Dance with Death

3

It's been a week since Graces funeral. Tommy sat in his office chair, located in his mansion. Arabella sat on the other side of his desk. They sat in silence for some time.

"How have you been?" Tommy was the first to speak.

"I feel like I should be the one asking you that." Arabella softly said.

Tommy stared at her with intense big blue eyes, waiting for his question to be answered.

"I'm fine, Tommy. How are you?" Arabella asked desperately. He hadn't talked to anyone but her for the last week.

"Tell me how you actually feel." Tommy deflected her question. Arabella hesitated for a moment, but decided to tell the truth.

"Honestly... I feel tired and guilty. I feel like this gift is turning out to be more of a curse." Arabella admitted. Tommy nodded in acknowledgement.

"Arabella, I need you to tell me that it was the necklace that was cursed and not me." Tommy said with wide desperate eyes. Arabella looked up at him shocked.

"Tommy I'm not going to lie to you...Both are cursed. Though this time, the stone was at fault, not you." Tommy nodded looking away satisfied with the answer.

Arabella looked at him anxiously, trying to muster up the words shes been meaning to say.

"The Shelby family has been cursed, Tommy. An old water gypsies curse is my guess. But by choosing the right path, you all have a chance, to save yourselves from damnation." She said. Tommy bitterly smiled.

"And that's why you're here, Arabella. The Shelby's own guardian angel. Here to save us all from damnation." Tommy softly said.

Arabella got up from her seat and headed to the door, looking back at Tommy worried, every so often.

"Arabella." Tommy said.

"Yes?" Arabella perked up hoping Tommy had a change of heart.

"Would you tell Polly and Michael, they can come in now?" Tommy said and Arabella disappointingly nodded.

Arabella walked out of Tommy's office to see Ada, Polly, and Michael, whispering to each other's.

"He works all day and goes out on his horse all night. He won't even talk to anyone but Ara." Ada whispered.

"The boys are not going to be happy about that." Polly mumbled.

"She warned Tommy before Grace's death and he didn't listen. He feels like he owes her something." Michael explained.

"Try explaining that to John and Arthur." Polly said.

Arabella then approached them. They hushed up, since it was her they were talking about. Arabella knew they were talking about her, but it didn't bother her. She knew it was just about how Tommy only spoke to her now.

"How is he?" Polly asked.

"He's grieving. And as usual there's nothing we can do to help. Tommy's just doing his best to self sooth, by being out in nature." The lot nodded in agreement. Arabella eyed them, wondering if she should tell them.

"I have a feeling Tommy's gonna do something rash, either ending very well, or very badly." Arabella spit out.

"What's new." Ada said, causing Michael's lip to turn upward a bit. He made eye contact with Arabella. She held his stare for a moment before she realized, what he was doing.

"Uh, Tommy wants to see the two of you in his office." Arabella said quickly. Polly and Michael stood up and walked off.
"What the hell was that?" Polly whispered to Michael. He only smirked.