Chapter 42


Nick was always an early riser. As a child he had to be up to make breakfast for his mom even though he didn't eat any himself. He woke up at sunrise...took a hot shower. All he could think of was Amanda.

"She would rather have a son..." he could hear the hurt voice in his head and it bothered him. Nick knew how she felt. His mother was obsessed with getting a baby girl and it resulted in himself being abused for it....punished for being the wrong gender. His mother had always told him he should have been a girl. Nick felt angry as he walked down to the kitchen and began making breakfast....scrambled eggs with bacon. The smell was wonderful but Nick was bothered by Linda's attitude towards her daughter.

"You're up early, Nick." Linda said from the doorway, dressed in a terry cloth pink robe and a long nightgown.

"I always get up early." he said without looking up from the frying pan.

"Nobody else is awake, why are you cooking?" Linda asked. Nick didn't answer her, he continued to cook...busying himself with the eggs.

"Nick?" she said tentatively, walking towards the kitchen. Nick put the cooked eggs on a plate along with the bacon and placed it in the microwave then made himself a plate as well. He poured a glass of milk and took it to the table, sitting down and began to eat as if Linda wasn't in the room.

"Nick, what's wrong?" she asked. She took a seat across from him at the table and he looked up at her, an annoyed expression on his face.

"You must be tired from all of your hard work last night. I understand." she added after a few minutes of silence.

"Mom....give it a rest." Nick snapped angrily. He was tired of all of the compliments...the attention...all he thought about was how he felt Amanda deserved it more.

"Excuse me?"

"Just stop complimenting me. Last night was important for Amanda too...and you ignored her completely. It made me sick." Nick said. Linda stared at him in shock, blinking at him.

"I thought with your background you needed encouragement." she whispered.

"To be honest, you don't know half of what I went through growing up. I have dealt with that since then. You have a daughter that just wants to hear her mom is proud of her. I didn't have a relationship with my parents....but Amanda did. She just wants to hear it once in a while, it kills me to see her upset." Nick ranted.

"I am always proud of Amanda, Nick." Linda protested.

"Have you told her recently? I didn't hear it once last night. You were too busy complimenting me, mom. Amanda needs to hear it too."

"I-I had no idea, Nick." Linda said with tears in her eyes. Amanda never asked for much from her parents but she remembered how her daughter looked when she paid attention to Nick.

"You really need to talk to her because she was so hurt by your actions last night at the club....you were wrong for doing that to her. Amanda deserves better. She made that club out of nothing and busts her ass every day to keep it open." Nick said sternly.

"You're absolutely right, honey. Was that other plate for her?" Linda asked.

"I was gonna bring let her sleep in. Sometimes I let her do that. "

Nick helped her set up the breakfast tray and she walked upstairs to find Amanda just waking up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and yawning.

"Hi, honey." Linda said as her daughter sat up in bed and looked away from her.

"Hello, Mom." she replied without emotion. The events of the night before were still fresh in her mind.
"Sweetheart I owe you an apology...."

"What?" Amanda said in surprise as her mother brought her the tray and sat down on the end of the bed.

"I made a huge mistake last night and I am so sorry if I let you think I wasn't proud of you for even one minute. I will always support you and I am proud of you for working so hard. The club is wonderful." Linda explained.

"Thank you, Mom. This means a lot to me....hearing you tell Nick all that stuff last night got to me. Silly, isn't it?"

"Not at all, honey. You had every right to be upset with me. I am proud of all the work you put into keeping the club open." Linda said, putting an arm around Amanda and smiling.

"Thank you so much." Amanda grinned, starting to eat. The eggs and bacon were still warm and tasted wonderful.

"Who made this?" she asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"Nick did. You better hold onto him, Amanda....he cornered me and told me to talk to you." her mother explained with a laugh. Amanda almost dropped her fork in surprise.

"He what?"

"He told me that I was wrong and I hurt you by paying attention to him instead. Not many men would be so bold as to correct the mother in law....I am impressed." Linda laughed. Later that day...Nick was busying himself doing laundry when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist.

"Hey, you." he smiled as he saw Amanda put her head on his shoulder.

"Well, look at you being all domesticated. Nothing sexier than a guy washing delicates." Amanda teased, giggling. He kissed her softly and she responded by grabbing his ass.

"I can handle more than just your panties, baby." he said coyly.

"Getting dirty, now are we?" Amanda whispered with a seductive smile. Nick turned around and kissed her...his soft lips tingling her with their touch.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did....it means the world to me that you actually had the balls to stand up to my mother." she said.

"Baby, I don't care who she is. You should never, ever feel insignificant. You deserve respect and praise from your parents. I love you and seeing you so upset hurt me." Nick explained.

"I can't wait to become Mrs. Nickolas Gene Carter...you spoil me so much Nick. What makes you love me like this?" Amanda asked.

"Because you love me back."

Nick leaned in and kissed her again, his hand stroking the side of her cheek. The wedding was a few days away and he couldn't wait to finally say his vows...to wed one last time.