A/n: ARRRGGH!! I needed a huge break from my jazz band audition piece. Believe me, it's hard. I can play it fine…without the CD. When you add the CD I get all lost. And I HAVE to audition with the CD. ARRRGGH!!
To the four of you who reviewed, thank you. To the thirty-three others who read but didn't review, WHY NOT? If you're still reading this by the fifth chapter, you're pretty much a regular reader. And guess what. I'd love to hear what you think!
Since no one guessed who the three sisters represented, I'll tell you. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne BRONTE! Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre, Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights, and Anne Bronte wrote Agnes Grey.
Oh and Saloma, I have plans for a certain gossipy, pompous throat. You'll seeeee! In a few chapters.
Disclaimer: I own Lindsey Lovett (well, now she's Lindsey Todd), Dahlia, Anne, Emily, and Charlotte Brady, but not Sweeney. Song belongs to Natalie Grant.
Chapter Six
"Well," Lindsey said, looking at Anne, "I think we've put this off long enough. Sweeney's not gonna be happy with me for leavin' him with your mother and sisters so long."
"You're probably right," Anne said. "Here goes nothing." When the girls returned to the parlor, they returned to a cold silence. Sweeney and Dahlia were no longer staring each other down, no; they were now glaring each other down.
"Ah, finally. I was beginning to wonder what happened to you girls," Dahlia said impatiently.
Lindsey set the tray of tea and scones down on the small table she'd set in the middle of the room, then took a seat next to her husband. "What happened?" she whispered so only he could hear her.
"Later," he whispered back.
"So, Lindsey," Dahlia said, beginning her interrogation, "Mr. Todd tells me you've only known each other a few months, is that correct?"
Lindsey forced a small smile. "Yes ma'am," she said, placing a hand on top of Sweeney's to steady him. He did not look happy at all.
"Now, pardon me if I seem too bold, but do you think your mother would have approved?"
Lindsey bit back the snappy retort she had ready for Dahlia and took her own advice. Be civil, she told herself. She wasn't entirely sure of what to say, but Sweeney jumped in. "Actually, Mrs. Brady, Mrs. Lovett knew we were to wed before her death."
Dahlia gave a small, mirthless laugh. "I'm sorry, Mr. Todd, but I do believe I was talking to Lindsey."
Sweeney's eyebrows shot up in shock at what the woman had just said to him, and Lindsey slipped her fingers between his and squeezed his hand, reminding him to keep his temper in check. "It doesn't really matter who answered Mrs. Brady, I would've said the same thing."
"Maybe so, but I just hate it when husbands think they have to answer for their wives. It's just so barbaric that they think we don't have brains," she shot back with a glare in Sweeney's direction. Sweeney shoved a scone in his mouth to shut himself up. Anne looked thoroughly embarrassed by her mother. The twins looked as if unsure whether they were amused or horrified. "So," Dahlia continued, "Do the two of you plan on having children any time soon?"
Sweeney choked on his scone, and crumbs went flying from his mouth. Anne buried her face in her hands. The twins pale cheeks went red. Lindsey was the only one composed enough to respond, "Not quite yet no."
"And, may I ask why not? Mr. Todd this question is directed at you, just so you know."
When he cleared his throat of the scone debris, he responded, "There's too much to do with the shop for us to have children. And Lindsey is still a little young."
"Really?" Dahlia said, then muttered, "I didn't think age mattered to you at all."
"Mother!" Anne exclaimed.
"Oh it's not like they don't know Anne. You don't think people aren't talking? You're more than twice Lindsey's age, I don't know who you think you are marrying a girl as young as her, but people are talking. You can be sure of that!"
Lindsey grabbed Sweeney's arm as he began to rise angrily. "Mother will you leave him alone?" Anne shrieked.
"Honestly mother!" Emily said, backing up her sister.
"Mother, honestly!" Charlotte finished.
There was a very tense silence that followed with everyone but Sweeney glaring at Dahlia. "Mother, don't you have an appointment at the tailors?" Emily asked. Lindsey mouthed her a thank you. Emily smiled a mouthed, I'm sorry.
Dahlia looked at her daughter. "I do believe you're right darling. We really must be going." Without another word, she swept from the room with the twins trailing. Charlotte and Emily gave Sweeney and Lindsey apologetic smiles. Anne stayed behind for a moment. "I'm so sorry Lindsey, Mr. Todd. She's usually not that bad. And of course people are talking, she started it all. I never should've let the twins get away with this. I'm so, so sorry!"
"It's not your fault Anne," Lindsey said hugging her. "Right Mr. Todd?"
"No. It's your fault," he muttered.
"I'd best be going. I'll see if I can talk to her. Goodbye."
What Dahlia Brady said may have been rude and it may have been uncalled for, but she was right. Everyone was talking. Lindsey figured that out serving the dinner rush. It was bad enough that everyone was staring. But the amount of customers they got was even worse. So many people had come by thanks to Dahlia Brady's gossip. Even Mrs. Mooney stopped by. Lindsey was about to serve her table, when she heard them talking. "…honestly I've always known it. Just look at the dresses her mother used to wear. That girl is bound to turn out just like her, just you wait." Lindsey banged the plates onto the table and the three women sitting there turned to look at her. "Oh Lindsey dear!" Mrs. Mooney said, trying to cover what she'd said. "How are you?"
"Don't play games with me. I heard what you said." Without another word Lindsey left, feeling hot tears fill her eyes. These people didn't know her! They didn't know who she really was! They didn't know how much pain she was in from losing her mother! And if it wasn't hard enough just getting through the day, telling people she died of pneumonia was even worse. Especially when she knew the truth. What right did they have to be talking about her? She felt so empty, so rejected. And this wasn't the first time gossip had been spread about the Lovett women. This wasn't the first time Lindsey'd felt like this. "Foolish heart looks like we're here again. Same old game of plastic smile, don't let anybody in. Hiding my heartache, will this glass house break? How much will they take before I'm empty? Do I let it show, does anybody know?"
"You alright?" Sweeney called down from the balcony.
Lindsey blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. "Um, yeah. I'm alright." She tried to fake a smile, but he didn't look convinced. "Um, would you mind finishing up with the customers here? There's only a little left to do, I have to go get some fresh air or something, get away from here."
"Sure," he said, still looking a bit concerned, but Lindsey left
before he could stop her. She glanced back adoringly at her husband.
He knew what she was going through; he knew how much pain she was in.
He saw who she truly was. She smiled and restarted her song. "But
you see the real me. Hiding in my skin, broken from within. Unveil me
completely. I'm loosening my grasp. There's no need to mask my
frailty, cause you see the real me. Painted on, life is behind a
mask. Self-inflicted circus clown, I'm tired of the song and dance.
Living a charade, always on parade, what a mess I've made of my
existence, but you love me even now. And still I see somehow, that
you see the real me.
Hiding in my skin, broken from within. Unveil
me completely. I'm loosening my grasp. There's no need to mask my
frailty, cause you see the real me. Wonderful, beautiful is what you
see when you look at me. You're turning the tattered fabric of my
life into
a perfect tapestry. I just wanna be me. But you see the
real me. Hiding in my skin, broken from within. Unveil me completely.
I'm loosening my grasp. There's no need to mask my frailty, cause you
see the real me. And you love me just as I am. Wonderful, beautiful
is what you see when you look at me."
Later that night Sweeney awoke to a thunderstorm raging outside the barber shop. He pulled himself out of bed to look at the storm outside the room. Rain pounded against the window panes, lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder shook the entire room. When he turned towards the door he saw a figure standing out on the balcony, face to the sky. He grudgingly went onto the balcony into the rain. "What are you doing out here Lindsey? In case you haven't noticed, it's pouring."
"I know," she responded. "I like the rain."
"You're going to get soaked out here!"
"That's kind of the point."
Sweeney sighed. The girl could be so bloody stubborn. "You should go back inside."
"No, I'm good. I really do like the rain."
"At least come into the my shop. You're going to catch pneumonia out here."
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew he'd said the wrong thing. Very slowly, Lindsey turned around, eyes narrowed, fixing him with a cold glare. "Lindsey, that's not what I meant. I didn't mean it like that…"
"You're unbelievable. We wouldn't even have to tell people she died of pneumonia if it wasn't for you." She turned on her heal, stalking back into the shop. Sweeney didn't even try to call after her. He knew it was no use. The damage was done.
Lindsey cried herself to sleep that night. This was the first time she'd cried over her mother. It was also the first time she'd fought with Mr. Todd. She couldn't stop crying. She awoke the next morning feeling more tired than she did the morning. But there was still work to be done, so she rolled out of bed. Sweeney didn't come out of his shop the entire morning. She busied herself, trying to forget their fight. Sure it had only been a day that they were not speaking, but it was still a lot for Lindsey to handle. She didn't know how he'd react to being blamed for her mother's death. She now found she could put off her trip down to the bake house any longer. Every pie she'd sold in the past few days had been made before her mother's death. Now there was a tray that had yet to be baked that Lindsey found she had to bake now or risk losing those pies and therefore, money. After all the money they made off of the shop, she and Mr. Todd had agreed they now had enough to buy real meat. Especially considering there was no way Lindsey would be able to butcher the bodies as she did not do well with the sight of blood.
She took a deep breath and walked over to the oven. She hadn't been near it since the night her mother died. Steadying herself, she pulled open the heavy door to the oven, and was rooted to the spot. The flames jumped through the large oven, the heat burning her face even from her distance. The more she stared into the flames the more she began to see her mother's burning form. Screams began echoing in her head, she got dizzier and dizzier with every second, began wavering on the spot, hyper-ventilating as the screams continued. She felt as though she'd go insane if she went through this waking nightmare for one more second and then, everything went black as she collapsed.
A/n: Dun dun DUNNNNN. So I really miss Mrs. Lovett. Anyone else? Well I've got good news for you guys. She's in the next chapter. You'll just have to see. Please review my wonderful people (as my Spanish teacher would say) and please if you've read up to this chapter please let me know what you think, especially if you've added my story to your alert/favorite list. I really do want to know what you think!!