Gaaah! Please don't kill me for not updating my story, and for the short chapter. I really do try to squeeze updating in my schedule, but I'm very busy. I hope you all have not forgotten about my story. :(

Thank you for the reviewers! Love you guys. :")

Anyway, here's the new chapter. :))))


The day has been really slow. Mrs. Lovett, who is seated at one of the benches in her shop, is bored out of her wits. With her chin placed above her open palm, she stares outside, watching as the people go about their businesses. It's funny how they all look so serious and busy- even the children! It seems like they all could use break. If only she can offer her time to them, she will; for today, she has plenty. Having no customers, she is not baking and all; therefore, she is stuck with doing nothing.

Her mind drifts to the man upstairs. If just right now, she is losing her mind from being bored, she wonders how Mr. Todd can do it. He paces all day and all night, and that's what he only do every day. Well, yes, he is still shaving customers, but that doesn't take up a lot of time.

Speaking of, she might as well check up on him. She has not seen him all afternoon. Maybe if he is not busy, she can coerce him in going to the park with her. For once, the sun is up and brightly shining, a rare occurrence in London. So, better take advantage of it.

It surprises her how she actually likes the company of the barber, now. She has grown tired of making an effort of talking to him, ages ago. But, he seems to be listening to her now, and even responding- though with one or two words only.

He has changed a lot, in her observation. He is less hostile now; he does not throw rages everyday, anymore. The only time she sees him angry is when he is particularly in a really bad mood, and when he will cross paths with Richard. He always threatens the man whenever he sees him, although Richard is not doing anything to him. She does not know why Mr. Todd hates Richard so much.

Also, Mrs. Lovett notices how the barber is in a good shape. Compared to when she first saw him, when he was robbing Richard, he looks fairly better now. He has meat in his bones; his collarbones do not sharply protrude any longer. His face is not pale anymore; the rosy tint in his cheeks proves it. Although the dark rims under his eyes remain prominent; sleeping still is hard for him, she guesses.

Standing up from her seat, she stretches her arms upwards and bends back a little, yawning. Not having works to do is quite tiring, too. Going towards the entrance of her shop, she opens the door and steps outside. Fresh breeze of air attacks her instantly; she takes a deep breath and sighs loudly. What a lovely, yet boring day!

She slightly lifts the two sides of her dress, as she ascends the stairs towards the barbershop; she is careful not to trip. When she reaches the landing of the chair, she knocks on the door of Mr. Todd, waiting for a response. Hearing a grunt coming from the inside, she lets herself in.

The barber is holding the photograph of his beloved Lucy and Johanna. He is staring at it, not minding the presence of the baker. Upon seeing this, Mrs. Lovett feels a pang in her heart; she blames it on the pity that she feels for the barber. Is it really out of pity, or something else? She does not know.

She is about to turn away and head down again; it seems like she has disturbed the barber from his moment with his 'family'. But, Mr. Todd's voice stops her.

"Mrs. Lovett." he calls, sounding lost and forlorn.

The baker turns around to face the barber. She ambles towards him, cautiously. She is trying to preserve the silence, for she knows Mr. Todd needs it now. She stands behind him, resting her hand at the back of the barber chair. She does not say anything, waiting for the man to speak up.

"Can you… tell me about them?" his voice is barely a whisper when he has spoken. If not for the quietness in the room, Mrs. Lovett would not be able to hear him.

Mrs. Lovett leans forward; her face almost touches with that of the barber. She looks at the picture in front of her, noting the big resemblance between the mother and daughter. She asks Mr. Todd, as she stares at it. "What do you want to know?"

If not for the photograph, she wonders if he will still be able to conjure in his mind, the image of his wife. Looking at him, it seems like the photo is the only thing that reminds the barber of his wife. Does he even remember the voice of Lucy?

Mr. Todd looks up just in time as Mrs. Lovett is pulling away. If she remained in her position just a second ago, hers and the barber's lips would have touched.

"What happened… when I left?" he answers. Mrs. Lovett can hear and feel the pain in his voice. It has been several years ago, and yet, he has not moved on. Just like her all those years ago. But finally she is over him.

Looking around, searching for something she can sit on, she finds nothing. Knowing the conversation will take long, she invites Mr. Todd downstairs, in her shop. There, they both will be comfortable- plenty of chairs to sit on. They can have some tea, too. "Come, dear. Let's go in my parlor; we'll talk there."

To her surprise, the barber agrees instantly. The glaring contest that she is expecting- and prepared for, did not come. Mr. Todd just walks over the door, opening it. He gestures for her to exit first before he does. Another shock! Since when did he start being gentleman?

Marching outside the barbershop, Mrs. Lovett waits for Mr. Todd to close the door before she descends the stairs. It seems surreal; she and the barber are going in her place to talk- to talk! It's either he- or she, is going bonkers.

Going inside her house, the barber immediately heads straight to the parlour. Meanwhile, instead of following, she goes to the kitchen to prepare tea. When she is done, she heads over to the living room. She places the drinks in her coffee table and settles beside Mr. Todd.

"Alright, where do I start, eh?" she asks herself; she really does not know what to tell the barber. Everything in the Barkers went tragic after he was taken away. There is no good thing to say. Unless the man wants to hear of how his wife was courted by Turpin.

"Did you know, Mr. T, I had Joanna until she was at the age of three?" She tells the barber, who looks surprised. She just chuckles at him then proceeds to continue her story.

"Yes. A stubborn little girl, she was. She would always run around my shop, breaking things in her way. And when I'd scold her, she would look at me with the most pitiful eyes- she knew I can never resist that look."

Mrs. Lovett remembers how she spoilt little Joanna. She gave her everything she wants, because she is the daughter she never had; also, it's because she was Benjamin's. In a way, her love for him extended to his child.

"She was very much like you. She would always play with my hair, and pretend to cut them. She said she wanted to be a barber, for the girls. Whenever I see her, she reminded me of you. You two got the same eyes..."

Mrs. Lovett looks up, meeting the barber's gaze. She does know if it is possible, but she is sure his eyes changed color. Before they are brown, now they are as black as charcoal. They don't hold that sparkle and warmth anymore. It is already replaced with a cold stare, like that of the devil. In a whisper, she adds "… but not anymore, no."

The baker shakes her head, breaking out of the trance. She takes a sip of her tea and goes on. "She loved the color pink. Every time I would buy her a new dress, she would always insist that it be pink. She was a true lady."

"She knew both of her parents. I would always show her your pictures, and tell her that they are her mother and father. You know what? She would always wish that she would see you and Lucy. She loved you very much, though she doesn't know you."

Mrs. Lovett's happy tone turns grim. Her expression morphs into anger as she tells her next story. "I still remember from when she was taken away from me. It was her birthday that day. We went to the park and to the market; I bought her a new toy. When we came home, I showed her the surprise cake that I made for her. We were both very happy as we ate."

Tears are starting to well in the baker's eyes. She tops for a while, closing her eyes. It still is hard for her to talk about the day when- what she treated her daughter- was taken. "Then… then suddenly there were constables in my shop. They were tearing the place apart, so I stopped them- little Jo, behind me. They only stopped when they saw her. Without saying anything, they took her. I wasn't able to protect her, I was too weak! and her screams, oh god her screams!"

By now, Mrs. Lovett is already crying. She can no longer stop the tears from falling. When Joanna was taken, she thought about ending her life. Since all her loved ones are taken away from her, there was no more point in living. But, her hope was more powerful. Every day, she waited for the day that they will bring her back; that Benjamin will escape in prison and go home.

Every day for her felt like a losing battle. The people the gives color to her life are suddenly gone. Her reasons for living are taken away from, just like that. That what they took from her was not really hers. It was like fate allowed her to borrow Joanna and Benjamin for a while, and then took them back when she reached her happiness. It was fate, saying 'You don't deserve them.'

She is startled when she feels the barber grasp her shoulder. She looks at him, not noticing that, amidst of her getting lost in the past, he has moved closer to her. She nods at him and smiling a little. "Sorry, dear. I got lost there for a while."

"Thank you." she whips her head so fast that she thinks she breaks it. Did she hear what she just heard? Thank you, from Mr. Todd? She does not know if she is only imagining it, or not. For when she looks at him, the barber is just staring off into space, not looking at her.

With nothing to say, for the first time, she just allows her thoughts swallow her. Now that she is reminded of dear Joanna, she welcomes her stored memories from the past, involving the girl. It has been a really long time since she has thought of her. She doesn't really much like remembering her, for it only causes her distress. She still loves the girl, after all. She is still her little Jo.

Mr. Todd breaks the silence. He places his hand on the baker's thigh- an innocent gesture, then says. "We'll get her back."

She wants to believe him, she really does, but, she can't. She's afraid; afraid that she will be hoping again and again for nothing. She does not want to be stuck with that. She has already accepted the fact that the girl is not hers, it's better to leave it that way.

But, does she really want to give up that easily? Even though it took her fifteen years, at least Benjamin came back. So maybe, just maybe, in a few years, Joanna will, too. Besides, she's got nothing left to lose.

"How do we do that, eh?" she asks in curiosity. She hopes that whatever the barber is planning, it does not involve killing. If it does, then she is out.

Mr. Todd, in response, just smirks. "We'll think of something."


I did not plan this chapter to turn out this way. I really have another idea in mind, but did not know what happened to it as I was writing. Maybe my dog ate it? xD

Leave me a review :))))