by Trina Solet
"I'm all right," Seth said but Theo didn't believe him. He noticed the corners of his mouth turn down miserably. The guy was hungry.
"We can spare a few of these," Theo told him as he got out two packages of crackers sandwiched with orange cheese and threw them to Seth.
Catching them, Seth thanked him then ate them slowly like he wanted to make them last. He had an old, banged up thermos and drank from it. "Just water," he said to Ace who did look like he was wondering what was in there.
"I thought it was hot chocolate," Ace admitted.
"You can put other things in a thermos, not just hot chocolate," Theo told him, but Ace clearly thought that was wrong.
It was getting dark now, and Theo switched on the camping lantern he had brought with them. Ace was warm in his sleeping bag, so Theo turned his attention to Seth. "How did you get here? Hitched?"
"No. It's dangerous," Ace objected before Seth could answer.
"I didn't hitch," Seth told him. "I got a ride from this lady I know who sells at the farmer's market then I walked. I only stumbled on this place by accident. And the padlock was already broken. I didn't do that."
Theo didn't know why, but he actually believed him.
Ace shared with him his version of how they got there. "We walked a long, long way through a forest."
"We just walked from the bus stop up the road," Theo said.
"I cut across this way to get off the road. I was getting some funny looks," Seth said. "When I saw the house, it looked abandoned so I...?
"It's not abandoned. It's our house," Ace said.
"Time for you to go to sleep," Theo told him.
As Theo was getting him settled in his sleeping bag, Ace complained, "I have a sleeping bag, but no one else has a sleeping bag."
"That's OK, You're a kid," Theo told him but Ace still wasn't happy.
"It's not fair."
Theo eyed Seth and warned him, "You'll need to stick to that side of the room, and I don't want to see you up for any reason."
"I'll stay put," Seth told him. He only looked a little offended, but also like he understood.
"The light stays on," Theo said, and he turned down the camping lantern to make sure it lasted.
"It won't keep me up," Seth said and that turned out to be the truth. He was asleep almost as fast as Ace. That left Theo to watch over Ace and watch Seth.
Alert for even a hint of trouble from him, Theo did his best not to see any beauty in the sleeping man, not to admire the angular lines of his face or to wonder what it would be like to kiss his mouth.
Chapter 2
Seth woke up with a grunt, feeling the hard floor under him. He was cold and stiff and the brothers were nowhere to be seen. He blinked remembering those serious eyes of the older brother and the way his voice softened any time he spoke to his little brother.
When it came to Seth, Theo was watchful, ready at every second to deal with him if he should step out of line or try to pull anything. Seth tried not to take it personally. Theo did have a little brother to look out for. He had to think of Ace and protect him.
Seth would have been the same way if he had a little brother or sister of his own. Seeing the bond between the brothers gave Seth a pang of envy. He didn't have anything like that in his life. No one was left for him back home, and he might never find anyone who would care about him in that way.
As he got himself off the floor, Seth heard the brothers outside. For the most part it was Ace he heard. Theo only said a few words now and then.
After packing all the extra clothes into the duffel bag, Seth got his sneakers on. They weren't dry all the way, but there was no helping that.
Going outside through the kitchen door, he looked around. He could hear Theo and Ace, but still couldn't see them. They were somewhere in front of the house.
By the look of it, it was pretty early. The sun was still low. The air was cold and there was a lot of mist between the bare trees.
Rounding the corner, Seth saw Ace on the porch. He was saying. "I can test them out. I'll jump on them."
"No," Theo said sharply. "You'll fall through and get hurt. Get off that porch."
"I wasn't gonna fall in," Ace whined then he saw Seth. "Seth is up!"
"Good morning," Seth said as he and Theo eyed each other. The tension from yesterday was still there. Theo probably just wanted him to leave already.
Ace was friendlier though. "You have to go in the bushes. The bathroom is no good."
"Yeah. I'll just..." Seth pointed his thumb then went off and watered a bare bush then went back to where the guys were poking around and checking out the outside of the house. Ace was leaning down to look under the porch, and Theo was tapping the posts like he wanted to see if they were solid.
Seth noticed that Theo had on a backpack, but not the big camping one from before. That was still inside, in a corner of the living room.
"Are you guys heading out?" Seth asked.
Theo looked at him over his shoulder, but Ace jumped in to answer. "We're going on an expedition!"
"We need to find the well that's somewhere on this property," Theo explained.
Ace jumped in again. "Then we can flush the toilet."
"After all this time, that might be all the well water is good for," Theo said, but they didn't go off just yet. Theo led the way inside and into the kitchen.
He had a galvanized bucked that he handed to Ace and also a collapsible bucket. "I found this pot we can fill too," he said and hefted a huge enameled pot.
"If you want some help, I can take the pot," Seth offered and then noticed Ace frowning up at him.
"Did you have breakfast?" Ace asked. Seth didn't answer right away, and from that Ace knew the answer. Shaking his head, he turned to his big brother. "No breakfast."
"I'm good," Seth told him. "Don't worry about me."
"If you're helping, we can at least feed you," Theo said and got out two breakfast bars. "Strawberry OK?"
"You don't have to," Seth was saying, but Theo was already pushing the bars into his hand.
"Strawberry isn't bad, but peanut butter is better," Ace said.
"Alright, thank you," Seth said but he didn't start eating yet. "Do you have enough?" He looked over at Ace.
"We're going into town afterward. We'll do some shopping," Theo said curtly.
"I'll be going too," Seth said, not that he could stay behind.
"You said you were moving for work?" Theo said as they set off with Ace a few steps ahead of them.
"Wherever I find a job, that's where I'll stay. The only thing keeping me back home was my grandpa, and he passed." Seth thought about the old man and his long silences and empty eyes. "Small town life just isn't for me."
"So you'll go right past Peach Tree? It is a small town," Theo said and he sounded like he wouldn't regret never seeing him again.
"I won't turn down work wherever I find it," Seth said. "I don't want to end up right back in the same kind of place I started from, but work is work. Can't afford to be picky."
"I'm looking for a job too. So you'll have some competition," Theo warned him.
They had covered the area north of the house without finding anything, and now they were going a little more east. Ace was always trying to rush ahead, but Theo didn't let him go too far.
"Ace, you stay where I can see you and watch where you're going," he told his little brother. "A well is a hole in the ground, the last thing we need is you falling in."
"I won't fall in," Ace said automatically.
"You know Seth fell into a puddle."
"Yes, please remind me. It's not like my shoes are all the way dry. And I didn't fall in. I stepped in," Seth corrected Theo. "I was real graceful about it. Like a ballerina."
That made Ace laugh, but Theo didn't even crack a smile.
It turned out the well wasn't that easy to fall into. There was a stone wall around it, and it was covered with a manhole cover that had a large stone placed on top of it.
; "We have to work to uncover it and we still don't know if there's any water there," Theo said as they approached.
"Only one way to find out," Seth said and he tried to get the stone off by himself, like he wanted to show off or something.
"I want to do it," Ace said and tried to help Seth lift it.
"Pick one more your size," Theo told him and took his place helping Seth. It took both of them to get the stone off.
They lifted up the cover and Theo shined a flashlight down.
"All right, we have water. Now let's see how clean it is." Theo opened up his backpack.
"And you have rope too," Seth said seeing him getting it out and tying it to the handle of the galvanized bucket.
"How else would we lower the bucket down there?" Theo dropped the bucket down and brought it up mostly full.
"It looks clean," Ace said.
"Looks can be deceiving, but it's good enough to flush with," Theo decided and he transferred the water to the collapsible bucket. He lowered the empty bucket back down into the well. "That pot is going to be heavy when it's full of water." Theo sounded like he doubted that Seth could carry it.
Seth stood up a little straighter. "I can manage."
Using the galvanized bucket, they filled up the big pot, covered the well again and then headed back. Ace wasn't happy that Theo didn't let him carry either bucket now that they were full. Seth carried the pot balanced on one shoulder and did his best to make it look easy.
But why was he showing off? Hell if he knew, but he didn't want Theo thinking he was anything but plenty strong. He might not be as sure of himself as Theo, but at least Seth had a little more muscle on him.
Not that Seth was measuring himself against him, but he did find Theo a little intimidating, maybe because he seemed to know what he was doing and how to go about it. Next to him, Seth felt like something that got cast aside, his only aim any job that would keep him fed, any place that wasn't where he came from.
"It is too heavy," Theo said while frowning at him. "Let me have a turn."
"No. I got it. I was just thinking heavy thoughts." Seth gave him a lopsided smile and Theo shook his head.
"Just don't spill it."
Theo had his hands full carrying both buckets and Ace was still pouting because he only got to carry the rope.
"I'm strong too," Ace said looking from Seth to Theo.
"Your big bro just wants to show off," Seth told him though he was the one who was doing that.
Ace still wasn't satisfied, so he kept flexing all the way back to the house. Once they got there, Theo put his buckets on the kitchen floor and helped Seth get the huge pot off his shoulder.
"Didn't want you to get drenched," Theo said, and Seth shivered when their arms crossed over each other.
"Now we flush?" Ace asked as they went into the bathroom.
"Everyone cross your fingers that it's not clogged," Theo said as he tipped a bucketful of water into the toilet.
By some miracle, it did flush.
"Yuck!" Ace said since the toilet was still filthy even after the second bucket of water went in.
"We have to do some serious cleaning in here," Theo said.
"When it's clean, we don't have to go in the bushes any more," Ace said.
"Right, we're one step closer to civilization," Theo told him and Seth saw him smile. The smile didn't last very long, but it was nice to see. But once again Theo turned serious and practical. "We don't have time to do anything about it. We need to go into town. You're going too, right?" Theo eyed Seth, but it wasn't much of a question. Seth got one night there, now he was out on his ass.
"I'm putting in the padlock before we leave. You want a breakfast bar?" Theo asked Ace.
"Peanut butter?"
"All right. Here you go," Theo said, but as soon as Ace got it, he turned to Seth.
"You want half?"
"He can have a whole one," Theo told him.
"No, I'm all right," Seth said since Theo wasn't having any.
"You get peanut butter since you helped us out," Theo told him and pushed one into his hand. "Thanks for your help with the water."
"I owed you for letting me stay here last night," Seth told him though he knew he hadn't given him much choice.
Theo looked like he didn't want to be reminded of that. "You snore," he told Seth.
"Theo, you snore too," Ace said.
"I didn't get a chance to last night," Theo told him as he went to the big backpack in the living room and got out a screwdriver, a padlock and two metal brackets. Seth couldn't believe he brought things like that with him. Then Theo went to the side door, and Seth and Ace went with him.
"This house belonged to our great-grandparents," Theo said. "Our granddad lived here for a little while. Now the house is ours. Unfortunately, the keys got lost."
Ace watched closely as his big brother screwed in the metal brackets. Seth was looking at Theo more than what he was doing. He was very focused but he looked dead tired too.
"You didn't really stay awake all night, did you?" Seth asked, but Theo only took his eyes off his work to glare at him. "Damn. Sorry about that. But I'll be moving on. I just need to grab my duffel bag, and I'm gone."
"Oh, no. Where are you going?" Ace asked.
"Looking for work. Next place where I'm going to try is Peach Tree," Seth told him.
"That's where we're going too," Ace told him.
Theo was standing in the doorway and screwing in the other bracket now, so Seth couldn't go in yet to get his bag. Then he watched as Theo tested the padlock. Now only someone very determined would be able to get in. Seth found that he was relieved to know the brothers would be a little bit safer here.
Going in, Seth picked up his bag and Theo looked at it disapprovingly and how one side of it was held together by duct tape. "You're going to look for work while carrying that?"
"I don't have much choice," Seth said and turned it around so the duct tape was less noticeable. "It's my grandpa's old bag. The only other bag was his big, blue suitcase or a trash bag."
Theo sighed. "You'll make a better impression without it. If you don't mind coming back for it, you can leave the bag here. As you see, I can lock up now."
Seth was so surprised at the offer he didn't answer right away. "Yeah. I can leave it," he finally said.
"Are we going together?" Ace asked looking between them eagerly.
"We're going to the same place, so we might as well," Theo said.
They went out and headed for the road with Theo showing Ace where the dirt driveway was. It was a little overgrown, but it wouldn't take much to clear it again. Picturing Theo having to do the work himself, Seth thought it was too bad he wouldn't be there to lend a hand. He didn't know why he was thinking that way.
For a while they walked along the road and Ace kept saying, "I don't see it." He couldn't catch sight of the town, but then something did come into view. "I see something," Ace announced.
It was two well-dressed men coming toward them, and Seth noticed that one of them walked with a limp. With them was a good size black and white collie.
"Look, a dog," Ace said excitedly.
"Just don't try to pet him," Theo warned him.
As they got closer, the dog barked but not in a way that was too unfriendly.
"Settle down, Huey," one of the men said to the dog.
"Huey? Is that his name?" Ace asked.
"It is," the man said. He looked like he was hiding plenty of muscle under his coat while the other guy was slimmer and looked kind of snobbish.
"I'm Ace," Ace said like he was introducing himself to the dog. "This is my brother, Theo, and that's our friend, Seth. He's a new friend."
"It's nice to meet you," the snobby guy said sounding all formal. "I'm Andy and this is Leo."
"Nice to meet you as well," Theo said sounding just as formal. "I hope you don't mind if I ask. Are you Andy Brighton, the owner of Stone Creek Inn?"
"I am," the guy named Andy said cautiou
sly.
"I was doing some research about businesses in this area," Theo explained. "I came across your inn and saw some photos of you. And I know the new manager of the inn is Leo Copland." He looked at the guy named Leo, who confirmed he had it right.
"I am Leo Copeland."
"My brother and I just moved here and I'm looking for a job," Theo said.
"We do have an opening. We haven't had time to advertise for it yet. It's an entry level position and you would train on the job," Copeland said.
Theo nodded then looked at Seth. "He's looking for work as well."
"You can both apply. Ask to speak to Mrs. Tamil," Copeland told them.
"Some computer skills wouldn't hurt," Brighton threw in.
Seth didn't like the sound of that. Computers weren't his thing.
"Thank you," Theo said with a smile.
"It was good meeting you," Copeland said and they moved off.
"Wasn't that lucky," Seth said though he didn't think he stood much of a chance at that job.
"It was," Theo said. He had been very businesslike, but now he looked anxious like he wanted to rush off and apply for the job that very minute.
"It's funny that they were both out here walking together," Seth said, and Theo gave him a sharp, sideways look, but he didn't know why. It made him nervous so he just kept talking. "But meeting up with them wouldn't have done you much good if you didn't know who they were."
"You don't think I moved us here without doing some research," Theo said.
"Guess not," Seth said, not that research occurred to him even as a possibility. He figured he'd just keep moving until he found work and a place to live and that would be that.
"A job at Stone Creek Inn would be a really good fit," Theo said.
"You like hotel work or something?" Seth asked.
"It's not the work so much. It's the location. I can walk there from the house. I'm hoping twenty minutes tops. I just have to get Ace enrolled in school. That's within walking distance too."
Seth looked at him. It was like Theo was always planning, calculating. But Ace didn't like some of his plans.
"School," he grumbled.
It wasn't long before they reached Peach Tree Elementary School and Theo announced, "Let's get you enrolled."