Out Of Time | A Shelby

eight

Arthur sat and watched as Linda closed the door behind her on her way out, the last of her bags in her hand. His heart was breaking inside, he was still very much in love with her but the couple had reached breaking point.

He sighed and pulled the wedding ring from his finger, placing it on top of the fireplace where an old wooden clock sat, ticking by the second reminding him that the world was still moving, and so was he.

It had been around two months since Linda had accused Arthur of spending his time with Nancy, and just over one month since Arthur's suspicions that Linda was being unfaithful had been confirmed.

It turned out that Linda had been going to a church group in a neighbouring village, but she had been spending more and more time with a gentleman that worked there. Esme had followed her one day, unbeknownst to Linda, and saw with her own eyes Linda disappearing into a back room with one of the men.

John was the one that broke the news to his brother. Arthur was heartbroken, feeling sick at the thought of his wife with another man. He'd tried to save the relationship after confronting her about it, both of them saying they'd try and work out their differences, but it didn't last long.

Arthur had another bad episode and that time, Linda didn't stick around to watch her husband breakdown. He was left on his own with his mind, voices in his head driving him mad for hours at a time, making it unbearable to sit and think straight for even a second. When Linda returned the next day, she told Arthur she was leaving him, and he gave not even a single word of objection.

The house was silent, yet it deafened Arthur. He grabbed his coat, cap and gun and headed across the road to The Garrison.

"Evening, Mr Shelby Sir."

Arthur nodded his head at the barman and joined his brothers at their table, grabbing a glass and dunking it in the bucket of ale that was sat in the middle of the table.

"Alright brother?"

He shook his head and downed the beer in one, getting another glass full straight away.

"She's gone."

Thomas sipped his beer and chuckled, placing the glass down on the table.

"Trust me Arthur, that's a blessing in disguise if I've ever seen one."

He shook his brother's shoulders and smiled, patting him on the back as Arthur hunched over his drink, his knuckles gripping the handle tightly.

"I never liked her anyway," Finn shrugged and took a swig of beer, "How about some of this, ease the pain?"

He reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a tiny blue bottle filled with white powder, shaking it in Arthur's face.

Arthur glanced at his younger brother and just shook his head.

"Arthur saying no to the snow," John laughed, "Never thought I'd see the day."

"Suit yourself." Finn began tipping out the powder onto the table, making Thomas roll his eyes.

The men sat and spoke for a while, Arthur staying quiet. He felt more at ease with his brothers around him, but he was still on edge about the sudden change in his life. Truthfully, he didn't know what he'd do next.

It seemed to Arthur like everyone else was sorted. Thomas and John were both happily married with children, Ada had met a new man and even Finn had a girlfriend now. Arthur felt like he'd taken a giant leap backwards behind the rest of his siblings, which didn't sit right with him, being the eldest of them all.

"Woah woah woah mate, you can't come in here anymore, especially not looking like that you can't."

"What the fucks going on out there?" Thomas mumbled and rose to his feet, pushing open the doors to the rest of the pub after their attention was drawn to commotion in the main room.

Tommy's eyes fell upon Henry Lewis. He was stood in the doorway, hands around the bartenders throat as the men sat drinking pints watched, frozen to their seats.

Thomas ran first, then John, and eventually Finn. The three of them managed to pull Henry away from the bartender, throwing him to the ground with such force that his head began to bleed when he hit the wood.

His clothes were torn and bloodstained, and as Arthur emerged from the small room to see what was going on, his stomach rose into his chest as he immediately thought about Nancy.

"What the fuck are you doing in my pub? Ey? I thought I told you to never show your fuckin' face around here again."

Arthur pulled Henry to his feet and held him up by the neck of his shirt.

"I just want a drink, mate." Henry laughed, sweat dripping down his face and blood on his neck.

"You remember what I told you? Do ya?" Arthur pulled the cap off his head and held it tightly in his fist, the blade just centimetres away from Henry's eyes.

"Do it," he whispered, smiling menacingly at Arthur, "I dare you, Shelby."

Arthur raised his fist and was half a second away from blinding the man before Tommy yanked the cap from his hands, making his brother land a punch on Henry's face instead.

"No, brother," Thomas said, "Not in front of the women."

Arthur looked over his shoulder and saw the faces of horrified women sat with their husbands, watching the scene unfold before them in the middle of their local pub.

He threw Henry back onto the floor, spitting on his face before storming out of the pub and into the street. It wasn't long before he heard the cries of a child and he quickly took off in that direction, following the sound.

Turning a corner down another street, he saw Nancy crouched in the road, holding Vincent close to her chest, surrounded by glass on the cobbles from a broken window of their home.

The two of them had moved into a small terraced house just around the corner from Esme after Nancy had started working again, though John had insisted he help her with the payment.

"Nancy, what happened?"

Arthur ran over to her, crouching down beside her.

"Henry," Nancy looked up at Arthur through tearful eyes, her cheeks red and a cut running across her shoulder, "Henry came and when I wouldn't let him in, he broke the window."

Arthur's heart sank as he looked into Nancy's eyes and saw the pain that was piercing her. She looked tired, drained and deflated, but most of all she looked afraid. The way she was cradling her son so tightly against her let Arthur know she was terrified of something happening to them again.

"Alright, you're gonna be just fine, sweetheart. Come on."

He held out his hand and helped Nancy to her feet. She tried to pick up Vincent but as she strained her arm, the cut began to bleed more heavily.

"Here son, up you come." Arthur bent down and scooped Vincent up into his arms, the boy laying his head on Arthur's shoulder facing his mother as they began to walk.

Arthur flinched slightly as he felt Nancy grab onto his arm gently. He looked down at her, watching her small hand squeeze around his upper arm as she clung to his side, her eyes darting all around as the three of them walked together down the street.

"Nancy," Arthur said, getting her attention. She looked up at him, wiping the tears from her face, "It's all going to be alright, I promise ya."

Arthur nodded at Nancy reassuringly who smiled back weakly, her other hand wrapped around his bicep when the shouting from outside The Garrison came into earshot.

Nancy stopped in her tracks when she saw Henry laying on the ground, surrounded by John, Tommy and Finn. She let out a small gasp as she watched him turn his head to look at her, his eyes black like the devil.

Arthur felt the tug on his arm when Nancy stopped walking. He watched as his brothers landed another punch to Henry as he lay on the floor, and as he turned to notice the three of them stood watching together.

"I won't let anything happen to you or your boy, you understand me? You're safe when you're with me."