Violoncello (A Gay Cinderella Story)

20 Years Later

Violoncello grew up to be a very handsome man. He was the doppelganger of his father for those who knew the man, although Violoncello couldn't say the same. He was working diligently tilling the soil and watering the plants that would soon grow into fruits for this autumn's harvest. He couldn't think far back to a time where he didn't wake before dawn to handle all the farm's needs. He may have been twelve years old.

Back then he, his mother, his new stepfather, and his new stepbrothers all pitched in to help keep the farm and house afloat. Time seemed to flow by quickly then. He got along well with his stepbrothers and his mother never seemed happier. Everyone fell into a routine of getting the job done and ending the day with fun and relaxation. Then his mother got sick.

Turns out she had a similar affliction that plagued his father years before. There was something in the well water that affected them differently than most people. Without knowing the cause, there was no way to prevent his mother from succumbing to the illness. She lied in the same bed his father passed in, at least Violoncello would remember her. He sat at her bedside and held her hand. She squeezed it weakly and smiled warmly at him.

"You look just like your father." She said to him. "He would be so happy to see the young man you've grown to be. I can only imagine how great you'll be once you get a bit older. You know your father wanted to name you Thaddeus?" She laughed weakly. "But the first thing I remember as I held you in my arms was this sound of a cello coming from the nursery. Your father had heard instrumental music helps the birthing process. I have no idea who told him that, but I was eternally grateful. The beautiful music I heard that day was just as beautiful as you are now. I'm glad that cello gave me the idea for your name because I was not naming you Thaddeus." She laughed again. He didn't know how long he had been crying for, but the tears continued to fall down his cheeks.

"Oh, shush now, my darling, Cello," she said to him. "You must be brave. You must be fearless. But you also must be tender and caring. You must be considerate and helpful. Always helpful. Just like your father."

"I will, mother," he answered to her. "Always." She smiled at him once more before closing her eyes, never opening them again.

"Always," Cello now said as he stopped watering the plants to take a breather. He hated the quiet. It always brought back these memories. As much as his body hated completing all of the household chores, he was grateful that it kept him busy. He couldn't think too often if he was always busy. He only had a second to rest before going back to his home. He needed to start breakfast before his stepfather and stepbrothers woke. He didn't want a lashing.

His walnut brown colored skin was drenched in sweat, but he only had time to wash his hands and his face before he began to cook eggs and bacon for the other men in the house. His dark brown eyes showed concern as he felt that he may be pressed for time. The kettle boiled water for their tea and the milk was the perfect temperature of cold. As he set up their plates on silver platters his dog, Lucky, barged right in.

"I'm almost done, boy, and I'll feed you after." Cello told him. His dog sat perfectly still at his feet, tongue hanging out as he panted slightly. He was a brown and white border collie with beautiful golden eyes. He was extremely intelligent and awfully loyal to Cello. Before gathering up the platters, Cello grabbed a slice of bacon.

"Don't tell anyone about this," he said before dropping the bacon that landed right into Lucky's mouth. "Go wait outside for me, boy." As Cello placed the platters delicately in his arms, Lucky used the kitchen door to wait patiently for his master to take him on their morning walk.

Cello carefully and cautiously walked up the staircase to the men's bedrooms. The first bedroom on the left housed his eldest stepbrother, Adam. He had been the same lanky lamppost of a man since they met but was brutally cruel to Cello. His auburn hair peeked out from under his duvet as he was beginning to wake up. Cello quickly placed the first silver platter on the nightstand next to his bed before rushing out of the room. Adam hated to see the sight of Cello in the mornings. He always told him that his hideous looks were not the first sight he wanted to see as he woke.

The bedroom right across the wide hall housed his second stepbrother, Draven. He was already awake waiting impatiently for Cello to bring him his meal. He was plumper now than when they were children.

"It's about time you showed your face!" He growled. "I've been waiting for minutes!"

"My apologies, stepbrother," Cello told him remorsefully. "It won't happen again."

"You're absolutely right it won't," He all but screamed at him. "Did you get me extra ham like I told you?"

"Extra ham and extra bacon like you wanted, stepbrother," Cello answered as he sat the platter on his stepbrother's lap.

"Least you're good at remembering more than being on time," he began to dig into his meal. "Get out!" Cello took his final platter outside of his stepbrother's room and headed to his final destination. The master bedroom at the end of the hall.

He stopped outside the door and knocked softly.

"Enter." A booming voice called from the other side of the door. Cello quietly opened the door and shut it behind him. "You're late."

"My sincerest apologies, stepfather," Cello began as he rushed towards his stepfather's bedside. "The chickens didn't lay as many eggs today as I would have liked."

"That's no reason as to why you are late with my breakfast." He gazed at Cello viciously as if he would strike him at any moment. He usually would.

"I'm sorry." Cello told him as he sat the platter on his stepfather's lap.

"Yes, you are." He told him. "The sorriest excuse of a creature if I ever saw one. You're definitely no man." His stepfather bit into a piece of bacon. Cello was not to move a muscle until his stepfather told him otherwise. "But with the way you keep a house, you'd make an excellent wife one day." His stepfather laughed at that. "You'd like that wouldn't you?" His stepfather glared daggers into Cello's heart. "Answer me, boy!"

"No, sir," Cello answered in his soft voice, not looking at his stepfather in the eyes.

"Yeah, right," he scoffed. "You're dismissed." Cello began walking away. "I want this house spotless before I leave this room."

"Yes, sir." Cello walked out of the bedroom and clenched his chest. His heart pounded intensely in his shirt. He couldn't look his stepfather in his eyes when he answered him because he lied. Secretly and foolishly, he did want to become someone's wife.