My One and Only

Suspicion

Nellie sighed in annoyance, "such a pity. And I'm wondering how my business will be" Nellie said as she started rolling the dough with her rolling pin.

Sweeney remained silent as Nellie waited to hear a response from him, but after a while she spoke again. "Somethin's up with Alex, he walked in here not too long ago and looked as if he hasn't slept in days! He said he's been working on the case going on around here". Sweeney grimaced when he heard the name Alex, he still doesn't trust him and he still doesn't like Nellie talking to him or even talk about him, there's something going up on that man's sleeve and it's only a matter of time until Sweeney can kill him so there isn't much drama going on, after all, he's still trying to plan out on how to kill Judge Turpin, he didn't want to add a nosy lawyer on his kill list.

"I don't trust him" he said bluntly, but Nellie scoffed and rolled her eyes, "love, you've met his family and yes it's scary he's looking on the crimes he made but like I've said dozens of times already, he's a good man. A man who loves his family and takes his job seriously".

"And I don't? I don't make as much money as he does but I am passionate about my job" Sweeney sneered. "I know ya are darling, but please, Alex is my friend and I would never speak to you nor would I shag you ever again if you do something horrible to him, ya hear? That's a warning".

Sweeney sighed but accepted that his lover is close friends with the lawyer and will kill him if he tries to kill Alex. "Yes ma'am.." he grumbled.

"Good" and she pecked his cheek.

***

As expected, the day went by slowly with the weather becoming chilly, winter was around the corner, which also means Christmas was coming soon. It'll be Nellie's first Christmas after fifteen years of being alone, that would include Sweeney who spent his Christmas in prison and Toby will finally have a family to celebrate with, Nellie already thought of a present for him, but what could she gift Sweeney? What would the homicidal handsome demon barber like? She could give him cologne or perhaps a new tie... but she wants to give him something special, something he would really like, but then again, hardly anything pleases him.

She was in deep thought, she knew it was a little early to think about gifts but it was quite smart knowing that the market gets crowded during the holidays. She thought back about Alex and how he was when he visited her, something must be going on. Did he had an argument with his wife? It was common for couples to get into fights, Nellie remembers the times her and Sweeney got into horrible fights but eventually they make up.

"Mum..." Nellie looks over her head to see Toby out of bed looking a lot better. "I feel better now, I can help with the shop tomorrow if ya like" the lad said and Nellie couldn't help but smile at him, such a sweet boy he was. Always wanting to help his mother that's not even his blood, but she suppose from the strong bond they have they are technically mother and son, just not legally.

"That's nice dear, but I want ya to rest up. Don't want ya feelin' drowsy when you go back to work" Nellie suggests and Toby nods as he heads back into his bedroom. The baker smiles at him and as she goes through one of the cabinets to get a bag of flour, she realizes she's low. Perhaps she can go to the store quickly, hardly any customers have arrived and the market wasn't too far from her, so maybe she could get the chance to go there quickly to get some flour and quickly head back to the shop like nothing happened.

She dropped whatever she was holding in the counter and went into her bedroom to grab a thick coat and headed out the door to the market.

She wasn't surprised to see a few people at the market because of the cold weather so she wondered around the place for the flour. As she was searching she spot Alex's wife Emily picking up some vegetables, Nellie thought it wouldn't hurt to have a bit of small talk with her, after all the two did get along pretty well at the dinner so she made the decision to head towards the petite brunette.

"Hello Emily, so good to see you in this cold weather" Nellie chimed but was immediately caught off when Emily sneered at her. "Oh.. hello to you as well Mrs. Lovett.."

Mrs. Lovett? Nellie queried, I thought we were friends? She couldn't understand why the noblewoman was giving her attitude, first Alex and now Emily. Did something happen? Did she say something wrong at the dinner?

"I just wanted to stop by and say hi, but it also seems your husband looks to be a bit worked up. The poor dear looks exhausted and worn out" she mentions Alex but Emily doesn't seem at all concerned or even the slightest bit of pity for her husband and instead gives the baker the stink eye. "Yes, so it seems.. could also be we had a fight a couple of days ago" Emily said rather bluntly which made Nellie raise a brow.

"I don't want to sound nosy or anything but what were you two arguing about? I'm sure the two of you can talk it out" she suggests but the brunette looks irritated but even so she explains the quarrel.

"I feel like my husband is cheating on me with some trollop, someone he has become close with... it's no wonder he comes home late looking like he was attacked by a tiger or overslept! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about Mrs. Lovett" she said bitterly and then walked away not even saying goodbye to the puzzled baker but she soon shrugged her shoulders and carried with her shopping until she found what she needed and headed back home.

She slightly guests that Emily believes Alex is having affairs with herself, I mean she did say it was someone Alex became close to and what other woman could that be then Eleanor Lovett herself? And did she just called her a trollop? But that couldn't be the case since she's already with Sweeney and is in a happy relationship with him, and she doesn't believe Alex will ever have a fondness for her, she doesn't seem like she's his type, and it would never work. He is a man of the law after all, and she is technically a criminal and he would be horrified and possibly filled with rage if he finds out what she has done and he probably wouldn't hesitate to arrest her and possibly hang her for all of London to see.

The thought of that gave her chills. He'll never find out, she kept telling herself, hopefully it will be true that her friend will never find out the path she's in and how wrong it is. Of course she knows it's wrong and will certainly go to Hell for it. She's no daft woman to know that it's not right, but she also is insane to know its right. But it was worth it to get the love of her life, and though it's something she regrets, especially now that Alex is on the case of missing men in her street, but she prays that hopefully he'll never find out. After all, how will you find the bodies if there aren't any to look for?

***

Hello, it's me. Sorry I haven't updated a while on this and I really need to update on 15 Years of Pain, and sorry if this chapter is kind of boring and a little short, it's more of a filler but I promise the next chapter will be better, there will be drama and major events happening, so just be patient 😉

"All good things come to those who can wait"
~ Nellie Lovett