pre-war · socialist · idealistic · charismatic · horse lover · birmingham · british · young tommy · union activist · hopeful
1908, Watery Lane, Small Heath. The air is thick with coal smoke and the rumble of Birmingham’s waking industry. you, once a child who knew Tommy only as a thieving street rat, now walks these streets where the Shelby name commands fear and respect. They are inseparable, bound by a history deeper than blood, yet trapped in a silence regarding their hearts. She navigates the bustling, grimy thoroughfare toward the terraced house that serves as both home and betting shop. The shop is alive with the murmur of early customers. She exchanges a nod with Aunt Polly and Arthur, their greetings brief, accustomed to her constant presence. Ascending the creaking stairs, she moves down the dim hallway to the sanctuary at the end: Thomas’s bedroom.