What You Don't Know

What you don't know pt4

"That's taken down some of the redness" Johanna sadly said dabbing Mrs Lovett's cheek with a wet cloth in the middle of her pie shop. They were sat by her counter opposite one another with a single candle lit for Johanna to tend to Mrs Lovett. After seeing the man upstairs strike her like he did Johanna made sure she was there to help her like Mrs Lovett had for her when she was growing up.

"Thanks dear" Nellie whispered kindly, still a little upset about what just happened upstairs with Sweeney. Never had he actually hit her before. She felt hurt and pained that he even considered it let alone carried it out. Was she really that annoying to him that he would lay his hand on her.

"You can't let him stay here, whoever he is or what he might be paying you" Johanna whispered placing her hand out on Mrs Lovett's knee in support and worry. She didn't like that this monster was living above her, she could get hurt. As for Mrs Lovett she felt like scoffing at Johanna's remark, paying? He doesn't even do that!

"Tis complicated love, Mr Todd isn't a bad man" she defended him to which Johanna frowned deeply.

"He hit you"

"I pushed him" Nellie cut in quick "I'm not sayin' it's me fault, but I said some things that urt em' I should have seen he was upset" she explained however Johanna still wasn't having it.

"That man upstairs attacked you, why are you defending him?" Johanna felt even more upset now. Mrs Lovett had always been so strong, nothing could ever defeat her nor was she stupid, yet right now she was looking at her like a stranger.

"Like I said dear, tis complicated....he's had a tough life, awful in fact...but he has a heart deep down that I know still has warmth....tis hard to get through to e'm sometimes" with this she gave Johanna the smallest of smiles. Johanna noticed the sadness hidden within that smile and the sorrow deep in her brown eyes. Mrs Lovett wasn't happy here and that killed her inside after. She deserved happiness, she was the kindest, funniest and strongest women she had ever met. Mrs Lovett was tough on the outside but kind and warm at heart and knew she wanted love so badly.

"I've know Mr Todd longer then you've been ere on this earth, he was a different man back in the day, a kind soul, a caring man that was cruelly stripped from him...." she continued to explain hoping to god Johanna wouldn't hate him. That would be the worst thing to happen.

"You care for him don't you?" Johanna said softly seeing in her guardians eyes that she did indeed like Mr Todd.

"The truth is I love the bastard" she said with a sigh not being able to hide the smirk playing about her lips. Johanna also smirked, Mrs Lovett was always so raw when it came to language. She used to find it funny growing up when Mrs Lovett swore and her mother would tell her off. She was the naughty fun Auntie every young girl wanted in their life.

"So you're in love?" Johanna said softly understanding now why she was defending Mr Todd so much. However the fact he hit her made her wonder why on earth she did love him, how?

"Unfortunately yes, ave been since the day I met em" she scoffed feeling so stupid that she ever fell for him in the first place. She could have been happier if she never fell in love with Lucy Husband. Life could have been less painful.

"But he treats you so bad" Johanna realised it was rude and un-lady like to intervene but she was interested in how a woman as sweet and loving as Mrs Lovett could be attracted to a man so cold of heart.

Looking at Johanna for a moment Mrs Lovett stared into her blue eyes listening to what she was saying. It was true that Mr Todd used her, even abused her some may say but she couldn't deny her love for him. He was the reason she kept on living, without him she would be an empty shell.