Stand for Love Ch. 01

"Grandmother," Nicholas said, moving out of the chair. "Please, it's okay. It was probably a mistake and..." Before Nicholas could finish his sentence, his mother raised her hand and signaled him to shut up.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Elena asked the scared looking boy. Adrian was at the verge of crying. His aunt had just given an angry stranger permission to do whatever she wanted. What was worse than that at that particular time?

Nicholas was about to say something before Jake pulled his shirt and he found himself on the chair again. He stared at Jake and the guy was smiling like he was enjoying what was going on. Nicholas was scared and he had no idea why but he couldn't watch his grandmother doing something to a poor innocent boy.

"I'm...I'm really sorry ma'am." Adrian apologized. "To the best of my knowledge, I think I did my best. It's just a pity that my best wasn't enough." Adrian was really hoping for a good outcome, he was really hoping for one.

"I have heard what you have to say and I must say, the food is not good," Elena said slowly touching Adrian's shoulder. "It's perfect and the reason why I called you is to see the boy who made such wonderful food. I must tell you; this is one of the best foods I have ever tasted."

Adrian froze for a moment. He had been worried for nothing after all. Finally, someone who appreciated his cooking and it brought tears of joy to him. He had no idea how to express that joy so he just covered his mouth and smiled at the old woman who was touching him so sweetly on his shoulders.

Nicholas smiled after hearing his grandmother's remarks. He found himself relieved and all his worries went away. He was happy but he noticed that Jake and his family's faces were down. It only meant that they wanted him to get punished, but why?

"Thank you so much ma," Adrian gushed as he suppressed his tears.

"You don't have to thank me," The old Woman said with a bright smile. "If the food was terrible, we were given permission to punish you and now that I found out the food was perfect I had to see you. And you are as handsome as your smile my dear."

That statement melted his heart and tears fell down his cheeks. He tried to rub them but they kept on flowing. No one had called him handsome ever since his mother died. All he heard was ugly, alien, bitch, witch and many curses that were rained down on him. He was really happy.

"Hey," the old woman said to him sweetly. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Adrian said, trying to put up a smile as he rubbed his tears. "I am just happy that's all."

"I am happy too." Elena said and squeezed his shoulder. "I never thought a boy could make such delicious food. So to appreciate for what you have done I am going to..." Elena paused and touched Adrian's cheeks. "...give you a kiss."

Nicholas' mouth opened wide after hearing what his grandmother had just said. He tried to come to terms with it but he just couldn't. He had no idea if his ears were deceiving him but he heard his mother telling a stranger that she was going to kiss him, something that she had never done to Jake since she had known him. A kiss was as good as a blessing and if the boy didn't know, Nicholas' grandmother was about to bless him.

Adrian watched as the old woman cupped his cheeks sweetly, made him bow softly and then kissed his forehead and then the cheeks. Adrian had known about the traditions of Belenia and so he knelt, one hand on his chest and the other heading for the woman's feet. He touched the feet and then he felt the woman's hands on his head and it was final, she had blessed him.

Adrian's mother had told him that a blessing from an elderly woman was really special than others. Adrian had just cooked some simple food and it brought blessings to him. He prayed for those blessing to send someone to rescue him from his prison and take him to liberty.

Nicholas still couldn't believe it. His grandmother who rarely blessed people had just blessed a boy she had only met. He was both happy and surprised. Looking at his fiancé, Nicholas could clearly see that the guy was burning with anger and it got him worried. Somehow, Nicholas had felt a connection with that particular boy the first time he had seen him and now his grandmother too. Something was definitely beautiful about that boy.

Adrian got up and the woman squeezed his arm the last time before she sat. Adrian was really happy but the moment he stared into Nicholas' eyes, he got scared and worried. Those green eyes were definitely telling him something but he quickly blocked his gaze and stared at everyone else at the table.

His uncle's family was all looking so mad and Adrian really hoped that he wouldn't get beaten over such a little issue. He also noticed that Nicholas' mother was not happy at all but he excused himself and quickly went out of the dining to wait for whatever he was to be given.

Nicholas stared at the spot where the boy had stood until he was snapped out of it by his mother. Something was telling him something that he didn't understand. He suddenly felt like his whole world was changing quickly.

"Bon appetite," Jane said with a controlled smile.

Nicholas dived into the food and it took him to another dimension. That was the kind of food that would make someone in love with the cook. Had Nicholas not been engaged, he would have definitely tried his luck with the boy, kidding. But seriously, there was a being inside of him that was telling him that boy had a role to play in his life but what? He was neither related to Jake nor him but it was still telling him otherwise.

Nicholas ate the food until he was full and couldn't take anymore. He felt his stomach getting bulged but he ate to every last piece. He noticed that no one said anything throughout the entire dinner. In fact, Jake and his family barely ate but he enjoyed it a lot and awarded himself with a glassful of champagne. Some kind of dinner that turned out to be, Nicholas thought.

After dinner, Nicholas noticed that Jake was rather angry and so he took him outside where the guy stared at him in anger. Nicholas was so full that he didn't even have time to argue.

""Did you see that?" Jake angrily pointed to the house. "Did you see what really happened in there?"

"Um, what are you talking about?"

"Your grandmother," Jake yelled angrily. "I have tried everything possible just so that she could like me and bless me. What did she just do," Jake said breathing so heavily. "She just embraced and blessed a total stranger and a wretched house help for that matter."

Nicholas was tired, fully packed and really had no strength for an argument so he tried to reason with Jake. Nicholas wrapped his arms around Jake and brought him closer to his body, planting a kiss on his lips.

"Don't worry, my love." He planted another kiss on his lips, making him vulnerable. "That was nothing compared...err...to what's coming to you. Grandmother just liked the cooking and that's all. You are the one that I love and therefore, my grandmother will have no choice but to accept you."

"You think so," Jake muttered.

"I know so," Nicholas said, slowly turning Jake around so that he was holding him closer.

Nicholas buried his face in Jake's neck, kissing him sensually, drawing a moan from him. He kissed for a few seconds and then moved to just holding him. Now that was he was calm, Nicholas had avoided a huge argument from heating up, at least for that night.

"Honey," Nicholas muttered.

"Yeah," Jake said as he held on to Nicholas' hands which were holding him tightly.

"Can I ask for a favor?"

"Anything, my love," Jake chirped, slowly turning his face to face Nicholas. "You know I can do anything for you."

Nicholas laughed and then planted a kiss on his temple. "Can you prepare food for me every week day? For my lunch,"

Jake gave out a long chuckle that left Nicholas stunned. He hadn't expected that kind of reaction from his fiancé. He needed to taste Jake's food so that he could fall deeper in love with him. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach...right?

"What's so funny?" Nicholas asked, wondering whether he had said something funny. "I think it's about time I stopped eating food from the restaurant. You can prepare food in the morning and..."

"Me," Jake hollered, releasing himself from Nicholas' hold. He needed to stare at the man that suggested that he began cooking for him every week days. Jake found it funny. He was not Jake the fucking chef; he was Jake the business man.

"Uh uh," Nicholas nodded. "Do you think it's a good idea?"

"No," Jake said after he had finished laughing. "I don't cook. I am a business man remember? Besides, it's the reason why I have that stupid house help. That's his work."

To be honest, Nicholas was disappointed by that answer. Even he who was richer than Jake knew how to cook. What sought of husband would Jake be? In the Miller house, every daughter or son in law had to cook once in a while. It was a family tradition and failure to do so create a very bad relationship with his grandmother. As it was, Jake was not on the good side of his grandmother. Nicholas really hoped that Jake would impress his grandmother with cooking. It was now hopeless.

Nicholas had known that the reason why his grandmother had blessed that boy was because of his cooking skills. His grandmother really liked those that impressed her with their cooking skills. Jake in that case, was...uh...on a worse side of his grandmother.

"It's okay," Nicholas tried not to sound disappointed.

"I won't cook but I'll have my servant cook something for you every day and he'll deliver it to you."

"No," Nicholas chuckled. "I don't want to bother him with..."

"Come on," Jake hollered, looking straight at Nicholas. "He's my servant and what I say, goes. He'll deliver homemade lunch to you every day. This is my promise to you."

"Are you sure it's fine?" Nicholas muttered. "I can just continue having lunch from the..."

"You know what?" Jake said, moving closer seductively. "You talk too much."

Jake grabbed Nicholas and they shared a hot kiss that was both sensual and sweet. It was a kiss that made Nicholas wonder why he felt so attached to Jake's kisses yet he was drawing far apart from him as days went by. His behavior was turning out for the worst.

After the long kiss, Nicholas and Jake headed inside the house where they reunited with their family and just had wedding talks over champagne. It was really a happy family occasion but Nicholas' mind suddenly took him to think about the boy and how his grandmother had kissed and blessed him. He shook his head as he needed to forget about all the things that had happened that night.

Nicholas just let the night take him and in about two hours, they exited the door after saying goodbye. His mother promised that they would soon visit and they were all happy. Nicholas couldn't wait to taste that tasty food once again, he couldn't wait for Monday when the boy brings more food. From food now Nicholas was thinking about the boy. What was really happening to him?

*****

Adrian scrubbed the pan slowly, remembering the kisses and the blessing he had received from the woman. They had already gone back home but Adrian couldn't stop smiling. He had been wearing that smile ever since the old woman blessed him.

He prayed for those blessing to bring him luck and a knight in shining amour to take him away from his life of misery. He didn't care whether the guy would be rich or poor. All he cared about was finding the love of his life and for that, he allowed nature to take its course.

Adrian opened the tap, waited while the water removed the soap from the pan and smiled. He had just closed the tap and was ready to put the pan back into its rightful place when all of a sudden he found Cynthia standing behind him with a serious face, folding her arms on her chest.

"Mom wants you in the living room now." Cynthia said rudely, eyeing him in a disgusting way up and down.

"Just give me a..."

"Didn't you hear what I said? Mom is ordering you and not requesting." Cynthia yelled making Adrian lose his smile.

Cynthia turned and left shaking her ass like a whore on the runway. Adrian was really scared. What had he done now, Adrian thought as he went back to the past? Last he remembered, he had followed all her instructions, just like she had said,

"Follow my instructions or I'll kill you" Right?

Adrian rubbed his hands and then rushed to the living room where he found the welcoming committee sitting on the couches with their arms folded on their chest. This was one of those moments where you knew you had done nothing but at the same time, you were gonna get beaten.

Adrian's heart was racing, he could hear the blood passing in his ear, his body quivered in terror and his tears were just a second away from flooding his face.

"Didn't you hear me calling?" Jane yelled, getting up to face him. "You know that I don't like to be kept waiting, you know."

"I came as soon as Cynthia told me, I swear." Adrian muttered, preparing to get slapped but was glad none of that happened.

"What tricks are you playing?" Todd asked, still folding his arms. "Are you in any way planning to destroy this family?"

Adrian had no idea what his uncle was talking about. As far as he knew, he had not done anything that could have wronged the masters. He practically followed every instruction that was given and impressed Nicholas' family. Wasn't that the only thing that they had asked of him?

"I don't understand." Adrian said his voice cutting as he spoke. He was just too scared to stay confident. "I practically did what you had instructed."

Jane chuckled angrily and Adrian knew exactly what was going to follow. He had no idea if he was ready for any beatings that night.

"Alright, maybe this will refresh your memory." His aunt said as she backhanded Adrian across the face sending him flying to the floor. He was lucky he didn't hit his face on the hard floor or anything but the slap he got made his face hurt and it felt like a burn.

"Does that refresh your memory?" Jane yelled as she went near him.

"I still don't know what I did." Adrian cried, feeling every pain that he had ever experienced come back, loss, anger, rage and even determination.

"You are really kidding me." Jane said as she grabbed his long hair and got him up with it.

It hurt like fucking hell and Adrian sobbed. She was hurting him for absolutely no reason. Adrian wondered why this family enjoyed seeing him in pain and suffering. He was later brought to reality when he felt like his hair was ripping out of the skin.

"Please, let me go." Adrian cried even harder than before. "You are hurting me."

"Then tell me the reason why you pulled that stunt?" Jane shouted, pulling on his hair even harder.

"I don't know," Adrian cried, more tears flooding his face. "I told you I did everything that you told..."

"Then let me refresh your memory." Jane yelled out in anger, pulling on his hair as she headed to the dining followed by all the other house members.

They reached the dining room and Jane held firmly to Adrian's hair without even any feeling of pity or sympathy for the way that he was crying. His voice could be heard all around the house but maybe it was music to those people's ears.

"Now do you remember what you did?" Jane yelled. "Do you remember? It happened in this place a few hours ago...just a few hours ago."

No matter how much the pain was Adrian had clue what he had done in the dining room that made Jane act like that. It was obvious she was out to destroy him.

"I don't know anything," Adrian wailed, trying to get Jane's hands off his hair but she just held on tighter making him wince in pain. "I told you I...I did everything that you told me to."

"So you still want to play smart, uh?" Jane laughed, so evil the very voice made Adrian jump out of his skin. "I will teach you a lesson which..."

"Mom," Jake shouted. "Let me handle him."

Jane let go of Adrian's hair and he was able to feel alive but not for long. He felt Jake's hands pulling his hair so furiously he almost passed out from the excruciating pain he felt. For a moment he was unable to breath and his wails stopped but after a few seconds his wails became louder and his pain increased. Jake was brutally terrorizing his head and it hurt like hell. He wanted to die, be killed or commit suicide the way he felt at that time. This was the time someone had pulled on his hair that hard.

He felt like the skin was pulling away from the skull and it hurt like hell. Jake threw him on the floor and then pulled him up with his hair. His heart felt for a moment like it had died but when he realized the amount of pain he was in, he almost passed out.

"Now tell me why you did it." Jake yelled. "...to provoke me or to show that you are better than me? What was the reason for pulling that stunt?"

"Please, you are hurting me." Adrian cried.

"Then tell me what I want to know."

"I don't know what you are saying to me." Adrian cried weakly. His body was slowly giving up because the pain was just too much.

"Alright," Jake threw him on the floor and kicked him severally while he writhed on the floor crying. His whole body felt like something big and heavy had fallen on him. His body was hurting everywhere. Whenever he tried to move, he winced in pain.

"Now will you fucking tell me what I want to know?"

"I don't know." Adrian cried. "Please, don't hurt me anymore. I have had enough."

"I don't think you..."

"Wait, son," Todd finally said. "Maybe he has forgotten about everything just tell him what he did. He has had enough beatings for one night."

"But dad, he deserves more." Cynthia hollered.

"No, I think he might kill him if he continues."

"No more," Adrian gave out a weak cry.

"Do you know how long I have worked out for what Nicholas' grandmother did to you?" Jake yelled.

All that was just for what Nicholas' grandmother did? Why did he have to suffer for that? He was not at fault that the woman had chosen to bless him.

"I am sorry," Adrian cried. "I didn't know that she would do that. I...I didn't even plan on it. It's not my fault."

"It's your fault." Jake yelled. "It's your entire fault. You always do things that piss me off. You knew exactly that I needed those blessings for the wedding and yet you were busy bowing your head as if you were the one who was about to be married to Nicholas."

"How is it my fault?" Adrian writhed. "I had no power over that."

"You could have rejected." Jake yelled, grabbing his hair once more but this time Adrian didn't react but just cried. "You could have come up with an excuse but you always do everything possible to make me look bad. But just know that for every stunt that you try to pull up on me, I'll always make you pay just like this.

Thanks to you and your sneaky little faggot ass I have no idea when Nicholas' grandmother will ever bless me. Stay out of the things that piss me off and you avoid the trouble. Otherwise, if you try to act with me again, you'll experience more pain than this."

Jake stormed out of the dining leaving Adrian wincing on the floor.

"You heard right," Cynthia laughed. "My twin brother will make sure he sends you to hell." She left but her words didn't do anything to Adrian. He was more hurt that he didn't even know if he had ever been hurt the way he was at that particular time.

"You are really lucky my son took over," Jane laughed. "Otherwise, you'd be on your way to that bitch of your mother." Jane left and Adrian cried out even more.

"Keep it down," His uncle yelled. "You deserve everything that is happening to you. Just because I was quiet doesn't mean that I wasn't mad. Next time you try this, I'll kill you myself." Todd warned. "And if I hear any noise, you'll be dead meat." Todd left and banged the door leading out of the dining room.