Savage Beast-A Peaky Blinders retelling of Helen Keller

14.

It was a late morning for Lily Shelby. She had slept in on the couch, before waking and feeling with her roving hands that the couch was empty-Tommy was gone. Before she could search for any of the other family members, she realized with a jolting feeling of excitement that she smelled Polly's perfume. Polly! She shot up quick, and wandered barefoot into the kitchen, shortened hem of her creamy nightgown ending at just below her knees. 

there she was suddenly engulfed in warmth from her aunt, who hugged and kissed her. Lily squirmed and squealed in delight, pulling lightly on her aunts curls and running her hands over her face as if to ask 'is this really you?' and then she became aware of another person in the room-a smell she did not recognize, and she lurched forward and found the suit of a young man, and she patted his face and hair curiously, not without a laugh from the boy. Lily pulled back when she felt his warm breath and smile, freezing in confusion. "This is my niece. Lily." Polly gently pulled the girl away and settled her into a chair, handing her a small sugar cube from the clear dish in the center of the table. "Is...is she unwell?" Michael wrinkled his nose and appraised the young girl-not in a manner of disgust but more of utter wonder at the child's strange behavior. Polly clasped her hands together, leaning against the polished wood cabinets that held the china plates and teacups. "She was born well. Caught scarlett fever when she was two. Left her blind and deaf, unable to learn to speak." She spoke, forlorn. Michael sipped his tea, looking sorry he had asked, feeling awkward. "She used to speak, you know. a few words here and there, before she lost vocabulary all together. Now all she communicates with is her own little signs-and the screams of course. You'll be getting used to hearing a lot of noise from her." Polly sighed, brushing off her skirts and sitting next to her son at the table. "The man who came to the house-he was driving a posh car-he looks rich. what does he do?" Michael questioned curiously. Polly poured her tea, handing Lily another sugar cube to keep her quiet, before answering. "He works with horses." She said plainly, as if that were all Tommy Shelby did. 

They continued slow, easy conversation, growing more accustomed to each other, warmth building as they spoke-before the talk was shattered as Arthur, John and Tommy entered the flat with a burst through the door. Arhtur and John had their guns raised, jumping and playing about as Tommy strode behind them, calm and cool like always. "Times up! Pew! You're dead-go down. John!" Arthur prompted, swinging his gun around playfully at his younger brother, who lowered his own gun and was staring at the table. Arthur turned to see what he was looking at, eyes brushing past Lily suckling on a sugar cube and tugging on a strand of her own hair and landing on Polly and this new boy. Tommy had the ghost of a smile on his lips, looking in approval at Polly-he was glad for her. Arthur chuckled as he sheepishly put his weapon away. "Alright, then, Polly-who's this?" He inquired. "Gentleman? This is your cousin. Polly's son, Michael." It was silent for a moment, and then the men all shook hands. 

"I'm Arthur. You already met me-I used to throw you out of the window so John could catch you." The eldest Shelby brother spoke. "Yeah...I used to put you in a shoebox and kick you down Watery Lane." John joked. "I bet you're glad to be back." Tommy joked sarcastically. "I see you've already met Lily-she's a new face for you. A wild one at that." Tommy said, hands in his pockets, gold pocket watch shining on the front of his waist coast. "I don't remember any of it. All I remember is the day they took me away." Michael answered honestly. Polly crossed the floor, pulling her son in for a hug with watery eyes. "Well you're here now, son. Welcome to the Shelby family." Lily babbled from the table, searching for more sugar cubes, as if spewing her own welcome. Tommy, Arthur and John headed to the betting shop, closing themselves in behind the green doors. 

"There'll be another four boatloads tomorrow." Tommy informed Uncle Charlie, down by the yard. "What's up, Charlie. Business is good." Tommy continued. The air was thick with smoke, and workers unhauled boxes from the boats at the canal. "This isn't business-this is bloody work. Cigarettes and booze is all right. But this manufactured stuff-it's heavy." Charlie fretted. Lily rubbed a horse up and down on its velvety nose, face turned in as she hugged the big animal close. Tommy kept an eye on her from his spot next to Charlie, where he leant against a stack of shipping crates. Lily pet the horse, feeding it clumps of hay from her palm and squealing every time she felt its lips nibble at her fingers. How she loved the yard. There she stood, with the horses, until Tommy led her back to the car to follow him to the next thing that must be done on his list-surprise Campbell for an early meeting. He knew Campbell would do nothing rash with the child there-and he needed the child supervised-he had given the maid the day off for a family emergency. Polly would threaten to hack his balls off with a razor blade if she found out he brought her around such a despicable man. 

"You just wanted to show me that you know where I live, isn't that it?" Campbell-with his godawful grating voice, spoke to Tommy, who stood and smoked in the shadows, his sister settled on the cold ground, playing with puddles of water that had gathered on the street. "Why in God's name do you have a girl with you? Is this that little blind child of yours that runs about?" He looked down near his feet, where Lily was bringing scoops of dirty puddle water to her face. Tommy caught her hand, leaning down in a flash and yanking her up. She began to whine, agitated. "My little sister, yes. Blind, deaf, and dumb. Quite something, isn't she?" Tommy said sarcastically. Campbell looked like he didn't know what to make of the scene in front of him-this man who had bested him before, savage and domineering-holding the wrist of a small child, one who was currently looking very vexed at him for holding on to her. The conversation dwindled, and Campbell rushed inside his abode in irritation, Tommy having caught the upper hand in conversation as always-and away Tommy went, with Lily hiccupping in the cold alongside him. 

*authors note: Tommy is not thrilled to be taking Lily along with him for important business stuff-but he wants to give Polly a break and it's not like Lily will witness what he's speaking of and repeat it to anyone-she's just kind of there.