The Village

Seth’s Perspective

Monday morning was a day of new beginnings in our little universe. Riley started her new job at the museum, Ella started her new school, and Rodney started at The Village. I went into the office and as had become the norm, the place was covered with pamphlets from the church of doom… I threw them in the almost full box BA had by her desk. Rodney was there a half hour early getting settled into his new office at Harrington House, then he and I walked over to Marilee’s for coffee. I grabbed the note from Benji, the letter from Joel, and the uniform shirt for Marilee and brought them with me.

Rodney and I had a lot to discuss; his responsibilities, our working relationship, and most importantly who and what needed his immediate attention. We had two new residents moving into the second floor to take over Colton and Taylor’s apartments, a couple of other guys living with sponsors who needed work placement and/or a permanent place to live, and a waiting list from other agencies of people that needed our help. But the biggest challenge at hand was Colton. Zach was working on getting him guardianship of Ella, our goal was to help him find a way to take care of her and still go to culinary school.

Marilee was busy with other customers but waved when she saw me walk in, I grabbed us a couple cups of coffee and we sat at a table in the corner. I marveled at Rodney across from me with his laptop open building a plan for Colton and identifying resources to help him. He knew so much more about how to find and access resources than I did… the social work part of this job was never my forte’. He had researched grants and scholarships after he had sat in on our session when he was in town for his interview and had uncovered some great things. “I have a session with Colton at noon, why don’t you sit in for the second half and you can share your thoughts with him” I suggested.

“I’d like that” Rodney said. “If he gets guardianship of his sister that opens up some more doors for me to explore, but I need to get some more information from him.”

Marilee finally made her way over to us. “Hi Seth, You need anything else” she asked.

“No, we’re good’ I answered. “I’d like you to meet Rodney, our new case worker. You’ll probably be seeing a lot of him around here.” The two exchanged pleasantries.

“OH!” I said remembering the shirt and note. “I heard from Joel and Benji.”

She lit up, “Oh, how are they doing. I think about them constantly.”

 “They seem to be doing great. Benji asked me to give you this” I said as I handed her the shirt and the note.

She excitedly opened it, read the note, and got misty-eyed. “Such nice kids” she lamented before adding “with such an asshole for a father.” I just shook my head as Rodney looked at us in confusion, he listened intently while we shared the story of the two brothers. As we were talking, Marilee looked towards the door then tapped me on the shoulder, “speak of the devil” she said as Joel and Benji’s father walked in the door.

“Shit” I muttered under my breath as he walked up to the counter to order. Marilee just glared at him. I know he knew who I was, but I don’t think he had a clue about her involvement in the whole incident. Well, the man got his coffee and left, I don’t think he even saw me sitting there. It was then that I realized that as much as I would have my friends and fans in this position, I would also have my foes. We all kind of just shook off the incident and went back to what we were doing. After coffee, we went back to the office and got to work.

Colton came in at noon for his in-person session, he was in great spirits and excited about how things were progressing. He was so relieved that his sister was away from his parents, and Mrs. J was letting him come and go as he pleased so he got to spend a lot of time with his sister, it was almost as if the J’s were fostering them both. “I am so happy to have her back” he said, “But damn, I forgot how annoying my little sister can be” he laughed then went on to talk about all the annoying things he had forgotten about, but he said it with love in his voice. It reminded me of Zach and Riley. After we talked about him and how he was adjusting to all the changes, I called Rodney in to join us. “Oh” Colton said, “I almost forgot. Brody called me this morning and said the couple on the third floor want to get out of their lease to buy a house, he offered me their two-bedroom if it goes through. He said he’d keep the rent the same rent as I’m paying for the one-bedroom, at least for the first year.”

“That’s a great opportunity” I said.

“I already gave him a yes. I hope it goes through” Colton said with a smile.

“Let’s talk culinary school” Rodney said as he changed the subject and took over the session. The smile left Colton’s face at first, but was soon back one he realized that there may be a path forward and he could do it all… provide a safe home for him and his sister AND follow his dream. It was a great session and I loved watching Rodney in action, he was going to be a great asset. He joined me for my other four sessions that afternoon (all virtual). He really listened to the guys and his wheels were always turning on ways to help. We were going to be a great team.

I was the first one home that night and started dinner. The chicken and brussels sprouts were in the oven and I was chopping the salad with Petunia watching my every move waiting for something to drop when Riley came bursting through the front door, “I’m home” she yelled.

“In the kitchen” I yelled back. She entered in all her splendor; her sunglasses atop her beautiful auburn hair, her hazel eyes sparkling, a smile on her face and several shopping bags hanging from her hands. “How was your first day on the job? Looks like they gave you a raise already” I said as I nodded at all the bags.

“It was wonderful, I stopped and bought a few more work outfits” she responded seemingly forgetting that the clothes she already brought with her had over-filled the guest closet and taken over our coat closet on the first floor. She put the bags down on the kitchen table and babbled on about her day. She seemed to love the job and was already making friends. “They’re taking me out for drinks on Friday to welcome me aboard. I love it so far!” Her eyes sparkled and her tone was excited.

Zach walked in as we were talking and kissed me hello before looking at all the shopping bag on the table then greeted his little sister with, “Jesus Riles, give the Visa a rest already!” She barked back that she was an adult with a job and could spend her money any way she saw fit, Zach gave her a lecture about being responsible and ended it with “Eli is working his ass off trying to save for a townhouse, the least you can do is not bankrupt the poor guy.” Of course, that didn’t set well and Riley took her packages up to her room in a huff.

At the dinner table Zach and I talked about our days while Riley sulked… at first. When I turned the subject back to her the spark was returned and she told us about her day. I loved Riley, she was a lot of fun, but she was young and self-centered… she’d grow up. After dinner we all just vegged in the living room and watched TV. Riley introduced us to shows like Skins, Elite (which I know Max used to be into), Euphoria, and other teen sex-dramas… it was a nice escape and I admit I was getting into it. Even Zach got into the mindless crap. It was so nice just relaxing in our own home… I even had a cocktail. ON A MONDAY NIGHT! Why the hell not, right?

The week went well as Rodney got to know our clients taking so much off my plate, and Colton spent more time with his sister… all was well at The Village. But as far as home life went… oh my god! By the end of the week, I was ready to kill my husband and his sister. Riley had settled in and slowed down her spending (at least in front of us), but the two of them bickered non-freaking-stop. They were constantly at each other’s throats, then when I’d break it up, they’d both look at me like I was a purple goddamn alien with 8 heads and say “what?” like it was perfectly normal. ‘UGH!  Three more freaking months of this shit?!’ I thought to myself on more than one occasion. Hopefully thing would get better when Eli moved in.

Friday night Riley came home from work to change her clothes, then went out for drinks and clubbing with some new friends from work. I was so happy to be alone with Zach, we ate by candlelight and I told him they were driving me crazy. He just chuckled and said, “We’ve always been like that, it’s just how we show love.” I shot him a look, then he added, “okay, okay, I’ll try to tone it down and be nice to her” then muddled under his breath “at least in front of you.”

 I had made strawberry shortcake for dessert and we ate it by candlelight in our once again quiet dining room. After dessert I went into the kitchen to put away the strawberries and whipped cream. Zach snuck up behind me, and quick as a bunny pulled down my shorts, before I could protest or even knew what was happening, I heard the woosh sound of the whipped cream can as he turned my ass crack into a tempting treat! “Now THAT’S dessert” he said with a snicker. I could almost hear his perfect smile as he dropped to his knees behind me. His warm tongue penetrated through the chill of the whipped topping as he moaned and let out a few “mmmmmmmm’s” savoring every morsal of the confection before him. I bowed over the hard, frigid, cement countertop and pushed my firm, cream-covered, ass back into his beautifully chiseled, godlike face. The suction of his lips and the slurping sounds that filled our kitchen enraged my sleeping manhood as its hardness began to rival the cement slab below me. I felt the purple veins of my throbbing girder pulsate as it grew into a ravenous beast desirous of Zach’s attention.

When Zach leaned back resting his taut ass on his defined calves to take a well-earned breather, I straightened my frame and flipped around so that my purple beast was at his full, red lips. He knew he had me. He knew I wanted it. He knew he was in control. With his hazel eyes locked with mine and a mischievous grin on his face that would make the devil himself green with envy, he licked from the bottom of my meaty sack to the head of my violaceous cyclopes. Amused by the fact that he was driving me to points of carnal mania, Zach’s hands held my thighs tight as he engulfed my manhood. His tongue snaked around my shaft as the hard edge of the countertop bore into my lower back. The cold hardness against my back, contrasted with the hot softness invigorating my front initiated a quiver that shot through me like a bolt of lightning. Ho-lee-FUUUUCK! So many amazing sensations, my efforts to resist were futile I couldn’t have restrained my orgasm with a straight jacket… this was happening.

\My hands instinctively reached for Zach’s head and my fingers got lost in his blond locks as I pushed him into my groin bulldozing my impressive load down his throat. He choked, gagged, and gurgled on my spunk as he tried to pull off me for air… I wouldn’t let him budge. At first there was a tinge of guilt for forcing him to swallow my load, but it was short-lived… he started this. I was perfectly happy being a good little househusband cleaning up the remnants of dinner. It was HIM! HE was the one who turned my ass crack into a manfunk-parfait… so I was just giving him his just desserts. He stood up with a smile and some whipped cream on his face, I licked it off, then just for the hell of it licked his lips. He snickered and playfully licked me back, we ended our little kitchen Jam session with a cum-flavored kiss.

Upstairs we took a warm sensual shower, I realized that Zach hadn’t cum but didn’t seem to care, he was happy to make me happy. How could I not love a guy like that? After our shower we got into our bed and watched TV, Zach got a text from Riley saying she was sleeping at a friend’s place in town, so we decided to sleep naked (we had been wearing boxers since Riley moved in). Petunia was convinced Aunt Riley was coming home and slept in her bed waiting for her. I Slept well that night but got up early because Saturday was Picklin’ Day!!!! I know it sounds so stupid to say, but I was so looking forward to hanging out and learning how to make pickles. Pickling Day started four years earlier when Max first moved to North Carolina and was having trouble fitting in. Him and BA spent the day together drinking moonshine and pickling everything in sight (starting with themselves). Max told me that was the turning point for him, that’s when he started to feel like he belonged here. The next year Gina joined the Duo, and this year me and Mrs. J were joining the fold. I felt kind of like a dork getting excited over making pickles, but Zach and I had been so buried in building our home and our careers that we hadn’t really stopped to enjoy our new life in the country, this was my chance. I had planned on planting a garden and getting a couple of beehives in the Spring and diving in headfirst, but for now… pickling was my chance to be a country boy.

It was 6AM when I hit the kitchen in my Boxers and started pulling all the canning supplies out of the pantry… the big pot, jar lifter, tongs, funnel, blah blah blah… basically a bunch of shit that was left in the house when we bought it and I knew nothing about. Max pulled it all from my donation pile and told me to save them for canning. So, I did. I stored them in the pantry and on Picklin’ Morn, I loaded them into The Green Dragon next to the two cases of Kerr Jars I had picked-up earlier in the week. After the car was loaded, I poured two mugs of coffee and brought them up to the bedroom. When I walked in, Zach was laying on top of the duvet, naked and still asleep. His manhood was stretched out across his left thigh, it looked so warm and… and… beefy. It was captivating and I couldn’t help but stare as I stood there holding a mug of hot coffee in each hand. As I stared, I got a wicked idea. I set Zach’s mug down quietly on the nightstand next to him, then I took a big sip from my mug and held the hot liquid in my mouth as I set my mug next to Zach’s. Quietly I leaned over and delicately lifted his slumbering lumber, immersing it in my coffee flooded orifice.

Zach’s body wriggled and twisted, his eyes shot open, his mouth muttered an inaudible approval as the reality of my hot coffee blowjob registered in his sleepy mind. “My fucking god, Seth” he exhaled in a throaty moan bourn of lustful bliss, “What are you doing to me?” I hoped his question was rhetorical because with a mouth full of coffee and cock it went unanswered. He writhed and luxuriated under my attentions; I was returning the pleasure he had given me the night before. I took a quick break to take another mouthful of warm brew to reheat my mouth before going back to laboring on earth’s most perfect phallic specimen. My hand, my mouth, the warmth of the coffee… all three of them were working in perfect kinship to bring Zach to his orgasmic pinnacle. His hands gripped the duvet, his toes curled, and his voice wailed as his cream filled my coffee ladened mouth. The jism shot through him and into my mouth with such monster force that I swear his cum was going to burst out of every hole in my head turning it into a glorious fountain of lust filled masculinity.

While Zach’s body convulsed in post oral gratification, I licked him clean then took another gulp from my slowly cooling coffee mug and enjoyed my erotic latte. “Good morning” I whispered to my husband as he kissed me through his wicked grin and returned the greeting. “I already loaded up the car, I’m gonna jump in the shower now” I excitedly informed him.

Zach snickered in amusement, “God, I can’t believe you’re so excited over Picklin’ Day.”

“It feels country” I responded with a grin. “I was so excited about moving to the country, but all we’ve done is work. Today I get to have a little… you know, wholesome, country fun.” That got a laugh out of him, and me too… I couldn’t believe that I was giddy about this, but I was.

“I get it” Zach responded as he reached for his cooling mug of coffee. “Daddy’s bringing the riding mower back this morning and I’m actually excited to work in the yard.” We’d been watching Max and Brody living the country life for the last three or four years with envy, now it was our turn to go country. I left Zach lying in bed sipping his coffee and went to take a shower.

By the time I was ready, it was time to head over to BroMax Farm. I kissed Zach goodbye and walked out to my car just as Riley’s little red Mercedes came up the drive, top down and stereo blaring as the dust from the gravel followed her like the wake behind a speedboat on the water. The status symbol pulled up next to me and my sister in-law dismounted her luxury chariot, Starbucks vente mocha latte in hand and chirped “Good morning, Seth.”

“You’re in a good mood” I said back with a wide smile. “Did you have fun?”

“Yaaaaas queen” she squealed back. “There’s more of a nightlife here than I thought. It was fun just hanging with my new girls.” I was glad she was finding her place; I was afraid she would get bored too soon, but she seemed to be creating a pseudo-city life for herself here that would better suit her and Dylan than the Little House On The Prairie world Zach and I wanted to build. Riley kissed me on the cheek then whistled her way into the painted lady.

I got in The Green Dragon ready to finally head to Picklin’ Day. I turned the key and got nothing put a bunch of clicks. SHIT!!! I had some trouble with her about a year prior when we lived in St Louis and had to dump a bunch of money into repairs. Hell, she was thirty plus years old, what did I expect? I turned the key a couple of more times to no avail, then I got out and opened the hood. Why the hell I did that I have no clue because I don’t know shit about cars. Zach must’ve seen me through the window so he came out and stared blankly at the engine with me. Finally, he said “Take the truck. Daddy’s coming out in a bit, I’ll have him look at it.” So, we transferred all my pickling paraphernalia into the Hall’s pick-up and I went truckin’ down the dusty drive and over to BroMax Farm. I had gotten an early start but was the last to show.

“Mornin’ baby” BA greeted as I jumped out of the pick-up. “Can y’all gimme a hand with this shit?” she asked and I helped her unload her big Chrysler. When we got into the house the others were already talking and laughing as they greeted me.

“Sorry I’m late” I said as I put down a couple of cases of jars on the floor. “The Green Dragon died.”

“Hell, I’m surprised that old girl’s still running” BA said. “I’ll have Daddy come take a look at her.”

“He’s stopping by later to drop off the mower, Zach will talk to him then” I said.

“I remember when Grammaw bought her thirty somethin’ years ago” BA said. “Damn that old lady loved that car… she said it was sporty.” We all laughed at that… trust me there was nothing sporty about a thirty year old, green, four-door Buick Century, But I did love that car.

“I love it too” I said. “Shit, she got me through my first internship and several others after that, college, grad school, moving out to the country. Zach wants me to donate her and get something newer, but there’s this sentimental bond” I said then added, “to a damn car!” They all chuckled but BA belly-laughed.

“Honey, you know that old green Beetle I gave to Craig?” I nodded, I knew the car well, it ended up back at The Village and all the guys were using it… well, mostly Mason now, but I obviously knew the car. “I bought that thing brand new after my divorce from my first husband, it was my own personal declaration of independence. I was drivin’ that car when I met Daddy, I was still drivin’ her when we got married. Me and that little girl went through a lot together. Eventually, we both moved on. I got my Chrysler and she went on to help Craig and now the boys at The Village…. It’s the vehicular circle of life.” the way she told the story was cute, but it hit home. Maybe it was time to move on, but I was good hanging on a little longer; we had enough debt.

BA poured an inaugural shot of moonshine for everyone (except Gina… hmmmm) and said “The first thing we pickle…”

“IS OURSELVES” Gina and Max chanted as if it was a rallying cry. Mrs. J and I just laughed and drank with the others.

“Holy crap!” I huffed as my throat burned, tears poured down my cheeks, and my face turned redder than Max’s ginger locks. Mrs. J, BA, and Max all through back the shot like it was tap water before slamming their glassed down on the granite countertop. I let out another “WHEW!”

“Welcome to the south, son” BA said before getting to work. The other four had piles of stuff from their gardens that they had sorted through ahead of time… the cream of the crop. Then there were several bushels in the corner that were fair game. BA talked me through what to do, Max talked about the garden he was going to help me plant in the spring, and soon I was just doing what the others did and making pickles like a right proper country boy. We pickled and drank moonshine, then drank moonshine, then a little more. I noticed Gina was skipped every time shots were poured. I was getting suspicious. I mean… c’mon. I knew Gina and she was not one to pass up an afternoon of Boozing.

I thought back to the day I met Gina, it was my first night in the dorms freshman year and there was a mixer. People seemed to cluster with their suitemates instead of mingling with the others in the dorm like we were supposed to so the Resident Assistant pulled out a bowl with a bunch of slips of paper. she reached in a grabbed two slips of paper, each with a name on it. She paired us all off and we were supposed to talk to that person for the next ten minutes to get to know them. When our time was up, we were supposed to introduce our partner to someone we knew, and they would spend ten minutes with them, and so on. The goal was to force us to meet new people. I got paired with Gina. She was dressed in shorts and an oversized sweatshirt with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, but her natural beauty shined through. Every other guy in the dorm wished they were me at that moment. “I’m sorry I look like shit; I’m just taking a break from unpacking,” she said. I introduced myself and she gave me a devious grin and said “Well, at least they paired me with a hot guy.”

“Sorry, I’m gay,” I said. I hadn’t really planned on coming out to her it just happened.

Gina just laughed and said, “It figures. I always go for the gay ones, they’re the most fun. Plus, you’re the hottest guy here.”

I smiled at the compliment, tilted my head in Zach’s direction and responded, “Well, maybe second.” I had just met Zach earlier that day when we became suitemates, I didn’t know shit about him at that point other than he was hot as hell.

She looked over at him and said, “Okay, you win. Is he on your team or mine?”

“Not sure yet,” was all I said.

“Okay, we won’t fight over him until we figure it out. If he’s bi… it’s on!” I laughed out loud at that, and we kept talking like we were best friends forever. Now here we were like eight years later, living in the same city over a thousand miles from where we began and still close as ever.

I snapped back into the moment and looked at her, my blurry eyes caught her clear eyes and I shot her a semi-knowing slash semi-inquisitive smile. She smiled back, turned to the room, and said “Yes! I’m pregnant!” Me and Mrs. J both gave excited shouts, but it was clear Max and BA were already in the family loop.

BA piped up “Well, that’s two for Gina…” Then she looked in the direction of me and Max. “When y’all gonna start havin’ babies?” The room went silent.

 

To be continued…