Aw man guys, I meant to update this quick but…ugh…darned school. Anyway, Here it is, chapter 8!

Chapter 8 Birthday visit

" 'ere you are, my love." I placed Ben down in the booth in the pie shop and made my way over to the counter where I picked up a nice fresh meat pie that I had made that day just for him.

I picked up a fresh candle that I had just popped out of the box and placed it in the still warm pie. Then, I lit the candle and carried the pie over to Ben. I placed it on the table in front of him. " 'appy Birthday Benjamin!" I said with a smile. He didn't do anything but look at the meat pie and then at me. I pointed to the candle. "It's a candle, my dear, you're suppose to blow it out on your birthday." He looked back at the candle, his mouth hanging open in confusion. " 'ere," I leaned in and I blew out the candle. Ben gasped.

"See? You blow it out!" He looked back over at me, with his blank face. I nodded. "Yeah, I've never really understood it either. But you see my Mum, your Grandmum, use to do this every year at my birthday. She said that they do it in Germany and it symbolizes…"

I looked back at the boy who was just blankly staring at me as if saying, "Mum, you're barking mad," I smiled and nodded.

"Yes, well. I never understood most of Mum's traditions either." I stood up and took the candle out of the cake to go put it back in the box I got it from on the counter. "She always did it for me though. And I never figured I'd ever get to do it for anyone but meself," I sighed, "Well, at least you've had the experience."

I saw Ben reach for a handful of the meat pie. "Oh, no no no," I told him, rushing around the corner and pulling the plate out from in front of him. "Trust me deary, you do not want to eat that." He frowned when I snatched the pie away and his big eyes grew heavy with tears. I threw the pie in the trash can. "It's alwright my love. We'll go get you something special for your day," I walked across the room and opened up my little coin purse, only to be surprised to find that it was empty. I frowned.

Well, I guess nothing special then.

I turned back to Ben. "Never mind that. We've got everythin' for a nice time here. Now don' we?"

I walked over to Ben and picked him up. For being a year old, he was still very small. I sat in the booth with him in my arms and bounced him on my knee. He giggled his playful giggle and it made me smile too. Then, there was a knock at the door.

I knew who it was, even with all the shades drawn. Just to check, I peaked out the front shop window. Sure enough, there was the Judge, standing at my front door with a red roes. He hadn't given up since that day at the market. Ugh, he makes me sick.

Ben yawned. "Tiered? I'll just put you down for a nap then," I walked him to the back bedroom and set him down in his small crib. "There you are. Nice and cozy," I made sure he was asleep, which he tends to do fast anyway, before going back out to the pie shop.

The knocking at the door didn't cease. "Leave us alone! Not interested!" I shouted. Though, that wasn't very smart; now he knew I was home.

"Eleanor? I…" He started.

"I at no time ever gave you permission to call me by me first name, thank you very much!" I shouted back at him, grateful that Ben was a heavy sleeper.

"Mrs. Lovett…" He tried again but I cut him off.

"Nope!" I grabbed a rolling pin and proceeded to knock back at him on the door. Hopefully hard enough that if he was leaning his ear on the door like I assumed he was it rattled him a little bit.

"Mrs. Lovett! The flower is not for you! It's for Benjamin. Isn't today his birthday?" The fact that he knew what day his birthday was sent a chill down my back. How does he know these things?

"Don' care!" I pounded harder on the door, still not daring to open it up.

"So this is what you did to poor Lucy, eh? Got inside her life? Then got inside her 'ead? Well, not me. Now leave before I actually come out there and bang on your 'ead with this rollin' pin!" I pounded on the door one last time, hoping he got the point, and not caring about the dents I was leaving. It was silent and after a minute or two went by; I sat down in the booth and prayed that he was gone.

I wasn't about to open the door just yet. Just because he wasn't at the door anymore doesn't mean he's not just across the street.

Sitting there, the thought hit me suddenly and I was flooded with guilt.

So the bloody ole' Judge got your son something for his birthday and you didn't?

It was true. I hadn't been able to purchase Ben even a flower. We just couldn't afford it.

But that's not fair to the child! I shouldn't take out on him what we don't have!

I felt so awful.

I'm sorry Ben. I hope when you're older you'll understand.

I glanced out the window and concluded that the Judge was gone. But I could still barely see that there was still something on the front steps. I unlocked and opened the door. On the step was a single rose; which I kicked across the street knowing for a fact that the rose was not for Ben. But it's what was under the roes that surprised me. Five pennies laid on the step. I picked them up and flipped them around between my fingers. "Well," I sighed. "Waste not want not, as my mum use to always say," I smiled and tried my best to forget the fact that the coins were from the Judge as I closed and locked the door again.

Better go wake Ben up. We can go get something special now.

Thank you all my loves for reading!

This Chapter comes with another poster! So check that out on my profile!