Memory Lane 6...

The King tilted his head to left as he looked at the package in the little boy's hands that was held up towards him...

Then all of a sudden, Andrew that had his eyes tightly closed as he held up the package towards his Father, with his hand shaking really hard, now felt like a pair of hands take hold of the package from the sides, relieving thee package off of him...

That's when little Andrew slowly, but carefully, turned his head towards his father to look...

Only to find the man staring at the package with some kind of feeling in his eyes...

Slowly, the King smiled.

"Is this for me...?" The King asked with a smile on his face as he looked at the package...

Taking one step backwards, Andrew nodded his head viciously as he placed both his hands behind him as his Father looked at him...

"Whey are you moving backwards?" The King asked gently.

"Come closer...!" The King urged.

But Andrew just stood in his place, deliberating whether to move it not.

The King didn't say anything...

"Is this from your mother?" The King asked.

Andrew seemed not to hear this question as he asked;

"Do you like it Father...?" Andrew asked as he looked at the package, then at is Father.

"You haven't answered my question yet, Andrew...!" Thee King said sternly as he opened the package and his eyes lit up.

"F...F...Father...?" Andrew asked as he looked at his Father tying hard to remember the question his Father asked.

The King looked at him, but the oil was only but for a second as the King went back to what was in his hand.

Picking up a piece of cupcake, the King brought it to his mouth and then was about take a bite when he repeated the question;

"Is this from your mother...?"

Andrew gulped as he felt his legs beginning to quiver.

"Uh...well...!" Andrew couldn't talk.

The King paused as he looked at Andrew.

"Was this from your Mother...?" He asked, his voice stern.

Raising his eyes to slowly look at his Father, Andrew gulped and then nodding his head slowly, he said;

"Um...well...!" He began as he scratched the back of his head.

"I did it...!" Little Andrew said nervously.

The King's eyes widened a bit as he took a little bite from the food packaged inside...

Looking at Andrew, who now had his head lowered, and then back at the food that was packaged for him, in his hands, the King slowly chews the food beige raising his eyes to look at the little boy in front of him.

"What did you say...?" The King asked, his voice hoarse but faint.

"I...I said I made it...!" Little Andrew said when he heard his Father ask.

"But I didn't do it on my own...Mother helps me in most things...!" He hurriedly added.

The King looks at him with some kind of look in his eyes, but one (1) funny thing was that, he still chewed the food as if he relished it.

"Hm, not bad...!" The King said.

Andrew's eyes lit up.

"D...Do you...Do you like it Father?" Little Andrew asked as he looked up at his Father with his eyes filled with expectation.

The King's eyes slowly tinted from liking, to icy as he stared down at Andrew causing Andrew to get the signal...

When Andrew asked his Father that question with a tone filled with a positive expectation, the reality he got was different from what he expected...

He knew why his Father looked that way, but he just had to confirm if what he thought, was actually why his Father looked at him with that face...

Gulping, he stuttered;

"F...F...Father?" He first called.

The King looked at him.

"Do you like it? Was it good enough?" Andrew asked.

The King shook his head and was about to say something but was cut short by little Andrew.

"It wasn't good enough, right Father...?" Andrew asked.

The King sighed as he shook his head.

"I knew it...I knew that it wasn't good enough, and kept telling Mother but she didn't want to listen to me...what am I going to do now...?!"

Little rambled on and on as he wailed and began casting the blame on himself and his Mother without even waiting for his Father to land...

As he continued rambling and talking and even demonstrating, the King could only sigh as he called the name of the little boy in front of him...

"Andrew...!" The King called.

Little Andrew that had been talking and demonstrating since instantly paused on the hearing of his name...

"Yes Father...?" He asked as he looked up at his Father with expectant eyes, though deep down, he knew what would come next.

"How many times have I told you; A King, does not do things like a woman...!" He began as he said with an air of pride.

"A King, should be a King, full of majesty...royalty...dignity...not women things...!" The King said as sounded as of he was scolding little Andrew.

"You've got to man-up, Andrew...!" The King said sternly.

Looking at the package in his hands, the King said;

"I don't know how many times I would have to tell you...!" He began.

"But a King, should not,will not, does not, have time for the kitchen...that is for the maids to handle...and besides, who told your Mother to enter that kitchen?" The scolded as he asked all of a sudden.

Andrew who had his head lowered the entire time, couldn't help the tears that had already started rolling down his eyes.

His Father furrowed his brows when he saw that Andrew was crying.

"Andrew...!" The King called.

"Are you crying?" Andrew was asked in a harsh tone.

Sniffing back his tears and quickly wiping off the tears from his eyes, little Andrew raised his head up to look at his Father, who looked down at him with a very stern expression on his face...

A look of some kind of anger could be seen on the face of the King as he looked down at little Andrew...

"Are you crying Andrew...?" The King asked.

Shaking his head in negation, little Andrew responded;

"No...!" His voice tiny and gentle.

"Good...!" The King said as he walked past  Andrew.

"Because if you were, I would have personally dealt with you myself...!" The King said as he dropped the package in his hand as he turned and left.

Andrew turned around when he heard something fall to the ground.

The package of food, that he had personally cooked for his Father; the King, with an expectation that he would like it, was now on he floor in shambles...

Little Andrew walked slowly at a time, taking knew step, slowly as he reached the spot where the package of food was...

Falling to his knees, little Andrew picked up the food, bit by bit...

Looking down at the food in his hand; the food hay he had worked so much on, the food that he had learnt so much since when he was three (3), (now he's five (5), the food he had disturbed his Mother to teach how to prepare...

Specially, just for his Father...

The food that...

The little boy couldn't hold it in any longer as his hands slumped his hands and the food rolled out...

Then, he began crying...

Uncontrollably...

"Andrew, when you're done with your little meaningless sherade, get the maids to clean up your mess...!"

Andrew heard his Father say...

The King knew that the boy would be hurt and cry, so he decided to turn and confirm the truth and it was so...

He just needed some more evidence just so he can deal with him...

Besides he was trying to train him up and how to be a good King and bring out the best rulership in him, right...?

The King thought he knew better.

* * * * * * *

Remembering all these, the King couldn't help but shed tears, he had missed so much out of his son's life, he hurt him badly without realizing it...

What had he done...?

The King couldn't help but ask himself...