Part Two - Scents
Sadie looked around her own large bathroom at the house in Rio her father had rented only a few days ago. They had arrived two weeks ago via a tour called "South American Splendor," which they abandoned when they arrived in Rio. Dr. Lecter had insisted that she call him "father" or "daddy" and he had renamed her Michelle. Their last name was now Lawrence and her father renamed himself Michael. She thought that was funny being a masculine version of the name she was given though that was something that happened in families, naming their children after themselves in some way. Sadie was so glad she was actually entitled to use the acronym MAL and suspected that her dad planned it that way knowing how much she liked it though she wanted the "L" to be for Lecter. In her heart and mind, it was!
The last name LAWrence became an inside joke (in her humor, Sadie called it that). Personally, that was the only involvement with the law they wanted there to be! Lecter enjoyed the irony, which was why Sadie suspected he had chosen that as a last name along with keeping her beloved acronym.
With the tans they acquired and their dark hair plus the fact they could both speak Spanish fluently, they were able to "blend" in. Sadie had learned Spanish and French by listening to learn-a-language tapes at the library where she had studied for her GED. Her father had read about her GED and quite a few other exploits by reading the Tattler. He seemed quite pleased and amused by what he read. It didn't help that there were pictures and stories in the news linking her and Lecter but he handled the whole thing proficiently and didn't seem at all surprised by it! In fact, he seemed to have allowed for the possibility even before the news hit the stands and screens. He had everything arranged and taken care of with new identities, passports, travel plans... everything!
Lecter had pointed out the advantage of Sadie having her GED. She didn't have to attend a school but could still further her education which he was providing in areas such as literature, music, philosophy, history, art and he said he'd even teach her how to cook - goody goody! He was also teaching her Italian saying it would be needed in the future. They would have simple conversations that were getting more complex every day. Sadie found herself being challenged and encouraged by her father and that felt wonderful!
He even let her use his laptop so she could provide the information needed to help solve the Buffalo Bill case. Her father seemed a bit amused by it and she caught the irony of the situation also but she could tell he was impressed by her ability to think, reason and come to the conclusions she had reached based on the facts and information she knew about the case. That same process had helped her find him, Sadie had pointed out to her father.
Everything seemed to be going so good so why was she so uneasy? Why the uncertainty? Sadie sensed undercurrents and things below the surface in her father that concerned her. She hadn't noticed them until they had reached Rio. It felt like a growing anticipation, like he was planning something that wasn't pleasant! Was this what happened before he killed and/or ate someone? Was she that someone?
That thought and apprehension had hit her when she started getting certain gifts from her father! Not the complete wardrobe he bought her or the laptop he gave her for her birthday a couple of days ago but the food-scented lotions, soaps, shampoos, bath oils and beads! Her shampoo had an orange, citrus smell and the soap smelled like vanilla.
"I smell like a creamsicle!" came the horrified thought. There wasn't one thing that was applied to her skin or hair that didn't smell like a food item and with the undercurrents she was picking up from her dad, the situation did not look good!
As a result, Sadie didn't show her father the cannibalistic shirts in her backpack or share her quirky humor about the subject. He may already have enough ideas of his own without giving him food for thought! Yesterday, she could have sworn he actually sniffed the air when she came into the room he had set up as an office!
It was one thing to joke and have fun about cannibals but when you find yourself living with one... she didn't want to provoke or inadvertently trigger anything that would have her as the next meal!
"Or dessert from the smell of things," Sadie thought thinking about creamsicles again and wondering if the same thing occurred to her father. "I may not even really be his daughter; after all, no paternity test was done so I may be open game in his latest hunting season," her imagination had her going places she did not want to think about!
"Maybe I could find a floral scent or something. I can't imagine him wanting to eat flowers..." Sadie's eyes grew larger as she started thinking about some of the things her father did eat which led her back to thinking about the cannibalism!
Sadie groaned, remembering her father mentioning, during one of their meals, how certain flower petals could be used in salads. So not even that would be safe! And all those lotions, oil beads and moisturizers...
"I'm being tenderized!" Sadie yelped and rushed out of the bathroom away from all the reminders of her father's intentions. Tears were in her eyes as she looked around the beautiful room. It didn't add up but the doubts were eating away (groan) at her. No, cancel that! "I love puns but they are not helping things here!"
Sadie went to her queen-size bed and curled up under the thick comforter she had helped pick out. It was a beautiful orange/peach color that seemed to match what she smelled like. It seemed like everything was reminding her of food or being food! Was that how her father viewed things too? As constant reminders of what he'd like to consume? How was she going to face him with all these thoughts and emotions plaguing her?
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Lecter carefully measured out the powder and added it to the frothy, fruit drink that was almost as thick as a shake but light. It would hide the taste of the drug he put in the drink he had prepared for Sadie. It was one of her favorites and considering how she missed lunch earlier, there should be no problem getting her to drink the peach, orange with a touch of vanilla drink. He quietly climbed the stairs and knocked on her door that was next to his own room. "I have something for you, Michelle."
"Okay," he heard from the vicinity of her bed in the room. Lecter opened the door and Sadie sat up when she saw her father carrying a drink for her. Her stomach growled. Missing lunch made her hungry in spite of all the turmoil she had been experiencing. For hours, she tried to see things differently and even succeeded to a certain extent so when she saw one of her favorite drinks being offered, there was no hesitation in drinking it with Lecter's eyes intently watching her the whole time.
"Thank you. That was really good." Sadie said. Her stomach seemed to be settling down from its earlier queasiness and she felt calmer. Very calm and peaceful. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, her father sitting on the bed removing the empty glass from her hand and setting it on her night stand and brushing her hair away from her face with his left hand. His hand then traveled towards her back to support her as he eased her to lie down on the bed with his other hand.
Sadie's eyes felt too heavy to stay open as she sank back on the comfortable bed. Her last thought was that she must have been given something to make her feel this way so quickly, before she was deeply unconscious.
Hannibal pulled out a rubber tourniquet and wrapped it around Sadie's arm below her elbow then inserted a hypodermic needle in her vein.