Nellie Lovett

Chapter 4

Toby wanted to tell them, he loved her, she loved him, they just to stupid to realise that they felt the same way about each other. He didn't trust Mr Todd, he was dangerous and had killed an awful lot of people, but if Mrs Lovett loved him, Toby could learn to trust him. For her, he would have done anything.

He went down the stairs into the main shop area, there were a couple of families eating pies outside in front, Toby could see them out the window, he recognised his friend, Markus, and his little sister Marianne. He had really come to know the people in the area, he had his friends he went out with on Sundays when the pie shop wasn't open, Mrs Lovett was friends with Markus's mother, so they came twice a week for a pie, that were no longer filled with human body parts, as she had managed to make lots of money from the shops re-opening. Mrs Lovett was kneading dough on a work surface.

"Good Morning Toby, would you mind going to the shops and getting me some more flour? I'm running out, and it's kind of important for making bread." She said. She spent so long kneading bread, her arms were actually a lot stronger than they looked.

"Yeah, sure, I'll go in a minute." Toby said, biting his lip. He had convinced himself that it was for the best to tell her what Sweeney had said, he wanted to as soon as possible so that no feelings went away. "Can I talk to you about something?"

Nellie sighed and dropped her dough. "Yeah, and I think I know what it's about?"

"You do?" Toby said, relief washed over him as he realised he wouldn't have to start the conversation, was he had been dreading it ever since Mr Todd had first told him about how he felt.

"Yes." Nellie nodded. "I think it's time we talked about the birds and the bees, I'm guessing you've been wonderi-"

"What?" Toby interrupted. "I don't think we're on the same page, I want to talk to you about Mr Todd, now that he's moved back in."

"Are you not comfortable that he's living here? Are you having nightmares? Do you want a nightlight?"

"No! Just...just hear me out." Toby started. "You know you said that you had feelings for Mr Todd? Well I spoke to him after, and he kind of said he like you as well. I wasn't sure whether to tell you or not, on the one had I had hoped you guys would figure it out yourselves, but you clearly didn't, so I thought it would make you happier if you knew."

Mrs Lovett was about to faint, so she stumbled down to one of the tables and took a deep breath. "You...You actually-actually heard him say that...?" She choked out. "Like-like in real life?"

"Yeah, I went upstairs and told a hypothetical story about my friend Madilyn...you don't want to know, he said that he had feelings for you and thought that you didn't feel the same way about him, which is why he never told you." Toby explained.

"Oh my lord..." She said, putting her head in her hands. She looked up at Toby and then back at the table. She stood up, and screamed with joy.

~*~

Toby was asleep, it was late, Sweeney had gone out and Nellie wasn't sure when he was coming back, but when she saw him walk through the doors of her shop her heart skipped a beat, this was the most nerve-wrecking moment of her life. She walked over to him and forced a smile. "Hey."

"Hello?" Sweeney said. "Are you alright, Mrs Lovett?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "You know what, actually, no. I want to talk to you about something, it's quite important to me, I hope you understand, Mr Todd."

"Okay then." Sweeney said, he went to one of the tables and sat down. "What is this important thing you need to talk to me about?"

"Well, I need you to say something. I don't want you to over react or panic, because I can try and forget about it if you want me to, but...but I-I...umm...uhhh.." She said, getting word vomit.

"What is it?"

"I-I love you." She said, regretting it the second after she did. Of course he didn't love her, he loved Lucy, he could never love another woman. He didn't feel the same way, Toby just misunderstood what he was saying. Oh, how she wished he would love her the same way she loved him, that they could be happy together, but she had deluded herself. She was stupid, and now he would think she was stupid. Oh God.

"I-I do too." Sweeney muttered so barely any sound came out of his mouth. "I do too."

"You-you like me?" Nellie stuttered.

"No, I don't." Sweeney said, tilting his head so his eyes met hers. "I love you."

~*~

Toby wasn't asleep. He had been watching from the stairs, listening to the conversation. He was excited that his mum was getting to finally know how he felt about her, as she truly loved him. He knew that she was going to be happy. If Mr Todd treated her well, If he was good to her, she could have all her dreams come true, and she deserved it, because she was the kindest person Toby had ever met. She deserved the world.

She had had always been one of those people with a dream, marry a man she loves, have two daughters and a son, and keep a pet cat called Winter, because she hated summer, she loved the cold weather, summer just pissed her off. She was 36, she couldn't have her three children now. Toby didn't count himself, he saw himself more as someone she could rely on, even though he was still his son, he wasn't the son he'd always wanted. But when she was with Mr Todd, she could have all of that, her dreams could come true. Because she deserved the world. And, if Toby was right, he was going to give it to her.