Date: Mon, 21 May 2007 07:39:32 -0700 (PDT) From: T. Chase McPhee Subject: Natures Trail 04 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 Trail" 04 wriTten by T. Chase McPhee % "Hungry?" "Ugh! Don't mention food," John says to Kevin, as they leave by way of the back employees entrance to Barr's & Bridges. "If my stomach wasn't growling, I'd leave it alone, too!" Tom has really put the two teens through the mill, having them stock shelves, bag, restock shelves, straighten shelves and then because John Delano was cashiering, they had to cover cleaning up three different spills throughout the day, plus an area of the store where a customer's child threw up! "Yeah, I guess I'm hungry for a burger or something." Kevin alerts him to, "The student center at WRCC makes great burgers." "Cool," John says as they approach Kevin's wheels, a 4x4. "Nice!" "Thanks. Hop in." All set, seatbelts intact, sunglasses affixed, Kevin pulls out of the parking lot. John had something on his mind that was bugging him. "Kev?" "Yeah?" "I wanted to talk about that kiss you stole, in the stockroom." Kev smiled. John noticed. "What?" "I dunno," Kev answered, then continued, "just an honest attempt at a little affection." "Which means?" Wanting to share more, Kev didn't know if this was the right time. He didn't want to be pushy, nor scare John away, so simply left it as, "A spur of the moment thought." "Oh," John replied, making it seem like he accepted the explanation, but left it alone even though he still didn't understand Kev's emotional burst of energic affection. Instead, he changed the subject, asking, "How long does it take for you to draw a guy?" "I can get most of my ideas down in about ninety minutes." "Oh, I thought I would be sitting there for four hours!" "We don't have four hours. Kirk, my roommate will be back from work in three." "And he's straight?" "Yeah and what a sin." "Really?" John said, looking for details. "Yeah. Beautiful bod, real smooth, built pecs, ripped abs, on the football team." "Sounds like a dream-guy." Kev steals a glance at John, formulating his own thoughts about the `real' definition of a dream-guy. Then suddenly he's jarred out of his thoughts, making the turn at the gate leading to WRCC. "If I remember correctly, the dorms are `that' way?" "Yup," Kev replies, turning the truck in the direction John's finger points. "Tennyson Hall." Taking a left, then right, the truck pulls into a student-designated lane. Grabbing his bookbag from the seat between them, Kev jumps out his side. "C'mon, let's get that burger first." % Arriving home from work, Marco enters, via the backdoor. Going to the back of the kitchen, the newly-turned eighteen year old follows the small hallway, to his room. Entering, he peels off his sweaty tee shirt. He goes to the jon, to throw it in the hamper, hearing a knock at his door. "Marco? Are you home?" "Yeah, I'm here Chad." Walking to the door, Marco throws it open. "What's up?" It's the first time Chad's seen Marco barechested and takes a quick scan. "I know you just got home from work and you're probably exhausted. After you've relaxed a little bit, I'd like to talk with you." Placing his hand up on the side of the door, his dark hairy pit shown, Marco replies, "I think I know what this is about." "Oh?" "I know I haven't been following through with the duties of my job, as we discussed, before I came to stay with you guys." "Still, I'd like to talk with you, but get cleaned up first." Right away, as he closes the door, Marco is thinking about how he's about to be let go. He doesn't bother showering, rather just puts on a clean tee shirt. Leaving his room, he begins to fret, taking one last look around. Up until now, he's had it good. Good job, a roof over his head, decent employers at home and on the job, nobody giving too hoots for the fact of his gay sexuality. Weaving more and more of his thoughts into the impending discussion with Chad, he even frowned, cursing to himself about the strong possibility of having to go home and live with his family once more, especially with his father's homophobic attitudes. He knew the first comment would be about living and working for two guys whom resided under the same roof, shared the same bed. It wasn't any secret, at Barr's & Bridges, of their employer's sexual preferences. Along the way, Marco's father, distributor of baked goods, making the rounds twice weekly, could catch on easy since neither Chad, nor Matty kept their relationship a secret, not offering it freely, but not hiding it. Marco did something he hadn't done in a long time, bit a fingernail. To himself, Marco states, `Well here goes the bitter end of a sweet life!' Chad is sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a Coke. He has one set out for Marco. "Thanks," Marco says, taking a seat. A bit of silence prevails, before Chad says, "We're not entirely unhappy with the job you're doing and we realize it's not all your fault." "I kept taking more and more hours at work. Than I couldn't be around to cook the meals. Am I right?" "A man's got to make a dollar," Chad replied. "Besides, I understand." "You do?" "Yes and I think, for your own good, working full-time at the store is more to your advantage." "But not if you fire me. I'll be spending all my paycheck on rent." "Who said anything about firing you?" "You're not?" Marco replied, allowing some of the pent anxiety flow from his bod. "Not totally. This is what Matty and I have talked about. How about you stay on to do everything but the cooking?" "Who's going to do the cooking?" "We'll hire someone that specifically cooks, leaving the other household duties for you. How would you feel about this arrangement?" "I think I can work around it." "Only thing is this, you'll have to vacate your room." "But..." Chad held up his hand for Marco to hold on. "We have plenty of room upstairs. You can take the smaller bedroom." "It doesn't sound right, me doing that." "Take it or leave it, it's my best offer!" Chad replies. "You leave me with not much choice. Though I'm grateful." Chad gets up to take his leave, clutching the Coke bottle in his hand, "And Marco?" "Yeah, Chad?" the eighteen year old responds. "If the housework gets to be too much, please let us know, instead of beating yourself into the ground?" "Sure," he says, a reluctant tone in his voice. Given the chance at cutting the purse-strings from home life, being brought up with a single father, Marco has been enjoying his independency. For sure he's going to do everything to protect the lifestyle he's been leading. % "Church tomorrow boys," Steve reminds the boys, sitting in front of the Tv. "Also, your brothers are due home tomorrow," Barry says. Their eyes don't sway from the picture box! "So much for the popularity of Tom and Eric," Steve says, giggling. Smiling, Barry interjects, "I'm sure when they are back in the house, they'll once again be recognized." "It's been a long two weeks, but I wonder if they've been missed at all?" Steve says a little louder to see if he can catch an ear. Denis says out loud, over the sound of the Tv, "Oh, Mark and I have sure missed them, haven't we Mark?" He gives Mark a knudge in the ribs. "Oh sure," Mark replies, then tunes back in to the James Bond rerun. However, Denis, less interested, gets up and walks over to his dad's chair, where they sit reading. "What's up?" Barry asks. "I was wondering something. Do you think Tom and Eric can watch the `squirts' at the swimming pool, instead of Mark and I?" Steve ventures to say, "I thought you two would be practicing on your dives and other swimming skills?" "It's tough to do both at once," Denis informs them. "I suppose," Barry agrees, "but can't one of you practice and the other watch?" Denis stands there, mulling it over. Barry, the alpha male of the relationship, brings up, "I suppose we could see about Tom and Eric getting some CPR courses. Eric will be seventeen soon; old enough." "But still, you're have to watch the kids til this is accomplished," Steve throws his two cents in. "That sounds cool," Denis goes along with the idea. "Have you also thought about a summer job?" Barry inquires. "Actually," seeming like Denis has a hidden agenda, replies, "we thought we could start before the summer." "Oh?" Steve asks, "Did you have something in mind?" By this time, Mark, showing an interest in the conversation, since it's partly about him, leaves the Tv and strays over. "Are you talking about the job at the Army & Navy?" Mark asks. "Yeah," Denis picks up from where Mark leaves off, "there's a sign in the window saying, `hiring'." "Seems like you boys already have a full boat," Barry tells them, "with the swim team and getting back to school." Steve, perhaps a bit ahead of the game, says, "It would help pay for gas money." Both eighteen year olds look at dad-Steve, trying to guess what he means by his remark. "Your father has really jumped the gun, but we might as well tell you. "Their attention changes in Barry's direction. "Your Aunt Bernice is anxious to part with Matty's old Mustang." Right away, Mark says, "For us?" "Cool!" Denis replies. "But wait a minute. Before you go driving it, we need to secure licenses and make sure you have a way to keep the tank filled," Barry alludes to. "We'll go right down there on Monday afternoon and apply at the Army & Navy," Denis says, sure of himself. Steve brings up, "What if they are hiring only one?" It's a dilemma neither of the boys thought about. Then Mark says, "Birdy's is rebuilding their diningroom. Maybe I can get a job there waitering." Denis inserts, "Yeah, some of the guys at school say that `Birdy'," referring to Michael Byrd, "is tripling the size of his dining-room." Completing the formula, Mark says, "Yeah and that means they need to beef up on the waiters to cover it." The dads look at one another, seemingly in agreement, smiling, figuring the boys are willing to work their tails off to support the option of having their own vehicle to run all over creation. "One thing dad," Denis directs to Barry. "What's that son?" "Is the mustang in good condition or falling apart?" "I assume, since Matty was likely the last one driving it, you should talk to him?" "Cool," Mark says. Denis pats Mark on the back, saying, "C'mon. Let's get Matty on the phone." The two teens vacate the room, in search of the phone in the den. % Coming down the mountain, Justin and Christian approach the nature center. "Ever been inside?" Justin asks Christian. "I've never been anywhere near, period, until you brought me up here." "Let's check it out," Justin says, peeling the backpack from his arms, leaving it outside, parking it on a wooden bench. Upon entering the building, called informally the `nature center', but really named in honor of Bernice Bridges, the two come upon the gift shop. "Wow! Will ya look at all this stuff!" Christian states, eyes moving around the shop, taking in the view of the hundreds of items, in racks, on floor to ceiling shelves, corraled behind glass and wooden showcases. Seeing a stuffed monkey, hanging from a rope attached to the ceiling, the kind with velcro on it's paws, Justin unfastens it, sneaks up behind Christian's back and secures it around his neck, the body of the toy animal hanging down his back, commenting, "Looks like you've got a new friend!" Christian smiles, looking down at the interlocking paws, then over his shoulder, Justin lifting the soft head so he can see it. Leaving the animal be, he carries it around with him. Little kids, looking up, tell their parents about the monkey on the man's back! Christian picks up a book on trails. Flipping through it, he stops where one trail crosses Bridges Lane. He questions Justin, "Do you know where this is?" "Sure. I know where Bridges Lane is. Right off Van Dusen, where it turns from city to `country'." "I meant the trail! Maybe we can go find it sometime?" Christian states, still looking at the book. Justin, standing there, looking over Christian's shoulder, takes the back of the head of the monkey, presses it's lips to Christian's cheek and makes a kissing sound, in response. "Sweet," Christian says softly, smiling at him. Something Christian misses, is seeing Justin tear the barcoded tag off the chimp and stray towards the register. Pulling his wallet out, he makes his purchase. The lady behind the register says to Justin, "Just keep your receipt, honey." Justin smiles and walks back to Christian, stuffing the receipt in his wallet. "It says the trail goes on almost ever, as it crosses Van Dusen," Christian says out loud, thinking Justin is still standing there. When he realises he's talking to the air, he asks, "Where'd you go?" "Here I am!" Justin says, all jovial, teeth smiling away at him. "What are you up to?" "Nothing," Justin fibs, then reveals, "you're now the proud father of Jocko, the monkey!" Closing the book, Christian says, "You shouldn't be spending your money on me!" "Once in awhile it's okay. Especially for someone special to me." Christian smiles, his lips making the shape of a short kiss. Justin smiles, acknowledging. "I'm going to get this book so you can guide me all around the area," Christian tells him. "Good. I probably only know half of the trails around here," Justin tells him. Approaching the register, Christian pays for the book, the lady smiling at the monkey, still attached around his neck, draping down his back. % "What do you think, Zach?" "He's so small, Neil. I thought he would be bigger." "Look at the paws." "Big." Neil informs him, "Which means she'll grow to be a nice size dog." "I see what you mean when you say she's more retriever than poodle." Suddenly, the other pup, this one's sibling, bolts out of the cage, the door left ajar. Wagging it's tail, it sniffs around Zach's feet, trying to locate it's sister. "She's looking for sis!" Neil informs Zach. "Oooooh, she's so adorable too." "Yeah," Neil says, hinting, "it's a shame we have to break them up." Still squatting down, holding one puppy, Zach looks up Neil. The expression on Neil's face is priceless. Well knowing what his intentions are, the waiting as if for a punch line, Zach mulls it over. "How long have they been waiting to be adopted?" "I've been holding them for a week now." "Them?" "Uh," Neil scratches his right sideburn with his index finger, as if thinking, "I was saving both of them so you could have your pick... yeah, that's it." "It's kind of tough," Zach throws the hint back in Neil's ballpark, "since they are both sooo cute." "You think?" Neil says, face lit up, grinning, like maybe all his hopes aren't dashed to bits. "Would be kind of cool if we both had a dog to walk on those late evenings." "Sure," he says excitedly, adding, "and if you're busy studying, I could handle both?" Zach looks up at Neil, all sure of himself, like he's got it `in the bag'. "Though my Uncle Gary will probably throw me, you and the two dogs out of the house!" Zach's remark suddenly put a downer on Neil's intentions. He replied, "Oh, stupid of me not to think of that." "Though, I know Mike has always talked about having a dog, growing up and was all for it." "But two?" Neil questions, solemnly. Now, really wanting both, not leaving one behind, Zach lightens the atmosphere by saying, "I'd say we take our chances. After all, they're both so small." "But they'll grow up and might even be big dogs." "Um, we won't mention that to Uncle Gary, okay?" "He's not stupid." "Yeah, but for now, what we don't mention, won't hurt him!" Standing up, Zach picks up the other mutt, placing him in Neil's arms. As they approach the processing counter, Zach says, "Just let me do all the talking when we get home." "No complaints from me!" Neil says, with a smile. % "Sorry, but one of you guys will have to take Scruffy out." "But Max!" Philip scoffs. Aidan joins the protest, with, "You always take him out." "My point exactly. Your dads let you have Scruffy on good faith you would be taking care of him. Up until now I've been generous to the point of letting you guys take advantage of me." Aidan turns to Philip and asks, "What did he say?" Philip shrugs his shoulders, saying, "Darned if I know!" Picking up on their remarks, the twenty-two year old cook drives the point home, "What I'm saying here, guys, is `responsibility'. I'm sure you know what it means?" "Dad-Steve says taking it upon ourselves to do stuff that we're supposed to do," Philip says, stating it almost word for word. "Right. So who's going to take Scruffy out?" Looking at Max, each point the finger at the other, saying, "He will." "With that kind of an attitude, I think your dads should think about giving him away." "Scruffy? You can't do that," the two squirts protest. After Aidan voices his opinion, Philip says, "Yeah. He's part of the family. We love him!" "Fine way of showing it," Max shames the twelve and thirteen year olds. "I'll take him out," Philip says. Aidan adds, "I'll help." "Here's a plastic bag. Don't forget to pick up his droppings or the next time you play tag football, somebody will step in `it'." Neither volunteers to take the bag, so Max elects the eldest, handing the doo-doo bag to Aidan. After the two boys make their exit, Steve enters, summing up, "Well, you handled that rather well, I thought!" "Wha-at?" Max replies, with surprise. "Yeah," Barry says, entering the kitchen, "Steve and I heard the whole thing." "Yup," Steve says wisely, "someday you're gonna make a helluva father, Max!" Standing there, Max closes his arms across his chest, wondering why they didn't come in and exercise their fatherly rights. "Well, thanks for extending your fatherly wisdom!" Shaking his head, he turns and continues to prepare dinner. "What's on the stove?" Barry inquires. "Oh, that's for the rest of the family," Max says, taking the lid out of Steve's hand and placing it back on the pot. Steve and Barry exchange glances. Max finally says, "Tonight you're joining Scruffy with some canned vittles!" % Copyright 2007 T. Chase McPhee This story may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.