Whispers of Hannibal

Part 7: Four Years Later

Four years ago, I could never have dreamed that I would be living at the Hannibal estate in Lithuania with Will Graham and my twin daughters, Mischa Simonetta and Abigail Augustasia.

Finding out I was going to have twins, with Hannibal as one of the fathers of a twin, and Will as the other father of the other twin, was quite a shock. One would think it medically impossible, but there have been a few cases where two men share fatherhood of twins. Heteropaternal superfecundation is what the doctor's told me it was called.

Crazy indeed, but here we all were... all of us except for the second father, Hannibal.

Today, September 21st, was the four year anniversary of Hannibal. We did nothing special, but I never forgot to remember him every day since.

The sun was strong so I sat on the grass below the beautiful willow tree in the back yard, watching Mischa, Abigail, and Will playing in the garden. They were my sunshine and I couldn't help but smile as I watched. Will was a good father and he adored both of our daughters.

I was just reaching up to wipe away a tear that had slipped from between my lashes when I felt a shadow fall over me. At first I thought it was a cloud blocking out the sun, but the sky was cloudless. Then I felt a large hand gently brush along the back of my neck, playing with my curls.

I swallowed hard and slowly turned, expecting nothing to be there except the wind and the Hannibal house. Nothing but a ghost. But it wasn't.

The sun framed the tall silhouette of a man with shaggy grey brown hair that fell to his shoulders and brown eyes filled with love.

His face wasn't as full as it used to be; it was thinner and his cheekbones more prominent. But it was still the same, despite the years.

I let out a small sob as I struggled to my feet, still unsure if he was real.

It wasn't until I reached out to him, touching his chest, touching his hair, running my fingers along the bridge of his nose, and tracing the arch of his lips that I knew he wasn't a ghost.

My voice was the barest of whispers. "Hannibal."

His smile was like a gift from the heavens as he reached up and cupped my cheeks with both of his weathered, rough hands. His voice was the barest of whispers as well. "Midnight."

My tears could no longer be held back as I flung myself into his arms, my wails of happiness echoing all the way to Will in the garden.

Will stopped what he was doing, confused, until Hannibal's face came into view over my shoulder. He fell to his knees, tears falling down his own cheeks.

Mischa and Abigail didn't understand. They wrapped their tiny arms around Will and kissed away his tears. "Daddy, what is wrong?"

Will wrapped his arms around them as well, not bothering to stop crying as his voice croaked. "Nothing is wrong, loves. It's just that your other dad has finally come back."

Mischa and Abigail frowned and looked up to where Hannibal and I were still hugging. "But I thought you were our daddy, dad."

Will let out a choked laugh and hugged them both tighter as he stood, propping each on his hips and waited until they wrapped their legs around him. "I am, loves, but so is he. We both are. And God gave him back to us."

Mischa laid her head against Will's shoulder. "Does that make him an angel?"

Will choked on his answer as he stopped infront of Hannibal and I. "Yes, Mischa, that makes him an angel."

Hannibal waited for Will to sit the twins down before releasing me from our hug and offering the same to Will. Will slowly walked into Hannibal's arms, his whole body shaking.