COMPLETED Nellie Lovett (The Virgin Widow of Fleet Street) #Wattys2016 Sweenett

The Angels' Tears

Chapter XXII

For one last time, Nellie looked at the house she lived in all her life, it was more than a house for her, it was her home. Until that night when she almost died in the hands of Sweeney Todd right inside it.

Since that night, everything has changed. The house no longer gives her comfort and shelter, all it ever gave her since then were the nightmares, the painful memories as well as the living picture of the man who inflicted all the pain and fear in her heart.

Leaving the house is by far the hardest decision she has made all her life. It was her parents' love nest, she grew up here, she built her dreams here but she has to leave now and face her own life. Away from all the painful events pulling her to insanity.

Nellie held her tummy, she has to live and be strong for Toby and for her unborn baby. She then lifted the only luggage she packed from the ground and touched Toby's face, his eyes were sad.
"Can we not at least say goodbye to Mr. Todd, mum?" He asked her softly, almost pleading. Nellie washed the tears away from her own eyes. She can't face him. Sweeney Todd doesn't know anything about the house being sold and about them leaving London for good. She doesn't want him to know. It is him they are escaping from but she can't tell Toby about that either. In time, he'll understand, she hoped.

"Let's go Toby..." She held his hand and pulled him towards the waiting carriage that would bring them to Dover.
Toby just kept silent and stared at the road all throughout their trip. The kid has really grown fond of the devil. She's never seen him so sad before, at least not since she took him out from the warehouse and adopted him like her own.
"You can sleep Toby..." She said softly and pulled him to lean on her lap. Toby didn't say anything, he just let her gently guide his head onto her lap and combed his hair.

Nellie wiped the tears from the boy's eyes. She suddenly felt a heavy feeling inside her womb. She didn't want to think of the baby feeling the same way as Toby does, but she can't deny its possibility. Sweeney Todd is her baby's father after all...and they just left him alone with no idea of what she just did.

"Mom is doing this for you..."she whispered softly and closed her eyes, her right palm is on Toby's cheek while the left is on her tummy.

It took them almost 4 hours to get to dover. Thanks to the same medicine she's been taking since they found out she was pregnant, her morning sickness wasn't so bad that day.

After having breakfast in one of the diners they found decent enough to dine at, they headed to the port where she bought two tickets to Calais.

"Where exactly are we going mum?" Toby asked again as she held his hand going inside the ferry that would bring them to France.
"Calais..." She replied.
"Calais...?" Toby looked up to her.
"Nearest part of France to England, love."
"How long are we going to stay there mum?" Toby asked again.
"I...uhm... Don't speak a word in French." He said shyly and scratched his head.
"You'll learn in time..." She said simply.
"But mum... We'll come back here right? In Fleet Street, I mean...?"
"Toby... Please..." She stopped walking. Toby immediately looked down.
"I'm your mother now Toby...but why do I feel like you want to be with...with that man more than me?" She closed her eyes tightly, she doesn't want to raise her voice at Toby but she can't control her emotions.
"Look, if you want to stay with him, fine... You're a smart kid, you can just go back now." Nellie let go of his hand and walked away.

"Mum!!!" Toby ran after her crying and embraced his short arms on her back.
"I'm sorry mum... I didn't mean it... I wanna go with you mum." He cried. Nellie looked up in the sky, what the hell is happening to her? Her tears fell. She turned and kneel in front of Toby.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry you have to experience all these." She embraced him tightly and cried on his little shoulder.
"Forgive me for not being a good mother, Toby... I'm truly sorry." She kissed him on the forehead.
"In time, you'll understand why We had to leave... In time."
The ferry's last call echoed in the port.