The Lie Behind the Postcard - I don't want to say goodbye
Author Notes: Finally!! I was able to post this last chapters my apologies! I know it took a long time for it and i really apologize thanks to all of you who kept reading! Usually I post my notes at the end of the chapter, but I decided to post it here now. I want to thank all of you for your reading and that you have enjoyed the story it was a pleasure to me to write it. I want to thank all of my beta's Chaos, w84u, a horse called hwin, Jessymama and Beatrice- from "Tainted Evidence" who helped me with this chapter - you all help me a lot and you do deserve my thanks! I want to let you know one thing. This chapter is the conclusion of "The Lie behind the Postcard", however, it doesn't means that I won't stop writing about them. I'm planning to write another story about Brokeback Mountain with a different plot and everything. I just want you to let you know that you should be prepared, as you may noticed my story is different from the other stories and nothing is what it seems to be.
I don’t want to Say Goodbye
I don’t want to say goodbye
Let the stars shine through
I don’t want to say goodbye
All I want to do is live with you
When they returned home, Ennis opened the door and Jack went straight to the bathroom. With an eyebrow raised Ennis was unable to contain his laughter, looking at how Jack ran across the living room, hit his knee with the table and he listened to him yelling ‘Shit,’ then he heard him unzipping his pants in the bathroom, and hearing him say ‘Feels great’, Ennis just smiled, thinking why he refused to have a life with him; this seemed so normal that he never thought it could be this real.
As he walked to the kitchen, he started feeling sad; he was missing his daughters it had been a long time since they talked, and he really needed to hear their voices. He opened the fridge and pulled out some lemonade when the phone rang.
“Who could be at this time, huh?” he said as he rubbed his head trying to recall who in the world would have Jack’s phone number, but his curiosity was not helping him, so he did what his heart told him to do: answer the phone.
“Hello, Twist residence,” he answered. ‘Should I have answered Twist and Del Mar’s Residence instead of that? Nah! That would be too cheesy’ .
“Daddy? Is that you?” A woman yelled on the phone, and it was followed by another woman screaming as well
“Junior?” Ennis asked as his eyes filled in with tears and his mouth showed a grin of joy.
“Yes daddy! It’s me, Junior! Oh lord! I have been calling for almost two hours!” Junior cried. Ennis wasn’t able to determine if she was sad or if she was happy.
He immediately sat down on one of the kitchen’s chairs and cleaned his tears as he listened to his daughter
“Where ya’ been? Like I said, we’ve been calling for almost two hours! Thought we got the wrong number!” Junior said, still exited, angry, frustrated, worried. She was looking to the phone as her sister looked at her with her lips shivering; she wanted to talk to her dad as well.
“Well, Junior, hafta tell ya’ that…mmm…well, Jack and I were…” Ennis was trying to find the exact words to explain that he was an idiot, and he fought with Jack, then they fought again, and how after a couple of hours they made out again. ‘Gesh, Ennis, ya’ sure ya’ wanta tell yer daughters ya’re such immature men? Huh? Keep yer mouth shut! Only you and Jack should know this! Besides, this is normal! Ya’ need to get used to it again! Get used to living with someone! Fuck! But, I how am I going to get used to living with Jack Twist? Huh! Jack’s life is everything except peaceful!’.
“Daddy? Daddy? Ya’re listening to me?” Junior said she had been talking for almost ten minutes and the only answers she got from her father were “Uh-Oh-Aha.” It was like his body was there, but his mind was somewhere else. She looked at the phone, knitted her brown opened her lips and from her diaphragm to her throat the words flowed with an amazing tone of voice that woke up Ennis from his own day dream back to reality.
“Daddy!”
“Whoa! Junior! Planning to leave me deaf? Huh?” Ennis asked, and he managed to not throw the phone on the floor.
“Of course not, Daddy! But, ya’re not listenin’ to me!” Junior chuckled.
“Hmmmm” was all that Ennis was able to say.
“So, how are ya’?” Junior said, taking a pause, trying to breath to ask what she was going to ask “Did’cha talk to mom?” She felt how her body started moving, shaking, she wanted to know what happened, she felt that something had happened. She looked at her sister Jenny who closed her eyes.
“I’m fine, Junior, think that I already mentioned that,” he answered ‘I should have expected that question!’ Ennis looked up and took a breath, he cleared his throat, and tried to talk and at the same time find the necessary words to answer her.
“Junior, I did talk with yer Mom, and we got our points clear. She told me that she’s sorry. and I apologized for not being honest with her.” Ennis said, closing his eyes, biting his lips, crossing his fingers, hoping that his daughter believed his innocent lie. ‘Lord please…let her think that I’m saying the truth’.
“Hmmm…” Junior said, looking at Jenny. She wasn’t sure her dad was saying the truth, but she had no proof of it.
“Ya’sure? Ya’sure Mom apologized? Daddy don’t know what ta’say! Never thought she’d be able to do that!” She said, expecting her father’s answer, but he was not saying anything again.
“Daddy?” Junior said.
“Yes, she was capable of that…” He paused - ‘How come ya’ hafta lie to yer daughter? Please tell her the truth Ennis,’ he said to himself. “And, well, Junior, how come ya’ don’t believe yer mom is capable of that?” he asked
“Hmm…Dad. It’s not that I don’t believe, just that I didn’t think she could, that’s all. I’m happy she was able, for that…” she was saying when her sister took the phone from her
“Daddy? It’s me, Jenny! How ya’re? I was worried to death, Daddy! Was havin’ a bad feelin’, but listenin’ to yer voice makes me feel better,” Jenny said as she started crying on the phone.
“Jenny…no…please don’t cry! Honey, I’m ok, ya’ don’t hafta cry! Yer father is fine!” Ennis said, trying to comfort his daughter
“But ya’re cryin’ too!” she said, and she was right, Ennis was crying too, it was just marvelous what was happening; he was talking to his two daughters who he missed with all his heart.
“Because I’m talking with my lil’ darlins,” he answered.
“Jenny…” Ennis said, clearing his throat one more time.
“Yes daddy?” she replied, smiling
“I love ya’ both more than my life! Ya’ll always be my little ones,” Ennis said.
“Oooooh Daddy! We love ya’ too!” she answered with the tears of her happiness on her cheek.
None of them spoke a word in the next four minutes, and even though there were no words spoken, the feelings shown, they were enjoying the fact that they were together. For Ennis this was magical, he not only have the love of his life with him now, but he also had his two daughters supporting and not judging him. He never thought that this could happen; well, he did once, but he cleared that idea of his mind because he was stuck with Alma, and his little girls were too little to let them alone.
“So…ya’talked with mama, right?” Jenny asked, curious of what would the answer would be “What did she said?” she added.
‘Not again! I already answered this question! Indeed they wanta know’, Ennis thought, and one more time he was forced to lie.
“Yer mama and me did talk, but that conversation is between her and me.” He paused. “Just need to said she’s sorry fer what she did.” he added and looked back to find Jack looking at him, his baby blue eyes stuck on his body, smiling at him. Jack walked towards him and Ennis smiled as Jack placed his hand on his arm. The warmth of his hand made Ennis’ heart go in to 1000 miles per second, which was childish, but that’s how loves works sometimes.
“Say hi to them from me” Jack said, and went to the stove and served a cup of coffee for them.
“Tell Jack that we say Hi, too!” Jenny said
“She said Hi to you too, Jack!” Ennis repeated. He heard that his older daughter asked for the phone stating that she has something important to tell him.
“Daddy! I need to tell you! Kurt got the job! We’ll be moving to Denver! Isn’t that amazing?” She said extremely happy, but no noise came from the other end, it was silent. Ennis stood there without saying a word looking to the floor feeling that they were taking away something important from him, and his little girl was going to move to Denver and that was something he wasn’t prepared for, even though he moved out to Texas once.
“Jesus H. Denver? Wow, Junior I don’t know what ta’ say! I’m shocked!” he said, looking at Jack who raised an eyebrow, wondering what was happening and what exactly they were talking about.
“Daddy? Ya’seem not ta be happy! I mean, this is a big opportunity fer Kurt and they will giving him lot of benefits and I’ll have the opportunity to visit Wyoming more often it is there where ya’ wanta stay,” Junior replied. She knew Ennis Del Mar very well and knew that he was feeling not only sad, but forgotten, so she added, “And if ya’ think that I’m gonna forget my daddy, let me tell ya’ this, Ennis Del Mar, and I’m gonna say it just once! That’s not goin’ ta’ happen!” she said
“Junior, I…” Ennis tried to say, but he knew that she was right, she’d never forget her daddy. He knew very well that she loved him, otherwise she would have never started asking the questions that led him all the way back to Jack.
“Daddy, ya’ don’t hafta say it so I can realize ya’re sad! I know ya’ very well, so don’t try to play with me that strong man figure, cuz I know ya’ have feelings!” she smiled at him.
“Hmmm…so it seems to be that ya’ know me very well then…” he smiled. “So, then tell me what ya’ think I’m going to do now?” he added as Jack walked and placed the mug on the table and sat down, looking at him, enjoying Ennis’ faces as he talked through the phone.
“Well, daddy, knowin’ ya,’ ya’re gonna wait for this call end to go and get angry and blame everyone cuz I’m leavin’,” Junior replied as her sister Jenny nodded, agreeing with her, but on the other side of the phone, Ennis coughed a couple of times. They knew him very well, he was actually planning to do that, complain that his daughter was leaving, let Jack convince him that he’ll be ok, and then try to see if he could assimilate the idea.
“Well…that was not what I was…I mean I’m goin’ to do! I was just goin’ to do a special dinner fer Jack and me!” Ennis replied with smile ‘Not in a million years I’ll let her know that she was right!’.
“Speakin’ of the Devil…Where’s Jack?” Junior asked
“Well he’s sitting right next to me!” Ennis replied wondering why his daughter asked such question.
“Would ya’ mind if I talk with him a little bit?” Junior asked, looking at Jenny while she said that. She wanted to talk to him for so long that now she thought this was the moment for it.
“Hmmm…wanta talk to Jack? Well I gesh’ ya’ talk to him! As long ya’ don’t…Oh, never mind, I know that you’ll ask!” Ennis answered, and he passed the phone to Jack.
“Take…she wanna speak to you!” he said. But, Jack shook his head and pulled the phone away, looking at Ennis with fear.
“Noooo!” he whispered “Ya’re insane or what! She’s gonna ask me what happened there!” he whispered again.
“I know Jack, but I trust ya’ won’t say anything that would be dangerous!” he whispered also.
“Ennis! I can’t do that! Ya’ know me I talk too much!” he whispered again.
“Well, this will be the first time that you’ll learn to shut your mouth!” Ennis said in a rough tone and gave the phone to Jack.
“Hello? Is someone there? I hear whispers!” Junior said on the phone with a little bit of anger.
”Hello?”
...
Junior took a deep breath and pulled all the force she had in her thorax
”HELLOOOO!” Junior yelled with all her strength causing Kurt, Jenny, Francine and Ennis Jr. to cover their ears, but on the other side of the phone, Jack and Ennis opened their eyes wide, frightened of her tone of voice. Was she mad? Did she want to know something they wouldn’t be able to answer?
Jack looked Ennis and gave him the ‘Please don’t do this to me’ look, but Ennis, raising his eyebrow, gave him the ‘Don’t fuck with me look as a response. Finally Jack took the phone.
”Hello, Junior how are you?” Jack said with a little fear, after all she was a Del Mar and only God knows that all the Del Mar’s were ‘special’
”At last, Jack! I thought that you were scared to talk to me!” Junior said with a little of sarcasm in her tone
”Oh, what makes you think that! It ain’t true!” Jack said. ‘God, is she a medium or what? Of course I was scared, if you are like your daddy I better be careful with you!’ Ennis looked at him with curiosity.
”Jack, you don’t to be scared of me,” she pauses and sighed. “I don’t bite! I don’t know what stories my dad may have told you, but I’m pretty innocent and decent, a happy mood girl” she added while her husband Kurt chuckled.
”Is she sure?” Kurt whispered to Jenny who gave a noticeable laugh that made Junior frown at them.
”Well…I know that, but ya’ know things have been kinda busy, ya’know? All the work to put this ranch in shape again keeps me busy,” he said, giving a false laugh. ‘Jesus that doesn’t sound real at all, but I’ll hope she believes it!’.
”Oh, Jack, please! I know that for sure! So tell me Jack, and I want you to tell me the truth! What did my Mamma say to you and daddy?” she said as clear as she can say it.
’I knew it! I knew it! Ya’re as predictable as that father of yers. I knew that the question was coming! But, now the question is - what am I going to say? Jack…think fast, cuz ya’ know that this girl can think fast too’ Jack thought. Ennis could tell just by looking at Jack’s expression that Junior had asked the question.
”Well, Junior, basically I’m goin’ wha yer daddy said, we talked with yer mom and she said that she was sorry for what happened and wished us the best,” Jack sweated every word he said, but it was ok for him because Ennis was giving him courage by holding his hand
’Something is not right here! I know my mom and I know that she is not capable of forgiveness just that easy, I think that there’s something else here!’ Junior thought
“Well, I don’t know what ta say! I’m happy to know that it went well!” She said, looking a Kurt with surprise.
“Yes Junior, I was surprised as well, she took it very well and wished us the best and she even said that we should have a good relationship toge…” Jack was saying when Ennis hit him on his arm.
“Don’t exaggerate, rodeo!” Ennis whispered.
‘But, if I’m wrong? Mebbe my mom changed after all and I’m just overreacting and not thinking that my mom could be such a good person after all’ Junior thought on those two seconds of silence.
“Jack? You were saying something, what happened?” Junior asked after not hearing Jack again on the phone.
“Me? Uh, Yes! Sorry it was yer Daddy’s fault he wanted a…uh…a kiss,” Jack said, looking at Ennis who raised his eyebrow. “Sorry, it was the first thing it came on my mind,” Jack whispered covering the phone so Junior couldn’t listen.
“Too much information Jack!” Junior laughed.
”Ya’ think so? And I’m not even talking about yer dad’s spot on one of his cheeks,” Jack laughed and again he was hit by Ennis.
”OK, Jack, please stop there! That is one of the things about my Dad that I think I don’t wanna know,” Junior said, totally blushing, trying to take in that image of her dad.
”Oh, Jack! Before I forget…uh…How I can say this?...Jack welcome to the family, and please take care of him or you’ll feel the rage of the Del Mar Girls,” she smiled and she heard Jack laughing and saying ‘Ok’ “I’m being serious Jack!” she added
”Ok, I know, and thanks, and don’t worry, I’ll take care good care of yer daddy! There are a lot of things that I’m planning to do with him”
”Jack, please…”
”I know, no further comments,” Jack laughed. “Talk to you soon,” he added and he hung up the phone, looking at Ennis smiling as his partner wondered how it ended.
”She ain’t stupid, cowboy! She was suspectin’, so I started talkin’ about ya’n me and our sex life!” Jack said
”I know! And I think that ya’ went too far!” Ennis replied, but Jack only kissed him saying, “And ya love it, don’t cha?” and Ennis smiled
”Come on, we have work to do,” he added, and both of them disappeared to the barn.
The next morning, Ennis woke up to an empty bed; Jack wasn’t there, somehow he woke up earlier without him noticing. “Mebbe he is downstairs eating,” he thought, and went to take a shower. As he was showering, he recalled the memories of how Jack entered that same shower, naked and as the water was touching his body, Jack started giving him a backrub and kissed his neck, his collar bone and rubbed his chest. Ennis was lost on this thought, every piece of his body that he tried to clean reminded him Jack’s hands, the closeness that their bodies had, and the kisses that he gave to Jack’s hand as he moaned and tried not to ruin the moment. He suddenly started to stroke himself, lost in his own thoughts, letting his body recall that sense of love, passion and sex.
When he came downstairs he found Jack next to the phone with the two mugs on the table. Ennis knew that Jack wanted to talk, and by the look on his face, this was something serious. ‘That’s it, we’re done! He’s gonna dump me,’, but he didn’t have to say it because his mind responded right away. ‘Are ya’ nuts? Jack would never dump you! Grow up, Ennis, stop this stupid fear,’ It seemed that his own self was more conscious about their relationship than Ennis.
”Good morning cowboy!” Jack said, standing up from his chair, hugging Ennis, kissing him tenderly.
”Did you sleep well? Cuz some stupid bastard decided that we should fuck all night, and I wasn’t able to sleep cuz I was really busy, riding, kissing, giving and sucking him,” Jack chuckled, noticing that Ennis was turning red
”So, ya’ going to stay there looking at me, or ya’ going to eat a breakfast! A fucking hour took me to do it!” Jack said full of pride
Ennis walked to the table and to what Jack cooked; it was some type of scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, and no matter how he tried to look at it, the food didn’t look eatable. But, taking in consideration that probably Jack did his best effort, he sat down and started his breakfast.
”Hmmmmm…wow…this really tastes good!” he said after eating a few pieces of that breakfast, but he was not lying at all, even though the food didn’t looked well, its taste was different, the food was really good and he was feeling bad for his first thoughts.
”Glad to hear that! I haven’t tasted it myself!” Jack chuckled ‘Now I need to find the way to tell him! While his eating or after the breakfast?’ Jack thought.
”So, Jack, I been wondering…just right now…what you want?” Ennis said, and Jack’s mouth was wide open “Cuz I know you, cowboy! Ya’ ain’t done this if ya’ weren’t gonna to ask me something, so shoot,” he added. Jack jerked his head and tried to say a word, but due to his astonishment, he was unable. Ennis Del Mar was once again a step ahead; he indeed wanted to ask him something, but he didn’t want to bother him.
”Jesus, Ennis! I’m suppose to do things like this because I love you! Not because I want some…thing,” Jack said, trying to fake some anger and not sound too obvious. But, in Ennis’ mind a plot was already setup - if Jack was not willing to tell him what he wanted, his cock would probably do it. Ennis walked straight to him and pushed Jack to the wall, their noses really close and their lips just a few centimeters from a kiss. Ennis started breathing on his ear, caressing Jack’s hair, things that Jack responded to, closing his eyes, trying to avoid an erection, but it was too late, he was already exited and there was nothing he could do, not with Ennis touching him as he was. Little by little, Jack surrendered himself to Ennis, he was torturing his senses, body, so full of lust and love that he was willing to tell truth.
”Damn you, Ennis! I Give up! I’ll tell ya’ the truth!” Jack said as Ennis kissed his neck. But, Ennis didn’t stopped, he took Jack’s arms and lifted them up, holding them with his right hand. “Hmmm…yeah…hmmm…whatever…ya’ll tell me once we’re done,” Ennis replied, his own trick was used against him; he thought that maybe the sex could drive Jack Twist into telling him the truth. However, it also caused him to want it as well. Caresses led to kisses, kisses led to undressing, undressing led them to the most simple and animalistic form of love.
Jack could thought that his luck was going to be the one he had now, I’m not sure what this sentence means… even though he always dreamed of a life with Ennis, he never thought that it could be true, because there was Alma Beers, that cold woman whom he feared, her hate for them was so big that once she tried to shoot him, and her own husband in the process. And even though her assault was reported, instead of going to jail, the police set her free, she lied and they set her free. But, there was something else that was bothering him - Bobby, his son, and Lureen. His worries were increased the moment Bobby called him and told him about his mother’s accident, and even though Bobby stated that he didn’t wanted him to go there, there was this need to be there with his family. In his heart he wanted to close that chapter of his life; he needed to talk with Lureen and they needed to fill out the divorce papers. If he wanted to have a life with Ennis, he needed to divorce Lureen and get the things straight.
Right after they both surrendered themselves to the ecstasy of love, Jack found himself on the floor with Ennis lying on his chest, holding his hand and feeling his warm body and his closeness. He realized that he needed to ask Ennis about it, he needed to let Ennis know that he was going to head to Childress and see his wife, Lureen, for the last time. Jack started caressing Ennis’ hair, and Ennis closed his eyes with a gentle smile that Jack took as a sign that he liked it.
“Ennis”
“Yes?”
“I…”
“Ya’ willing to tell me now what ya’ve been struggling to not ask?”
“Think so…just that, well, I don’t know how ya’re going to take it.”
“If ya’ don’t tell me ya’ won’t see my reaction or how I’ll take it.”
“Guess ya’re right on that.”
A big silence followed that manifestation of love for almost ten seconds, Then Jack took a deep breath, and decided to talk. “I wanna go to Childress and see Lureen, need to talk to her about us!” Jack said, but due to his nervousness, he said it so fast that Ennis wasn’t able to understand him.
“Whoa! Little darling, I wasn’t able to hear what’ya just said! I mean, I did, but ya’talked so fast that not even the 20th Century Limited could get a hold your talking!” Ennis said as he sat on his own legs and looked at Jack. But Jack, on the other hand, looked down and took a deep breath, ‘cause after all, sooner or later he had to tell Ennis his plan. So, he took Ennis’ hand and looked at him with a smile.
“I need to go to Childress…Lureen and I need to talk…I need to see my son,” Jack said, thinking that Ennis would get angry. However, he seemed to be wrong; Ennis was just quiet looking at him without saying a word.
“Jack, I thought about that too…I think the same, ya’ should go there, but ya’re not going alone! Hell no! I’m going with you, and I won’t accept a no for answer!” Ennis said, and Jack’s mouth was wide open surprised at his man’s attitude.
“But, Ennis…”
“But nothing, Jack! I won’t let ya’ go from my side! Wherever ya’ gon I’ll be there! I lost ya’ once, Jack! I swear that I won’t let that happen again”
Jack looked at Ennis’ teary eyes, and he knew that no matter how much he could try to convince him, in the end. Ennis would win, that was how Ennis was, a stubborn man that was used to doing what he thought was right, and in this case, going with him to Texas was good for him.
“Alright, we’ll go together.” Jack smiled and Ennis jumped to him and gave him a kiss ‘Like a little girl! I’m acting like a little girl!’, but he didn’t care as long as he could be with Jack, his thoughts and attitudes were nothing to him.
The next morning, they prepared their bags for the trip; they planned to stay there for almost a week while Jack talked with his son and Lureen. Ennis was going to his house and see his daughters and his grandkids, and package his stuff to move im with Jack, destination unknown. Jack was wearing his black cowboy hat, red shirt, a black Levis and his favorite boots; Ennis was wearing his gray hat, his brown shirt, his blue denim jacket and his brown boots. They looked happy, and they knew that this was going to be a trip that neither would forget. And they were right, because, when they were going to Jack's car, another car arrived. It was a blue Cadillac, and a person came out and to Jack's and Ennis’ surprise, it was someone that they would never expected to visit them.
“If both of you think that I’ll let you be happy, then you both are wrong,” a red haired woman said as she pointed her gun at them.
After almost three weeks in the hospital after her accident, Lureen Twist had been finally released from her hell, as she usually refer to it, and was back at her house, and the excellent news for her she was almost recovered, most of memories were back, all of them except the ones that involved her plan against Jack. Some of those memories were blocked, and if she tried to remember, she would end up with a migraine because her brain was not willing to release that information to her. She was looking on her pictures, all of them telling the story of her marriage with Jack and their son Bobby. She smiled looking at the decoration of the house, but knew that it was too fancy for some people.
“There’s nothing better than home.” She smiled, when a dark skin, black haired lady appeared with a broom and, when she looked at her, the yeling started
“Señora Lureen! Señora Lureen! It is verry gud tu si you herre!” the lady said, Lureen recognized that heavy accent
“Maria! Oh, my dear Maria, look at how clean the house is! You did a great job,” Lureen smiled as she went to hug her maid who was surprised to receive such attitude from her.
“Señora Lureen! You are so changed!” Maria laughed at her boss’ new attitude. It was so like Lureen to treat Maria like a stranger; she was hired by Jack, and Lureen didn’t want to have a relationship with her since she thought that maybe Maria knew all the time what Jack used to do.
Lureen laughed when she heard those words from her; maybe she was like that before, but now this was her second chance of changing her past behaviors, and Maria was one of those who suffered her bad temper, and it was time to change that now. She talked with Maria for a while and apologized for all the things that happened, told her that she was going to have 5 weeks of paid vacations, and that she would receive a substantial raise for working all this years in her house. Maria took that as a blessing for her brother, Francisco, was sick and she needed to visit him for a few days to see his children. And now she could stay longer than she expected, and this was good news for her. Lureen knew that it was going to be difficult, but she decided to change her life, she wanted to be a good mother for her son Bobby. She lost many years of his life thanks to her alcoholism, and then those years she spent trying to get them away from her mind thanks to her guilt. She looked at the portraits on the bureau with Bobby pictures - there was Bobby, the baby, Bobby, the youngster, Bobby, the teenager and Bobby, the man. It was true Bobby was a man now, a very young man who was already on his own search in life. A soon to be doctor, and probably soon to be married with Laverne Malone.
“I’m sorry, Bobby” she cried as she held one of his pictures toward her heart.
“What are you sorry about, mom?” Bobby said as he entered the house with some boxes full of medical books. He kept looking at his mother and smiled; she looked different, she looked happy. And that was something that he valued more than anything, his mother happiness, and he wanted to keep it that way.
“Bobby…I was…just…saying that I’m sorry for all…” Lureen was saying, but her son interrupted her
“Mom, we have talked about this already,” he paused. “It’s over! You have to stop feeling guilty for the past,” he added.
“I…Bobby…”
Bobby went next to his mother and gave her a hug, and helped her to sit down on the sofa. She hugged him and cried on his arms, letting all her pain go. “Bobby, I’m so sorry…I can’t just forget and pretend what I did never happen! It happened, and that’s why your daddy is not here, because I did evil things and I can forgive myself!” Lureen cried, all those hidden feelings that she had buried through the years were flowing now, letting her soul free of all those feelings that she never thought could be free.
“I ruined my life and I ruined your dad’s life! I held him against his own will! I kept him with me knowing that I lied to him, that I lied to everyone, what I have done can’t be named!” Lureen cried as her son kept hugging her.
“Mom, if you don’t forgive yourself, how do you expect the rest of us to forgive you? It doesn’t make sense, mom! I’ve already told you that it’s over you, are fine and, well, my dad is seeking his happiness,” Bobby said as he caressed his mother’s face.
“I…just want to tell your father how much I’m sorry, Bobby, I need to tell him that!”
“Someday, mom, but not today at least. Come on, you need to rest,” Bobby said as he guided his mother to her room, put her on the bed, covered her with the sheets, turned on her air conditioner, and walked to the kitchen, and found Maria preparing ribs and green salad.
“Maria, mi Madre necesita descansar, Ve que duerma por lo menos dos horas y luego le das su almuerzo, yo tengo salir, son casi las 11:00a.m. y tengo que asistir a una clase a las 11:30a.m.” (Maria, my mother needs to rest! Please check that she sleeps at least two hours, then you give her supper. I need to go, it’s almost 11:00and I have classes at 11:30.)
“As you wish, Niño Bobby!” Maria answered, and kept doing the food and looked at him with a smile on her face that made him wonder what she was thinking. He left for college, but not before picking up his girlfriend - his lousy, but lovely Laverne, the only woman that can drive him crazy and make him feel complete at the same time. They say that there is a thin line between hate and love, and in this case, he crossed the line and he didn’t regret a thing because he enjoyed this new sensation.
“Hello, my love,” Laverne said as she kissed him on his lips in a romantic way. “I thought that you weren’t going to pick me up! I thought that you had forgotten your promise to give me a ride…” She was trying to say when he took her in his arms and kissed her again.
”Shhhh…no more talking, Laverne. Don’t ruin this moment!” Bobby whispered, and Laverne started laughing, “Okay, I got the message! Shut up, Laverne, I wish you always shut me off that way.” She winked at Bobby as she touched his leg.
“Maybe I could do it forever, you know?” Bobby said with a smile
“What you’re trying to say, Robert Twist?” Laverne asked, looking at him with doubt.
“I don’t know…I was just thinking maybe you I someday would be more than just boyfriend and girlfriend," He winked and Laverne smiled, and jumped to him and gave him a kiss.
"I hope that! I hope that," she said as she kissed him
“If both of you think that I’ll let you be happy then you both are wrong!” a red haired woman said as she pointed her gun to them.
"Alma? What you think ya're doin'! Put that gun down!” Ennis yelled as he tried to protect Jack.
“Oh Ennis, you are so romantic, protecting that thing from me!” Alma laughed as she kept holding the gun against them.
“You killed me! You destroyed my life with him! You and him destroyed me! Thanks to both of you, I’m nothing! I had it all, you know! All! I had a loving husband, and I gave him to girls, and we had a happily life, but you know what happened? You destroyed my life! I hate you! You went to him, you took him away from me!” She said crying as she looked at them with hate.
“There he is, Alma, take him! Come on, kill him for taking what was by all rights!” her internal voice said.
“Shut up! This is my moment to let them know!” Alma yelled.
“What are you talkin’ about? Alma. please put that gun down! Let’s talk like normal people.” Ennis said trying to get near Alma, but she shot to the floor. Wait, I thought they were outside?
“I warning you, Ennis, this time you are not talking to a silly girl you can get with stupid poetry! Because that’s how you got her first. Oh yes, with poetry, cheap poetry, let me tell you! No, Ennis, we have to talk and fix this now. One of you is going to die and the other would come with me!” Alma said. This wasn’t the Alma that he knew, her look was different, it was like he was talking to a completely different Alma.
“Alma, let’s talk, I mean, I’m sorry, but I never wanted this to happen,” he said.
“Oh right! You never wanted to kiss him in my house! You never wanted to fuck him and then fuck me! For many years I let you think that I knew nothing, I let you go and fuck him and then fuck me, but not anymore! You are not going to have him! HE won’t have you! If I can’t have you, no one will” she yelled. “Now, one of you will die here! And the other will come with me, and what I’m gonna do with that one? Let me think…kill him also! So, you”, Alma said as she pointed her gun at him, “will feel what happens when someone kills your hopes! You’ll know how I felt when you both destroyed my life!” she laughed.
“Alma, please stop this nonsense! I can’t let you do this! You won’t hurt any of us! I don’t care anymore, I’m not gonna let you destroy my life!”, Ennis and Jack were scared, they knew that Alma was capable of that, and they knew that if they didn’t stop her, one of them would probably die.
“Don’t move!” she yelled as he walked towards her, taking his hat off. “Alma, here I am, I took your life away, but I’m sorry, I’m begging you, forgive me!” he said.
“I said, don’t move”
“He’s not listening, Alma! You should stop him, he’ll come nearby you and take the gun, then kill you! Kill him, Alma”
“Alma, listen to me! I’m not going to let you do this, not again, you once destroyed my life, I won’t let you do it again!” he said as he got closer to her
“I said stop!”
“KILL HIM!”
“Alma, please listen…”
“KILL HIM”
“Stop”
“KILL HIM”
“Let me talk, Alma…”
“TAKE YOUR REVENGE! HE TOOK IT ALL”
“Ennis, I love you! Why you did this to me?”
“I love you, too, Alma, please listen to us”
“LIAR! THAT’S A LIE! HE IS TRYING TO DISTRACT YOU!”
“We never wanted this to happen”
“KILL HIM!”
“I…”
“KILL HIM”
“Don’t…”
“KILL HIM”
“…want…”
“HE TOOK IT ALL KILL HIM!”
“…to do”
“KILL HIM”
“…THIS”
She closed her eyes, and her tears followed the path that her previous tears did, and she pulled the trigger of her gun, the same gun that shot her husband a while ago, and watched and listened to that horrible sound, that horrible scream he gave. She heard them now, they yelled, and she opened her eyes to watch how his body was falling to the ground, he was trying to give his hand to her, he was trying to save her. His body fell the floor, and his shirt was painting into red. The other ran to him hold him.
“Ennis,,,”
“Jack…”
“I’m sorry. I thought that I could…”
“I love you.”
“Me too.”
“I’m fine. don’t worry about me.”
“YOU SEEEEEE! HE LOVES HIM! NOT YOU. HE LOVES HIM! ALMA. COME ON. KILL HIM ALSO!” her internal voice yelled again. Alma couldn’t contain her anger, she was witnessing how much they loved. and that meant that Ennis never really loved her and that he deserved what was happening to him.
“How could you? How could you!” Ennis yelled, “You took it all from me!” he added as he tried to get close to Jack.
“Don’t try us! I don’t mind killing you now! I can do it! We could do it! Now, you are going to come with me?” she looked at him
“What?”
“What I said! You are coming with me! Get into the car,” she yelled as she opened the driver’s door,
“I’m not going without…” he said
“I SAID ENTER!” she yelled as she pointed at the wounded man, “Enter or I’ll kill him and free him of his suffering!”.
“Go…I promise, I’ll be fine! Don’t let her…” he was trying to talk, caressing his face.
“Ennis, I love you”
“I love you, Jack”
He kissed him and tried to hold his fists, and to not do anything crazy; after all she was armed and she could kill him. Whatever Alma was planning she wanted to do it out of there, and maybe it was a good idea. He could ask for help or escape from her and call the police. He entered the car and started the engine and, as she entered the car, she aimed the gun at his neck.
“If you try something stupid, I’ll blow your brains out!” she said, and the car left ,he Twist ranch, leaving one of them wounded, fulfilling a nightmare that they thought would never be true.
In Ennis' place in Texas, Jenny, Kurt, and Alma Jr. were finishing their little task, pack Ennis Del Mar belongings and label them so he wouldn't have problems when it was his time to take it back. They realized that he was supposed to pick up his stuff soon, he was going to move in with Jack, and it was not correct to keep paying rent for a house that he was not using at all.
Kurt managed with the help of Francine and Ennis Jr. to package Ennis books, (Saddling magazines, and ten books of Wyoming writers given on his birthdays). More than just the packaging books was enjoyable; it was that his siblings and their joy to see the images of horses and saddles that indeed showed him that they were the grandchildren of Ennis Del Mar. What he didn't realize was that in less than 40 minutes, he was reading the books to his kids, forgetting all the work that he have to do.
"So, what does the lady did?" Ennis Jr. asked his dad, exited with one of the story his dad was reading.
"Yeah, Daddy, tell us!" Francine replied.
"Well, let me see...The lady walked into the door with her heart full of joy - there it was her man...I mean...Her son, the most important person in her life," Kurt said. He was reading a book about a woman that lost her loved one, but since he considered that his kids would ask him lot of questions about. it he was changing the story for them.
"Aha! I wanted to find you three this way! You should be packing not reading! Kurt. aren't you the adult here?" Junior asked as she entered the living room with the box of dishes that she just finished packing.
"Well...yeah I'm the adult, but...I mean, I have the right to read them, no?" Kurt said as he was trying to think a way to get out of his dilemma.
"I guess. So, what are you reading to them?" Junior asked and Kurt looked at her and showed her the book he was reading to them.
"YOU are reading them that!!!!" She yelled.
"Yes. it is amazing, talks about a girl, and her son and how she looks everywhere to find him!" Francine said, exited.
"Uh?" Junior said, and saw Kurt's face, he had an innocent smile.
"What I was supposed to do? I did my own version of a PG-6 story!" He said as Junior turned red.
"Oh, Kurt, I'm so sorry!" she said as she went next to him and gave him a kiss.
"Ewwwww! Could you please stop doing that in front of us?" their kids said as Junior and Kurt laughed, when they heard a scream coming from Ennis’ room. Kurt and Junior ran as fast they could to see what happened, and they found Jenny on the floor, she was shivering and crying, in front of her was a picture of Ennis and them in the floor the frame was broken into pieces.
"Jenny, what happened? Why are you screaming?" Junior said as she tried to reach her sister.
"Dad! Oh my lord! Junior our dad...he is in danger...I can feel it! There’s something wrong! I was looking at… and then I felt like dad was going to die! Junior, Daddy is in danger!" Jenny said, scared as her sister hugged her, trying to comfort her.
"Jenny, please calm down! It's ok...our dad is ok, nothing is going to happen!" Junior said, but she couldn't stop worrying as well, after all Jenny's omens sometimes were right.
"I can't our dad! Our dad!" Jenny cried repeatedly.
"Is Grandpa going to die?" Francine asked with her eyes full of tears.
"I don't want him to die," Ennis Jr. replied.
"He is not going to die! Ennis, Francine, he is going to be ok?" Kurt said as he hugged his children.
"He is going to be ok! Would he?" Junior and Kurt asked at the same time.
Not far from them, Bobby was with Laverne in the college’s library trying to read some of the human nervous system, and how it worked. Laverne went to get some coffee for them so they could keep studying; they had to deliver a 20 page essay about it, and they still didn’t have enough information.
“Here, have some coffee. It’s mocha flavored, your favorite,” Laverne said as she handed the cup to Bobby.
“Thanks, I just need to finish this essay, and you should do it also,” Bobby said.
“Oh Bobby, you seemed to not know what I do! I already did it!” She laughed.
But, you told me that you haven’t done it” Bobby replied.
“I told you I haven’t finished it! I just need to make the presentation paper and that’s all!” she started laughing.
“Sometimes Laverne…I want to kill you! I’m breaking my head here trying to get a resume for you, also!” he said angry.
“That’so sweet of you, but I don’t need it,” Laverne said as she smiled at him, and Bobby just went to drink his coffee when he felt that something was been pulling away from his side, he felt that they were tearing apart his heart.
“Oh, My G’d! Something happened to my dad!”
As he was driving the car, he couldn’t stop thinking about him, and how he abandoned him in the house bleeding to death thanks to the shot that Alma gave him. He once again lost him and again it was thanks to Alma, his anger was playing with his mind, he suddenly found the courage to try to fight Alma. He increased the speed of the car and hoping that his plan would work.
“Alma, you have no right to do what you did!” he said angry, but at the same time in grief “Ya’ did something against the law!”
“Yes, I did and I don’t care! When you got nothing…you have nothing!” she said as she looked at him.
“Besides, you took all from me! My daughters, my husband! Everything…The day I saw you kissing, I lost everything!” Alma replied, the anger heavy in her tone.
'If only I could try to make her get rid of that gun, but What for? I won't be able to go back! I won't be able to save him! The next curve is near to a cliff why would happen if I...' His mind was a mess, He wasn't sure if could work, he saw the sign that told him to drive slow, but he increased the speed, knowing that there was a cliff on the next curve, and he wanted to end this for once.
You are going too fast, lower your speed!” She said.
“No!” he answered
“I’ll shot you!” She replied, trying to threaten him.
“Do it! You’ll die with me then, because you know, Alma, I’m tired of this! You took it all, you took my life! You said we destroyed your life, it was really you that destroyed ours!” he said. “You could have told us what you saw, but you never said anything! You kept quiet! Because you wanted revenge!” he added.
Alma saw the sign that was telling them that a dangerous curve was getting closer. her heart started going fast; this was not in her plan, she didn’t wanted to die, at least not like this.
“Stop the car!” she yelled.
“NO!”
“For G’d sake, stop the car, you’ll kill us!” she cried as she saw that they were getting closer to the curve, showing the cliff
“Now you care about G’d? Now you care about getting killed? No, Alma! This ends here!” He yelled as he went to full speed and straight to the cliff.
“Nooooooooo!” she yelled, but it was too late, the car was rolling all the way down the cliff. With every hit, she felt her life was leaving her body, she heard a gunshot again, but this time she was the one that got shot, by accident, and by her own gun. Once the car reached the end of the cliff, she realized that he was either unconscious or dead, ‘cause he wasn’t moving, his head resting on the airbags, and he was bleeding like her. She climbed out of the car, her eyes full of tears and spitting blood. Now she understood, all bad things she had done. She was dying, she was leaving the world, but she did not anything.
“I did what I thought was correct,” she said as she realized that her body was not responding anymore, “I’m sorry, Ennis, but you led me to this…you led us to this, you led us to our death. You forced me to hide the truth and the lie behind the postcard,” she said as she gathered the strength to raise her hand and try to reach the first star in the sky, letting her haunted spirit flee her body to an unknown destiny.
“I love you, Ennis, you always be mine,” she said, and her hand fell, leaving a crashed car with a victim of her hate, a wounded person on the farm victim of her jealousy - the only crime - love. Two people had been shot, but three souls had been killed. They were killed thanks to the wrong decisions they made. Sometimes in life we face opportunities that only come once, and if you have them again, you’ll probably have to pay a price for the mistake. Sometimes you we win, sometimes we don’t, and if we can’t fix it, we have to stand it.
The End
Author Notes: I know that for some of you the ending was not what you expected. I really wanted to apologize for that, but as much I tried to think about a happy ending I wasn’t able to find one. Not with Alma alive at least, besides Ennis and Jack she was the major victim of this story, her love for Ennis changed from love to obsession not letting her think clearly, awakening her dark side that poisoned her soul and convinced her to do all the things she did. Alma Beers was the product of a wrong decision, and I don’t want to blame Ennis, but if he had chosen to go after Jack after that summer they spent on Brokeback mountain, maybe Alma’s life would have been different.