The Apple Tree - 14. Chapter 14

I opened my cash register and began to work. I filled my shelf with shopping bags and took a look at what Tony had left to stock. Tony already figured out that if stock needs to be refilled and he didn't have time, he'd fill the shelves at the back end of the store and if I had time I'd fill those in front. That way I could keep an eye on the register.

It was quiet till about 5:30. A lot of people stopped on the way home to pick up last-minute items. Generally, Monday and Tuesday nights are slow. One cashier can easily handle those nights. Wednesday and Thursday got busy particularly after 5, Thursday more than Wednesday. Friday afternoon and all day Saturday made up for the whole week as far as being busy.

I guess Tony's guitar playing and singing were attracting a large crowd. He came in the store with my dinner all smiling. I told Mr. Thomas I was going to the back of the store to page me if he needed me. "How were the strumming and singing tonight?"

"It must have been pretty good. Anna didn't charge me for the food and when I went to put my guitar away, there was a bunch of money in the case that added up to 51 bucks."

"What did Anna say?"

"She was pleased. Monday nights are the best after Friday and Saturday. She asked me to play Friday and Saturday nights; I couldn't as those were the two busiest nights at the store."

"While I'm eating, why don't you play and sing something for me."

"What would you like for me to play and sing for you?"

"How about a love song, but not too mushy? Wait till I turn down the volume on the pager." I turned the pager on and the volume in the stock room down.

As I started to eat, Tony started to play and sing. Mr. Thomas came running back with a big smile on his face. "There are a bunch of people out there who want to know who's playing and singing."

"Tell them it's a radio station or your stock boy practicing. See which one they believe."

I finished eating and headed back to the front to my cash register. Tony followed me, with his guitar in its case. One of the customers asked me if he was the guy singing at the Café tonight.

"Yes. He's the stock boy here in fact he's right there."

The customer left her bag of groceries at the register and went over to talk to Tony. I saw him talking than writing something on paper. The woman came over to get her groceries, "He said that you're his partner."

"Yes, that's true."

She just looked at me, smiled, and left.

That night on the way home, "What did that lady want?"

"She wanted to know if I could play and sing at her cocktail party on Sunday."

"What did you say?"

"I told her I had to discuss it with my partner. She asked who my partner was, and I told her it was you. Did she say something to you?"

"Yes, she asked me if I was your partner. I said yes. She just smiled and left."

"What are you going to do?"

"What do you think I should do?"

"Go for it. You might get other gigs from the cocktail party and then you wouldn't have to work as a stock boy. Who knows you might become famous."

"I don't want fame if I can't have it with you."

"I'll be your agent. How's that? Why don't you finish that song you were singing for me earlier?"

Tony started to sing. He had a beautiful tenor voice. When he was finished, I noticed he had tears in his eyes. "Why the tears?"

"I wrote that song for you. I didn't know if you'd like it or not. But when you asked me to sing it again, I thought you might like it. I watched your face and eyes, you were into that song and I was so happy. These are tears of happiness, not sadness."

"Oh Tony, I loved that song and now that I know it was written for me, I love it even more. I'll be your agent."

"Holy hell, Tony look the orchard is all lit up. Grandfather told me that the electric was still ok but he wasn't sure about the bulbs".

"They look ok to me. There's grandfather on the steps waiting for us."

"What do you think boys?"

"Wow Grandfather. I guess the bulbs were ok."

"I had to replace 4 of them. I always kept spares just in case."

"Grandfather, tell me you didn't climb up there to replace them?"

"No. I use to do that but not now. I called an electrician just in case there would be a problem. He climbed up there and changed the bulbs."

"Well, it certainly lights up the orchard."

We followed grandfather to the master switch to turn off the lights. "You should only use these lights if you're going to pick apples at night. They run up the electric bill fairly fast."

With the lights off, Jim walked grandfather back home. Tony went into the shack to fix himself something to eat. Jim had eaten at the store but Tony hadn't. There was some soup leftover from the other night. He heated that and was eating when Jim returned.

"Grandmother sent up a piece of pie for you and me."

Tony just looked at the pie with a smile. It didn't take him long to finish the soup. The pie was the best he had ever eaten, "Grandmother sure knows how to cook. I'm going to ask her to teach me."

"If that's the case, then we better start exercising or we won't fit in the bed and maybe not in the shower either."

"Jim, have you ever exercised or did any sports. I'd like to start running. Maybe start slow and then build up to a 3 mile run each morning. What do you think?"

"We'd have to get up an hour earlier to do that and still make it to work on time. Let's try it tomorrow. We can start slow and build up to 3 miles. The first chance I get, we can take the cycle and mark off a course. Right now I'm going to shower and then you can sing me to sleep. Come on and join me in the shower before we get too fat."

The shower always takes longer than it should. While Tony was washing Jim's back, he slipped a finger into Jim's center of gravity. Jim just wiggled his butt on the finger. Tony soaped up his hard-on and placed it where his finger was. He reached around Jim; taking his cock into his hand began to jerk him off as he slowly entered Jim. At that moment they were both lost to the sensations. Tony began to kiss Jim on the neck; Jim trembled as he reached his climax. The tightening of his anal muscles set Tony off. They leaned into each other fully spent. Tony started to sing to Jim as they got dry and raced to the bed.

They fell asleep in each other's arms. Jim drifted off with the last notes of Tony's song in his head.