Emmm... well, should I continue?...
Perhaps, Disclaimer applies to this chapter too...
Chapter 4. Opportunities.
Sticky obtrusive melody of the ringtone reminded Hannibal he never liked popular music. On the contrary Angie got very excited, she even started to sing to the melody: "Mama, I love you, mama, I care..." Then she turned to Hannibal and said: "Well, it's my mom calling. You got your chance to speak. Wanna?"
"O'K." he grinned. That would be fun – the last time when she called and he answered was when he intended to through that annoying Pazzi from the balcony with his caecum out, and now there's another annoying telephone owner who earned his great respect in no time. How long it will take to Clarice to come here, searching for her child only to find her in the company of the Cannibal?...
Angie gave him the phone. He answered and heard Her voice at once. Actually he was always ready to listen to the melody of her beautiful voice, not capturing the gist, only dissolving in the flow of the sound... But now it was the game. Does Clarice get more fun out of life? The fun he had so obviously prescribed – the recipy which she probably never brought to the drug store.
"Angie, this time you've got really mad. Ruben is insulted, Felix feels uncertain whether you've been at home last night, and I think you've not. I don't know what kind of problem do you have, but I'm sure we can find a solution together, and you don't need to make people, who love you, be so worried. Guess, you're not at school either. Where are you? Where can we meet and talk?"
He didn't say anything. Angie starred at him, her sunglasses – the other ones, little lighter, the colour of her eyes still not being seen, - hid the childish curiosity which he hould smell with every breath he took.
"Angie, where are you?" Angie thought a little, then rested her chin on his shoulder – just to listen to the conversation, she whispered. "Angie, what happened?"
"Good afternoon, Clarice," Hannibal murmured. "Enjoying your life and being a good mother?"
"Where's Angie?" she nas never been so scared, he admitted to himself.
"Clarice, I should admit, your café-shop is perfect. I've seldom eaten such delicious breakfast. Perhaps I'll come to dine, especially because I still have my reservation."
"Where's my daughter, doctor Lecter?" Clarice repeated, getting calm. She perfectly knows it's no use in getting angry, he thought. She was always a clever girl, now she, perhaps, became a clever woman...
Angie rose, her mouth slightly opened. Hannibal tried, but he couldn't smell a fear. Little Creature, he thought, why aren't you afraid of me?
"Now, Clarice, I don't think you should worry. This beast is certainly in a great need of psychotherapy. The sooner – the better."
"Where are you both?"
"Hmm. Let's pretend I don't know Nice so well..." it was a pleasure to tease his little Starling again. "I'll give you two hours to find us. You have plenty of time. One minute late – and we're not here. Tic-toc, tic-toc."
"Get your fucking hands off my daughter!" she yelled. He could smell Clarice's fear even from such a distance... or is his memory playing tricks on him again? That night at Chesapeake – he could smell her fear combined with lust. Now it's only fear.
"I'll punish you for that, Clarice. You know, it's not the right way to speak to an old friend. Let's say, 15 minutes less. Ta-ta."
"So you are Hannibal Lecter... that IS your name," he forgot about the girl. And she was absolutely still, not giving any sign of fear or exhilaration. "That explains a lot. Where will we go when the time's over?"
'You mean she won't find us?"
"Precisely. And don't be surprised. She thinks I hate sea."
"Don't think your mother is stupid, Angie..." Hannibal sighed.
"I don't. But until she realises we're here, she will have visited two more places. That will took her 20 minutes to get here from the closest one. She will be out of time for 4 minutes, because of the fine you gave her."
"You know Nice well" Hannibal said, smiling. But I know it even better. I can actually say where would she go in search for you."
"Useless usage of words, remember?" she hissed. She had courage to hiss at him.
"Now tell me why are you so calm? Aren't you afraid I'll eat you when the time is up?" there was something about this girl. Something Hannibal couldn't understand.
"Why should I?" She replied. And we were playing OUR game, remember? We still have plenty of time to play it."
"What do you want to know?"
"You're telling me about my mother. Who she was before me. I tell you about my mother – who she is now. If she is late, I tell you the most important thing you should know. If she comes in time – we'll see then. And – don't lie me. I'll know."
"Shouldn't I be the one to set the rules?" he stared at her with a surprise, slightly shown.
"No. Because I'm a lady. And you're a gentleman," she replied.
He had no words for what she was. Pure genius.
"Brought up with all the love which mother, Felix and Ruben could give." She read his thoughts. "When my father died, she discovered, she inherited a large sum of money. Then she decided to go travelling. Just the time she was pregnant. She was in London, in Paris, then she visited Nice – and that's where I decided to stay. She told me she couldn't leave this place. She had aches right when the plane or train were going to leave, so she was always late for them" Creature grinned. "After lots of unsuccessful tries she lost the will to fight and settlet here. Felix was the man, who brought her to the hospital, when the Process began. Ruben was his close friend. They both looked after my mother till she was in hospital. And when she was out, invited her – and me – to live with them. Then they co-operated: middle-aged woman with a daughter and money, the pianist and the cook. They three are the only family I know – and the only I got."
"Continue, "said Hannibal. Who of the two is Clarice's husband? Or none of them are?
"None of them." Angie read his thoughts again. Neither Felix, nor Ruben are... she suddenly slapped her mouth with her palm. "Sorry, sometimes I forget who I'm speaking with."
"Your mother established our friendship because of her frankness and courtesy. You don't seem to have the last. "
"I DO have it, doctor." Angie snorted. "Someday you'll see it, but I'm not in the mood for it right now. Quid pro quo. Tell me now, how did you meet mummy."
All good things for those, who wait, huh? I don't believe I'll manage to produce the next chapter tomorrow /grin/. You know, because of THE FILM. So... review, how's going. Maybe, I shouldn't continue?
Perhaps, Disclaimer applies to this chapter too...
Chapter 4. Opportunities.
Sticky obtrusive melody of the ringtone reminded Hannibal he never liked popular music. On the contrary Angie got very excited, she even started to sing to the melody: "Mama, I love you, mama, I care..." Then she turned to Hannibal and said: "Well, it's my mom calling. You got your chance to speak. Wanna?"
"O'K." he grinned. That would be fun – the last time when she called and he answered was when he intended to through that annoying Pazzi from the balcony with his caecum out, and now there's another annoying telephone owner who earned his great respect in no time. How long it will take to Clarice to come here, searching for her child only to find her in the company of the Cannibal?...
Angie gave him the phone. He answered and heard Her voice at once. Actually he was always ready to listen to the melody of her beautiful voice, not capturing the gist, only dissolving in the flow of the sound... But now it was the game. Does Clarice get more fun out of life? The fun he had so obviously prescribed – the recipy which she probably never brought to the drug store.
"Angie, this time you've got really mad. Ruben is insulted, Felix feels uncertain whether you've been at home last night, and I think you've not. I don't know what kind of problem do you have, but I'm sure we can find a solution together, and you don't need to make people, who love you, be so worried. Guess, you're not at school either. Where are you? Where can we meet and talk?"
He didn't say anything. Angie starred at him, her sunglasses – the other ones, little lighter, the colour of her eyes still not being seen, - hid the childish curiosity which he hould smell with every breath he took.
"Angie, where are you?" Angie thought a little, then rested her chin on his shoulder – just to listen to the conversation, she whispered. "Angie, what happened?"
"Good afternoon, Clarice," Hannibal murmured. "Enjoying your life and being a good mother?"
"Where's Angie?" she nas never been so scared, he admitted to himself.
"Clarice, I should admit, your café-shop is perfect. I've seldom eaten such delicious breakfast. Perhaps I'll come to dine, especially because I still have my reservation."
"Where's my daughter, doctor Lecter?" Clarice repeated, getting calm. She perfectly knows it's no use in getting angry, he thought. She was always a clever girl, now she, perhaps, became a clever woman...
Angie rose, her mouth slightly opened. Hannibal tried, but he couldn't smell a fear. Little Creature, he thought, why aren't you afraid of me?
"Now, Clarice, I don't think you should worry. This beast is certainly in a great need of psychotherapy. The sooner – the better."
"Where are you both?"
"Hmm. Let's pretend I don't know Nice so well..." it was a pleasure to tease his little Starling again. "I'll give you two hours to find us. You have plenty of time. One minute late – and we're not here. Tic-toc, tic-toc."
"Get your fucking hands off my daughter!" she yelled. He could smell Clarice's fear even from such a distance... or is his memory playing tricks on him again? That night at Chesapeake – he could smell her fear combined with lust. Now it's only fear.
"I'll punish you for that, Clarice. You know, it's not the right way to speak to an old friend. Let's say, 15 minutes less. Ta-ta."
"So you are Hannibal Lecter... that IS your name," he forgot about the girl. And she was absolutely still, not giving any sign of fear or exhilaration. "That explains a lot. Where will we go when the time's over?"
'You mean she won't find us?"
"Precisely. And don't be surprised. She thinks I hate sea."
"Don't think your mother is stupid, Angie..." Hannibal sighed.
"I don't. But until she realises we're here, she will have visited two more places. That will took her 20 minutes to get here from the closest one. She will be out of time for 4 minutes, because of the fine you gave her."
"You know Nice well" Hannibal said, smiling. But I know it even better. I can actually say where would she go in search for you."
"Useless usage of words, remember?" she hissed. She had courage to hiss at him.
"Now tell me why are you so calm? Aren't you afraid I'll eat you when the time is up?" there was something about this girl. Something Hannibal couldn't understand.
"Why should I?" She replied. And we were playing OUR game, remember? We still have plenty of time to play it."
"What do you want to know?"
"You're telling me about my mother. Who she was before me. I tell you about my mother – who she is now. If she is late, I tell you the most important thing you should know. If she comes in time – we'll see then. And – don't lie me. I'll know."
"Shouldn't I be the one to set the rules?" he stared at her with a surprise, slightly shown.
"No. Because I'm a lady. And you're a gentleman," she replied.
He had no words for what she was. Pure genius.
"Brought up with all the love which mother, Felix and Ruben could give." She read his thoughts. "When my father died, she discovered, she inherited a large sum of money. Then she decided to go travelling. Just the time she was pregnant. She was in London, in Paris, then she visited Nice – and that's where I decided to stay. She told me she couldn't leave this place. She had aches right when the plane or train were going to leave, so she was always late for them" Creature grinned. "After lots of unsuccessful tries she lost the will to fight and settlet here. Felix was the man, who brought her to the hospital, when the Process began. Ruben was his close friend. They both looked after my mother till she was in hospital. And when she was out, invited her – and me – to live with them. Then they co-operated: middle-aged woman with a daughter and money, the pianist and the cook. They three are the only family I know – and the only I got."
"Continue, "said Hannibal. Who of the two is Clarice's husband? Or none of them are?
"None of them." Angie read his thoughts again. Neither Felix, nor Ruben are... she suddenly slapped her mouth with her palm. "Sorry, sometimes I forget who I'm speaking with."
"Your mother established our friendship because of her frankness and courtesy. You don't seem to have the last. "
"I DO have it, doctor." Angie snorted. "Someday you'll see it, but I'm not in the mood for it right now. Quid pro quo. Tell me now, how did you meet mummy."
All good things for those, who wait, huh? I don't believe I'll manage to produce the next chapter tomorrow /grin/. You know, because of THE FILM. So... review, how's going. Maybe, I shouldn't continue?