Suffering To Survive

Part Ten

Nellie sighed and shook her head, "I dunno, Mr, Todd, ya promised and assured me that everything would work out fine that night. Instead, I spent weeks going from being tortured and raped by Turpin and Bamford, to being tortured by the doctors 'ere, not knowing if I'd ever get out of this hell." There was no hint of emotion on her countenance. Especially her voice, usually so ebullient and frisky -particularly when it was only the two of them- now sounded funereal and soulless.

Sweeney couldn't stop the shiver that ran through his body. He could blame Turpin, Bamford and the doctors all he wanted for the familiar shadow that now cloaked his normally blithesome baker; however, he deserved more blame than any of them. "I can only offer my sincerest apologies for all of the pain that I've brought upon you, Mrs. Lovett. I don't know what else I can do or say right now. I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness or trust, yet, but I'm going to do everything to earn it back. I'm keeping my promise this time, pet. If I don't, I give you full permission to use one of my razors on me." She stood staring as he stretched out his hand to her again.

She continued to stare at his hand, her lips set in a firm line. "D'ya intend to keep that promise as well, don't keep your promise, and I can slit your throat?" He flinched slightly as he ran a hand through his hair, not sure of how to react to such a statement coming from her of all people.

After a moment of shared silence, Sweeney let out a nervous chuckle at her sombre comment. "Come now, Mrs. Lovett, it's like you said, being so macabre just isn't you." She didn't know whether he was laughing to break the tension or laughing at the idea of her using one of his special friends against him, but she wasn't pleased either way. She felt that he was just laughing at her all over again; shooting him a fierce glare to assure him that this was no joke and suggesting that maybe that's how she was now in a dolorous whisper.

His smile instantly disappeared, the cell suddenly feeling more claustrophobic than it already was. Sweeney sat watching her in silence as she looked everywhere but at him. However, her head whipped in his direction when something else that Sweeney had said sank in, "Hold on, did ya just say that Bamford's dead?" Sweeney nodded and her expression seemed to simultaneously change between emotions, wanting to be excited that it was almost over, but not wanting to show any joy for this man.

She puckered her lips and gave him the most scoffing laugh that she could muster. "So ya finally did it. Well, congratulations on bein' close to everything that you've wanted. What about Turpin?" She knew that she was being rather passive aggressive, but it didn't much matter to her at the moment. She wanted to antagonise him, wanted to hurt him and to make him feel like she couldn't care less about his success any longer.

He looked away, telling her that Turpin was still living, but that he had plans in motion. "What are ya going to do once you're done with 'im? Will ya try to reach out to Johanna?" At the mention of the girl's name, however, her apathetic attitude towards him changed. "Oh God, Johanna! Do ya know, is she safe? What's 'appened with 'er!" Just because she was livid with the girl's father right now, didn't mean she held any malice towards the innocent young woman that she had cared for and thought of as a daughter.

A small smile came to his lips at her nervous change in tone concerning his daughter's safety. "Actually, pet, she and Anthony are both on Fleet Street. At least, Johanna is, Anthony goes back and forth between the shops and a flat where he's been staying while he's been in London. When Anthony does stay at the shops, I have him set up in my tonsorial parlour, and Johanna's been sleeping in your room." His dark eyes lighten the slightest bit when he recalls how he'd woken from a fitful nightmare early that morning. He'd carefully slid the baker's door open to see his daughter's soft smile; the silence surrounding her and the white pillow seeming to cradle her like a cloud. He has felt a twinge of annoyance at her ability to sleep so beautifully, but he was comforted by the mere fact that she could.