In The Bleak Midwinter | T Shelby

THIRTY EIGHT - A NEW START

When Thomas had called in unexpectedly at John's house, Kaia had left without giving him chance to say another word. He'd desperately wanted to call out after her, to follow her down the street and beg her for just five minutes of her time, long enough for him to look into her eyes and get some kind of feeling back into his life.

But of course, Tommy knew better than to chase Kaia after she'd walked away, right from the very beginning. And so, he let her go.

The Shelby family had signed a contract paying for a house not far away from where the Gold's used to live. It was a bigger version of their small country cottage with the same charm and flare that their original home held, something sentimental about the place, even without their belongings cluttering the walls and floors.

They'd signed it over to Aberama, who over the past four weeks had become strong enough to live day to day without Kaia's help. Bonnie was still in the hospital on the first day of March, but doctors said he was on track to be discharged by the spring.

Aberama had personally thanked Thomas and his family for their kindness. He wasn't sure what had happened between Tommy and his daughter, but the way she shut down the question each time he tried to find out told him that he was better off not knowing.

Kaia was working more hours than she ever had before. Aberama wasn't able to bring any money into the family so the responsibility had fallen on Kaia. The Shelby's had extended their kindness again, offering to help with payments for food and clothes, furniture to decorate the house and make it more homely, but Kaia declined. Accepting the house in the first place felt wrong to her, but ultimately, she had no choice.

It was a lovely home and she was eternally grateful for their willingness to help the family, but the independent nature within her meant that she could never properly settle there, knowing it would never truly be their home, even if paperwork said otherwise.

Tommy hadn't seen Kaia in person since the night she found out about her home being ruined. After watching her walk down the road that evening, it was as if a dark cloud had settled over him, one that hadn't shifted ever since. It cast grey shadows on him in the daytime and even darker ones at night, leaving him with no choice but to lie awake thinking about his mistakes when he couldn't fall asleep. He deserved it, he knew that, but the torture was crippling. It was as if the meaning from his life had disappeared again. His family were safe, stable in every way, but he could no longer see a purpose to living. The colour Kaia had brought to his dull life had faded right before his eyes, washing away in the rain that never seemed to stop.

He needed a fresh start, perhaps just a new house to start with, somewhere with no memories stowed in the walls, flashes of a once-lived happiness every time he looked at a certain spot. A place that would remind him of nothing, somewhere he could start over again, try and pick himself back up without the pressure of everybody around him.

And so, that's exactly what he did. Thomas bought a house out in the countryside, one far bigger than a man living alone would ever need, but a beautiful place to call home nevertheless. His family were supportive, knowing that once he'd made his mind up, there was no changing it anyway.

The day of the move, Thomas was packing away the last few bits of clothing from his wardrobe when he found the box. Buried under a pile of old shirts and shoes he didn't wear anymore, the leather bound box had been sat collecting dust for over two months, not crossing his mind once.

He sighed, biting down on his lip as he pulled it from the wardrobe, his heart rate increasing as his fingers fumbled over the latch, slowly lifting the lid. He knew exactly what was inside, but he was in denial, hoping that he'd be mistaken.