(no subject)
Title: I Can’t Lose You Again.
Chapter 9
Finally a new chapter, thanks for your patience.
This is the sequel to “Mexico”, ten days after its end.
Disclaimer: the talented Mrs Proulx owns the original story and characters.
Special thanks to my dear beta Carol, Sam and to Onefreetoroam for the title idea.
Thanks to all of you readers and to those who added their opinion.
///////
Jack entered the kitchen and took a chair, making it rattle loudly on the floor. Claire forgot the cake she was making for a moment, noticing that her son was very angry.
Jack had been on the phone with his wife during the last few minutes and from his occasionally raised voice Claire suspected the conversation hadn’t been so friendly.
“Bobby ’s nervous and LD uses it against me,” Jack blurted out.
“What did Lureen say?”
“Now that Bobby’s getting out of school for the summer, there are lots of problems. I should have figured that.”
The possibility of Bobby’s special visit to Lightning Flat was something Lureen had introduced the week before, during a long call when she explained to Jack LD’s project for a long holiday with Bobby. So August was out of question, Bobby could visit his father now or in early September. Jack had deeply treasured the idea of a whole week, but knowing well his in-laws he had remained vague both with his mother and Ennis; he hadn’t wanted to give Claire illusions.
Although Lureen was ready to let her boy travel north to meet his other grandparents for the first time, when LD heard about it, his reaction had been vehement. He wanted to speak personally with Jack before allowing his only grandson leave home, Lureen explained to Jack. Father and daughter had had a harsh discussion, Jack reported to his mother, in the presence of both Lureen’s mother and Bobby, who didn’t have any power in the situation.
Lureen said the boy at first was happy to see his dad sooner than expected, but since his grandfather was so used to criticizing the Twists, Bobby now imagined their home was a dark, ugly and dirty place.
“I think Lureen will give me Bobby, but I must go to Childress myself to face LD.”
“I’d rather you stayed here.”
“Me too, but if I don’t go Bobby will never meet you and LD will win another round.”
“It’s a long drive.”
“Awfully long, and I did it only a few weeks ago. I think I’ll stay there a week or so before coming back.”
Jack had tried to erase all the miles he drove during last month, to Riverton hearing about the divorce, then to Mexico and back to Texas, and finally another day to reach his mother. His body had been shaped to the seat of his truck, Ennis said that the leather of the driver’s seat
now smelled like Jack’s own skin.
“Does Ennis know?”
“I’m going to find him soon. I’m afraid he won’t be happy to work alone for a week.”
“He should be in the barn at the moment.” Claire pointed at the old building, whose entrance she could see clearly from the window over the sink.
Walking from the house to the barn, Jack imagined two or three ways of telling Ennis he had to leave suddenly for Texas, but none seemed good. Better to let his instinct work freely, especially because Ennis seemed more at ease after the nightmare.
He called his man from the door.
“I’m currying Cigar Butt.”
Jack saw an arm moving rhythmically over the large back of the brown horse, who was eating fresh hay and seemed very happy. If only life was so simple, Jack thought, a bed, a lot of food and the attentions of the owner…horses could be luckier than men.
“I was at the phone with Lureen,” he started.
“Problems?”
“You bet! Not from her, but from LD. He wants to see me before letting Bobby come here.”
“You can leave now if you want, we’re OK here.”
“You don’t mind if I go?”
There were so many things Ennis wanted to tell him, but he was still waiting for the right moment. The embarrassment with personal matters was still a part of Ennis’ nature. They needed to be alone together and he had a place to go for that purpose. “It‘s for your boy, Jack, I don’t think you miss your wife, do you?”
“No, Ennis.” Jack smiled. With the privacy granted by the dark building they could dare something more, just a little more, with words rather than with gestures.
“Promise to drive carefully.”
“I’ll call you as soon as I get there. And you can call me, too.”
“I spoke with your wife once, only to find you in a Mexican hole.”
“I’m sorry, Ennis.”
“Jack, I trust you, especially after what happened there.”
Bobby Twist of Childress, Texas, was fascinated by the idea of the long trip, the first in his life, and the first with his father, who was treating him like a man, not a little boy like Grandpa LD often did.
At a small drugstore where they first stopped, Jack bought two new cowboy hats and belts of the same kind for them. Since then Bobby proudly wore his brand new hat every time they parked for a coffee and sandwich break and when they spent the first night in a hotel he showed the brand new belt to the wife of the owner, a fat lady who offered him a big slice of cake.
Jack was driving happily, it has been a much easier task than he imagined; Lureen seemed younger than a month ago and Jack suspected the tension between Lureen and LD when he still lived in Texas was slowly eroding her health. He was happy to see her more relaxed.
Bobby was always talking and Jack imagined he was going to continue until they reached their final destination.
Bobby had started as soon as he saw Jack’s truck approaching the gate of LD’s house; he ran as fast as he could toward his father to hug him. Jack had never imagined such a display of affection from his son, he was instead afraid he would be forgotten very quickly, thanks to LD’s patient work of making him appear to be a complete loser.
But maybe Bobby saw something else in Jack, the father who tried to play with him during the evening when all the others relatives were busy, the one who put on a band aid to protect a little scratch, the one who explained to him what was happening when their cat had kittens.
“Or maybe it was simply that Bobby was Jack’s son.”
Jack thanked God for the warm welcome from Bobby and for the second time in his life - after having committed himself to Ennis only - swore he would remain faithful to his boy, whatever it might cost. Bobby hadn’t asked to be conceived and more importantly he hadn’t chosen Jack and Lureen as parents, so he had the right to be protected from an overdose of LD Newsome.
“I had a good report card at school last time, I can read better now.”
“You need to do your homework every day, Do you have the workbook. Lureen had insisted on filling Bobby’s bag with three or four books.
“Yes, Dad, but Mrs. Fraser told me you must help me with my reading the way she taught you to do.”
Jack had met Mrs. Fraser for the first time when one of her sons bought a grass cutter for their estate. The young man asked the salesman so many questions that he called Jack for help. When Jack entered the showroom there was a lady standing near the curious customer and she was soon introduced as “Mrs. Fraser, my mother.” Mrs Fraser was a retired teacher with many years of experience with disabled students and could well understand Bobby’s problems with reading words.
In spite of Lureen and her father’s objections, Bobby started working with her twice a week with such quick results, that Jack partly missed having left Childress. Obviously the Newsomes tried to boycott the teacher, but her experience and her reputation in the whole county was more than adequate to help Bobby.
“Dad?”
“Yes, Bobby.”
“Grandpa said he wants to go to Washington, DC in August.”
“Your mother told me. It will be a long trip.”
“Longer than this?”
“I think so, Bobby.”
“How many states there are between Texas and Washington?”
Jack cursed himself for his ignorance in geography. If Bobby wanted some info about the states from Texas to DC he was the least qualified American to do so.
Looking for a way out of the trap, he pointed at a semi passing them on the other side of the road.
“Look at that big eighteen wheeler, Bobby!”
“Wow Dad, it’s so huge. How they can drive such a long thing?”
“When you’re sixteen I’ll teach you.”
“Grandpa wants to rent a big camper and we’ll sleep in it, every night. He said he’ll show me how to drive.”
Jack felt the usual rage toward his father in law, the same old attitude of buying people’s affection with gifts, and now this idea for the holidays; Bobby and his maternal grandparents together for a whole month crossing half the nation. He hoped Bobby would liked Grandma Claire and maybe want to return to Wyoming in early September, he would be very happy to drive the same road again.
TBC
Please add your opinion, thanks.
Chapter 9
Finally a new chapter, thanks for your patience.
This is the sequel to “Mexico”, ten days after its end.
Disclaimer: the talented Mrs Proulx owns the original story and characters.
Special thanks to my dear beta Carol, Sam and to Onefreetoroam for the title idea.
Thanks to all of you readers and to those who added their opinion.
///////
Jack entered the kitchen and took a chair, making it rattle loudly on the floor. Claire forgot the cake she was making for a moment, noticing that her son was very angry.
Jack had been on the phone with his wife during the last few minutes and from his occasionally raised voice Claire suspected the conversation hadn’t been so friendly.
“Bobby ’s nervous and LD uses it against me,” Jack blurted out.
“What did Lureen say?”
“Now that Bobby’s getting out of school for the summer, there are lots of problems. I should have figured that.”
The possibility of Bobby’s special visit to Lightning Flat was something Lureen had introduced the week before, during a long call when she explained to Jack LD’s project for a long holiday with Bobby. So August was out of question, Bobby could visit his father now or in early September. Jack had deeply treasured the idea of a whole week, but knowing well his in-laws he had remained vague both with his mother and Ennis; he hadn’t wanted to give Claire illusions.
Although Lureen was ready to let her boy travel north to meet his other grandparents for the first time, when LD heard about it, his reaction had been vehement. He wanted to speak personally with Jack before allowing his only grandson leave home, Lureen explained to Jack. Father and daughter had had a harsh discussion, Jack reported to his mother, in the presence of both Lureen’s mother and Bobby, who didn’t have any power in the situation.
Lureen said the boy at first was happy to see his dad sooner than expected, but since his grandfather was so used to criticizing the Twists, Bobby now imagined their home was a dark, ugly and dirty place.
“I think Lureen will give me Bobby, but I must go to Childress myself to face LD.”
“I’d rather you stayed here.”
“Me too, but if I don’t go Bobby will never meet you and LD will win another round.”
“It’s a long drive.”
“Awfully long, and I did it only a few weeks ago. I think I’ll stay there a week or so before coming back.”
Jack had tried to erase all the miles he drove during last month, to Riverton hearing about the divorce, then to Mexico and back to Texas, and finally another day to reach his mother. His body had been shaped to the seat of his truck, Ennis said that the leather of the driver’s seat
now smelled like Jack’s own skin.
“Does Ennis know?”
“I’m going to find him soon. I’m afraid he won’t be happy to work alone for a week.”
“He should be in the barn at the moment.” Claire pointed at the old building, whose entrance she could see clearly from the window over the sink.
Walking from the house to the barn, Jack imagined two or three ways of telling Ennis he had to leave suddenly for Texas, but none seemed good. Better to let his instinct work freely, especially because Ennis seemed more at ease after the nightmare.
He called his man from the door.
“I’m currying Cigar Butt.”
Jack saw an arm moving rhythmically over the large back of the brown horse, who was eating fresh hay and seemed very happy. If only life was so simple, Jack thought, a bed, a lot of food and the attentions of the owner…horses could be luckier than men.
“I was at the phone with Lureen,” he started.
“Problems?”
“You bet! Not from her, but from LD. He wants to see me before letting Bobby come here.”
“You can leave now if you want, we’re OK here.”
“You don’t mind if I go?”
There were so many things Ennis wanted to tell him, but he was still waiting for the right moment. The embarrassment with personal matters was still a part of Ennis’ nature. They needed to be alone together and he had a place to go for that purpose. “It‘s for your boy, Jack, I don’t think you miss your wife, do you?”
“No, Ennis.” Jack smiled. With the privacy granted by the dark building they could dare something more, just a little more, with words rather than with gestures.
“Promise to drive carefully.”
“I’ll call you as soon as I get there. And you can call me, too.”
“I spoke with your wife once, only to find you in a Mexican hole.”
“I’m sorry, Ennis.”
“Jack, I trust you, especially after what happened there.”
Bobby Twist of Childress, Texas, was fascinated by the idea of the long trip, the first in his life, and the first with his father, who was treating him like a man, not a little boy like Grandpa LD often did.
At a small drugstore where they first stopped, Jack bought two new cowboy hats and belts of the same kind for them. Since then Bobby proudly wore his brand new hat every time they parked for a coffee and sandwich break and when they spent the first night in a hotel he showed the brand new belt to the wife of the owner, a fat lady who offered him a big slice of cake.
Jack was driving happily, it has been a much easier task than he imagined; Lureen seemed younger than a month ago and Jack suspected the tension between Lureen and LD when he still lived in Texas was slowly eroding her health. He was happy to see her more relaxed.
Bobby was always talking and Jack imagined he was going to continue until they reached their final destination.
Bobby had started as soon as he saw Jack’s truck approaching the gate of LD’s house; he ran as fast as he could toward his father to hug him. Jack had never imagined such a display of affection from his son, he was instead afraid he would be forgotten very quickly, thanks to LD’s patient work of making him appear to be a complete loser.
But maybe Bobby saw something else in Jack, the father who tried to play with him during the evening when all the others relatives were busy, the one who put on a band aid to protect a little scratch, the one who explained to him what was happening when their cat had kittens.
“Or maybe it was simply that Bobby was Jack’s son.”
Jack thanked God for the warm welcome from Bobby and for the second time in his life - after having committed himself to Ennis only - swore he would remain faithful to his boy, whatever it might cost. Bobby hadn’t asked to be conceived and more importantly he hadn’t chosen Jack and Lureen as parents, so he had the right to be protected from an overdose of LD Newsome.
“I had a good report card at school last time, I can read better now.”
“You need to do your homework every day, Do you have the workbook. Lureen had insisted on filling Bobby’s bag with three or four books.
“Yes, Dad, but Mrs. Fraser told me you must help me with my reading the way she taught you to do.”
Jack had met Mrs. Fraser for the first time when one of her sons bought a grass cutter for their estate. The young man asked the salesman so many questions that he called Jack for help. When Jack entered the showroom there was a lady standing near the curious customer and she was soon introduced as “Mrs. Fraser, my mother.” Mrs Fraser was a retired teacher with many years of experience with disabled students and could well understand Bobby’s problems with reading words.
In spite of Lureen and her father’s objections, Bobby started working with her twice a week with such quick results, that Jack partly missed having left Childress. Obviously the Newsomes tried to boycott the teacher, but her experience and her reputation in the whole county was more than adequate to help Bobby.
“Dad?”
“Yes, Bobby.”
“Grandpa said he wants to go to Washington, DC in August.”
“Your mother told me. It will be a long trip.”
“Longer than this?”
“I think so, Bobby.”
“How many states there are between Texas and Washington?”
Jack cursed himself for his ignorance in geography. If Bobby wanted some info about the states from Texas to DC he was the least qualified American to do so.
Looking for a way out of the trap, he pointed at a semi passing them on the other side of the road.
“Look at that big eighteen wheeler, Bobby!”
“Wow Dad, it’s so huge. How they can drive such a long thing?”
“When you’re sixteen I’ll teach you.”
“Grandpa wants to rent a big camper and we’ll sleep in it, every night. He said he’ll show me how to drive.”
Jack felt the usual rage toward his father in law, the same old attitude of buying people’s affection with gifts, and now this idea for the holidays; Bobby and his maternal grandparents together for a whole month crossing half the nation. He hoped Bobby would liked Grandma Claire and maybe want to return to Wyoming in early September, he would be very happy to drive the same road again.
TBC
Please add your opinion, thanks.