From the moment the woman said the drawing came from the sky he remembered Nora's words, 'watch the sky', and knew she was responsible. What he couldn't decipher was why? He looked back at the vulgar cartoon drawing of her bent over a club table with a cartoon Mosley behind her who had a cartoon Jewish man behind him. In the corner stood a small cartoon Tommy Shelby portrayed as a child looking confused with the words "Dad?" coming from his mouth.
"Who did this?" Mosely asked again, this time in anger.
Everyone remained silent as they looked at the drawing and back at Tommy and Oswald. Tommy could feel his chest begin to get heavy as he looked at the large number of people staring at him, so he walked out the door, drawing still in his hand. He got in his car and uncorked his blue glass vial and poured it in his mouth as he began driving to Camden Town. As he neared the streets, he saw a large number of Jewish men leaned against the buildings lining their territory. As he proceeded to come into Jewish territory, they drew their guns and walked into the street, forcing him to stop.
"Turn around Gypsy." The leader of the men said.
"I need to see Nora." Tommy said as his mind began to run away with him.
"No, you don't. Leave. You're not welcome on these streets." The man said.
Tommy looked at the men, all with their guns ready to pull the trigger and he turned around; his mind too gone to fight them. He drove to Birmingham, his thoughts racing and his hands shaking. He parked in his usual spot and got out of the car as the sky began to sprinkle down a gentle rain.
"Sir," The maid said as he walked in the door. "Mrs. Shelby packed a bag for herself and little Ruby and left."
"Where did they go?" Tommy urged and the maid held out an envelope.
"I don't know sir, but she asked me to give you this."
Tommy snatched the envelope from her hand and the maid left. He opened it to find a copy of the drawing and a note that read:
I signed up for this life, but Ruby didn't. She deserves to be somewhere safe, far away from the danger you bring into this house.
Tommy put the note and drawing down and found a decree for divorce, signed by Lizzie.
"FUCK!" Tommy yelled as he threw the papers down and ran his fingers through his hair before grabbing a fistful as his anxiety began to overwhelm him. He tried to take deep breaths but began to panic as the weight on his chest grew heavier. He reached in his pocket and pulled out another glass vial and began to put it to his lips when he heard tires on his gravel driveway. He put the vial back in his pocket and removed his gun. As he walked outside, he heard in the distance, "Dad!" and turned to see Charlie running up the field soaking wet from the rain. Charlie reached gravel as the car skidded to a halt.
"Charlie!" Tommy yelled. "Go inside, now!"
"Who's that Dad?" Charlie asked as he stopped and looked at the car.
"Go inside now!" Tommy yelled at his son as the driver's door burst open.
Charlie once again ignored his father's command as he looked to see who stepped out of the car.
"What is the matter with you?" Nora blurted angrily as she advanced on Tommy before the sting of her slap resonated with his cheek.
"Don't hit my dad!" Charlie defended as he ran towards her.
Tommy caught him and gripped his upper arms, "When I tell you to go inside, you listen! She could have been anybody!" He yelled as he shook Charlie angrily.
"But, I-"
"She could have killed you! You never fucking listen to me!" Tommy yelled as his hands grew tighter.
"Ouch!" Charlie cried and Nora stepped in saying, "Enough Tommy! He's just a child!"
Tommy released his son and turned on Nora. "A child that is going to end up dead if he doesn't start listening!"
"So, sling him around! That should make him respect you!" Nora yelled back sarcastically.
"Dad-"
"Don't tell me how to father my children!"
"Dad-" Charlie tried again.
"You never had a father…" Tommy continued yelling at Nora, causing her nostrils to flare.
"DAD!" Charlie yelled one last time.
"WHAT? EH? What do you fucking want?" Tommy blurted at his son.
Tears began to grow in Charlie's eyes before he turned and ran back toward the tree line he initially emerged from.
"Fuck." Tommy whispered to himself as he rubbed his forehead. "Charlie…" He yelled after his son.
"Oh, that went well!" Nora berated.
"You! What were you fucking thinking printing a picture like that for all of England to see?" Tommy asked angrily, turning his attention back to Nora.
"Is that why you came to Camden Town? Because you're cross over some drawing that-"
"Some drawing? Some drawing?" Tommy repeated, his voice growing louder. "Do you know what you've done? What the impact of that drawing will do?"
"Yes, I-"
"I'm a fucking child in that drawing! A naïve little-" Tommy cut himself off. "You drew me a fool. No one will take me seriously in this if they see me as Mosely's fucking childlike-"
"That's what you think it is? That you're a naïve fool? You're worried about your reputation? Tommy think about it!" She argued, putting her hand to her head. "You look innocent! Mosely is the fool! He's a liar! A filthy fucking liar! And that picture shows that! His followers are going to need someone to follow! If they can't trust him, they need someone they can trust! Someone innocent! Think about it you-"
Before she could finish yelling her explanation, Tommy grabbed her and planted his lips on hers. He kissed her passionately and forcefully as she wrestled to get her hand in his pocket. Finally, she pushed him away.
"Is this why you are going fucking mental?" She yelled as she held up the four blue vials she pulled from his pocket.
He stood there catching his breath as he stared at her. She opened one and poured it out as Tommy took a step toward her. She held up her hand as she took a step away from his advance and opened another one, emptying it. As she emptied the third one, she shook her head.
"And this one's empty." She said as she held up the fourth vial.
Tommy looked away.
"This doesn't fucking help!" she threw the vials into the field with all of her strength as the raindrops grew bigger.
"Look at me." She said, her tone going soft as she grabbed Tommy's wet face and held it between her hands as they stared at each other. "You're not in the mud, you're not in France. You survived."
Tommy looked down as his emotions grew in his throat.
"Don't let the toffs and the fucking cavalry win. You survived. And you will survive again. But not if you continue like this." She put her forehead on his and they closed their eyes. "You just need to remember why you survived in the first place."
"I don't know why." Tommy said as he shook his head and his voice cracked.
Nora leaned her head back and looked up at his crystal blue eyes. They held each other's gaze for a moment as water rained down their faces. Her lips parted and Tommy hesitantly began to lean his head in once more when they heard a scream in the distance.
"What was that?" Nora asked.
They stared at the woods before Tommy said, "The creek… Charlie." And began to run towards the trees, Nora close behind.
They ran into the woods, leaping over fallen trees and slipping on wet rocks. As they neared the creek, they could hear the water rushing. The creek had risen, showing only part of the rock bridge Charlie had made across.
"Charlie?" Tommy yelled as he scanned the running water.
"Charlie?" Nora joined in.
The water had risen to rapids due to the sudden rain that the ground hadn't had a chance to absorb.
"Dad!" they heard a small voice yell.
"There!" Nora yelled as she spotted a small hand just above the water.
Tommy looked to see his son's head emerge and he began to throw off his jacket as he ran toward the water. He rushed into the still growing creek toward where he last saw Charlie, his mind focused on finding his son. He made it to the spot he saw his son, but Charlie was gone. "Charlie!" He yelled again as he tried to stay above the water.
"Tommy!" He heard Nora scream and he turned in time to be hit with a log traveling downstream in the growing waters. The blow caught him off guard and swept him under, causing him to inhale a large amount of water as the currant spun him under water. When he finally emerged from the water he was disoriented and drowning in the water his lungs now held. He made his way to the edge, attempting to catch his breath and as he pulled himself onto the earth he retched.
"Charlie!" Tommy attempted to yell but couldn't as he tried to breathe.
He retched again as he saw a blur run past him as Nora jumped into the creek. He retched again and vomited the water, clearing his lungs. He looked up into the creek as the rain continued to pour.
"Charlie?... Nora?" He yelled but got no response. "Charlie…" He whispered as the image of him shaking his son played in his mind.
He scanned the rolling water in search of any sign of Nora or Charlie but found none. Tommy looked at the ground and bowed his head. 'remember why you survived in the first place…' Nora's words echoed. "I don't know why." He whispered aloud as grief engulfed him.
