, the sort clearly not from Small Heath. But it was orright. The uncles made a game of throwing Del over the flames, tickling her and letting her go sailing just for fun. The kids happily watched the portraits of the king burn, bouncing round as cheers erupted amongst the crowd that had formed.

True, Polly did have to stop Della from tossing a few firecrackers into the flames and then gave her a whack for her trouble...

Still, it was a pretty successful night she'd say.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Charlie glared up at Tommy on his high horse and asked what could only be the truth:

"It's Thomas Shelby against the whole bloody world, right?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The next afternoon, Della'd shot out of the house like a bullet from a gun, eager to explore the new ruins that the bonfire and those pillaging coppers left in their wake. That was until a body had blocked her path.

"Oi! And where do you think you're going?"

"A—da, move!" Della groaned, tugging on her aunt's dress, trying to yank her away.

"I will not, Polly wants you back inside."

The girl's face fell and she felt white hot indignation course through her veins, "Ah, but—,"

Polly appeared in the doorway behind her, "No fuss. There's nothing for you out there."

Throwing her head back, Del gave a long dramatic groan while she stomped back into the house to stand idly in the kitchen. They'd a stare down, Polly and Della, like the cowboys would in the Wild West — waiting to see who'd fire first, uncertain of who'd be quickest to the draw.

"Don't you look at me like that, Adeline Shelby. You best sit your arse down 'fore you can't sit at all."

Polly won, no contest.

"Have some toast."

Del groaned but eagerly obeyed, anyway, her hunger — and fear — overcoming her pride easily enough. The girl scampered to the table and then plopped onto a chair, sitting on her knees while hungrily watching Ada spread jam across two pieces of toast. Her aunt was takin' her sweet time with it too, and Della soon found herself practically laying on the table, pointing to a piece.

"The big one!" Del demanded.

"Greedy 'mumper." Ada grumbled under her breath, holding out a piece, "Little bites, Della, ah for f—ck's sake, you've no manners at all!"

It was better having a full belly than manners, Del thought. Satisfied and settling in, she buried her face into her breakfast and licked the sweet strawberry jam from her cheeks. After a while, she sensed that peculiar feeling of being watched.

Pol was currently levelin' her with a stare like she'd already caused mischief, and all she'd done was wake up this morning. Auntie Ada was sitting at her side, biting her thumbnail while she kept one arm round her stomach. Del fiddled with her suddenly tight collar.

"What's wrong?" She asked, just a bit too loudly.

Hands folded round a cuppa tea, Polly gave a sigh like a hundred year old woman while she eased down at the table, "I think what we need is a bit of cheering up. So, Ada and I've a surprise for you, Lamb."

Della squinted. After bein' shut in on such a glorious afternoon, she was all set for a day in the trenches. A surprise was just too good a luck on a Monday but. It was enough to make anyone with a brain instantly suspicious.

"Our Ada is takin' you to the pictures. Isn't that nice? Wouldn't that cheer the each of you up?"

Del blinked. That was nice, and it would cheer her up. She'd never been to the pictures before, she'd heard it was grand but.

"For a fact?"

"Come on, let's get dressed." Ada waved her on, "I'll not be seen in public with you lookin' like that."

Del groaned at the prospect of being made up, but the firm grip on her shoulders meant there was very little she could do to escape her fate. Ada had hoped once Tommy came home, she'd not be the backup nanny anymore. He was the parent, after all, wasn't he? Greta was gone, Della was all his. Really though, the truth of it was, Della was his as much as she was anybody's.

Ada'd been doomed to nannying duty so, and as much as she whinged 'bout it, there were perks. At least with Della, Ada could make her do things. Finn'd just run away and there'd be nothing she could do about it. Del, under threat of a hiding to remember, most often did as she was told. Or, a least, kept her mischief hidden sufficiently enough she'd not get caught.

It were these contradictions 'bout Del that Ada could at least appreciate. She'd put up with being dressed up in frills and lace, and then she'd go out and roll in the mud. She'd say 'thank you' and 'please' and then she'd belch and cough over anyone within her vicinity.

It was Del's own particular brand of contradictions that allowed Ada to drag the girl to the pictures whilst she wore a stolen empty gun belt and an equally stolen peaky cap from Finn. The pair sat huddled together before their silent film, the little girl's muddied boots boosted on the chair in front of her and her aunt chomping on her film snack restlessly. 

"Stop hoggin' it all—,"

Someone in the audience shushed her.

Della groaned, practically lying on top of Ada to get her little hand into their "shared" bag of popcorn. Her auntie kept pushing her off, catching in her bony ribs with the points of her elbows, ignoring her winces and curses.

"Shove off, Del." Ada hissed, "Pay attention to the f—ckin' film."

"I'm hungry but," Del groaned, limbs going limp when she flopped back into her chair.

The someone in the audience shushed her again.

"Oi!" Ada yelled back just as Del made a point to violently shush back, "You f—cking shush!"

The two girls huffed to themselves when they dropped back in their respective chairs.

A piano was playing some sort of romantic melody in the background, the silent characters in the midst of a hand—kissing fest. The picture was fine and all, trust Ada to choose some romantic but. Della'd hoped it would have somethin' involving shooting or at least a little gore.

The doors of the theatre suddenly flung open and Del whipped round to give a glare at whoever dared interrupt their film. But then her eyes lit up and she grinned at the sight of the newest arrival.

"It's Tommy!" Del obnoxiously yelled, gettin' up on her knees to watch him approach.

Ada sighed pitifully beside her, yanking on the back of her niece's dress and turning her round. It was far too late, though, Tommy'd already seen them. Del had made sure of that. He strode through the dark aisle of the theatre and dropped down beside them in chair number thirteen, chin raised high and eyes set on the silent film.

Della's grin slowly faded.

Tommy sighed, "Tell me the man's name, Ada."

Without skipping a beat, Ada replied, "Rudolph Valentino."

The air between was so strangled, Del thought someone might drop dead. She guessed this had something to do with the whole matter of cheering Ada up. Apparently, Tommy might need some cheering up as well. She wasn't about to tell him that but. The girl bit her thumbnail, peeking warily up at her da.

Tommy sucked in one short breath through his nose 'fore he swiftly stood and left the theatre.

Del turned to watch him go and then spun back round to her aunt, "Think Tommy's comin' back, Ada?"

"Don't doubt it."

An instant later, the picture faded out, the gaslights turned bright, and Della joined the rest of the audience in their moaning. It was just getting interestin', the man was getting strangled right there on the screen. The doors flew back open and Tommy marched through, shoulders tight and jaw clenched.

"Get out! All of you!" Tommy was snapping at the other film watchers, "Go on — now!"

Della jumped when he'd arrived at their sides, feelin' so small all the sudden. He wouldn't even look at her, nostrils were flaring and big eyes were locked solely on Ada. From this angle, his jawbone looked so sharp and his neck looked so long from how his chin was jutted out. Del sunk further into her seat.

"I said..." He growled, "Tell me his f—cking name."

With one shaky breath, Auntie Ada swung round and spat, "Freddie f—cking Thorne!"

Her da seemed to stop breathin'.

"Yea! Your best mate since school, the man who saved your life in France!"

Tommy hadn't moved.

"So, go on! Go on, cut him!" Ada snapped, scoffing out a bitter laugh, "Cut him up and chuck him in the Cut!"

He'd picked Della up by her arms, Tommy did, taking her wrists and dragging her up onto his hip before he turned and stormed towards the exit. She didn't bother fightin' it — not physically, anyway, this clearly being one of those times she knew it was best to keep such a struggle to herself.

Della only watched longingly over his shoulder, "The film but..."

He shoved through the doors with one hand, holding her so tight it nearly hurt. As they disappeared out into the lobby, Del heard Ada's voice echo out behind her:

"Oi! I'm a Shelby, too, you know! Put my f—cking film back on."

Outside the theatre, his grip was still too tight, but Del didn't dare fidget or squirm. His face was one of a storm and she wasn't about to try to weather it. He finally set her down once they reached the pavement, dropping her even before she'd fully found her balance. She stumbled a little, using the edge of his suit coat for balance. She was forced to let go when he continued on, striding along with no concern for her shorter legs and she had to nearly trot to keep up.

Del glanced up at him, "Is Auntie Ada after havin' a baby?"

Tommy stopped suddenly, nearly jolting as if he had somehow forgotten she was even there in the first place, "How d'you know 'bout that, eh?"

"I've eyes. And ears."

He rolled his eyes and busied himself with lighting a cigarette, "Don't you worry about Ada."

"And Freddie?"

The cigarette stopped halfway to his mouth, "What do you know about Freddie Thorne?"

Del knew a lot about Freddie Thorne. Firstly, he was her godfather. Secondly, he was the fella Ada'd been sneaking out to see for the past year. Della'd not seen him in an age but, only a few times after they'd come back from France. Then he'd taken on com... commu— a big word that she couldn't remember at the moment. Most of what she knew of the man came from listening to Ada, or spying on her, more like.

Still, she wasn't about to tell Tommy any of that.

"Ah... Nothing." She lied, "Just..."

"What?" Tommy snapped.

Del cringed and then frowned a bit defensively, "Just... Women's business, ain't it?"

Tommy barely stifled a groan when he pushed his thumb and forefinger into his eyes, "F—ck's sake."

Even his own daughter, all six years of age, was against him.

All these bloody women.

Della fidgeted in front of him, clearly unsure of how he was going to react or what he was going to do next. He hated the sight of her nervousness, of her uncertainty... because of him.

Tommy didn't look at her when he sighed, "Let's get home, eh?"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Things weren't much better on the home front. Del watched from just outside the shop as Tommy and Polly were in the middle of a standoff, eyes locked and voices sharp. It was terrifying as it was thrilling, like hearing a really good and very scary story, unable to get up and walk away, too entranced even though she knew danger was imminent.

"What is it you really don't like about Freddie?" Polly hissed in disbelief.

"She'll have no life with a man on the run." Tommy's head bowed low, voice raspy from his throat, "If you can't see that, you can't see much."

Without another word, he turned and dropped Ada's letter to Freddie straight into the furnace. Pol's eyes filled with raged and she hurriedly snatched up the fire poker, raising it high over her head. For a moment, Tommy wasn't sure whether she planned to fish out the letter or stab him with it.

Truthfully, neither was Del.

Finally, the woman bared her teeth and threw the poker onto the floor with a loud metallic clatter, "D—mn them for what they did to you in France!"

Tommy closed his eyes, heaved in a breath, and then murmured, "Tell Ada Freddie went to America. Or Russia!"

His aunt was already halfway out the door, gathering her bags.

"Polly, it never does any good to raise a baby in the world alone!"

She cast him one more sharp look before she put her bag onto her arm and strode into the parlour, disappearing through the door.

"Pol, listen!" Tommy's voice called out after her, "The truth is you would've hit me with that thing if it weren't for the fact that you know I'm right!"

There was no response, and bright bitter anger flared in Tommy's chest. He kicked into the desk across from him in frustration before forcing himself to take a calming breath. The sudden sound made Del jump from behind the green door, clearly startled by the sudden show of violence. It was only then that Tommy seemed to realise he wasn't the only one still in the room.

They startled at the sight of each other, two pairs of big blue eyes frozen.

"Della?"

The little girl took one step back.

Tommy frowned at the sight of startled tears in her huge eyes. He'd never seen her cry, not once, ever since she was a bundle of wool blankets and soft pink skin. He repeated his words over in his head, and then when he finally understood, he cursed himself.

Tommy's shoulders sunk and he sighed, "Ah, f—ck, Del, I didn't mean..."

But his daughter was out the door before another word could be said.

━━━━━━ annie speaks ━━━━━━

ouch, ouch, ouch. writing that last bit actually hurt me. tommy is literally one step forward, two steps back with his girl. every time they start to get more comfortable, something like THAT happens. but don't worry. they'll become inseparable soon enough; it'll just take some time :)

whew, let's recap. we got inspector campbell this chapter. hooray. but i'm pretty pleased with how his whole interaction with del turned out. this child takes no crap. also, can i just say that every del and ada interaction literally brings me so much joy? del is a whole disaster and ada can't handle it. our little del is an absolute spitfire and no one knows what to do with her. i love it.

anyway, anyway, what were your thoughts? i can't wait to hear your comments, your worries, your predications! leave them all, i'm very excited!

side note: yes, you'll notice with this chapter and the next that i do play with the timeline of events for this episode just a lil bit. forgive me, oops!