Leaving Wyoming
I am so happy, that so many of you still like to read Jack and Ennis stories. I love reading and writing them too. Thanks a lot to all of you for reading and all your friendy comments. That means really much to me.
Next chapter is Jack’s POV - with one exception.
You can read what happens when Jack realizes that it is Ennis who has come to apply for the foreman job.
Leaving Wyoming Chapter 2
Jack left the city and drove back to the ranch. Peter told him there was another candidate to interview for Peter’s position. So far there wasn’t anyone that appealed to either one of them. Jack didn’t mind if it meant Peter would stay a little while longer.
To be honest he didn’t know how he would manage without Peter. When he bought the rundown ranch two years ago, it was Peter who stood by him through his most difficult decisions. Peter was of a mind that Jack could easily run the ranch by himself. But Jack saw more than just a foreman in Peter; he had become a fatherly friend to Jack, and Jack could blindly depend on him.
Jack turned into the driveway of his ranch and parked his truck next to an old pickup.
“Aha, another one, I’m curious what this one is like.”
He stepped out of his vehicle and looked towards the veranda. They were already drinking coffee. He saw his mother serve the coffee to a blond man sitting next to Peter.
Looks something like Ennis, he thought as he headed for the veranda.
The man looked in his direction.
Is it possible I’m in need of glasses? He slowed his steps. The resemblance is unnervingly puzzling - No! - It is Ennis. He stopped. That couldn’t be, what was this? Ennis drinking coffee with his mom and Peter on his veranda,
I must be losing my mind, Jack thought as he slowly approached the porch.
Ennis had gotten up and Jack walked directly towards him.
Peter said, “Hello Jack, I’d like to introduce Mr. Del …” He didn’t go on as Jack stopped right in front of Ennis and said,
“Ennis, what the hell…?”
Peter was confused and looked from one to the other. “You two know each other?” he asked and Jack just nodded and let himself fall into a chair.
No one spoke a word. The silence stretched out, crackling with anticipation.
Ennis sat back down; at this minute he wished himself miles away.
“We herded sheep together on Brokeback Mountain in 1963,” Jack answered Peter’s question into the stillness. Peter and Jack’s mother looked at each other.
Peter got up and said, “I’ll just get back to work then.”
Jack’s mom said she still had a lot to take care of. Jack nodded and they both vanished.
They sat across from each other in silence. Jack watched Ennis.
He hasn’t changed at all, he still looks outrageously good, probably can’t save himself from all the women, he thought. He’s not looking away, that’s new.
“You applied for the foreman job, is it a coincidence why you’re here?” he asked, and Ennis only nodded.
“You’re not very talkative, but that’s nothing new.” Jack laughed.
“Should I go? I mean the interview was for a foreman; anyway it was an idea of a coworker of mine. And that I would meet you here? I didn’t know you’re the rancher,” Ennis said and stood up.
Jack stopped laughing. He placed his hand on Ennis’s arm and looked at him seriously.
“I’m sorry Ennis, my behavior was appalling. I think this situation has not quite grown on me; I have to get back my bearings.”
Ennis nodded and said, “Me too.”
“How about a ride, I’ll show you the ranch?” Jack asked.
Ennis answered, “Good idea.”
Ennis followed Jack to the horses’ stalls, and they saddled both horses. There was silence between them, but the silence was no longer tense; each one was preoccupied with his own thoughts.
Jack showed Ennis the pasture and when they came to the fence line, Ennis could see it was in good condition.
Jack pointed to a parcel of land adjoining his and said, “I was offered the chance to buy it, what do you think?”
“It depends,” Ennis said. “Is it as productive as your land, or is it only the question of the price if you want to expand?”
Jack nodded.
“This is a question, if I can afford it; it’s only a small ranch. I work mostly with seasonal workers; besides Peter there is only one permanent man. I think, I have no other options. The ranch needs to grow and the price is still fairly affordable.”
On their way back to the main house they came upon a big cabin.
“Let’s talk,” Jack said
They dismounted and Jack sat down on a small bench in front of the cabin; Ennis sat down beside him.
“You became hard, Jack,” Ennis said, and Jack looked at him surprised for starting the conversation.
“Is it a wonder to you?” he asked. “After that futile drive to you after your divorce, I had a choice; to continue the same way, then I would have drank myself to death for sure; or eradicate and separate myself from my former life. If I didn’t have my mother and Peter I wouldn’t be here now. But that is a long story; maybe I’ll tell it to you some day.”
Both were silent; after a while Ennis spoke. “Once you were gone, I blamed myself for days. You left so fast and the kids were there.”
“Clear enough,” Jack said, “you couldn’t do anything because of the kids, because of Alma, because of Earl and Rich or all the other people. As it became clear to me, nothing was going to change even after the divorce. I fell into a hole and nearly didn’t come back out. I don’t blame you Ennis, you couldn’t shed your skin, but I could not go on the same way.”
“And, what did you do, Ennis?” Jack asked after a pause.
“I waited for you at the cabin at Pine Creek and when you didn’t show up, I drove home and after a few days called you at Childress.”
“You called me?” Jack asked in disbelief.
“Yes, and I spoke with Lureen, she told me you were somewhere in Vermont or Pennsylvania and had asked her for a divorce.”
Jack asked Ennis, wonderingly, “Is this the reason you’re here?”
“Me?” Ennis avoided looking at Jack. “No idea, I worked on different jobs, moved around a lot.”
One thing’s for certain he hasn’t changed, Jack thought, he still talks as little as before.
“Do you really want to work here?”
“I don’t know yet, first I have to get my head back straight again.”
Jack nodded.
There was still much to talk about, but both felt tired and they sat quietly next to each other. The midday sun shone on their faces and Ennis suddenly inhaled Jack’s well-remembered familiar scent.
The bench was small and they sat close enough together for their shoulders to slightly touch.
Jack said, that they should return home.
Ennis and Jack stood up and as if by a secret code they fell into each other’s arms. Holding each other in a tight embrace, they rocked slowly back and forth. Jack felt Ennis’s heartbeat against his and a piece of the armor he had built around himself for the past two years broke and fell away.
And Ennis thought, I’ve been searching for you the entire time.
After a short time Jack moved out of the embrace and asked Ennis if he would join them for dinner. Ennis thought about the canned food he’d eaten most of the time and only the rancher’s cat for company; he nodded yes.
The evening meal they ate on the veranda, shared with Jack’s mom and Peter.
Ennis felt comfortable in their circle. Since he had to get up very early in the morning, he said his goodbyes before it really got too dark.
Jack’s mom asked Ennis if he would like to join them on Saturday for dinner.
Ennis answered he had to work until the afternoon, and didn’t say yes or no to the invitation.
Jack accompanied Ennis to his truck and said to him, “It would make me happy if you would come Saturday after work.”
“Yes, I will come,” Ennis said, and in spite of Jack’s friendliness he felt a certain distance.
Tbc
Next chapter is Jack’s POV - with one exception.
You can read what happens when Jack realizes that it is Ennis who has come to apply for the foreman job.
Leaving Wyoming Chapter 2
Jack left the city and drove back to the ranch. Peter told him there was another candidate to interview for Peter’s position. So far there wasn’t anyone that appealed to either one of them. Jack didn’t mind if it meant Peter would stay a little while longer.
To be honest he didn’t know how he would manage without Peter. When he bought the rundown ranch two years ago, it was Peter who stood by him through his most difficult decisions. Peter was of a mind that Jack could easily run the ranch by himself. But Jack saw more than just a foreman in Peter; he had become a fatherly friend to Jack, and Jack could blindly depend on him.
Jack turned into the driveway of his ranch and parked his truck next to an old pickup.
“Aha, another one, I’m curious what this one is like.”
He stepped out of his vehicle and looked towards the veranda. They were already drinking coffee. He saw his mother serve the coffee to a blond man sitting next to Peter.
Looks something like Ennis, he thought as he headed for the veranda.
The man looked in his direction.
Is it possible I’m in need of glasses? He slowed his steps. The resemblance is unnervingly puzzling - No! - It is Ennis. He stopped. That couldn’t be, what was this? Ennis drinking coffee with his mom and Peter on his veranda,
I must be losing my mind, Jack thought as he slowly approached the porch.
Ennis had gotten up and Jack walked directly towards him.
Peter said, “Hello Jack, I’d like to introduce Mr. Del …” He didn’t go on as Jack stopped right in front of Ennis and said,
“Ennis, what the hell…?”
Peter was confused and looked from one to the other. “You two know each other?” he asked and Jack just nodded and let himself fall into a chair.
No one spoke a word. The silence stretched out, crackling with anticipation.
Ennis sat back down; at this minute he wished himself miles away.
“We herded sheep together on Brokeback Mountain in 1963,” Jack answered Peter’s question into the stillness. Peter and Jack’s mother looked at each other.
Peter got up and said, “I’ll just get back to work then.”
Jack’s mom said she still had a lot to take care of. Jack nodded and they both vanished.
They sat across from each other in silence. Jack watched Ennis.
He hasn’t changed at all, he still looks outrageously good, probably can’t save himself from all the women, he thought. He’s not looking away, that’s new.
“You applied for the foreman job, is it a coincidence why you’re here?” he asked, and Ennis only nodded.
“You’re not very talkative, but that’s nothing new.” Jack laughed.
“Should I go? I mean the interview was for a foreman; anyway it was an idea of a coworker of mine. And that I would meet you here? I didn’t know you’re the rancher,” Ennis said and stood up.
Jack stopped laughing. He placed his hand on Ennis’s arm and looked at him seriously.
“I’m sorry Ennis, my behavior was appalling. I think this situation has not quite grown on me; I have to get back my bearings.”
Ennis nodded and said, “Me too.”
“How about a ride, I’ll show you the ranch?” Jack asked.
Ennis answered, “Good idea.”
Ennis followed Jack to the horses’ stalls, and they saddled both horses. There was silence between them, but the silence was no longer tense; each one was preoccupied with his own thoughts.
Jack showed Ennis the pasture and when they came to the fence line, Ennis could see it was in good condition.
Jack pointed to a parcel of land adjoining his and said, “I was offered the chance to buy it, what do you think?”
“It depends,” Ennis said. “Is it as productive as your land, or is it only the question of the price if you want to expand?”
Jack nodded.
“This is a question, if I can afford it; it’s only a small ranch. I work mostly with seasonal workers; besides Peter there is only one permanent man. I think, I have no other options. The ranch needs to grow and the price is still fairly affordable.”
On their way back to the main house they came upon a big cabin.
“Let’s talk,” Jack said
They dismounted and Jack sat down on a small bench in front of the cabin; Ennis sat down beside him.
“You became hard, Jack,” Ennis said, and Jack looked at him surprised for starting the conversation.
“Is it a wonder to you?” he asked. “After that futile drive to you after your divorce, I had a choice; to continue the same way, then I would have drank myself to death for sure; or eradicate and separate myself from my former life. If I didn’t have my mother and Peter I wouldn’t be here now. But that is a long story; maybe I’ll tell it to you some day.”
Both were silent; after a while Ennis spoke. “Once you were gone, I blamed myself for days. You left so fast and the kids were there.”
“Clear enough,” Jack said, “you couldn’t do anything because of the kids, because of Alma, because of Earl and Rich or all the other people. As it became clear to me, nothing was going to change even after the divorce. I fell into a hole and nearly didn’t come back out. I don’t blame you Ennis, you couldn’t shed your skin, but I could not go on the same way.”
“And, what did you do, Ennis?” Jack asked after a pause.
“I waited for you at the cabin at Pine Creek and when you didn’t show up, I drove home and after a few days called you at Childress.”
“You called me?” Jack asked in disbelief.
“Yes, and I spoke with Lureen, she told me you were somewhere in Vermont or Pennsylvania and had asked her for a divorce.”
Jack asked Ennis, wonderingly, “Is this the reason you’re here?”
“Me?” Ennis avoided looking at Jack. “No idea, I worked on different jobs, moved around a lot.”
One thing’s for certain he hasn’t changed, Jack thought, he still talks as little as before.
“Do you really want to work here?”
“I don’t know yet, first I have to get my head back straight again.”
Jack nodded.
There was still much to talk about, but both felt tired and they sat quietly next to each other. The midday sun shone on their faces and Ennis suddenly inhaled Jack’s well-remembered familiar scent.
The bench was small and they sat close enough together for their shoulders to slightly touch.
Jack said, that they should return home.
Ennis and Jack stood up and as if by a secret code they fell into each other’s arms. Holding each other in a tight embrace, they rocked slowly back and forth. Jack felt Ennis’s heartbeat against his and a piece of the armor he had built around himself for the past two years broke and fell away.
And Ennis thought, I’ve been searching for you the entire time.
After a short time Jack moved out of the embrace and asked Ennis if he would join them for dinner. Ennis thought about the canned food he’d eaten most of the time and only the rancher’s cat for company; he nodded yes.
The evening meal they ate on the veranda, shared with Jack’s mom and Peter.
Ennis felt comfortable in their circle. Since he had to get up very early in the morning, he said his goodbyes before it really got too dark.
Jack’s mom asked Ennis if he would like to join them on Saturday for dinner.
Ennis answered he had to work until the afternoon, and didn’t say yes or no to the invitation.
Jack accompanied Ennis to his truck and said to him, “It would make me happy if you would come Saturday after work.”
“Yes, I will come,” Ennis said, and in spite of Jack’s friendliness he felt a certain distance.
Tbc