Never Forgive, Always Forget | A Sweeney Todd Story [Sweeney Todd x OC]

2. The Barber's Wife | Part 3

There was little else in the world that Rose found more satisfying than chopping and preparing ingredients for a meal: the smell of freshly sliced produce, the steady rhythm of the knife hitting the cutting board, and of course, the sizzle of the perfectly proportioned choppings hitting the hot metal of the pan. Rose had always been extremely thankful for her love of cooking; it was both a natural talent and a favorite pastime. So many people thought of it as a mundane daily chore, but for Rose, it was one of the highlights of her day.

Earlier that morning, she had decided on one of her famous stews for lunch. To her surprise and delight, she had come downstairs to find more groceries waiting for her: beautiful potatoes, onions, and tomatoes as well as two lovely loaves of bread. He went to the market yesterday? Rose wondered, confused at the large quantity of goods, I didn't see him return with any of these things. She chose not to dwell on it, instead appreciating the effort he had made. Perhaps it was a peace offering of sorts?

She still felt horrible about their last conversation, and even worse that they had yet to speak since then. Rose was determined that today's interaction would be less stressful, which was a large part of why she had opted to make one of her favorite recipes. It was one she had made countless times before, and she was certain that, try as he might, the barber would be unable to resist the dish once he tasted it.

It'll likely be ready before he even wakes up, Rose thought reluctantly. It was nearing afternoon already, and he had eaten next to nothing the day before. Still, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for him; she understood his pain. Her reaction to death had been the very same, and she had slept many a day away after the deaths of her father and of Barry both. Sleep was the only thing that dulled the pain, and she was certain that Mr. Todd was near desperate for a respite from his own.

Unless... Rose's eyes shot open, and she froze.

What if he isn't asleep?

Before she knew what she was doing, she was dropping the knife and racing upstairs toward the barber shop. Oh god, she prayed, please let him be alive. She reached the top of the stairs quickly, panting for air as she pressed against the glass. She let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Mr. Todd asleep in his chair. Angry, black circles outlined his eyes, indicating just how desperately he needed real rest, but he looked more peaceful than she had seen him before. Rose found it a bit strange that he'd chosen to sleep in the chair rather than the cot, but she also guessed that more likely than not, he had not intended to fall asleep there. She gave him a soft smile, relieved that he was both asleep and alive, then headed back downstairs to resume cooking.

Once she had gathered all the necessary ingredients onto the counter, she drew a pot of water to a boil for the potatoes and began chopping the vegetables as well as some of the pork they had purchased from the market a few days prior. She dropped slivers of the pork into a hot pan with a bit of butter, then she finished dicing the carrots, celery, and onion with expert speed, adding them to the crisping meat. The aromas mingled deliciously, and Rose smiled in excitement. She grabbed a large bowl from beneath the counter and squashed the tomatoes into a thick, chunky paste, mixing them into the mess of fried meat and vegetables as well. She hummed softly as she worked, enjoying the rays of late morning sunshine streaming through the parlor windows.

As the stew cooked, she sliced several pieces from the loaf of bread as well as some cheese, which she laid out on top of the bread. She planned to pop these in the oven just before the stew finished, creating a deliciously melty cheese toast. Her mouth watered at the thought of them, and she was certain they would come out exactly as she hoped. She transferred the cooked mixture of meat and vegetables into a pot, adding a decent amount of water as well as some herbs and spices. Once it was set to simmer, Rose needed only to wait.