𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘 ➵ M. Gray

Chapter Thirty-Three.

To Liz, time was going as slowly as watching paint dry. She checked the time by looking at the clock on the wall, and only a minute had passed since the last time she checked half hour ago, or so it felt like anyway. Sitting there with nothing to stare at other than the closed door and surrounding walls felt excruciatingly dull. She had decided to come to work to keep her mind off the funeral for Arthur, feeling like work would keep her busy when in actual fact, despite having so many people in the office, she felt like there was no work to be done. The sound of the phone ringing makes Liz jump. Taking her feet off the desk from her relaxing position she reaches out and grabs it, placing it to her ear. 

"Hello, Elizabeth Patterson speaking" she puts on her professional voice, never knowing who is to be on the other end of the phone. 

"Hey baby" the gruff voice of her love echoes into her ear. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

"I miss you" she whispers "how's life on the road?"

"Its not great but I'm safe. I miss you too, how's everyone?" he asks. Just as Liz was about to respond Polly comes walking in and takes the phone off her. 

"Michael. There's been a change of plan..." she scoots Liz out of the chair and points towards the door, obviously needing her own private conversation with her son. Pissed off, Liz walks out and closes the door behind her. She didn't even get to say goodbye to him? 

Having enough of the working day, despite everyone's questions as to where she was going, she grabs her coat and heads out of the door, just wanting to be at home on her own. Her heels clicked over the cobbles and a cold breeze hit her face the faster she walked. As she nears her house that she shares with Michael, Finn walks around the corner and tries to approach her.

"Liz??" he goes to place a hand on her shoulder but she brushes him off.

"Not now Finn" and hurries along. Just as she reaches the inside of the front door, she shuts it behind her and leans against it, slowly falling to the floor, crying. 

***

Fuel gets poured onto the wood under the trailer, whilst others go ahead and place flowers on instead. Liz approached the trailer slowly, her black hat covering half of her face for no one to see her emotions. Kissing the rose she held in her hand, she drops it into the wood and takes a deep breath. 

"Good Bye Arthur" She whispers, and then walks back to join everyone else. Her brother opens his arms up and engulfs her into a hug. 

"It'll be ok Liz" he kisses the top of her head, something he hasn't done since she was a child. She nods in agreement, too scared to say anything incase tears fall. 

"Tommy!" someone shouts in the crowd. Liz looks to her left to see a woman in a mustard coloured hat, holding a white flag for peace making her way towards the group. 

"It's alright, let her come" he puts his hand up, and then walks towards the woman. Everyone watches them intently, unsure of how this will play out. 

"Please... Once we're all finished" he asks her. 

"Who is that?" Liz asks Polly. She recognised the woman but couldn't put her finger on who she was. 

"That's Audrey Changretta" she snarls, watching the woman closely. Mrs Changretta doesn't respond to Tommy, but lets him walk back towards us. Taking a lighter out of his pocket, he throws into the wood, which instantly goes up in flames. Robbie's arm holds Liz tighter as they watch the trailer slowly burn. Each flame seemed different colours, colours that Liz didn't believe fire could be. Each flare that went up, each flame that licked each side of the trailer, was engulfing Arthur inside as well as some of his belongings. From a distance it would look nothing more than a bonfire, instead of the funeral of someone loved. The wood soon became ash, floating around in the air and other parts cracking and splintering from the heat. Any smoke that rose was being swept away with the wind.