Booklovergirl asked me to do this...
This is an "addendum" to her wonderful BBMfic, "Once Was Lost," in which an older J&E find each other in 1998 in Oregon.
This section falls at the beginning of Chapter 30, while Jack & Steve are talking on the porch... after Cindy says, “Well, I think it’s almost time for bed,” Cindy said. “Ennis, why don’t you and I take them up?” and they take the Twist children inside.
Feedback: Of course. But please keep in mind: I'm depressed over being unemployed.
Rating: G
Ennis hoped Steve wouldn't be too hard on Jack. After all, their new Honesty Policy of presenting themselves to Cindy and Steve as Regular Guys had to start paying off sometime. Ennis was tired of hiding, not only his very self, but his love for Jack. It was time to bring it all out into the open.
Kicking and screaming or not.
Cindy sent the girls to their room with a promise to tuck them in and accompanied Ennis into Trevor's room. The little tyke climbed into his twin bed covered with his favorite bucking bronc sheets and pillowcases. He got under the covers as Cindy bent over to tuck him in and kissed his forehead.
"Good night, sweet prince," Cindy said.
"G'night Grancindy. I love you."
Ennis hung back by the door, not wanting to give Cindy any reason to suspect him or Jack of doing anything untoward with Trevor or the girls. Cindy started to turn out the bedside lamp and Ennis started down the hall when Trevor said, "Grampa Ennis?"
"Yes, Trevor?"
"Can't I hug you g'night, too?"
Ennis shuddered. He didn't want the boy to be uncomfortable nor did he want Cindy to think he or Jack had put any thoughts in Trevor's head, either. Ennis instantly decided that Trevor's request was the simple gesture of a trusting child. He went to Trevor's bedside and leaned over to give him a hug.
With his chin on Ennis's shoulder, Trevor whispered, "Don't tell Grampa Jack... but your baths are a lot more fun than his!"
Cindy giggled. Ennis smiled at the little boy, his defacto grandson. This accepting creature that he'd come to love as much as his own grandsons in the short months he'd lived with Jack. "Our secret, Trevor," and he planted a kiss on the boy's forehead, same as Cindy. Then, lights out and the two adults left the room to go tuck in the girls.
The girls were giggling when Cindy and Ennis entered the room. When Cindy asked what was so funny, their stereo response was, "Nuuuuuth-ing."
They were definitely sisters.
"Okay, you two… time to settle down and get some sleep. They kissed the girls good night and started for the door.
"Grampa Ennis?" Tessa called out before Cindy turned out the light.
"Yes, Sweetheart?"
"I'm glad you and Grampa Jack are gay."
"Me, too!" Melanie added.
Ennis froze. It was as if someone had replaced his blood with dry ice. His eyes shot toward Cindy who, surprisingly to him, only raised her eyebrows with curiosity. She stepped closer and sat on the end of Tessa's bed.
"Why are you glad, Tess?" Cindy asked gently, like she really wanted to know the answer and wasn't put off by the girls' revelation.
"Well... Grampa Jack is just so happy with Grampa Ennis here," Tess explained.
"When he smiles, 'specially at Grampa Ennis," Melanie offered, "it goes all the way to his eyebrows, Grancindy! Haven't you seen that?"
Cindy, Ennis noticed, was really trying not to laugh, but her eyes held her granddaughters' gazes with bemusement. She flashed a smile to Ennis. One which, he immediately noticed, was not suspect, but genuine. "Yes, girls. I certainly have."
"It's almost like he was kinda sad before Grampa Ennis came," Melanie said, "but now he's so much more..." she groped for what she wanted to say, "...Grampa Jack."
"Yeah," Tess agreed. "I know Grampa Jack loves us, but he just has so much love inside that he needed a man like Grampa Ennis who could handle it all. Like Grampsteve loves you."
Cindy couldn't resist a giggle. "Yes, I suppose you're right about that!" She kissed them both again as Ennis told them, "Good night, girls." They turned out the light and walked into the hallway.
Heading down the stairs, Cindy took Ennis's hand in hers and Ennis stopped in mid-step. She turned to him and gently squeezed before she said, "I've always known my grandchildren were smart. I just didn't know how smart until now." She kissed the back of his hand with a loving pat before she released it and proceeded down the stairs.
Ennis stood in the staircase somewhat shocked and, quite comfortingly, proud. This was the moment he found true pride in his relationship with Jack. They had decided to present to Steve and Cindy as themselves: two decent men with integrity and dignity …who happened to love each other. What doubly surprised Ennis was that the Twist grandchildren had noticed those same characteristics they had presented to the adults in their lives and loved Jack and Ennis all the more for it. They weren't upset, disgusted or unnerved. They just realized that the love is more important than the fear or misunderstanding. He walked down the staircase a little taller, with a little more purpose. It was as if three more vertebrae had been installed in his backbone… named Melanie, Tessa and Trevor.
This section falls at the beginning of Chapter 30, while Jack & Steve are talking on the porch... after Cindy says, “Well, I think it’s almost time for bed,” Cindy said. “Ennis, why don’t you and I take them up?” and they take the Twist children inside.
Feedback: Of course. But please keep in mind: I'm depressed over being unemployed.
Rating: G
Ennis hoped Steve wouldn't be too hard on Jack. After all, their new Honesty Policy of presenting themselves to Cindy and Steve as Regular Guys had to start paying off sometime. Ennis was tired of hiding, not only his very self, but his love for Jack. It was time to bring it all out into the open.
Kicking and screaming or not.
Cindy sent the girls to their room with a promise to tuck them in and accompanied Ennis into Trevor's room. The little tyke climbed into his twin bed covered with his favorite bucking bronc sheets and pillowcases. He got under the covers as Cindy bent over to tuck him in and kissed his forehead.
"Good night, sweet prince," Cindy said.
"G'night Grancindy. I love you."
Ennis hung back by the door, not wanting to give Cindy any reason to suspect him or Jack of doing anything untoward with Trevor or the girls. Cindy started to turn out the bedside lamp and Ennis started down the hall when Trevor said, "Grampa Ennis?"
"Yes, Trevor?"
"Can't I hug you g'night, too?"
Ennis shuddered. He didn't want the boy to be uncomfortable nor did he want Cindy to think he or Jack had put any thoughts in Trevor's head, either. Ennis instantly decided that Trevor's request was the simple gesture of a trusting child. He went to Trevor's bedside and leaned over to give him a hug.
With his chin on Ennis's shoulder, Trevor whispered, "Don't tell Grampa Jack... but your baths are a lot more fun than his!"
Cindy giggled. Ennis smiled at the little boy, his defacto grandson. This accepting creature that he'd come to love as much as his own grandsons in the short months he'd lived with Jack. "Our secret, Trevor," and he planted a kiss on the boy's forehead, same as Cindy. Then, lights out and the two adults left the room to go tuck in the girls.
The girls were giggling when Cindy and Ennis entered the room. When Cindy asked what was so funny, their stereo response was, "Nuuuuuth-ing."
They were definitely sisters.
"Okay, you two… time to settle down and get some sleep. They kissed the girls good night and started for the door.
"Grampa Ennis?" Tessa called out before Cindy turned out the light.
"Yes, Sweetheart?"
"I'm glad you and Grampa Jack are gay."
"Me, too!" Melanie added.
Ennis froze. It was as if someone had replaced his blood with dry ice. His eyes shot toward Cindy who, surprisingly to him, only raised her eyebrows with curiosity. She stepped closer and sat on the end of Tessa's bed.
"Why are you glad, Tess?" Cindy asked gently, like she really wanted to know the answer and wasn't put off by the girls' revelation.
"Well... Grampa Jack is just so happy with Grampa Ennis here," Tess explained.
"When he smiles, 'specially at Grampa Ennis," Melanie offered, "it goes all the way to his eyebrows, Grancindy! Haven't you seen that?"
Cindy, Ennis noticed, was really trying not to laugh, but her eyes held her granddaughters' gazes with bemusement. She flashed a smile to Ennis. One which, he immediately noticed, was not suspect, but genuine. "Yes, girls. I certainly have."
"It's almost like he was kinda sad before Grampa Ennis came," Melanie said, "but now he's so much more..." she groped for what she wanted to say, "...Grampa Jack."
"Yeah," Tess agreed. "I know Grampa Jack loves us, but he just has so much love inside that he needed a man like Grampa Ennis who could handle it all. Like Grampsteve loves you."
Cindy couldn't resist a giggle. "Yes, I suppose you're right about that!" She kissed them both again as Ennis told them, "Good night, girls." They turned out the light and walked into the hallway.
Heading down the stairs, Cindy took Ennis's hand in hers and Ennis stopped in mid-step. She turned to him and gently squeezed before she said, "I've always known my grandchildren were smart. I just didn't know how smart until now." She kissed the back of his hand with a loving pat before she released it and proceeded down the stairs.
Ennis stood in the staircase somewhat shocked and, quite comfortingly, proud. This was the moment he found true pride in his relationship with Jack. They had decided to present to Steve and Cindy as themselves: two decent men with integrity and dignity …who happened to love each other. What doubly surprised Ennis was that the Twist grandchildren had noticed those same characteristics they had presented to the adults in their lives and loved Jack and Ennis all the more for it. They weren't upset, disgusted or unnerved. They just realized that the love is more important than the fear or misunderstanding. He walked down the staircase a little taller, with a little more purpose. It was as if three more vertebrae had been installed in his backbone… named Melanie, Tessa and Trevor.