Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The war changed all of us. I know this now. It wasn't only the men on the front lines it was the families left at home. It was the unborn sons and daughters who would be raised by shell-shocked soldiers and widowed mothers. The war chewed us up and spit us out. I do not dance in the kitchen anymore. John does not sing along to the radio. Our daughter will learn to shoot a gun by the times she's ten. This is the world we live in. We are shelbys. We are broken. We are apart of the organization called the peaky blinders and it is time we admit the thing we fear most is ourselves.
I watched my husband with tired eyes. Tommy had made Ada call me and now he had sent Michael to get us. The family was in turmoil we could no longer say no to him. "What Tommy says goes doesn't it!" John snapped as he picked up our luggage. "The man almost got us all killed and he still expects us to show up as if we are a united front. Fuck him."
"Why are you packing us up then?" I dare to ask causing John to ask.
"Families family ain't it. You should have chosen a better one love. Look at what he's done to you. Done to us." John sat down beside me putting his face in his hands. "He's right though we've always been better together." I followed John out to the cat watching as Michael entertained Alina. "Once this is over I'm done okay. No more peaky blinders for us. I want al and this little one to have a better life."
"Neither of us can stay away though can we," I kissed him softly. "I know what I signed up for. I'm all in John. Always have been always will be."
"We can bloody try though can't we." John spoke against my lips. "Because I can't lose you. I love you Noel Shelby. I'll love you till the day I die." The gun fire screamed through the air as John tackled me to the ground. I could hear Micheal yelling as I laid on the ground wondering where the pain in my body was coming from.
"I love you too." I croaked finding it hard to breath. John said nothing his eyes looked empty and distant. I couldn't even cry for help the world was growing dark to fast. The pain was to much to bare. I managed to get out one more sentence as I closed my eyes praying this was all a dream"Till the day I die."
