Savage Beast-A Peaky Blinders retelling of Helen Keller

19.

The church building was filled to the brim with people, dressed in their finest clothes. A choir of robed children sang, filling the room with even more noise. Tommy stood in front of everyone, waiting for his beautiful bride to walk down the aisle. It was a big day-Tommy and Grace were getting married. Lily was now fourteen-but still small, skinny, and long legged. John hushed his crying baby in the pews, where Arthurs wife Linda sat, as did Esme and Polly. Lily sat in the wooden pew seat, stuffed between Polly and John, fingers in her mouth as she chewed. Lily sniffed the air, smelling Linda's perfume. 

Linda had been taken with the young girl and had started bringing her along to church functions. She was a woman of the Lord, and the Lord would love this child, too-she would say. She read bible verses to the girl, and Lily was fond of the Sunday outings because she would be fed treats by all the old ladies in fine dresses and jewelry. Tommy thought it nonsense-he didn't believe in a God of any kind, except himself. But he was glad to have the girl off his hands on Sundays. Polly was just along with the idea because she also got a break-and Linda and her bible wouldn't cause any harm, right? 

The wedding went smoothly-and after the vows and the kiss, and a picture was taken, the Shelby's and the guests that had attended were on their way to Tommy and Grace's new home-where Lily and her new cousin Charlie resided. Tommy and Grace had named their child after Tommy's uncle. Lily had responded relatively well to having a baby around-but their were instances, of course-where things got out of hand. She was callous and rough, and one day she found little Charlie in his cradle, and began to push him back and forth like one of her dolls. She didn't understand the concept of needing to be gentle. It's not like Grace or Tommy could simply tell her. 

The night had ended with Lily shoving the cradle too hard, and the baby had almost hit the floor when the maid caught the screaming baby in her arms. Tommy had come barging in when he heard the maid and the baby both making a cacophony of noise,  and found the maid with the baby in one arm and the other pulling at Lily. Tommy had called Grace in, who had taken hold of her son, and Tommy yanked Lily off the floor and sat her in a corner. Grace had shook her head, telling Tommy of course she didn't understand, but that she would have to resume her lessons with finger spelling if they wanted any hope. 

There had been a delay since Grace had been with child and since delivering the baby-she had been so busy, and tired even when not busy-and Lily still ran rampant and untaught. Tommy, too, was focused on work and his new child-healthy and abled. He began to give up on the hope that Grace would ever break through and fully discipline, much less actually teach the girl anything. 

Lily was in the kitchen, now, as the many cooks bustled in and out, preparing a fine meal for the wedding reception. The maid who watched over the child swatted her hands away from the dishes, instead guiding the girl outdoors near the large statues and garden of flowers and fruits. The house and its outdoors was magnificent-with lots of land and splendor indoor and out. The first time Lily had been to Arrow House, as it was called, she had trundled up and down the staircase, feeling the polished wood and running her fingers down it. 

She had been in awe of the large, fancy new place. She loved to spend time in the kitchen, feeling the vibrations of the fast-paced feet of the cooks as they worked, and sniffing the wonderful dishes they made. She loved the gardens-the cool calm atmosphere was a place she would often run to when she was angered or overwhelmed. She would hide in the bushes sometimes when she caused mischief, and she knew Tommy was looking for her to scold her with a timeout or some other half hazard punishment he tried to cook up last minute to make her listen. 

Sometimes you could find her dozing off in Tommy's office, where the man himself would spend most of his time holding meetings or going over business. There was a nice leather couch in there that the girl would often find herself falling asleep on after a long day of running through the muddy fields with her dog-a present from Tommy for her fourteenth birthday. The dog was simply called dog by the household members and the staff-for Lily could not name it, nor did she even know what a name was. She had a sign for the animal, though-she would open and close her fist rapidly as if to mimic the way the dogs mouth opened and closed when it barked. She liked when the dog barked-she would laugh as she felt his hot breath on her face, and she felt his jaws open and close like a hinge.