The Shelby Family Legacy // Alfie Solomons

Arthur

Finn burst into the office yelling kats name.

'what is it finny?' kat asked looking up from her paperwork.

'hes done it again.' Finn said.

'whoes done what again love?'

'arthur beat a guy to blood pulp kat!' finn exclaimed.

'are they both alright? I mean alive?' kat asked moving around her desk to hug her brother.

'when we pulled him off the guy wasn't breathing kit kat, hes dead.' Finn told her. 'and Arthur...'

'where is he?' kat got her belongings and started to head out.

'hes at home. I don't think hes okay kat.' Finn told her. 'polly has already spoken to him but I think he needs you... before tommy gets there, he might not go so hard on him if youre there.'

'okay baby, you stay here and help run the shop while I'm gone okay? You're the only Shelby in the office so you are in charge.' Finn was only 11, but he needed to start at some point right? She knew he would stay in the office and spin in her chair but at least she would get to see Arthur. Try and help him.

When kat got to arthurs place he was sat alone starring into the fire.

'arthur, honey,' kat approached him slowly like coming up to a wild animal. 'finny told me what happened... are you alright?'

'no I don't think I –' but tommy came in slamming the door behind him.

'the fuck are you playing at eh?' tommy yelled coming between Arthur and kat.

'thomas he doesn't need this right now.' Kat warned.

'trouble its fine. Polly said I should've stuck with me medicine.' Arthur told them.

'and polly was right.' Kat said softly. She came and sat in arthurs lap he warpped his arms around her and burrided his face in her neck.

'oh trouble,' he murmured. 'its like a fucking boat... full of heavy cargo like coal or ieon...sometimes it slips to one end and when the boat tips I can feel it slippings.' Kat played with his hair, brushing it out of his eyes trying to calm him down. 'and I can feel the boat tipping but there aint nothing I can do about it... its like my fucking head is like a big fucking barge and its just drifting. In and out... in and out...'

'we've been home a long time now Arthur. Been home along time . I thought you were alright...' tommy said not looking at him. He couldn't. he had failed his brother.

'well I don't think I am tommy.' He grabbed at his head, 'get this... take this fucking thing away from me.' he pulled off his gun and handed it to kat. She stood up and put it on the table.

'just fuck off Arthur, just fuck off. You know what ive had enough. Just fuck off.' Tommy told him calmly.

'what?' Arthur said confused, tommy spun around to face him finally.

'Thomas!' kat said appalled at her brother.

'I'm supposed to treat you like a kid again eh?' tommy said getting real close to arthur. 'keep you away from guns and fucking rope now?'

'thomas stop it!' kat said pulling at Thomas but he wouldn't budge.

'you think I haven't got enough on Arthur. You think I haven't got enough on?'

'will you just stop tommy, this isn't about you! Not everything is about yoU!' kat yelled still trying to get tommy away from Arthur. Arthur was shaking, his eyes darting between kat and tommy.

'stop it, stop it.' Arthur said.

'the war is done. Shut the door on it shut the door on it like I did.' Tommy instructed.

'well I'm not fucking you!' Arthur yelled up on his feet he pushed tommy into the wall, hands around his brothers neck and tommy let him.

'stop it! Arthur stop it now!' kat demanded.

'look at yourself,' Thomas got the upper hand and spun Arthur around to see his reflection in the mirror behind him. 'look at yourself. Take a long hard fucking look at yourself.

'put him down tommy. Put him down and piss of.' Kat told him, god she needed a drink. Thomas emptied out arthurs gun and threw the bottle of rum into the fire it flared to life. Arthur sat back down transfixed on the fire.

'arthur. Honey look at me. you are alight.' Kat told him getting to her knees and grabbing his hands.

'I'm a monster...' kat hugged him tight.

'you are not a monster love.' She told him.

'I didn't mean to hurt him I lost control is all. I felt like I was back at the war. I didn't even hear them calling me name... I thought I heard guns going off... I'm so sorry. Trouble tell them I'm sorry.'

'arthur look at me.' kat pleaded pulling back from his grasp. 'you are not a monster, do you hear me. you are not a monster do you hear me? you are not a monster. Now come on lets get you up to bed, nice warm bed...

'yeah thatll be nice.

'yeah? Come on then honey.' She helped him up out of his chair.

'will ya stay with me trouble?'

'if that's what you want, then of course I will.' Kat said kissing his cheek. 'I will make you some tea and toast too yeah?'

'yeah.'

'come on then art.' She guided him up the stairs and tucked him like she does for finn before going to make him a pot of tea.