The Dance: Chapter 14 - Against the Wind
Genre & Rating: Canon/AU, R for cursing.
Disclaimer: Jack and Ennis were created by the Great and Mighty Annie Proulx. I'm just the dude behind the yellow curtain working the lights and using the Big Voice microphone.
Summary: This is the continuation of The Package, and takes place after Ennis and Alma's divorce. Ennis has moved to Kansas and is trying to find a way for him and Jack to be together. The road is bumpy and uneven but each small step brings both Jack and Ennis closer to the dance.
Thanks: To my rock
poppyhoney_67and my roll
fizzerbass. You gals really came through for me. Thanks so much for your betaness.
A/N: Sorry guys, I know this is feeling like tantric slash. The next chapter will be rated for explicit content, I promise. Thanks for sticking with me.
The Dance: Chapter 14 - Against the Wind
Against the Wind
(Bob Seger)
….The years rolled slowly past
And I found myself alone
Surrounded by strangers I thought were my friends
Found myself further and further from my home
I guess I lost my way
There were oh so many roads
I was living to run and running to live
Never worrying about paying or even how much I owed
Moving eight miles a minute for months at a time
Breaking all of the rules that we bent
Began to find myself searching
Searching for shelter again and again
Against the wind
I was running against the wind
I found myself seeking shelter
Against the wind
But those drifter's days are past me now
I've got so much more to think about
Deadlines and commitments
What to leave in, what to leave out
Against the wind
I'm still running against the wind
Well I'm older now but still running
Against the wind
<><><><><><><><>
Although mucking out stalls wasn’t the best smelling job in the world, it gave Ennis a chance to enjoy some peace and quiet. The sound of a rake dragging against straw, the shifting of horses, the smell of leather and old wood, all fit him as snugly as his favourite pair of work gloves. This simple task signaled the beginning and the ending of so many of his days, year after year of gathering up soiled straw and laying down fresh; it was a comfort to ease into the familiar.
Kinda like when he stretched out on the couch last night and listened to his sister Missy naggin’ in his ear. Holy shit, that woman could cut shoe leather with her words, they were that sharp. Couldn’t blame her, though. He’d been neglectful, plain and simple, and seein’ the wrong he done Jack all these years opened his eyes to the fact he had a lotta ground to make up with some folk. He figured him and Missy built a few bridges last night and into the early hours of the morning. God knows how in the hell he was gonna pay that damn phone bill.
Although worrying about the phone bill didn’t stop him from feeling a twinge of disappointment when he looked at the clock after hanging up with his sister and realized it was too late to call Childress. Didn’t even know he was planning to call Jack until he realized he couldn’t do it. Every single minute away from that man was beginning to weigh on him heavy. He was starting to think he was like one of them vampires, look in the mirror and don’t see nobody there, no one he recognized anyways. Although…ain’t such a bad thing, was it? To be the kind a man who reached out to people? Or even…to be the kind a man people reached out to? Jack was that kind a man, and Ennis considered it a step in the right direction if a few of Jack’s colours were bleedin’ into his own.
The sound of someone clearing her throat startled him out of his thoughts.
“What the….”
“Well, it’s about time. Been tapping my foot and huffing like a train engine waiting for you to stop your daydreaming.”
“Well, shit, Janie, how come you gotta sneak up on me like that? Don’t you know how to say hey like normal people?”
Janie’s nostrils flared but she seemed to be biting her lip, obviously refusing to rise to the bait. Ennis stifled a flicker of disappointment; his day wasn’t complete without doing a few rounds with Miss Hoity-Toity.
“I wasn’t sneaking up on you, you were too busy woolgathering to hear me when I walked in the door. When I noticed you were preoccupied, I waited politely until I could catch your attention, instead of stomping around like water buffaloes like you and Nicky always do.”
“Now, Janie, Nick and I ain’t noisy all the time. Why, you never even heard us sneak into your stash a butterscotch brownies the other day,” he said with a smirk.
“Oh no you didn’t!” Janie hissed, her eyes narrowed to little green slits.
“Oh yes, we did. They was so fresh we had to wipe steam offa the Tupperware lid!” he crowed.
“Ennis Del Mar, you’re such a…how can you…” Janie sputtered. Ennis watched with satisfaction as her ears turned red. “You and Nicky are both big fat…,” Janie’s arms were now flapping around, “…big…fat…dummies!” She pointed at Ennis triumphantly, her expression indicating he should be impressed she’d managed to track down and fire out the word she’d been hunting for despite extreme provocation.
He quirked a brow and hid his smile by turning his back pointedly and falling back to his task. Mission accomplished. He heard Janie rustling behind him then the familiar swish of a horse being groomed with gusto.
“You’re both worse than a coupla delinquents, the way you go on.”
He figured Janie wasn’t expecting no comment, so he just shrugged and kept raking.
“Wouldn’t put up with it if...Nicky wasn’t so…”
He heard the brush against Brego’s mane slow down.
“Having you ‘round, it’s good for him.” Janie said, her tone flat. He stopped short, turning around to peer at her above the stall.
“You don’t sound too happy about that.”
“I am…I’m happy he’s doing better.” Janie’s eyes were focused on her hands as they played idly with Brego’s mane, “Just that, I wish I could do more for him. Seems he’s happiest being around the other vets or sneaking goodies with you.”
He put the rake away carefully, buying himself some time. He knew there was something here that needed tending and he’d best be careful of his footing.
“Listen here. You done real good with him.”
“That so?”
“Sure. Don’t ya remember a few nights ago, I left you both hooting and hollering over that game a Kerplunk.”
Janie’s bottle green eyes were still clouded over, the sediment inside them still unsettled.
“I s’pose,” she replied, unconvinced.
“Janie, he’s lost his way. Between the war and the worries over the ranch and, pardon me for saying, losing Jesse, he’s stepped off the trail somewhere and he’s havin’ a tough time finding his bearings.”
“I know it. But,” Janie’s lips and her voice trembled, “you don’t hear him at night. It’s…it’s real bad, Ennis, the way he goes on in his sleep.” Ennis was still separated from Janie by two horses and their stalls, but he could feel her reaching out to him, she seemed so small. “And I just gotta take it cause he locks his door at night, don’t want me going in there. I did that once and, oh my god, Ennis if he hadn’t already given me all the bullets in the house earlier that day, he would have killed me dead. Grabbed up the shotgun from the front hall, shouting about getting down, pointed it right at me and pulled the trigger.”
“Sweet Jesus.”
Janie wiped her eyes against Brego’s mane, did it in such a way that Ennis knew her tears had fallen on Nick’s horse many a time in the past.
“Yes, I know, he didn’t recognize me at all. And, truth be told, if I didn’t know he was my brother, I’d have thought some crazy man’d broken into my home. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hold it against him. I know it’s the war that’s messed him up. But I wish…I wish…”she cried brokenly, “I wish I knew what to do to help him. To fix him.”
Ennis had to fight against the age-old instinct to quote his father. To hell with “if you can’t fix it, you gotta stand it.” Some things were worth fixing.
“You listen to me good now, little lady. Your brother is fucked up every which way, no doubt about that. But you’re the one giving him something to live for. You.” He pointed at her deliberately. “Ain’t no home for him except here with you. Sure, he’s shed a lotta blood, probably caused some bloodshed to others, too. But he don’t share blood with no one else but you.” Ennis leaned forward slightly, making sure Janie’s eyes were on him. “That means you give him someone to belong to. No matter what or who he’s lost, he’s got you. Some don’t even have that. Hear me?”
Janie nodded ruefully, wiping her eyes. “Yeah, I hear. Even when you’re trying to be a comfort, you’re bossy.”
“Hell, what’s this about bein’ a comfort? Ain’t no way you’d get that from me,” he scoffed, although he knew it was just for show. “Just tellin’ it like it is.”
“Oh you don’t fool me, Ennis Del Mar,” Janie replied, with a shy smile.
“Same goes, little lady,” he answered quickly, pretending to brush a piece of straw from Shadowfax’s flank. For once, the silence between them was easy.
“Oh yes, well, that reminds me of the original reason I came out here in the first place. You got any plans for Christmas? You going up to Riverton?”
“Well, was gonna ask you about that. Wanted to take a few days off so’s I could spend Christmas Eve with the girls and maybe take ‘em out Christmas Day for a bit. Give Alma time to finish her baking before she and the girls gotta head out to her sister’s.”
“Oh sure, Ennis, take all the time you want around Christmas. Was wondering, though, if you’d keep an eye on things after Christmas so’s Nick and I could head down to California.”
California? Why in the hell would anyone want to go to California? Heard them goddamn hippies were prancing around butt naked and barefoot down there.
“Yeah, umm, I ain’t never been, but that’s where Jesse’s foster parents are. Everything happened so fast between him and me, and, of course, after Viet Nam…,” her voice wavered only slightly before continuing. “Well I gotta call from Jesse’s foster parents the other day, saying they never had a chance to get to know me and Nicky before Jesse died but it was never too late to meet family. Figured, it might be nice to get away for a bit, especially after the holidays. I’m thinking…this is something Jesse would have wanted, you know? Something I could do for him.”
Ennis was struck, not for the first time, at the strength of this young woman in front of him. She could be a downright harridan once riled but she was fair-minded, too, and far from weak. He realized she reminded him a little bit of Missy and shuddered at what kind of trouble that meant for him.
“Sure enough. All’s I gotta do while you’re gone is keep an eye on the horses, since the Riding School’s on break until New Year’s. I can handle things back here.”
Janie breathed a sigh of relief. “Great! That’s…that’s great, Ennis. I wanted to have everything squared away with you before I talked to Nicky about this. Now he ain’t got any reason not to come along.”
She walked out of Brego’s stall and started to make her way out of the barn.
“Janie!” Ennis called out, then regretted it instantly. What was he thinking? They’re gonna be gone, you dumbass, you don’t even have to say one little word about this. But still, this was their property and maybe he’d have a place here once all things were known if he was as honest as possible right from the get go.
She turned back around, quirking her head curiously.
“Umm…okay with you if…” he cursed the fact that suddenly his tongue felt like it was the size of a football. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Any problem if a…friend…a mine come by to visit while y’all are gone? He lives down in Childress but he’s visiting his folks up in Lightning Flat after Christmas. Thought maybe he could swing by here, maybe stay the n-night on his way back home.”
“Oh sure, of course. You don’t gotta ask about stuff like that, your family and friends are welcome any time. Actually, I was gonna suggest you bring your girls here for the rest of Christmas break if you want company while we’re gone.”
“Naww, I couldn’t do that to Alma, this bein’ so soon after the divorce. She’s been real generous, not standing in the way between me and the girls.”
“Figured so. Well, good to know you’re gonna have some company at least after Christmas. I know you ain’t that sociable on account a your terrible manners,” she didn’t even bother to hide the insincerity of her dig, “but I’d feel like a Scrooge if I chained you to the barn over the holidays.”
“Well, then,” he said drily, “if you’re so concerned about feeling stingy, maybe you’d give Nick and me a clue about where you hid them snickerdoodles you made up the other day.”
Janie actually growled before turning on her heel with a huff of frustration, marching to the barn door with her nose in the air. Ennis was so busy chuckling he almost didn’t see her stop at the doorway, turn her head slightly and say in a frosty voice, “And have you both getting cookie crumbs all over my sewing basket? No, thank you.”
He slapped his forehead. Sewing basket! Of course! He hurried out the back door of the barn, hoping to beat Janie to the house before she became grumpy again and moved the snickerdoodles to another location.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
Jack winced when Lureen’s bony elbow nudged him awake for the third time in a half hour.
“Will ya quit that?” he hissed.
“Only if you quit snoring!” Lureen whispered back. “Actually, I’d prefer it if you were sleeping, because then you’re not huffing and puffing like a steam engine itching to get out of the station. But the snoring is embarrassing me and will most likely embarrass our son once he catches wind of it.”
Jack shifted in his seat irritably, arms crossed tight across his chest. How many versions of Twelve Days of Christmas were there? And did they have to sing all twelve verses in that damn song? Too bad they couldn’t get up and leave as soon as Bobby finished his bit, but that would’ve been impolite and Lureen was all about keeping up appearances. At least Bobby’s part went well; he was suitably grumpy when he declared “There is no room for you in the inn!” Each word was enunciated precisely and with great emphasis. Jack had released the breath he was holding as soon as Bobby finished, giving Bobby encouraging nods and wide smiles as he left the stage.
“Oh thank God,” Lureen muttered.
“Huh?”
“They’ve just done five gold rings for the twelfth time.”
With glee, Jack and Lureen joined the rest of the audience in singing, “…And a partridge in a pear tree!” They stood up with the rest of the relieved parents to clap and cheer for the schoolchildren as they survived yet another Christmas concert.
Jack and Lureen decided to stay put and let Bobby find them instead of running around in circles trying to find each other. The school gym was utter chaos and he figured they had a bit of a wait before Bobby could get to them; he barely stifled another yawn before considering whether he should just sit back down and take another nap. Although the evil gleam in Lureen’s eye told him she knew what he was thinking and she’d probably kick his chair out from under him if he attempted it.
“Jack!” hailed a familiar voice. What is it with this guy? Just moved into the neighbourhood a month ago and seemed like he was everywhere Jack turned. He gave Lureen a grimace before putting on his salesman smile and holding his hand out in the direction of the voice.
“Randall! Hi! I didn’t know you were here tonight.” Jack tried not to wince when Randall pumped his hand up and down eagerly.
“Of course we’d be here! Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” exclaimed a petite blonde woman standing beside Randall. “Even though we ain’t got any kids yet, it’s always a good idea to support the school community. Why, Randall and I, we recognized so many children from our street alone. That was your Bobby as the innkeeper, wasn’t it? He certainly did a fine job, a fine job. You must be so proud of him. And wasn’t it the Henderson’s girl who had the solo part in I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing? Sang like an angel didn’t she? Although that song always makes me so thirsty, doesn’t it, and my name’s LaShawn by the way, LaShawn Malone. Randall, you silly thing, aren’t you going to introduce me?”
Jack wondered what nightmare he’d wandered into, what with the endless Christmas carols he’d just endured, and now this chipper little thing who’s lung capacity must be better than Jacques Cousteau’s.
“Jack Twist, this here’s my wife LaShawn,” Randall said almost apologetically. He shook her hand gingerly, keeping a close eye on her pert little nose, fully expecting her to start twitching it before turning him into a tree she could peck at.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am. Come meet my wife, Lureen, I’m sure you have a lot in common.” He ignored the pointed glare given to him by his wife. That should teach you to stick your bony elbows into a man while he’s trying to have a nap.
“Well, goodness me, don’t you look just like that Farrah Fawcett from them Wella Balsam Shampoo commercials. It’s so nice to meet you, although our husbands don’t have a lick of sense between them, do they? Considering we’re neighbours and all, you’d think the men would’ve found a way to get us together before now.”
“Neighbours?” Lureen asked blankly.
“Uh, sorry, Lureen. The Malones moved in about a month ago, into the Powers’ old house. Ran into Randall…uh…” His mind hiccupped when he realized the last time he saw Randall was last week at the truck stop when he’d gone for coffee with Ennis.
“Last week, at the truck stop outta town,” finished Randall. “Miss Debra makes the best cup a coffee and rhubarb and custard pie in the whole state of Texas, ain’t that right, Jack?”
“S..sure..sure enough,” Jack agreed faintly.
“Oh yes, that’s when you were coming back from your business trip, right, honey? You told me how surprised you were to see Jack and his friend all the way outta town when there’s a Dunkin Donuts just a block away from our street,” LaShawn said, her brows knitting together in curiousity.
Jack felt all the air come out of his lungs when he saw Lureen’s spine stiffen out of the corner of his eye. He turned to her instinctively, denial flying quick to his lips, then mentally gave his head a shake, knowing he and Ennis had done nothing wrong by going out for a cup of coffee on a Sunday morning. Who the hell cared where they went for coffee; it was nobody’s business but their own.
“I hope I didn’t do anything to upset your friend, Jack. He lit out pretty fast after I flagged you down, didn’t even wait around for introductions. Didn’t mean to cut short whatever you two were doin' up there,” said Randall, giving Jack and Lureen an insincere smile that Jack itched to wipe off his face. He couldn’t figure out what Randall was insinuating, but it was clear from his tone of voice that he thought he was stirring up trouble.
“Oh that’s Ennis for you,” Lureen said brightly, injecting affection in her tone. She gave Jack a quick smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes. “He’s a shy one, ain’t he? Why, in all the years you and him have been best buddies, I don’t think I ever heard him say more’n a half a dozen words. And didn’t I tell you he’d love Miss Debra’s rhubarb pie?”
Jack barely managed to hide his surprise at Lureen jumping in like this.“Yeah, yeah you told me, alright.”
“Well then, it was worth the drive, just like I said it would be. No wonder y’all been friends for so long, you both got a sweet tooth a mile long.” Lureen chuckled briefly before leaning towards LaShawn. “I tell you, girl, I used to bake chocolate chip cookies for Jack and Ennis to take up on their fishing trips but now I just get them a bag a Chips Ahoy cause the way they gobble them cookies down, I swear they can barely taste them!”
The awkward moment was diffused by the ensuing forced laughter and the sound of Bobby calling out to his parents.
“Mom! Dad! I did it!” exclaimed Bobby enthusiastically, giving first Lureen, then Jack a relieved hug.
“That you did, Son. But tomorrow’s still a school day, so we’d best get you home to bed. Excuse us, Randall, Lashawn,” Jack said quickly, whisking Lureen and Bobby out of the school gym and away from the Malones probing eyes.
He'd just gotten Bobby settled in and was opening the door for Lureen when she leaned forward and whispered, "I ain't a fool, Jack. And I ain't gonna be made to look like one. I got my pride."
Jack reached back and gently guided her in front of him, holding on to her elbow as if to help her to her seat. It was his turn to lean forward, breathing in her familiar scent of hairspray and White Shoulders perfume. Before she could bend down to get in the car, he whispered low in her ear,"No one would ever mistake you for a fool, Lureen. Least of all me. But somewhere along the way I got beaten down, darlin', and I'm just trying to figure out where I belong. I got my pride, too."
Lureen was quiet on the ride home, although the vibes she was giving off were more thoughtful than mad. Still, Jack was thankful of Bobby’s incessant chatter. There was no point denying Jack was unnerved by his exchange with Lureen or the way Randall’s eyes had looked him up and down when he’d talked about Miss Debra’s rhubarb pie. He’d seen that hungy look before, probably gave off that look a time or two himself. Well, it would be a cold day in hell before Randall Malone got a piece of Jack Twist, and that’s the truth, cause Jack was well and truly spoken for and had no interest in anyone else but his long, lean, barely-smiling cowboy.
The ringing of the phone greeted them as soon they walked in the front door. Jack glanced at his watch, wondering who’d be calling them after nine o’clock on a weekday. He went to hang up his coat in the front closet as Lureen rushed to answer the phone.
“Hello? Who? Oh yes, Ennis Del Mar, of course I remember you,” Lureen answered, her tone slightly higher than sub-zero. She glared at Jack and covered the mouthpiece before whispering sarcastically, “How can I forget? He’s all anybody talks about around here.”
Jack rolled his eyes and reached out to grab the phone from Lureen before being shoved out of the way.
“Did you say Ennis, Mama? Mr. Ennis? Oh I gotta tell him about my concert!” Bobby shouted, squeezing past Jack to get at the phone.
“Hold on there, Son. I’m sure Mr. Ennis don’t wanna talk…” began Lureen hurriedly but was brought up short by whatever Ennis said on the other line. “Oh…you…you do? Oh that’s…yes…we just got home from it, as a matter a fact. Yes, really well, but maybe I should let him….” Jack watched with amazement as Lureen gave a reluctant smile, her tone warming. “Why, thank you, I’m so glad they enjoyed them. Well them cookies were my Mama’s recipe but I sure don’t mind writing…yes…sure thing. Here’s Bobby then…Merry Christmas to you too, Ennis,” she said faintly, handing the phone over to Bobby.
“Mr. Ennis?” Bobby said into the phone excitedly. “I remembered my line! Yes I did! I did exactly as you said, just concentrated on Mama and Daddy in the audience and forgot about everyone else. I didn’t even get messed up when Eddie, the guy that was playing the donkey, stepped on my toe on the way to the stable.” He nodded at Lureen when she signaled for him to end the phone call. “Yeah, you were right about that, they looked real proud. Sure thing, Mr. Ennis…”
Jack finally got fed up and reached for the receiver as Bobby began to talk faster, turning away to keep the phone out of reach. “Okay, I gotta go to bed but I wanna know when you’re coming to…Okay Dad!” Bobby directed the last to Jack who was now tugging on the chord. “My Daddy wants me to…yeah…Merry Christmas then,” Bobby said, handing the phone over to Jack reluctantly.
Lureen gave Jack a measured look before ushering Bobby away quickly, allowing Jack privacy as he finally lifted the receiver to his ear.
“Hey, Ennis.”
“Hey, Jack,” answered the deep voice that gave Jack an instant hard-on. He was like that Incredible Hulk character from Bobby’s comic books. Just the sound of Ennis’s voice had him practically busting out of his clothes. Well, his pants, at least.
“Let me tell you, friend. Never in a million years would I have predicted you’d be calling me up here in Childress, Texas and swapping recipes with my wife.” The chuckle that came from the other end of the line sent an electric current of lust down his spine.
“Guess a lot’s changed.”
“That it has, bud,” he agreed.
“All these years…ain’t never talked on the phone till now.”
He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, suddenly boneless. All these years…weeks and months and endless days of emptiness broken only by a short taste. A brief glimpse of how it could be, meager images through a tent flap that refused to be tied down despite the wind that threatened to shake it.
“Bud?” Ennis asked.
“This is…” he started, but words failed him. How do you describe being woken up from a long-standing dream, only to find reality so much better than what you expected?
“I know, bud, I know,” said Ennis, in a voice so soft Jack felt the whisper of it against his cheek. He heard Ennis take a few deep breaths, and was relieved to know he wasn’t the only one affected by this moment. “Listen, uh, reason why I called is…after Christmas.”
His knee began to jiggle, already expecting the worst. He knew it. Ennis wasn’t just calling to say hey. “You cancelling on that coffee you promised me after Christmas? That what this is about?”
“Well…sorta…”
“Dammit, Ennis…”
“There ya go, Jack fucking Twist, always expecting the worst.”
“Let me tell ya, friend, I got years of experience putting up with a wet blanket like you.” He'd thrown that out there automatic, and expected a quick retort right back. He was surprised when he received no such thing.
“I know it, Jack, and I’m sorry for it. You put up with a lot.”
His breath hitched, his fingers itching to reach out to touch honey-blonde curls made unruly by sweat, bleached by hours of work in the sun.
“Naw, Ennis, it weren’t so bad. I had perks,” he said, low-like, knowing he was sounding love-struck but couldn’t see no way around it.
“Perks?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Like…coffee?”
“Hell, no. That mud you brew?”
“Umm, let’s see…my spuds?”
“Well I wasn’t really thinkin’ along those lines, but I seem to recall I was peelin’ spuds one time and I looked over and got an eyeful of something mighty tasty.”
“That so?”
“Yep.”
“I bet yer percolator’s gettin’ perky right now, ain’t it?”
He let out a hoot of laughter. “Ennis Del Mar! You did not just say that!”
“Well, what’s wrong with it? I’m already in the poorhouse payin’ this damn phone bill, I should say what I damn well please, ain’t that so?”
“That’s so, friend, it surely is,” he grinned broadly.
“Well then…it pleases me,” said Ennis, and Jack heard the smile in his voice, clear as day.
“Well then…good.”
“And it pleases me to invite my…you-know…to come visit me after Christmas…”
“But I thought…” he interjected, in confusion.
“Now shut your mouth for one damn minute and let me finish, ya dumbass. Can’t get a word in edgewise, just like always,” Ennis grumbled. “As I was sayin’…my bosses are headin’ out to California after Christmas and they’re leavin’ me in charge a the ranch. And they said I could have company. So I’m thinkin' I would like my company to be Jack Twist, so help me God, and I’m hopin’ you could maybe stay a few nights…I mean…days. Well…uh…days and nights…” Ennis trailed off, obviously back to being uncomfortable at saying such things.
He was sure Ennis could hear his heart pounding, clear all the way to Kansas, it was beating so loud. So this is what it feels like, he thought. This is what it feels like when the wind is at your back and it’s pushing you in the right direction.
“Sure, Ennis, days…and nights,” he said, knowing they’d made arrangements like this for years, them fishing trips way out in the middle of nowhere. But this…this felt different. This was real, washed clean, shiny and pure and sparkling with honesty.
“Listen, bud, I’m beat so I better go.”
“Sure thing, Ennis,” Jack said quickly, hearing the weariness in Ennis’ voice.
“But I want you to know…I….I ….” Jack heard the yearning mixed in with the weariness, despite Ennis’ hesitation.
“ I know it, bud.”
“So much, Jack, I can hardly stand it.”
“Oh Ennis…me too.”
The silence that followed was full of all the things they couldn’t say, but understood, regardless.
“Okay, then. You get that percolator ready.”
Jack smiled softly. “Will do. See you after Christmas.”
“You bet.”
“’Night, Ennis.”
“’Night, Jack.” He heard a deep sigh, then a few beats as the silence stretched between them, then the soft click of Ennis hanging up.
He wiped the moisture from his eyes, biting his lip to keep the emotion inside, thinking of them two shirts he had hanging in Lightning Flat. All these years he’d kept them safe from the winds that tore at them, the pegs he’d used to pin them on the line holding fast from sheer stubbornness. For the first time ever he felt the winds lessen, his cowboy finally stepping forward to block the storm.
He reached out and deliberately picked up Bobby’s green crayon and circled December 28 on the wall calendar. Then he stood up and headed for his room, whistling Twelve Days of Christmas all the way. Time to get his percolator ready.
TBC