As the youngest Shelby child and twin to Finn Shelby, Kezia has spent the last 4 of her 10 years locked away for her mental defectiveness.
She returns to Small Heath under the legal guardianship of her brother, Thomas Shelby. Despite knowing she's s...
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CHAPTER FIVE
Kezia wasn't allowed to sleep past eight o'clock. Beds needed to be made and medications needed to be taken.
Despite quickly falling asleep last night, she woke up as she normally did, at seven.
She and Finn used to share a room, but after she left, the room became his. His things flooded the floor and left no space for her, let alone another bed. Tommy took care of it, though. He set up a temporary room for her, adjacent to his—where his bedroom closets once were.
He and the brothers broke down the walls and resealed the ceiling and floor. It wasn't perfect, Tommy told her, just temporary until he could give her something better.
"It's okay," she told him, sitting on the small bed. "I can be closer to you now."
Close as they were, privacy would not go ignored by her brother. A thin wall had been erected, along with a door that only locked from Tommy's side. A proper door sat at the furthest from her bed, which locked from her side.
Kezia stood from her bed and listened.
The Shelby home mirrored the insides of caravans. Trinkets and gold and silver edgings everywhere. Melted candles stuck to the walls and floors. It was quite the shock once arriving at the hospital. They allowed nothing: everything could be used as a weapon.
"Agh!"
"Arthur?" Kezia whispered.
With quiet steps, she left her room and quickly passed Tommy's. Morning sunlight bloomed on the first floor. She was halfway down the stairs when Tommy's voice broke her concentration. His shadow went straight past her and into the dining room.
John and Ada stood over Arthur while she prepared a basin filled with warm water. Aunt Polly wrapped Arthur's finger. Kezia recognized her motions. She'd seen too many broken fingers in the hospital. Tommy dabbed a cloth with a bottle of alcohol.
Feeling brave, Kezia tugged John's blazer. "What's happened?" she whispered.
Her brother's baby face paled. "Kizzie. Hey, go back upstairs. Everythin's okay."
"But I heard Arthur from upstairs crying."
"..something about a robbery." Arthur mumbled to Tommy.
Kezia snuck out from John's arms and entered the room. "Arthur?"
His face looked like a mashed tomato. Damp blood still covered his ruined suit.
"Kizzie." Tommy stood in front of him and pressed tense hands against his sister's shoulders. "Arthur is fine. But you shouldn't be down here right now. Go back to sleep, aye, lambkin?"
"But he's hurt."
"I'll be alright, Kizzie," Arthur assured. "Sit by John, yeah?"
