He opened the pantry and took out some plain ingredients.
“Baby, check the rooster and see what your parents are supposed to have today”
“Truffles and bacon” I said looking at the cooking rooster.
“I can make that” he said matter of factly.
“I don’t like it” I told him.
“Okay…. What do you want”
“Mashed potatoes and grilled stake would not be bad, we can even garnish it with caviar”
“Perfect” he said with a small smile.
I heard the doorbell ring.
I looked at Christian.
“I’ll get it” he told me.
“No, don’t, I’ll go” I told him and I felt before he would go.
“Dad, hi” I said opening the door.
“It was locked from the inside and I swear I wanted to call the police ” Marcellino said laughing.
I opened the door wider for him to walk through.
He walked in, he looked nothing like Christian.
He had sandy blonde hair and deep brown eyes, he did not have any dark mysterious aura, he was an entrepreneur alright but he didn’t have the undying zeal that Christian had, he didn’t even look dashing in a suit.
“Where is mum?” I asked him.
“She’s on her way, she dropped by to talk to a friend”
“I’m early I guess” I said shutting the door.
“No, it’s great that you’re early, we could talk”
I watched him sit on the couch and he loosen his tie and dropped it in the same place he dropped his briefcase.
“How is Richard?” I asked him, his eye is sparkled as he turned to me.
“Richard is fine, he recovered from shock the next day and he’s embarrassed for peeing himself but who cares?”
I nodded my head and stuffed a laugh.
“You’re right” I said, he didn’t pick the humour in my voice is.
“Christian really just ruined my plans for you and Richard”
I bit my bottom lip to check and see if Christian was there, thankfully he wasn’t.
“Why is he so violent?” I found myself asking, I felt as if I was crossing a boundary.
Marcellino turned to me, surprise in his eyes and also a guarded look, like he did you want to reveal anything.
He scratched his forehead and then his eyebrows.
“I don’t know” he said.
I stood there, I gave a light shrug and I was about to leave when he sighed.
“Christian was exposed to a rough start in life” my stepdad said, I halted.
My brows shot up in curiosity and I took steps backwards and sat in the couch.
“What kind?” I asked him
“Growing up… Christian was already rough and tough, you know. I was kind of the opposite, I did not have a single tough bone in my body, not that I was weak. The fact that I am twelve year older than him made it possible for me to watch him grow up. By the time I was getting my second degree he was still in high school”
He was not giving out anything but he had a point, I leaned in.
“At a very young age Christian got into fights at school, he would pick on anything three times his size and he’ll win. He had this dark attitude that scared everyone, the house helps, my mum and dad, everyone kept themselves away from him. Eventually… They sent him off to boarding school when he was seven. Only for him to get worse, the school management could not control him, it was like he had anger issues but it wasn’t just anger issues, he was troubled ”
“Troubled?” I asked.
“Yes, and broken. He pushed his best friend down the stairs at the age of thirteen because he told him he was impulsive. His friend broke his leg, he recovered but the management sent him from Britain back the states and he continued schooling here. I mean, he gave my mum a very hard time, my dad hardly stayed home, I don’t know what’s wrong with him, no one knows. But out of the many therapists we went to, only one gave us angry control advice that helped, they told us to enroll him in a boxing school or something. His anger dropped after then, he fights for fun and he loves it. I guess people are just wired differently. Till now he can’t stop being… Violent, it’s just the way he is, rich he can bail himself out of any trouble he gets himself into ”
My mind fell back to the extracellular activities he had spoken about, was it boxing, is that why he hardly ever talks about his past, not that I ask but he’s meant to tell me things.
“Is the chef home already, something delicious is cooking ” Marcellino shaking me from my thoughts.
“Oh no, it’s Christian ” my step dad froze a bit before he relaxed.
He stood up and I watched him walk off to the kitchen. He returned with Christian behind him.
“Where is Elisa?” Christian asked.
“She’ll be home soon, she is just visiting a friend ”
My stepdad picked his briefcase.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming over, when did you get here?” Marcellino asked.
I looked up to see he was talking to Christian.
“Not long ago”
“It’s good to have you around , thank you for the food, you’ve always been a five star chef”
“You’re welcome” Christian replied.
My stepdad nodded and left
I looked up at Christian, he was staring at me, trying to read my expression.
“I’m sorry your conscience is judging you” he said.
With the new information Marcellino told me, I had a fresh perspective. Instead of being angry at him for being how he was, I was having pity on him.
I could imagine a seven year old being flown to another continent, misunderstood, angry, broken, bitter and lost. On many occasions he’s told me that I’m the only one that understands him, while I’m falling asleep he thanks me for being there for him, he always does it every nights it’s like BA ritual.
He tells me I’m the only one he loves, not just romantically…
“Are you still thinking about it?”
“Kind of”
“To many people our relationship is wrong, but you love me, don’t you?”
His eyes were searching mine, desperately.
“I love you”
He let out a shaky breath and came towards me, he kissed me deeply, cupping my face in his hands.
“I love you, more than anything else in the entire world, more than anyone else”
The door bell rang, it was my mum.
He rested his forehead on mine
“I’ve got it!” My stepdad said climbing down the stairs, I could hear him yet Christian was still holding tight to me.