Home Alone in Fleet Street

It was a snowy day in London. The town was covered in a thick blanket of snow and Christmas was coming up in a week which means people are buzzing through the streets and filling up the stores trying to look for the perfect gift for their loved ones while others make up plans to go traveling and visit family, or go on a nice winter vacation.

That is exactly what a small dysfunctional family in a small pie shop has planned to do. A woman by the name of Eleanor Lovett, or Nellie for short, has been trying to convince her neighbor, Sweeney Todd, a barber who lives above her, to take a trip by the sea with her along with his daughter Johanna and her now husband Anthony with their children Sofia and Adam. But for a while he would always refuse, but at last a week ago he finally said yes when his daughter pleaded as well to go on the trip. Nellie was filled with glee. It was about time he got out of the house and maybe a new change of scenery will brighten up his mood.

"I'm so excited to go to the beach tomorrow!" Nellie turned around to see her adopted son Toby. "Just one more day!" she told him excitedly, "I'm so happy Mr. T finally said yes." She added but the boy frowned.

"Why must he join us? He's nothin' but a-"

"Toby shush, I don't want to hear it from ya" the baker said sternly but Toby carried on, "but he's so mean and he's probably gonna ruin the trip! And why does he always stay in his shop? Does he not like being with us? So selfish of him!"

"Tobias, that is enough!" Nellie was losing her patience and this wasn't the first time she and Toby have argued about the barber.

Toby only glared at her until Johanna cut in, "Mrs. Lovett, do you mind helping me with something?" Nellie smiled and the rage in her died down. "Of course, love," and the two walked away leaving a pouty Toby behind.

The lad trudged off angrily, this wasn't the first time he argued with his mum about the barber. There have been multiple occasions where Toby would make a fit of how rude and selfish Mr. Todd was, but the baker always defended him saying that it's not his fault for the way he is and that he didn't have a good past, but that didn't give him an excuse to be a disrespectful brute. Although, he has noticed that since Johanna has come to visit, he's been soft and gentle to her and in a way it made Toby jealous. Of course he later realized that the young blonde is his daughter, but why couldn't he act like that with everyone else? Especially with Mrs. Lovett who was nice enough to allow him to stay above her shop and not pay rent, it wasn't fair.

As Toby walked, heading to his room, he accidentally bumped into Anthony who was focused on whatever he was holding in his hands.

"I'm sorry, Toby. Didn't see you there," the young sailor said in an apologetic voice. Toby was still in a bad mood so he simply told Anthony, "it's alright." His tone was slightly bitter and he headed off to his room leaving a puzzled Anthony.

The moment he slammed the door, he threw a mental tantrum. Throwing himself on the floor and internally screaming. Of course he knows better not to throw an actual tantrum, that would be childish of him and he remembers back in the Workhouse, if anyone pouted—let alone throw a tantrum—they would receive a lashing and starve.

It just wasn't fair, why won't the baker just listen to him for once? In fact he remembers a few weeks ago when he was cleaning the tables outside, he saw a man go up to the barber's shop and never once saw him come out. Of course he informed Mrs. Lovett about it but she just shrugged it off and told him to go run a few errands for her, making him slightly angry she was trying to get rid of the subject.

He squirmed in his bed and face planted onto his pillow as a final release of his anger and stayed in that position.

Little did he know, there were two people outside the pie shop listening to the conversation the baker said and they grinned.