BLINDING LIGHTS || T. SHELBY (2)

SEVENTEEN (RE-EDITED)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: 1925

IT WAS DECEMBER 24th, 1925.

A year since Arthur, John, Michael, and Polly were arrested in Thomas and Tabitha Shelby's home. A year since the priest John Hughes took their daughter Maggie and was killed by Michael. A year since Tabitha threatened to take Maggie and leave her husband if they were put in that same kind of danger ever again. It wasn't a threat either, but an explicit promise. Tabitha was able to take the pressure of helping run Shelby Company and bring the wife of a Peaky Blinder, but her daughter's safety came first.

Arthur, John, Polly, and Michael were to hang in prison for there crimes in murder, but saved at the last minute. Thomas had made a deal to protect the King himself from a scandal with the Russians. He said he'd burn the evidence of they let his family go and live, also asking for him and his wife to be honored OBE but his brothers and aunt wouldn't speak to him.

Michael was still head clerk at Shelby Company Limited, and Ada was in Boston working for the company and Thomas and Tabitha. Lizzie was still the couple's secretary, while her husband, and Tabitha's twin brother Theo, worked with uncle Charlie and Curly in the shipyard.

It was a year later, 1925, Christmas Eve. Most of the family still wasn't speaking to Thomas, but often sent letters to Tabitha, not blaming her for her husband's actions. Arthur sent letters about the chickens he was raising and him and Linda's son Billy. John sent letters about him and Esme's new home, with their children all together. Polly was seeing ghosts from the drugs they gave her in jail and Michael was watching after her. Ada was coming home for Christmas and Theo and Lizzie were trying to have a baby.

Thomas was in a nice restaurant, waiting for his wife Tabitha to arrive from work at the office that afternoon. After his accident with Hughes, Thomas had to get glasses. He wore bifocals, round glasses to read documents and papers of any kind. Tabitha found him wearing glasses attractive, made him look more fancy and practical, especially when he had a black top hat on. While he started looking posh, Tabitha was embracing suits and wearing her hair down, going against womens trends.

Tabitha came into the restaurant with a waiter leading her to Thomas' table. She sat down with a couple folders with documents inside him while Thomas held a cigarette between his fingers.

"Lizzie and I wrapped all of Maggie's presents and left them in the room," was the first thing Tabitha said.

"What did we get her?" Thomas asked.

"Toy horses, some dolls," she answered. "Lizzie wanted me to tell you that you're due at the Singer factory at eight tomorrow, not eight thirty, there's a union problem."

"Rightio."

"And the driver will take you home."

"I'll drive meself."

"What will you be having, ma'am?" The waiter said, coming to their table. Tabitha could tell he was nervous, probably scared by Thomas.

"Just whiskey," Tabitha said.

"Yes, ma'am, right away ma'am."

Then the waiter went away and Tabitha needed to talk to Thomas about something.

"I've gotten Christmas cards from John, Arthur, Ada, Michael, and Polly, and my parents. And an invitation for us both, New Years Party at John's house."

"A party at John's house, good for him," Thomas replied.

"Ada's coming back from Boston for it."

"I know. It was me who gave her the time off."