The Sins Of A Father

Chapter Eleven: Hearing Crickets





Once I had parked my Benz, I opened the side door and stood to take a deep fresh breath that I had badly needed. My stomach was once again doing flip flops, I only admit to myself, and most probably to this damn book, that I was nervous as hell. I took another breath and let it out deeply as I left my coat in the car to only wear my suit, my hair tied back, and took out my black leather briefcase that held a few important files.



I locked the car, a little more calmer now, and took off walking slowly around the path to the famous street: Soho. I walked on the stoned, slightly narrowed, pathway. It was not as full as much with people as I had remembered. But then again, it was a Monday night.



I put my free hand into one of my trouser pockets while walking. It had been so long ago that I had last put a foot onto this street. In fact, it was years. I had not come to this place again since I began seeing Lily officially. I looked around my surroundings, seeing if anything was different. In fact, it was not. Not really. Maybe one or two new underwear shops. It was a mostly gay male themed part of the area. Once that thought hit into my head, I was VERY curious as to WHY the meeting was taking place in this area.



I narrowed my eyes.



It was very suspicious as to why Riddle was suggesting that Malfoy and I should be involved somewhat more than colleagues should. A meeting with a man who indulges himself in alcohol. An area that has more colours than a rainbow. And a man who I despise wants to get into my trousers.



I could not help but let out a soft laughter. Of course, I was slightly pissed off, but not so much to go over to Riddle and give him a piece of my mind.



In fact, I was amused by this.



I shook my head slightly, the loose strands of my hair brushing my skin lightly. I looked ahead to see what sort of people were out tonight.



I remembered a few…But as I regret this little fact, I was drunk most of the times, so the memories were hazy in some parts. All I really remember was that in the morning my thighs were aching and my cock felt raw. Remembering back then, actually, I was very thankful to all the gods out there that I did not catch anything that could very well kill me. Of course. I wore a condom at all times, but the way I was back then, I know for a fact that the nights I hardly remember, I did not do safe sex.



That is the main reason I still wear a condom when I’m with Lily. She says it’s alright not to wear a condom with her once in awhile, saying that she’ll take the pill, just in case. But it was not that I was worrying over the fact that she might get pregnant, no. It was because I would not take a risk when I could help it when it comes to diseases that might occur between us. I was lucky in those past times, but luck will run out eventually.



I wish to not to test my luck once more.



“Severus? Severus Snape, is that you!?”



I stopped in my tracks.



That voice was so very familiar to me, yet changed by the slight deepness of puberty, so I turned around slowly to face…



“Carter?” A man, who I once knew from a sixteen year old lad was now 21. He had blonde hair, with black roots, spiky hair. Dark green eyes, but not as breathtaking as Harry’s and Lily’s. He was tall, just an inch away from my height. A very slim, lean, slightly feminine figure. He was very much into the Gothic side, so he wore a black ripped t-shirt, slashed black jeans, and a heavy pair of black chained boots. Besides the black eyeliner, he did not wear the black and white make-up, so he might have been a ‘grunger’ as we call them here.



“Severus! Fuck me, it IS you!”



Next thing I knew, I had an arm full of the man.



My eyes went slightly wide, but then my lips gave in and broke out to a smirk. I patted him a few times with my free hand that was not holding the briefcase. “ Been a rather long time, don’t you think, Carter?” I said smoothly with just a dab of teasing.



He smacked my shoulder playfully and gave a mock scowl, resting his hands on his hips. “Fuck yes! Where that HELL have you been? I thought you had a heart attack, old man!”



I gave an appalled look. “I haven’t even reached my forties yet! I’m not old enough to have a heart attack!”



He gave a…”Hmph! I wouldn’t be surprised if you did, the way you kept sleeping with everyone!”



I waved my hand to present myself. “Well, as you can see, I’m fit as a stallion!”



He broke out to soft laughter. "Don’t go boosting yourself, Sev, you\'re still a pervy old man. Sex was always on your mind! I should know. I was there!”



True, he was. Well, most of the time, that is. You see, he was a waiter in one of the clubs, but the way he looked, you would not guess his age right, so he got jobs as a waiter here easier. \'Specially most of the small jobs around the London area was cash in hand. No forms needed. He ran away from home once he was sixteen, stayed in a youth hostel until he had enough money to pay rent in another place. Trust me, it does not sound all that glamorous. He had a shit load of a hard time. He once nearly prostituted himself when he got kicked out of the hostel for being…‘Hostile’. That is, until, I let him stay with me until he got back on his feet with a proper job and a proper place on his hands.



I might have been, or still am, a right utter bastard, but even my morals could not stand the thought of a child suffering in the cold dank streets. Even if I was not very fond of them, at that time of my life.



But after I was with Lily, we seemed to drift apart.



“Sex on my mind? Well of course, my dear boy, I AM a gay man after all.” I gave a cheeky grin. I had never slept with the man in front of me; I came close once or twice, but never brought myself to actually ‘doing it’ with him. I just couldn’t. I valued his friendship more than a one night stand.



He raised a quirky eyebrow in a challenge. “No Severus, you’re bisexual.”



“Well then, more sex for me. I have more varieties to chose from then, my dear lassie.”



He gave a deep, exaggerated sigh and shook his head. “You, Severus Snape, are insatiable and no one is safe in this world from your cock.” A short chuckle came out at the end of his statement.



“Well, I should doubt that now. In fact, I should say most people are safe from my evil clutches…” I raised my left hand until he saw my wedding band glittering at the slight angle.



He grabbed my hand to inspect the truth and gave a loud gasp. “Ohmygod! You’re married!? Bloody hell! How the fuck did that happen? I mean, no offence, congratulations an’ all that, but…BLOODY HELL!”



I laughed out a deep, rich sound. Bloody hell indeed. “Well, you see, my dear boy, when a man and a woman love each other ver-”



“Severus! You know what I mean!” he whined, but soon he put his light tanned arms around my neck and gave me a bear hug. “Congratulations, Severus! You deserve some happiness.” A soft peck was placed on my cheek. I returned the hug with a whispered thank you. Once he untangled himself from me, he spoke once again. “SO! Who IS he? Or wait, is it a she?”



“Her name is Lily…” I set down my briefcase and pulled out my wallet, showing the inside picture of Lily, Harry, and Jimmy sitting together on the grass at a park. I do not show emotions easily, but when it has to do with my family, I am the proudest man you’ll ever find.



But I’ll show my love with dignity still attached.



“She’s so beautiful, Sev, her eyes…THEIR eyes are so gorgeous! They’re your family?” He whispered while tracing his fingertips on the small photo.



“They are. The taller boy is my son Harry; he’ll be sixteen this year. The smaller boy is also my son, Jimmy; he just turned five, the little imp." I gave a slight grin.



Carter hugged me with one arm and broke out into a slight girly squeal, bouncing on his toes. “I’m so happy for you, Severus! You deserve it! Your family is SO lucky to have you!”



“Heh, I doubt that, Carter. You should rephrase that and say I’m the lucky one.” I put my wallet back into my pocket before some thief tried to pinch it from me.



“Stop being a git, Sev! You know what I mean! But, ‘ang on… Harry’s nearly sixteen? You’re telling me that you and Lily got up to a little hanky panky before you two got married? See, you ARE a sex manic!”



I snorted. “No, I’m not. Harry is my stepson, if you want to put it that way. I adopted him as my own, so he IS my son. When Lily and I got married we had Jimmy”



“Oh alright, I get it.” His grin popped out and he playfully punched my arm. “See! You ain’t a complete bastard! You got feelings in that little heart of yours! Admit it, Sevvie!”



I growled lightly. “Never…I do not know what you are talking about, lassie.”



He laughed. “Bollocks, you don’t!“



I gave my trademark smirk. “You accuse me of having sex constantly on my mind when YOU say words like ‘bollocks-‘” My mobile started to ring.



Malfoy.



I groaned. Loudly. “Shit, I’m really sorry, Carter, but I have to attend a meeting. Look, here is my card with my phone number. I WILL be expecting a call from you, so keep in touch!” I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, picked up my briefcase, and went off to go to the meeting.



Hearing behind me his, “It\'s good to meet you again, old man!” as his reply.



Really, I’m not THAT old am I?



Am I?



…?



Why do I get the impression that I should be hearing crickets?