Year 6, 1

John Stone managed a car-sales yard, on Morehouse Avenue in Christchurch. So, when they were ready, he was able to get them a really good deal, and Jared and Ethan bought a car.

It was nothing flash, just a little Volkswagen Golf. It was old but tidy and should be a good reliable car. Their first car!

All of the parents tried to talk them out of it, but the boys were adamant. They both paid for it and it was their car. They would share ownership, that was important to them both. It was not like either of them would ever be going anywhere without the other anyway. It was their first car and they owned it together.

They both had after-school and weekend jobs, at the same place, at Burger King on Bealey Ave. They shared the work and now they'd share the fruits of it, together. They already had their licences to drive, of course. They'd studied together and got them as soon as they turned 15. Having a car opened their world up. They were much more mobile and didn't have to rely on anyone to take them places.

The summer holidays rolled around and the four parents decided that they were going to have a holiday together, over on the West Coast. It was somewhere different and they felt like a change. Jared and Ethan didn't agree and, after much negotiation, they were going for a holiday in Kaimoana. They didn't want to go anywhere else. They planned on driving up there. They'd take a tent and stay in the camping ground. That was all that they could afford.

However, the mothers talked over the boys' plans and decided that they were not happy about them staying alone in a camping ground. They were good kids and always sensible and supportive of one another, but they were still just kids. They weren't even 16 yet.

So, Mrs. Kersten and Mrs. Stone paid for their boys to stay in a motel. In the Ocean View Motels of course. They'd be happier with them there. Jared and Ethan didn't mind a bit. Good call! They'd be there alone like they were grown-ups already.

So, at last, the two families headed off together for their semi-annual summer holiday. They parted at the junction near Waipara. Jared and Ethan continued north, to Kaimoana, where they were not allowed to go climbing any cliffs! The others all went West.

When they arrived in their favourite town, it was still early and they weren't due to check in to the motel until 2pm, so they stopped first at the Lookout up on top of the hill where they could look out over the town. It was too windy and a bit cold up there, so they went downtown to get something to eat. There was no wind at all on the main street. The Craypot Cafe looked choice with the tables and chairs out on the deck by the side of the street, so they went in there.

They walked in and a lady came out to serve them. "Hello there," Ethan grinned. "You're working here now?"

"Working here? I've been here for years."

"But weren't you at the hospital? You were on the reception desk there."

"No, Dear," she smiled. "That wasn't me. That'd be my sister."

"Oh, so you're not Mrs. Kersten? You sure look like her."

"No, she looks like me."

Jared said, "You must be Mrs. Stone then."

"I am. I'm Betty Stone. How on earth did you know that?"

"Mrs. Kersten said that she had a sister named Mrs. Stone."

"That's right, she has - me. You've got a good memory."

"Not really, you see, that's our names too. I'm Ethan Stone and Jared is Jared Kersten."

"Right. I remember! You must be the boy who fell off the cliff on the Peninsular, a couple of years ago."

"That's right. Well, Jared did. I just went to the hospital with him."

"Of course you did. Alice said that you were very upset."

"I was. Jared's my mate and I thought he was going to die or something."

"He obviously didn't, and now you've come back. Don't go climbing any cliffs."

"Everybody tells us that," Jared grinned.

"Good. Listen to them. What can we do for you, Boys?"

"We just want some lunch. Do you do burgers?"

"We do not! Go to Billy's if you want burgers, they're the best in town.

"You don't have Burger King then?" Jared said. "I don't want a burger, I'm sick of the sight of them. What's the seafood chowder like?"

"Just the best. It is because I make it."

"We'll have a couple of bowls of that then, thanks."

"Coming right up. Take a seat and I'll send them to you."

Ethan said, "Thanks. Can we sit outside?"

"You can if you're quick. Those seats out there are never empty for long."

"Come on, Jared."

They sat at a table, on the deck, out in the sunshine and looked up and down the main street. They could see it all from where they were sitting.

"I do like this place," Ethan nodded.

"Yeah, it's cool. Little though, there's more shops in a mall in Christchurch."

"There is, but it's not the same. This is my favourite little town in the whole world."

"Yeah? Seen them all, have you?"

"You know I haven't, but I don't have to. This is the best town because it's where I met the love of my life."

"That right? So did I, years and years ago. Best boy in the world and I met him right here."

"Me too." Ethan reached across and held Jared's hand. They sat gazing and smiling at each other. Life was good.

"I love you heaps, Jared Kersten."

"I love you mountains, Ethan Stone."

"Get a room, why don'cha?"

Their hands flew apart and they sat blushing as a grinning red-haired guy put a tray on the table between them. "Hey! It's okay, Guys. I'm Jacob and I've got a boyfriend too. Mine's better than yours though."

"Not!'

"Is not."

"He is too. Riley's the greatest. So, you're Mr. Stone and Mr. Kersten?"

"Yeah, we're Jared Kersten and Ethan Stone."

"Betty's talking about you. Same names as her and her sister. Very cool. You related?"

"Not that we know of."

"We should find out while we're here."

"Yeah, do that. You're a couple?"

"Yes, definitely!"

"Cool. And you're staying here?"

"We are. We're staying at the Ocean View Motels, just the two of us together."

"That's very cool too. We should do that sometime. Tell Patsy I said hello."

"Patsy?"

"Patsy Tanner. Gary bought the place and she runs it now."

"Who is Gary when he's at home?"

"Gary's our mate. He's got that place over the road. When he's at home, he's upstairs. He lives in the flat up there."

"Your friend owns the motels and also The Kaimoana Emporium? Is he rich or something?"

"Yeah. Very rich, apparently, but he doesn't talk about it. Gary's a good guy. Ask Lachlan, he'll tell you. He's very proud of Gary."

"And who is Lachlan?"

"Oh, right. He's just a kid. He's Gary's partner."

"Rich Gary is gay and he's got a kid for a partner? That doesn't sound right."

"It doesn't, does it?" Jacob laughed. "It's okay. They're both kids, both about 16 or 17."

"Oh, that's all right then." Ethan nodded. "Jared, I want to have a look around in the art gallery."

"Of course you do. Ethan's an artist you know. A good one too."

"So you say," Jacob grinned. "He'd have to be good to beat those guys. Most of the art stuff that Gary sells is by Jordan Taylor and Jason McDonald, they're great artists and quite well-known."

"They are well-known," Ethan said. "We studied their pencil drawings in Art Class. Their black and white sunsets are awesome."

"Yeah, they're good. What can I get you to drink?" They asked for capauchinos, of course and Jacob left them to enjoy their chowder.

"What are we going to do today?"

"Don't know. Maybe we could just check-in at the motel and go to bed."

"C'mon, Ethan, we are not! We could do that at home. We've gotta go out and do stuff."

"We could do stuff in bed."

"Horny bugger! We've got all night."

"All night and every night."

"Oh, yah. How about we go out and see the seals?"

"Only if you've got a parachute. No, let's go to the railway station and check-out the whale-watching trips. We've never done that and it's about time we did."

"I thought you hated going out on the water?"

"We don't have to. There's planes do trips out there as well."

"Whale-watching from a plane? We could, I guess, but that'd be expensive, wouldn't it?"

"So we'll go and ask, and then we'll know."

"Yeah. Ethan, this is so good being here like this, just you and I together."

"It's good. Get used to it, this is the way our lives are going to be."

"That's the way I want it. I love you, heaps."

"I love you, mountains. Shut up and eat now, and wipe your chin. You're disgusting."

"And you love that too."

"Sometimes."

When they'd finished, they put all the empties back on the tray and took it in to the counter. The lady there smiled at them, "Thank you, Mr. Stone."

"Thank you, Mrs. Stone," Ethan grinned back. "You do good chowder."

"Oh, aren't you lovely? Thanks, I'm glad you liked it."

"What's not to like?" A dark-haired guy came out from the kitchen behind her. "Thanks, Guys, but you don't have to bring your empties back. That's my job, you'll be getting me fired."

"That's not going to happen, Riley," Mrs. Stone said. "Your mum's not going to fire you."

"Worse luck!"

Jared said, "Don't you believe it. Ethan's dad fired us."

"He did? What did he do that for?"

Ethen answered, "We were working for him, cleaning and grooming cars in his sales yard and he sacked us. He said we were messing around too much and not taking it seriously."

"And he was right," Jared nodded. "Ethan can be a clown sometimes."

"Hey! Shut up. You were just as bad. Worse in fact."

"But you look so good when you're all wet!"

"Too much information!" Mrs. Stone laughed. "So, tell me, did you ever figure out if you're related to my husband's family?"

"Not yet. We were just saying that we should try to do that while we're here."

"Yes, do that. I wouldn't be much help to you, but go and talk to my husband. He works over the road there."

"Does he work in the Art Gallery?"

"No, not there. He works for Baker Brothers, they've got a factory in the back of the same building."

"They have? I thought they worked out of Westpoint, over on the Coast. There was an article in our paper about them."

"No, That'd be about the opening of their new factory. Their original one is right here, in Kaimoana."

"They've got 2 factories? That's cool. We love Baker Brothers' desserts, they're the best thing that Billy's Burgers sell."

"Of course they are! Go and see him, you might get a free sample."

"We'll have to do that. Thanks."

Jacob came out from the kitchen and Jared said, "Does Rich Gary own Baker Brothers as well?"

"Not likely! He's not that rich. They just rent the building from him. Or, from us actually. My brother and I have got shares in Gary's company. Dianne bought them for us."

"Dianne?"

"Riley's mum. She's our foster-mother and our lawyer. She's got some shares in there too."

"Wow. Is everybody rich around here?"

"Not yet," Riley replied. "But we're working on it."

Mrs. Stone said, "Do some bloody work then. Those tables out the front need clearing."

"Damm, Betty! You're getting as bad as Mum."

"I'm working on it."

Ethan said, "We'd better stop holding you up. Come on, Jared. Let's go and check in at the motel."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Guys. We'll see you around."

"Not if we see you first!" Jacob grinned. "'Bye, Kersten and Stone."

"'Bye, Whatever."