Dangerous Things | Thomas Shelby

19

Hazel had settled into a small flat in London, where no memories of her sister could haunt her. She had left all of Katie's belongings behind in Small Heath after she passed, it was too painful to keep them close to her. The only thing she kept was a bracelet Katie made her for her 21st birthday. As she ran her fingers over the fabric, a tear threatened to spill as her eyes caught the bracelet she wore alongside it. Another present from her 21st, but it was from him.

Hazel missed Thomas Shelby more than she could put into words. She wrote to him each month. 24 letters. Zero she had received back. She cried most nights at the thought that she never meant anything to him, imagining him happy with another woman- although her peace of mind came from the reassurance from Ada that that was not the case.

Polly phoned Hazel once a month. 24 phone calls. They were always happy as they caught up, but as they said their goodbyes it resulted them both to tears, with Polly repeating the same sentence at the end of each call, "Come home Hazel, we miss you" and the exaggeration on the 'we' gave her hope, perhaps it was a nod to the one family member whom she had loved for almost 3 years. Perhaps he missed her.

29th December, 1920

Hazel woke up infront of the fireplace, a blanket draped over her in an attempt from Thomas and Polly to warm her ice cold skin back up. Looking around, she spotted the pair asleep on the sofa, and she stared numbly at the sharp cheekbones that belonged to the man who stole her heart and brought her such happiness and warmth, but now, as she looked at him, she felt nothing. The strain of her sisters death was taking a serious toll on her already. She didn't deserve to love someone or to be loved, she didn't deserve a family or a happy life. If Katie didn't get it, then neither can she.

..

Thomas Shelby stared blankly at the note and the locket that was placed in the middle of his bed, and he refused to acknowledge the sink of his heart as the rest of her belongings had disappeared from his room, her handwriting on the note making his stomach churn as he knew exactly what it would be.

Dear Thomas,

I cant process any of my thoughts and feelings, all of the sweet emtions I once felt towards my life are now filled with hatred and pain. I wish with all my heart that I could stay and you can help me like you once did before, but I refuse to hurt you and distract you from all the great things you're working towards, even if everything's still about half legal. But I never cared about that, that's who you are, and I love you more than anything. I can't make any promises, only wishes. I hope I can soon come back- leaving you hurts me beyond words, but my brain screams at me that it is what I deserve. It would be selfish to ask you to wait for me, but that's all I can ask of you, is to try. The locket is something my mother gave to me before I went to war, it has seen all of my suffering, but I believe it protected me. I ask you to keep it on you, it will perhaps give me a piece of mind over your safety, and then you'll have a bit of me with you at all times. I want you to know you haven't lost me and you never will.

All my love, your Hazel.

The lump In Thomas's throat finally dissolved into tears, which then fell alongside hers that were still drying on the piece of paper. That paper and the delicate gold locket being the only two things he had left of her.