Noon was on its way. Mrs. Lovett was very anxious but she kept telling herself she shouldn't worry. It's not like Alex was going to investigate her whole pie shop, he's just stoping by for lunch and by lunch she'll need to give him regular meat. Plus he was her childhood friend and she didn't have the heart to give him human meat.
Sweeney on the other hand was furious. Mrs. Lovett was foolish to allow some lawyer to come by her shop knowing that he's on the case of men mysteriously disappearing around their street. As much as he loved her, sometimes she doesn't use her head correctly and unfortunately these were one of those days.
The two were in the pie shop drinking some gin to ease their nerves. It was quiet, Toby was out with some friends so that left Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett alone to be in their thoughts.
"Why did you tell him to come for lunch?" Sweeney finally spoke after minutes of silence, although this time showed how annoyed he was.
"I didn't, he was the one that asked and I panicked" Nellie said truthfully but Sweeney only let out a long agitated sigh. Nellie felt like she was in trouble, well putting the barber in trouble with her. Hopefully this lunchtime with Alex will go well.
"You know you don't have to join, Alex specifically said he wanted to have lunch with me" the baker piped up to which Sweeney stood up and glared at her, "like I would ever leave you alone with a man I've never met!" He growled although this only made Nellie smile a little. She could sense Sweeney's jealousy, she couldn't help but think how adorable Sweeney sounds when he's jealous, obviously this wasn't the first time he's acted up when a man is brought up by Nellie.
"Relax love, I don't think he'll 'urt me, he was my friend when we were younger" she assured him. "And how do you know he hasn't change? People change Nell and I'm a great example of that!" Sweeney retorted again which only made Nellie roll her eyes, typical man.
"I can assure you that Alex has no intentions of harming me and yes, you have definitely become a changed man but you've become a better man as well," this seems to relax the barber as Nellie saw his shoulders relax and he let out a small sigh. At least he was listening to her and understanding her.
"Alright, but I'm going to accompany you just in case he asks anything about the murders and might piece them here" he replied seriously to which Nellie only nodded her head. She wasn't in the mood to have an argument with her barber and to be honest she would like to have his company when Alex arrives.
***
A few hours went by and finally Alex arrived. He wore one of his best suits and a top hat along with a black coat. He looked very wealthy and professional, Nellie couldn't believe how different he looked. When they were younger Alex was always seen wearing rags for clothing, same thing for Nellie, they both grew up poor but it seems Alex got lucky of becoming a lawyer, unlike Nellie who needed good education if she wanted a job that'll have her swim in riches, though sadly she could only afford becoming a baker but honestly she loved baking and it something her mother taught her.
"Hello again Nellie" Alex answered in a cheery voice as he walked in the shop. Nellie got out of her seat from one of the booths and greeted her old friend, "nice to see you too, dear". The two began chatting about God knows what and Nellie forgot about Sweeney's presence, which he was leaning against the counter with a scowl on his face. He didn't like how close Alex was to Nellie, he couldn't help but notice how he was talking to her but he knew he needed to stay calm, this was Nellie's childhood friend. She's known him before she met Sweeney so he shouldn't worry, yet he hates that he gets jealous over every man that dares to take a glance at his baker.
"So this is your shop?" Alex asks, looking around the small shop. "Yes, sorry it's a bit messy I couldn't have time to clean up everything" Nellie answers almost shamefully. "Oh no it's fine, besides the shop looks nice" he complimented, "you make meat pies, yes?"
Nellie nodded again, "hungry?"
"Famished," he replied. Nellie went out to the bake house and took out a meat pie from one of the trays, she made sure it had no human meat in it as she now has the money for regular meat and has been using it.
Sweeney was alone with the proper gentleman who finally noticed his existence, "and who must you be?" Alex asked, though Sweeney only furrowed his eyebrows at him.
"Alright, here we are" Nellie appears with a few meat pies and tea. She looks up and sees that Alex has seen Sweeney. "Oh, Alex, I like you to meet Sweeney Todd, 'e's my lover" she stated proudly walking up to the barber and hooking her arm around his.
"Lover? What happened to Albert?" Alex queried. "He died about 17 years ago, the poor bugger died in his sleep" she lied, her old lover died before Benjamin and his family came and what truly happened was that Nellie poisoned him. They may have been married but Albert didn't treat her well and for five years she's lived in torture until one day she manage to buy a bottle of rat poisoning from the apothecary and place it in his soup. The next day he was found dead.
"Oh I am terribly sorry for your loss" Alex sympathized but Nellie only shook her head, "no it's fine love, besides I'm much more happy now" she looks up at Sweeney and she smiles at him and her eyes sparkling, wanting him to know how much he made her happy. Sweeney didn't respond but his eyes showed adoration for her which made Nellie's heart skip a beat.
"Shall we eat?" Alex broke the tension between them. "Yes, of course, take a seat" Nellie ushered, feeling a little disappointed he had to ruin that small moment with her barber.
The three sat down eating their pies and drinking their tea, Alex and Nellie doing most of the talking while Sweeney sat in silence partially listening to them.
"Let's talk business, Eleanor" Alex suddenly grew serious, "I've already told you about the case of men disappearing and I've found the location". Nellie gulped while Sweeney lifted his head and was now paying full attention. "Unfortunately, the crime is in your street but we don't know the exact location. Hopefully I'll have a word with some people who walk here regularly but there was another reason why I wanted to talk with you". Nellie's heart began to race and her palms started to feel clammy, what will she say if he asks her if she's seen any men vanishing?
"Has there been any suspicions around here? Do you have any clue where you think those men can be?" Nellie gulped, she could feel the tension Sweeney was having, which he was sitting next to her, "um no not really, I've been busy so I haven't seen nothin' unusual" she stated calmly though her hands were shaking a little. Alex let out a sigh, "well like I said before, whoever is causing these crimes will be hang and their body will be nothing but ashes," Nellie bit her lip and looked off to the side, she could feel Sweeney holding her hand from under the table as a way to comfort her. What Alex said sounded like a threat and Nellie was terrified.
Silence filled the room, no one said a word for a few minutes until the pie shop door burst open with Toby running inside. His forehead was dripping in seat due to him running and it was a rare sunny day.
"Hi mum!" Toby greets Nellie once he's in the shop and sees his mother in a booth with Sweeney and a man sitting across from them.
"Ello love," she smiles at him. Alex turns to the boy and looks at him up to down, "who's the lad Nellie?"
"This is my boy Toby, he helps me with the shop" she states proudly, petting Toby's hair a bit. "Did you get him from a Workhouse?" Alex asks though Nellie only wrinkles her nose, "eh... in a way, more like someone abandoned him so I took 'im in" she answers. Toby looks up at her with a smile while Todd rolls his eyes a little. Of all days for Nellie to be bragging about the boy.
Alex only nodded his head, "well I best be going. My lunch break is up, it was nice seeing you again Nellie". Mrs. Lovett nodded and they both stood up, "good seeing you too Alex, I hope to see you soon" she smiled even though inside she wanted to slap herself in the face. She could feel Sweeney glaring at her, she knew he would start yelling at her as soon as Alex leaves.
"Yes, I hope to see you soon as well, good day Eleanor and be careful" Alex waved at her and headed out the door. "Goodbye Alex" she called to him, and he was gone.
The pie shop became silent, Nellie could tell Sweeney wanted an explanation from her but because Toby was in the room with them she couldn't say anything yet.
"Toby dear, will you go to your room please, I need to have a word with Mr. Todd" she spoke quietly to him. Toby seemed hesitant, he never liked Sweeney especially when it comes to his mother, but he nodded and left.
Now it was just the two of them. Nellie could feel the tension rising, her hands becoming sweaty.
"I hope to see you soon..." Sweeney mocked the words Nellie said to Alex. "I hope to see you soon!" He yelled, Nellie only shut her eyes as she heard Sweeney stand up from the booth he sat in and marched towards her.
"What the fuck were you thinking?! That just means he might start investigating here!"
"I know, I'm sorry, I panicked!"
He let out a loud agitated sigh and placed his hand on the bridge of his nose. He didn't say anything.
"You know love, you need to cool down on the killing as well. Keep it up and we will be in grave danger" Nellie spoke bravely. Sweeney only dropped himself on a booth and placed his head down on the table and let out another sigh.
The room remained quiet, Sweeney didn't feel like speaking he was upset with Mrs. Lovett right now.
"I need some time to think", he muttered as he got up from the booth and headed to the back door where his shop was.
Nellie closed her eyes and could feel tears wanting to pour out. Sweeney was upset with her and she just told him to stop killing. He might stay in his shop all day, Nellie might sleep alone tonight.
***
Hours have gone by. The old grandfather clock in the parlor was ticking as the seconds went by. The evening was arriving and Nellie knew she should be making dinner with Toby, but she was worried about her barber. What could he be thinking about? How much longer will he stay in that gloomy shop of his?
Nellie sat patiently in her parlor placed on a settee with a book in her hands that she wasn't actually reading. She's been trying to distract herself but the whole day she's been worried about Sweeney.
He's probably getting himself drunk, she thought to herself. Knowing Sweeney, whenever something bad occurs he thinks the only solution is alcohol, typical man.
She was about to drift off to sleep until she heard the floor creak. Nellie squinted her eyes open a little hoping it would be Sweeney, but she heard a small voice instead.
"Mum, are you okay?" Toby asked shyly. Nellie lifted her head up and smiled at the boy, "I'm fine, love" she whispered. Toby took a few more steps towards her, "are you sure? If something's wrong you can always tell me. I may be young but I'm not a fool" he soothed.
She wanted to cry. She doesn't deserve this young lad, if only she could tell him everything but she knew that if he did he'd go straight to the law and her and Sweeney would be dead.
She brought her hand up and stroked Toby's cheek gently, "just goin' through some hard times, dear. Mr. T's a bit upset with me but we'll talk it out in the morning" she murmured. "I don't like the way he treats you mum, I think he's a bad influence" Toby ushered, he knew his mum would be upset by his words but he just wants her to see how bad Mr. Todd was. He did nothing but drink and he barely speaks and always has his razors, it made Toby uneasy and he hated to see his mother blinded by it.
Nellie only took a deep breath and shut her eyes. "Now Toby, we've discussed this, I've known Mr. Todd for quite a long time and I'll tell you this lad, he wasn't always like this. Just try and give him a chance".
"I know he thinks of me as a nuisance, and what do you mean he wasn't always like this?" He asked. Eleanor let out a sigh, "let's just say the poor dear had a rough time in a place he didn't belong in".
"What do you mean? Did something happen to him?" He queried.
"That's not important, why don't you help me prepare dinner, eh?" Eleanor said, changing the subject and getting up to her feet. Toby only nodded and followed her into the pie shop.
***
It was only Eleanor and Toby that'll be dining for dinner. Sweeney still hasn't come down, this worried Nellie and she wanted to check up on him but was afraid he might be violent.
The two sat at a booth eating baked potatoes and veggies. They didn't speak much but once their dinner was empty Toby headed to bed. Nellie thought it would be a good time to check in on Sweeney now that the boy has turned in for the night.
She headed out through the front where a cold breeze hit her. It was chilly out tonight. The sky was covered with dark clouds, no stars or the moon were out tonight, they showed up rarely and it was a blessing whenever they did. Nellie vaguely remembers a time back when she lived in Oxford her father told her about the stars. It was where their loved ones were, that every star that was lit up in the sky was someone you lost and they are now looking down above you.
Nellie has always tried to look for the stars since she's moved to London, to find her father who passed away a few days after her and Albert have been wed. But she could never find his star. For a while she thought her father told her lie but she partially believes it now.
Nellie hesitantly tipped toed up the old creaky stairs, she knows she needs to replace them but wood repair was rather expensive and she's been saving her money mainly in baking supplies and hopefully one day travel to the seaside.
She finally reached up to the balcony and slowly opened the door which made a loud creak along with a small jingle of the bell that was hanging on the door.
"Sweeney?" She called out. She squinted her eyes, the room was dark and it reeked of alcohol, she wasn't surprised but where was Sweeney?
She walked forwards, still having a small chill, the room was cold for some reason, the reason could be because there was no light in the shop, at least that's what Nellie guessed.
"Sweeney?" She called out again. It was silent for a while until she heard a low moan coming from the bedroom. The door to the bedroom was cracked open and Nellie could see a figure lying there.
She opened the door and stepped inside to see Sweeney dozed off on the bed. His face planted on the mattress while his legs dangled on the edge of the bed, the poor bugger drank away like a sailor.
"Oh Sweeney, what am I going to do with you, you useless thing?" the baker muttered as she tiptoed her way towards him to make sure he was alright. He was so still she almost thought he was dead but once she placed the tip of her finger on his back, he flinched which had Nellie let out a sigh of relief knowing that he was still alive.
She decided to leave him sleep in his shop knowing that he'll be in a terrible mood if she tried to move him so she went back down to her shop and poured a glass of water and trotted back up the stairs into Sweeney's parlor and placed the glass of water on his vanity, hopefully he'll see it.
She kissed his temple and whispered goodnight to him and headed in for the night. Of course she felt lonely and miserable sleeping alone, but like what Sweeney said, he needed some time to think, and Nellie knew that those words translate to "I want to be alone". Hopefully they'll talk it out in the morning.
***
New chapter! And I'm sorry this took a while, I've been busy either that or I've been lazy or been dealing with writers block and just to let you know I won't be able to write for a while since finals at my school is coming up and it's mainly math I'm worried about so yeah, I won't be updating for a few weeks, but it won't be too long, maybe like two weeks and I'll let you know when I'll be updating again.
Mkay bye!