Without You, There is No Point in Surviving

Chapter 17 New Life, New Struggles

The bishop appeared with the legal documents, once all the congratulations had settled down. Nellie stared down at the wedding band on her finger, wanting to cry in joy, but stopped herself from doing so, remembering how this marriage was to remain hidden. They were fugitives, they had to live a false life to keep them safe. Even if they made agreements to things only a married couple would get into. Nevertheless, she was grinning like mad and she couldn't help it. She couldn't stop staring at the ring either. Even though she would be known as Mrs. Sebastian Oakley, in her mind she was Mrs. Sweeney Todd and that was that.
The bishop displayed the document, informing them where to sign. It was moving quickly along, the sooner they could get into a house and start a new life, the better. Nellie watched as Sweeney took the pen, signing the name Sebastian Oakley. It broke her heart, while the pen moved, she had to hide the gasp that has arose from her chest. There was no denying it, he signed the initials S.T. in the middle of Sebastian Oakley. It was sloppy and meant to be hidden, but it was there. Now, she was sure she was going to cry. Sweeney looked into her eyes, an unspoken bond now formed between them, even more so.
"And you, my dear." The bishop held out the pen to Nellie. She scribbled Margery N.L Plummer and they were now officially man and wife, in the eyes of God and the law. The priest and bishop blessed them on a happy, providing, prosperous life, and they walked back towards the inn where Monica held a celebration.
"It wasn't just Margery and Sebastian who got married in there, was it now?" Nellie whispered to him as they stepped into the coach that Monica had provided for them.
"Whatever do you mean Mrs. Oakley?" he teased earning himself a peck on the lips that he endured patiently.
Back at the inn, the newly married couple honestly weren't in the mood for celebration. Music blared as the constant droll of handshakes, pats on the shoulder, hugs, words of praise and congratulations were becoming suffocating. So many people had shoved themselves in front of the couple that they were pushed feet apart, staring at each other through the mix of bodies. They were more eager to talk to Nellie, young girls dreaming of marriage looked at her as if she was a queen, envious as they complemented her appearance, touched her dress. Nellie had said "Thank you" more times than she should ever want to. As much as she was enjoying the attention, she desperately wanted to be alone with her barber.
She glanced at him in longing as an older looking man, touched his shoulder dragging him away for a discussion. It was there soon to be landlord. Their conversation, of most likely payment, ended and Sweeney caught her glance, gesturing for her to come to him. Happy to oblige, she maneuvered her way through the crowd till an obstacle in the form of Monica stood in her way. "Oh Margery," she pulled Nellie into a crushing hug. "I'm so happy for you my dear."
Nellie smiled and pulled away, holding onto the woman's hands. "Thank you, for all you've done."
"I'll miss seeing you in my inn. Please, do visit sometime."
"Of course." Nellie smiled.
Sweeney appeared at her side, placing his hand on the small of her back. "Oh, I'm going to miss you both." Monica cried, pulling Sweeney into a hug as well. Nellie was stuck between fearing for Monica's life and laughing. Sweeney pulled away aggressively. "The only arms you'd like to be trapped in are your new wife's eh?" she laughed. "I understand." She looked at her two guests for the last time in possibly a long time. "I wish you the best." She said before moving along. "Oh, I almost forgot," Sweeney and Nellie both turned to look at her. "I'd be honored to be or midwife, should that time come." She winked at Nellie who made a gasping sound like she chocked on her own oxygen.
Sweeney dragged a remaining blushing Nellie out of the crowd and up the stairs to their room. His grip on her wrist was a bit hard for her liking. He closed the door to their room. "Well? What did that old sot say?" she asked.
"He has a house for us. The down payment is set, we just need to offer it up to him in the morning." She nodded. He stepped closer to her. "Our home is ready for move in, if you'd like to get settled in for tonight."
"I'd love to my dear. But there is a celebration going on downstairs." She said.
"Ah they'll all be too drunk in the morning to remember us."
Nellie stared around the room thinking for a moment. "Let's change and pack up the things. There's only one more thing I'd like to do."
"And what would that entail Mrs. Oakley?" he teased.
"Something you may not like." She grimaced upon hearing her false name, "I think I actually prefer Mrs. Lovett." He only snickered but allowed her to place her arms around his neck and he held her waist in return. "Promise me when we're in the safety of our new home, you'll call me Mrs. Todd?"
"How about just Nellie? When we're not in public."
She frowned but figured it'd be as good as she was going to get for the time being so she obliged, sneaking another quick kiss from the man. She pulled herself from his arms and stepped into the bathroom, grabbing her blue and white striped dress to change into. Once finished both of them were back in casual clothing, they packed up their belongings, scanned the room to make sure they weren't forgetting anything and while holding hands they peeked their heads out at the festivities downstairs and snuck away from the inn.
"What's this idea of yours, pet?"
In response, she grabbed his hand detouring their path and dragging him onto the shore. With the waves behind them, she faced him again. "May I have this dance my dear husband?" she teased adding a curtesy.
"Most certainly, wife."
They waltzed in the sand. The crashing waves serving as their music. Perhaps it was the setting sun blocking her vision. She could've sworn he was smiling enough to show teeth. She simply matched his grin, whether it was there or not, as their footsteps glided atop the sand. Not until the tide swept in and the foam brushed along their feet did, they call it a night and walked up along the path to their new home.
The landlord met them at the edge of the street. There house was to be the one at the far end. The row of cottages was set close to each other, all wrapping along the seaside. He led them up the stairs and into the blue sliding with white wood tones cottage that was now theirs. The home was small and cramped, with light brown wood tones and tacky flowered wallpaper. Sweeney wrinkled his nose in disgust. Even Nellie whom he assumed would be swooning didn't even look impressed. The home was quaint and affordable, and they were fortunate. After sleeping on the ground and an inn they welcomed the garish home before them. They only planned to stay a year or two in the fishing town anyways.
"I'll be back in the morning for payment." The old sot of a land lord said. He waved at the two, "Enjoy your wedding night." he closed the front door behind him.
The two stared at each other in silence for a while. Neither of them wanting to make the first move. And first move to what exactly? Before the air between them could turn awkward, Nellie's footsteps rang loud as she wandered into the kitchen. "I don't know about you love, but I'm absolutely famished." She sang.
Sweeney walked into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe. "It's so small isn't it?" he commented.
"You used to live in a room above my shop, this is much bigger than that." She laughed. She was looking through the cabinets, pleased to see that they were stock at least slightly. "We'll have venture to the grocers in the morning." She sighed. "I can make some stew." She looked over at him.
"Whatever you'd like." He said.
She flashed him that smile of hers and became preparing dinner. He watched her cook in amazement, and offered help when he could even though he could barely keep up with her. Chopping the vegetables was all he did to feel useful. He felt awkward being able to just sit at the table and stare so he pickup their bag from off the floor of their parlor and unpacked their belongings, placing items where they needed to be. Clothes in the bedroom, other supplies in the kitchen. While doing so he explored the small house. Finding a door leading to a study from the parlor behind one of the settees. The only furniture inside being an old book shelf and a worn desk.
He joined her back in the kitchen, where she was pouring the steaming delicious smelling contents from the pot on the stove top to two bowls. Their table was circular and shoved into the corner of the kitchen underneath the window. Sweeney took his seat, savoring the delightful smells coming from the stove top. "Here we are love," she mused placing the bowl of soup in front of him. She grabbed her own bowl and took her seat at his side. Both of them were speechless as they slurped from their spoons being to famished to speak. After eating Monica Clay's food in the inn for more than a week and whatever they could scrounge up in the wilderness before then, Sweeney realized just how much he missed her cooking.
Once fed and content, they were able to find their voices again. Curiosity won Nellie over as she searched the other cabinets and drawers of the kitchen. "There's a room off from the parlor," Sweeney said. "It could be a child's room." Her actions froze. "It'd be a small room, well everything in this home is small."
Nellie retrieved a bottle from the top cabinet and slowly turned back to the table. "Is that?" Sweeney questioned. The both stared in awe at the bottle of red wine.
"Well this was nice of whoever decided to leave this here." Said Nellie.
"I never preferred the stuff much, but this is a special occasion." He fished two wine glasses from the cabinet above the sink.
"I could never afford it." Nellie snickered.
Smiling they popped the cork. Being careful not to drink the entire bottle in one night, they only partook of one glass each and sipped the dark red while lounging on the settee. After remaining silent for far longer than Nellie was comfortable with, she finished off her glass and against her better judgement, repositioned her posture so her petite frame was leaned against his. Slowly dropping her head upon his shoulder for good measure. He hadn't pushed her away like she expected, she slowly willed herself to relax. She almost flinched entirely when his hand landed on her arm, his fingers running along her forearm creating gooseflesh wherever his fingerprints would touch.
Nellie shivered as if she felt a chill, even though it was a summer night and the house felt stuffy. "Are you cold?" the silk in his voice made her shiver again.
"No," she continued to tremble and squeezed her eyes shut, willing her body to be calm. She quickly tried to think of something to talk about. A distraction. "So, what's our plans now Mr. T?"
"I think you should call me Sweeney from now on."
She leaned her head back further, looking up at the ceiling. "Alright, Sweeney. Mr. Oakley." She chuckled.
"That's only for when we are in public." He said causing her to laughed more. "I imagine we could stay here at least a couple years before moving on again."
"My aunt doesn't live too far from here." She said. "Perhaps I should write to her?"
"Perhaps you should."
She let out a deep yawn and closed her eyes. "It's getting late." He pointed out.
"And what are you suggesting my dear?"
"Well we do have a deal to settle," she only smiled real big. "If you're willing?"
She sat up, "Then let us go to bed."
"I'm teasing my pet, we don't have to. . ." she looked over her shoulder at him. Her dark red curls were still braided back in the most beautiful way. "We can just fall asleep in each other's arms if you'd like."
She arched an eyebrow at him and stood up. "Since when have you become so soft?" she held her hand out to him. "It's our wedding night." She flashed him that devious smile that he secretly loved, "And I owe you a daughter."
"If you insist my love." He downed the rest of his glass and blowing out the candles in the living area they stepped into the bedroom, closing the door behind them.
With they're backs to each other they stripped down to their underclothes and crawled under the cover now facing each other. Sweeney moved himself over her, supporting his weight with his elbows on either side of her frame. When he dipped down to kiss her, her body trembled once more. "I don't know why I'm so bloody nervous." She laughed.
"It's been a long time."
She sighed, "Yes for both of us it would seem."
He brushed some stray curls out of her face, his hand lingering, caressing her cheek. "I'm not going to hurt you my pet, you have no need to be afraid."
She swallowed, "My love," she placed her hand to the back of his neck and pulled him closer to her lips.
Their movements remained gentle and hesitant. Eventually, their kisses becoming more feverish. Nellie had finally got her body to relax, even tossing her head back and arching her back as he pleasured her in ways Albert never could have even dreamed of doing and when he pushed himself into her, she almost lost it entirely. Sweeney continued his movements within the baker, his former landlady, his former friend and now his wife and lover. He could almost imagine Lucy's face looking down on him in anger for he was enjoying his new wife's company so much more than he expected himself to. That small feeling of betraying his first love stung at his heart. He was stuck between trying to hold on to his lost love while wanting to surround himself with this new one. So, he kept his movements firm, and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
He trailed her neck in light kisses and pushed her wrists down into the mattress. Nellie's eyes shot open, she looked at her wrist being pinned down on the bed and could feel the dirt being wedged between. She looked to the ceiling and could see the new moon swirling with blood. The tall canopy of trees. The searing pain in her side and arm. The Blood gushing from the wounds. She screamed, launching herself into a sitting position. Sweeney stopped his movements, alarmed by her shouts of terror.
"Get off me! Get off!" she shouted slapping him across the face. She scrambled out of bed, her legs getting tangled in the sheets and she fell onto her knees. Just as fast, she picked herself up and ran out of the room.
Sweeney was in absolute shock. He sat in the bed, hand on his stinging cheek, staring with wide eyes at the spot his wife was in a mere seconds ago. Once his mind settled, he stood up.
She was in the bathtub, curled into a ball, sobbing.
He waited outside the door for a moment before gently stepping inside. "Nellie?" he kneeled by the tub wanting so desperately to hold her and comfort her, but knowing that his touch would cause her more harm than good at the moment.
"I'm so so sorry Sweeney." She sobbed.
"Hush love," he soothed.
"I don't know what happened, everything was going so well and... that night. The memory the pain, the horror it all came flooding back to me." She continued to sob.
He frowned, watching her with sad eyes. "May I touch you?"
She practically flung herself out of the tub and into his arms. They sat there for a while, he clutched her frame to him as she cried and apologized. She eventually exhausted herself and he picked her up and carried her back to bed. He laid by her side and was careful not to touch her beyond what was needed to comfort her. He snarled in anger, not at her, at that man. That nasty bastard who called himself a bounty hunter. The man who caused such misery to his wife.