Gold Rush ✸ Peaky Blinders

OO7'

OO7'

Cersei Shelby and birthday's were a complicated combination, Cersei's last five birthdays were meek and focused on her dying mother.

Dying was a rich word for what Rhea Calloway truly was 'going through', though Cersei would not come to realise her mothers ways for a short while.

Cersei knew her family was planning something, though she wasn't sure what, she knew her father had been preoccupied with Billy Kimber and Grace Burgess, both of whom made her blood boil. He was her father, he wasn't their anything. The thought of them even interacting had her clenching her fists.

Finn didn't say anything about the surprise and Katie, John's eldest was sworn to secrecy being bribed with a slice of birthday cake if she kept her mouth shut Cersei imagined, Katie had even more of a sweet tooth than she did. She had asked Katie, who said she'd been sworn to secrecy, Cersei liked knowing what was going to happen, that way she had a clear outlook on the day.

She liked her life planned out neatly. She had to know what was coming next to keep her sane. Cersei knew it was irrational but she feared if she didn't know what was coming next she'd end up like her mother, her yellowing skin, being unable to walk in a straight line, her numb hands and fingers, her constant slowed breathing, her confusion over where she was that usually happened late in the evenings, how sick she was all of the time.

Cersei never truly knew what was wrong with her mother, no one had bothered to tell her. Her mother had been let go from working for Hattie's dad though he paid the family a sum of money every few months, Cersei had always assumed it was to help with the doctors that Auntie Sophie said came when she was in school.

Cersei had never once seen a Doctor in her home not even when her mother died. Only Hattie's dad's friend coming to take the body for cremation, at the time Cersei was clueless as to what it was, when her Auntie Soph put a box of nick nacks on the table to sort Rhea's ashes into Cersei got an explanation.

Cersei Shelby was brought out of her thoughts by a knock on the back door, she rushed down the stairs to open it but opened the door to see no one was there. She sighed and went to close the door before looking down, seeing a fairly large box. She noticed the gate was open and sighed, leaning over the box and jumping onto the ground of the garden and rushing to the gate barefoot before locking it and picking up the box, placing it on the kitchen counter as she closed the back door with her foot.

She should've called her father down to tell him about the random box but it was her birthday so she supposed it was a gift, luckily for her it was, she opened the letter connected to the box that read :

" Dearest Sweet Cersei
This was near and dear to your mother and I hope you'll enjoy it just as much, though we've yet to meet Im keeping an eye on you dear
Love Mrs C"

Cersei frowned down at the paper and stuffed it into her pocket before opening the box and lifting out a locket that was on top of some more paper. She picked it up and opened the clasp, seeing a photo of her mother at the same age as her, with her father on the other side. Cersei stared at the locket for what felt like an eternity before slamming it down onto the counter as her eyes watered she threw the box onto the floor before she fully bursted into tears. Her cheeks felt scalding hot as she rested her arms onto an empty spot on the counter.

Polly was at the bottom of the stairs as Cersei sobbed into her hands. "What's the matter?" Polly asked. "It's Reggie's sick idea of a joke. Sending me a locket with my mum in it, I don't even know how he got it." Cersei croaked. "Come here." Polly urged pulling her arms out for Cersei to join as she walked towards her. "I want him gone, I want her gone too. I can't stand the two of them." Cersei cried "Her?" Polly inquired.