We're in This Together
This story may occasionally include explicit depictions of sexual acts between consenting adult males. If you are underage or it is illegal to view this for any reason, consider yourself warned. If you find this material offensive, please leave.
This story is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to people, living or dead, is entire a coincidence. As the author, I keep all rights to this story, and it cannot be reproduced or published without explicit consent from me. This work is copyright © 2017 by Steven Wells.
I love to hear any feedback you have, be it positive or negative. Send me an email with any comments or questions at MaWriterBoy@yahoo.com.
This is a sequel to my original story on Nifty.org, Sam and Chris. I have tried to make this a standalone story. I look forward to hearing from you.
Chris and I stood in the middle of the living room. An empty living room. The movers had just left. We looked around incredulously.
"This isn't the same house," I finally said quietly to Chris.
He put his arm around my shoulders. "No," Chris replied. "It's not the same house. We made this house a living being. You, me, the kids, the dogs, the cats, our family, our friends. We all brought life to this place. We won't remember this house like it is now. We'll always remember it as the living version it was only a few days before this."
"I didn't know leaving here would be like saying good bye to a dear friend," I whispered to my husband. "I know we only lived here for two years, but I feel as though this is the house we grew up in."
"We did grow up here," Chris replied. "We grew from being two college students, you a junior and me first year grad school, into two fathers with three wonderful kids. Donny grew from a four-year-old into the great first-grader he will become next fall. Mathew and Joshua went from being two squealing infants to become to squealing two-year-old boys."
"Don't forget the dogs and cats," I added. "Lincoln, Roosevelt, Simon, Winston, and Wallaby. Of course, we have the cats, Matilda and Rascal. Our furry creatures make up our family, too."
I turned around to face Chris. I tugged Chris's tank top over his head. I lost mine as well.
"I want to see my beautiful lover naked one last time in this house," I said as I pushed his gym shorts down to his ankles. I lost mine, too.
"Where did my husband go?" Chris asked with a smile.
"He'll be back," I replied as I snuggled into Chris's massive chest. "I love touching you."
Ever since I met Chris, I loved just looking at him, touching him. He could wear a tux and, to me, he looked as though he stood naked in a crowded room He's six-two, 190 pounds of muscle, massive chest, bulging biceps, and legs like tree trunks. He had the most stunning facial features of any African-American man I have seen. He could charm a person with his eyes.
"I like touching you, too, Sam," Chris said as he leaned in to kiss me. "You've changed since the first day I met you. You were a skinny eighteen-year-old boy."
"I wasn't skinny!" I exclaimed.
"Compared to what I'm looking at now, Sam, you were a skinny eighteen-year-old boy," Chris continued as he added another kiss. "Now, I see a five-eleven muscle stud of a man."
He kissed me again.
"Beautifully sculpted muscular chest," Chris continued as his hands followed the contours of my chest down to my stomach. Another kiss. He touched every part of my body as he went. "Perfect six-pack abs. Huge biceps. Tremendous ass. And, of course, your breathtaking cock and balls. All eight inches of uncut dick. You're mine, you know."
"Yea," I whispered as Chris added another mind-blowing kiss. "I married you, remember!"
"I do, indeed," Chris whispered as he kissed me again. This time with more passion. He wrapped one hand around my hard dick. The other hand cupped my balls. More kisses.
"I'm also remembering the first time you stuck your nine-inch, uncut dick in my ass," I hissed. "I saw stars. I still see stars when you make love to me."
"You realize you are making me very horny, but we don't have any place to have a sexual encounter here," Chris said.
"Kitchen cabinets," I whispered just as the doorbell rang.
"Shit," Chris said as he reached down to pull on his gym shorts. I did the same. "Why couldn't the house cleaning service be late?"
Once we pulled on our tank tops, Chris answered the door. We explained our expectations to the cleaning crew.
Before we left, we again stood at the front door and looked around.
"Are you having second thoughts?" I asked.
"No," Chris replied. "Are you?"
"No," I replied. "Surprisingly, I'm not having second thoughts. The next journey seems even more spectacular than our last one. We're in this together, Chris. You and me. The kids. Our zoo. Our family. Our friends. I only wish we could move into the new house straight from this one."
"It's only one more step on our journey," Chris added. "We need to be going. Otherwise, your parents will be pulling their hair out with three tired kids, five dogs, and two cats wreaking havoc with their quiet home."
"You're probably right," I said as Chris pulled me close to him for a hug and a kiss. "We wouldn't want them to refuse to baby sit from time to time. We might need a break."
"It will be fun riding to our new home in your Mustang, Sam," Chris said as he released me. "The purr of the engine as we speed off into the distance."
"Do you want to drive?" I asked.
"No, Sam," Chris replied. "I don't want to drive. Remember when you tried to teach me to drive a stick shift?"
"I had almost forgotten about it," I said with a smile. "I almost pissed in my pants when I thought you were driving us into the brick fence beside my parent's driveway."
"It was a narrow escape as I remember," Chris added. "I had visions of us crashing your Mustang into the fence, and we would be thrown from the car and land on the roof of the house."
"A little bit of an exaggeration," I said. "Not much, but a little."
"I'm a drama queen remember?" Chris said as he took my hand and headed toward the door. We took one last look and closed the door.
~~~~~
"Why does this look crowded?" I asked as we surveyed our new living room after the movers had dropped off our belongings and a crew unpacked and placed all of our stuff.
"This house is two thousand square feet less than our old house," Chris explained. "We can live with this until our new house is finished. It will only be another year."
"We'll feel like sardines packed together before we are opened to eat," I added. "I should have used another analogy. The sardines didn't really work, did they?"
"No," Chris replied. "We could put some of this into storage until we are ready to move again."
"Or put it in the basement along with the guest room furnishings," I suggested.
"Or the garage," Chris continued. "We have a three-car garage, and we only own two cars."
"Or, we could rent the house next door for a year," I said.
"Look who's here," Chris said as we watched Donny, Mathew, and Joshua heading toward us. Donny led the pack. Mathew and Joshua followed. They weren't smiling.
"Something wrong, guys?" I asked.
"We're confused," Donny replied. "We liked the other house. Why did we need to leave it?"
"We need to be here in Olney, not in our home is Champaign," I explained. "Is something wrong?"
"It doesn't seem like home," Donny replied.
"Not home," Mathew added with his two-year-old chatter.
"Do you feel the same way, Joshua?" I asked.
He pulled his thumb out of his mouth to reply, "Yeth."
"We need to have a family discussion," Chris suggested. "Let's head into the family room to discuss our new home we're having built just for us."
We sat on the sofa. Me on the left. Chris on the right. Donny in the middle. Mathew on my lap. Joshua on Chris's lap.
"How do the dogs feel about this house?" Chris asked.
No sooner had Chris mentioned dogs, they sat one-by-one in front of us. Each one paying strict attention to our conversation. Their tails swept the floor.
"They don't like this house either," Donny said. "The cats don't care as long as they have a sunny place to sleep."
"First, this is a temporary home until our new house is finished," I explained. "The new one is bigger and brighter than even our old house. What is it you don't like about this house?"
"Nothing," Donny replied. "We just liked the old one better."
"What if we show you some drawings of the new house so you know what it will be like?" Chris asked.
"Okay," Donny replied. He seemed more excited than previously.
Chris cleared off an area on the coffee table while I retrieved my tablet.
"Why don't we put this on the television so it will be bigger?" I asked.
"Sure," Donny replied. His energy and excitement built with every question.
The giant television on the wall opposite the sofa popped to life with the first drawing of the front of the house.
"It looks small," Donny said.
"The architect designed the front of the house to blend into the surroundings," I explained. "It will look like a small house you see almost everywhere in the Midwest. The rest of the house, though, it much different than you will see around here."
I fired up the virtual tour as we "walked" around the outside of the house.
"Wow!" Donny exclaimed as he saw the rest of the house as we walked to the side. "This is cool! Look at all the windows, Daddy! It changes colors, too!"
"The architect used different natural materials to add interest to the outside and to blend with the woods on the sides and back of the house," I explained. "He used stone, sustainable wood, glass, reclaimed metal, and organic plastics which are made from plants instead of petroleum. All of this translates to a house which is safe for the environment. Do you know what `safe for the environment' means, Donny?"
"Not messing up the natural plants, animals, and other living organisms which live on the earth with us," Donny replied. "Mrs. Graham talked about environmentally friendly materials a lot."
I looked at Chris. I was just a little amazed a six-year-old would understand environmentally friendly materials. "Very good, Donny!"
As we walked around the house, Donny's eyes fixed on the television screen.
"Let's go inside," I suggested.
Our virtual tour continued inside the house. Donny's excitement exploded when we went to look at his room.
"This is your room, Donny," I said.
"Wow!" Donny exclaimed. "It's huge!"
"You have a sleeping area, a place to do homework when you're older, and a place to play. You have your own bathroom and walk-in closet," I explained.
"There's Simon on my bed," Donny exclaimed again.
"Our woom," Mathew squealed.
"Yours is just like Donny's except on the opposite side of the house, Mathew, Joshua," I said as I switched the virtual tour of the house to the room Mathew and Joshua would occupy.
"Wintrop and Wally!" Joshua said as he pointed to the bed. The dogs were at the foot of the bed.
"Are Lincoln and Roosevelt in your room, Daddy?" Donny asked.
"Let's see," I said as I switched to our master bedroom. Sure enough, Lincoln and Roosevelt slept at the foot of our bed.
"What do you think?" I asked as I closed the virtual tour.
The dogs turned to face us again. Their tails furiously swept the floor.
Donny spoke as he listened to the dogs, "We can't wait!"
The dogs barked their approval.
I looked at Chris. "We're in trouble. You know why, don't you?"
"Yes," Chris said with a smile on his face. "The Dog Whisperer has nothing on us."
~~~~~
"Should we keep this place?" Chris asked as he and I sat in our Chicago condo. The kids were asleep. We were in the city to close on the website development firm I was buying.
"You're damn right we will be keeping this condo," I replied. "There is no fucking way I want to sell this. This could be our lifeline to sanity. Besides, where would we stay when we need to attend a board meeting of The Washington Family Foundation?"
"In the Foundation-owned condo downstairs," Chris replied with a smile. "Since you are so vocal about keeping it, consider the conversation ended."
"Good," I said. "We need to decide when we want to look at appliances for the new house. Tom and Zach suggested we visit the Viking showroom in the Mart. Who would have thought there wouldn't be a Viking showroom within a two-hundred-mile radius of Olney?"
"Neither is there a Brooks Brothers store," Chris added.
"We don't wear Brooks Brothers clothes," I replied.
"We aren't college students anymore, Sam," Chris said. "We need to step up our game. Of course, you always look good in the two Armani suits you have."
"Thanks," I replied. "I wouldn't want to be the one to show up at an event in Olney with an Armani suit. Especially if Pat and his wife were in attendance. His clothing store has added several designer labels to his offerings."
"Who would know if we had on an Armani suit or some cheap knock off?" Chris asked.
"You, me, and Pat," I replied. "We need to buy local where possible. I know it may be a shock to you to walk into a Walmart, but we need to keep in mind other people in town just might not be able to even afford to walk into Pat's store. We need to make a Walmart appearance. I hate the place for what it has done to American downtowns across the country, but..."
"Enough, Sam!" Chris said. "I get the picture. No Brooks Brothers for us. Does Pat sell Armani?"
"We'll asked," I added. "I suspect, if Pat new we wanted to buy an Armani suit, he would find a way to sell it to us."
"Speaking of buying," I began to change the subject. "Zach and I talked about an office for the website business. He liked the idea of building on the vacant lot you spoke of. I told him to be discrete as he looked at the property. If someone knew we were interested, the price would go up considerably."
"Now we are being sneaky land barons," Chris said with a smile. "What's next? Used car salesmen?"
"Being a used car salesman is not in my future," I replied. "Not that I have anything against used car salesmen. I'm just not into selling cars. Zach liked your idea about building a new loft office which looks like a renovation. I hope he doesn't get too carried away. By the way, did I see an e-mail about our venture capital business?"
"Yes," Chris replied. "Your father wants to be part of it. He's willing to add another batch of money to the mix."
"My father?" I asked. "Involvement in a venture capital firm doesn't seem to be his style."
"He's seen the light," Chris replied. "He told me about his investments since he sold the farm. He's done quite well. He's managed to double his investment account during the last four years. It didn't hurt his parents funded an investment account as a child."
"How did he double his investment account?" I asked.
"He helped a few startup companies in Southern Illinois," Chris explained. "Mostly around Southern Illinois University in Carbondale."
"You're talking about my father?" I asked again. "He's never made a risky investment in his life."
"He's excited by the possibilities of making Southern Illinois another hub of innovation," Chris explained.
"Next question," I began. "Why is my father suddenly your business confidante?"
"He likes me," Chris said with a smile. "He's using me to secretly control your life."
"And?" I asked.
"He and I have become investment buddies," Chris replied. "I've learned from the master, I think. Using some of his ideas, I have added about twenty-five percent growth to my investment account. You realize your father has control of your investment account."
"I have an investment account?" I asked. "Since when?"
"Since you were three weeks old," Chris replied. "Your grandfather on your father's side set up a trust for you when you were three weeks old. Your father has been managing it for the last twenty-two years."
"How much is this investment account worth?" I asked.
"I don't know," Chris replied. "You'll need to ask your father. He didn't tell me."
"At least some things are private," I said. "I need to ask some questions it seems. I'll set up a meeting with Mr. Hot Shot Investor when we get back."
"He'll enjoy sharing," Chris added. "Now, are you excited about tomorrow?"
"Yup," I replied. "Owning a website development firm has been my dream ever since I knew what a website development firm was. So, I am about to take the plunge. Actually, we are about ready to make the plunge."
"We?" Chris asked.
"Yes, we," I replied. "The attorney suggested I form a corporation. He suggested putting you in the paper work as co-owner. We are the two shareholders at this point. I hope you don't mind."
"No, of course I don't mind," Chris replied. "But don't expect a lot of input from me. As you well know, I am not a website development type of guy."
"You'll be my top advisor," I replied. "Speaking of advising. How would you like to advise me on our pre-going to sleep activities in the bedroom?"
"I love advising you," Chris said as he pulled me in for a kiss and hug.
~~~~~
Chris and I left at the offices of BuzzZone, the website development company we just bought.
"Congratulations, Mr. BuzzZone," Chris enthused. "You now own a piece of the web."
"Thanks, Chris," I replied. "I am excited. I'm so happy Grayson Adams decided to move with the company. I had hoped he would and continue working at BuzzZone. He's brilliant and an extremely nice guy."
"Is he?" Chris asked.
"Is he what?" I asked knowing full well Chris meant is he gay.
"Is he gay?" Chris continued.
"Yes, Chris," I replied. "Grayson is gay. He's single. He's thirty. He broke up with his future husband a few months ago. He wants a change. Olney will certainly be a change."
"The group seems fairly diverse," Chris suggested.
"Yea," I replied. "It's one of the reasons I settled on this company. Even through it only has ten employees, the employees represent ten different backgrounds. Exciting, huh?"
"Yes," Chris said with a smile. "I hope the town sees the diversity of the group as a positive rather than a negative."
"I won't even think about the negative," I replied as we caught a cab back to our condo.
As we walked in the door, we were barraged by boy and dog scampering sounds.
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Donny exclaimed as he welcomed us home. "Come see what we made."
Donny took both of our hands and pulled us toward the living room. We stopped in our tracks.
"What the...?" I asked without finishing the sentence because it contained a bad word.
"Very creative, guys," Chris added quickly. "What exactly is it?"
We both stood looking at the blob of dirt on the living room floor. The remains of the potting soil bag languished in the distance.
"We found this bag of dirt and decided to make a garden," Donny proudly said. "But we don't have any seeds. Only dirt. Do we have any seeds, Daddy?"
"No," I replied. "No. We don't have any seeds."
"They sprung this one on me without warning," Tracy the sitter said.
"We understand completely," Chris said. "Something like this happens about three times a week. We have been fortunate. Nothing has been broken, and no one has been taken to the ER. We are grateful for small miracles."
I kneeled in front of Donny and the twins. "Guys," I began. "I know you were doing something you thought was useful. And we are happy you have an interest in gardening. However, we can't have gardens in the condo. We'll help you plant one at the house when we get home. While you, Mathew, and Joshua go with Tracy to get you a snack, your Daddy and I will get the dirt ready to be moved to Southern Illinois."
"Okay, Daddy," Donny said. He led the way into the kitchen followed by the twins, the dogs, and Tracy.
"What do we do with the pile of dirt?" I asked Chris.
"Fortunately, it was only a five-pound bag of potting soil," Chris relied. "Never allow me to buy any potting soil in a larger bag. Imagine if it had been a fifty-pound bag of potting soil."
"No thank you," I replied. "I was hoping the dirt would take pity on us and move itself to the trash can. It doesn't look as if it will. Vacuum or shovel?"
"Shovel," Chris replied. "You promised three boys and five dogs we would transport it to Southern Illinois."
"I wasn't thinking clearly," I said.
"It's hard to do when you come home and find a pile of dirt on your living room floor," Chris said.
"It could be worse," I added. "They could have started watering it."
We put the pile of dirt in a plastic box for transport to Southern Illinois. With the wipe of a cloth, all remnants of the garden project disappeared. We joined the group in the kitchen.
"What do we want to do to celebrate?" Chris asked. "Your Daddy bought a website development business this morning. We want to celebrate by doing something special. Any ideas?"
"We could take the dogs for a walk along the lake," Donny suggested. "We could stop at Navy Pier and ride the Ferris wheel. Then we could go to the candy shop on Clark Street."
"The candy shop of Clark Street would be a very long walk with two littles ones and five dogs," I said.
"The dogs aren't allowed to ride the Ferris wheel," Chris added. "Maybe we should just take a walk along the lake."
"Okay," Donny agreed. "Simon said Ferris wheels make dogs nervous."
"Thank you for the update, Simon," I replied. "Shall we be on our way?"
"When do you want me tomorrow?" Tracy asked.
"Around 10:30," Chris replied. "I'm meeting Sam at the office to mingle with our new employees and have lunch with them. I should be back here by 3 in the afternoon at the very latest."
~~~~~
Tuesday morning after we closed on BuzzZone I decided to have everyone meet our four newest employees. Clarise catered lunch in for the whole group. Before lunch we met to introduce our current staff members and our future staff members.
We sat in an area we used as a makeshift conference room.
"I want us to get to know one another better," I began. "It has been a dream of mine to own a website business ever since I understood what a website business was. You might have asked yourself why does a smartass kid straight out of college know about the website business... I have asked myself this exact question over the course of the last few weeks... I am counting on you to help me through the first phase of my real-life education. I will welcome your comments and ideas. We're in this together. Don't think of me as your boss or the owner of the company. We all have an opportunity to help one another blossom."
"I want you to think of this as your business," I continued. "In the next several months, my plan is for this business to grow. As it grows, you, as our initial team, will grow with the business, and you will be compensated for our growth."
"This business attracted my attention because of our existing client base. The business holds enormous potential for growth. In the days to come, we will, together, develop our strategy for growing this business into a powerhouse of website development businesses catering to people in the arts."
"Now for the introductions. I'll start. I'm Sam Osborne Williamson. I just graduated from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. I grew up in the Southern Illinois town where we will move the business. When I went to college, I had absolutely no interest in moving back. I thought I had closed the book on the town other than as a visitor to keep in touch with relatives and friends."
"I met the love of my life, Christopher Johnson, early in my freshman year of college. We found our first son hiding behind a bush while he waited for his mother to return with food. But, she didn't return. His mother died in an alley with a needle in one hand and crack cocaine in the other. His name is Donny. He's now six-years-old and will be starting first grade this fall. About two years ago, a set of newly born twin boys needed a family to care for them. Que the curtain. We adopted them. Chris and I have also somehow amassed what we lovingly call our zoo. Five dogs and two cats. If our son Donny could, we would have a cow he has fallen in love with also living with us."
"Almost in sync with my graduation, the small town, Olney, where I grew up, spurted to life again with a huge wave of new businesses seeking refuge from the city. BuzzZone will be one of them. I mellowed over the course of my college years. Now, I'm excited about being part of this new growth."
"I want the newbies to introduce themselves to the rest of the staff. I went to college with all of them. They are bright and eager to learn the ropes of living in a real-life business. Sawyer, you're first."
"I'm Sawyer Cunningham. Sam and I were college roommates until he and Chris became an item," Sawyer began. "Sam quickly became not only my roommate, but my best friend. He also introduced me to my soon to be husband, Glen Allan."
"I grew up in Evanston, a suburb of Chicago. I have a newly acquired degree in business from the University of Illinois. Sam has plans to put me to work with customer relations, customer follow up, and other assorted chores he doesn't want to deal with. Other than Microsoft Office, I am computer illiterate. So, I will need help understanding what it is website developers develop. I plan not to be a pest. Let me know if I am. I'm looking forward to working with the entire team here at BuzzZone."
"You're up, Glen," I said.
"I'm Glen Allan. I met Sam, Tom, and Harrison in our first computer science course at the University of Illinois. Little did we know we would be working together after we graduated."
"I grew up in Iowa in a small town, much like Olney," Glen explained. "Our first computer science class project threw Sam, Tom, Harrison, and me together. We did Chris's website. He's a singer. We finished his, and several of his music major friends wanted us to do theirs. We did. We became hooked on websites for people in the artistic community. I am eager to work with you and learn from you. Thanks."
Tom Ford and Harrison Marsh introduced themselves.
"Hello, I'm Tom Ford," Tom began. "Harrison and I have known each other since shortly after birth. We lived on a tree lined street in north suburban Chicago. His house sat next to mine. We went from being best friends to boyfriends before we left home for the University of Illinois. Now, we're engaged to be married."
"I'm Harrison Marsh," Harrison continued. "Ditto about Tom's explanation of us. We're excited about moving to Southern Illinois. All of our friends and relatives think we have finally taken the step from reality to craziness once they heard our plans. But, we plan to make Olney our home for the long-term.
Tom and Harrison also added a comment from our gym group discussion just before our graduation.
"Four years ago," Tom began, "when Harrison and I met this weird kid, Sam Williamson, we weren't the same people we are now. Harrison and I would be contemplating getting a job in metro-Chicago. Glen and Sawyer may not have met.
Harrison added, "We had a gym group. We went to the gym together every Tuesday and Thursday morning. We took care of one another. We listened. We gave advice. We've been through some good times together, and we've been through challenging times together. The word most important in my book is `together.' We didn't judge. These four people—the newbies—helped me through the most difficult period of my life. The reason I'm telling you all of this is simple. I know Sam Williamson. So, I expect by the end of four years, all of us in this room will be able to say the same thing about any of us."
"Chris?" I said as I turned the attention to Chris.
"As you all know by now, I'm Christopher Williamson," Chris began. "I won't be working with you on a day-to-day basis. I'll be off teaching music at the local high school. But, I'll be seeing you from time-to-time. I will also guarantee you this: If Sam Williamson says he will do something, be prepared to see it done. Thank you."
The other staff members introduced themselves.
Grayson Adams: Handsome guy with close cropped hair. Brilliant brown eyes. Six feet tall. Gym body. Light chocolate brown skin. "I'm Grayson Adams. I've been with BuzzZone since it started three years ago. I have a BS in physics... I didn't want to go on to grad school right after my BS, which is the only useful thing I could do with a major in physics. I fell into this job, and I've loved every minute of working here. I'm looking forward to a new beginning in a new town. I believe in this firm. I also believe Sam will not be as tight with the buck as Dylan was."
Clarise Chung: Nice looking woman with straight black hair except where it was green or purple. Posture of a model or dancer. "I'm Clarise Chung. I have a BA in English from Northwestern University. I'm not telling you how long ago I graduated. I'm married, and my wife, Sharon Wallace-Chung, and we have a two-year-old son, Bingham Wallace-Chung. I started here almost one year ago to the day. I've never worked in a place I liked more than this one. Sharon and I have dreamed of moving out of the city to a quieter, less stressful environment. Thank you for the chance, Sam."
"You're welcome, Clarise," I said. "I'm certain you and your family will enjoy the slower pace of Olney."
Joel Ramirez: Extremely handsome. Chestnut brown neatly trimmed and spiked hair. Earring. Nice body underneath the business casual clothes. About five-eleven. "I'm Joel Ramirez. I've been with BuzzZone for two years. After graduation from college with a computer science degree, I went to work for a huge consulting firm. I hated it. I lasted a year. I love working here, and I am looking forward to relocating. My wife, Allison, is a legal secretary. She wants to hang out and organize whatever home we choose before she looks for another job."
AJ Khan: Tall, probably six-three. Arabian features. Dark black wavy hair. Five o'clock shadow at 11:30 am. Can't tell about the body. Loose fitting clothes. "I'm AJ Khan. I started working her about six months ago. I'm also looking forward to finding some peace and quiet and live my life doing the things I love. I was born into a Muslim family; however, I'm no longer part of my birth family because I'm gay. It's okay because I eat pork and have a vodka or two from time to time. Life is good."
Max Steinberg: Five-ten. Curly blond hair. Blue eyes light up a room. Definitely a gym trained body. He dressed to let everyone know he had a gym trained body. "I'm Max Steinberg. My husband, Darren, and I are excited to relocate with the company. Darren applied to the college for a teaching position. He's a political science teacher. He's found a Jewish Synagogue to attend, and I plan on continuing as a practicing Cathoiic. So, we're a mixed family. We also hope to add a kid or two to our lives. You and Chris, Sam, are our role models."
Jake Jat: Five-nine. Straight black hair. Slightly dark brown skin. Had a clipped English accent. "I'm Jake Jat. I've been with BuzzZone for two years. I have a degree in business management, but I designed websites to put myself through college. I try to live an ecofriendly lifestyle. I am excited to begin a new life in a new place with new friends and new experiences."
Melinda Wong: Petit woman. Straight long black hair. Beautiful Asian features. Dressed to the nines. Model material. "I'm Melinda Wong. I began working at BuzzZone about three years ago. I love the people. I love the work. I love the clients. When I told my boyfriend BuzzZone was moving to Southern Illinois, and I'm moving with it, he almost lost his lunch. But, after a few weeks of intensive torture, he has agreed to join me in our new adventure."
"I must tell you, Sam, when I first heard some barely out of college dude offered to buy BuzzZone, I thought we were in deep trouble. But after I met you, I decided I really like you. I don't like a lot of people, so you should take my adoration as a compliment. This is also the last you will hear me say those words. Also, your four new-hires seem very nice as well. I will give them two weeks before I make my final decision. I think you'll pass, but then again..."
"Thank you, everyone," I said after all the introductions were finished. "Do any of you have questions?"
"I have a question for you, Sam," Grayson began.
"Your question?" I said.
"It's a political question," Grayson began. "What's the major party affiliation in Olney? Conservative? Ultra-conservative? Middle of the road conservative?"
"The area is generally a mixture of ultra-liberal, liberal, middle of the road, conservative, ultra-conservative," I explained. "The Williamson family tends to lean about as far left as you can get without being labeled socialist. A very dear friend of ours, who is also the youth minister of the UCC church, is running for Congress. He's right in line with the Williamson family line of thinking. However, you will run into all political types you can imagine. It's not a back woods area. We do have running water and electricity. The roads are paved. Any other questions...? Okay, then, let's eat."
~~~~
"Are we ready for this?" I asked as we retrieved Mathew and Joshua from their car seats.
"We have to be ready," Chris replied. "It's show time."
"We're only going to church, Chris," I said. "We're not going to a Broadway play."
I unbuckled Mathew from his car seat, and Chris retrieved Joshua. Donny held our hands between us as we walked into the church.
"Sam! Chris!" Jeffery bellowed as he spotted us walk in. "How are you holding up with the move?"
"It's an adventure," I replied. "If we let stuff bother us, we'd be committed by now."
"We've been too busy to think about the move and the new surroundings," Chris added.
"These two have grown," Jeffery said about Mathew and Joshua. "And you, Donny! You must be six already."
"I'm starting first grade when school begins," Donny explained.
"Sam and Tim are a year behind you," Jeffery said to Donny.
"Your parents told me you bought a website development company," Jeffery said.
"Yes," I replied. "It's officially ours. We closed on the sale last Tuesday. We spent the rest of the week getting to know the employees and the business. I will be doing a lot of traveling back and forth until we move the business here. We're looking for temporary space."
"Are the employees moving with the business?" Jeffery asked.
"Seven out of ten," I replied. "You'll like all of them. They are a very diverse group. Then again, we also have four upper-middle class white boys I knew from college joining the fray."
"You realize you and your husband are the talk of the town," Jeffery said with a smile.
"How so?" I asked.
"Most people didn't believe you would be moving back here, especially some of your high school classmates. Some were taking bets."
"Well, I'm here," I replied. "Actually, we're here. Two married men with three kids, five dogs, and two cats. People must be freaking desperate for news in this town."
"There wasn't mention of the house we are building?" Chris asked.
"None I have heard," Jeffery replied with a grin. "Although I did hear rumors about someone buying the vacant plot of land in the middle of town where the old high school stood. I suspect rumors will swell when the contractor starts construction. Everyone is wondering who might have bought it and what will be occupying the land."
"If anyone asks, a venture capital firm from the area bought the land," I replied. "They have hired a contractor to build what will look like an old warehouse converted into loft office space. A website development company might rent some of the space."
"I see," Jeffery replied. He was still smiling.
"I believe we need to give the Reverend time to greet the other parishioners, Chris," I said. "We should find good seats to watch the show."
We settled into a pew near the middle of the sanctuary.
"Excuse me," an attractive woman said to us after we settled into the pew. "We haven't formerly met. I'm Janet Lopez. This is my husband, Brandon Martin, and these are our two sons, Jamison and Alastair."
Jamison and Alastair looked, as Jeffery explained, drop dead gorgeous. Six-one. Well built. Stunning brown eyes. Neatly coiffed short black hair. High cheek bones. Beautifully toned light brown skin. They dressed for success.
"We finally meet!" I said as I stood to greet the couple and their sons. "Jeffery has talked about the four of you extensively. I feel as though we already know you."
"Same here," Dr. Martin replied. "The prodigal son has returned."
"I wouldn't put our moving here in a religious analogy," I replied. "This is my husband, Chris. Our oldest son, Donny. And the twins are Mathew and Joshua. You're the new president of the college, I understand."
"Yes," Dr. Lopez replied. "Although I'm no long in the new phase. Now I am the antagonist."
"From what I understand, this town could use a few good antagonists from time to time," Chris said with a smile. "Sam doesn't stand on the sidelines and watch the game. He's in the middle. Always."
"We'll get along just fine," Dr. Martin said.
"Nice suits, Mr. Williamson," Jamison said as he looked at both Chris and me. "Armani?"
"Yes," I replied. "You've just made a liar out of me, Jamison. I told Chris no one would notice we both have on Armani suits. Yours looks like it might be Ralph Lauran or Tommy Hilfiger."
"Tommy Hilfiger," Alastair added. "Hilfiger seems more contemporary than Lauran."
Just then, the music began playing to signal the beginning of the service. We watched the choir and other participants in the service move down the aisle toward the front of the sanctuary. The organ seemed more vibrant than I remembered.
I looked at Chris with squinty eyes. "You didn't?"
"I couldn't help it," Chris replied. "I asked Dr. Hayes to play the organ for us today. It's a special occasion. Besides Mrs. Rhodes, the regular organist, left unexpectedly for a trip to Belize."
I knew I was in trouble, but decided not to pursue the matter until later.
After the first song, Reverend LeBlanc took her place behind the pulpit. "Welcome and good morning! I want to thank Dr. Roland Hayes, a music professor at the college, who agreed to fill in as organist while Mrs. Rhodes is away."
"I want to especially welcome those who are attending the services with us for the first time. I also am pleased to see familiar faces in the audience who are returning to this community on a permanent basis. Sam and Chris Williamson, along with their three sons, have decided to make Olney their permanent home..."
Chris and I were barraged by welcoming parishioners who seemed happy we had decided to move back to my hometown. A few people seemed rather curt, however.
"Would you and your boys like to join us for lunch?" Jeffery said as we exited the church. "Janet and Brandon are joining us."
"Chris?" I asked.
"If we can get Mathew and Joshua to cooperate, sure," Chris replied. "We may need to make emergency alternative plans if they decide to rebel."
"We're on," Jeffery replied as we headed to our car.
Chris and I strapped Mathew and Joshua into their car seats. Donny fasted himself in his.
"Will Sam and Tim have lunch with us?" Donny asked.
"Yes," I replied. "Why do you ask?"
"I like them," Donny replied with no additional detail.
Chris took his place in the driver's seat.
"Will this become our lives?" I asked. "Two old married farts taking our kids to church and later have lunch with friends at the only decent coffee shop in town?"
"Would you mind if it did?" Chris asked.
"No," I replied. "Although I will miss Yoshi's."
"Maybe we can convince him to open a place here?" Chris suggested.
"Or some other hot shot chef," I said. The wheels were working. "Could our venture capital firm invest in a top-notch restaurant?"
"Sure," Chris replied. "I'll start a search for a chef. It would be fun if the chef would use only locally grown items."
"I just had an interesting thought," I began. "We could offer space on the first floor of our office lofts as a restaurant space."
"As in rent free?" Chris asked.
"As long as the chef will cater lunches to BuzzZone," I replied. "Think of the possibilities! Free rent. Built in business."
"Maybe Yoshi will consider being a consultant," Chris suggested as we arrived at Mel's coffee shop.
We retrieved Donny, Mathew, and Joshua from their car seats. Jeffery and Philip released Sam and Tim from theirs. We all entered the coffee shop together.
"It's true!" Mel screamed from across the restaurant. "The prodigal son returns! What were you thinking, Sam?"
Mel pulled me into a hug before I could answer.
"We probably weren't," I replied. "But, we're here. It seems we are staying for the long-term. How is the coffee business?"
"Frighteningly good," Mel replied. "We have been so busy! I haven't been able to hire enough people to adequately staff the place."
"I thought the unemployment rate was fairly large here," I added. "I'm surprised people aren't breaking the door down for a chance to work here."
"They are," Mel replied. "I'm not seeing the right people walk through the door. I need mature, seasoned people. They aren't breaking down my door."
"Chris has set his sights on fostering new restaurants in town," I explained. "You might want to speak with him about your plight."
"Your husband the singer wants to start restaurants in town?" Mel asked incredulously. "Why?"
"Ask him," I replied. "I don't want to be in the middle of this discussion."
"I'll make an appointment with him," Mel replied. "Sit and I will send Janice over to take your order. How many people are you expecting?"
"Four more," I said.
As we were waiting for Janet and Brandon to arrive, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Pat, the clothing store owner, standing behind me.
"It's true, then?" Pat said as I stood to give him a hug. "You're moving back? Why?"
"We are moving back," I replied. "Chris accepted a position as music teacher at the high school. Chris and I were talking about you a few days ago."
"Why was I a subject of conversation?" Pat asked.
"Do you sell Armani suits?" I asked.
"I will if someone wants to buy one," Pat replied. "I can get almost any designer you might want. It will be pricy. But, from what I understand, you won't have a problem with pricy. Are you wearing an Armani suit, by any chance?"
"Chris and I both," I replied as Pat pulled back the right front of my suit jacket.
"This is not a ready to wear Armani!" Pat almost shrieked. "Name it and you will have it."
"See, Chris," I said to my husband. "All is not lost. You still have a connection to Armani."
"You mean I won't slip into a massive bout of depression?" Chris asked.
"Whenever you're feeling depressed, stop by the store," Pat replied with a smile.
"Is Beckie with you?" I asked. Beckie is his wife.
"No," Pat replied. "We divorced about a year ago."
"I'm sorry," I replied.
"I'm not," Pat replied. "Tension began building a long time before the divorce happened. Whenever you have a month or two, I'd be happy to share."
"I'll pass," I replied.
"I'm happy you decided to return," Pat added. "Good luck, and stop at the store sometime soon."
"We will," I replied.
Once Janet, Brandon, Jamison, and Allistair found seats, Janice took our orders and left us to chat.
"What's first on your agenda, Sam?" Janet asked.
"Finding a temporary home for BuzzZone," I replied. "The staff eagerly awaits their move here. The good news is we only have twelve people at this point. I left Sawyer in charge of assessing the items we need to move here. Sawyer was my roommate when we started school. I hired him and three other friends from school."
"Will you be needing two summer interns next summer?" Alistair asked. "Jamison and I want to major in computer science."
"Which college are you planning on attending?" I asked.
"MIT, Stanford, or University of Illinois Urbana Champaign," Jamison replied.
"They are all great schools," I replied. "I almost went to MIT. If I had, I'd never have met Chris."
"Do you think boyfriend choices would be better at MIT or UIUC?" Alistair asked.
"UIUC," Janet replied. "It's bigger and not so far away."
"I went to Harvard," Jeffery added. "Cambridge and Boston are nice cities, but, if you have any plans of moving off campus after your first year, it is almost impossible to find an apartment unless you have three- or four-thousand dollars to spend every month."
"Jeffery has just made a decision for your mother and me, boys," Brandon said with a smile. "UIUC it is."
"When next summer approaches, give me a call," I said as I handed each of them a business card. "I'm certain we can find something for you to do as a summer intern. How much do you want to make during the summer?"
"Interns work for free, right?" Jamison asked.
"Some places, yes," I added. "BuzzZone, no."
"Cool," Alistair replied. "We'll take whatever you think we would be worth as two new high school graduates."
"Where will BuzzZone's office be?" Brandon asked.
"We're looking at temporary office space for the twelve current staff members," I explained. "We have our sights set on a vacant property in town for the permanent office space. We haven't made an offer on the land yet."
"Do you have plans for expansion, Sam?" Philip asked.
"It will grow," I replied. "We plan to make BuzzZone a household word in the celebrity website arena."
"Now, the million-dollar question," Janet jumped into the fray. "I understand you're building a new house beside your grandmother's house."
"You know this how?" I asked.
"I'm on the zoning and planning committee for the city," Brandon replied. "We looked at your architect's preliminary plans. It struck me as a fairly large house for the town."
"From the street, it will look like hundreds of other houses in town," Chris explained. "We didn't want anything too showy."
"A six-thousand square foot home is not showy?" Brandon asked.
"Seven-thousand if you count the pool house and guest cottage," Chris replied with a smile. "We wanted to be certain we could entertain properly and have pleasant accommodations for our guests. We might need to scale it back if we go over our budget for the house."
"Originally, we thought the lot was three acres," I explained. "Turns out it's 10 acres."
"A ten-acre lot in town?" Brandon asked.
"My grandmother and grandfather didn't want someone to encroach on their privacy," I added.
"Daddy," Donny said to me as he tugged on my suit coat. "Can we go talk to Mabel today? I have something to tell her."
"Ask your Uncle Philip if he will give Mabel permission to speak with you," I suggested.
"Can we Daddy?" Sam added as he raced to Philip's side.
~~~~~
"Okay, Sam," Chris said as we sat with Zach and Tom. "We have a decision to make. Do we build this house the way we want or the way the neighbors and planning board want?"
"We're paying for it," I replied. "I thought the zoning and planning commission already approved the draft of the plans."
"They did, but now they are getting responses from residents who oppose building a `hulking structure on a pristine lot,'" Zach replied. "Your father and Brandon Martin recused themselves from voting on the issue because of your personal relationship. Mr. Ritter cast the deciding vote to require revisions to the plans."
"Mr. Ritter! He's fucking John Ritter's son for Christ sake," I exclaimed. "Did this moron vote in spite of me?"
"We don't know," Zach added. "You should ask your father. He could give you more insight into the vote. The committee suggested we lop off two-thousand square feet."
"Two thousand square feet is one-third of the fucking house!" I exclaimed.
"I have an alternative plan," Zach added. "We take away the four guest rooms and the one-thousand square foot entertainment area, which total about two-thousand square feet. Then, we build a separate structure to include the pool house, an amazing entertainment space, and five oversized guest rooms. It would be about four-thousand square feet. The committee seems to have difficulty with a house over four-thousand square feet. Then, we have your father and Brandon cede their vote to Jim Petty and Gordon Stefano—they were in favor of your original plan. The vote would be three to four."
"I like the idea of a separate space, but how do we get from the main house to the pool house?" I asked.
"A breezeway," Zach replied. "It will be a weather proof breezeway. I will have the drawings for you tomorrow afternoon. It will look, from the street at least, like a small contemporary one-story home. No more `hulking structure on a pristine lot.'"
"What will the zoning board think of the extra-long breezeway?" I asked.
"It's not officially part of either structure," Zach replied. "So, they can't have any real objections."
"We're moving from a house with six-thousand square feet to one with eight-thousand square feet," Chris said. "How will this affect the cost to build the house?"
"Instead of a one-million-dollar budget, we will need to plan on one million three," Zach replied. "Or we can cut costs on interior finishes for the second structure."
"No," Chris and I said in unison.
"We want the second building to look like the first," Chris added. "We'll only build this house once. Do it right!"
"Please explain how you can add an extra four thousand square feet and still have it look as though it is unobtrusive," I suggested.
"Easy," Zach explained. "The main living quarters is a single-story house. The front part of the lot is street level. The back slopes down. We place the two-story auxiliary part of the house back so, from the street, it looks as though everything is one story."
"Mr. Zach, can we have a tree house?" Donny asked as he, the twins, and five dogs joined us in the living room.
"A tree house could be added," Zack replied. "Your Dads will need to decide if we can build you a tree house."
Donny and his entourage turned his attention to Chris and me. Donny didn't say a word. The others fixed their eyes on us as well. Donny just shot a piercing look at us and waited for our response.
I responded first, "We could build a tree house for you and your brothers. What do you want to do with a tree house?"
"Sit in it and read and talk to the birds and squirrels and butterflies," Donny replied. He silently assumed his best poker face until we replied.
"Where do you want to put the tree house?" Chris asked.
"I have a tree picked out," Donny replied. "It's in the middle of the forest." He kept his gaze directed to us.
"The next time we go to see the lot, you can show us your tree," I began. "After we see your tree, we'll talk to Mr. Zach. Okay?"
"Okay," Donny said as he left in a thunder of feet and the entire group galloped to a new place in the house.
"Zack," Chris finally added. "Please plan on a tree house as long as it doesn't add another three hundred thousand to the cost of building the house."
"Do you need a dog house?" Zack asked.
"No," I replied. "The dogs go where they want to go. If confined to a certain area, they become adversarial. How's the plans for the office?"
"Swimmingly," Zach replied. "Although, I do have a question I need to ask before I get too far along. How exacting do you want me to follow the old warehouse loft?"
"I originally wanted an old warehouse office," I replied. "Are you having problems with the warehouse look?"
"I like the high ceilings, exposed heat and air conditioning ducts as well as the electrical conduit routing," Zach explained. "Along with the oversized windows and open office concept, it embraces the modern office. However, I believe you will like something more like you house in the office rather than making it look older and woodier. I believe it will be a better design all around."
"Let's build an office of the future rather than a relic from the past," I suggested. "Anything else?"
~~~~~
I arrived home from a week in Chicago working with the staff at BuzzZone. I waited for Chris to join me.
"I can't believe it," I heard a voice say.
I turned toward the voice. `Shit!' I thought to myself. `The last person I want to run into is standing in front of me."
"Brian," I said as I stood to greet and old nemesis.
"I heard you were moving back here," Brian said as he sat in a chair opposite me. "Why?"
"We decided we wanted to," I replied. "Chris found a job as the music teacher at the high school. I bought a website development business. I'm moving it here in a few months once I find a space for it."
"Your parents must be ecstatic!" Brian added. "You've found a nice girl to settle down with and start a family."
Chris walked through the door of the coffee shop.
"Brian," I said. "This is my husband, Chris. Chris, this is someone I knew from my high school days, Brian Hill. Brian, this is my husband, Christopher Williamson."
Brian sat with his jaw agape.
"Are you okay, Brian?" I asked.
"Oh! Sorry," Brian replied as he stood and shook the hand Chris offered. "I didn't realize Chris was a guy."
Chris pulled up a chair and turned it with the back against the table. He straddled the back of the chair and looked directly into Brian's eyes, "Brian, do you have a problem with Sam's spouse being a guy?"
"Ah... ah... ah... No," Brian replied. "I just didn't think Sam here would move back to Olney with a husband."
"What did you think we would move back to Olney with?" Chris asked.
"A wife?" Brian replied.
"Sam's gay, Brian," Chris continued. "Gay men usually marry other gay men. Not women."
"So, how do your parents feel about not having grandchildren, Sam?" Brian asked.
"Brian," Chris interrupted. "There you go again. I thought we had settled our discussion of whether Sam married a woman or a man. And, Brian, his parents are over the moon happy about our three kids."
"Yea," I added. "Donny is six. The twins, Mathew and Joshua, are two. And Chris is right. My parents are very, very happy Chris and I have given them grandchildren."
"So, Brian," Chris continued. "Don't you want to welcome Sam home?"
"Ah...," Brian stammered. "Yea. Welcome home, Sam. It's ah... ah... good to have you back. I need to run and finish my errands. Sheila asked me to pick up something for the kids. We've got four now."
"Congratulations, Brian," Chris said. "It was a pleasure to meet you."
"Same here," Brian said as he retreated to the door.
As Brian hurried off, Chris turned to me, "Our conversation with Brian went well, didn't it?"
"Brian is still the ass wipe he was in high school," I replied. "Please promise me you will try to avoid him. I restrained myself from beating the shit out of him. You do the say, okay?"
"Got it," Chris replied. "He's the same age as you and has four kids?"
"Plus one on the way," Mel said as she joined us at our table. "It seems Brian can't keep his dick in his pants. The youngest one is one year old, and they're adding a fifth in a few months. What can I get you two to celebrate meeting Brian Hill?"
"Coffee?" I asked.
"Coming right up," Mel said as she disappeared.
"I have a suggestion for you about your employees who are moving here," Chris began. "Why not offer them help with their mortgage when they buy a home here."
"What kind of help?" I asked.
"Guaranteed acceptance at the local bank," Chris replied. "The one next door."
"How do we manage guaranteed acceptance at the local bank?" I asked.
"Funny you should ask," Chris began. I knew I was in trouble. "Your father and I bought it through a blind trust."
"Why in God's name did you buy a bank?" I exclaimed as Mel returned with our coffee.
"Yea, Chris, why did you buy a bank?" Mel asked with a smile as she put our coffee in front of us.
"It was reasonably priced," Chris explained. "The estate of the man who owned it wanted to sell it. Your father knows the family, and they were motivated sellers. We will need to set up an account to guarantee the loans in case someone has problems."
"You're a very thoughtful person, Chris," I replied.
"Thanks," Chris said. "Your father's attorney friend from my grandfather's law firm is the trust administrator. She gives the direction for the bank operation. I'm certain they will work out something. You also need to work on a talk for the Center for Controlled Growth. OCG is a combination of a Chamber of Commerce and a community service organization. They want you to speak about getting involved in community causes, such as Home Front, and Green Peace. The meeting is next Thursday at 7 pm at the newly renovated Holiday Inn."
"I didn't know I hired you as my scheduler," I said to Chris.
"Your friend Pat, the clothing store owner, suggested he needed a speaker and immediately thought of you," Chris explained. "I told him you'd be thrilled with the opportunity to share your thoughts."
"I'll leave the two of you alone with your conversation about buying banks," Mel said with a smile. "What else did you buy? Land in the middle of town where the old high school stood?"
"Thank you for the coffee, Mel," I replied.
"You're so welcome," Mel said. "Thank you for bringing a little excitement to this town. You've only been here a month, and you've already shaken the town into life."
Mel left before she started laughing.
"Chris," I said. "If you weren't my husband, I would strangle you. But, you are my husband. You need to make up your error of judgement."
"What would you like me to do for penitence?" Chris asked.
"Plan on naked bodies in bed tonight," I said. "It will be a long appointment."
"Got it," Chris said with a smile on his face.
~~~~~
I would enjoy hearing your comments about this story. You can write to me at MaWriterBoy@yahoo.com.
This is my first posting of We're in This Together. Please also see:
Sam and Chris in the College section.
Jeffery Comes Home in the Beginnings section.
John's Journey Forward also in the Beginnings section.
Life With Tim in the Authoritarian section (Please note, this story is not for everyone because there are several scenes depicting Master/slave and BDSM relationships. So, if you are not interested in this activity, please, please do not read this story.)
Please if you can, contribute and keep NIFTY GOING strong as ever. They need our support so stories like this and so many others can continue to be publish for many hours of reading enjoyment.