CHAPTER 23

Tilly walked around her crowded home, people gathered in every room. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" a woman gasped, holding onto her husbands arm and staring at the painting that Tilly had put on display.

"Excuse me, Miss Willows," The man caught her attention.

"Mr Gomez," Matilda greeted him with a smile. "This painting, how much?" He asked, still holding onto his wife.

Tilly thought for a moment. "I can get a bill sent over to you by tomorrow morning if you want it, cheaper that the last painting you bought off me," she laughed slightly.

Mr Gomez smiled, "we'll take it, thank you Miss Willows."

"Any time," Matilda nodded, walking off to the other room. Her eyes scanned the room as numerous people complimented her work.

"Er.." Someone cleared their throat, "Miss Willows," they said in an obviously forced posh accent.

She hummed and turned around, gasping when she saw Isiah Jesus stood before her. "Isiah?" She asked, wrapping her arms around him.

"Ello," he chuckled, hugging her tightly.

"What're you doing here?" She asked quietly, placing her hands either side of his face and examining his features.

"Saw ya name in the papers, thought i'd come see you," he said, smiling at her widely. She sighed, removing her hands from his face. "It's nice to finally see a friendly face," she admitted.

"Yea well, you're living in London, won't be many friendly faces here," he joked.

"No, you're right. Nobody but Ada and the people who buy my paintings..put even some of them are a bit..dodgy." She grinned, shaking her head. Tilly hesitated. "How's Finn?"

"He's good, yeah good."

"Did he not want to come?" She asked, trying not to seem desperate.

"He's not been in the best moods recently, reckon he's missing ya," Isiah tormented, following her as she slowly walked around the edges of the room.

"Oh," she muttered, unsure what to say. "Well, it's been a year-"

"What your point?" He asked, his eyes following a girl who walked past them. "It's been a year, nothing has changed except you're living in London and you're mentally fucked up."

"Was," she corrected, "was mentally fucked up. I take medication now."

"Well, I still don't understand what you were trying to say with its been a year,"

"What I was trying to say..is that we have both moved on." She shrugged, her hands behind her back. "Have you though?" Isiah retorted.

"Physically, maybe. But mentally, absolutely not. Actually, I don't even think i've fully moved physically-" Tilly rambled, greeting people with a nod as she passed them.

Isiah raised an eyebrow at her sudden outburst but let her talk. "If it helps, Finn hasn't went near another girl since you left,"

"That doesn't help at all actually,"

"And why not?" He asked, his eyes landing on the canvas beside them. "Because i'm seeing someone," she said quietly, wincing as she waited for him to say something.

"You're seeing someone?" He gasped. "Isiah, why are you acting as if it's a surprise!" She asked, feeling insulted. Isiah shook his head laughing.

"Are you coming to Tommy's wedding" Isiah questioned.

She stared at him blankly. "No." Matilda answered plainly. Isiah frowned, "why not?"

"Because, I have no business being there."

"Matilda-" he began, she gasped dramatically, "You called me Matilda, am i in trouble," she scoffed. Isiah bit his tongue. "That family have always loved you as if you were apart of them. Come on, it'll be fun."

"Weddings are an excuse for cocaine. So no."

"Okay, how about this, you come to the wedding, no cocaine will be used."

"Yeah right," she laughed at him. He put his hands up in defence, "I promise."

"Mhm.." Tilly said sarcastically.

Isiah groaned. She slapped his arm. "Isiah, you are supposed to behave accordingly if you're going to turn up to one of my art displays," she scolded. "Right. Sorry. But please turn up, or at least consider it. We all miss you."

"Yeah well i'm not sure this boy that i'm seeing will be too happy if i attend the wedding of my ex boyfriends family."

"I don't think this boy will care if he knows it's a wedding of a peaky fucking blinder," He nudged her.

-

Isiah walked into the Black Swan, his cap on his head. He scanned the room for Finn and Cameron, who he quickly found considering they were sat in the same place as always.

"You're back," Cameron nodded toward Isiah, sliding his glass of whiskey toward him.

"I am, yeah," Isiah said plainly, taking a seat and sighing. Finn moved uncomfortably in his seat as thoughts about Tilly consumed him. "Av ya shit yourself or something?" Cameron asked.

"No." he said bluntly, desperate to hear about how Tilly was when Isiah had went to see her.

Both Isiah and Cameron stared at Finn, majorly confused by his strange behaviour. "Is there something you want to say?" Isiah finally asked. "Nope," Finn replied quickly, avoiding their eyes.

"He wants to know about Tilly,"

"Is this about Tilly?"

Cameron and Isiah spoke at the same time then looked at each other, trying not to burst into laughter.

"What! No!" Finn defended, sitting up straight. They stared at him blankly. "Yes..fine, i want to know how she is doing," he admitted, shrinking into his chair.

"Well, for your information, Finn Shelby, she's doing quite well. Looks like her business has kicked off and she's gained quite the popularity in London." Isiah told him, "and there's a new lad on the scene." he whispered.

"Am i supposed to care?" Finn asked, knowing full well that he did care but couldn't do anything about that.

Isiah and Cameron looked at him blankly. "Okay Finn." Cameron shook his head, laughing.

-

Tilly smiled widely as she walked into the large office building, her hands clasped in front of her. "Mrs Davies," she nodded toward the woman at the desk.

Mrs Davies looked up and smiled. "Oh, Matilda, it's nice to see you again. That painting that my husband got off you was truly beautiful."

"So it was a good birthday present then?" Tilly asked, hanging her coat up on the hook besides the door.

"It was, really. You here to see David?" Mrs Davies questioned, placing a pile of paper inside the small drawer. Tilly nodded, "I am. He's not in a meeting is he?"

"No, go right in." She smiled. Tilly hummed and walked through the her boyfriends dimly lit office. She gently pushed the door open.

He looked up. "Hello," he said happily, turning away from the window he stood at, tapping his cigarette on the ash tray. "Hi," Tilly gleamed, closing the door over, "how has word been today?"

"Fine. Had a few calls but that was it." He shrugged, taking a seat and offering her a cigarette. She willingly took one and leaned forward as he lit it.

"How was your day then?" David asked, leaning back in his black chair. Tilly nodded, glancing at her new watch, "had somebody book an appointment for a portrait doing. At first it scared me but i think i'm capable."

"You're more than capable, Tilly." He assured her.

"Listen," she sat forward, tapping her cigarette on the edge of the ashtray. "You know my friend Ada, don't you?"

"I do, she's the widow of Freddie Thorne and sister of the Shelby's." He hummed. Tilly nodded, "Well, her older brother has invited me to his wedding..invited us to his wedding."

"That's kind of him," he said genuinely. "Do you want to go?" He asked.

Tilly bit her bottom lip thinking. "Cause if you want to go, we need to get you a dress, don't we," David smiled slightly, making her anxiety about asking him leave her body.

David was a good boy. He was kind, good looking. Very different to Finn though. David was confident, knew how to be in a relationship. Not that Finn didn't know how to be in a relationship, it was just that Finn was too nervous and arrogant.

Tilly like David, she really did. And it was not very often that she thought of the Shelby boy anymore because she knew that moving on was for the better.

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Again, short filler chapter until i can fix my writers block and so i can return to making chapters where they interact.