Your Crucible | Peaky Blinders

Chapter Seventeen ~ 1921

After the ceremony, the group disbanded, but Lottie remained where she stood, staring at the gravestone. Her brother's name was written on it. If Lottie were to walk a few paces down, she would reach her mother's grave. Now Lottie was all alone, all except Maxim. Her only family left.

Nic didn't let go of Lottie's hand. And she didn't mind. They both stood in silence, staring at the grave. Eventually, Nic lifted his other hand in front of them. He was holding a small bouquet of wild flowers from his farm. Lottie stared down at them, and then slowly, ever so slowly, she reached out with her gloved hand and took it. Lifting her eyes to meet his, she understood what he was saying without words. The two of them, started walking further into the graveyard.

Maxim watched as Lottie and Nic solemnly wandered down the aisle between the graves, no doubt going to her mothers. Maxim sighed sadly as she disappeared in the ascending mist. Someone stepped to stand next to him. He looked over to see that it was Ada. He cleared his throat. "You know, I used to tell him to stop raving on about his policies and beliefs," he began.

Ada looked over at him, her eyes tearing, but also waiting to see what he was going to say.

"But now he's gone, it's the thing I'm going to miss the most."

"That's always the way," nodded Ada. "It's always the little things that you miss the most."

He hung his head, shaking it, smiling slightly. "Not so little in his case."

"Well," she said. "If you ever want to hear someone rant about policies like Freddie, you can always come to talk to me."

Maxim chuckled. "Thanks."

"We'll make a communist out of you yet."

"Don't get your hopes up too high," he tried to joke.

Ada smiled at him and put a hand on his arm. He smiled back at her and she left, her hand last to leave. He watched after her as she walked away over to Tommy. He then looked over in the direction Lottie had vanished and then followed after her.

***

The grave standing in front of her was her mother's. She had loved her mother completely; she had been taken away from Lottie many years before, but the trauma of the attack was still vivid in her memories. 'A robbery gone wrong' is what the police had said. Lottie lifted her black lace veil that covered her face so she could properly see the inscription of her mother's name. Reaching out with a cold hand, Lottie kissed her fingertips and then pressed it against the stone. "I miss you," she murmured, her voice quieter than a whisper, the sound of her admittance became part of the wind as it twirled amongst the gravestones as if her words were being taken from this world to the next. She crouched down and carefully lay the flowers on the mound. Something cold suddenly then landed on Lottie's head. Looking up, she was greeted with more coldness - it had started to rain. Perhaps the weather was making up for her lack of tears.

          "It'll be alright, Lottie," murmured Nic. He was staring intently at her, tears in his sad eyes. "I promise you."

          She didn't look at him. She couldn't tear her eyes from her mother's name. She felt Nic wrap his arms around her tightly, holding her close to his chest. He then lowered his face and kissed her forehead, clenching his eyes shut. He hated seeing her in pain. He hated it.

          Lottie didn't react to him. He stepped back, his eyes landing on something - or someone else. "I'll see you later," he promised before he walked away.