Chapter Eight- Mr. Barker the Baker
When Sweeney woke he wasn't surprised to find himself in Nellie's home; in fact, he welcomed it. He woke thinking of all the things Nellie had taught him the night before and all the things he looked forward to learning in the days ahead. He must've woken early though because he could smell no pies in the air surrounding him; this is what he assumed, though instead of walking out to a dimly lit sky and an empty pie shop he found a sickly baker in its place.
Nellie's eyes drooped and her demeanor was that of a person on death row. She greeted Sweeney with a slight wave of the hand and a horrifying cough; Sweeney slowly walked to the woman and stood across from her spot at the counter before the oven. "You're ill." Sweeney sated simply. "Thanks, Love. I hadn't noticed." Nellie sniffled in and tried to roll the aches out of her shoulders. "I'll remember a coat next time we're in the snow." Nellie sneezed.
Sweeney had forgotten about that night, he had to get the memory out of his head. Sweeney felt as if he was cheating on his dead wife; the wife he loved with so much of his heart that it consumed every moment of his everyday. He was irritated by Nellie's nonchalant way of bringing up moments that he didn't care to remember, but his irritated feeling quickly subsided as he remembered Nellie's current condition.
"Don't look so worried, Love." Nellie tried to smile, "Just a little cold, it is." Nellie walked to the hall door that separated her home from her shop and turned to Sweeney. "Remember that night in the cellar?" Nellie leaned against the door. "Yes." Sweeney nodded. "Remember that cooking that we never got around to doing?" Sweeney nodded again. "That'll have to be your job for today." Nellie turned around and tried to walk out the door, but was stopped by a less than gentle grab of the wrist.
"No." Sweeney mumbled. "I can't." Nellie turned around and pouted. Sweeney's expression showed no difference, though the pout was one of Nellie's best. "At least come along with me." Sweeney begged. Nellie rolled her eyes and walked back to the small kitchen; she made Sweeney and herself tea and put on a modest winter coat before leaving to the cellar with her barber turned baker.
"You know," Nellie began "you have done this before." Sweeney raised his brow as if he was asking a question. Nellie began her tale as Sweeney let himself remember something he'd repressed.
Nellie and Benjamin laughed as they rolled out dough for pies. Lucy was gone on a trip to visit her parents and a distraught Benjamin sought entertainment for the two weeks she would be gone. He had found his other half for the time being in the cellar partially underneath his barber shop and home. Nellie had been a close friend of his since he first moved in with his beautiful wife, Lucy.
The two enjoyed many of the same activities such as baking; they would often try new recipes that Benjamin would bring home to his much-loved wife. Nellie always felt a slight jealousy when he would leave, but she enjoyed the time she got to spend baking with him. This time it was different, though. Because of Lucy's absence the two got to spend more time together than usual.
"Nellie," Benjamin pointed at Nellie's apron, "you have a little something there." While Nellie was looking down, Benjamin clapped a small teaspoon of flour onto the apron. "Oh no, you don't!" Nellie Laughed and clapped some flour onto Benjamin's shirt. The two chortled while returning to their separate stations.
"Nellie, this is splendid." Benjamin smiled at the flour-covered girl to his left and went back to kneading dough.
Sweeney let out a meager gasp, he remembered. "Yes." He pushed open the cellar door and hastily walked to the counter in Nellie's story, "I stood here." He stood in the correct spot and Nellie gave him a nod. "Can I go to bed now?" Nellie stood huddled in her snug coat by the exit.
He shook his head, "Tell me more." He half commanded, half asked. She coughed and sipped at the hot tea in her possession. "Ah, you know I can't say no to you." She was right, Sweeney couldn't remember a time she's turned him down flat out. Though, he also couldn't remember a lot of things that didn't regard his wife and daughter.
Nellie set up camp in a cozy spot near the oven, she flashed back to when the flames licking at the walls around her were the suppliers of a pitiless idea to rid of her fears. She shot down the memory so fast that the barber standing a mere ten feet away from her would be proud. There was something so enlivening about the poise of Sweeney Todd as he sliced away at the citizen in front of him; she was standing behind him and therefore couldn't see his expressions as he worked, yet there was something to the simple way he stood that made Nellie think he was enjoying his current employment.
Nellie began to tell another story of Sweeney's prior life.
Benjamin sat on the floor with Lucy and Johanna; He found it difficult to choose which one to hold in his arms as they smiled matching smiles. It was Johanna's turn to be held by her father and Benjamin took her in with plenteous gratitude. They heard a faint knock on the door and Lucy stood to answer it; a cozy Mrs. Lovett stood bearing gifts for her tenants. "Seeing as it's winter and all, I thought I'd bring you two some warm cocoa." She held out the tray that the toasty drink was kept on.
The three adults clanked their glasses in cheers and drank to good health and better business. "You two keep it so nice and peaceful up here." Mrs. Lovett grinned though her heart ached at seeing the happy family without her in it. "We do our best for Johanna." Benjamin looked at the bundle in his arms and his face lit up with and effervescent glow.
With every glow the couple shared, Mrs. Lovett's heart was chipped at. She knew her heart couldn't withstand too much chiseling in one night so Mrs. Lovett excused herself.
Sweeney turned and faced Nellie, "What's the importance of this story, Nellie?" Nellie met his eyes and thought for a moment. "Is that why you're so often sitting on the floor?" she kept his gaze for a while longer before he turned around back to his work. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Nellie stood and walked to the door, "I think you'll do fine here all by yourself." She pulled the door open with a large screech of the hinges and closed it with the bang of the metals.
Look, it's a chapter. I used to think writing flashbacks was only for writers who were to lazy to actually write a story line in present tense, I'm absolutely positive now. I think the flashbacks will pay off in the long run, but for now they're just an excuse to be lazy. School is a real pain in the neck at times. It'll be another thing that will help my future, but for now I don't get to be lazy/write as often.
The other note: I suppose it's no longer a sporadic beforehand note because I've done it before, but that's still what I'll be calling it.
A Sporadic Beforehand Note: Today I'll be posting only half of a chapter. This is the last night I'll be able to post a back-to-back night chapter (Except maybe tomorrow, but don't count on it.) I'm having a slight schedule change so I might have to write half a chapter a night. All in all, the chapters will be less frequent, but most likely longer. I thought I'd post this half chapter today so I could spread the news a bit. Please don't hate me. Also please review.
