(no subject)
Title: Decisions.
Chapter 3
This is a new story I wrote in Italian more or less 2 years ago, it’s my the first BBM fiction, since then I started writing in English directly. So this is a new challenge; I try to translate and Sam tries to correct my translation, we’ll see how our efforts will be appreciated.
This is an AU settled in normal time and place, different from my Bluebells and Roses.
Disclaimer: the talented Mrs. Proulx owns the original story and characters.
Special thanks again to my dear beta Sam and also Jen.
Thanks to all of you who left a comment.
Ennis had almost reached the front door when he noticed somebody was opening it. Two women appeared on the threshold, ready to leave.
“Thanks, Auntie Ann,” said a male voice from inside.
“See you in church,” was the answer of an old lady with a white cane, who leaned on the other, a black woman whose age was impossible to define.
They were different only in their skin colour; their dresses, hats, and body frames made them appear like two sisters.
The women walked beside Ennis, looking at him with curiosity. Then they moved away, communicating with each other in silence. Ennis grabbed the door before it closed and saw an old man inside the house, shoulders heavy like he was carrying stones.
“Excuse me, sir, may I speak with Jack Twist?”
Ennis missed holding his hat as a way to keep his hands still. The face of the man in front of him was the portrait of desolation.
“Are you a friend?”
“Yes sir, Ennis Del Mar,” he said, shaking a sweaty hand.
“I’m LD Newsome, the grandfather. Jack is inside, in the back.”
The man let Ennis enter but didn’t lead him to Jack; he disappeared instead inside the first room on the left and closed the door behind him.
The corridor was quite dark. All the doors were closed, except one on the right, and Ennis heard voices coming from beyond it. He approached cautiously and saw that it was the sitting room.
He saw his man immediately: Jack was standing, his back to the door, giving a glass to a woman sitting on the sofa.
Ennis stopped hesitantly. He was only a few meters away from Jack but it felt an ocean. All his doubts came back to haunt him, because it wasn’t his place and he had no right to look at Jack in his own house.
But if LD, the grandfather, was so desperately grief stricken, how much was Jack suffering, when he was the father?
So if Ennis was there to carry only the smallest part of Jack’s pain, it was his duty and his right to stay.
He decided to remain immobile, sure that somebody would notice him, sooner or later. There were four other people in the room, two middle aged men and a couple, the female half of which was visibly pregnant. Jack moved to say something to one of the men, who pointed at the door with one hand.
Jack thought it was another neighbour visiting the family and at first glance didn’t recognize the familiar face; and at second didn’t believe what he was seeing.
Ennis moved forward without looking Jack in the eyes; he couldn’t bear the pain.
When Jack realised it was really Ennis, in his house, in front of him, close enough to touch, he crossed the room and hugged Ennis like a desperate man.
It wasn’t like other hugs they shared together, but stronger and more meaningful; Jack was crying and couldn’t speak, Ennis forgot for a moment there were other people in the room and rubbed his hand on Jack’s back, feeling the tensed muscles under the shirt and Jack’s thinner frame.
.
A woman with dark glasses entered the room and seeing Jack and Ennis’ hug, sighed. “Poor boy,” she said to Jack, touching his shoulder, and she murmured “thanks” to Ennis, who saw her approaching.
Jack freed himself from the embrace but kept one hand on Ennis’ arm. Ennis now noticed Jack’s eyes were red and puffy, his face shaved only on the right side and full of new wrinkles.
“Mum, this is my friend Ennis Del Mar, from Wyoming. ”
“Mr Del Mar, I’m Lureen’s mother.”
“I’m here because of your grandson…”
“I know…Jack, take Ennis into your study for a while to talk alone, I’ll stay here.”
Mrs. Newsome led them tenderly but firmly toward the stairs to the first floor.
“When your parents telephone, I’ll call you, Jack…Ennis, do you want something to drink? You’ve driven such a long way.”
“No, thanks, Mrs. Newsome.”
“I’ll make you something anyway.”
For Jack and Ennis, being alone in a room with people’s approval seemed incredible. They sat on a small leather sofa under the window that had a view of the back garden. The shelves on the walls were full of Jack’s rodeo medals; it was Jack’s refuge, Ennis was sure, no traces of Lureen here. Jack had collected his past as a rodeo rider, except for the picture of a children’s football team in a new frame.
“There’s always people here since...Lureen is sedated, she doesn’t sleep, only cries…I try to do my best, but people come here in waves, all her relatives are here.”
Jack sighed and searched for Ennis’ hand. Ennis didn’t resist; they could separate immediately and if somebody saw them, it could be passed off as a gesture of comfort.
“Thanks for coming here.”
Ennis answered with more pressure on Jack’s hand. The door was closed but they could hear steps on the stairs.
“Jack, I’m so sorry…” Ennis couldn’t find the words. I’m so sad for you, it breaks my heart, I ‘d give a hand to have Larry back. “If I can do something…he was so young..”
Ennis’ gut was dry and words crossed an arid desert before reaching his mouth.
“Sometimes I don’t understand anything, it seems like it’s all a bad dream, and then I remember. Why him, Ennis?”
Jack’s mother in law knocked at the door and waited for Jack’s reply before opening it. Ennis was already standing near the window when she entered, moving very slowly because Lureen was leaning on her arm.
“Lureen would like to meet Mr. Del Mar, wouldn’t you, dear?”
Jack’s wife seemed like a rag doll, her hair was covered by a scarf and she wore a nightdress and a black robe. She looked at Ennis and tried to speak, but she could only murmur something unintelligible.
With difficulty she simply thanked Ennis and the effort was too much; she slipped from her mother’s arm. Ennis was faster than Jack to catch her with strong arms and carry her to the sofa. Jack lifted her legs up on to the couch to make her more comfortable.
His mother in law asked him to come outside with her, while Ennis remained in the room with Lureen.
“She wanted to get up to see who was here, and when I told her your friend had arrived, she wanted to see him. But she cannot walk, how will we manage tomorrow in church?” Mrs. Newsome appeared nervous, her hands trembling.
“Don’t worry, Ennis is here now, he’ll be a great help.” Jack felt stronger because he didn’t feel alone any more.
“Your parents called, too. They are waiting for us at the bus station, I could send cousin Karl to catch them, he’s in the kitchen with LD.”
“I’ll ask Ennis, but thank you.”
Inside the room, Lureen was looking at Ennis with hollow eyes, but he felt the weight of her gaze.
Standing in front of her, he felt like an intruder. He was the other man, the one Jack really wanted, while she had been the second choice.
But when she tried to smile, Ennis understood how beautiful she was and why she chose Jack over other men. They were both so gorgeous. Lureen couldn’t have accepted an ordinary man, she had to have the most beautiful rodeo cowboy on the circuit.
And Ennis also understood that Lureen didn’t know about him and Jack. She believed Ennis was Jack’s only friend, a close friend.
When Jack came back inside alone, he witnessed a scene he’d never dared to imagine: Lureen crying on Ennis’ shoulder, while he kneeled beside her.
TBC
Chapter 3
This is a new story I wrote in Italian more or less 2 years ago, it’s my the first BBM fiction, since then I started writing in English directly. So this is a new challenge; I try to translate and Sam tries to correct my translation, we’ll see how our efforts will be appreciated.
This is an AU settled in normal time and place, different from my Bluebells and Roses.
Disclaimer: the talented Mrs. Proulx owns the original story and characters.
Special thanks again to my dear beta Sam and also Jen.
Thanks to all of you who left a comment.
Ennis had almost reached the front door when he noticed somebody was opening it. Two women appeared on the threshold, ready to leave.
“Thanks, Auntie Ann,” said a male voice from inside.
“See you in church,” was the answer of an old lady with a white cane, who leaned on the other, a black woman whose age was impossible to define.
They were different only in their skin colour; their dresses, hats, and body frames made them appear like two sisters.
The women walked beside Ennis, looking at him with curiosity. Then they moved away, communicating with each other in silence. Ennis grabbed the door before it closed and saw an old man inside the house, shoulders heavy like he was carrying stones.
“Excuse me, sir, may I speak with Jack Twist?”
Ennis missed holding his hat as a way to keep his hands still. The face of the man in front of him was the portrait of desolation.
“Are you a friend?”
“Yes sir, Ennis Del Mar,” he said, shaking a sweaty hand.
“I’m LD Newsome, the grandfather. Jack is inside, in the back.”
The man let Ennis enter but didn’t lead him to Jack; he disappeared instead inside the first room on the left and closed the door behind him.
The corridor was quite dark. All the doors were closed, except one on the right, and Ennis heard voices coming from beyond it. He approached cautiously and saw that it was the sitting room.
He saw his man immediately: Jack was standing, his back to the door, giving a glass to a woman sitting on the sofa.
Ennis stopped hesitantly. He was only a few meters away from Jack but it felt an ocean. All his doubts came back to haunt him, because it wasn’t his place and he had no right to look at Jack in his own house.
But if LD, the grandfather, was so desperately grief stricken, how much was Jack suffering, when he was the father?
So if Ennis was there to carry only the smallest part of Jack’s pain, it was his duty and his right to stay.
He decided to remain immobile, sure that somebody would notice him, sooner or later. There were four other people in the room, two middle aged men and a couple, the female half of which was visibly pregnant. Jack moved to say something to one of the men, who pointed at the door with one hand.
Jack thought it was another neighbour visiting the family and at first glance didn’t recognize the familiar face; and at second didn’t believe what he was seeing.
Ennis moved forward without looking Jack in the eyes; he couldn’t bear the pain.
When Jack realised it was really Ennis, in his house, in front of him, close enough to touch, he crossed the room and hugged Ennis like a desperate man.
It wasn’t like other hugs they shared together, but stronger and more meaningful; Jack was crying and couldn’t speak, Ennis forgot for a moment there were other people in the room and rubbed his hand on Jack’s back, feeling the tensed muscles under the shirt and Jack’s thinner frame.
.
A woman with dark glasses entered the room and seeing Jack and Ennis’ hug, sighed. “Poor boy,” she said to Jack, touching his shoulder, and she murmured “thanks” to Ennis, who saw her approaching.
Jack freed himself from the embrace but kept one hand on Ennis’ arm. Ennis now noticed Jack’s eyes were red and puffy, his face shaved only on the right side and full of new wrinkles.
“Mum, this is my friend Ennis Del Mar, from Wyoming. ”
“Mr Del Mar, I’m Lureen’s mother.”
“I’m here because of your grandson…”
“I know…Jack, take Ennis into your study for a while to talk alone, I’ll stay here.”
Mrs. Newsome led them tenderly but firmly toward the stairs to the first floor.
“When your parents telephone, I’ll call you, Jack…Ennis, do you want something to drink? You’ve driven such a long way.”
“No, thanks, Mrs. Newsome.”
“I’ll make you something anyway.”
For Jack and Ennis, being alone in a room with people’s approval seemed incredible. They sat on a small leather sofa under the window that had a view of the back garden. The shelves on the walls were full of Jack’s rodeo medals; it was Jack’s refuge, Ennis was sure, no traces of Lureen here. Jack had collected his past as a rodeo rider, except for the picture of a children’s football team in a new frame.
“There’s always people here since...Lureen is sedated, she doesn’t sleep, only cries…I try to do my best, but people come here in waves, all her relatives are here.”
Jack sighed and searched for Ennis’ hand. Ennis didn’t resist; they could separate immediately and if somebody saw them, it could be passed off as a gesture of comfort.
“Thanks for coming here.”
Ennis answered with more pressure on Jack’s hand. The door was closed but they could hear steps on the stairs.
“Jack, I’m so sorry…” Ennis couldn’t find the words. I’m so sad for you, it breaks my heart, I ‘d give a hand to have Larry back. “If I can do something…he was so young..”
Ennis’ gut was dry and words crossed an arid desert before reaching his mouth.
“Sometimes I don’t understand anything, it seems like it’s all a bad dream, and then I remember. Why him, Ennis?”
Jack’s mother in law knocked at the door and waited for Jack’s reply before opening it. Ennis was already standing near the window when she entered, moving very slowly because Lureen was leaning on her arm.
“Lureen would like to meet Mr. Del Mar, wouldn’t you, dear?”
Jack’s wife seemed like a rag doll, her hair was covered by a scarf and she wore a nightdress and a black robe. She looked at Ennis and tried to speak, but she could only murmur something unintelligible.
With difficulty she simply thanked Ennis and the effort was too much; she slipped from her mother’s arm. Ennis was faster than Jack to catch her with strong arms and carry her to the sofa. Jack lifted her legs up on to the couch to make her more comfortable.
His mother in law asked him to come outside with her, while Ennis remained in the room with Lureen.
“She wanted to get up to see who was here, and when I told her your friend had arrived, she wanted to see him. But she cannot walk, how will we manage tomorrow in church?” Mrs. Newsome appeared nervous, her hands trembling.
“Don’t worry, Ennis is here now, he’ll be a great help.” Jack felt stronger because he didn’t feel alone any more.
“Your parents called, too. They are waiting for us at the bus station, I could send cousin Karl to catch them, he’s in the kitchen with LD.”
“I’ll ask Ennis, but thank you.”
Inside the room, Lureen was looking at Ennis with hollow eyes, but he felt the weight of her gaze.
Standing in front of her, he felt like an intruder. He was the other man, the one Jack really wanted, while she had been the second choice.
But when she tried to smile, Ennis understood how beautiful she was and why she chose Jack over other men. They were both so gorgeous. Lureen couldn’t have accepted an ordinary man, she had to have the most beautiful rodeo cowboy on the circuit.
And Ennis also understood that Lureen didn’t know about him and Jack. She believed Ennis was Jack’s only friend, a close friend.
When Jack came back inside alone, he witnessed a scene he’d never dared to imagine: Lureen crying on Ennis’ shoulder, while he kneeled beside her.
TBC