The Monster & The Conspiracy (BWWM)

36. The Monster's Tale, Part 2

C H A P T E R
T H I R T Y - S I X

18.15 pm

Julian tossed the magazine he was reading on the table when Charles entered his office, carrying a plate of lasagne in his small hands. He was freshly bathed and dressed for bed in his Batman themed pyjamas and blue fuzzy slippers.

Charles made his way round Julian's large table. "I hope you bathed properly." Julian narrowed his eyes at his son. Much to Julian's horror, Charles had spent the afternoon playing in a muddy puddle.

"Yes Father." Charles nodded with a sheepish smile. He proceeded to hand the plate over to Julian.

"You didn't come down for supper, so I brought you food." Charles explained as he twiddled his thumbs.

"Thank you." Julian smiled. He patted his laps for Charles to sit on. Charles looked at the sweatpant clad laps hesitantly before propping himself onto them. Once Julian had steadied his son on his laps, he began to attack his meal with ravenous bites.

"Father," Charles started as his eyes raked Julian's paper strewn desk.

"Yes Charles?" Julian asked in between bites.

"What's a wanker?" Charles asked curiously. Julian choked on his food then coughed to ease the discomfort in his throat.

Julian looked into his son's blue eyes twinkling with an innocence that eased his concerns about his vocabulary but did nothing for his discomfiture. Julian cleared his throat. "W-where did you hear that?"

"Yesterday, when you called the gardener a wanker because he was watering the weeds and not the flowers."

"Charles." Julian sighed. "You shouldn't listen in on adult conversations and never say the word wanker. Ever."

"But what does it mean?" The boy persisted.

Julian groaned. He didn't know a lot about his son but he knew that the boy was just as persistent as he was when he wanted something. There was no use evading his son's question. "A wanker is a very bad person. But it's a bad word that only adults can use."

"So I can't call Grandpa Alan a wanker then?"

Julian's lips twitched. "Unfortunately not, Charles."

"Are we still going to watch a movie?" Charles asked hopefully.

"Charles, I said we'd watch a movie later, I'm a bit busy at the moment." Julian informed him before impaling a strand of melted cheese with his fork.

"But you're reading a magazine." Charles pointed out.

A slight twinge of red painted Julian's cheeks. He quickly slipped the magazine into his drawer. "It's part of some of my research." Julian cleared his throat.

"About rings?" Charles asked.

Julian paled this time. "Well, no---I mean yes."

"What for?"

"Let's just go downstairs." Julian quickly doused the flames of Charles' curiosity. He placed the boy on the floor then rose from the chair before they left his office.