Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:02:16 -0700 (PDT) From: T. Chase McPhee Subject: Nature Takes Its Course 09 The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, in towns, cities, countries, nor governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then you should not read this story. Additionally, if you are under 18 years of age, in most state and countries, you are not allowed to read this story, by law. Check with your local laws regarding such. % Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection. % "Nature Takes Its Course" 09 wriTten by T. Chase McPhee % As soon as Barry entered the kitchen he was hit with, "When do we get our new bike?" It had completely slipped all of their minds, the squirts pre-summer idea about forming a neighborhood bike club. "What about Matty's old bike?" He questioned his sons. "What about me?" Philip reduced it to one, Aidan butting out since he was designated as owning Matty's bike. Looking to Max for an answer, Barry asks, "Neither of the two in the garage are salvageable?" "In his opinion in order to get the bikes into riding condition it would cost as much as buying new. I don't think you have much choice here." "Right," Barry replied, going over the balance of their savings account in his mind. At the same time it didn't go unnoticed, like the theatre masks, Aidan with a happy disposition, Philip frowning. "I suppose we could take a ride over to Barberio's Hardware and see if we can get something?" "Yaaaaaay!" Came the response from the two preteens. Once again it brought cheer to the kitchen environment. With that out of the way, Barry directs to Max, "And where is Mark and Jose off to?" "Still pounding the pavement in search of summer jobs. They got a lead for the country club. One of their school pals' father owns the place," Max filled him in. Philip spoke up, "Maybe Aidan and I can get jobs to buy new bikes!" Two subjects stirred Barry's mind as he said, "With Berk having a new job as manager of Sal's new venture and if indeed Mark and Jose are finding their own means of earning money, Eric working at the environmental center and Tom's new job in auto sales, I think we'll need some help around here." Max wondered who those duties, cutting the lawn, trimming the bushes, doing odd jobs would fall on. "Yep," Philip added, "after we finish mowing the lawn we can hop right into the pool!" Barry and Max traded off glances, smiling at each other, knowing they were too young to use heavy machinery. With pool thoughts on their minds, the two kids hastily excused themselves. "I suppose the joint will be jumping soon with their neighborhood friends," Barry makes comment, thinking of not only Diego and Seth from the backyard residence, but Jeremy and the other kids whom blanketed the area. Reading his mind, Max jumped in with, "I'm way ahead of you." "Oh?" "The only one I didn't receive a response from is Bobby Hijazi's dad and Griffin's. All the others will be sending snacks and drinks along with their kids." It made Barry rest a little easier. "You can forget about Richard. I think his mind is on other matters for the moment, but Bobby Hijazi? You know I don't think I've ever met his father?" Since Max has all the lowdown on the kids who come `round to swim he tells, "He's not a very high profile in the community. At least not in our town. He works for an architectural firm two towns down the road," Max first hiked his thumb over his right shoulder, then detoured it in a westerly direction. "It's that way I think. Anyway, as I understand he has a lot of ideas that `sell', so Bobby puts it." "Oh really? Anything worth mentioning?" "In the way Bobby put it, it sounds like his dad has something going for `Ground Zero', in New York City." "Hmm... not such a small endeavor." "Have you ever been there?" Max inquires, knowing Barry's family originates out of New Jersey. "Know anybody who? You know?" Barry sat back as if relieved. "Matter of fact had a good friend, Pete. He was on his way to work at the Twin Towers, but got a flat on the New Jersey Turnpike." What could have led to a sad story, turned out happy. Not only did Pete never make it to work, but his car was towed and he wound up spending the night with the tow truck driver!" "So, are they still hitting it off?" "As far as I know as of a year ago. I haven't heard from Pete since we moved out here," Barry replied. Max asks, "Does he know your new address?" "Frankly I don't remember. I know I forwarded postcards to those I wanted to have knowledge of us moving out here, asking for a response. Pete never responded, so I don't have a clue." Thrown off subject, Max wanted to know what Pete's catch looked like! % Business around town seemed to speed up, with kids off from school, parents were eager to find a summer replacement for Tv games or lulls in the brains of their children. "And here's your group?" There was no way Eric Clark-Barr was going to give the new environmental director a tough time when ten kids were put under his direction, by means of a toothy smile. "And I know group size should be limited to eight, so if you need a hand don't be shy to give me a call, Eric." They met but once, when Bob Olson retired, Hayden Shackleton III taking his place as director of the `Bernice Bridges Environmental Center'. Eric couldn't help but return the smile, saying, "Shouldn't be a problem, but I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Shackleton." After Mr. Shackleton broke down the wall of authority, asking Eric to call him by his first hame, they lingered but a few seconds til Hayden's attention was drawn to divying up the next group of young environmentalists. Even so, Hayden's eyes still glanced up at the door, watching Eric's cute butt sway as he left the main room. % "Hey dad!" Philip rung out with. Aidan follows up before Barry can jump the gun, "Everybody but us can't come to swim!" "On vacation?" Barry immediately thought. "Maybe everybody is busy with their own plans." "Noooooo," Philip was quick to disagree. Aidan jumps in with, "Everybody but us are up at the environmental center!" Barry's mouth formed a perfect `O', as he says, "Oooooooooooh," he set his fingers to snapping, as if it helped recall the important memo. "Wait one minute," he called out, a brisk walk taking over as he pranced over to the front door. "Here it is!" he announced to himself, picking up the pink form from the table in the foyer. He turned to retrace his footwork but the kids were standing right there in front of him. "Sorry. I know I meant to mail this in." Like an adult, Aidan says, "You've had a lot on your mind dad." "Yeah," Philip added, "how can you think about everything and take care of us too?" Thinking how grown up their caring remarks were, he returned with, "That's sweet of you boys to say so. But as far as this goes, I'm sure you two would rather have been there on the first day with your friends." "Can you take us there now?" shot out from Philip's mouth, speaking on behalf of both. He made note of the $150.00 fee per each kid, as listed on the form. Pleading looks made Barry forget about the balance of his checkbook. In minutes they were changed, seated in the van and whisked away towards Goldwater Creek Road E, their destination as Bridges Environmental Center. % "This is great Randy." "Yeah," Tom seconded it, upon their hiring on Randy Shackleton's word to his father. "We owe you," Tom tossed the familiar IOU. "No problem guys. Anytime I can do any of my friends a favor." Tom and Jose looked at each other. They both knew of Randy Shackleton's reputation at school being labeled a `nerd'. "'Friends'?" Tom barely audibly mouthed to Jose as they walked behind Randy. Jose shushed him. "This is where you guys can stash your gear," Randy said as the three stood at the lockerroom door. Walking inside he further defined, "The yellow lockers are designated for staff members. You can pick anyone which doesn't have a lock." There wasn't much choice, only one locker being unused. "You don't mind sharing do you?" Beyond their control, Tom and Jose had no reservations about it. "Staff showers are this way and..." He knew Tom was dating a girl, but pointed out to Jose, "The rules say only one guy can be in a shower at one time." "Yeah. Okay," Jose replied even though he didn't like the way in which it was put. Moving right along Randy showed them the bigger pool, the one they would be stationed at, waiting on patrons who would be ordering drinks or food. Onto another building, he introduced them to an Asian dude and left. For a second the dude at the counter didn't recognize them standing there. Jose says softly after nudging Tom in the ribs, "Bet your glad that auto sales job fizzled, huh?" Tom just grinned, then threw his attention on the clerk. "I'll be with you in one minute," the guy said without looking up, concentration on his pencil being pushed across a paper. "Now." He crossed a `T'. "So you are going to be waiters this summer?" Handling the two, Jose replies, "We're going to `try' to be." Yanking a couple of tuxedos off the rack, he graciously pairs them up with the two. "You try this one on," he gave one of the black'n'whites to Tom. Holding the other one up to Jose, wire crook of the hanger right next to Jose's cheek, he assayed, "This one should fit." "Wouldn't it be easier if you knew our sizes?" "They'll fit," he assured them. Moving right along he offers, "I'm Lee Shang. I'm in charge of every uniform anyone wears around here. You get dirty and I clean you up!" Jose and Tom didn't argue back at the white grin shining like an 88 key piano. "You're the boss!" Jose told him. "You can change in here," Lee showed them to a secluded area of the building, booths resembling the changing room of a clothes store. Probably Jose noticed, as Tom had, they didn't have any way of securing the door locked from the inside. Regardless, Jose began stripping down. He took a second to notice something Mark did this past week. A faint stripe painted the space cutting his stomach in half right on down to his beltline. It made him smile because Mark had made such a big deal about it! "How's it going in here?" Staring in the mirror, there were two guys looking back at Jose, Lee not at all taken aback at seeing him shirtless. "Um, I'm getting there," Jose replied. "Nice tan. Is it built in, like me or do you have to work at it?" Next door Tom was trying to contain himself, a hand over his mouth trying to keep him from giggling out loud. He did like his dad this morning, his mouth forming an `O' when Jose came directly back with, "You can save your breath because I already have a boyfriend. Besides, you're kind of old for me?" Like a vampire draining blood from his victim, Lee was robbed of his cheery disposition. From an alto type voice to that of a bass, Lee responded, "Oh. I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." Backing away, "Let me know how it goes, okay?" In the next booth Tom wasn't smiling. Opening his door he leaned over, opening Jose's with his finger. "I never knew you had it in you, Jose." Hands on hips, tongue roaming around the inside of his mouth, apparently retracing his thoughts, not of his stomach trail this time, Jose replied, "Me neither. I guess I was kind of hard on him, huh?" "I don't know. Maybe he was checking you out, but I think he was trying to be friendly too," Tom reasoned. "Right." They both stood there for sixty seconds, pondering the situation without a word. "I suppose I should go apologize," Jose then came up with. "And flirt alittle?" Tom excused himself to button the white shirt up over his bod. "Get real," Jose told him. "Would I be in trouble if your brother ever found out!" "Who's gonna tell him? I'm not," Tom promised. "I will. You don't think I would keep a secret from Mark, do you?" Jose pleaded. "Sheesh! You guys `are' serious, aren't you?" Leaving it at that, Jose changes his disposition to a smile, with wicked thoughts on his brain. Stepping out of the booth shirtless he happened upon Lee at the counter. "Um, I think I need help putting my shirt on?" Out in the light, the larger expanse of the room Jose took on a different perspective. It probably was due largely to him standing back from the counter so the ledge wasn't hiding any of his assets. "Sure. Did you have trouble with it fitting," Lee said, still not the chipper quality to his voice. "I don't know." Then to compliment, "You're the expert here. What am I, just a dumb waiter who really knows how to embarrass a guy!" It was his way of apologizing, Lee responding, "Better than a laundry manager who can't keep his eyes focused on his own business!" Enough said about the past, Jose asks, "Are you going to help me with this?" Walking around the corner, Lee took the shirt from Jose and guided his hands to the sleeves. With back towards him, Lee lifted the shirt to Jose's shoulders, allowing the front to drape over his teen pecs. "So, you really have a boyfriend?" "Yup. I know I was assuming, but figured you were gay too. You are gay aren't you?" Jose turns his head to look at Lee who's sporting a smile. His answer, "I would probably be wasting my time trying out all the gay cliches on you, huh?" "I don't know. I haven't heard many. What have you got?" This time, as Lee was trying out the few he knew his hands were busy buttoning up Jose's shirt, pulling it this way and that to make sure he had the utmost perfect fit. Jose interrupts, "You're a genius Lee!" "I am?" "Yup. This fits perfect." Then, from the booths they hear, "I wouldn't base your intelligence on this!" There Tom stands, sleeves down over his hands, his pants sagging around the ankles. % "Honey I'm hoooooome!" "Short day at work!" Michael comments as he gets up from the small table in the corner of Birdy's Supper Club Kitchen. He plants a kiss on Kevin's lips. "No sweat. I was there an hour at the store and Chad shows up. Kind of cool though as I arrived, getting greeted by all these people," Kevin let on. "Better than `my' greeting, was it?" Kevin chuckles, looks around at the empty kitchen then locks on to Michael around the waist. He follows with cupping his mouth around Michael's. It was short and sweet, to the point, made to emphasize his standings towards their relationship. "Gotta get going," he announced as they unleashed their lips on each other. "All work and no play makes Kevin a dull boy!" Michael replied. More a suggestion, Kevin says, "When are you going to put on that tool belt again? We haven't played with the toys in awhile?" As Kevin left, Michael wiggled his eyebrows, all the favorable response needed. "Hey," Kevin greeted Thomas on the way out. "Hey," Thomas replied. Both stared for an interval of time, Kevin's head over his shoulder, a smile linking the two until Kevin let himself out the door. "Stuff like that could get you fired." Thomas laughed at Jim Faulkner's joking around. "It was him, not me. I wasn't the one making the effort to look over my shoulder." Not going along with Kevin's chatter, he said, "Don't give me that crap, Thomas. I watched how your head sank down. You were checking out his ass." A grin lit up Thomas' face, knowing he had been had. "Yeah okay." Putting their thoughts behind them Jim asks, "How come you and Matt didn't stick around for the party?" "Got kind of boring. I mean you and Connor were doing your thing, the trio in the other room hooking up cocks and asses and... where the hell was Maury?" Sidetracking Thomas' thoughts, Jim says, "You missed out on the fun we had later after everybody got bored doing each other's asses." "Oh?" Thomas stood curious, satisfied he knew he had his own fill of sexual bliss. Meant to enthrall, Jim tells him, "The tug-o-war?" "Tug-o-war?" Thomas questioned, knowing this didn't have much to do with the way they did it in gym class. "Yeah. Rob's balls tied to Greg's? Was kind of fun watching each flinch as they stretched their orbs. And while they had their fun, Connor and Derek had croc clips on their nips, interlinked." "That's gotta hurt so bad!" It was an understatement. Sure, in his playing with consential partners in the past, Thomas knew how the sharp metal teeth could cause undue pain, especially when the little screws were unfastened. They stood there smiling at each other, both knowing what a sexual turn on it could be for the right guy, one who enjoyed the pain mixed with the stroking of one's cock. "First time for Connor." Thomas asksed, "He asked for the screws to be loosened?" "Somewhat. But as quick as I unloosened, I tightened them. What a wimp!" Both laughed at Jim's insinuation, able to mock Connor out solely because they had a strong bond. "Back to work," Thomas said when Michael's bod appeared at the kitchen door. "Yes sir!" Jim responded to `his' boss. % "Any kinship to Eric?" the six foot-looking guy inquired. It was apparent he was waiting for a response. Barry didn't mind at all, stopping in the middle of filling out the boys' applications to look into the blond-haired, beared man's face. Instead of saying so, he extended his hand offering, "Barry and `yes', Eric and I are related." "Hayden Shackleton. Pleased to meet you." Looking beyond Barry, he notices Philip and Aidan, looking over the goods for sale at the environmental center, but their interest mainly focused on the other kids, outside the big plate glass windows. "Exuse me, but the children can get started while you're filling out the paperwork." "Fine," Barry replied. Addressing Philip and Aidan, Hayden tells them, "Come along and follow me. I don't think you missed more than group introductions." They looked for their father's permission. "Go ahead. I'll be back to pick you up later." Philip throws a keen suggestion, "Or Eric could take us home?" But Hayden has even a better suggestion, "Your dad will let me know later and I'll tell you." Before Barry can even focus on an answer, the three are out the door. He goes back to filling out the details for both boys. "All done with the forms?" "Oh shit!" Barry shouts out loud, his right hand on his chest as if he's having a heart attack! "Sorry. Next time I'll save my scaring for the bears!" Hayden greeted him, behind the counter, with a smile. "No it's okay. Not your fault. I guess I'm a little jumpy because we've had a little rough beginning to our summer," Barry replied. "Anything you want to talk about?" "Nah, that's okay. I'll just finish filling out these forms and be on my way. You've probably got a million things to do." Hayden replies, "Not really. Once I place the children into the counselors' hands my job is as stagnant as a swamp. That is until a problem arises." "You sound very confident," Barry stirred the conversation, sensing the man. Earlier on, he decided Hayden wasn't at all young like the counselors hired for the summer. More like between thirty-five and forty. "Well I've been interested in the outdoors and nature for most of my life. I lucked out being hired for this position. Lovely country you have out here." "I agree," Barry paused in his writing. "When I brought my family out here to live I decided right away there was no going back. Of course there was..." He wasn't sure how Hayden felt about the sensitive subject he was getting into so hesitated. "I have a confession to make," Hayden says with a smile. Barry guesses, half-whimsically, "You're not really the environmental center director?" "Oh I am. Thing is, well I didn't mean to pry. One of your sons came out and said it... you're the principal of the high school and... I think it was Aidan?" "Dark hair?" "That's him," Hayden points nowhere like a gun, "he did mention he had another dad?" "And you don't have a problem with that?" Barry treads lightly. "Tell you something Barry, life's too short not to accept people as they are. I learned that along time ago with my little bro. He's gay. So what? Doesn't change how I feel towards him. He's still the nerdy guy I knew when he was a little kid!" Barry smiled, being more relaxed to know they were on the same page. Feeling more comfortable with Hayden, with the down-home attitude, he carried on the conversation, "You see your family much?" "Sure. They live right up the hill there?" Hayden nods his head towards the westerly way. Making a noise as he placed the pen on the desk, Barry exclaims, "I thought so!" "Thought what?" Hayden quizzed, hands showing his question. "You're family is from West HIlls. Your family owns Goldwater Creek Country Club." All this time, Hayden is smiling, nodding his head `yes' to Barry's interrogation. "My other two sons, Tom and..." he skipped over his thoughts of Jose being legally connected to the family, "Jose applied for jobs at the country club. Their friend from school, Randy, offered them jobs when they were unable to find one." "Randy. Right," Hayden finally responded. "My `little bro'. The nerdy one. I mean don't get me wrong. I think the world of Randy, it's just that he... he needs to loosen up!" It then occurs to Barry, "Funny thing, before Tom or Jose mentioned anything about Randy, it wasn't til after school was out." "That's because Randy began school in the final quarter of the year. Boarding school wasn't working out for him at all." There became a slight lull in the conversation, Barry restarting it with, "I usually don't know everything going on behind the scene at school. Sometimes my secretary handles important matters that `should' come to my attention." "Gladys?" Hayden guesses. "Who?" "Your secretary." "Agnes," Barry corrects him. "Right. I'm terrible with names," Hayden says like he's apologizing. "You're not the only one." Knowing he's older than Hayden, Barry quips, "Comes with old age!" After a robust laugh, Hayden telling he's `up there' too, he tells, "I had gone with Randy to register. Seems a shame there were only a few months of school left, but our father thought it best, considering." Left in the air, Barry feels too curious to let this go, so goes around it, "Being the high school principal and Randy, I assume going into his senior year..." Hayden acknowledges it. "I `should' know all the details regarding his transition." Shrugging his shoulders, Hayden says, "Nothing much to tell. I knew," he looks in the air, searching for a number, "like when Randy was around sixteen he was gay." "He came out to you?" "More than me and here's the clincher. When our father found out he went ballistic! It was an awful scene. I'm glad I was there to pull him off of Randy." Skipping over a lot of detail, Hayden says dramtically, "All I know if it were just Randy and our father, Randy would have required medical attention." "Oh, so he came out to your dad, directly?" Before going on, he asks, rather than timewise, "Would you care for some mint tea?" It startled Barry, as they were deep into the conversation. "Or I have some other flavors which might interest you? I make them all myself from plants. I think you might like the mint." Thinking fast, he rightly could say for the moment he didn't have anything pressing to do. It was early morning and visiting hours at the hospital hadn't begun. "Sure. I'm not a teetottler, but I'll try anything once." "Follow me," Hayden said, wiggling his index finger to `follow', "said the spider to the fly!" He added, scooping the two sheets of paper up, "We can finish these in my office. Walking in, Hayden comments, "Wooweee is it hot in here!" "A little," Barry said even though he agreed wholeheatedly. Trying the air conditioner, a push to the button only made it growl. "Sorry," he said, turning it off. "Some things are like the earth around here. Kind of old?" Barry smiled, getting what was meant to be a joke. "How about some `ice' tea instead? Still handmade by these," Hayden held up his ten digits. "Sounds good," Barry replied. Reaching down to the half refridgerator, Hayden says, "At least something works around here!" After handing Barry a glass of tea, Hayden invites him to take seat in a chair in front of his small desk. As Hayden sits, he wipes the back of his hand across his forehead. "Woowee is it hot in here! Excuse me for doing so, but when the A/C is out I have to relieve the heat somehow." Then, while unbuttoning the front of his khaki shirt, he comments, "Feel free to do the same, if you like!" Sitting there in front of the desk, Barry was glad his lower half was out of view as Hayden unbuttoned his shirt downwards, slowly revealing his hairy bod, something Steve would most likely assess as a `bear'. "Not at all," he replied. Again Hayden reiterates, "Feel free to get comfortable." "Thank you. I'll take that into consideration." Instead Barry chugged down his ice tea. "Mmmm, very refreshing." After reaching for his own glass, Hayden sat back, his shirt contorted more so than before, more silky, dark brown hair showing. "So, you want to continue your story?" Barry asked. He really needed a diversion for thought. "That night Randy told all, our father wanted to kick him out. In fact he said it." Imitating a deep-voiced, bassy man, "You'll get your things together young man and leave this house tonight!" "Typical," Barry responded. "Your mother didn't have a say in all this?" "Another chapter in the Shackleton book of lives. Randy and I have the same father but not mother. Randy's mother passed away. Our father remarried." Barry doesn't know why he didn't ask before, but excused himself for not wanting to meddle. "You and Randy. There's quite an age difference." "You're right. Randy's seventeen and I'm a ripe old twenty-eight." "Oh so then you're `not' as far `up' there as I am?" Barry said with a giggle. Hayden himself let a laugh escape, saying, "Yeah well..." He had no reason other not wanting to leave Barry as the only one showing signs of old age by forgetfulness. "Anyway, getting back to... geesh! It's almost break time for the kids," he looked at his watch and hurried to button up his front, leaving two buttonholes dislodged. "I'm sorry but I'll have to continue this some other time." "Maybe over dinner, if you and your brother are game?" "Um," Hayden didn't have an answer ready. "Least we could do, as Randy offering my sons jobs?" Barry offered up. "Sure. I'm juggling a couple of courses at the college, but I'm sure we can find a mutual time." Kidding, Barry asks, "Should I take the glasses home and run them through the dishwasher?" Answering, Hayden puts it to him, "Do you use environmentally biodegradable dishsoap?" Walking out with two glasses in his hand, Hayden finds a plastic bag to tuck them into. "Really, Hayden! Plastic?" Smiling, Hayden responds, "Y'know Barry? I think you and I are going to get along just fine!" Barry didn't mind at all, a cub patting him on the back, hand lingering. Wait til he tells Steve! % Copyright 2008 T. Chase McPhee This story may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.