Little Shelby Girl

Part 20. Arthurs heart

Tommy's POV

After I thought I've had it all last night, I couldn't be more wrong. When I woke up this afternoon I wanted to check on Arthur. When I got to the Garrisson I found him half choking on the ground with a noose around his neck. He tried to hang himself but the noose couldn't hold him and broke from the ceiling, just in time.

What the hell was he thinking. I knew he wasn't in a good place lately, but to try this... the whole situation of last night apparently took him over the edge.

I had just finished my short but hopefully effective speech towards him before Vive bursted inside the pub. The bottom line of the talk was that he'd better not try this again and that he needs to suck it up, all the feelings, memories and horror of the war. We've all been there and now we're back, we're home and we have responsibilities where Vive is the number one example of. He didn't respond much to me only that the death of Finn is besides all his PTSD, a factor of him being so depressed lately.

"Arthur, listen to me! If you die, you'll kill her too" I said, referring to our sister while bending over his chair my face close to his.

"You'll kill her too and the rest of the family. You understand that? The girl lost her mother, her father who I don't even want to mention, she lost us for four years, her twin brother and now, she almost lost you too. She's fucking thirteen. THIRTEEN Arthur." I gave the table a slam with my right hand. Being all frustrated with the situation.

I tried to keep myself calm and ended the conversation with the following demand

"Get yourself together or find proper help."

I decided to get two glasses and drink the stress away. Arthur suggested to hide this from Vive, but since I already expected her wanting to see him today I knew she would notice the huge spot on his neck anyways. Besides that, the girl is not crazy. She would feel something's wrong and if we wouldn't tell her she would put the problem with herself like always and that's the last thing I want.

Now she's here next to me giving Arthur an unnecessary plea of her excuse story. Feeling guilty over something that's not her fault in any sort of way. How can she even think she could've saved him last night, against three men with weapons...

As soon as he raised his head to her I felt her body language change next to me. She noticed the wound immediately. It was just waiting for another outburst. I know Arthur's too embarrassed to bring out any words, also how does he want to explain this to her... he can't.

A few minutes later wherein almost nothing has been said other than some of Vive's confused words, she now stands in front of us. Arthur not saying anything is driving her crazy.

"FUCKING ANSWER ME!" she screams towards him. Her face is flushed with anger and her attitude speaks one and all confusing.

"Vive, I... I don't know what I was thinking..." Arthur says.

"Don't know what you were thinking? Well, I know what you obviously wasn't thinking of and that was ME! US!" she says pointing to herself.

I look at both of them. I see Vive fighting against her tears as breathing is getting heavier and heavier. I really want to intervene here, but for once, I want Arthur to solve this himself. This is all on him and right now it's between him and Vive.

Vive starts sobbing as she looks down at the floor and tries to wipe her face before any of us notice her crying. I can't stand seeing both of them like this. My brother, just numb and my sister heartbroken.

"I... I came here for YOU, to say sorry for being a coward yesterday but you don't care about me at all, you don't care about any of us! I wanted to ask you if you could teach me some things that would make me STRONGER so I could be a bit more like YOU, while you were here, trying to leave us for good by killing yourself!"