Walking arm in arm back to the pie shop Edward smiled sadly over at Nellie walking by his side. She could see the redness there still to his eyes from where he had wept for his father. She could only sweetly rerun the smile telling him that it would be alright just through her warm eyes. They had just returned from his fathers funeral with both Margo and Toby trailing along behind them. The service had been a lovely one and beautifully arranged by both Edward and his mother.
And now as they walked back 'home' to Mrs Lovett's pie shop all they could do was try to focus on the present from now on. Something which had Mrs Lovett mind set on edge...there was something she had to do now, something she needed to do for all there sakes. Obviously she won't tell Edward today maybe not tomorrow as it was still too soon after the funeral. However she realised that she had to plan this. Just how would she tell him? she knew she would have to break his heart and that killed her inside. She didn't want to hurt him.
Reaching the shop door she dived into her coats pocket and retrieved the heavy keys to open the shop. Allowing everyone in she closed the door behind them all, her black skirts swishing away with her every movement. "What a lovely service" Margo sighed to her brother sharing a warm hug by keeping her arms wrapped around his waist. Edward felt a lump in his throat still very emotional from the very draining and heart aching day they had all had. His eyes landed on Nellie and he shared another sad smile with her. "Thank you" he said softly to her to which she smiled back knowingly.
She knew what he meant by that. Sticking with him through his grieve, being a shoulder to cry on....a friend.
"Would you like me to pop the kettle on the stove Mum?" Toby whispered by her side looking up at her with his warm brown eyes.
"Sure love"
———————
It was getting late. The dark sky had cast its way over London leaving only the oil lamps flickering in the darkness to produce some light. Mrs Lovett had spent the evening with Edward and Margo being a friend to them both at this sad time. Despite her dislike for Margo, the girl had seemed awfully sad today and had for once not muttered a word about Mr Todd.
They had all sat in the living room chatting away over a glass of gin. Gin that Edward had been necking back quite quickly, Nellie seemed to notice. She wanted to stop him but she knew he was hurting and then again she always used it as her own remedy to relieve pain....
Toby had already passed out by the fire a few hours ago. Mrs Lovett knew he he needed to also slow down with the drink, he was only 12 and yet could drink himself out of house and home. In someways she felt it was probably best she was never a mother, she was too soft. She would bend over backwards to make the boy smile.
"I best put the boy to bed" she murmured to Edward finishing the remains of her drink before reaching forward from the sofa to place her glass down. Lifting herself up she walked over to Toby and began to pull him up from under his arms.
"Do you want some help?" Edward asked worried that she might do her back in or something.
"No love it's fine" she said noticing how Toby began to wake up and stand on his own feet.
"Come on lad, best get some sleep dear"
Heading toward Toby's room Mrs Lovett helped him into his bed. She smiled lovingly at him and his adorable tiredness before kissing him on the forehead once he was all snuggled down in the sheets. "I love you" she whispered meaning it so much. Toby was everything to her, he was the only child she would ever have.
