Splintered Dreams Chapter 6
By: Sweeneytodgirl58
Thank you for the reviews. Sorry that I didn't update quicker. By the end of the year, everything tends to get crazy at school with tests! Anyhow, here is chapter 6! (I do not own anything.)
Early in the morning, Mr. Todd awoke. At first, he didn't realize where he was. His thoughts were hazy, still twisted up in dreams and nightmares. Sweeney rubbed what little sleep he had left, and gazed around the strange room he was in. At that instant, his memory alleviated back into his his brain. Mrs. Lovett had played the piano for him, to try to get him to relax. Clearly, she had succeeded, for he had fallen asleep in the living room. Mr. Todd got up from the modest couch that he had established in, and stretched until he heard a satisfying pop. His body still ached from all the work he had completed yesterday, but it was not as detrimental as the day before. As he untightened his muscles, Sweeney's eyes detected the device that Mrs. Lovett had performed on. Though he had been on the verge of unconsciousness, Sweeney could still remember Mrs. Lovett's playing. Eleanor had played so flourishingly, as if she were a professional pianist. The way that her fingers traced the numerous keys had startled him. Mr. Todd shook his head and made his way into the kitchen. He had never known of her artistic skills, and he speculated as to what else his proprietor could do. While he was placing the breakfast onto the tray, he realized something. How had Mrs. Lovett gotten back to her room last night? He knew for a fact that he had not aided her, for he was too busy dozing off.
'She must have crawled back to her room,' he thought, all the while gritting his teeth.
Why couldn't the damn woman understand that she wasn't in any condition to be prancing around? When Mr. Todd was done with arranging Mrs. Lovett's morning meal, he headed out of the kitchen; trajectoring his way to Eleanor's room. He was going to have a talk with Mrs. Lovett. He was tired of reminding her of her disability, and he couldn't imagine the pain she had gone through while making her way back to her room. Oh yes, they were going to have a talk indeed. Mr. Todd unbolted the wooden door, and entered the bedchamber. He noticed Mrs. Lovett sitting up; she was reading the novel he had loaned her. He made his way to her side and placed the tray with food onto the very-well known nightstand. looked up from her book and gave him a gentle smile. She quickly marked the page she was currently on and set the paperback novel aside of her person.
"Mornin', love.", she greeted, all the while grabbing the bowl of warm cereal that had been on the silver tray. Sweeney simply nodded. He wanted to wait for her to get some food into her stomach before he ambushed her.
Eleanor placed a spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth and swallowed. She pondered as to why Mr. Todd was silent all of a sudden. He seemed displeased. Irritation clearly written on his handsome face. Eleanor briskly reminiscenced back onto earlier events. She wondered if she had done anything wrong. It didn't seem like she had, for she couldn't recall a thing.
'Could it be that 'e found out bout' Lucy!?", Mrs. Lovett thought, alarmed. No, that couldn't be it. If he had found out, she doubted he would have brought her breakfast. Then what was wrong with him? Mrs. Lovett continued to eat, not paying any attention to the gruel that she placed into her mouth. She was too busy contemplating on what was bothering the man that she loved. After a few moments of pondering, and glancing at Sweeney from the corner of her eyes, Eleanor was finished. She rested the now empty bowl back on the tray, and glanced up at Mr. Todd.
was about to mouth her mental acquisitiveness, when Mr. Todd said in a soft, quiet voice, "Mrs. Lovett, how did you get to your room last night?"
Eleanor looked up at him startled. She was not expecting that. Eleanor fidgeted internally, but managed to say, "Um, wot' do ya mean, Mr. T?" Mrs. Lovett grasped the novel she had been reading earlier and started tracing the words on the front cover. Not meeting the barber's eyes.
Mr. Todd grimaced. So he had been right. He moved closer to the baker, keeping his coal-like eyes at the woman infront of him. After he was only a foot away from Eleanor, he repeated his earlier question. "How did you get to your room last night, Mrs. Lovett?", his voice sounding a bit more severe. Mrs. Lovett felt his hard eyes on her. Eleanor bit her lip anxiously, then muttered. "I, um, I crowled'." She met his irrational glare for an instant, then looked away. Why did he care how she got to her bedroom, anyway? Last time she checked, it was her bloody' life and she could do whatever she pleased with it. If she wanted to squirm on the timbered floor at the stake of relaxing him, then she was welcomed to do so! Mr. Todd tried to compose himself. He knew Eleanor had dragged herself, but it infuriated him more when she confirmed it. He gave out a frustrated sigh and glared at the red-headed baker.
"Eleanor.", he practically barked. Mrs. Lovett turned her eyes at him in surprise. It had been years since he had called her by her first name. In a way, it brought her comfort that he had called her by her proper name. But the tone of his voice made half of her being flinch. Mrs. Lovett intended to look away from him once more, but his gaze paralyzed her. As if he had hypnotized her into not looking away. Sweeney, now satisfied that he had her range of view, took a couple of more steps so that he was only six inches away from her.
"How am I going to make you comprehend, that you are in no aspect whatsoever to be lollygagging? Do you enjoy establishing pain on yourself? Do you not realize, that your leg will not heal properly if you keep prancing around in the state that you are in?", he could she be so insipid? He was positive that her moranic actions were going to be the death of him.
Eleanor snapped out of her mesmerized state and glared at him. "An why do ya care on wot I do?, she snapped at him. If it was a fight he wanted, then it was a fight that he was going to get. "I...I.", Mr. Todd froze imediately. He was speechless. Why did he care as to what his landlady did? If she wanted to remain a cripple for the rest of her life, then why should he be bothered? Sweeney browsed through all the possabilities as to why he would burden himself in aiding his landlady. Eleanor eyed him carefully, wondering what his thoughts were. She had never witnessed Mr. Todd at loss of words before. It amused her. After a few moments of quarreling with himself, Sweeney composed himself. Now, knowing full well as to why he cared. Sweeney walked toward Eleanor, and took a seat at the edge of her bed. He sighed.
"I care of your well being because you are a friend, Mrs. Lovett. You have done many things for me, both in the past and in the present, and I only wish to repay the favor.", he answered, truthfully. His voice had softened to a more quiet tone.
It was true. The reason he cared soo much for Eleanor, was because he had already endowed on her as an acquaintance. Eleanor felt tiny butterflies inside her stomach. Mr. Todd had admitted she was more that just , his landlady. She was Eleanor, his friend. Without thinking about what she was doing, Mrs. Lovett reached for Mr. Todd's hand. She embraced his hand, in her own pallid one. He surprised her greatly when he didn't pull away. Instead, he tightened his grip. Eleanor looked up at her lesee's obsidian eyes, and smiled. How many nights she had dreamed to hold his hand like she was doing at that precise moment; that she would look at his eyes and he would see her, and not yellow hair.
"Thank you, Sweeney.", Eleanor said, still smiling. gave her a modest smile and felt her heart flutter. It was the first time Sweeney Todd had smiled at her. At that instant, he looked different than from the man that she had first met at her shop. He seemed less stressed, more at ease. It pained Mrs. Lovett greatly when Mr. Todd released her hand. She had to force herself not to reach out and take it once more. They both sat in silence for a few moments. Enjoying each other's company, when Eleanor's door opened. Toby closed the door behind him and went to Mrs. Lovett's side. "Hi mum'. How ya' feelin'?, he asked, concerned. Mrs. Lovett grinned and mussed her son's brown hair. "I'm feelin' good. How bout' you?", she asked. Sweeney got up from his seat and headed out the door. He had to work and he also didn't want to interrupt the mother-son bond. But before he took his exit, he glanced at Eleanor one last time. "Please, Mrs. Lovett, tend to be more careful."
Eleanor beamed at him. "Sure thing, dearie."
Night had finally arrived, and Mr. Todd was exhausted. He had already given Mrs. Lovett her dinner and her medicine, so there was nothing else to do but rest. As he changed into his nightwear, Mr. Todd thought back onto the whole day. He became aware that throughout the whole day, he had not deliberated on his late wife. He was shocked, and yet he wasn't angry at himself. Sweeney pondered this for awhile. Mr. Todd was soo lost in thought that he did not notice as to when he arrived at bed. He laid there, quietly as seconds passed. He wondered briefly as to why he wasn't hating himself. It wasn't till he closed his eyes, that he realized why he wasn't loathing himself. His Lucy was gone and no amount of mourning was going to change that. As much as it pained him to aknowledge this, he knew there was nothing to do. Eleanor had been right, he could no longer picture the face of his wife. He did not remember what books she used to read, nor did he recall what things she liked or disliked. The only thing he was positive of, was that she had had yellow hair. And this was because in all the hellish days that he had spent in Australia, he would repeat to himself, 'she had yellow hair.' He loved his past wife, and she would always remain in his heart. He had to let her go. But even so, he was still thirsty for revenge. He would slaughter both the beadle and the judge to avenge his beautiful Lucy, then he would continue to live his life. That is what his Lucy would have wanted, to continue his life. He knew he could not continue life like he had before, but he could manage. Mr. Todd closed his eyes once more, and shifted to a comfortble position.
As he felt himself lose consiousness, he whispered, "Goodbye, Lucy."