Mirror

Mrs. Nellie Lovett sat at her vanity staring at her hazy reflection in the murky mirror. She sat upon the plum cushion of her chair, that didn't match the cherry-wood vanity at all. With her head in her right hand, propped up by her elbow on the vanity, she let her eyes sweep over the now dusty piece of furniture. She traced her finger through the dust. She remembered back to a time when the vanity had been covered in perfume bottles and silver urns of powder. She remembered the glass bottles of soap-beads and the vase that always held potent lilacs …

Times had been easier then. Before Albert's death. Before Benjamin Barker was taken away. Before Lucy had poisoned herself. Before Sweeney Todd killed Lucy. Times had been easier before all of that. Times were easier, back when she and Mr. Barker … Mr. Todd … were truly alive.

She let her finger draw a heart in the dust upon her vanity. She glanced down up the heart, noticing the uneven, non-symmetric sides. The distorted heart sickened her. She hissed at it in disgust before drawing a crack within it.

Her eyes drew themselves back to the foggy mirror. She looked herself over. She couldn't remember when she'd suddenly become so old. Her eyes were darker, her lashes more brown than black, her lips paler than before, and the laugh lines at the corners of her mouth fell to frown lines. She turned from her mirror to pick up a silver frame.

Within the tarnished frame was a picture of Mrs. Lovett and her husband Albert. It was their wedding photo. She smiled upon it, and then frowned suddenly. In the picture she noticed her smile. Something was different. She looked pained. Her smile looked utterly fake. Disgusted with herself, she threw the photo back on the table where it belonged. She turned back to the mirror and looked herself in the eye and clicked her tongue.

"How could I 'ave been so stupid? How could I 'ave been so wretched?" She whispered to herself. "He was your husband afta all." She hissed at herself and narrowed her eyes. "An' all you cared 'bout was the handsome neighbor who lived above. You 'ad it good, ol' gal; and you took it for granted. Look at yerself now." She glared at herself in the mirror before standing.

She walked to the window and peered out with her arms crossed across her chest. She watched as a young couple walked by with a blonde baby in tow. "Just like the Barkers …" She scowled and looked beyond the couple. She saw an older woman with her round-bellied husband who reminded her of her old Albert. She sighed and looked up to the grey London sky. "Isn't there any hope for an old hag like me self?" She muttered heaven ward. The sky opened up and the rain fell upon all those in the streets. She looked down to see the now empty roads and turned from her window.

Mrs. Lovett looked up at her ceiling, half expecting to hear him pace above. Though, to her surprise, she found nothing but silence. She sat herself back down at her vanity. She looked into the reflective glass, but didn't see anything at all. She simply stared off into space, her chin upon her hands.

"What to do, what to do …?" She contemplated out loud. Her thoughts lead her down both a path of memories and dreams. She remembered the way Mr. Barker had once kissed her cheek with the utmost gentleness on Christmas Eve. She remembered how he hugged her warmly and spun her around when Johanna had been born. She remembered back to when he looked at her wish bright eyes and a white smile. Her thoughts flickered and her next memory was that of which Mr. Todd had warmed her hands his first day back. Then of which he had his hand clasped to her waist and held her hand captive as they waltzed around her pie shop. Next to when he, almost happily, rested his hand upon her knee while she spoke of the sea, and the life that could be. Then, she remembered of the sad eyes with which he looked at her with the realization of his murdering his own wife.

She shuddered at the final thought. Clearing the thought from her mind she remembered the softness of his pallid skin against her lips as she kissed his cheek tenderly while on their picnic.

She smiled into the mirror. Her eyes brightened and her lips curved upwards. That's it …" she admitted in her thoughts. "He's my ev'rythin'." She spoke aloud. Her eyes fluttered shut. But 'ow to tell 'im? She thought.

After a moment of listening to the steady rain hitting the window she opened her eyes. She sat squarely before the mirror and spoke softly, but unwaveringly. "I know I'm not the prettiest li'l thing. And I know I'm not the smartest of 'em. And I know I'm not … her." She practiced. "But … I care 'bout you. An' I love yer dark eyes. I love yer pale skin. I was always fond of Mr. Barker … but I'm even very fond of Mr. Todd. I'm not what you want, or what yer used ta. But, I think … I love you, Mr. Sweeney Todd." She whispered, the words burning her lips. A tear welled up in the corner of her right eye, and she sighed as she realized that those words would never do. The rain beat her window, and she could have sworn she could smell the wet, dreary rain in the room. She let her face fall as a clap of thunder sounded and a crack of lightning lit the shadowy room.

"Mrs. Lovett." A voice boomed.

She let out a scream as she swung around in her chair, her hand clasped over her mouth. "Mr. Todd." Her voice practically screeched. Dripping wet, he stepped through the threshold of her room.

"What can I do for ye, sir?" She asked mock-casually as she gripped her chair with her hand, trying to even her breath.

"Don't play dumb with me." He said as he stepped farther into her room his eyes narrow.

"Wha-what are you talkin' 'bout, love?" She asked shakily. He didn't respond but stepped so he was but six inches from his Mrs. Lovett. She glanced at his hand and saw the blade with in his nimble fingers. She swallowed hard and clutched her throat. He lifted the razor then thrust it into the plum backing of the chair. Mrs. Lovett jumped slightly as the razor broke the threads and was caught off guard as his hands suddenly found their way to her neck and his lips found hers. Her eyes were wide with surprise but fluttered shut after only a second of Mr. Todd's luscious kiss.

After a few seconds he pulled away and let his hands fall to his side. She stood in shock. "Now that, is the young Mrs. Lovett I've wanted to see all this time." He stated evenly. She looked into his eyes and saw not the dark brooding eyes, but the young almost cloudless ones of a younger Mr. Todd. Mr. Barker perhaps.

He took her shoulders and turned her to face her mirror. There, she saw herself as she'd been looking to see earlier. This time, her lips were rosy and her eyes happy. "Ye found me, dearest." She whispered in astonishment. She turned around but he had walked away from her now. He stood in her door way, his lips in a shape she took to be a smile. "I hear you…and I care about you too, Mrs. Lovett. Don't you worry my pet." He said evenly, nearly happily.

"You … You did?" She asked, with her teeth grit.

He nodded before mouthing the words he still could not say aloud. "I love you." And he walked away, still dripping.

With a wide grin she sat down at the chair at her vanity. "Smashing…" she whispered. He didn't have to say the words for her to simply realize it was all worth it. It wasn't the life she remembered, but it was the life meant for her.

She leaned back before letting out a short squeal. Turning around she found the razor in her chair. Pulling it out, she admired it. She looked at her reflection in the shiny blade. She looked happier within this reflective surface than she ever looked within that mirror.

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This was my first Sweeney Todd fiction. Hope you enjoyed. Now, review loves; if you will. Thank you in advance.