The past few days had been without doubt the longest and tormenting days of Mrs. Lovett's life. If serving pies and taking care of Toby wasn't already enough! But now her mind was swarming with frantic thoughts of Mr. T, and if he was getting any better. Numerous times had she tried to visit the hospital and find out, but those silly little nurses wouldn't tell her a thing. Even customers commented lightly on how she was more dismal than usual, and that the atmosphere was a tad gloomier than before. Mrs. Lovett would simply smile sweetly and respond "Mus' be ya imag'nation, dearie," and then discreetly scowl behind their backs. What would they know about the distress she was going through, those unfeeling and pitiless louts?
Even Toby seemed miserable, which broke Mrs. Lovett's heart even more. It was as if the last tiny light in her bleak life was snuffed out. He strained to plaster a sad smile on his face whenever Mrs. Lovett was around, but out of the corner of her eyes she could see that smile sap away from his face like rain trickling down a window. She sighed to herself as she mercilessly pummeled the lumpy dough on the table. She swore to put an end to all this melancholy, starting with Toby.
It was nighttime when Mrs. Lovett slowly flipped the sign to 'closed'. The meat supply had run out (considering Mr. Todd wasn't around to refresh the supplies), so the store was forced to temporarily close. Mrs. Lovett couldn't help but secretly celebrate. She couldn't concentrate at all during the past week, her mind floating off somewhere else and her body only controlled by practiced routine. She dragged her feet to the parlor to find Toby curled up on a chair, his eyes lingering on the dancing flames. She approached him and sat down, stroking his fine hair.
"Toby, dear, wos' wrong?" she asked quietly. "You've been down all week, and it makes me 'eart break tha' you're not 'appy."
Toby quickly glanced up at her, his wide eyes glimmering in the firelight. "Mum..."
"Ya know you can tell me anythin', love," Mrs. Lovett crooned. Toby sighed, resting his head on Mrs. Lovett.
"S'not meself I'm worried abou'," Toby mumbled, his voice muffled. "But Mum...you've been un'appy ever since Mr. T wos sent t' the 'ospital...it jus' makes me sad that you're sad and I can't do nothin' bou' it."
"Oh dearie..." A pang of guilt struck Mrs. Lovett as she cradled the young boy. So it all came down to her? She was the one making the poor boy so miserable? She inwardly hated herself. "Don't be sad jus' because I'm sad! I'm jus'...worried, is all, abou' Mr. T and..." She sighed. What was there to say? She couldn't order Toby to stop worrying, because Mrs. Lovett had no control over his feelings. "I'm jus' scared tha' 'e won't ge' be'er."
"Do you trus' 'im t' get be'er?" asked Toby.
Mrs. Lovett didn't speak for a while. "I'm not sure," she admitted, absentmindedly rubbing Toby's back. "I'm not sure if I trus' 'im t' be 'ealthy again..." Mrs. Lovett wasn't sure if she could trust him at all with anything.
"I think tha' if you stop and wonder if you do trust in someone, you lost trust in 'em forever," Toby said.
"Where'd you 'ear tha'? Sounds like somethin' from a book," Mrs. Lovett said, astonished at the wise words tumbling out of the young lad's mouth.
"It is," admitted Toby. "I jus' twisted some words and quoted it t' impress you."
Mrs. Lovett chuckled and embraced Toby tighter. Such a sweet comfort he was, probably the only person around that cared about her opinion.
"'ow abou' this," she said, sitting straight. "We'll both stop bein' so depressin' and go out t' relax ourselves, aye? Ya know, walk around the town, buy ourselves some nice toffees, or some o' those treacle tarts you enjoy, all righ'?"
"All righ'," murmured Toby, his eyelids drooping with sleep. Mrs. Lovett smiled tenderly as she laid the exhausted boy into his bed and pulled a blanket over his small body. Toby was like her lifeline in this wretched world, when Mr. Todd wasn't around. She didn't want the poor soul to fade on her too.
"You all ready, Mum?" asked Toby, pulling a yarn hat over his head.
Mrs. Lovett smiled and nodded, wriggling her fingers through the lacy gloves. She double-checked her small purse (well, Pirelli's old purse, that is) for money before exiting the Pie Shoppe, hand in hand with little Toby.
The weather was friendlier today in London. The copper sun actually emitted warmth this time, sending a tingling jolt crawling up Mrs. Lovett's skin. London was bustling with so many people it was enough to fill the world. Toby's eyes were flooded with excitement as he obediently followed Mrs. Lovett through the exotic markets.
"Roses! Fresh roses! Only two blooms for a penny!"
"You need any milk today, mistress?"
"Ripe strawberries! Won't get them anywhere else for a lower price!"
"Don't listen t' 'em, Toby," Mrs. Lovett whispered to Toby as he gave a sideways glance at the strawberry man. "Strawberries aren't in season till a lot la'er. All 'e's got are shriveled li'le blobs."
Toby nodded solemnly as they ambled through the affable market. People greeted the baker and her assistant graciously and offered their various wares. Mrs. Lovett smiled politely and bade them farewell.
"Would ya like sumthin' t' eat, Toby?" she asked. "'ow abou' those mince pies?"
"No pies, thank you," Toby responded civilly. "No one makes be'er pies than you, Mum."
Mrs. Lovett felt her pasty cheeks blush and there was a spring in her every step. "Well then, 'ow abou' a tart? I 'eard the treacle tarts 'ere are delicious."
"I s'pose," Toby agreed, not fully knowing that a tart and a pie was pretty much the same thing. Mrs. Lovett quickly purchased a small box full of treacle tarts. Toby was astonished to discover that he was given all four treacle tarts, for the boy seldom saw even two breads together. In his gratitude, he used the two pennies he had to present Mrs. Lovett four roses. Mrs. Lovett felt her heart swell with joy as she let the silky petals tickle her nose. Never had anyone shown her this much gratitude before!
Unfortunately, good things never lasted long for Mrs. Lovett. Moments after Toby gave her the delicate flowers did a young messenger came scampering towards her. At first, Mrs. Lovett didn't realize he was coming for her until he came huffing before her. Mrs. Lovett felt her blissful spirit evaporate in thin air.
"Wos' wrong, dearie?" she asked the messenger, clutching the stems of her roses tightly.
"I'm from the 'ospital, ma'am, and they sent me 'ere t' fetch ya immediately!" the messenger answered. Mrs. Lovett's heart sank to the bottom of her shoes. What happened now? Was something wrong with Mr. Todd? Toby's eyes darted nervously from the messenger boy to her.
"Why do they want me?" she asked.
"I dunno, ma'am, they jus' said t' bring ya t' the 'ospital as fast as possible!" Impatience lined the boy's voice, and Mrs. Lovett knew that this was urgent. She bit her lip before handing Toby the flowers.
"Take these back 'ome and find a nice jar o' wa'er t' put them in, all righ'?" she asked softly. "Don't worry, love, I'll be back as soon as possible. We'll continue our trip la'er."
"S'all righ', Mum," Toby mumbled, shaking his head. "I 'ad fun today. You stay with Mr. T, 'e'll need you more. I'll be fine."
Mrs. Lovett's heart shattered. She opened her mouth to say anything to make the poor boy feel better, but nothing came out. She didn't even have the chance. THe messenger dragged Mrs. Lovett towards the hospital, leaving Toby alone in the market.
Toby said he quoted a book. I was influenced by one of the best books ever, La Sombra Del Viento (aka The Shadow of the Wind), where the main character quoted a writer saying "When you stop and think whether or not you love someone, you've stopped loving them forever." Of course, that story takes place in 1940s, so obviously that wouldn't work. So we're just gonna pretend another book said that. :)
Review and get a pie. If you don't review, a poor adorable boy gets whipped in the factory. Please, think of the children.
Menu: raspberry, blueberry, apple, peach, chocolate pudding, Oreo cream, lemon meringue, blackberry, strawberry, meat, rhubarb, mince, steak-and-kidney, custard, banana cream, cherry, quiche, pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, pudding, stargazy, shoofly, peanut butter, sugar, and key lime.
I added new flavors :D