Imagine- Melanie and Nellie are concerned about Sweeney because he hasn't spent time with them in a few days. Melanie wants to figure out why he hasn't done so.
Sweeney had been working for three days straight. He would come down for dinner and that's it. He had been so focused on work, he hadn't spent time with his wife or daughter. And it worried them.
He wouldn't even take breaks!
He was so exhausted but he refused to sleep. He needed to make money so he could support his two girls.
It was around 3:00 pm and Melanie has had enough. So has Mrs Lovett. They were so concerned about him and it was destroying them.
"I'm going to go talk to him mama. I'll be right back." Melanie said as she started to walk. Nellie gently grabbed her hand and looked at her.
"Please be careful love. You know how he gets when he's angry." She said before letting go of her hand. She gave a nod and let her daughter walk up the stairs, biting her nails. She hoped everything would turn out alright.
Melanie had to keep calm, trying not to freak out. She hoped her father wouldn't yell. He's never really yelled at her but she has seen him angry. And it scares her.
She walked up the stairs and didn't even bother knocking on the door to the shop. Sweeney was dusting his chair off and when he heard the bell ring, he looked up and his dark eyes locked on his daughter.
"What is it Melanie?" He asked with his gruff voice, hoping everything was alright.
Melanie could see just how exhausted he looked. He had incredibly dark circles around his eyes, along with bags. He looked even more pale, as if that was even possible.
Melanie didn't hesitate to ask. "Papa... why haven't you spent time with mama and I? You only come down for dinner time and then you go back up here to work." She said, sadness filling her voice.
Sweeney didn't really want to talk about it because he didn't want to put more concern in his wife and little girl. Who wasn't so little anymore. But to him, she would always be his baby.
"Honey not now. Please." He said but Melanie wasn't having it. She was way too worried.
"You don't even sleep papa. We are so worried about you!"
"Melanie... please get out." He said, his voice a little louder while feeling his temper rise.
"Papa please!"
"OUT!!!!!!!" He finally raged which made Melanie step back, her heart pounding. He stared at her, his eyes wide in shock.
Her eyes watered as she looked at him, her bottom lip quivering. "W-we were just concerned you papa..." she said before spinning on her heel, sobbing. He had never yelled at her. But he did now and she was terrified.
Sweeney wanted to call out to her. To hold her in his arms and apologize for his reaction.
"Goddamnit..." he mumbled before he fell to his knees, burying his face in his hands. God he felt awful. He tried so hard to fight back tears but they fell freely down his face.
Nellie heard Melanie's door slam, followed by sobbing before she rushed upstairs to the shop. When she saw her husband on his knees, she knelt down in front of him and placed her hands on his shoulders.
"What happened love?" She asked. She needed to know what happened.
Hearing his wife's voice, he looked up at her with his dark eyes, filled with sadness. Mrs Lovett could finally see how drained he was. How exhausted he was.
"She asked me why I wouldn't spend time with you guys... w-why I was so focused with work... and I yelled at her..."
Nellie looked at him and shook her head. "God Mr. T... she only wanted to know because she was concerned about you." She said softly but with a hint of sternness in her voice.
Sweeney could only nod as a few more tears fell down his cheeks. He just wanted to hold his girl and tell her how sorry he was for letting his anger out.
"You need to apologize to her, dearie." She said before kissing his temple. Sweeney's eyes were now red and swollen, his hands holding his wife's.
You know Sweeney as a very tough man, with a hard shell that is hard to break. But with his two girls, that shell could be broken pretty easily.
"You're right. I need to talk to her. But what if she hates me?" She asked quietly, barely above a whisper. He prayed to god that Melanie didn't hate him because he let his temper get the best of him.
Nellie shook her head before kissing his temple again. "She doesn't hate you, love. But she deserves an explanation as to why you yelled at her." She said before gently cupping his face in her hands. He placed his hands over hers and rested his forehead against hers.
"And after that, you need to get some sleep. No ifs, ands or buts." She said sternly, but with a hint of playfulness.
Sweeney gave a slight smile and nodded. "I will my love." He said before kissing her softly. He then stood up with his wife before they walked downstairs.
Sweeney walked to his daughters bedroom and, when he heard her crying, his heart shattered even more. If it already wasn't shattered enough.
He slowly opened the door and saw Melanie curled up in a ball, her face buried in the pillow. He could hear her quiet cries and it hurt him so much.
He walked towards her, being careful not to scare her like he did a few minutes ago. He sat down on the edge of the bed, which caused her to pick her head up and look at him. Her eyes were completely red and swollen, tears and mascara staining her cheeks.
Sweeney felt his own eyes water again as he gently took her hand in hers... and was surprised when she didn't take it back. He thought she hated him. He gently held her hand with both of his hands.
"I-i am so sorry for yelling at you sweetheart. I shouldn't have let my anger get like that. You must hate me." He said as tears began to make its way down his cheeks once again. She looked up at him, her hand gently squeezing his.
She didn't hate him at all. That was far from the truth.
"P-papa... I don't hate you. I was just concerned because you haven't been spending time with us. I wanted to see if you were okay" she said as she sat up.
Sweeney looked at her and rubbed her hand with his thumb. "To be honest, I haven't been okay. I've been too stressed with work and I haven't been sleeping." He said as he looked down.
She looked at him, still holding his hand. "You need to get some rest, papa. It's not healthy for you if you don't sleep." She gently kissed her fathers cheek before hugging him.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her temple, holding her close to his chest. He rocked her slowly as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.
"I know my love. And I will. I promise." He said before holding her in his arms for what seemed like forever. After a few minutes, she rubbed her eyes, feeling tired from crying. So did Sweeney.
But he didn't feel tired from just crying. He felt exhausted from lack of sleep, which was pretty obvious. She looked at him tiredly which he noticed.
"Why don't you sleep a little bit love?" He suggested softly as he moved her hair out of her face. She laid down in bed and curled up in a ball, still holding his hand.
"Will you stay with me?" She asked, and he nodded, laying down beside her. "Of course, my dear." He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and she snuggled against his side.
"I love you papa. So much" she said before she slowly drifted off to sleep in his embrace, listening to his heartbeat. He looked down at his daughter and gently stroked her temple with his thumb before kissing her forehead.
"I love you too baby girl. With all my heart." Within moments, he fell asleep in as well, resting his cheek on top of her head.
When Nellie didn't see Sweeney walk into the kitchen, she hoped everything was alright. She set down her rag, since she had been cleaning and putting everything away, and walked down the hallway.
"Sweeney? Melanie?" She called out as she rubbed her hands together a moment before walking to Melanie's bedroom. What she saw melted her heart.
Melanie was curled up in her fathers arms, her head against his chest and her arm draped over his stomach. He had one arm around her, the other one above his head.
Mrs Lovett smiled as she quietly walked towards the bed and silently unzipped her boots and set them on the chair by the foot of the bed.
She walked towards her two sweethearts before silently taking off their shoes and setting them down. There was a big fluffy blanket on the foot of the bed and she grabbed it before putting it over both of them. She slid in beside Melanie, getting under the blanket and pet her hair a moment.
She was so happy they made up. She kissed the back of her head before resting her head against the pillow and rested a hand on her side.
"I love you both my darlings." She whispered before falling asleep, next to the two people that meant the world to her.
And now finally, Sweeney was getting the sleep he needed so badly. And cuddling with his two girls.