Mallory's Arrival
So sorry this chapter took so long to get out, the family computer had some problems and we hand to give it to a friend to fix. No, I don't have a laptop and yes that stinks. Even with being laptop and computer deprived though, I managed to get this up. People have to see all of the Gmail I've been getting and haven't been able to respond to, because the school computers black the sites, ha ha ha. Anyway, the chapter's out now, finally. And I hope you all like it.
Nellie ran around the lower part of the apartment cleaning up everything that seemed out of place. As much as she remembered, her sister had never been a very neat person, but she didn't want any fights to break out over anything. If Sweeney was right and he only wanted to patch things up, Nellie wanted things to look as neat as possible for her older sister's visit. Sweeney came downstairs for some gin when he noticed how neat everything was. "Wow, it's very neat in here Mrs. Lovett." She turned around to face him and shot him an accusing look. "I mean, it does usually look pretty neat. It just looks, very neat this time."
She smiled broadly and nodded. "It does, I just want it to look nice for Mallory. You don't know how our fights can begin; we can start a fight over even the smallest things." Sweeney cringed, Benjamin had a brother and while they did fight, they got along better than Mrs. Lovett and her sister. Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door. "Okay Mr. T, she's here. Let the troubles begin." Toby got to the door before anyone and opened the door.
There stood a rather chunky, curly haired brunette (hair a bit lighter than Nellie's) with grey eyes. She looked down at Toby. "Why 'ello there, would you know where I can find Mrs. Lovett." Toby called for Mrs. Lovett and she came to the door. As soon as she saw the dark red/brown curls her smile widened, she ran forward and pulled Nellie into a tight hold. "Oh Nellie, it's so good to see you. I feel as if I hadn't seen you in ages, how's my little sister?"
Nellie smiled weakly and gasped for air. "Lory, I - can't - breathe." Mallory giggled and let go of her little sister. Sweeney walked into the shop and stood against the door frame with his arms crossed. This, was the cruel older sister that Nellie always fought with? This, the woman strangling the baker in a hug, was the one that made her feel miserable? Mallory looked over at the barber and put her hands on her hips. "And who is this Nellie? I never knew you got remarried."
Mrs. Lovett smiled and shook her head. "I'm not remarried Lor, this is the barber 'oo 'has the shop above mine, Mr. Sweeney Todd." Nellie walked with her sister over to Sweeney. "Mallory, this is Mr. T. Mr. T, this is me older sister Mallory. Or as you may know her, Mrs. Moo…"
Mallory whipped around, hitting the barber in the face with her hair. She gave her younger sister a long glare and yelled. "OH STOP IT NELLIE! Did you even read me letter, I wanna stop this, and I want us to be friends again. I'm sorry I got mummy's ol' pie shop and you didn't. It was just the way it turned out sis."
Mrs. Lovett laughed sarcastically. "No, I want you to stop it! Stop this nice girl act you're fakin'!" She put on a fake voice, clasped her hands together and brought them up to her cheek. Imitating her sister she said "'I want us to be friends again.' Please, we fought constantly! You were older but you know you were treated like the little princess while I was treated like the little working girl!" (Yeah, I know that A Little Princess wasn't around at this time, but the 'Little Princess' scenario could be true in reality). Nellie walked up to her sister with a hateful look in her eyes. "And anyway, I was the one who really got mum's shop; you took it away from me!"
Mallory hit her younger sister hard across the face and scowled. Sweeney ran behind Mrs. Lovett and pulled her away, just as she was about to attack Mallory. If she wasn't so furious with her older sister, Nellie was sure she would've loved having Sweeney's arms around her. "I'm sorry Mallory but can I talk to Mrs. Lovett, alone?" She nodded and Nellie looked up at him with an embarrassed smile on her face.
After blacking the door Sweeney started speaking. That's her, Mrs. Mooney, is your sister?!"
Nellie nodded her head and put her hands on her hips. "I told ya I 'ated her love. Ever since we were little girls it's been like this. If I got a toy, she just 'ad to get a nicer one. If I got an ice cream cone, she had to get a bigger one. If I ever got a boyfriend…"
Sweeney held up his hand to stop her. "I think I'm getting it pet. You're both older now though Mrs. Lovett. Don't you think you should listen to what your sister is saying and forget it al happened, that was when you two were younger." He knew he was coming off as kind, he knew he wasn't like that, he just didn't wan Mrs. Lovett to annoy him even more with these angry outbursts every time Mrs. Mooney did something that aggravated her.
Nellie looked up at him and sighed. "I could try, but she makes it so bloody 'ard. All that she was just telling you about her getting our mothers old pie shop for example, a lie. Mallory was a boy-crazy girl who hated working in the shop. The only time she ever showed interest in working was when some good looking boy would come in. Mum left the shop to me even though I was younger because she knew that I'd work 'arder than Mallory." She took a break from talking to kick her wardrobe door in frustration. "Then when she passed, Mallory completely changed. She married and soon the shop went from being called 'The Larson Sister's Pie Shop' to 'Mrs. Mooney's Pie Shop.' I asked her what was going to 'appen to our business." Uncontrollable tears began to fall down her cheeks. "She said, you can either deal wit' it, or get out. You got something that should have been mine and now I want it back!" Sweeney didn't know what to do about this woman who was crying her heart out, staining her pillow with her tears as she wept into it. On one hand, he didn't want to seem completely heartless, but on the other he didn't want to seem too willing to give up his not-all-too-caring disposition.
He simply sat next to her and patted her lightly on the back. "Mrs. Lovett, it's nothing to cry about. It was years ago, maybe it's time you both got over the past and started again."
Nellie looked up at him with a confused stare, her dark eye makeup running down her face. "This coming from the man who can't get over his wife's death. Even though that 'appened years ago, in the past? Maybe you should take your advice into account love."
Sweeney groaned and rose of off the baker's bed. "You seemed like you wanted my help and then you don't want it, fine then. I really don't know how you're supposed to deal with your sister. You might want to try something though my pet."
Mrs. Lovett nodded and got up. Sweeney was right, she had to do something. Otherwise she and her sister may never get along and it was always hard for Nellie to not get along with someone. It seemed like she got along with pretty much any person she met and if she didn't, she'd just avoid them. It was pretty hard to avoid her sister though, since they'd been together for so long. She was already business rivals with her sister, how would they ever get along? Why was her sister really there anyway? She wouldn't really be there to simply talk; there was always a hidden reason for everything with Mallory.
