Friend Of A Cannibal

Chapter Eleven

Saturday, 6:00 PM

Hannibal invited Eleanor over for dinner, and she arrived on time as per usual. Nora wondered what kind of fancy and strange food he would prepare for them tonight. She walked inside the house after he answered the door and Hannibal gave her a warm hug.

"You look divine as always, my dear." He said, kissing her cheek

lovingly. He was wearing a dark red vest and matching slacks, his coat removed so that he could cook.

"Thank you." She smiled bashfully. Hannibal was playing a vinyl

on an old record player, it was classical muse but it was something you could dance to.

"If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm almost finished preparing

our dinner." He said. She nodded and he went back to the kitchen. Eleanor walked up to the record player and began to sway her hips to the music. Hannibal's house felt a little like home when classical music was playing, it took her back to when she was a little girl and her father would play it on his own record player in her childhood home. She got so lost in the music that she didn't notice moments later when Hannibal walked up behind her. He placed his hands on her hips and stood close behind her, swaying with her to the sounds of the cellos and violins. She chuckled, turning her head to look at his face which was buried into her shoulder. "Dinner is ready." He said, kissing her cheek again.

She turned around and took his hand as he led her to the dining

room. Hannibal pulled a chair out from the table and she sat down. Then he left for a moment to get their plates, setting one down in front of her and one in his place. He sat down and picked up his fork and they began eating. Eleanor didn't say anything at first. It was an unusual taste, and she wasn't sure how her taste buds felt about it.

"How is it?" He finally asked.

"It's... quite interesting." She smiled, chuckling under her breath

before taking a sip of her wine.

"Interesting in a good or bad way?" He set his fork and knife

down, both of them about finished with their meals.

"It's definitely not bad. You just know your palate is far more

sophisticated than mine." She said.

"Right. Well did you enjoy it at least?"

"Yes, I will say that. I enjoyed it."

He reaches to take her hand, holding it on the table. "Good. That's

what matters."

Hannibal stands and begins to clear the table, and Eleanor stands

as well and walks to the window, staring at the city of Baltimore. He eventually joins her at her side, an arm around her waist. "We're having an open house next week. Friday at 5:00." She says.

"Really?" He smiled, kissing her shoulder. She nods. "I'll be there for sure." He says.

_____________________________________________________________________

Sunday, 1:00 PM.

"Did we miss anything?" Lydia asks after they exit the store. They load the bags into the trunk and Eleanor checks the list after they get in the front seats.

"I think we got everything we need." She says, tossing the party planner in the backseat.

"Good. I'll check with the girls, Chanel said she was taking care of food and beverages and Edna said she would make sure the shop looked nice on Friday after we close. Beatrice handled advertising. She handed out our cards to some people." Lydia said, buckling herself up.

Eleanor did the same and backed out of the parking spot, driving toward the exit. "Good. I hope a lot of people come." The car was silent for a while, but Eleanor broke the silence. "You'll get to meet Hannibal... He said he would be there."

"Really?" Lydia smirked. She could finally put a face to the name. Eleanor seemed really into this Hannibal guy, she thought. "How are you two? Isn't he your psychiatrist? You can't date your psychiatrist."

"He's not anymore, Lydia. So now we can date."

"And isn't he like way older than you?" Lydia was starting to get on Eleanor's nerves.

"Yes, but does that really matter? We're both consenting adults." They were almost there now, Eleanor just wanted to drop this stuff off at the tailor shop and take Lydia home so that this conversation would end.

"I guess it doesn't. It's just strange. Are you still talking to that Luke guy from the club?"

Eleanor pulls into the parking lot of the tailor shop. "Yes. We're becoming good friends." She gets out and picks up some bags from the trunk, carrying them inside. Lydia does the same.

"He's sooo cute. If you won't date him, can I?" Lydia's partly joking, taking things out of bags and putting them in the cabinets.

"I don't have a problem with it." Eleanor says. After they put everything away and get back into the car, Lydia has finally stopped talking about the subject of Nora's love life. She drops Lydia off at home and goes back to her own home, changing into comfortable clothes and settling in early, deciding to spend the rest of her Sunday relaxing and reading a book.   

[A/N: Hey guys, sorry this one is so short. The next one will be more exciting, I promise. ;)]