Inside Of Our Minds (Hannibal Lecter's Son)

Chapter 16) The Parent Trap

Weeks after Christmas while it was still winter, I was doing my homeschooling lessons. Ashton struggled, he struggled hard. It felt like he was being kept a prisoner but he wasn't. Papa was just as concerned about him as I was at public school.

4 PM rolled around and Papa came back from work on his lunch break. He walked into the study where Ashton and I were.

"Ashton it's time for your karate class and Mick, you have your piano practice at 4:30, go ahead and get what you need."

"I hate doing karate." Ashton complained.

"I'm sure you do but it's good to know how to defend yourself." Papa said. We got into the car and Papa dropped us off. I played piano at the local club that was for kids extracurricular activities. Ashton's karate class was a different one from the one I take. 6 pm rolled around and Ashton and I went outside to wait on Papa. A 2004 Volvo pulled up, it was Will.

"Your father is busy with work right now so I came to get you." He said after he rolled his windows down.

"Thanks Will." I said getting in the car, Ashton got in the back.

"Would you guys like McDonald's or anything?"

"If I had McDonald's Papa could smell it and I'd be in trouble."

"I don't care if he smells McDonald's on me I want McDonald's." Ashton said. Will chuckled. He then went by and got McDonald's for him and Ashton, but not before making sure I didn't want anything. Will and Ashton ate while Will drove. I just wanted a steak.

When we arrived home Will left and Ashton and I just played video games. Ashton was happy about getting his Big Mac.

In the following weeks Will would come over for social reasons, he attended my piano recitals, he even took Ashton, Papa, and I fishing where we wore nice shirts and our fancy shorts. Papa prepared a picnic while Will showed Ashton how to fish. It was like a complete family but not. I could tell Papa liked Will. I could tell that Will liked Papa, or maybe he did?

Because it was a camp site Will rented a cabin. Papa wasn't too pleased by the small dusty cabin but Ashton and I were excited.

We unpacked our duffel bags after fishing, it was 6 PM so Will was going to teach Ashton how to prepare the fish for dinner, Papa prepared some sides with the little food we brought.

Will was outside, wearing the red flannel that both me and Ashton wore a similar shirt to, cargo pants, and mud boots. He was gutting the fish teaching Ashton about which parts you can and cannot eat. There was a camp fire pit near the grill.

"Will, can I get some wood and start a fire?" I asked. Will who had a smile on his face nodded.

"That sounds great, do you know how to do that?" He asked. The way he spoke was healing, it made me forget that I'm almost an adult, like he was talking to a child. I didn't care nor notice at the time. I felt like an excited kid, it felt like Will was an important family member who had been missing for ages.

"Can I help?" Ashton asked looking at me then Will, he didn't seem too fond of gutting the fish. Papa came out with a bowl of rice and set it on the picnic table.

"Yeah go ahead kiddo, make sure it's not wet." Will said as Ashton and I ran off towards the woods.

Once behind a tree him and I began kissing, laughing and smiling. We hadn't gotten a moment to ourselves today. I picked up a stick good for a fire and thwacked Ashton on the arm playfully. He laughed and grabbed a stick and got me back. I pushed him against the tree and smiled, I began kissing his neck while he giggled.

"Come on you two." Called Will who was walking towards us.
We grabbed the sticks and logs and walked back to the fire pit.

"They don't keep away from each other." Papa laughed rubbing my hair.

"Ah they're just boys, they'll eventually get out of the honeymoon phase." Will chuckled.

"Hopefully soon, who knows what the poor furniture in my home has seen." Papa added.

"The furniture that matches your wardrobe?" Ashton clapped back. Papa laughed and rubbed his hair. Oh yeah, Papa was definitely going to kill him.

"Babe can you help me set up the logs?" I asked Ashton. He nodded and we got the fire going.

We had fish and rice for dinner, after that Will gave me and Ashton stuff to make s'mores with, Papa only had one before retiring to bed.

The bed situation was weird, there was two beds and one couch, Papa assigned the couch to Ashton so we couldn't fool around even though we do plenty of that at home, Papa and I slept on one bed and Will on the other.

That night I fell asleep after what felt like hours talking about life with Will. Papa pulled me close to him when I laid down and I fell asleep to the comfort of him. Ashton was manic and decided to go swimming at 3 AM which caused some panic first thing in the morning but that's a story for a different day. Needless to say he was sleeping all day and was grounded from having McDonald's (Papa doesn't buy him that anyways so I don't know what point it would make)

The next day we went home and life returned to normal, except I found myself thinking about Will a lot, he felt like the cool Dad I never got. Papa was an amazing Dad by all means but when it comes to parenting, it takes two for a reason.

As I'm writing in my journal Ashton is cooped up in my arms and Will is downstairs having wine and talking with Papa. I hope they can get together. I hope I can make that happen.