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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For those unaware of my current situation, please read the very important Author's Note at the end of the chapter regarding all future updates.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THREE
"He's comin'," Ozzy told Tommy.
The boy came into the private room alone, and Tommy's disapproving blue eyes did not waiver at Ozzy's words.
Tension already bathed the room in a grayish hue. Warmth from the overcast sun at the closed window had Ozzy breathe heavily through his mouth.
Tommy's political career didn't necessarily require him to perform these little therapy sessions for people in town, but doing so kept his control over everything and everyone, all while maintaining his "For the People" persona.
Ozzy couldn't help the funny feeling of Tommy's quest for glory with the people of Small Heath to mirror his need for control and acceptance from Kizzie. In hindsight, her death, her fallout with Tommy, and everything else, felt so clear to see now. Tommy, unable to grapple with it all, sought control of the only other thing that could compare to Kizzie's love: Small Heath.
"What happened then, Mrs. Connors?" Tommy asked the frazzled housewife sitting across from him.
Ozzy didn't know what she came to him for. Got here just as they were chatting. He knew for nothing good. No one ever needed Tommy's help for anything good.
Unless you were Kizzie.
"He strangled them," she murmured, voice caught in the back of her throat. "All three of them."
Arthur dropped his newspaper onto his lap at her words. Barely saved his glass of whiskey.
Ozzy suddenly felt like he was in a dream, aware of the absurdity, the illusion, but unable to wake up. He was forced to watch how this played out. Made his stomach cold. None of them liked hearing about dead children.
Tommy took in air. From here, Ozzy saw the man struggle.
"And you've, uhm...you—you've brought their bodies here today with you?"
Mrs. Connors nodded and blinked away her lingering tears. "Proof, Mr. Shelby." Her lip quivered. Her brown eyes broke away from Tommy to retrieve from her side this proof.
The rustling of newspapers made way to a bundled up heap. She placed it on the table and unfolded the paper.
Three dead songbirds laid beside one another, like bodies in an unmarked grave. Ozzy had seen the makeshift graves soldiers made in the war. Some twenty or more all together as dirt and mud covered their grayed skin and bloodied uniforms.
He peered at Arthur, who's hoarse breath gave life to this strangeness. He believed the woman was going to uncover her dead children. All three of them did.
"Their singing was the only pretty thing in my life." She shook her head with a new hardness. "I don't care that my husband beats me. But not this!"
Ozzy saw his old friend in Mrs. Conners. Her devotion and empathy to animals rivaled Kizzie's. If she encountered a man killing three songbirds, she'd have to do little to convince Tommy to seek justice. He'd enact it himself. Make sure this man understood the crime he committed: not only had he taken the lives of three innocent birds, but he broke Kizzie's heart.
Tommy leaned forward. His sharp blue eyes did not stray from Mrs. Connors. A softness circled the edges of his eyes. A memory, Ozzy knew. Of Kizzie.
Ozzy looked at Arthur, but the man tucked his head into his hand to stop from laughing. Would he have seen what Ozzy saw? Hard to say...
Which memory was it? One with animals. Something so insignificant, but so powerful that it threatened to spill into the room and make it everyone's problem. Ozzy didn't know where the line was right now; between letting Tommy be, or intervening before he lost himself—again.
"Mrs. Connors," Tommy began, breaking the tension in Ozzy's body. "We have your address. We will speak to your husband. My brother here will go to the Bull Ring Market today and buy you three new goldfinches and have them delivered to your door."
It seemed Mrs. Connors also reminded Tommy of his sister.
Ozzy was hoping this would be an easy day...
Author's Note:
If you are reading this, thank you for taking the time to honor my wishes.
I posted a status update on my profile about where I've been--just before I needed to take a break from writing on here.
Since the New Year, I have been dealing with finding out that my mother has cancer. One surgery, rounds of chemo, radiation, and infusion treatments later...I'm back...sort of.
My mother will have another scan in the coming weeks to determine if the treatment removed all of the cancer. Until then, I can't promise steady updates. On this or any other of my stories.
I know I haven't responded to many people who left me messages, but please know that I read everything and your sweet words have made horrible days into wonderful ones.
I love you all. Your patience and loyalty in me never goes underappreciated.
