BLINDING LIGHTS || T. SHELBY (2)

SEVEN (EDITED)

CHAPTER SEVEN: Someone Who Loves
Song: "So New" by Cillian Murphy

"THANK YOU, MARY."

Tabitha said, dismissing the housekeeper from helping her get dressed.

Tabitha decided to get out of bed for awhile a couple minutes after Thomas went downstairs. Plus she heard Maggie crying and went to check on her. Mary helped Tabitha get dressed in a black mourning dress, one of many Tabitha had ever since Charity's death. Black became the gypsy woman's favorite color, not the nice purple and blue colors she loved wearing, being haunted by not only one but two people she loved and had died. One was Charity, because she wore the cursed sapphire at the gala, and the other was Grace, the best friend she shot because she was going to kill her for choosing Thomas.

Tabitha decided it was finally time to get back to work on the foundation, to put what happened behind her even though she still felt guilty. There was a business to run and with much work there had to be done, Tabitha thought it would distract her from the guilt she felt. The more busy she was, the less she'd remember Charity's death.

Mary, the housekeeper, left the master bedroom after Tabitha dismissed her. The Shelby woman refused to look into her large mirror when she was alone, not wanting to see the ghost who haunted ever since they died by her hand, with the bullet hole in their head.

"Fuck off," Tabitha said, not looking at the ghost in the mirror. "I'm not in the mood for you again."

"You've never been in the mood," Grace's ghost said, looking at Tabitha through the mirror. "You weren't like this after you killed me."

"I mourned you enough. Even though you held a gun to me and my child, you were my best friend once." Tabitha looked down at the ground with a frown. "I wish you would just leave me alone."

"I'm only a figment of your imagination now, a ghost that haunts you from your own guilt. You can just tell me to away and I will, but I'll come back. I always come back because you can't forgive yourself."

Tabitha didn't respond, growing angry at Grace's ghost. She deeply exhaled, trying to stay calm.

"Go away, Grace. Just go away," Tabitha said, closing her eyes as the years streamed down her cheeks.

She opened her eyes again, and when she looked at the mirror, Grace's ghost was gone. Grace was gone, but she was replaced by Charity, with the blood from the gunshot staining the middle of her dress she wore the night at the gala.

Theo sat in Thomas and Tabitha's study after he spoke with Ada, who was after John and Arthur. Theo was surprised Thomas wanted to even see her because he wasn't blood related, just the alive twin brother of Thomas Shelby's wife. Then Michael got him into the business helping run numbers and make the Shelby company a legitimate business, and then married Lizzie, Thomas' secretary.

The room was silent as Thomas kept writing down things on papers. Theo was sat across his brother in-law in silence, twiddling his thumbs in his hands, under the desk. It was tense between the two since Thomas felt guilty over Charity's death. The bullet she took was aimed for him, but Theo didn't blame him.

"I was surprised to hear I was on your list of people to talk to..." Theo said, ending the silence. Thomas stopped writing and looked up at Theo. "...And I'm not blood family."

"You're a member of this company now, Theo, you help with the legitimate business," Thomas replied.

Silence took over the room again, and Theo decided to speak up and clear the air of what both men were feeling.