✅🎊✂️ Hypnosis Won't Take Me There!! [alternative cut]

Chapter 418: Satisfaction

Lily giggled and tried to dig through her ice cream with two spoons. She was trying to rescue one of the little honeycomb blocks at the bottom before a mudslide of chocolate sauce overwhelmed it, but she wasn't having it all her own way. This dessert was probably the hardest one she'd ever had to eat, and that wasn't just because it contained every different possible flavour on the menu.

When she looked at the tower of candy canes, with chocolate and caramel dripping down and mounds of three separate types of ice cream, she wondered if this amazing candy castle might have cost even more than her dinner. But it didn't matter because the grown-ups had told her to order whatever she wanted, and that was exactly what she'd done. It quickly turned out that Lillibel wanted everything, but Reggie had agreed with a grin and hadn't even told her to stop until she ran out of breath completely.

She couldn't eat everything. Not just the little toys that seemed to be part of the design, or the wafers, or the other decoration that probably wasn't designed to be eaten. It was just that she'd ordered so much, she didn't know if there was room for it all inside her. But just when she thought she might be overwhelmed by the giant confection, Vicky finished her own treat and asked if they could share. Ten minutes later, Reggie was digging in as well. The waiter had brought an extra spoon or two, so it was easy for everybody to dig in at once. Right now, to Lily, it seemed more like an engineering project than a dessert. She was trying to move around the wafers and hard candy pieces in order to control the flow of cream, fruit, and ice cream; she wanted to allow some of them to mix while keeping others separate, and to control the layers while she dug out her favourite pieces from the base, and without collapsing the whole tower over the edge of the plate.

And then like a dream, the tower of treats was gone. Much of it was eaten, and Lily's tummy felt really full. But a good measure was on napkins, clothes, and the table. Reg said he would leave a large tip to apologise to the staff, and they all had outside coats that would cover the worst of the marks on their outfits. Lily just nodded, glad that all the grown-ups could sort out the hard stuff. Vicky and Reggie whispered a little bit, and Lily couldn't hear what they were saying. But somehow being out of the loop just made her feel more small and helpless.

She knew she wasn't a little kid. She was eighteen and she knew that, one of the oldest girls in her class. She wasn't at all confused about how old she was, or what she was capable of. But once they had used her baby name, it seemed just natural to think of them as grown-ups, and to assume that they knew what was best for her. She didn't need to think, just to enjoy the most wonderful ice cream she'd ever had. She knew that the only difference was how she felt, and she was still as smart as ever. She knew that it was embarrassing to walk through town with spilled food all over her top, but she didn't feel it. She was free from the guilt and the self-doubt. No matter how embarrassed she knew she should have been, she could rationally think that nobody was going to even notice so late in the evening. In her adult mind she would have been terrified of something that wasn't a realistic possibility. And she knew as well that if she allowed the Bracewells to walk her home, she was even less likely to be approached by anyone who knew her from school. They were middle-class, fashionably attired. Strong and confident adults from an older generation, so anyone who saw her might assume an after-hours interview for some job in business or fashion. Not the kind of event anyone who was anyone would interrupt.

"Hey, Lily?" Reggie asked as they picked up their bags. "You want to wipe this clean, or stay young a little longer? I think you're old enough to understand, right?"

She nodded, and found herself blushing that such a childish gesture came naturally. She could still think like an adult, and she knew how old she really was, but there was no reason to act her age unless she had to. All her instincts were in the right space, with just a little time playing with her food.

"If you want we could walk you home, to make sure you feel safe. I guess the neighbourhood could be scary if you're still little. Or if you want I could take you back to ours for a little drink, maybe get you a change of clothes before heading home if you might have trouble hiding this from your neighbours or parents. Or we could let you go your own way, I don't want to pressure you. It's probably not wise for us to ask where you live after a first meeting, and I can understand if..." his voice trailed away as he realised that the girl was quietly sobbing, Vicky's hand on his arm grounding him back to reality.

"Are you okay sweetie?" the older baby asked. "Is there something you want to–"

"I don't want to go home!" Belle wailed, tears suddenly flooding out unchecked. She told herself it was just the little girl headspace, but somewhere deep inside she knew that all the emotions she'd been keeping bottled up for weeks, and completely different worries she'd been denying for years, were rising up in an overwhelming tide just as soon as she sensed the presence of an adult who would actually listen to her like a parent should. She wrapped her arms clumsily around vicky and pressed her face against her shoulder, tears streaming freely. "I don't want to be alone. Please, don't go."

"It's okay, little one. It's all okay." Vicky cooed, while Reg offered his arm to help her downstairs to the entrance. Minutes later they were walking together down Chansey Street, with the scents of a million different cuisines washing over them. But for once Belle wasn't trying to work out what she could afford to treat herself to today. She just walked where she was led, crying but smiling too, knowing she'd found something she never even knew she needed.