Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 15:39:11 -0800 (PST)
From: T Chase McPhee <survivalgame@yahoo.com>
Subject: Nature Walk 03

The following story is a work of fiction set in the
format of reality. Any resemblance to real people is
entirely coincidental in nature, and is not meant to
accurately reflect persons in towns, cities, or
governmental areas, in which the story is staged. If
sexual scenes 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 states and countries, you are not allowed to read
this by law.

"Nature Walk" 03 (M/t)
wriTten by T. Chase McPhee

Steve, the back lot neighbor, hung around, as Bernice
talked up the Chatsworth place, hoping Barry would
consider the purchase.

"It's more like an estate! The three bungalows, plus
whatever you've stated is hiding behind this humongous
home. It's all so very attractive, Bernice, but it's
got to have a huge price tag to match!"

"Tell you what I'm going to do then, Barry."

Steve points out, "Get ready for a Bernice 'random act
of kindness'."

"Steve, shut up or take a hike!"

"Yes, Ma'am," he said, grinning. Steve knew from being
around, that Bernice could be a tough buzzard, but
also gentle as a lamb, with a heart as soft as a
fluffly, furred animal.

"I'm going to forgo my comission and finders fee
and..."

"Oh, that's out of the question, Bernice."

"Barry, now you're insulting me,." the tough buzzard
barked.

"Give in, Barry," Steve warned, "she'll get you sooner
or later."

"'Bout time you said something worthwhile, Steve. You
better listen to him, Barry."

"She pulled the same thing on me and my partner when
we moved here."

"I don't know, Bernice," Barry still  stood on his
ground, not being swayed by the two.

"Oh no! I think I've made a terrible mistake! Lord
forgive me!"

Steve and Barry thought Bernice would drop to her
knees and start babbling out a confession. Instead,
Steve decided to prod. "You? Make a mistake, Bernice?"

"Fiddlesticks! I do have a right to be wrong if I want
to, Steve."

Steve reminded him, "Told you Barry. She's weaving her
evil spell over you."

"Steve, you stink! Go home and shower."

Barry couldn't keep a straight face, with Bernice's
blunt remarks, directed at Steve. Then his mind zipped
back to reality.

Steve decided to leave while still on good terms. "Bye
Barry."

"See you in school on Monday, Steve."

"Oh, you'll see me before then."

"Um, Bernice?"

"Yes?"

"Could I trouble you to share the undesirable news?"

"What news?"

"The mistake?"

"Oh yes. Now I know you'll most likely be heapin' mad
at me Barry, but I just remembered that I had sold the
place up the hill and thought of calling you
yesterday, but figured you already had left, going to
the airport that is and boarded you plane and..."

Barry listened knowing Bernice had cooked up some cock
and bull story, as her lips rattled on, pouring out
reasoning that didn't seem to rhyme.

"So, Bernice. You mean to tell me that for weeks you
have gone to the trouble to send me dozens of digital
photos, even sent me paperword to sign, deeding me the
home and on top of that, alerting me to the fact that
it's time to catch a flight, drag my boys and I all
the way out here from the east, to pull the house out
from under us?"

"Guess I expected too much. Okay Barry, you win. Let's
get your boys rounded up and take you all back to the
airport."
Bernice starts strutting back up the graveled road.

"Hold it, hold it, Bernice."

"Yes?"

As the seconds ticked away, so did Barry's thoughts.
"Can I ask a question?"

"Shoot," she yelled back down the road, the several
feet traversed.

"How much is this going to set you back?"

"Set me back?"

"Alright, Bernice, just give me the bottom line."

"Same price as the other place, plus $50 a month until
I think you've paid enough."

"What? That's insane, Bernice. This place has to be at
least three times worth the other house is!"

"You calling me a crazy woman, Barry?"

"Damn right I am, Bernice!"

"Well, that's calling the kettle black."

"Huh?"

"You busted your own son for cursing in front of a
lady and now here you are doing it yourself."

By this time Barry didn't know what to think. What had
happened over the past couple of months had drained
him of much of his mental and physical energies. A
half hour ago he had been upbeat. Now he didn't know
what decision he should make. Walking across the
graveled street, he sat on a boulder, looking down at
the coarse pebbles.

Bernice, seeing that her blunt remarks might have
dulled the the sensitivity, followed. Toning down her
voice, she spoke,
"Look, Barry. Let me tell you something about the
Chatsworth place. It's been up for sale for five years
now with no takers. Sure, I had hopes of some
millionaire walking up to me and offering me a bundle
and a half for the place, but I guess if I don't sell
soon, that dream is going to turn into a nightmare.
The place needs some TLC. To be lived in."

"Some of it looks a little rundown."

"You're right. I wouldn't let you even consider this
without telling you the downsides. There's a stable
out back that needs lots of work. Heck, Matty and I
can be real handy with a bucket of nails and a hammer.
But that's besides the point. Also place is overgrown
and needs a haircut. In response, I'll absorb all the
legal fees and forgo the commission."

"I don't know Bernice."

"I know you just blew into town today. What I'm going
to do is tell you to move in and live in the place. If
by the end of the school year you have any doubts
about living there, then shoot, I'll find something
else to your liking."

"What about taxes?"

"Taxes are next to nothing around here. The biggest is
the school tax and I for one would double that,
considering the top notch education our kids get.
Well, Matty benefitted and I'm sure your children,
will receive a well rounded education. Don't you go
and worry yourself about that, Barry. The first year's
taxes are included in the sale, as my responsibility."

Barry, getting too wise, asks, "And I suppose the
first month's groceries."

"Now you've gone and ruined my surprise, Barry!"

Barry grinned, chuckling to himself. If he wanted the
Eiffel Tower included, he wondered if Bernice would
have it erected in the back yard, saying it had been
included in the deal. "Another question."

"Shoot."

"Why are you doing all this for me and my boys?"

Bernice puts her foot up against the boulder. Looking
out over the countryside, she begins summing up the
future,
"In another few years I intend on making Matty a full
partner and then eventually he'll take on the whole
business. I don't want to leave him with any
liabilities."

"Following in the old lady's footsteps, eh?"

"I'm going to ignore that remark on account of I don't
have a swish handy!"

Barry started out the round of giggling, followed by
Bernice.
"You're being overly generous, Bernice.? Why"

"Sure as hell is right is in front of your own face.
I'm surprised you haven't picked up on it, Barry."

"Picked up on what?"

"Chad. He's madly in love with my Matty."

Now that's something Barry would never had picked out
of the blue, in a million years. Sure, he had an
inkling of Chad's sexual preferences, but coupled,
nada. "How do you know for a fact, Bernice?"

"Matty came out to me a long time ago. I must admit I
sensed hurt and scorned him. I had hopes of Matty
meeting the girl of his dreams, married and a house
full of grandchildren. Not long after I found out,
Steve and his partner, Seb moved in. I kicked myself
for a week or so, realizing that his wife were a
'he'!"

Barry chuckled, saying, "I hope you didn't get too
bruised up, Bernice."

"You and Steve. I don't know if I can take two jokers
in the neighborhood!"

"So, tell me about it, Bernice."

Bernice began the short version of how she came to
know Steve and his family of boys.  "When they moved
in they had this cute little boy, around Philip's age.
He used to venture through the gate at the back of the
Chatsworth place and weaseled his way through the
wrought iron fencing. I'd find him at my back door. I
began with giving him a cookie or two. This went on
for a month, until one day Matty invited him in for
cookies and milk. Before long, Sean became a permanent
fixture and Matty's playmate."

"Was he, um..."

"Gay?" Bernice questioned for Barry.

"Um, yeah. Not that it matters though, Bernice."

"All of the Clark boys are. Steve and Seb did that
type of thing. Adopted young boys whose parents didn't
want them simply because they were gay."

"Oh man. That would break my heart."

"It made me make up my mind on accepting things. When
Sean took Matty and I home one day, that's just what
it did. I realized that Steve and Seb were having a
dickens of a time making ends meet. They had just the
two boys then, Sean is now nineteen and Denis,
sixteen, but since then they've adopted Eric and
Aidan, fourteen and eleven."

"Don't tell me you turned into 'Crazy Bernice'?"

Bernice smiled.

"Yeah, what the hell, I've got myself a really good
boy, enough money in the bank and a nice place for us
to lay our head at night. The Lord's been mighty good
to Matty and me."

"And?"

"Steve said I did a dumb thing, I couldn't stand to
see the house starting to fall into a decrepit
condition. When they moved in, something dropped on
the front steps cracked the cement, a window was
broken. Not that they seemed to be unkept, but I found
out that they couldn't even afford soap to wash their
clothes. What do you think of that?"

"Sounds like they needed so help and fast. So, what
did you think up?"

"I marched down to the bank, wrote out a check for the
balance on their mortgage and Cyrus marked them paid
in full. Then I delivered the deed myself, back to
them."

At that point, Barry began to fill up with tears.

"Now what did I go and do?"

"It's not you, Bernice."

What was Bernice to do? Sit there like a bump on a
log?

"Oh come on now, Barry. You're going to have me
wailing like a waterfall."  She put her hand on his
back, rubbing it up and down, trying to calm the sad
being inside Barry.

"I'm sorry, Bernice."

"Why? You lost the love of a lifetime, not that you
might find another."

"It's not really that. The boys never knew this.
There's more."

"Ooooh, I can see this is going to take more time then
sitting five minutes on this boulder. C'mon. Let's go
back to my place and we'll talk later on this."

"But..."

"No buts, Barry. And another thing, you and your boys
are going to be my guests tonight and if you start
giving me any crap, I'm gonna take you out back and
give you a swishin'!"

%

"I'm all done ripping the lettuce apart, Alberto."

"Hmm, mighty professional job, I must say. Are you
sure you haven't made a salad before this, Philip?"

"Nope. My first time. What else you need help with
Alberto?"

Tom and Mark arrived.

"So, how's little Miss Muffin doing?" Tom, the smart
alec asks.

"Alberto?"

"Yes, Philip?"

"May I throw this tomato at my brother?"

"Why certainly. He deserves it!"

"Nooooo, you crazy, Squirt?" Tom protested, crouching
down below the counter. Mark just cackled.

"Hey, what's happening here?" Barry shouts, as he and
Bernice enter the kitchen

"Hi dad!" Philip returned.

Tom tattled, "Squirt here asked Alberto if he could
throw the tomato at me and Alberto said yes."

"Do you deserve it, Tom?" Barry interrogated the
guilty party. The look on Tom's face, showed Barry the
truth. "Cased dismissed."

"Barry, this is Alberto, our cook," Bernice addresses
the mostly French man. "Let me take your coat."

Philip says, excitedly, "Look, dad! Alberto taught me
how to make this salad!"

"Alberto, I hope you made sure his mitts were washed?"

"Oops!" Alberto sighed, covering his mouth.

Bernice wises Barry up, "Don't you believe that
Alberto for a moment, Barry. He's worse than you and
Steve put together!"

"Anybody home?" A voice projects from the backdoor
screen came.

"Oh Lordy," Bernice sighed, "throw another ten steaks
on the grill, Alberto. C'mon in Steve!"

Not only did the twenty-eight year old appear, but
three  urchins.

"Hi Aunt Bernice!" got recycled three times over,
complete with a hug and a kiss.

The hogcall went out, "Matteeeeeeeee!"

In ten seconds flat, Matty replies, "Yeah mom?"
leading Chad into the kitchen.

"You and Chad have some entertaining to do. Show all
of these hedgehogs your video collection."

"Yes, ma'am!" Matt said, saluting the captain.

Philip asks, "Can I call you Aunt Bernice, too?"

"Well sure, if your dad says it's okay."

"She's wearing you down, Barry!" Steve commented,
grinning.

"Hmm... for now, Philip."

"Can I hug you too, Aunt Bernice?"

After Philip left the kitchen, Bernice comments, "He's
gonna be a real heartbreaker, that Philip."

"He already is," Barry says, referring to the hug and
peck on the cheek administered to Bernice's cheek.

Bernice switches her attention to her neighbor,
"What'd you smell the steaks cooking, Steve?"

"Now you know Aidan has a sensitive nose, Bernice."

"Yeah, right, Steve. Why don't you go play bartender
with Barry while I go take a leak?"

Barry broke out in uncontrollable laughter, with Steve
and Alberto trailing.

"Something from the bar, Alberto?"

"Sure, I'll have the usual, please."

Hanging over the railing, on her way upstairs, Bernice
shouts, "Just bring him the bottle. With this bunch of
urchins, Alberto is going to be under a lot of stress.
I hope you have enough Zebra ice cream to go around."

%

"I wanna watch Rocky III... no, we're watching
'Indiana Jones'... I wanna watch the Matrix...Hey,
what's this, Matty?" The war erupts. One of Steve's
kids, fourteen year old Eric, comes out of the video
cabinet with a three video, deluxe edition.

"You can just put that right back where you found it
Eric!" Matty instructs without deliberation.

"Come on, Matty!" Eric pesters, holding the trio of
'Queer As Folk' video's.

"No, Eric, we're not all gay here."

"You're gay, Eric?" Tom asks, with no finesse.

"Sure. All my brothers and I are. Why, Tom?"

"No reason."

"Are you gay?" Eric retorts.

"Nope, but I think somebody in our family is!" Looking
directly on target, Tom stares at Chad.

"Okay, so what do I care now? I'm gay, so, Tom? So is
Matty. I hope you don't mind them knowing that?" Chad
asks a little too late.

"No, Chad. No problem for me," Matty infers. "In fact
I'm one of those gay pride guys. I never was sorry for
what I am and never will be."

"I didn't say I had a problem with a guy being gay,"
Tom explained, "I wasn't sure that Chad was."

Mark spills the beans, "Tom and I thought you were,
Chad, but we were just scared to ask you."

"Well, from now on, I want you to ask me anything you
want and not feel bad about it. That goes for you too,
Squirt."

Out of the blue, Philip states, "I'm gay."

"How do you know your gay?" Chad himself didn't let it
register. "Because I act just like you do, Chad. I
don't like looking at girls and like it when I see a
guy without a shirt."

"Well, I'll be," Chad stands there, a bit in awe.

Tom says right away, "I'm telling dad right now!"

"Tom?"

"Yeah, Chad?"

"Ever hear of a straight guy bashing a gay guy?"

"Yeah."

"Ever hear of a gay guy bashing a straight guy?"

"Nope."

"You tell dad and you'll witness it."

Laughter filled the room, as Tom turned reddish, a
sight that rarely befell the fourteen year old.

"I'm almost your age, Philip and I'm gay," Aidan says
outright.

"Cool!" Philip says excitedly. "Maybe Chad and Matty
can show us what to do and we can do it!"

"That's not the way it works, Squirt. You just don't
go around making love to guys because they're gay."

"Do you and Matty make love?" Aidan asks.

Philip, reinforces, "Yeah, do you?"

Scratching his head Chad states, "You know Matty,
might not be such a bad idea to watch 'QAF'."

"You're joking of course, Chad?" He replies.

"No, I'm serious. I mean you and I will be here to
fill in the blanks, in case the peewees have a
question," Chad rationalizes.

"How about a little of it," Matty compromised, "and
I'll keep the remote in my hand for 'fast forwards'."

"I don't want to sit here and watch a bunch of queers
make out," Tom protested. Mark went along with
whatever Tom did.

"You're going to sit right there, Tom and get an
education, along with the rest of the boys," Chad
spelled out to the two straight teens.

As QAF played on, the guys began to make fun of Tom,
as he tented his jeans. Matty hit the fast forwards on
many a scene, breaking up a lot of the nude action.

"I'm not a queer!" From all those years of teasing,
Tom went through hell and back, getting the
tease-a-thon of his life!

In an hour's time the hogcaller summoned the gang for
dinner.

"Coming, mother," seven voices rang out.

Tom didn't go along with the 'queers', even though
Mark did.

If Chad and Matty wished to keep the viewing of 'QAF'
secretative, they should have primed their audience.

"So, what were you guys watching?" Barry asks.

Philip comes right out with, "Us guys  watched 'The
Queer Ones'."

"Chad? You want to explain?"

"Um, dad, it's not like it seems, okay?"

Bernice and Steve, plus all the sons, stood there as
the two and half person conversation moved along. From
the mouths of babes, came, "Oh c'mon Chad. Do you
think dad is going to love us any less because we're
queers?"

"Told you Philip was going to be a heartbreaker,
Barry." Bernice pats him on the shoulder.

"You knew I was queer, Aunt Bernice?" Philip asks.

"No, but I know you're a real cutey!" She reinforces
her assumption with a pinch on the cheek.

"Um, I think we better save this for an after dinner
discussion," Barry suggests.

Alberto appears. "Who is ready for a nice crisp, black
steak?"

Bernice asks, "And who is ready for five dollars
deducted from their pay check for each burned steak?"

Everybody saw the whites of Alberto's eyes, reflecting
like saucers, then do a quick about face, hustling
back to the kitchen. They all cracked up in laughter.

Dinner proceeded buffet style, with the steaks, baked
potatoes, complete with sour cream topping, corn on
the cob and the all too familiar bottle of Heinz, all
set up on the butcher block table in the kitchen.
Alberto had handwritten a sign, placing it in front of
the salad bowl, spelling out, 'handmade by Philip's
clean hands!'

"Now, before you all head off to the back porch or
main room, let us bow our heads for a quickie,"
Bernice smiles, folding her hands.

Philip blurts out, "Mom used to have us say grace all
the time. How come you don't say it anymore, dad?"

"Um, I... I don't know," He replied, solemnly,
blushing, as if committing a terrible crime.

Bernice kidded, "Well, Barry you better get down on
your knees tonight and pray for forgiveness!" Then she
went right into the prayer, "Everybody form a circle
and hold hands." She patiently waited, smiling at
Philip, grabbing Aidan's so willingly. "Gracious Lord,
we thank you for the bountiful gifts that you have
provided for us and all these handsome men surrounding
me, ay-men!"

"Just the way I like it," Denis admitted, "Short and
sweet!"

Everyone joined in a merry round of laughter at Denis'
comment, also agreeing to the fact of the matter.

Tom and Mark Barr sat in the big hall, where the
balconies cascaded from above. They were alienated
until Eric and Denis Clark brought their plates of
food in.

"Alright if we sit here?" Denis asks.

Tom says, "Free country," a bit of sarcasm entwined.

"How old are you, Tom?" Denis asked.

"Why?"

"You're about my height, so I wondered if you were
around my age."

"How old are you, Denis?" Mark asked.

"Sixteen."

"Yeah, I'm around that," Tom answered for himself,
then  went back to stuffing his face.

Eric repeated the same grilling with Mark.

"I'm fourteen and you, Eric?"

"Same."

Tom might have been closed mouthed, but Mark wasn't
like his brother. On the contrary, most times he
impersonated a social butterfly. "Where exactly do you
guys live?"

Using his fork as a hand of a compass, Eric pointed
towards the bar. "We live that way, in between the
iron fence and then straight back past the Chatsworth
stable and through the gate."

"Sounds far," the butterfly continued to converse.

Denis answered, "No, not far at all. Want us to show
you later?"

"Might be too late," Mark replied.

"Then maybe tomorrow," Eric extended the invite.

"That would be cool."

"I'm not sure about that, Mark."

"About what, Eric?"

"The weather. I think it's supposed to be kind of
mild. Did you hear anything about tomorrow, Denis?"

"I think Mark is right. It's supposed to be cool."

After Mark chuckled, he explained the term to the two
boys. The whole time, Tom remained silent, except for
the chomping and gulping.

"How are you doing boys?" The cheerful voice
interrupts.

"Fine Aunt Bernice," Eric says.

Denis compliments, "Everything's great as usual."

"Well, I expect to have 'no' leftovers!" Bending over
Tom's shoulders, Bernice asks, "are you getting enough
to eat, Tom?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Mrs. Bridges."

Mark didn't care for Tom's cold manner, so tried to
warm up the room. "Do you eat this good all the time,
Aunt Bernice?"

Now that rocked Tom the wrong way for sure. He threw
his plate down on the coffee table, got up and walked
out the front door. In Tom's thinking he assumed a
miserable attitude and counted on Mark following
through on the protest. Next thing the boys knew, Aunt
Bernice had disappeared and their father headed for
the front door.

"Do you think your brother is in trouble, Mark?"

"No, I think he's just.... having...." Tears began to
well up in the sixteen year old's eyes.

"You okay, Mark?" Denis asked, as Eric went to inform
Aunt Bernice.

Shereported directly, Denis looked up. She came and
sat down next to Mark. "What's the matter, Mark
honey?"

"I miss my mom."

"Of course you do and I want you to do something,
Mark."

"Huh?"

"Tell me what your mama looked like."

Bernice produced a tissue box, seemingly out of thin
air. "Help yourself, Mark honey. Eric, why don't you
get Mark a fresh Gatorade?"

"Same flavor, Mark?"

"Yeah, thanks." The slow reply came.

"Feel a little better, Mark?" Denis inquired, putting
his hand on the weeping boy's shoulder, which Mark let
remain.

"A little. My mom had dark hair and kind of long for
awhile. At the beginning of the summer she had it cut
shorter."

Bernice tried helping the story along, "She was a
lawyer or something like that, right?"

"At first, yes, but then she got this big promotion.
We all were so proud of her and then... somebody had
to go and kill her!"

"I... I'm real sorry, Mark," Denis sincerely remarked,
after recovering from the brief shocker.

Bernice motioned for Eric to offer Mark the lime
colored bottle.

"Here's your Gatorade, Mark." Erik felt maybe his hand
ready to fall off, by the time Mark broke free from
the tear spell on Aunt Bernice's shoulder.

Normally Aunt Bernice would complain if anybody sat on
the table, meant for just magazines and other
lightweight stuff, but didn't remark when scrawny Erik
plopped down on it, so that he could be nearer Mark.
Some rules could be overridden at special times.

%

"Do you understand some, Tom?" Barry had just
delivered a father to son talk that he had rehearsed
over many a time, in chatting with the other three
boys. Each time the words of remorse and explanations
of why things happen takes a different twist of words,
but the message is primarily the same. Barry hoped his
thoughts would console Tom.

"It's just tough to think why anyone would want to
kill mom, dad."

"I know son. Each of us had our own special way of
loving your mother and each special memories. It's
those memories that will keep her in our hearts
forever."

"It was so tough leaving the house that we all lived
in."

"Yes, that's true. The six of us built up some strong
memories, didn't we? Tom, there's something I want you
to always remember about everyone in our family."

"Yeah, dad?"

"We're a close family aren't we?"

"I think."

"What I want you to think about is our family being
like a tree. Can you picture that in your mind?"

"You mean, with the trunk, limbs and leaves?"

"Yes and the roots. Each one of us is one of those
roots. Even though, like the roots of the tree, our
lives will grow in different directions. Each of us
will always be a part of the other." Barry let his
case rest for a minute or so. "Well? What do you
think, Tom?"

"I think I understand. Dad?"

"Yes, son?"

"Did mom's root grow down into the ground. You know
what I mean?"

"Like down into that hot place?"

"Yeah."

"Nope," Barry went through the 'think-fast' mode and
continued, "she grew up through the limbs, towards
heaven."

"Whew! I'm glad you explained that, dad. You got me
worried."

Barry smiled, holding Tom close to this heart.

"Feel a bit better, Tom?"

"Yup."

"As far as the house is concerned, as you know we
couldn't live on my substitute teaching, could we?"

"No."

"There were no teaching jobs around our area. It's
inevitable that we would have had to move, so I
figured a new area, with a new climate would be
healthy for all of us. What do you think, Tom?"

"I don't know yet."

"That's a fair enough answer. What I am going to ask
you to do is give people and things a fair chance."

"Dad, most of the boys in there are gay."

"Yes and?"

"Mark and I are the only ones that aren't."

"Don't you think that gay's and lesbians have straight
friends?"

"I guess."

"Do you love your brother Chad any less now that you
know for sure that he is gay?"

"I love Chad lots, dad."

"Then I think you ought to be a big man about it and
show him. You know that gay pride is not just for
gays."

"Huh?"

"Sure. During the civil rights movement here in the
United States, it wasn't just the blacks that helped
move it along. Plenty of whites and other races helped
the integration of schools and put laws into effect.
Didn't you learn that in school?"

"I think. I know they stress it around the time Martin
Luther King's birthday comes along."

"Now I know that a sexual preference can be a little
different, but the people are the same. White, black,
hispanic, asian, straight, bisexual, gay, lesbian,
handicapped, no matter how you put it, we're all the
same. Chad didn't change appearance the instant you
found out he was gay, did he?"

"No."

"Then think of those other boys in there. They're the
same before and after you found out they were gay."

"Do I have to call her Aunt Bernice?"

"Nope. Call her plain ole Bernice if you want to."

"She's not related to us. I feel strange."

"Like I said, Tom. Give things a chance. And about
Bernice,  we met her just today and to most of us, she
seems like a long lost aunt. She's been nothing but
kind to us, hasn't she Tom?"

"Yeah."

"She's going to be putting us up for the night and I
think she would appreciate hearing a 'thank you' or
two. How about it?"

"Okay."

"The food is real good, don't you think, Tom? I didn't
hear you complaining in between woofing it down."

"It's good."

"Then why don't you go in there, fill your plate again
and pigout?"

"I didn't want to look like a hog, dad."

"Didn't you hear Bernice say that she didn't want to
see a crumb of food left on the kitchen counter?"

"Yeah."

"Then by God, you better get in there and help it get
cleaned off!"

The fourteen year old smiled at his dad, the way he
put everything.

"Dad, I love you."

"I love you too, son."

"I'll try to get along better."

"That's my boy."

"Dad?"

"Yes, Tom?"

"I guess I'll call her Aunt Bernice. She is nice,
sorta like Aunt Diane."

%

"How come they call you Squirt?" Aidan asked Philip.

"Because when I was smaller I always used to miss the
toilet bowl and my mom asked whoever saw pee on the
floor to clean it up, so it wouldn't stink up the
jon."

Aidan and Philip sat in a little alcove on the glass
enclosed porch at the rear of the house. Opposite
them, sat Chad and Matty.

"Did you finally get the hang of it?"

"Oh yeah. One time though I accidentally peed on
Chad's legs."

"What? How did that happen?"

"I came in the jon while Chad was shaving. He uses the
real thing, one of those real razor blades. He had his
face soaped up, looking like Santa Claus. I had to pee
bad, so started, but then lost my attention over the
toilet bowl, looking up at Chad. Finally I turned
completely around to look at Chad and my pee-pee-er
turned with me and spitted on his leg."

"Did he scream like our dads would?"

"Nope, but said ouch and made a curse when he cut
himself."

"Chad get mad at you?"

"Not really. He goofed on me."

"Goofed on you?"

"Yeah, told me to get down and lick it off his foot."

"And?"

"Do you think I'm crazy, Aidan?"

"Whew!"

"I got my foot wet, when I stomped on his toe for
saying that to me! Then I took off and ran out. Mom
got mad at both of us for tracking pee-pee all over
the place."

"Did Chad have to clean it up?"

"Mom made us both. She made Chad and me scrub every
inch of the bathroom. But we had fun doing it. Chad
can never stay mad at me."

"I think you and him had it special, Philip."

"He does pay a lot of attention to me. Y'know we
shared a room?"

"No, that must've been fun."

"Yeah, lots of times I saw his body."

"Does he have a big cock?"

"Big what?"

"Cock. You know, your pee-pee-er."

"They call that a crock?"

"Cock."

"Why do they call it that?"

"I don't know. I don't know everything about being gay
yet."

"Have you ever kissed a guy?"

"I've kissed my dad. Us boys tried it once, just for
fun."

"You've kissed Eric and Denis?"

"Yup and my other brother Sean."

"Why isn't he here?"

"Sean's in college and he had a class or he would have
been here."

"Does Sean have a boyfriend, like Chad and Matty?"

"I'm not sure. Matty and Sean grew up together, but I
don't think they did anything together."

"Did you ever ask Sean?"

"Nope."

"How about Matty?"

"Nope."

"I think I'll go ask him."

Aidan wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do,
but didn't know if it would be wrong, so followed
Philip over to the two older teens.

"Heeey, what's up Squirt? Getting enough food?"

"Oh sure. I'm saving room for the Zebra ice cream."

"I'm kind of curious myself about what Zebra ice cream
looks like," Chad added to Matty's conversation.

"Probably a Zebra, dah!" Philip replied.

"You little wisecracker!" Chad kids Philip, teasing
the sides of his torso with his fingers.

Aidan prods, "Ask him, Philip."

"I'm getting to it."

"Ask what?" Chad and Matty answered in unison.

"I wanted to ask Matty something."

"Fire away, squirt," Matty said, with no fear.

"Did you and Sean ever do anything together?"

"Sure. Lots of stuff."

Matty gave Chad 'the look', knowing what info Philip
and Aidan were seeking. "Why don't you two have a
seat. This might take quite a long time."

The ten and eleven year olds plopped themselves down
on the bench, either side of Chad, which put them
across the table from Matty.

"Well, let's see now, let me think back to the first
thing that Sean and I did together. Oh yeah, now I
remember."

Aidan and Philip sat there, in attuned anticipation,
waiting for all that sex stuff, like they just viewed
in QAF, to spill from Matty's lips. Their eyebrows
were propped way up, in anticipation, almost as if
waiting for someone to open a gift.

"We both went down by the creek. You know the one
Aidan."

He responded, "Miller's creek?"

"That's the one. So, we both got there and peeled our
shirts off over our heads. We stood there, gazing at
each of our smooth bodies, reflecting in the
sunlight..."  Matty's desription could play out any
erotic website's sex scene story, only he chose his
words more carefully, due to the age factor. "So, then
we kicked our sneakers off, peeled our socks and then
began unbuckling our belts. We were down to our
briefs."

Why should two youngsters, ten and eleven, be any
different from older teens. When they sensed their
organs between their legs twitch, their hands went to
investigate.

"So we stare at each other for the longest time. Then
our sweating bodies moved closer and closer to each
other. I could just about feel Sean's breath exhaling
on my chest. Our lips were within touching.. then....
then...."

"Fuckin' get to it, Matty!"

"Philip Barr!"

"Oh, hi dad," Philip greeted in his angelic voice.

"I hope I didn't hear what I thought I heard?"

Chad tried a coverup. "I think you need to have your
ears cleaned out, dad. Maybe Aunt Bernice can get the
vacuum out later."

"Hmm... I don't know what it is, but Chad's always
standing up for you, Philip and you for Chad, Philip."

"Maybe it's because we're queer brothers and we love
each other?"

Matty and Chad grinned at Philip's correlation of
factual information. Chad's dad did the likewise.

"Well, other than that, if anybody would like to have
some Zebra ice cream, it's being served."

Next thing Barry knew is that he stood there, a loner
in the room, for a short time.

"Care for another drink, Barry?"

"You've got to be fooling with me there Steve. I want
some Zebra ice cream!"

The two walked towards the kitchen, laughing it off.

continued....

        ©2005 T. Chase McPhee  All Rights Reserved.

		Assgm.net/yahoogroups.com
	Gay Dreamers Loft/yahoogroups.com

       Permission is NOT granted to publish
       this story  to any PAY site, nor any site
       that is not listed above, without the
       author's prior consent.






The following story is a work of fiction set in the
format of reality. Any resemblance to real people is
entirely coincidental in nature, and is not meant to
accurately reflect persons in towns, cities, or
governmental areas, in which the story is staged. If
sexual scenes 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 states and countries, you are not allowed to read
this by law.

"Nature Walk" 03 (M/t)
wriTten by T. Chase McPhee

Steve, the back lot neighbor, hung around, as Bernice
talked up the Chatsworth place, hoping Barry would
consider the purchase.

"It's more like an estate! The three bungalows, plus
whatever you've stated is hiding behind this humongous
home. It's all so very attractive, Bernice, but it's
got to have a huge price tag to match!"

"Tell you what I'm going to do then, Barry."

Steve points out, "Get ready for a Bernice 'random act
of kindness'."

"Steve, shut up or take a hike!"

"Yes, Ma'am," he said, grinning. Steve knew from being
around, that Bernice could be a tough buzzard, but
also gentle as a lamb, with a heart as soft as a
fluffly, furred animal.

"I'm going to forgo my comission and finders fee
and..."

"Oh, that's out of the question, Bernice."

"Barry, now you're insulting me,." the tough buzzard
barked.

"Give in, Barry," Steve warned, "she'll get you sooner
or later."

"'Bout time you said something worthwhile, Steve. You
better listen to him, Barry."

"She pulled the same thing on me and my partner when
we moved here."

"I don't know, Bernice," Barry still  stood on his
ground, not being swayed by the two.

"Oh no! I think I've made a terrible mistake! Lord
forgive me!"

Steve and Barry thought Bernice would drop to her
knees and start babbling out a confession. Instead,
Steve decided to prod. "You? Make a mistake, Bernice?"

"Fiddlesticks! I do have a right to be wrong if I want
to, Steve."

Steve reminded him, "Told you Barry. She's weaving her
evil spell over you."

"Steve, you stink! Go home and shower."

Barry couldn't keep a straight face, with Bernice's
blunt remarks, directed at Steve. Then his mind zipped
back to reality.

Steve decided to leave while still on good terms. "Bye
Barry."

"See you in school on Monday, Steve."

"Oh, you'll see me before then."

"Um, Bernice?"

"Yes?"

"Could I trouble you to share the undesirable news?"

"What news?"

"The mistake?"

"Oh yes. Now I know you'll most likely be heapin' mad
at me Barry, but I just remembered that I had sold the
place up the hill and thought of calling you
yesterday, but figured you already had left, going to
the airport that is and boarded you plane and..."

Barry listened knowing Bernice had cooked up some cock
and bull story, as her lips rattled on, pouring out
reasoning that didn't seem to rhyme.

"So, Bernice. You mean to tell me that for weeks you
have gone to the trouble to send me dozens of digital
photos, even sent me paperword to sign, deeding me the
home and on top of that, alerting me to the fact that
it's time to catch a flight, drag my boys and I all
the way out here from the east, to pull the house out
from under us?"

"Guess I expected too much. Okay Barry, you win. Let's
get your boys rounded up and take you all back to the
airport."
Bernice starts strutting back up the graveled road.

"Hold it, hold it, Bernice."

"Yes?"

As the seconds ticked away, so did Barry's thoughts.
"Can I ask a question?"

"Shoot," she yelled back down the road, the several
feet traversed.

"How much is this going to set you back?"

"Set me back?"

"Alright, Bernice, just give me the bottom line."

"Same price as the other place, plus $50 a month until
I think you've paid enough."

"What? That's insane, Bernice. This place has to be at
least three times worth the other house is!"

"You calling me a crazy woman, Barry?"

"Damn right I am, Bernice!"

"Well, that's calling the kettle black."

"Huh?"

"You busted your own son for cursing in front of a
lady and now here you are doing it yourself."

By this time Barry didn't know what to think. What had
happened over the past couple of months had drained
him of much of his mental and physical energies. A
half hour ago he had been upbeat. Now he didn't know
what decision he should make. Walking across the
graveled street, he sat on a boulder, looking down at
the coarse pebbles.

Bernice, seeing that her blunt remarks might have
dulled the the sensitivity, followed. Toning down her
voice, she spoke,
"Look, Barry. Let me tell you something about the
Chatsworth place. It's been up for sale for five years
now with no takers. Sure, I had hopes of some
millionaire walking up to me and offering me a bundle
and a half for the place, but I guess if I don't sell
soon, that dream is going to turn into a nightmare.
The place needs some TLC. To be lived in."

"Some of it looks a little rundown."

"You're right. I wouldn't let you even consider this
without telling you the downsides. There's a stable
out back that needs lots of work. Heck, Matty and I
can be real handy with a bucket of nails and a hammer.
But that's besides the point. Also place is overgrown
and needs a haircut. In response, I'll absorb all the
legal fees and forgo the commission."

"I don't know Bernice."

"I know you just blew into town today. What I'm going
to do is tell you to move in and live in the place. If
by the end of the school year you have any doubts
about living there, then shoot, I'll find something
else to your liking."

"What about taxes?"

"Taxes are next to nothing around here. The biggest is
the school tax and I for one would double that,
considering the top notch education our kids get.
Well, Matty benefitted and I'm sure your children,
will receive a well rounded education. Don't you go
and worry yourself about that, Barry. The first year's
taxes are included in the sale, as my responsibility."

Barry, getting too wise, asks, "And I suppose the
first month's groceries."

"Now you've gone and ruined my surprise, Barry!"

Barry grinned, chuckling to himself. If he wanted the
Eiffel Tower included, he wondered if Bernice would
have it erected in the back yard, saying it had been
included in the deal. "Another question."

"Shoot."

"Why are you doing all this for me and my boys?"

Bernice puts her foot up against the boulder. Looking
out over the countryside, she begins summing up the
future,
"In another few years I intend on making Matty a full
partner and then eventually he'll take on the whole
business. I don't want to leave him with any
liabilities."

"Following in the old lady's footsteps, eh?"

"I'm going to ignore that remark on account of I don't
have a swish handy!"

Barry started out the round of giggling, followed by
Bernice.
"You're being overly generous, Bernice.? Why"

"Sure as hell is right is in front of your own face.
I'm surprised you haven't picked up on it, Barry."

"Picked up on what?"

"Chad. He's madly in love with my Matty."

Now that's something Barry would never had picked out
of the blue, in a million years. Sure, he had an
inkling of Chad's sexual preferences, but coupled,
nada. "How do you know for a fact, Bernice?"

"Matty came out to me a long time ago. I must admit I
sensed hurt and scorned him. I had hopes of Matty
meeting the girl of his dreams, married and a house
full of grandchildren. Not long after I found out,
Steve and his partner, Seb moved in. I kicked myself
for a week or so, realizing that his wife were a
'he'!"

Barry chuckled, saying, "I hope you didn't get too
bruised up, Bernice."

"You and Steve. I don't know if I can take two jokers
in the neighborhood!"

"So, tell me about it, Bernice."

Bernice began the short version of how she came to
know Steve and his family of boys.  "When they moved
in they had this cute little boy, around Philip's age.
He used to venture through the gate at the back of the
Chatsworth place and weaseled his way through the
wrought iron fencing. I'd find him at my back door. I
began with giving him a cookie or two. This went on
for a month, until one day Matty invited him in for
cookies and milk. Before long, Sean became a permanent
fixture and Matty's playmate."

"Was he, um..."

"Gay?" Bernice questioned for Barry.

"Um, yeah. Not that it matters though, Bernice."

"All of the Clark boys are. Steve and Seb did that
type of thing. Adopted young boys whose parents didn't
want them simply because they were gay."

"Oh man. That would break my heart."

"It made me make up my mind on accepting things. When
Sean took Matty and I home one day, that's just what
it did. I realized that Steve and Seb were having a
dickens of a time making ends meet. They had just the
two boys then, Sean is now nineteen and Denis,
sixteen, but since then they've adopted Eric and
Aidan, fourteen and eleven."

"Don't tell me you turned into 'Crazy Bernice'?"

Bernice smiled.

"Yeah, what the hell, I've got myself a really good
boy, enough money in the bank and a nice place for us
to lay our head at night. The Lord's been mighty good
to Matty and me."

"And?"

"Steve said I did a dumb thing, I couldn't stand to
see the house starting to fall into a decrepit
condition. When they moved in, something dropped on
the front steps cracked the cement, a window was
broken. Not that they seemed to be unkept, but I found
out that they couldn't even afford soap to wash their
clothes. What do you think of that?"

"Sounds like they needed so help and fast. So, what
did you think up?"

"I marched down to the bank, wrote out a check for the
balance on their mortgage and Cyrus marked them paid
in full. Then I delivered the deed myself, back to
them."

At that point, Barry began to fill up with tears.

"Now what did I go and do?"

"It's not you, Bernice."

What was Bernice to do? Sit there like a bump on a
log?

"Oh come on now, Barry. You're going to have me
wailing like a waterfall."  She put her hand on his
back, rubbing it up and down, trying to calm the sad
being inside Barry.

"I'm sorry, Bernice."

"Why? You lost the love of a lifetime, not that you
might find another."

"It's not really that. The boys never knew this.
There's more."

"Ooooh, I can see this is going to take more time then
sitting five minutes on this boulder. C'mon. Let's go
back to my place and we'll talk later on this."

"But..."

"No buts, Barry. And another thing, you and your boys
are going to be my guests tonight and if you start
giving me any crap, I'm gonna take you out back and
give you a swishin'!"

%

"I'm all done ripping the lettuce apart, Alberto."

"Hmm, mighty professional job, I must say. Are you
sure you haven't made a salad before this, Philip?"

"Nope. My first time. What else you need help with
Alberto?"

Tom and Mark arrived.

"So, how's little Miss Muffin doing?" Tom, the smart
alec asks.

"Alberto?"

"Yes, Philip?"

"May I throw this tomato at my brother?"

"Why certainly. He deserves it!"

"Nooooo, you crazy, Squirt?" Tom protested, crouching
down below the counter. Mark just cackled.

"Hey, what's happening here?" Barry shouts, as he and
Bernice enter the kitchen

"Hi dad!" Philip returned.

Tom tattled, "Squirt here asked Alberto if he could
throw the tomato at me and Alberto said yes."

"Do you deserve it, Tom?" Barry interrogated the
guilty party. The look on Tom's face, showed Barry the
truth. "Cased dismissed."

"Barry, this is Alberto, our cook," Bernice addresses
the mostly French man. "Let me take your coat."

Philip says, excitedly, "Look, dad! Alberto taught me
how to make this salad!"

"Alberto, I hope you made sure his mitts were washed?"

"Oops!" Alberto sighed, covering his mouth.

Bernice wises Barry up, "Don't you believe that
Alberto for a moment, Barry. He's worse than you and
Steve put together!"

"Anybody home?" A voice projects from the backdoor
screen came.

"Oh Lordy," Bernice sighed, "throw another ten steaks
on the grill, Alberto. C'mon in Steve!"

Not only did the twenty-eight year old appear, but
three  urchins.

"Hi Aunt Bernice!" got recycled three times over,
complete with a hug and a kiss.

The hogcall went out, "Matteeeeeeeee!"

In ten seconds flat, Matty replies, "Yeah mom?"
leading Chad into the kitchen.

"You and Chad have some entertaining to do. Show all
of these hedgehogs your video collection."

"Yes, ma'am!" Matt said, saluting the captain.

Philip asks, "Can I call you Aunt Bernice, too?"

"Well sure, if your dad says it's okay."

"She's wearing you down, Barry!" Steve commented,
grinning.

"Hmm... for now, Philip."

"Can I hug you too, Aunt Bernice?"

After Philip left the kitchen, Bernice comments, "He's
gonna be a real heartbreaker, that Philip."

"He already is," Barry says, referring to the hug and
peck on the cheek administered to Bernice's cheek.

Bernice switches her attention to her neighbor,
"What'd you smell the steaks cooking, Steve?"

"Now you know Aidan has a sensitive nose, Bernice."

"Yeah, right, Steve. Why don't you go play bartender
with Barry while I go take a leak?"

Barry broke out in uncontrollable laughter, with Steve
and Alberto trailing.

"Something from the bar, Alberto?"

"Sure, I'll have the usual, please."

Hanging over the railing, on her way upstairs, Bernice
shouts, "Just bring him the bottle. With this bunch of
urchins, Alberto is going to be under a lot of stress.
I hope you have enough Zebra ice cream to go around."

%

"I wanna watch Rocky III... no, we're watching
'Indiana Jones'... I wanna watch the Matrix...Hey,
what's this, Matty?" The war erupts. One of Steve's
kids, fourteen year old Eric, comes out of the video
cabinet with a three video, deluxe edition.

"You can just put that right back where you found it
Eric!" Matty instructs without deliberation.

"Come on, Matty!" Eric pesters, holding the trio of
'Queer As Folk' video's.

"No, Eric, we're not all gay here."

"You're gay, Eric?" Tom asks, with no finesse.

"Sure. All my brothers and I are. Why, Tom?"

"No reason."

"Are you gay?" Eric retorts.

"Nope, but I think somebody in our family is!" Looking
directly on target, Tom stares at Chad.

"Okay, so what do I care now? I'm gay, so, Tom? So is
Matty. I hope you don't mind them knowing that?" Chad
asks a little too late.

"No, Chad. No problem for me," Matty infers. "In fact
I'm one of those gay pride guys. I never was sorry for
what I am and never will be."

"I didn't say I had a problem with a guy being gay,"
Tom explained, "I wasn't sure that Chad was."

Mark spills the beans, "Tom and I thought you were,
Chad, but we were just scared to ask you."

"Well, from now on, I want you to ask me anything you
want and not feel bad about it. That goes for you too,
Squirt."

Out of the blue, Philip states, "I'm gay."

"How do you know your gay?" Chad himself didn't let it
register. "Because I act just like you do, Chad. I
don't like looking at girls and like it when I see a
guy without a shirt."

"Well, I'll be," Chad stands there, a bit in awe.

Tom says right away, "I'm telling dad right now!"

"Tom?"

"Yeah, Chad?"

"Ever hear of a straight guy bashing a gay guy?"

"Yeah."

"Ever hear of a gay guy bashing a straight guy?"

"Nope."

"You tell dad and you'll witness it."

Laughter filled the room, as Tom turned reddish, a
sight that rarely befell the fourteen year old.

"I'm almost your age, Philip and I'm gay," Aidan says
outright.

"Cool!" Philip says excitedly. "Maybe Chad and Matty
can show us what to do and we can do it!"

"That's not the way it works, Squirt. You just don't
go around making love to guys because they're gay."

"Do you and Matty make love?" Aidan asks.

Philip, reinforces, "Yeah, do you?"

Scratching his head Chad states, "You know Matty,
might not be such a bad idea to watch 'QAF'."

"You're joking of course, Chad?" He replies.

"No, I'm serious. I mean you and I will be here to
fill in the blanks, in case the peewees have a
question," Chad rationalizes.

"How about a little of it," Matty compromised, "and
I'll keep the remote in my hand for 'fast forwards'."

"I don't want to sit here and watch a bunch of queers
make out," Tom protested. Mark went along with
whatever Tom did.

"You're going to sit right there, Tom and get an
education, along with the rest of the boys," Chad
spelled out to the two straight teens.

As QAF played on, the guys began to make fun of Tom,
as he tented his jeans. Matty hit the fast forwards on
many a scene, breaking up a lot of the nude action.

"I'm not a queer!" From all those years of teasing,
Tom went through hell and back, getting the
tease-a-thon of his life!

In an hour's time the hogcaller summoned the gang for
dinner.

"Coming, mother," seven voices rang out.

Tom didn't go along with the 'queers', even though
Mark did.

If Chad and Matty wished to keep the viewing of 'QAF'
secretative, they should have primed their audience.

"So, what were you guys watching?" Barry asks.

Philip comes right out with, "Us guys  watched 'The
Queer Ones'."

"Chad? You want to explain?"

"Um, dad, it's not like it seems, okay?"

Bernice and Steve, plus all the sons, stood there as
the two and half person conversation moved along. From
the mouths of babes, came, "Oh c'mon Chad. Do you
think dad is going to love us any less because we're
queers?"

"Told you Philip was going to be a heartbreaker,
Barry." Bernice pats him on the shoulder.

"You knew I was queer, Aunt Bernice?" Philip asks.

"No, but I know you're a real cutey!" She reinforces
her assumption with a pinch on the cheek.

"Um, I think we better save this for an after dinner
discussion," Barry suggests.

Alberto appears. "Who is ready for a nice crisp, black
steak?"

Bernice asks, "And who is ready for five dollars
deducted from their pay check for each burned steak?"

Everybody saw the whites of Alberto's eyes, reflecting
like saucers, then do a quick about face, hustling
back to the kitchen. They all cracked up in laughter.

Dinner proceeded buffet style, with the steaks, baked
potatoes, complete with sour cream topping, corn on
the cob and the all too familiar bottle of Heinz, all
set up on the butcher block table in the kitchen.
Alberto had handwritten a sign, placing it in front of
the salad bowl, spelling out, 'handmade by Philip's
clean hands!'

"Now, before you all head off to the back porch or
main room, let us bow our heads for a quickie,"
Bernice smiles, folding her hands.

Philip blurts out, "Mom used to have us say grace all
the time. How come you don't say it anymore, dad?"

"Um, I... I don't know," He replied, solemnly,
blushing, as if committing a terrible crime.

Bernice kidded, "Well, Barry you better get down on
your knees tonight and pray for forgiveness!" Then she
went right into the prayer, "Everybody form a circle
and hold hands." She patiently waited, smiling at
Philip, grabbing Aidan's so willingly. "Gracious Lord,
we thank you for the bountiful gifts that you have
provided for us and all these handsome men surrounding
me, ay-men!"

"Just the way I like it," Denis admitted, "Short and
sweet!"

Everyone joined in a merry round of laughter at Denis'
comment, also agreeing to the fact of the matter.

Tom and Mark Barr sat in the big hall, where the
balconies cascaded from above. They were alienated
until Eric and Denis Clark brought their plates of
food in.

"Alright if we sit here?" Denis asks.

Tom says, "Free country," a bit of sarcasm entwined.

"How old are you, Tom?" Denis asked.

"Why?"

"You're about my height, so I wondered if you were
around my age."

"How old are you, Denis?" Mark asked.

"Sixteen."

"Yeah, I'm around that," Tom answered for himself,
then  went back to stuffing his face.

Eric repeated the same grilling with Mark.

"I'm fourteen and you, Eric?"

"Same."

Tom might have been closed mouthed, but Mark wasn't
like his brother. On the contrary, most times he
impersonated a social butterfly. "Where exactly do you
guys live?"

Using his fork as a hand of a compass, Eric pointed
towards the bar. "We live that way, in between the
iron fence and then straight back past the Chatsworth
stable and through the gate."

"Sounds far," the butterfly continued to converse.

Denis answered, "No, not far at all. Want us to show
you later?"

"Might be too late," Mark replied.

"Then maybe tomorrow," Eric extended the invite.

"That would be cool."

"I'm not sure about that, Mark."

"About what, Eric?"

"The weather. I think it's supposed to be kind of
mild. Did you hear anything about tomorrow, Denis?"

"I think Mark is right. It's supposed to be cool."

After Mark chuckled, he explained the term to the two
boys. The whole time, Tom remained silent, except for
the chomping and gulping.

"How are you doing boys?" The cheerful voice
interrupts.

"Fine Aunt Bernice," Eric says.

Denis compliments, "Everything's great as usual."

"Well, I expect to have 'no' leftovers!" Bending over
Tom's shoulders, Bernice asks, "are you getting enough
to eat, Tom?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Mrs. Bridges."

Mark didn't care for Tom's cold manner, so tried to
warm up the room. "Do you eat this good all the time,
Aunt Bernice?"

Now that rocked Tom the wrong way for sure. He threw
his plate down on the coffee table, got up and walked
out the front door. In Tom's thinking he assumed a
miserable attitude and counted on Mark following
through on the protest. Next thing the boys knew, Aunt
Bernice had disappeared and their father headed for
the front door.

"Do you think your brother is in trouble, Mark?"

"No, I think he's just.... having...." Tears began to
well up in the sixteen year old's eyes.

"You okay, Mark?" Denis asked, as Eric went to inform
Aunt Bernice.

Shereported directly, Denis looked up. She came and
sat down next to Mark. "What's the matter, Mark
honey?"

"I miss my mom."

"Of course you do and I want you to do something,
Mark."

"Huh?"

"Tell me what your mama looked like."

Bernice produced a tissue box, seemingly out of thin
air. "Help yourself, Mark honey. Eric, why don't you
get Mark a fresh Gatorade?"

"Same flavor, Mark?"

"Yeah, thanks." The slow reply came.

"Feel a little better, Mark?" Denis inquired, putting
his hand on the weeping boy's shoulder, which Mark let
remain.

"A little. My mom had dark hair and kind of long for
awhile. At the beginning of the summer she had it cut
shorter."

Bernice tried helping the story along, "She was a
lawyer or something like that, right?"

"At first, yes, but then she got this big promotion.
We all were so proud of her and then... somebody had
to go and kill her!"

"I... I'm real sorry, Mark," Denis sincerely remarked,
after recovering from the brief shocker.

Bernice motioned for Eric to offer Mark the lime
colored bottle.

"Here's your Gatorade, Mark." Erik felt maybe his hand
ready to fall off, by the time Mark broke free from
the tear spell on Aunt Bernice's shoulder.

Normally Aunt Bernice would complain if anybody sat on
the table, meant for just magazines and other
lightweight stuff, but didn't remark when scrawny Erik
plopped down on it, so that he could be nearer Mark.
Some rules could be overridden at special times.

%

"Do you understand some, Tom?" Barry had just
delivered a father to son talk that he had rehearsed
over many a time, in chatting with the other three
boys. Each time the words of remorse and explanations
of why things happen takes a different twist of words,
but the message is primarily the same. Barry hoped his
thoughts would console Tom.

"It's just tough to think why anyone would want to
kill mom, dad."

"I know son. Each of us had our own special way of
loving your mother and each special memories. It's
those memories that will keep her in our hearts
forever."

"It was so tough leaving the house that we all lived
in."

"Yes, that's true. The six of us built up some strong
memories, didn't we? Tom, there's something I want you
to always remember about everyone in our family."

"Yeah, dad?"

"We're a close family aren't we?"

"I think."

"What I want you to think about is our family being
like a tree. Can you picture that in your mind?"

"You mean, with the trunk, limbs and leaves?"

"Yes and the roots. Each one of us is one of those
roots. Even though, like the roots of the tree, our
lives will grow in different directions. Each of us
will always be a part of the other." Barry let his
case rest for a minute or so. "Well? What do you
think, Tom?"

"I think I understand. Dad?"

"Yes, son?"

"Did mom's root grow down into the ground. You know
what I mean?"

"Like down into that hot place?"

"Yeah."

"Nope," Barry went through the 'think-fast' mode and
continued, "she grew up through the limbs, towards
heaven."

"Whew! I'm glad you explained that, dad. You got me
worried."

Barry smiled, holding Tom close to this heart.

"Feel a bit better, Tom?"

"Yup."

"As far as the house is concerned, as you know we
couldn't live on my substitute teaching, could we?"

"No."

"There were no teaching jobs around our area. It's
inevitable that we would have had to move, so I
figured a new area, with a new climate would be
healthy for all of us. What do you think, Tom?"

"I don't know yet."

"That's a fair enough answer. What I am going to ask
you to do is give people and things a fair chance."

"Dad, most of the boys in there are gay."

"Yes and?"

"Mark and I are the only ones that aren't."

"Don't you think that gay's and lesbians have straight
friends?"

"I guess."

"Do you love your brother Chad any less now that you
know for sure that he is gay?"

"I love Chad lots, dad."

"Then I think you ought to be a big man about it and
show him. You know that gay pride is not just for
gays."

"Huh?"

"Sure. During the civil rights movement here in the
United States, it wasn't just the blacks that helped
move it along. Plenty of whites and other races helped
the integration of schools and put laws into effect.
Didn't you learn that in school?"

"I think. I know they stress it around the time Martin
Luther King's birthday comes along."

"Now I know that a sexual preference can be a little
different, but the people are the same. White, black,
hispanic, asian, straight, bisexual, gay, lesbian,
handicapped, no matter how you put it, we're all the
same. Chad didn't change appearance the instant you
found out he was gay, did he?"

"No."

"Then think of those other boys in there. They're the
same before and after you found out they were gay."

"Do I have to call her Aunt Bernice?"

"Nope. Call her plain ole Bernice if you want to."

"She's not related to us. I feel strange."

"Like I said, Tom. Give things a chance. And about
Bernice,  we met her just today and to most of us, she
seems like a long lost aunt. She's been nothing but
kind to us, hasn't she Tom?"

"Yeah."

"She's going to be putting us up for the night and I
think she would appreciate hearing a 'thank you' or
two. How about it?"

"Okay."

"The food is real good, don't you think, Tom? I didn't
hear you complaining in between woofing it down."

"It's good."

"Then why don't you go in there, fill your plate again
and pigout?"

"I didn't want to look like a hog, dad."

"Didn't you hear Bernice say that she didn't want to
see a crumb of food left on the kitchen counter?"

"Yeah."

"Then by God, you better get in there and help it get
cleaned off!"

The fourteen year old smiled at his dad, the way he
put everything.

"Dad, I love you."

"I love you too, son."

"I'll try to get along better."

"That's my boy."

"Dad?"

"Yes, Tom?"

"I guess I'll call her Aunt Bernice. She is nice,
sorta like Aunt Diane."

%

"How come they call you Squirt?" Aidan asked Philip.

"Because when I was smaller I always used to miss the
toilet bowl and my mom asked whoever saw pee on the
floor to clean it up, so it wouldn't stink up the
jon."

Aidan and Philip sat in a little alcove on the glass
enclosed porch at the rear of the house. Opposite
them, sat Chad and Matty.

"Did you finally get the hang of it?"

"Oh yeah. One time though I accidentally peed on
Chad's legs."

"What? How did that happen?"

"I came in the jon while Chad was shaving. He uses the
real thing, one of those real razor blades. He had his
face soaped up, looking like Santa Claus. I had to pee
bad, so started, but then lost my attention over the
toilet bowl, looking up at Chad. Finally I turned
completely around to look at Chad and my pee-pee-er
turned with me and spitted on his leg."

"Did he scream like our dads would?"

"Nope, but said ouch and made a curse when he cut
himself."

"Chad get mad at you?"

"Not really. He goofed on me."

"Goofed on you?"

"Yeah, told me to get down and lick it off his foot."

"And?"

"Do you think I'm crazy, Aidan?"

"Whew!"

"I got my foot wet, when I stomped on his toe for
saying that to me! Then I took off and ran out. Mom
got mad at both of us for tracking pee-pee all over
the place."

"Did Chad have to clean it up?"

"Mom made us both. She made Chad and me scrub every
inch of the bathroom. But we had fun doing it. Chad
can never stay mad at me."

"I think you and him had it special, Philip."

"He does pay a lot of attention to me. Y'know we
shared a room?"

"No, that must've been fun."

"Yeah, lots of times I saw his body."

"Does he have a big cock?"

"Big what?"

"Cock. You know, your pee-pee-er."

"They call that a crock?"

"Cock."

"Why do they call it that?"

"I don't know. I don't know everything about being gay
yet."

"Have you ever kissed a guy?"

"I've kissed my dad. Us boys tried it once, just for
fun."

"You've kissed Eric and Denis?"

"Yup and my other brother Sean."

"Why isn't he here?"

"Sean's in college and he had a class or he would have
been here."

"Does Sean have a boyfriend, like Chad and Matty?"

"I'm not sure. Matty and Sean grew up together, but I
don't think they did anything together."

"Did you ever ask Sean?"

"Nope."

"How about Matty?"

"Nope."

"I think I'll go ask him."

Aidan wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do,
but didn't know if it would be wrong, so followed
Philip over to the two older teens.

"Heeey, what's up Squirt? Getting enough food?"

"Oh sure. I'm saving room for the Zebra ice cream."

"I'm kind of curious myself about what Zebra ice cream
looks like," Chad added to Matty's conversation.

"Probably a Zebra, dah!" Philip replied.

"You little wisecracker!" Chad kids Philip, teasing
the sides of his torso with his fingers.

Aidan prods, "Ask him, Philip."

"I'm getting to it."

"Ask what?" Chad and Matty answered in unison.

"I wanted to ask Matty something."

"Fire away, squirt," Matty said, with no fear.

"Did you and Sean ever do anything together?"

"Sure. Lots of stuff."

Matty gave Chad 'the look', knowing what info Philip
and Aidan were seeking. "Why don't you two have a
seat. This might take quite a long time."

The ten and eleven year olds plopped themselves down
on the bench, either side of Chad, which put them
across the table from Matty.

"Well, let's see now, let me think back to the first
thing that Sean and I did together. Oh yeah, now I
remember."

Aidan and Philip sat there, in attuned anticipation,
waiting for all that sex stuff, like they just viewed
in QAF, to spill from Matty's lips. Their eyebrows
were propped way up, in anticipation, almost as if
waiting for someone to open a gift.

"We both went down by the creek. You know the one
Aidan."

He responded, "Miller's creek?"

"That's the one. So, we both got there and peeled our
shirts off over our heads. We stood there, gazing at
each of our smooth bodies, reflecting in the
sunlight..."  Matty's desription could play out any
erotic website's sex scene story, only he chose his
words more carefully, due to the age factor. "So, then
we kicked our sneakers off, peeled our socks and then
began unbuckling our belts. We were down to our
briefs."

Why should two youngsters, ten and eleven, be any
different from older teens. When they sensed their
organs between their legs twitch, their hands went to
investigate.

"So we stare at each other for the longest time. Then
our sweating bodies moved closer and closer to each
other. I could just about feel Sean's breath exhaling
on my chest. Our lips were within touching.. then....
then...."

"Fuckin' get to it, Matty!"

"Philip Barr!"

"Oh, hi dad," Philip greeted in his angelic voice.

"I hope I didn't hear what I thought I heard?"

Chad tried a coverup. "I think you need to have your
ears cleaned out, dad. Maybe Aunt Bernice can get the
vacuum out later."

"Hmm... I don't know what it is, but Chad's always
standing up for you, Philip and you for Chad, Philip."

"Maybe it's because we're queer brothers and we love
each other?"

Matty and Chad grinned at Philip's correlation of
factual information. Chad's dad did the likewise.

"Well, other than that, if anybody would like to have
some Zebra ice cream, it's being served."

Next thing Barry knew is that he stood there, a loner
in the room, for a short time.

"Care for another drink, Barry?"

"You've got to be fooling with me there Steve. I want
some Zebra ice cream!"

The two walked towards the kitchen, laughing it off.

continued....

        Copyright 2005 T. Chase McPhee  All Rights Reserved.


dont strike a fault, unless you can admit you've slipped..T Chase McPhee