WHIPPED
Clarice was having no trouble handling the Bentley and Hannibal was rather enjoying his position in the passenger seat.
As Clarice attended to the road, her husband attended to the silky skin on the inside of her thigh dragging his fingernails very lightly as he concentrated on the sartorius muscle, running his hands up and down the full extension of her leg.
He then turned his hand inward and shifted his focus to the gracilis muscle relishing the tactile sensations as he considered both the elegant length and the lean musculature of her limb. He hummed soft and low as he obsessed with the sensual texture of her soft skin and inhaled deeply as he reached toward the heat at the joining of her thighs.
"Ummm, Clarice, your body is captivating. Your legs magnificent and your scent…exquisite."
Clarice shifted slightly away from his hand, "H, I'm driving…give me a break I can't concentrate."
Hannibal leaned closer, his shoulder now touching hers, and craned his neck to whisper against her cheek, his right hand still searching, "Would you deny me this pleasure, my Love?"
Clarice playfully bumped his shoulder with hers pushing him back momentarily.
"H, not that I want to deny you, but we'd be the talk of the town if I wrap this car around a pole. Next thing you know, firemen and police officers will have to extricate your hand from between my legs in order to remove our bodies from this vehicle."
Unconcerned, Hannibal again scandalously searched beneath her dress.
"If I were to die with my hand between your legs, Clarice, I assure you I would've died a very happy man."
Clarice stated plainly as she lightly slapped his arm, "I'd rather meet my son before I meet my maker so remove your hand, please."
Hannibal lifted his hands from beneath her dress and raised them above his head in surrender.
"Know that I do so only under protest, my Love."
Clarice giggled at her husband's dramatic response, "Duly noted, H."
Occasionally throughout the remainder of the ride, Hannibal would use his index and middle fingers, downturned, and would playfully walk them up her leg. Every time he reached the edge of her dress and used his index finger to lift the hem, Clarice would smack his hand aside causing Hannibal no end of amusement.
Clarice parked and waited for Hannibal to open her door and escort her from the car. Though he found the prospect distasteful he even carried the food leftover from the restaurant as he held his wife by the elbow, disarmed the security system and opened the door.
"After you, my Love."
"Why thank you, kind Sir."
Hannibal rested his hand on the small of her back and escorted her into the foyer, removing her wrap. He kissed her shoulder as he slipped the garment from her.
"Shall I put away the food and run a bath for you?"
"You can put the food away, that would be great but I'd rather relax in the tub tomorrow morning for an hour or so before my doctor's appointment. I'm actually scheduled for an internal examination and that always makes me nervous so a bath before would be relaxing. I'd love to curl up in front of the fireplace and cuddle for an hour or two before bed. Would you build us a fire?"
"Your wish is my command, Clarice."
Hannibal placed the food within the refrigerator and moved to the family room to dutifully build a roaring fire.
Clarice changed from her clothing quickly and returned to Hannibal wrapped in her plush bathrobe, slippers and nothing more.
She found her husband resting on the couch beneath a quilt. She could see that he was shirtless and turned to notice his suit jacket draped over the back of his wing chair. His slacks and shirt were folded neatly as well. His shoes were beneath the chair with his socks neatly rolled and tucked within.
Okay so what's left, H…just your boxers?
Eyes closed, his head rested on a throw pillow and his legs stretched out across the sofa. Hannibal was the picture of calm as he slept soundly in front of the fire.
That's what I get for ordering you that bottle of wine, huh, H? That's okay you deserve to rest. You've been through hell and come out the other side so the least I can do is let you sleep.
Clarice lifted the quilt very gently so as not to disturb her sleeping husband and could see he had covered the sofa with one half of the quilt and removed his boxers as well. Clarice took her place by his side on the oversized sofa, opened her robe and closed it around them. Flesh warming flesh she snuggled alongside her husband, rested her head on his chest and within moments was sound asleep.
Neither spouse woke before morning.
Hannibal stirred first somewhat surprised to find he had dropped off to sleep. He stretched against his wife and pulled her to him. His movement softly shook her awake so he began to caress her body, intent to fulfill the physical the promise of the night previous.
Clarice was forced to disappoint."Ummm, what time is it, H?"
Hannibal slipped his left arm from behind his wife and checked his watch.
His voice was still raspy from sleep, "It's quarter past eight. What time is your appointment?"
"I have to be at the office by nine forty-five. They require patients arrive fifteen minutes prior to the appointment and I'm scheduled for ten."
Hannibal ignored the response lifted her chin and began to kiss his wife. Clarice initially responded as his lips searched hers tenderly. He ran his tongue along her lips, teasing at the separation.
Clarice parted her lips slightly in welcome.
As the contact escalated and it became apparent Hannibal sought more than an early morning cuddle, Clarice was reluctantly forced to interrupt.
"Sorry, H…no time for fooling around we have to get up. Are you coming with me or am I still on my own?"
Hannibal kissed the top of her head as he spoke quietly, "I've missed far too many appointments already, Clarice. I would be more than proud to be by your side."
Clarice sat on the edge of the couch and rested her hand on Hannibal's stomach, her eyes searching as she processed, "Are you sure? Don't forget everyone's coming to dinner tonight to celebrate. We've got Barney and his girlfriend, Ardelia and Logan, Clint and his wife, Will and Molly, even Lloyd is coming."
Hannibal covered her hand with his, continually rubbing his thumb over her wedding ring as he remembered, "I invited the neighbors as well, Mr. and Mrs. Ward were thrilled to be included."
Clarice began to count on her fingers as she listed the expected guests in her mind.
"Okay so including us, that makes what?"
Hannibal sat up and scooted his hips to sit beside Clarice. He stretched and yawned before responding, "Thirteen to dinner, unless Lloyd had decided to bring a date."
Patting Hannibal's thigh as she stood, Clarice decided, "I'll ask him. I really don't want thirteen people at a dinner celebrating our baby."
Hannibal stood and stretched his back and shoulders. His eyes glistened as he found Clarice's comment amusing.
"Suddenly superstitious, my Love?"
She began folding the quilt and moved to the closet to store it, not at all self-conscious of his physical or mental scrutiny.
"Not especially, but this close to the baby being born I'm not tempting fate."
Hannibal followed, and as his wife reached to put the quilt on the shelf, he slipped his hands around her waist pulling her against his body. Melding with her, he swayed back and forth holding her hips close. Hannibal hung his head over her shoulder, speaking close.
"I regret my exhaustion combined with the ample food and drink caused me to sleep rather than make love with you, Clarice."
Clarice closed the closet and relaxed into his arms.
"It's okay, H…we've got time for that. You just got home and obviously needed sleep more than sex. I'll make sure you're satisfied later tonight."
"Regardless of the context, each morning I wake with you in my arms, I am satisfied."
"Me too, H…me too."
Clarice and Hannibal were readied and on the way to the appointment in more than enough time. The waiting room was crowded so much so that Hannibal stood quietly behind Clarice with a hand on her shoulder. He surveyed the room to find several women, most unaccompanied waiting patiently for their names to be called, some with young children in tow. The young man occasionally called a name and escorted the patient to an examination room.
Clarice busied herself with parenting magazines and pamphlets for first time mothers.
Hannibal now busied himself watching a young man stocking the shelves in a corner of the waiting room. It wasn't that the young man presented a threat; it was more that he seemed overtly curious. His gaze was not the casual glance of a bystander. His stare seemed purposeful and as such, gave Hannibal pause.
What is your intent my friend? Why does my skin crawl when our eyes meet?
The young man was fairly athletic looking and seemed to be out of place as an office assistant. Whatever his purpose, Hannibal was ill at ease.
"Clarice, have you seen that young man on previous visits? I don't recall his presence when last I escorted you."
Clarice looked around the room, not clueing in immediately to Hannibal's concern.
"What young man?"
Too polite to point, Hannibal quietly described, "The gentleman calling women to their appointments. He was just stocking the antibacterial lotion by the counter."
"Who? Dennis? He's the doctor's nephew. He goes to university somewhere around here. I guess he must be on spring break or something. He seems to show up on school vacations and such to help out."
Hannibal's concern fully entrenched he sought to share his apprehension, "He is paying an inordinate amount of attention to our activities."
Clarice totally dismissed the alarm, "H, he's just a pimple-faced college kid so just tone down the anxiety and cut him some slack. Hell, it's probably the first time he's seen a cannibal up close so maybe if he's a little freaked out."
"Very funny, Clarice. Student or not, my instincts are rarely wrong. There must be some reason he raises my suspicion."
Clarice folded the magazine and tossed it on the coffee table, irritated at Hannibal's disquiet.
"For fuck's sake, everyone raises your suspicion, H…he's what…twelve or something? I don't think he's going to pose much of a problem do you?"
Not wanting to send his wife's blood pressure soaring, for her sake, Hannibal verbally dismissed his own concern, "If you say so, Clarice."
Hannibal then covertly continued to watch as the suspicious student went about his activities with one eye on the task at hand, and the other on Hannibal. When the shady aide left the room, Hannibal noticed a rolled up copy of The National Tattler in the back pocket of his trousers. Clearly noticing the rolled letters, N, N, I, B, A, in sequence, the good doctor shifted from one leg to the other, wary.
What have you read that has drawn your daring, my dubious friend?
Several minutes later, the young man returned the waiting room and announced as if he did not recognize, "Mrs. Clarice Lecter?"
Hannibal tilted his head as he dismissed the substandard performance.
You are a very poor actor indeed.
Unaware of her husband's continued mistrust and absolutely unguarded herself, Clarice stood and walked to the door where the young man waited.
"Hi, I'm Clarice Lecter."
The young man's eyes gathered in Clarice's bosom, leering for a moment until a brief shift caused him to make eye contact with Hannibal. As if struck in the back of the head by Hannibal's venomous stare, the boy's head fell forward as he pretended to contemplate the ground at his feet.
He moved without averting his gaze and spoke as he walked, "Follow me, Mrs. Lecter and I'll bring you to your examination room."
As the aide passed the desk the doctor spoke, "Dennis can you put Mrs. Lecter in examination room two please?"
As the young man heard the direction and stopped, a flash of discontent crossed his eyes.
Hannibal could smell the panic rise from young Dennis' pores.
Why would a change to the room bring a sudden rush of panic?
Dennis regrouped, "I can't. I just mopped that room and the tile is still wet. I'm putting her in number three if that's okay. I don't want anyone to fall or anything."
The doctor waved a hand in acknowledgement. "No problem, that was very responsible of you, thanks."
As alarms sounded, Hannibal followed very closely and quietly. The young man directed Clarice to the dressing room and gave her a garment to wear.
"Mrs. Lecter. When you have changed, you can sit on the examination table and wait. The doctor will be with you shortly."
Though he passed Hannibal several times as he moved around the room, the young man kept his eyes downturned and did not address him. He spoke only to Clarice.
The precise moment Dennis moved far enough from the room to convince Hannibal he could not be overheard the wary husband spoke to his wife very quietly as she disrobed. As it was just she and Hannibal, Clarice hadn't bothered to close the curtain between them. She handed him her dress and a hanger.
As Hannibal carefully slipped the dress on the hanger and neatly placed it on a hook within the dressing room he leaned close to his wife and whispered, "I don't trust him, Clarice."
Clarice rolled her eyes as she slipped off her undergarments speaking with affectionate sarcasm, "Yeah but you don't trust anyone, H."
Hannibal surveyed his wife's state of undress and looked over his shoulder half expecting the young man to appear unannounced. His voice warned, "Yes, and I trust him even less than that. I don't like the way he looks at you."
Now wearing the garment given Clarice placed a comforting palm on Hannibal's chest, reached up and kissed him very tenderly, "Again, H…you don't like the way anyone looks at me."
Clarice now prepared, Hannibal took her gently by the hand and guided her to sit on the examination table. Touching the stirrups with a fingertip he mumbled, "This entire process is positively medieval. There is nothing about this that is either natural or comforting."
"Hey, how do you think I feel? I'm the one getting ready to cowgirl up in the stirrups. Not the most pleasant experience, I can tell you."
"I don't suppose it would be…still…nothing seems right about this."
"Just relax and enjoy the show, okay big guy. You're totally freaking me out."
"My apologies, my Love. I shouldn't voice my concerns. You need to relax."
He held her in his arms very protectively as they waited for the doctor.
Clarice was examined thoroughly. The doctor explained that the recent ultrasound showed the placenta had indeed migrated and a vaginal delivery was expected. Of course, they would have all contingencies prepared for, but it looked as though the delivery would proceed without fear of abnormal complications.
Hannibal half-listened as the doctor discussed dilation and the thinning of the cervix. He was already well aware of how the pregnancy was progressing and what he needed to anticipate in order to see Clarice safely through to the end. He was more preoccupied with the nagging suspicion needling him.
Clarice asked several questions and reasserted her desire to have Hannibal help deliver the baby. The doctor agreed and after a series of pleasantries and a smile or two directed at Hannibal, she excused herself.
Redressing quickly, Clarice lobbied for a pancake breakfast as Hannibal escorted her from the room to the area where she would book her next appointment.
When the young man passed Hannibal and, without a patient in tow, returned to the room where Clarice had just been, the coincidence was too much for the suspicious doctor.
What are you up to my shady friend?
Hannibal whispered to Clarice, "I will return momentarily, Clarice. I believe I set my car keys down in the examination room."
Hannibal very quickly and with no small measure of stealth, returned to the examination room just in time to see the young man retrieving a small camera from it's hiding place on a shelf across from the table on which Clarice had just been examined.
Seeing Hannibal the young man panicked and bolted from the room using a secondary door. Hannibal, realizing the camera would have fully recorded the entire examination, burst from the room and began running after the boy, murderous rage flashing in his eyes.
The culprit dashed past the scheduling area raising the curiosity of his aunt. She called after him,
"Hey, Dennis, where are you going? What the hell!"
When Hannibal bolted past obviously hotly in pursuit Clarice panicked as the doctor spoke softly to the receptionist, "Call down the sub-station and tell the police we have a situation. They can check the monitors and see where they went but tell them we are dealing with Hannibal Lecter so get up here, quick!"
The doctor turned to Clarice, "Do you have any clue what's going on, Mrs. Lecter?"
"I know Hannibal was concerned that Dennis was acting suspicious, that must be why he went back into the room. He must have seen something… I have no idea what the hell just happened…" realization suddenly just dawning, "…and what the fuck do you mean we are dealing with Hannibal Lecter? It looks like we're dealing with your piece of shit nephew."
The doctor was preoccupied with her own fears and didn't make note of Clarice's comment, "Should I worry about what your husband might do to Dennis if he catches him?"
"There is no if, he'll catch him, it's when he'll catch him, and I have no idea what H will do…I guess that depends on what the hell your nephew did. The way Hannibal took after him, it can't be good. And I'll tell you what- you need to worry about what I'm going to do when he catches him 'cuz if that snot nosed little bastard is up to something I'll kick the shit out of him my damned self!"
Using the rails on each turn to slingshot him around to the next flight and racing down the stairs with reckless abandon Hannibal caught up to young Dennis in the stairwell three flights down from the office. Eyes shifting as he evaluated the situation, the good doctor noticed the surveillance cameras mounted on the wall. Everything he did would be recorded. The Harpy would have to stay within his sleeve. Hannibal closed the distance and extended an open hand, the menace pouring from his eyes.
"I'll have that camera, young man."
Dennis was shaking from fear and overexertion his voice shook as he spoke, "What camera? I don't know what you're talking about…I don't have no camera."
Hannibal stepped forward and backed the young man into a corner so he could not dash down the next flight of stairs.
His voice hissing with his rage he threatened, "You may not have much education, but you most certainly do have a camera and if you do not put it in my hands instantly I assure you I will remove it from your person in any way I see fit."
Hannibal continued to slowly stalk young Dennis with blood in his eyes.
The young man, after reading the morning's Tattler, understood how much money he could make selling the contents of the camera's memory card. He measured his strength to Hannibal's and optimistically assessed himself the stronger of the two. Emboldened now that he believed himself to be more than equal to the older man, young Dennis balled his fingers tightly, closed his eyes and launched his fist in the direction of Hannibal's face.
Hannibal gracefully slipped the punch and countered with a right cross to the young man's jaw. The boy spun from the contact and slammed against the stair rail, slumping to one knee, spitting blood.
Dennis stood and extended his arm to keep enough separation to allow a moment to gather his courage and his breath.
There was an economy of movement as he attacked that seemed balletic. No wasted energy. No fear in his eyes, just the objective and his pursuit of it. Somehow, Hannibal standing deadly still and staring forward was even more terrifying. Dennis cowered as again, the request he knew he would ignore was again made.
"I'll not ask again. Give me the camera."
Through gritted teeth he responded, "I already told you I don't have a camera. You must be senile old man."
Hannibal's blazing crimson eyes narrowed as he growled, "Then you will excuse me as I will be forced to remove it from your unconscious body."
The reprobate with far more nerve than brains challenged, "Just shut the fuck up and bring it, old man!"
Hannibal surged forward, and feigned a left jab. The young man moved away from what he thought was coming causing him to move directly into the raging right hook Hannibal launched a split second later.
When Hannibal's fist hit the young man's nose the bone smashed and blood exploded everywhere. Without giving the fool a chance to react, Hannibal charged forward and crashed his shoulder into the young man's torso.
Charging forward Hannibal drove the offender with all his might into the cinderblock wall. As the pair crashed together, Hannibal's right elbow drove across the delinquent's mouth, causing spit and blood to fountain everywhere.
"You will die for your disrespect to my wife," he rasped in his victim's ear.
Suddenly, the door flew open and two police officers rushed through, guns drawn.
Hannibal paid no attention as he ferociously attacked the young man. Fists flying he continued to pummel the wrongdoers face until the offensive individual slumped in a bloody pile to the ground. The young man curled into the fetal position bleeding profusely and barely conscious.
Seeing help had arrived Dennis pleaded, "Get him off me he's fucking crazy! He wants to kill me!"
The police officers secured their guns and grabbed Hannibal just as he pulled the camera from the young man's pocket. Obviously frightened, they lifted Hannibal and slammed him against the opposite wall.
With the camera in hand and not wanting to give the officers any more reason than they already had to arrest him, Hannibal put up absolutely no offense as the officers sought to secure him. They pinned him just as Clarice burst through the doorway.
"What the hell is going on here?"
The larger, younger of the officers stood in front of Hannibal with a hand placed firmly on his sternum to prevent movement.
The older of the duo spoke calmly, "That's what we're trying to determine, Mrs. Lecter. Do you have a clue?"
Clarice was flabbergasted to see the young man's face pouring blood and pushed past both policemen to face her husband, his eyes still flashing murderous intent.
She was the only one in the room not terrified. The cops were shocked when she shoved Hannibal's shoulders to get his attention, "Holy fucking hell, H! Did you just beat the shit out of that kid?"
Hannibal sought to explain without giving away the camera, "He's not a kid he's a grown man with very dubious intention."
"H, I don't give a good goddamned if he's Benjamin Fucking Button why the hell did you chase him and bust him up so goddamned bad? He's bleeding like a stuck pig."
"Much as I would have loved to, I did not stick him."
Clarice moved closer and spoke against her husband's cheek, "H, your eyes are glowing and you look fucking homicidal so just tell me what the hell went on to make you chase him?"
Hannibal was forced to speak that which he found distasteful.
"He planted a camera in the room pointed directly between the stirrups of the table, Clarice. He has video of your entire exam."
The older officer was incredulous as he directed his partner, "You've got to be kidding me? Get that camera and we'll see if it's true."
The younger police officer quickly wrenched the camera from Hannibal's grip.
Hannibal thrashed and pulled in a violent attempt to escape and regain control of the equipment. The enraged husband roared his fury, "You'll not view that footage! It's extremely graphic and my wife is entitled to medical privacy."
Calmly considering the situation and wanting to settle Hannibal, the older of the two officers handed the camera to Clarice.
"Have a look, Mrs. Lecter and let us know what you see. You're ex-FBI, we trust you."
Clearly horrified, Clarice accessed the video card and played back the entire exam. In order to illustrate the content without compromising her dignity she cued the section where the young man turned on the camera and placed it on the shelf.
She showed the evidence to the officers and allowed them to view up to the moment she placed her feet in the stirrups. She then allowed them to listen to audio only so they could determine that the entire exam was filmed.
Hannibal twisted and pulled, practically dislocating his own arms in the struggle as he writhed against the officer's grip. Calling out to his wife, the defensive husband urged, "Erase the tape, Clarice. Erase the tape."
The older officer spoke softly as he outlined the plan.
"Okay, here's what's going to happen…there's a camera just over your left shoulder and I have no idea if anyone is manning it now, Mrs. Lecter. It's got video but no audio. If you would rather erase the tape than press charges, let me know so I'll know how to proceed. What would you like to do, Mrs. Lecter?"
Clarice's eyes showed her approval, "I'd much rather erase the tape. The kid is my doctor's nephew. I'd rather she handle it."
The officer processed his plan quickly as his partner exerted great effort to hold onto Hannibal.
"Okay, we are going to let your husband go and he's going to take that camera from your hands and erase the file that contains your exam. Of course, without evidence we won't be able to take this piece of shit little peeping tom into custody. Understood?"
Clarice nodded, "Yes, understood."
Staring at the voyeur, Hannibal's eyes filled with brimstone and rage. He was absolutely distraught and wouldn't be stilled until the video was erased.
In full view of the surveillance he continued his struggle. If anyone from security viewed the footage they would believe the moment the officer let that Hannibal had slipped the man's grip.
The younger policeman, his large arms spent from the struggle, finally released his grip. Hannibal leapt forward pounced on the camera and pulled it quickly from Clarice's hand to finally erase the offending evidence.
The officers grasped Hannibal quickly and ran him backward against the wall slamming him hard to make it look realistic. The air left Hannibal's lungs and he doubled over dropping to his knees gasping to catch his breath. The younger officer affixed his cuffs on Hannibal's wrists as the older officer made quite the scene of reviewing the camera to determine the video had been erased. He then waved for his partner to release Hannibal. Clarice rushed to his side.
The officers turned to the perpetrator still wedged, terrified in the corner of the stairwell and helped the young man to his feet.
"We'll bring him back to the office and explain the situation to the doctor. She's gonna kill him."
Clarice was effusive in her appreciation, "Thanks, officers. We're grateful for sensitivity and your understanding."
"Not at all, we'll get this kid away from your husband before he tears him apart."
The older officer nodded to Hannibal, "You're a tenacious man, Doctor Lecter. I can appreciate your position. If it were my wife…"
Hannibal nodded to the officer, then, shifted his attention to the half-conscious and bleeding videographer.
Hannibal snarled as the young man passed, "If my wife were not pregnant and my child in need of a father, you would have experienced a more permanent outcome, my friend. Count yourself lucky that you hadn't viewed even one moment of that footage or I would have repaid your disrespect to Clarice by hooking my Harpy through the sockets of your eyes and removing the offensive organs. Consequences be damned!"
The officers walked with the young man, planning to return him to his aunt to meet her wrath. The younger partner spoke first.
"Did you hear what he said? That was some scary cold-blooded shit."
His partner responded, "The really scary thing is he would have done exactly what he said."
"Yeah, what the fuck were you thinking?"
The older officer answered for the bleeding and obviously overwhelmed offender, "He clearly wasn't thinking and the idiot's lucky to be alive so let's just get him back to that office before Lecter changes his mind. Did you feel his cuff? Was it there?"
"Yeah, what the heck was that- it was metal, I thought it might be a brace for his wrist."
"That was no wrist brace, that was the Harpy." He directed his comments to the young man, still shaking and bleeding. "Hey, Stupid Fuck do you know how lucky you are that Lecter wanted to pound your flesh instead of carve it or you'd be dead as hell by now."
The younger cop was obviously impressed, "Yeah, he's a jealous guy with a gorgeous wife and it was obvious he didn't want to share. I mean, if you'd seen his old lady in that position, he would have gutted you for sure. You just totally fucked with the wrong guy almost got yourself killed."
Dennis was shaking, unsure of who would kill him quicker, Hannibal Lecter or his aunt. He knew either way, the wrath would be extreme.
Clarice remained by her husband's side in the stairwell to give Hannibal a moment to compose himself. Standing slowly he rubbed the back of his head, sore from the impact with the wall.
Clarice took him by the arm and guided him from the stairwell. Though she had attempted at each turn to dissuade him, she was more than grateful he intervened. The pair didn't speak until they reached the market to purchase the supplies for the evening's dinner.
"H…maybe tonight's not such a good night. Maybe we should cancel."
"Nonsense, Clarice. Your friends have asked to celebrate the birth of our child."
"Still, we can do it another time."
"We are almost out of time, my Love. You are very close to delivery."
"I know, but…"
Clarice stopped in her tracks, unsure of whether or not to alert Hannibal.
Christ…when he sees that…he's going to kill me…Hell, either way, he'll find out and he won't be pleased.
Clarice qualified, "H…promise not to get mad at me?"
"Of course, Clarice. What's the matter?"
She lifted the Tattler from the stand and held it in front of her husband.
Hannibal's narrowed as he surveyed the front page.
"It would seem we now know what spurred on young Dennis."
"Yeah, it sure looks that way."
"This will complicate the birth, Clarice. We have much to discuss."
"You're not mad at me, H…I know it's a little embarrassing."
"I'm certain the men will have much to say about it tonight, but no, Clarice. I'm not upset with you and I'm not embarrassed. I am proud to be the man you attend to, in any way you see fit."
Clarice put the paper back on the wire rack and walked away, arm and arm with her husband.
"I can't believe you're not upset."
"How can I be upset by that which we've already determined is true."
Clarice laughed at his response, glancing back at the photo. The entire front page featured Hannibal's face complete with the cream Clarice had placed on the tip of his nose. Emblazoned across the headline just one word.
WHIPPED!
At the bottom of the page the offer complicating the couple's life read:
Top money paid for any and all photos relating to the birth. One million dollars for the first picture of the Hannibal junior! You may be one shutter click away from riches!
Until the next chapter my friends!
LH