Family Matters 《Thomas Shelby》 Peaky Blinders

XII

“I landed in France and the German's overran us at first – “ Her lip quivered. Tommy looked at the floor and listened. “They dropped shells over us as others came up from behind our lines through tunnels that they had dug under our feet. We were over-ran and so many men were slaughterer – I ran away.”

Tommy closed his eyes a pain playing in the back of his head – he felt saddened for the woman that was telling her story beside him. She was crying now – not sobbing just tears rolling down her cheeks and her nose becoming puffy so as she had to breathe out her mouth – and Tommy started to understand.

“I dropped my gun and left everyone there to die. I didn't look back as I kept on running. The friendships that I made with the company didn't mean shit – striving on animal instinct and ran as fast as I could. Their dying scream eventually faded as I got away from the slaughter. I managed to find my way to the British out-post that was 50 kilometers from where I had been stationed and lied right to that commander's face – I had informed him that I was told by my officer to deliver a letter to the post to send in reinforcements, but I had been ambushed by the German's as I tried to escape – losing the letter. When the British finally got there, the German's had taken the ground and everyone I had known was dead.”

Tommy sat there and thought about everything she had told him. He shook his head as he rubbed his face – his company were the ones informed about the manslaughter.

“Fuck me.” Tommy whispered.

He hadn't thought that their paths would have crossed even during the war. He never would have thought that she would have been there right under his very nose all that time ago. They might have crossed paths and he would have never even have noticed her.

“I didn't want to tell you this because – because I didn't want you to think any differently of me, Tommy.” He turned to look at her.

His eyes were wide why would she think this would change anything between them? He sighed and shook his head – this was more than he had expected to hear tonight.

“Why did you attack Grace – what did you do to her?” He seen her flinch and she looked down and away from Tommy. How could she tell him about – the woman that he loved – Grace.

“I was so angry – I wasn't thinking straight. I wanted her to feel the pain that she had caused our family – that she had caused you.” Nichole glanced at Tommy before casting her eyes back down.

“I went in and was going to talk to her at first, but then when she opened up the door and I seen her face I backhanded her. She fell backward and I made my way into her house – shutting and locking the door behind me.” She paused.

“I then grabbed her up by her hair and smashed her face into the table that was beside her. The china that was sitting on it smashed into her face and cut her. While she was back down on the floor I kicked her six or seven times – I don't even recall – I just know that I stood there kicking her as she was down. When she stopped moving I picked her up and put her in the chair at the table and tied her up with some of her bed sheets.” Her breath was shaking at this point and her hands gripped the blankets harshly.

“I took her poker from the fireplace and let it warm with the flames. Once it was hot I went back to her and rammed it through her shoulder, she woke up and screamed so I backhanded her again to shut her up. I twisted it around before pulling it out and tossed it on the floor. I ripped open her shirt – she was crying and asking why I was doing this to her. I gave her my reasoning – 'You fucked with Thomas Shelby and now you answer to me' – then I took my blade from my hat and slowly cut through each of her nips.” Tommy couldn't believe what he was hearing.