Pauper's Desire

by Kitt Lee

  "No," Caleb laughed softly. "I left him at the office. He needed to get something signed. I'm sure he'll be here."

  "And you let him go," Suzanne teased. "You should have dragged him here."

  Caleb smiled. "Well, actually I was the one who told him to. He didn't want to go but then if he didn't sign that contract there would have been a great loss."

  "Loving and caring," Juanita added. "Nice!"

  They all chuckled and teased Caleb a little before they decided to invite him. The house inside was looking spectacular. The whole living room sparkled and Caleb noticed that the couches had been changed to something bigger and brighter. It was really beautiful.

  He instructed the guards to take the bags to his room and sat on the couch telling the people who insisted he tells them about their adventures. Caleb didn't hesitate. He told them some of the best things that had happened while they were abroad and the whole family seemed interested.

  An hour later he was done with narrating. All that was left was just to go upstairs and have a great shower. He needed it because he was kinda jetlagged.

  He headed up the stairs and the family remained in the living room chatting. Caleb had noticed that his mother in law wasn't in the living and so was William. He was really hoping she was at the office because he didn't want trouble at all.

  He walked all the way to his room and was glad he didn't encounter any of them. He breathed when he saw the door just in front of him. Touching the knob to open the room, Caleb heard footsteps getting closer to him. He really hoped it was not who he thought it was.

  He slowly and steadily turned. Oh God! It was her and she was with William. Both of them were looking at Caleb smiling with an evil grin on their faces. Caleb couldn't help but get worried and a little bit scared. He took a quiet breath and headed towards her to greet her.

  "Mother," Caleb muttered as he headed for her feet.

  Before he could reach them, she quickly gripped him and got him up still smiling like an evil queen in a fairy tale story.

  Caleb stood in front of her and he remained silent. He couldn't utter a word. Last he remembered, William was always angry but that smile got him even more worried.

  "I hope you enjoyed your time with my son." Janice said, eyeing him from head to toe.

  "It was okay." Caleb answered, not sure that question was genuine.

  "I really hope you enjoyed your little time," Janice chuckled.

  "It was really okay, mother." Caleb said softly. "I had a good time."

  "Good to hear." Janice gushed. "I'm glad to hear that you had a really good time with my son."

  Caleb didn't know whether he was hearing right. This was the same woman who had been warning him constantly. He would have believed she had changed if not William being by her side.

  "So are you ready?" Janice asked.

  Caleb was confused. He had no idea what she was asking him about.

  "Ready for what, mother?" Caleb asked with a curious face.

  "What else?" Janice chuckled. "To leave this house,"

  "But I'm not leaving this house." Caleb said as he tried to understand what she meant. "My husband and I are not going anywhere."

  "Not with my son," Janice said now frown on her face. "You are leaving this house alone."

  "But..."

  Before Caleb had a chance to say anything more, Janice left chuckling? He was left there standing with William and wondering whether she was planning on doing something in order to separate him from Preston. If that was the case, Caleb was ready to fight for his husband. His mother in law probably had plans to do that.

  Now Caleb was more alert than ever. He needed to be strong because that had definitely been a warning. He knew he couldn't tell Preston. He didn't want him to be troubled and hurt because of his mother. One of the vows he had taken was to make his husband happy and...

  "I have nothing to say to you," William hollered.

  Caleb gasped. He had forgotten William had been standing there with him.

  "What?" Caleb asked, staring at William with a frown on his face.

  "Get ready to leave this house because it will happen sooner or later and..."

  "Please," Caleb said angrily. "I don't have time for this. I don't care about what you say. My husband loves me a lot and that's what matters." Caleb said angrily. "I'm really tired and this conversation..."

  "I don't care," William shouted. "What I know is that..."

  "I can't believe this." Caleb chuckled. He was irritated. "You are trying to warn me? What's wrong with you? You don't even have any feeling of remorse after what you did to me."

  William laughed. "Why should I? You deserve everything you..."

  "You know, I thought you'd change but guess I was wrong. I thought you'd learn from your mistakes." Caleb said, pointing his finger at William. "It seems like you are still the same William. You should be in a cell locked up for attempted murder and abuse. You and the rest of your family, yes, that's what you should have got."

  "What?" William said angrily. "Did you just...?"

  "Yes," Caleb said confidently. "That's where I should have sent. I really should have done that. But I didn't do that." Caleb said with a free spirit. "I thought you'd change. Trust me I could have gladly sent you and your family to jail but..."

  "Uh," William growled with anger on his face. He quickly turned and stormed out of that place.

  It was so clear to Caleb. They were definitely up to no good.

  "Caleb Preston Vermont." Caleb whispered as he took a deep sigh. "You need to be strong for your husband. If it means fight, you must fight for your husband."

  Caleb would have had them in jail for doing that to him. He wanted to lock them up but only one thing was stopping him. One thing that was really important.

  ****

  3 MONTHS AGO

  At the courthouse

  "Wait!" George yelled to the boy who was running away.

  Caleb stopped as soon as he heard a strange voice yelling at him to wait. He quickly turned with tears in his eyes and saw the guy they had come with. He had a serious face and was coming closer towards him. Caleb still had tears in his eyes but he couldn't do a thing.

  George walked quickly to the boy who had made his best friend cry and crawl on the ground like a little child.

  "Where are you going?" He said literally raising his voice.

  "I...I'm going..."

  "You are going nowhere," George commanded. "Not after doing this to my friend. Just look at him," George angrily pointed his finger at Preston. "Look what you've done to him. My friend used to be happy, cheerful and just look at him. I've never seen him look like that. Doesn't that affect you at all?"

  Caleb stared at Preston who was crying on the ground. His heart broke. He confidently stared at the stranger shouting him and saw anger in his eyes.

  "You don't seem to understand." Caleb sobbed. "I..."

  "What's your name?" George asked.

  "Caleb!"

  "Caleb!" George said confidently. "My name is George and I want you to be sincere with me. Do you love my friend? Don't fear or anything just say the truth?"

  Caleb stared at crying Preston. He had to tell the truth. He couldn't just let him be in that state.

  "Yes," Caleb mumbled, feeling his hear warm up. "I love Preston so much. I love him more than anyone right now."

  Preston knelt down and crawled closer to Caleb, slowly rubbing his tears.

  "Then...marry me," He stretched out his hand. "Marry me and let us live together."

  Caleb's tears flowed like a fountain but his voice was not heard.

  "You heard him." George said. "And you told me you love him too. What's stopping you from being together? Or rather, what are you afraid of?"

  Caleb closed his eyes shut as warm tears run down his cheeks. His heart was in pain. George was right. He was afraid. He was really afraid.

  "William, my uncle and...his family," Caleb breathed as more tears escaped his eyes.

  "
That shouldn't stop you from being happy," George said, tapping on his shoulder. "Please, accept his proposal. I know I shouldn't be saying this but...William is just not right for him."

  "But..."

  "Please," George begged. "Please, do it for my friend. You don't have to fear anyone. Preston will protect you from them. You can also consider it as a request from me. I just wanna see my friend as happy as he could be. You love him. That's what matters. Everything else doesn't matter. You've got to think about your happiness too."

  Caleb knew George was right. Maybe he needed to think about his happiness too for once. William had been nothing but cruel to him. He needed to do it. His mother had also told him something about it. Preston fit the description she had given him.

  Caleb sighed as more tears ran down his face. Shaking and trembling, he extended his hand and with a trembling voice said,

  "I love you Preston. I...I'll..." He closed his eyes in fear. "...I'll marry you."

  Preston gaped and quickly got up. He hugged Caleb tightly and kissed him as quick as he could. Then he took his finger and slipped the ring on his him. He kissed the finger and hugged him tightly.

  "I love you Caleb!" He hollered.

  Caleb never thought he'd feel that way after accepting the marriage proposal. He felt so alive and a strong powerful force took over his body. He was trembling from excitement and he was happy too.

  "You don't know how happy I am." Preston gushed, holding his hands tightly. "We'll get married here and then have a traditional marriage. I'll be your husband after ."

  Preston hugged Caleb tightly, literally jumping from excitement. Caleb was smiling brightly even as more tears came down his face. He looked at George and saw that he was happy.

  "Thank you!" George whispered.

  Caleb didn't even respond. He was more than happy at that moment. That didn't get his worries away though, accepting that marriage had probably been a mistake which would bring consequences. When Preston broke the hug, Caleb dropped his head and stared at his feet.

  "Are you okay?" Preston asked. "Are you scared of...?"

  Caleb nodded slowly. He didn't know what they'd do to him.

  "Don't worry," Preston said.

  His voice sounded angry and Caleb raised his face and truly saw that his face was really angry. In fact, it was fuming.

  "I promise you," Preston swore, his jaws trembling. "I'll make sure that William and his family pay for trying to kill you. I'll have them in jail and trust me they'll be in for a long time."

  Caleb was touched. There was nothing that he wanted more than to have William pay for trying to kill him. Something was bothering him and he had to get it out.

  "Do you love your mother?" Caleb asked.

  "Yeah," Preston smiled. "I love her so much and I can't imagine life without her. If you are worried about her though I'll..."

  "No," Caleb mumbled. "It's not that at all." He sighed deeply. "How would you feel if she got arrested?"

  Caleb could see that Preston was confused by the question.

  "I would be hurt."

  Caleb nodded softly. "That night I was beaten and left to die did you tell anyone about...us? Or any day apart from that,"

  Preston nodded. "Yeah, I told grandmother about us." He said softly. "But grandmother couldn't have..." Preston paused. "...Oh...oh," he exclaimed. "My mother,"

  Caleb nodded softly. "Yeah, she probably heard you and...told uncle and aunt."

  "Oh my God," Preston exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know that..."

  "She has a major role to play in this just like my..."

  "I know," Preston said softly.

  "Now, do you still want to push through with your case?"

  Preston was silent and Caleb knew why. He knew Preston would be very much hurt if his mother got arrested for being involved. She was also involved in it too and was a culprit.

  "Caleb, for you..."

  "I want you to forget it," Caleb said. "How do you expect me to marry you when I know your mother is behind bars, suffering? I wouldn't have a happy marriage. If you have my uncle arrested, your mother goes too and the last thing I want is for you to be sad and hurt."

  Preston wasn't moving. Caleb knew he was thinking about what he had told him.

  "Besides, I'm not dead," Caleb said softly. "I'm sure they'll realize their mistakes. For my uncle I'd have willing done that but...I can't have your mother arrested."

  Caleb was marrying Preston. It was his duty to make sure his husband and his family is happy. Besides, if he got his mother arrested other members of Preston' family would probably be unhappy with him. That would mean he'd have an unhappy marriage with his husband. He had to let it go if he was going to marry Preston.

  "But..."

  "Please," Caleb smiled, blushing for a second. "Just forget it. Forget it before I change my mind and..."

  "No," Preston shouted, holding Caleb's hand tightly. "I'll do it. I'll forget about it but that doesn't mean I've forgiven William for what he did in the past."

  Caleb smiled. "Yes. What matters is that your mother will be safe."

  "I think Caleb is right." George said softly. "You can't have your mother arrested. She'll probably realize her mistake."

  "Thanks," Preston gushed as he kissed Caleb's hands. "I love you

  He really hoped his mother in law would accept him. He was marrying her son without permission. It would be bad if she didn't but he was really hoping she'd accept him.

  "And...don't mention anything to her."

  Preston nodded and smiled brightly. "I won't."

  Caleb smiled sheepishly. His uncle was only lucky because of Caleb's mother. He didn't want to do anything with his uncle and family. He didn't want anything. All that mattered was that he was marrying Preston. It was like a dream, a really sweet dream.

  "You're so nice." Preston said as he leaned forward for a hot hug. "Thanks a lot. I love you."

  Caleb blushed brightly before he said, "I love you...too."

  They hugged for some minutes before Preston excitedly said, "Let's go get married."

  Caleb blushed and followed Preston in the huge building.

  *****

  PRESENT DAY

  Caleb shook his head and came back from his visit from the past. Maybe he should have had them arrested including Janice, he chuckled. But he couldn't bear to see his husband in pain so it was worth the sacrifice.

  Caleb took a deep breath and opened the door. He felt a lighter weight on him. The room was beautiful than he remembered it to. The guards had already brought the bags in the room.

  Caleb scanned the whole room and it sure looked better than it was when they had left. He looked at the bed and the bedding had been changed to a bright red color, the color of love. It made his heart warm and he forgot about his mother in law's warning. What matters the most was that he was the one with Preston.

  Caleb couldn't help but miss Preston a lot. He sat on the bed, slowly passing his hand on it. He wished Preston was there, kissing him and making love to him on that very bed. It was simply beautiful to his touch and his feel. He remembered the first time they made love on that bed and how he had bled.

  Gosh! It was really happy to remember. Those memories will remain in his system all his life. Nothing was gonna make him forget those memories. It was the memories that he had that made him who he was turning into.

  After a few minutes of admiring the room, Caleb stripped and wrapped a towel around his waist. He went to the bathroom and had a hard time deciding whether to shower or sit in the hot tub. Then again, a hot tub wouldn't be the same without Preston so he went ahead and took a beautiful, massaging, hot shower.

  By the time he was out, his muscles had relaxed and his body was feeling cool and fresh. He toweled his hair and body, went back to the room and wore a brown skinny jeans, black t-shirt which Preston loved and sat on a chair, letting loose the blades in his hair. His hair was now free. He used a band and tied it back. He was now ready for lunch.


  He went downstairs just in time to find the family having lunch. He was really happy having lunch with the family members again. Aside from his mother in law staring at him like he was food, Caleb was missing Preston. Where was that hand which held him while he ate? Where was that man who'd wink at him from time to time and where was Gabriel?

  "Granny," Caleb called as he took the spoon from the table.