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The English sun glares down against your skin and warms your face as you sit out on the back patio. You and Ronnie had made the usual trip out to the secluded summer house that he had bought for you one year ago right as the sun had first began to show itself through the dark clouds that often blanketed the London sky. Even if he would never admit it aloud to you, you knew that Ronnie had been needing the escape from the demanding east end for a long time coming now. You always knew when it was all beginning to get a bit too much for him and weigh his mind down. When you had mentioned a week long trip to stay at the summer house in the country rather than in the stuffy streets of London, he had clung onto it like a lifeline and got the plan in action.
Sometimes, all Ronnie truly needed was to get away from it all for a while with you and the one true permanent sunshine in your lives; Katie.
Your lips curve up into a small smile when the sound of a soft giggle floats into your ears. You tilt your head and follow the sound with your eyes. Ronnie is sitting beside you at the table on the patio, the sleeves of his white button up shirt are rolled up to showcase his heavy forearms and his sleek suit coat is thrown over the back of his chair. The suspenders over his shirt are looser than usual and his usual tie is missing, allowing him to have two of the upper buttons undone to catch the occasional breeze against his chest. His glasses are folded in and resting on the table in front of him. One of his arms is stretched over across his armrest, allowing him to situate his strong hand atop your thigh through your colourful summer dress, his thumb instinctively drawing repeated invisible patterns on the fabric.
Katie is standing next to his chair, her small hands grasping his suit trouser leg as she looks up at him. Her dark hair is tied up into two pigtails, kept in place with two messy ribbon bows that Ronnie had done himself. In his hands, Ronnie is holding the long stem of a dandelion that Katie had ran over to bring him from the grass area of the expansive back garden. The flower looks unbelievably tiny between his fingers, a sight that makes you stifle a laugh as to not interrupt the moment going on between Ronnie and Katie.
“Make a wish then, Kat.” Ronnie says, his tone low and rumbling with relaxation and a veil of serene calm. He holds the dandelion down to her, positioning it in front of her face with a slow, encouraging nod of his head. Katie quickly shakes her head, her shiny hair bouncing around her chubby face, with a small grin. Instead of blowing on the flower, she brings a small hand up and gently pushes his heavy hand back up toward his own face. “You, dada.” Katie instructs, her voice impossibly soft. She emphasises her instruction with a slow point of her little finger to the flower and over to him, connecting the two with an invisible thread.
For a moment, Ronnie is silent with a mix of both uncertainty and surprise. You watch as his dark eyes slowly look from her to the flower between his calloused fingers. “You want me to make a wish?” He asks. Katie nods with a wide smile that showcases her baby teeth, visibly gleeful with the fact that her intentions are being understood. “Right then…” your eyes follow Ronnie as he lifts the dandelion up to his lips, staring at it for a few seconds before blowing a strong breath of air onto it, scattering the seeds off and allowing them to be carried off by the gentle summer breeze. Katie claps her hands together in excitement and happiness, her eyes that mirror his own gleaming in the bright sun. Your lips part with a soft laugh as she watches the seeds float up and away in the air with a curious sense of awe.
The sound makes Ronnie turn his head over to you. “What did you wish for, Ronnie?” You enquire with a sweet smile. He glances down at Katie, his dark eyes softening even further at the mere sight of her, to make sure that her attention is still focused entirely on the seeds that are flying away like little folklore fairies. “I’ve already got everything I could wish for, love.” He murmurs lowly, gently squeezing your thigh to emphasise his point.
Just then, the familiar sound of the front door of the summer house opening and closing trails out into the back garden. Neither you nor Ronnie even blink much of an eye. Reggie had been due to come from London for a visit of his own, mostly to see Ronnie about some business details that needed looking over for the most part - and of course, to see his sister in law and niece too. Katie, however, stiffens at the sudden noise. Her doe eyes widen, darting back and forth between you and Ronnie in a surprised panic.
“Oh, Katie-” you start, your voice gentle as you recognise her intense shyness flaring up within seconds. Reggie steps out onto the back patio through the open doors before you can finish, repositioning his expensive tie as he approaches the table with confident steps. “Ron.” Reggie nods at his brother, receiving the very same greeting in return, and turns his attention to you. “You look lovely, darling. How are you?” He asks, his tone coated in an innocent kind of cheekiness that matches the wide, bright smile on his face. “Thank you, Reggie.” You say, tilting your face to the side as he stops by your chair and leans down to plant a quick kiss to your cheek. “Wonderful and what about yourself? How are things in London?” You enquire with a slight grimace, the question about London is hesitant and cautious as it rolls off your tongue. Reggie sighs quietly and throws a look over to Ronnie, who stares back at him with silent understanding. “Business as usual. You don’t need to worry about it though, me and Ron’ll have it sorted out.” He answers, a tight and reserved but reassuring smile painting his face.
Reggie looks around the bright garden, his eyes visibly scanning the wide area for something specific. His thick eyebrows furrow when he fails to find it. “Where’s the little mouse then?” He asks, referring to your daughter by the loving nickname that most people in her life have long since given her. Reggie casually leans back against the patio table and brandishes a cigarette from his trouser pocket. You do not speak a word in response, but simply avert your eyes over to Ronnie. Reggie follows your gaze.
Peeking out from behind his garden chair is little Katie. Her small frame is completely shadowed and hidden behind Ronnie, his chair and his broad figure blocking her from view with ease. Katie had quickly scuttled over to hide behind him the second Reggie had stepped out onto the back patio. She had moved with the silent speed of a field mouse. So much so that you failed to even notice her hasty movement in the corner of your eye as you had turned to look at Reggie. Ronnie, however, knows fine and well that she is stowed away right behind him. He had watched her run to hide behind him. He makes no move to force her out from behind him to say hello.
Katie has always been a very shy and timid child. She almost cocoons into herself when in the presence of anyone other than you and Ronnie alone. Instead of flourishing and thriving in the attention of others, she tends to hide away from it. Her favourite hiding place is none other than behind the towering legs of her father. He has always acted as somewhat of a protective wall for her - or perhaps something more akin to a protective, intimidating Doberman who stands tall and on guard in front of her. It is no secret that she feels the safest in the arms and behind the legs of her gangster father.
The rough hands that point tommy guns and inflict violence within the business of the firm are the same hands that hold her with a gentleness and carefulness as though she is a fragile porcelain doll that he is terrified of breaking.
Even around family and even despite the fact that Reggie looks so much like her father in appearance due to their twin genes, her shy nature is still an overpowering force that has yet to be pierced or even all that watered down.
When Reggie spots her peeking out from behind the chair, she pulls her head back into hiding at the speed of a bullet. You flash him an apologetic smile before turning your attention back to Ronnie and Katie. “It’s only uncle Reggie, Katie.” You reassure, keeping your tone gentle as to not make her feel pressured. She does not budge an inch from behind the chair.
Reggie pockets his unlit cigarette, his lips twitching upwards with a small, understanding smile. He pulls something else out from his pocket; a small, striped paper bag containing a bundle of varied flavoured lollipops. “Bought something for her. Thought she might miss them being all the way out here.” Reggie explains, sharing an almost telepathic look with his twin. Ronnie stares at the recognisable sweet shop bag and then turns around half way in his chair, leaning over the back to look down at the space behind him. “Come here, Kat. Reg has brought you some sweets.” He murmurs, his voice unbelievably gentle. You smile to yourself. Her sweet tooth is not often something that she can stave off or ignore. At the telling of there being sweets for her, she peeks out from behind the chair again. Her eyes widen when she accidentally makes direct eye contact with Reggie before dropping to the bag in his hands. She recognises the patterned bag in an instant. It is the very same kind of bag that her favourite sweet shop in the east end uses. It is the very same kind of bag that Ronnie attempts to hide from you in the inner pockets of his suit coat whenever he has taken her to get sweets and let her eat them right before dinner.
Ronnie brings a hand down to deliver a comforting and intensely loving pat to her head. Ronnie has always been rather awkward and unsure with how to go about giving soft shows of affection and yet, it never fails to work. Katie leans into his touch before fully stepping out from behind the chair. “Hello there, Katie.” Reggie says, crouching down and outstretching his hand to offer the bag to her with a warm smile. Katie stands frozen in place as she looks over at you and then up to Ronnie, seeking some encouragement. “Go on, poppet. You can take your time.” You encourage her. Ronnie gives a heavy and supportive nod of his own. His dark gaze holds a silent promise of protection that seems to go right to both her heart and brain with a sudden strike of confidence and secureness.
The three of you watch in silence as Katie approaches Reggie, stepping toward him with a timid nature like that of a shyly nervous yet intensely curious fawn. Her wide eyes dart between him and the bag before finally, she comes to a quick halt in front of him and reaches a hand out. “Thank you…” she says quietly, taking the light bag only after the polite words have left her lips. “You’re welcome, little mouse.” Reggie responds with a soft smile. The man has always had an undeniable soft spot for his niece, hence why he has zero care for the fact that his current crouching position will leave the most stubborn creases in his expensive suit trousers.
Almost immediately after taking ahold of the bag, Katie rushes right back over to Ronnie, stopping next to his chair and grabbing onto his trouser leg with her free hand. “Come here, Kat.” Ronnie reaches down, hoisting her up with one strong arm and placing her down atop his lap, her short legs curling up so that the bottom of her feet sit flat on his knees. Taking a lollipop from the bag and into her mouth, Katie settles against him and nestles herself further into his broad chest.
You and Reggie watch him tighten his arm around her and plant a deep kiss to the top of her dark hair, moving his hand to stroke comforting patterns on her back through the expensive material of her plaid boutique dress. The hand he still has holding your thigh draws similar motions. Their matching dark eyes gleam in the golden rays of the sun.
Both of you smile at the sight, sharing a look of familiar understanding and knowing with one another. Both of you know exactly how strong the connection between him and Katie is. Both of you know how Ronnie had never quite planned or thought of ever having a domestic life like this for himself. Both of you know that he never would have been able to even envision himself as being the chosen safe place and fierce protector of a timid little girl who shares his eyes and hair.
But both of you also know that he would never want to change it for the world. Both of you know that Ronnie Kray has found his peace and purpose where he least expected to find it.