Chapter 13 - Digging Myself Out
Tommy tried calling out to people, but he got no reply. He was alone now in the dark, but a new sound was entering his tunnel. Pain stabbed at his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. He had felt this pain before, but he couldn't pin point what it was. The new sound grew stronger, clouding the pounding of the shovels. The pain increased, suffocating him, and yet he was still breathing. What was this pain? What was this sound? No one was around to kill him. The walls were not collapsing around him. Then, it hit him. It wasn't pain that he was feeling. It was fear. A cry echoed in the opposite direction of the stronger noise. "Hello!" Tommy cried out. The noise grew louder as if to be closer. Thomas ran in the direction of the crying. With what light that was left in the tunnels, he saw a bundle in the mud. His eyes grew wide. He ran towards it. The noise intensified, deafening the shovels and the crying. Thomas scooped up the bundle to find a baby inside. He actually smiled in disbelief. His eyes watered, he almost couldn't breathe. "I have you. I'm here." he said. The new sound finally presented itself from behind Thomas. Fear made a new home inside his chest as the loud, rushing water filled his tunnel. "Tommy!" a familiar voice cried out as the water swept him away.
Tommy's eyes flew open. He gasped sharply as if taking a drowning breath. His limbs reanimated.
"Tommy!" cried Grace. His face was in shock from the cold, melted ice.
"What … what happened?!" Thomas spoke at last. His eyes watered. He wanted to cry, to scream away the fear that now resided in him.
"Hey! It's ok Tommy! You gave us quite a scare there," said John with a goofy grin, "See, I didn't make it worse." Grace ignored him.
"Tommy, you're ok," Grace reassured him. Thomas just stared into her eyes with fear, still gasping for breath.
"And the … the baby?" he asked not wanting to know the answer.
"The baby's fine," Grace said with a smile on her face. Quickly, he pulled her in close, hugging her tightly. He thought he would cry. John backed away to give them space. Arthur remained quiet in his corner.
"Tommy. Tommy everything's ok. You're ok. The baby's ok," Grace said frightened by his tight embrace. She held him lovingly. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, loosening his grip with each breath.
"John, can you get him some water?" Grace said softly. John nodded and swiftly left the room. Grace released her embrace so she could wipe the water from his face. She stared at him wanting their eyes to connect.
"Tommy what's wrong? What happened to you?" she asked frightened. Tommy met her gaze. He would have laughed if he could. "That's a funny thing … to ask … when I don't even know how I got in this bed," he said exhausted. She didn't find his remark funny. John returned with a glass of water and gave it to him.
"Thanks," said Tommy. He drank it slowly.
"Tommy you were passed out for well over an hour and nothing seemed to wake you up," Grace said in a serious tone.
"Yeah, you had us worried there mate. I poured a bowl of ice water over your face and you sprang back from the dead," John said, worried and relieved, "It looked like you were having a nightmare." Tommy finished his water and said nothing, until he noticed Arthur frozen in the corner of the room.
"And where the fuck was he?" Tommy said sarcastically, pointing towards Arthur. Arthur gave him a cold stare.
"Tommy, don't," begged John.
"What. Well why the fuck not. I'm in this bed because of hi …" he stopped his cocky retort once he noticed his unbutton shirt and propped legs.
"Oh for fuck sake … that's why I feel exposed … and that's probably why he's all the way over there," said Tommy.
"Enough!" said John, "Alright, we are NOT doing this again!" Silence filled the room.
"Look we … we did that to make sure you were ok, alright … and the baby," said John shyly, rubbing the nape of his neck. Tommy widen his eyes and raised his eyebrows at John. Then, he directed his attention towards Arthur.
"Did you hear that, Arthur. John thinks I'm having a baby," said Thomas arrogantly. Arthur stood up from his chair.
"Tommy that's enough!" Grace scolded.
"Yeah, yeah he does. And he also believes that to get that … that … thing, whatever you want to call it … out of you … that they'll have to gut you like a fish. And then who's laughing," said a more sober Arthur. Surprisingly, Tommy was taken back by that remark. The fear in his chest rekindled. "Nobody … that's who," Arthur said sadly. The quiet air put some distance between them.
"Alright then, why does it matter to you two, hmm? You don't believe me and it's not your prob..."
"It IS our problem!" John interrupted, "Nobody in this room wants you to die Tommy. And … like it or not … I'll help you … because you're my brother, and I believe you." Tommy swallowed hard and looked up at the ceiling, choking back any tears. Arthur returned to his chair in the corner. Grace remained sitting still next to the bed.
"And what do you believe, John?" Thomas asked passively. John glanced over at Arthur shyly, aware of his disapproval. "I believe that you are … pregnant," John finally managed to get out. Thomas furrowed his brow and propped his head back up to stare at John. "And … why do you now believe this? And don't tell me it's because of what you see before you, because I know you have seen it before," Tommy said dryly. Blood rushed to John's face. "Because … I know it's there, alright! I heard it … and I felt it … " John answered embarrassingly. Tommy's mouth went dry. His eyes widen, locked on John.
"While you were passed out, and we was checking to make sure you and the … baby were alright," John continued. Grace watched Thomas to read his face. With eyes still locked on John, Tommy tried to push himself up to a more comfortable sitting position. John rushed to help, but Tommy batted him away. Grace push the pillows upward behind his back. Arthur never moved from his spot.
"Oh please, don't get up," John said, chastising Arthur.
"Fuck off," remarked Arthur. Tommy paid no attention to their arguing.
"What do you mean heard, and felt it?" said Tommy, hyper focused. John felt like a kid with his right hand caught red in the cookie jar.
"We used the stethoscope to listen to the baby, " Grace interjected, "and when I checked for any signs of trauma … the baby responded." Tommy blinked his wide eyes. He finally looked at his exposed self. Panic consumed the air in his lungs, preventing him from speaking.
"Tommy, what's wrong? Would you just tell us," John said impatiently.
"How do you know?" Thomas exhaled finally looking up at John.
"How do we know, what, Tommy?" asked Grace.
Fear danced in his throat. "How could you … feel it?" he said. John and Grace looked confused. John walked over to close one of the windows that he previously opened. He returned to the end of Tommy's bed.
"We know, because it moved," John simply said. Tommy still looked at him dumbfounded. His arms immobile at his sides. He wanted to feel the occupant inside him, but he couldn't. Arthur remained motionless in his chair, but cocked his head curiously at this new found discovery. John started to laugh.
"Oh my God. Oh my bloody, fucking God," said John laughing.
"That's funny to you?" Tommy asked seriously, eyes locked back on John. John continued to laugh.
"What's so fuckin' funny?" demanded Arthur. The comical ambiguity grew old.
"Here we are trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with Thomas fucking Shelby. And her' he is trying to convince us that he's havin' a kid … when he hasn't even convinced himself yet, that he's having one," John said choking on laughter. Arthur snickered at John's remark. Anger flickered across Tommy's eyes and tightened jaw. Grace's face was written with disgust.