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The sun is out from hiding today, shinning very brightly. It has given an air of cheeriness around London, giving colors and life at the surroundings- unlike it being usually dark and gloomy. There are also a lot of people outside, taking advantage of the sunny weather. Two of these people who are out enjoying are Mr. Harris and Mrs. Lovett. They are on their way to Hyde Park, having decided to have a picnic.
Once they arrived at their destination, David immediately spots the big willow tree that is still unoccupied. He drags the baker towards the tree hurriedly, so that they can go there before anyone can. If they are not able to get this spot, then they will be forced to eat directly under the heat of the sun, since all the places under the trees are taken.
When they get there, being the gentleman, David sets up the blanket and brings out the foods. And after all is settled, they both take a seat with their backs resting on the trunk of the Willow.
Mrs. Lovett watches the little boys and girls from afar, enjoying the sounds of laughter that they are creating. Smiling to herself, she touches her belly; in few years, her baby will also be playing in this park, and making some friends, too. And she will be sitting on where she is now, watching him- or her.
"What are you smiling about?" David asks, slightly tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention. He is looking at her with utmost curiosity, with a little smile on his lips.
Mrs. Lovett looks at him, and then returns her gaze back to the children. Shaking her head, she answers. "Nothing."
David just shrugs and leaves the baker alone. They just stay there sitting in silence- wrapped up in their own little world. Though they may not be talking to each other at the moment, there is no awkwardness between them.
After a while, David speaks, breaking the stillness of the moment. He cocks his head to the side, glancing sideways at the still dazed Mrs. Lovett. "Nellie, do you love to dance?"
The baker's brow furrows, thrown off guard at the randomness of David's question. But thinking about it, yes, she loves to dance. Ever since she was a little girl, her father would always teach her how to do the waltz. Then later on, when she finally learned- and when she was old enough- she and her father would sneak out from her mother, and they would go to a pub and dance all night. How she misses him now; had he not catch the plague, he'd be sitting with her too. He is her first and original best friend.
"Yes, I do. Why'd you ask?" she grabs an apple from the basket, taking a bite out of it.
David smiles at her, looking rather sheepish. He is charmingly biting down at his lower lip, twinning his hands together. "Well, it's just that… I got an invite from the ball that was held every year by Judge Turpin. And, I would love for you to be my muse."
It is the ball that people are talking about when she went to the market. According from what she heard, the foods there are delicious and that the place is really grand. Also, the dresses that the women wear there are that kind which she will have to save money for months before she can purchase one. Well, it's not surprising really, for only those who are on the upper class are invited. So, that leads her to turn down David.
"But, I don't fit there. I don't have a proper dress to wear, I am not rich. I can't go, David, I can't." She really wants to go, yes, but she knows that a woman like her doesn't belong to a ball like that. She can go to pubs, not there.
David scowls at her; he takes her hand and caresses her knuckle with his thumb. "Nellie, don't think like that. It says in the invitation that I can bring one guest; they did not say that I could not bring this particular beautiful lady baker from Fleet Street."
This soothes Mrs. Lovett a little bit. David really has a way with words. She chuckles but then puts on a stern face and asks him. "Well, whose beautiful baker from Fleet Street are you talking about? There are two of them."
David laughs then kisses the back of Mrs. Lovett's hand. He smirks, and then answers her. "Why of course I was talking about the one who offered to have dinner with me."
The baker playfully slaps David on the shoulder. She turns away from him, crossing her arms and pouting.
David laughs again at Mrs. Lovett's antics. He finds her so charming when she is like this. That's why more often than not, he would tease her. He puts his arm around the baker, pulling her closely to his side. "Come now, Nellie. There can't be two of them. I specifically said beautiful, and that could only be you."
Blushing, Mrs. Lovett cannot stop herself from smiling. She takes David's face in between her hands and squeezes his cheeks together. "You are quite a flatterer."
David taps the tip of Mrs. Lovett's nose with his finger. "No ma'am, I'm just being honest."
Today has been a very dull day for the Barkers. They have both nothing to do for they don't have works during Sundays. Usually, in weather like this, they would be in the park right now, but their little altercation last night leaves them with ignoring each other. But really, it is only Lucy who is pretending that Benjamin does not exist.
As they are eating their lunch, Ben tries again to talk with his wife. "Lucy, please. I am not rejecting you; I was just really tired.
Well, it was a petty thing. When they both got in bed last night, Lucy apparently still wants to talk a little bit, but Ben- having lots of customers during the day, had no energy and was exhausted. He would have loved to chat with his wife- especially when she was the one initiating the conversation, which she rarely does- but he cannot even kept his eyes open.
He sighs in defeat. He can never really win with his wife. After just a week of them being okay, here they go again, fighting; he is sick of it. He loves Lucy very much, but he notices that during these couple of weeks that has passed, his love for her is simply diminishing. He does not want to think about it, for he is sure that it is only caused by their usual fighting. Once their relationship is really fixed, he will not feel this way anymore.
He stands up from his seat, grabbing his plate and taking it to the sink to wash for later. Since his wife is still not acknowledging his presence, he will just resign into polishing his razors- it keeps him occupied and relaxed. So he goes to the vanity and grabs the velveteen box that keeps his razors. He then takes a seat at his barber chair and starts polishing. For now, it is best to leave his wife alone and let her calm down. He will just try again late to talk to her.
After about half an hour of cleaning his razors and making it shine, Ben is surprised to hear his wife calling him. He does not answer immediately. Yet, he tilts his hide to the side and listens, thinking that he is only imagining things. When he has proven that he is really being called, he immediately rushes to where Lucy is.
He finds her leaning against the sink, hands intertwined together at her front. He approaches her; he does not know why she called for him, but he is hoping that the reason will be that he is already forgiven for last night. He stops just a foot in front of her; he smiles, and raises an eyebrow in question.
"I forgive you, Ben. I'm sorry for getting angry, I was wrong. I love you" Lucy looks down, looking embarrassed and apologetic.
Ben cannot help it and launches himself to his wife. He gives her a hug- that she returns- and sighs in big relief. He pulls out from the embrace and places his hands on Lucy's shoulder, holding her at arm's length. They are both gazing at each other, a smile on their lips.
"I…" he is about to say that he loves her, but for some reasons that he does not know, he cannot say it. He opens his mouth to utter those three words, but no sounds are coming out. He tries again, but it seems that he has lost his voice. Feeling pressured, thin sheet of sweat starts to form on his forehead, and he wipes it with the back of hand. He then closes his eyes and tries to focus- and also, to not see the worried look of his wife. Maybe this way, when he cannot see her, it will be easier for him to say.
"I love you." finally, he blurts it out and Lucy is just too happy to hear it from him. She engulfs him in a fierce hug and gives him a kiss on the cheek. All the while, he can only muster up a smile. He is distracted with the thought of why he cannot say it suddenly.
"Ben." Benjamin is lying with his wife in bed, caressing her hair. He stops when she calls him, peering over her.
"Yes?" he answers. He does not want to make the same mistake again of making his wife feel the he is rejecting her; so, he is welcoming the conversation.
"I just want to know… I want to know, why, of all women, did you choose her? Please answer me truthfully; I won't get angry." surprised by the question, he looks over his wife again just to check if she is serious- she is. He lies again in bed, just staring at the ceiling, not knowing how to respond. Also, he is thinking of how to answer Lucy's question without hurting her.
"Mrs. Lovett is a great friend. She was the one who was there for me when I found out that you were with the judge. I was so angry at you, thinking how you could lie to me just like that. And you know what? She was the one telling me not to believe about what other people say, and to trust you. That's what I did, really, but then…" he pauses; it still makes him angry when he thinks about what Lucy did.
When he became silent, Lucy snuggles beside him, urging him to continue. He just wraps his arm around her and proceeds with what he is telling. "We fought that night when you got home. You left and I don't know what to do, I was furious. I remember going down to her house, telling her of our fight. Yet, here she was again, defending you. She told me that I should have listened to you and followed you. Sometimes I ask myself if I am really her friend, for she never once sided with me." Ben chuckles. "But, that's what I like about her; she makes me see of my mistakes, and not just agree with me just because I'm her friend.
"You know, I always regret what happened between us. I was the one who initiated it- I wasn't thinking straight that day. And because of that, I lost a true friend and… you." he looks at his wife, who is looking back at him with tears in her eyes. She averts her gaze and just proceeds to run her hand to his chest, not saying anything.
After a while of both of them laying in silence, Lucy speaks. "Ben."
"We were invited to go to the ball by Judge Turpin, and I would really love to go." Ben searches his wife's face to see if there are any hints that she is only joking, but he cannot find any. She's being serious. Has she not noticed of his hatred for The Judge? Is it not obvious? If there is one thing that he does not like, it is to see that man. What makes her think that he will agree to go? Even though she is working for that man that does not mean that he will just allow her to go to that ball, even though he will be there too. Besides, it's not like he really is alright with her working for The Judge.
"No, Lucy. I don't want to attend, and you won't too." his voice is stern when he says this. He does not want any argument over this, his decision is final.
Lucy who is snuggled beside Ben abruptly sits. Her face is a picture of disbelief; she glares at her husband and practically shouts at him. "What do you mean no? You always are so selfish, Ben. You don't think of my happiness and what I want- only yours."
"What? I am selfish for not wanting to go to that ball? Come on, Lucy, you know what I feel towards The Judge." Ben answers, he is trying not to get angry, but by the way that his wife is acting, it's impossible.
"But he hasn't done anything to you! Fine, if you don't want to go, then I'll go there alone." With that, Lucy lies on the bed turning her back to Ben, and covers herself with a blanket.
Ben, on the other hand, just sits there thinking of what happened. Just a while ago he and his wife are calmly talking, but now they are at war again. He does not know how he became the selfish one when it is his wife who is the one who always needs to get what she wants, or else she will get mad. Sometimes, it's hard to explain things to Lucy, for she never listens to him, nor she considers what he feels.
Sighing in defeat, Ben lies down on the bed, too. Tomorrow, he and Lucy will be back to not speaking with each other again- a moment that he does not look forward to. But, tomorrow he'll be able to go see Nellie. This thought somehow gives him a little bit of joy. Instead of worrying about his wife, he thinks of the list of stories he is excited to tell his friend.
He sleeps with a smile on his face.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll try and update faster next time :P
reviews are L.O.V.E. :))