Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2007 18:37:00 -0800 (PST) From: T. Chase McPhee Subject: Nature Walk: Nature Ways 1 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's Way" 01 wriTten by T. Chase McPhee % Christmas vacation flew by in a hurry, staying white outside up until New Year's Eve, when another inch or two got dumped on the area. "Cool! No school tomorrow!" "Denis, it's New Year's Day. There's no school til Tuesday." "That's what I meant," Denis tried putting it over on Mark. "Do you think it's a good time to hit Chad up for some jobs?" "Could be." The day of Christmas, Chad, Matty, Sean, Jacq and others descended on the Clark-Barr home, bearing gifts and taking some home. One little hint was dropped, news to all. Matty was leaving his managerial position at Barr's & Bridges, to pursue full time real estate. In the week to follow, at the family New Year's Eve celebration, Matty talked casually about the real estate values and other things of interest. "Yeah, my mom said the `new' West Richlan will give the business district a facelift." "Where are we talking?" "Birdy's Cafe area and eveything on his side of the street. You already know about Barr's & Bridges, right?" "No," Barry said, asking with a knot in his stomach, "you're not closing up, are you?" "Zach," Matty directs the question, "why don't you fill everybody in?" "We've had an offer to merge." Chad jumps in with, "I don't think you know it yet, but the building suffered some slight structural damage." "Oh no," Steve responded. "You're closed down?" "Not entirely." Chad returned the sought out quest for information back to Zach. He explained, sitting there next to Neil, his arm around Zach's shoulder. "Yeah, first of all we face the closure of this location of Barr's and Bridges." "Oh, so you're opening up elsewhere?" Barry asked. "Yes. Plus, with the merger, Barr's & Bridges will be opening in twin locations. Here in West Richlan and Wiley Park." "Wiley Park?" Steve questions. "It's where the Letterli brothers are from," Zach fills them in. "And what's in it for you guys?" "For one, Barr's & Bridges is going upscale, with little or no price changes." Chad adds, "Anything ending in eight or nine, will be rounded-up to the next zero." Matty jumps in with a big plus. "Our old building is being purchased by Mr. Pink's. They're tearing it down and building a new club." "And what of B'n'B's?" Steve wonders. "Up the road from Birdy's." "The old shoe factory?" Steve asks. "You got it. Our new home boasts 15,000 square feet." "Whoaaaa. I thought the old store was around 8,000," Barry assesses. "Almost." Steve asks, "So, what other benefits are we going to see?" Busy at their paint by numbers, Philip, Aidan, Seth and Diego are keeping an affixed ear on the conversation, in case something interesting might pop up. Zach continues, "Don Letterli is the one who interested his brother in the acquisition." "Yeah," Chad says, "they were sitting around last summer at a backyard barbecue, when Don brought up the prospect of marketing their own brand. Somebody came up with our name, Barr's & Bridges and thought it could sell tomato sauce!" Then the excitement heated up. "Yeah, the B'n'B label is going to be on eighty per cent of our products!" Matty boasted. Probably it was Neil's hand on Matty's thigh that did the trick to get him riled up over the new venture, but Matty wasn't giving Neil any credit. "Part of the shoe factory is being gutted and another area made to order." Zach and Chad went at it, both barrels, casting in the new ideas of their trade. "And, we're adding a wine shop." "Plus, the deli will be beefed up with some specialty items, like cheeses, fancy meats and crackers...." Neil though it funny, teasing Zach as he filled them in. His arm had slipped down Zach's back, to where his tee shirt was tucked in. He untucked it, thinking of pure mischief. Not wanting to embarass Neil, Zach shifted around when he felt an index finger touch the middle of his upper ass crevice. He smiled at Neil, condoning his actions, but on the other hand felt shivers up and down his spine. Later, on the way out, Zach reprimanded him, "I could've killed you back there." "You hated what I was doing?" "What do you think?" "You're not mad at me, are you?" Who could be angry with the face on the twenty-seven year old, smiling like an angel? "I'm not mad. Just horny." "Alllriiiiiiight!" Neil yelled out. "Probably fits right in with your plan." "Plan, Zach?" "Ulterior motives." "Yeah. You're right." Driving along, Neil slipped his hand into the driver's lap, feeling the inner seam of his jeans. "When I get you home, I'm gonna strip you nice and slowly. " "Cut it out," Zach said in a joking manner. "Or you're going to have my zipper busting at the seams!" "Aaaah-ha! My plan is working!" "I'll say!" One to keep within the law, driving at the speed limit, he inched the speedometer up the scale a little. "Yeah! Put the peddle to the metal!" Zach slowed down, which immediately put a damper on Neil's feelings. Stopping at the light in the central part of town, Zach made mention of the old shoe factory. "Yep, soon we'll be in business right over there," he pointed. "And soon I'll be in business right over here!" % "Ai, remember the day Denis and Mark tricked us into kissing the other guys?" The two brushed their teeth, readying for bed. "I remember. So?" "Did you feel anything kissing Seth?" Like one of the older guys, he exclaims, "Hell yeah!" "You liked kissing Seth?" Thinking of what might be going through Philip's head, Aidan downgrades the feeling. "It was okay. Why?" "Nothin'." "What did you feel when you kissed Diego?" "Other than him having bad breath, it felt good." "How good?" "It made shivers go up and down me." "You're in love." "I can't be in love." "Why not?" Aidan pursued. "Because I'm in love with you. Remember? Our vows?" "That was kids stuff." "You don't love me?" Philip looked aghast. "Sure I do. I'm your brother. I gotta love ya!" "Oh." Another backslide, Aidan, now pushing thirteen, felt he had to make it right. "But if I had to pick out who I had the strongest love for, it would be you." "What about our dads?" "They don't count. We're talking about kids our own age, right?" Aidan had a point there. At least it seemed that's where Philip looked for the distinction. "Right." Retreating from the jon, Philip painted a few more places of number 4 of his paint by number, the color green. "Ai, do you think we'll be partners someday, like our dads?" "We can't be partners." "Why not?" Aidan had all the answers, seemingly right on target. "We're brothers. Think of what people will say." "You talk like you don't want us to be partners." Putting down his red-tipped paintbrush, Aidan went over to Philip's desk, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Look, Phil..." Philip looked up. "I don't even know what I want to be when I grow up. We've got a lot of time to think about it." "Our dads are always saying time goes by so fast." "Right, but don't they also say we've got to enjoy life while the kids are young?" "They say it for themselves." "I think it's the same for us. We've got to do stuff while we're young, like paint-by-number." "I guess. So, you don't think we're going to be partners?" "I don't know," Aidan shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose when the time comes we'll know." Philip seemed to answer his own question. As Aidan's seen Chad and Matty do, when in a heated conversation as such, the thirteen year old leaned over and kissed Philip on the side of the cheek. "Oh nooooooo." "What?" "You just made me go over the line! The horse is going to have a green tail!" % 2B Continued....... Copyright 2007 T. Chase McPhee This story may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.