You Matter To Me

Chapter Six: The Daily Special

The next morning, the Professor, Sweeney Todd, had woken up  beside his wife, Mrs. Lovett (the woman who works at the bakery in the café of the University, and who also owns her own pie shop in town). It had been a long and restless night for Sweeney, as like his newly reunited daughter, Johanna, he had been consumed with the thoughts from the previous day, and understandably so; so much had happened. He had perhaps gotten an hour or two of sleep at most, while Mrs. Lovett had slept soundly at his side through the night, never stirring. Sweeney awoke with a jolt, finding himself drenched in sweat, after having a rather gutting nightmare relating to his late wife, Lucy; and Johanna was in the dream as well. It was bloody awful having to relive the worst moments of his life again, this time in his sleep, as had happened many times. Too many times.
But now it was as disturbing as ever, especially because he had just found Johanna, his girl, his little dove, yesterday. He never wanted to lose her again- or worse yet, to lose her in the way he lost her mother.
Sweeney slowly sat up, leaning back against his pillow, and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He took a long, deep breath and sat there in silence for a moment, forcing himself to come back to reality and realize that none of those terrible things had happened; well, some of them had; but he'd take care to make sure they never happened again.
After a moment, he looked down at the peaceful, still soundly asleep Mrs. Lovett, thankful that she was still there, after that dream. He watched her snore softly and watched her soft breathing rise and fall.
He gently placed his ringed left hand on top of her own as that hand lay at her side, and he gave it a loving squeeze. For the first time that morning, she stirred, slowly fluttering her sweet, dark but warm eyes open to look up at her husband, just as she did every other morning of their marriage.
"There you are, love," Sweeney softly said, delicately pulling his wife up by her hand as his held it, so that she now sat up beside him.
"Good morning, Mr. T." Mrs. Lovett beamed lovingly, as she had to look up into her husbands eyes a little, being that he was a good bit taller than her. As she softly lie her head against his shoulder, she noticed just how sweaty he was, being that his white sleep shirt was drenched.
"Oh dearie, you're all covered in sweat! Must 'ave yourself in a right state..." Her smile faded to a frown, as she figured from past experience that her husband must have been up for the greater part of the night, then had a nightmare when he finally did drift off to sleep.
Sweeney merely nodded, a small frown occupying the corner of his lips. "Never mind that, Nellie," He fondly assured Mrs. Lovett, calling her by her long time nickname.
She nodded sadly as she started to rest her head back on his shoulder, but then the time on the nightstand alarm clock seemed to glare at her. 7:15 a.m. ...
"Bloody..." She uttered, quickly swinging her two feet over the edge of the bed and hopping down on them, pulling her black robe tighter around her in a hurry. "The shop... I've got to go help our dearie open the shop! And you, Mr. T... you'll 'ave your own customers comin'!" She hurriedly fussed, briskly pacing to the bathroom to get ready and change into her black dress and usual floral apron; while Sweeney went into the closet and got changed as well, before he'd head to the barber shop next door, above the pie shop.
Only fifteen minutes later, Mrs. Lovett found herself running outside, directly over to the pie shop, and she swung the shop doors open, as thankfully, her daughter had already unlocked them and opened up.
Mrs. Lovett murmured to herself as she came in, making a mental checklist of all the things she needed to do- until she saw her girl standing behind the counter with a smile, and a twinkle in her blue eyes that were just like Mrs. Lovett's late husband's, the girl's father. She then knew that her daughter had already done everything; she must have gotten there early.
"Already done, Mummy," The girl, of about nineteen or twenty years of age,  proudly admitted, softly reassuring her mother. "It's already open, I've got the sign switched over, and a dozen pies are in the oven, and the rest are set out for after those pies are finished baking."
A rush of gratitude and relief came over Mrs. Lovett, and she found herself running behind the counter to take her daughter in her arms and embrace her in the warmest hug; as she'd always given her girl from the time she was an infant.
"Thank you, dearie," Mrs. Lovett uttered, overwhelmed by love for her daughter and out of relief as well. "I don't know what I'd do without you, my lovely Jenna," Mrs. Lovett praised, holding her daughter, Jenna, close.
"Don't worry, Mummy, it wasn't any trouble. No fuss." Jenna sweetly laughed, blushing under her mother's praise. She held onto her mother nice and tight, as they really did have a very sweet relationship. They were like best friends, really. Always had been.
After a few more seconds, the mother and daughter let go of each other, knowing there was still plenty of work to come, and that any time now, the first rush of customers would come.
"You don't have to work at the Uni Café today?" Jenna curiously asked as she pulled out the cash register and separated some bills and coins.
Mrs. Lovett shook her head whilst setting out the tip jar, then coming out from behind the counter to fuss with the tables and chairs in the dining area of the shop. "Not today, dear." Mrs. Lovett clarified, setting vases of white daisies on each table as the centerpieces. "Your two friends are taking care of the bakery today, as I thought it would be lovely to work here with you this morning, since I'm only here later, most of the time. Aside from opening up..."
Jenna then nodded in understanding towards her mother's answer, smiling happily as she too, stepped out from the counter, but to go to the back instead, into the kitchen. "That makes sense. I would really fancy that, Mummy. Getting to spend more time with you today." Jenna insisted, lighting up as she did so, which caused her mother's face to light up in return.
"You mean that, love?"
"'Course I do,"  Jenna lovingly insisted, placing another bowl on the metal table in the kitchen where they put together their pies before they went into the oven. She threw in perfectly calculated amounts of sugar, butter, and flour as always, but was internally creating all kinds of possibilities as to what this pie in the making, today's special, would consist of and would be named.
Jenna and Mrs. Lovett always loved to make new pies together, and to cleverly name them together. They only followed a recipe when it came to their "normal" and basic pies that some regular customers loved, but more often than not, Jenna and Mrs. Lovett created the most imaginative, but breathtakingly delicious masterpieces of new pies.
Every day, there were newly crafted pies and specials on the chalkboard menu.
"You're such a sweet, affectionate child, Jenna," Mrs. Lovett tearily inputted, with motherly love and pride audible in her voice, from where she was by a particular table.
"No need for fussing, Mummy," Jenna jokingly, but genuinely laughed with a loving smile on her face as she passionately mixed the sugar, butter and flour. "No need to go getting all teary with me again," She chortled, but couldn't help but look out the open, glassless window from the kitchen into the shop to see the proud, tearful smile on her mother's face. She really did have her mother's smile, and seeing it was like looking into a mirror. "But I do love you. An awful lot, actually," Jenna promised her mother, her voice, that took on her deceased birth father's posh accent, as she had inherited that from him, full of love.
"You really do remind me of your father, Jenna. He would be chuffed to see his girl, and who you 'ave become. I love you too, dear." Mrs. Lovett choked up slightly, both out of her late husband's memory that was resurfaced every day in seeing his traits in Jenna, and because Mrs. Lovett was just that proud of her daughter; she was thankful to be so close to her- and she never wanted to lose that. Not like she lost Jenna's father, her first husband before Sweeney.
It was this statement, this truth from Mrs. Lovett, that made Jenna catch herself with a tear in her eye. She quickly brushed it away with her arm, since she had flour all over her hands, as she took a few second's break from hand mixing. Before she could say anything further to her mother,  the bell on the shop door tinkled daintily as the first rush of customers flocked in.
Mrs. Lovett dashed to get behind the counter to immediately serve the customers, while Jenna started pulling pies out of the oven and set them on the bar, the glassless kitchen window, to cool.
"Two 'Jenna's Devil Food Chocolate Oasis" Pies, two 'Mermaid Marshmallow" Pies (that one was perhaps Jenna and Mrs. Lovett's most special recipe between the two of them, and a customer favorite as well),  and three 'Triple Threat Berry' Pies (Jenna's first daddy's personal favorite, and her Mummy's favorite while she was pregnant with Jenna), Mummy. Just a few minutes to cool, then you can serve 'em." Jenna gently called out to her mother from behind the window, seeing that their first set of customers were already lined up at the counter.
"Thank you, my dearie!" Mrs. Lovett lovingly, but hurriedly called to Jenna, looking over her shoulder to see said pies lined up and waiting, then looked back at the hungry customers in front of her. "What can I get you, Sir?"
Mrs. Lovett asked a kindly old gentleman, the first in line.
"What's today's special?" The gentleman eagerly asked, clearly a regular.
"I'll have to ask Jenna," Mrs. Lovett smiled politely, then turned around and called to her daughter, "Jenna, today's special? This kind gent would like to know."
"Oh, hello Joe!" Jenna kindly called the customer by name, as he came in every day to order whatever the daily special was on that given day. Jenna then thought quickly, looking down at the mixture of sugar, butter, and flour that she had pounded into a crust. Where most would see a mess, a blob, Jenna and Mrs. Lovett saw endless possibilities and creativity. Masterpieces.
Standing there, thinking of what the perfect special for today would be, what would go into said pie, Jenna bit the corner of her lip. And then it hit her.
Mother And Daughter Apple Of My Eye Pie... Fresh applesauce filling, thin slices of apples mixed throughout; drizzled with caramel and love. Topped off with a fine layer of cinnamon, and sprinkled with glazed pecans, then baked from the heart. That was it. The perfect special for today, a new creation... Jenna concluded,  very pleased with this idea. She could taste it already...
"Mother And Daughter Apple Of My Eye Pie," Jenna proudly announced her new special aloud for the first time, answering the customers question. Jenna had the biggest smile on her face as she did, brushing her hands off on her blue and white uniform dress as she turned to face her mother and the regular, Joe. "One of those comin' right up," Jenna cheerfully repeated, then with a spring in her step, turned on her heel and went back to her pie table, her reddish curls bouncing with her when she did so.
And that brought a smile to Mrs Lovett's face. "Today's special is 'Mother And Daughter Apple Of My Eye Pie, sir. I gather you'd like to try one of those?" She proudly parroted her daughter, her heart clearly touched by this.
"Why not?" Joe chuckled merrily, sitting down on a barstool next to the front counter. "I'm feeling good today," He went on with his American accent, as many of their customers were from all around the world; this place was famous. Mrs. Lovett's and Jenna's Pies. "Sure is somethin', this place is. You and your daughter too." The elderly customer thought aloud with a grin on his face. "Treasure that while you can. Take it from an old man."
Mrs. Lovett made sure to tuck that little nugget of wisdom into her memory and into her heart, even though she knew she'd never have any trouble treasuring the relationship between her and Jenna. And their shop.
Her smile widened as she nodded at Joe. "I will. I always will."
Mrs. Lovett rang up Joe for a slice of the daily special, which would be ready within the hour, she then turned over her shoulder to get a good look at her sweet daughter once more. Jenna was passionately, but with such care, shaping the dough and crimping the edges of her new pie; throwing in the perfect amount of each ingredient that she brilliantly concocted and mixed into this new pie. There was nothing Mrs. Lovett took more pleasure in than seeing the way Jenna poured her heart into her baking. Just like she did...
And Mrs. Lovett never wanted this sweet moment to end.
The days came and went and soon it was Monday of the next week, after a very long weekend.
As per usual, a new week meant getting to the Pie Shop extra early to clean, rearrange, and then to open up once again. Mrs. Lovett had gotten two of Jenna's close American friends from school to cover the bakery at the University Café, so again, it was Mrs. Lovett and Jenna in the Pie Shop together. Once they had opened up and once they were past their first morning rush of customers, mentionably, after the regular customer Joe had just left too, Mrs. Lovett knew that she and Jenna would have a little break and time to breathe before the next steady wave of customers would come, that is, after she would help Jenna put a few more pies in the oven and pull out the ones that were ready to be set out to cool and then sell.
After they had done that, the mother and daughter finally had a few minutes to spare and to sit down in the kitchen, while still being able to keep an eye through the kitchen window to see if any customers came through the door and up to the counter.
Mrs. Lovett wanted to use these precious spare minutes to talk to Jenna about some matters that had been on her mothering heart, as these past couple days, Mrs. Lovett had seen a change develop in Jenna.
Jenna had seemed slightly stressed out, and Mrs. Lovett's motherly radar had picked this up the moment this change appeared. She wasn't sure how to explain it, but Jenna appeared to have a lot on her mind.
Aside from that, there was another new development that Mrs. Lovett had been observing.
There were times during these last couple days, obviously not during Jenna's work hours, where Jenna would disappear for a few hours at a time, without much notice. And when she'd finally slip in through the front door of their home, sometimes fairly late at night, she would just go straight to her room without giving much explanation at all. She was not at all rude or disrespectful to Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney, or to her brother Benjamin when she did this, but she was just different than her usual self. Quieter. Unusually reserved and uninformative.
And now, her mother couldn't bear to let her go on like this, after just a couple days of seeing this sudden and unexpected change in her daughter.
"'Ello, dearie," Mrs. Lovett smiled so lovingly and warmly at her daughter when they sat down together for their break. Mrs. Lovett decided that it would be best to ease into this conversation with Jenna rather than to cut straight to it; especially if this could be something sensitive to discuss with Jenna.
Jenna sighed in relief as she sat down with her mother for this break, a much needed one. She was exhausted and was thankful for even small breaks such as this one. And she could really use a break like this today. With the way things had unexpectedly turned in her own life; but she didn't want her mother, any of her other family for that matter, to find out what was going on. Not right now...
At the same time though, Jenna had the feeling deep in her gut, and in her heart, that with how loving her family was, they were bound to observe that something was going on, sooner than later. Jenna knew that Mrs. Lovett, out of any of them, would be the first to catch on, too. Mrs. Lovett's maternal nature was a force to be reckoned with. From the time Benjamin and Jenna were just babies, she would fuss over them and love on them, but she would also be able to tell if something was wrong with them before anyone else could. Whether they needed a diaper change, if they were hurt or sick, hungry, or if they just needed her love. Her intuitions and her motherly instincts were an instant, constant detector. She always had her radar on when it came to her beloved children. And she still does; they are still her everything; no matter how much they've grown up.
And Jenna knew that full well.
"Hey, Mummy," Jenna replied kindly, but halfheartedly to her mother. She never wanted to be rude to her mother, and she wouldn't... she just didn't know what to do if her mother started asking questions; which Jenna had already figured that she probably would do, and rightfully so.
"Why the long face, dearie?" Mrs. Lovett delicately prodded, but was careful not to sound too nosy or suspicious.
"Oh," Jenna uttered, shifting anxiously in her chair. "Nothing, Mummy. I'm just tired. Ready for a kip. With Uni, and working here at the shop, it makes for long days. But I wouldn't have it any other way," Jenna reassured her mother with an equally halfhearted smile, hoping that would be a good enough answer. But lying to her mother shot a little pain through Jenna's heart. And she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up her facade.
"Are you sure, my Jenna?" Mrs. Lovett frowned, sensing Jenna's lie. Seeing beyond her smile.
And it hurt Mrs. Lovett, because Jenna had never lied to her, not even as a child. Mrs. Lovett's motherly radar went up on high alert in this moment, in fact, it was practically blaring 'ALERT!' inside her like an alarm system.
Jenna sighed in surrender, shaking her head. She could either keep lying and risk the special relationship that she and her mother always had, or she could be up front and honest, trust her mother, and tell her the truth. Maybe she could help her.
"No..." Jenna simply, but truthfully admitted, deciding to take the route of trust and honesty. She had always been able to trust her mother, the person who had loved her most. Loved her first, from the time she was conceived and born.
"What's going on, love?" Mrs. Lovett's frown deepened and her mothering heart shattered the moment she heard the sadness in her daughters voice. It was different than any trivial kind of sadness Jenna had experienced as a child, like the time Jenna had lost her stuffed animal bear, 'Harry'. And it wasn't the same as the gut wrenching sadness that Jenna expressed when her and Benjamin's father Albert, Mrs. Lovett's first husband, passed away when they were still small children.
No, this was something different. A type of sadness... no, anxiety, that Mrs. Lovett had never heard in Jenna's sweet voice before.
"You know you can tell me, your Mummy, anything... I'll always be here for you, my Baby Girl Lovett..." Mrs. Lovett suddenly choked up out of reminiscence, remembering all the times she had comforted Jenna throughout her life so far. She wanted to take whatever sadness or anxiety she was feeling away from her and take it all upon herself.
But this time she couldn't. No, Mrs. Lovett knew that Jenna was grown up now, and that there would be things that Jenna had to face that she couldn't take on for her.
Mrs. Lovett stood up from her chair so that she could then pull it to be right beside Jenna's chair; and then she sat down beside her daughter and wrapped her arms around her, holding her and sheltering her in their warmth. Jenna had always found comfort in Mrs. Lovett's warm and loving arms.
Now here Jenna was, no longer a little girl; not a little girl who had just lost her stuffed animal. Not a little girl who had just lost her father.
She was now a big girl who felt stuck, unsure.
She had just reached a crossroads in her life that would forever change her life one way or the other. She had a choice to make, and not an easy one at that.
Jenna now found herself resting her head of reddish curls that were just like her mother's against her mother's shoulder; she relaxed in the safety of her mother's arms. She grabbed ahold of her  mother and didn't want to let go. She just held on. Extra tight. And then she let out what she had kept bottled inside her for the past couple days. Once the words would come out of her mouth, there would be no taking them back in.
"M-Mummy Lovett," Jenna's soft pink lips trembled as her face was nestled against her mother, "I-I'm just frightened. I have a choice t-to make and I'm not sure how to make it..." Jenna vented, trying not to let forming tears escape her eyes and wet her mother's shoulder.
She sniffed, then went on while she let Mrs. Lovett keep holding her and patiently listening to her.
"I-I'm seeing someone at Uni," Jenna bravely admitted, as nervous as she was to do so. Mrs. Lovett didn't immediately react to this or make any assumptions about the boy Jenna was seeing, rather, Mrs. Lovett remained quiet, ready to listen and find out more; and she didn't stop loving on Jenna and comforting her.
"A-and... and..." Jenna suddenly let the tears start flowing, and she quit hiding her anxiety and fear. Her grip tightened on her mother. She had a hard time getting the next words out, whatever they would be, and it took a few times of opening and closing her mouth for any words to make their way out of it. Her lips trembled and moved, wordlessly, until the words finally came to her a few moments later. "A-and he wants me to marry him..."