Avenging Sweeney Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The sun came up that next morning, and the day started as normal. Mrs. Lovett delivered breakfast up to Sweeney, who stared out the window of his shop, waiting for the day to begin. Sweeney didn’t bother to look at her, this sort of bothered her, considering the other night and what happened. “Mr Todd-” she started but he cut her off.
“How did she take it?” he asked.
“What?”She asked.
“Knowing about who you are to her…”
Mrs. Lovett frowned. “Not bad...But...She said she needed time to think.”
“Mhm…” Sweeney replied, then going silent again, still, not even a head turn. Things were quiet. That’s when Mrs. Lovett. after hesitation started again. “What are we?”
Sweeney froze up, then looked over his shoulder.“What?”
She looked at him, and took  a deep breath. “What are we, Mr. Todd? Where do you and I stand?”
Sweeney thought about what she asked and turned his head, he was now not even looking over his shoulder at her. He didn’t answer. Mrs. Lovett huffed in frustration. “Sweeney Todd…” She said, walking in front of her. “You could at least answer me!” she started.
Sweeney didn’t have anything to say, but before he could even think something up, she continued.
“You can’t just kiss a woman and act like you did nothing of the sort and have no feelings! So, what is it?  What are we!?” She seemed like she could cry.
“Nellie…” Sweeney said, and she blushed at the use of her name. He sighed. “You don’t understand,do you?” he asked as she raised an eyebrow. “You can’t expect me to know everything regarding a romance, it’s been 15 years…” He said, finally turning around. “What do you want us to be?” He asked, a scowl on his face as he tried to comprehend everything.
She blushed at the question. “Romance…? “she seemed confused.
He rolled his eyes. “You remembered me kissing you…But you didn’t remember what I said…” He sighed. “Women…” he muttered to himself. “I told you, I might...love you. He spit out.
She blushed, remembering his confession and their kiss one more time. She shook her head. “Then do you love me, or do you not?” She said. “Its not that hard of a question.”
He hesitated. “...I don’t know…”
“Sweeney.” She said looking him dead in the eyes.
He blushed, then looked away. “...Yes…” he said quietly.
She blushed. “Th-then that makes us...romantically involved with each other…You don’t even have to marry me if you don’t want. We can take it slow.”
He hesitated, then nodded. This way, he could learn how to love once again, how to be in a relationship. Shyly, Mrs. Lovett reached up, and then kissed Sweeney.
---
A carriage approached the Pie shop, and Anthony Hope steps out of it. He stretches his back, then offers a hand to Johanna.
“Well, we made great time.” He smiled, noting they were there earlier than expected. Johanna accepted his hand and carefully stepped out. Her stomach churned.
“Anthony I...Don’t think I can do this.” She said nervously.
He turned to her, and his blue eyes met her brown ones. “I know you can.” he said, but in truth, he was nervous of his dear friends reaction to meeting his dear love. Anthony paid the coach driver, and offered his arm, which Johanna took nervously. They walked towards the building but she stopped.
“What if...I am not what he wants, or expected?”
“Johanna, he’s going to love you,I know it.”
He smiled and she returned it, nervous as can be. As the two approached, Anthony peeked in and saw Mrs. Lovett and Toby in the pie shop. He smiled at her and waved. “Hello, ma’am.”
Mrs. Lovett smiled. “Hello, Anthony. Looking for Mr. Todd?”  and he nodded. She started to motion to upstairs, but she noticed the blonde girl behind him, hiding shyly. “Who’s this, dearie?” She said, walking to them but froze when she saw the face of someone familiar. “Johanna…” She said to herself.  Things got very quiet for a short period of time, just Mrs. Lovett looking intently at Johanna, who was not sure how to react to this, even Anthony was a bit confused. That’s when  Sweeney came down.
“It was too quiet down here…” He started, and saw the reaction to his lover, and then saw the back of Anthony’s head. At the sound of his voice, Anthony turned his head to Sweeney, followed by Johanna, who was terrified, but only for a moment.
“Johanna…” he said, his eyes widening, knowing at an instant that that was his daughter.  The look in Sweeney’s eyes was priceless, almost unlike Sweeney and more like Benjamin. He gave her a half smile and bowed his head. “You are as beautiful as your mother.” He said, which made the baker pout and cross her arms.  Johanna blushed, this was a little weird. Sweeney cleared his throat. “I apologize for our last encounter…” He started. “I was just so filled with revenge, and the disguise was very cleverly done…” Anthony smiled proudly at his achievement and looked at Johanna, who finally seemed to be calming down. She smiled at her father, weakly.Things were awkward now, and Johanna processed the events over and over again. Finally, she spoke. “Why did you try to kill me?”
Sweeney’s eyes widened and he sighed, looking down. “I thought he went over it with you.”
“He did, sir.” She started. “But I wanted to hear it from you.”
“The man you lived with, Judge Turpin, arrested me, and took you in. I only wanted revenge…” He started. “But after my first failed attempt to get him, I killed whoever came into my shop, until I could get my hands back on him…Once I killed him, I was not aware you, the lad, were in my shop. “ He looked into her brown eyes, seeing a resemblance to the “lad” in the shop and her.  “I let you go, I had no more reason to kill… I wish I had known it was you then…” Johanna saw the look in Sweeney’s eyes once more, sympathy and guilt. Behind the revenge and anger was sadness.Johanna watched him once more, before finally stepping closer to him. She still was afraid, but less afraid. She looked at some positive, she’d still be in bedlam if it wasn’t for him sending Anthony. His eyes showed a certain sort of love. She then, hugged him,hesitantly at first, which alarmed Sweeney, Anthony and Mrs. Lovett. Their eyes widened and Johanna smiled weakly. ‘Maybe he did it for me.’
“Thank you...For all you’ve done.”
Sweeney remained quiet, but hesitantly, returned her hug. “I’ll make it up to you....” ‘Both of them...’ he thought after, his children.
“I know you will, father...”
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Sandra had left early in the morning, looking around the market, for things to buy. Originally, she planned to come price meat, for Mrs. Lovett, but now, knowing what she knew about Mrs. Lovett, and that she was her mother, she wasn’t sure. Just to browse and clear her head away from home.
Like Sandi, another figure was in town, but for different reasons. He wasn’t there to clear his head, just hoping to obtain information about Sweeney Todd. In the daylight, this figure is the young male from the previous night, finally showing his brown hair and mysterious hazel eyes.His eyes wander, noticing Sandi. He smirks, ‘cute.’ he thought, as he watched her move. He approaches her slowly, his movement is almost eerie, as he was so quick to get there, mysteriously. "Hello there" he said to her, making her jump out of her skin. She turned and looked at her. "Didn't mean to frighten you. " she blushed. Mysterious and attractive, but what was it that makes him so...unsettling? Sandi tried to shake this feeling off, but the eerie and flirtatious look in his eyes was too hard to forget. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to this place."
"Did you just move here?"
"...you could say that"
'Then she probably has no idea who Sweeney Todd is or what his location is... ' "Welcome to town, miss, I'm new here too" his smile was devious, but she was interested now, and he as well  with her. " i was supposedly born here" she said.
"Wow, how interesting all we have in common. "
She blushed, and he continued. "Maybe we should explore town together sometime, perhaps the next time i see you. "
She blushed more. 'How weird is this guy. ' she nodded, looking into his hazel eyes.
"I got to run, see you around. " he said, but pausing. "By the way, they call me..Raymond. "
"S-Sandra" she replied with.  He nodded with a smirk, and was on his way,quickly.
Had she known who this guy was or what his intentions were, she wouldn't talk to or even be near this guy. And had he known she was connected to Sweeney, well, it certainly would be interesting...