BLINDING LIGHTS || T. SHELBY (2)

SIX (EDITED)

CHAPTER SIX: a Death in the Family
(My Batman fans will get this chapter title)

THREE WEEKS HAD PASSED SINCE THE TRAGEDY AT THE GALA.

Since Charity Hearn was shot and killed by an assassin sent by Vicente Changretta. Charity died in her sister Tabitha's arms, and was dead long before the ambulance arrived. She was shot in the stomach, and man who accidentally shot her was killed by Arthur, John, and Finn beating the man to death. As Tabitha held her, the Shelby woman screamed and cried for the sister who shouldn't have died.

Kezia, Tabitha's mother, fell on her knees crying at the sight of the youngest daughter, laying lifeless in her elder daughter's arms, and Finneas' heart broke like the day he was told Theo had died. Lizzie was there to comfort Tabitha's twin as he buried his head in her shoulder, just as Elijah comforted both Penelope and Ocean. Thomas and Polly tried to pull Tabitha away from Charity's body, but she didn't let them, sobbing and screaming and ripping the sapphire necklace off Charity's neck.

Tabitha felt like it was all her fault, and Thomas was filled with guilt. The bullet was for him. When he pulled him and Tabitha out of the way, it accidentally hit Charity, who wore the cursed sapphire. Polly took the necklace and threw it on the ground as Thomas and Michael were able to pick Tabitha up and away from Charity's body.

It took two weeks to prepare Charity's funeral, because Tabitha wanted to give her the best goodbye. They cleaned up the blood and pulled out the bullet from her stomach, putting her in a nice, clean dress to be buried in. Her casket was black and shiny, fancy and ornate, probably the most expensive thing they bought for the funeral. Charity was buried at the graveyard in the Hearn family village, where a fight ensued between Tabitha's cousins and her brother in-laws. Most of the family blamed Thomas and the Peaky Blinders for Charity's death, while Finneas didn't blame anyone, stricken with grief.

Thomas and Tabitha returned back to the Arrow House in Warwickshire, and Tabitha didn't leave the house at all after the funeral, barely leaving her bed. She was only out of her bed when she was with Maggie. The family tried talking to her, trying to get her out of bed, but she didn't listen. Not to Michael, not to Ada, not Lizzie, even Theo, her own twin brother.

The family was at the house to go over business concerning the Changrettas and the Foundation with Thomas since Tabitha was too depressed and ill. Thomas tried to get his wife out of bed though, dressed without his coat on, just his vest.

"Everyone's downstairs, love," Thomas said softly, whispering in Tabitha's ear. She was on her side, her back towards him when he hovered over her. "They really want to see you. Why don't you get out of bed and come see them?"

"In a little bit," Tabitha mumbled, not moving a muscle.

"Okay."

Thomas didn't rush her to stop grieving, losing a sibling was hard, especially when they died in your arms. He was so soft with her, allowing her to grieve at her own pace, and no one other than Tabitha saw how soft a man like him truly was to the woman he loved.

"I love you," Thomas whispered, kissing her head tenderly.

"I love you too," Tabitha whispered.

Thomas then left, closing door behind him as tears began streaming down Tabitha's face once more.

"I hope Tabitha comes down today," Ada says frowning. "She hasn't left that room since the funeral, only to see her and Maggie and ride out with Apollo until the dead of night."

Ada, Polly, Michael, and Theo were dressed in all black, grieving the passing of Tabitha and Theo's little sister.

"I don't blame her," Theo said, a melancholy look on his face as he looked ok the drawing room window. "Tabitha and I are the glue that held our siblings together. Penelope the love, Ocean the youth. But Charity... she was the joy and laughter in our family...and now she's gone."