The Hanging Noose

Thirty

Micheal found Dottie staring at Tommy's acres of land on the back patio of Arrow House in the early hours of the morning. She had a cigarette between her fingers, and a cup of tea beside her. The frosty morning made dew sit upon the grass and the trees, and the slight morning wind made the leaves dance in front of her as the sun began to rise.

She didn't notice Micheal joining her, she was totally engrossed in her own world. It's only when Micheal touched her arm did she flinch and look around.

"I'm sorry, Thea," Micheal says, half apologising for making her jump and half apologising for being oblivious. "I'm so sorry for what he did to you."

Dottie shakes her head, pulling her knees up to her chest. "It's fine, no one knew."

"I'm your brother, I should have realised what he was doing to you... I was oblivious, I'm so sorry, Thea. I let you down."

"No, you're fine," Dottie replies in a quiet voice, looking at Micheal with her doe like eyes, "Reggie was..." her words trail off. She leans her head against her knees and closes her eyes.

Micheal extends his arm, placing his hand on Dottie's back carefully. When she doesn't flinch, he moves it softly in a comforting way. Trying to comfort her.

He expects her to cry, to scream, however all she does is sit there, with her eyes closed and her forehead pressed against her knees.

Micheal swallows a lump in his throat, not really sure on how to comfort Dottie. He kicks himself mentally, it's always been Dottie comforting Micheal, not the other way around.
"Grace and Tommy are looking after Eliza," he suddenly says, "she loves Charlie."

"I'm a bad mum." Dottie croaks out causing Micheal's heart to break.

Micheal falls to the floor. He crawls in front of Dottie, grasping her wrists in a gentle grip and lifting her head up to make her look at him.
"Don't you ever say that again! You're not a bad mum."

Dottie stares at him with vacant eyes. "I've killed her father."

"It was self defence," Micheal responds in a snappy tone. "He was going to kill you, it was self defence, Dots. And after everything he had done to you, it was the least he deserved."

Dottie doesn't respond.

"He never deserved you, Dottie, you nor Eliza. You are the most selfless person I know, you put everyone before you're self, even people you've known for two seconds. You have the biggest heart, and he was a cunt to take advantage of that. I will happily bring him alive just to seek revenge for what he did to you, Dottie."

Dottie tilts her head.

"For as long as I've been alive, you've always protected me. You've been my number one supporter, you've always been in my corner... I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. I really am, Dots."

"It's not your fault," Dottie says, her voice small and cracking from the lack of sleep.

"It's not your fault either, Dots."

Dottie cringes, "I hate how he's made me feel... it's good that he's dead, but..." she trails off, looking back at the sunrise, "Rosemary once told me that only God can dictate on who lives and dies."

"If you hadn't of killed him, Tom would," Micheal reveals, "the Peaky Blinders are a lot closer than God, Dots. Just remember that."

Dottie nods her head.

"Now come on, Grace wants you to help her get ready for today."

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