By Order Of The Fucking Peaky Blinders

64 - Funeral

Isaiahs arms were wrapped round Charlottes waist from behind, holding her close as Michael stepped forwards to light Pollys wagon on fire.

Everyone stared as it went up in flames, most refusing to believe the matriarchs body was burning inside of it.

"This can't be happening," Charlotte whispers, shaking her head, her eyes drifted to Michael who was stood a couple of yards infront of everybody else.

"Mum, it was the ambitions and strategies of one man that caused this. And I swear in the name of Almighty God no matter what it takes. No matter how many lies I have to tell." Michael speaks, "I will take revenge on Tommy Shelby."

He places his hat on his head, glaring at everyone that stood around him as he took Ginas hand and walked away from the funeral.

Charles and Ruby looked up at their father, waiting for a reaction... but nothing. He stood motionless staring at the burning wagon.

Charlotte couldn't bring herself to wipe her tears away as she watched on, feeling utterly helpless. She felt rage. Rage someone had taken Polly from her.

She didn't reckon there was a word yet invented to describe the mixture of emotions she was experiencing.

Isaiah held her close, didn't bother to try and move her, just stayed there keeping her warm in his arms as she watched the fire slowly die away.

"She's gone." Charlotte croaks, turning to rest her head against her husbands chest.

"I know," he replies softly, his hand gently trailing up and down her back.

"It's not fair, she didn't deserve this." Charlotte whispers, "she didn't deserve this whatsoever."

Polly had been like a mother to everyone, always willing to take time from her day to check on them, always making sure they were okay, always making sure they stayed in line. Always let them know either through actions or words that they had a friend in her. That she wanted them to want to come to her.

She was the mother that most people had already lost, and now she was gone too. Taken from them, plucked from their arms but never their hearts.

Arthur was handing out glasses of rum, going and passing them to everyone who had stayed until the end.

"To Aunt Pol," Arthur toasts, raising his glass before pouring the liquids down his throat.

"Tommy was right." Charlotte says, finishing her drink, "45 years old and she's still breaking hearts."

-

"No drinking, Ada." Charlotte tells her sister, watching her pour a glass of rum.

"Everyone else is." Ada replies sharply.

"Everyone else isn't pregnant." Charlie says, taking the drink from her hand, walking round the back of the sofa and sitting on her sofa, DJ and Nate jumping either side of her.

"What happens now?" Lizzie asks.

"We move forwards, I don't know how, but we do." Charlotte replies.

"You take one step, then another step. That's forwards." DJ says, hopping off the sofa to demonstrate.

"He's not wrong." Diego shrugs.

"I'm never wrong." DJ replies.

"I don't know what this is, but it's fucking brilliant." Arthur speaks, slurring his words as he lazily holds up a bottle.

"Language," Isaiah says, taking the bottle from his hand, "this is just rum."

"Very good rum." Arthur mumbles giving him a thumbs up.