Your Crucible | Peaky Blinders

Chapter Thirteen ~ Punches

          When he turned to walk away, Arthur said, "I waited for you. I waited." Suddenly, he charged at his father, grabbing his coat, but Arthur Sr. easily turned it against him, slamming his son into the wall.

          "Listen to me, boy. You are not in the prize ring now," he said. "If you ever put your hands on me again, I'll cut your fucking throat and spread you on these tracks."

          Lottie couldn't take it. She snapped. All the anger and hurt that had been building up within her finally was released. "Oi!" She shouted. Arthur Sr. turned towards her and before he could do anything her fist came into contact with his jaw. She had been taught how to fight by Freddie, so she knew exactly how to make it hurt most. Arthur Sr. stumbled backwards and fell over the suitcase that had had been put behind him, clutching his jaw.

          Pain spread up from her knuckle, but she ignored it. "Never show your face here again," she demanded.

          He chuckled. "You need a girl to fight your battles for you, son?"

          "No, he doesn't," she spat. "I just really wanted to punch your fucking face."

          The whistle blew and Arthur Sr. climbed to his feet. Lottie broadened her shoulders, her head raised her. He scoffed and climbed onto the train without looking back.

          As soon as he was gone, Lottie gasped in pain, clutching her hand. "Fuck," she cursed, holding it to her chest. Arthur picked up his cap and examined her hand.

          "It'll bruise," he said.

          "No kidding," she muttered. "You all right?" She asked looking at him worried.

          "Yeah," he breathed, nodding.

          The two of them made their way back to the Shelby's, Lottie afraid to leave him alone. Polly was waiting in the kitchen, reading her paper. "Where's your father?" She asked immediately. When neither of them replied, she said, "I'm assuming he's fritting away the five-hundred you took from us and put into his thieving, whore-groping hands."

          Lottie looked down. She had been the one to tell Polly what Arthur had done.

          "What were you thinking?" Polly demanded. "How dare you do something like that without talking to Thomas or me?"

          "Does Tommy know?" He finally said, his voice barely above a whisper, making Lottie's heart break for him.

          Polly sighed and lifted her paper. "No," she muttered. "But you're gonna tell him."

          Arthur slowly nodded and left the room, his head bowed.

          Lottie sighed and sat opposite Polly. "This family's gone to shit," she muttered.

          "This is what happens when no one talks to each other," Polly replied. "Betrayal, confusion and mistakes."

          She nodded. "We need to fix this somehow," she said. "We need to bring everyone back together."

          Polly lowered her paper again. "And how do you suppose we do that?"

          "I have no fucking clue."