The Lie Behind the Postcard - Fire over the ranch

[theliebeneathff]

The days passed, the daylight and night over their bodies; this was not just sex, this was love. Many times Ennis woke up and looked to his side to be sure that he was there. A small smile was drawn on his face; next to him was Jack, with his eyes closed dreaming. “To damn cute,” Ennis thought as he hypnotized himself with Jack’s innocent gesture to him. Even sleeping, Jack hugged Ennis as though he never wanted to let him from his sights. Ennis hugged him back and put Jack’s head on his chest and rubbed his head. Jack was still asleep and he did not know what was crossing Ennis’ mind.

Ennis couldn’t stop thinking about what happened to them. In his mind, everything was a mess. He didn’t understand what exactly caused Alma and Lureen to put in action this horrible plan and keep the men apart from each other. “I was not married with ya’ Alma!” Ennis thought, trying to find an answer for it. In his mind, Alma didn’t have the right to do that to them, since they were no longer married. He could understand Lureen, because Jack was being unfaithful to her with him, but Alma: she was a mystery to him. Ennis though that since they planned all this mess, they should know now that the men were together again, against their plans, however he needed to find a way to do it. He spent almost two hours thinking on that and in that time he kept Jack under his arms and the more he thought the more he was raged with desire to kill them both.

“Ennis...what are ya’ thinkin’? It is almost 4:00 a.m., ye better sleep! Junior and Kurt...” he said, yawning and with his eyes half open, “will pick us up today at 12:00 p.m.” he added, rubbing his face with his left hand. “Ennis did’ya listen me? ENNIS!” he said in an angry tone. Ennis was looking around the tent but he was in another place; he was not with him in that moment. “Uh rodeo ya’re awake! I was just thinking!” he said as he smiled at Jack who looked at him and blinked twice, smiling at Ennis who just kissed his forehead. “I was thinking about us! We have a lot of things to face now! We especially have to face those who did this to us!” Ennis answered as he looked at Jack seriously. “Ennis I know that and I didn’t forget it, but I think that it will happen in its own time. Not now. Not here,” Jack said, caressing Ennis’ cheek. Ennis fell comforted by Jack’s caress, it was evident that Jack Fucking Twist was in love with him and he loved Jack as well. Ennis kissed Jack on his lips and they both fell asleep in that tent. It was going to be their last night on Brokeback Mountain and this time, they would leave it together and not on separate roads.

Jack and Ennis woke up again around eight, both of them were smiling. They opened their eyes just at the same time and stared at each other for one hour. No words were needed; they knew what they were saying to each other. Ennis caressed a tear of joy that had dropped from Jack’s eyes. Ennis just hugged him hard.

“Six years! Six damn years! Rodeo ya’ didn’t know how much I wished for this,” he told Jack as he hugged him even harder.

“When I realized ya’was dead I almost died! I called Lureen and she told me the story. I went to yer parents house and yer daddy made me feel so bad when he told me ya were going to live with a neighbor up there with them and get a split with Lureen! Then in yer room, I found the shirt I thought lost up here! Ya’ took it and kept it! That is when I realized I was a stupid. I spent 20 years pushing you out because I was afraid of us getting killed! And then ya’ died and I realized that I never told ya’ I love ya’ or let ya’ be with me! I fuckin’ hurt, Jack. I realized I made a lot of mistakes with ya’! I felt I had killed the Jack I love! Ya’ never knew but before I left in my truck after our last meeting, I saw yer face! Ya’ were frustrated and I realized that I was the reason. That’s why I send ya’ the postcard to ……to….be sure If ya’ wanted to be with me again! I was so damn afraid ya’d respond and tell me ya’ wouldn’t come back! Jack, I know it’s stupid but I tried to protect us! Protect you and me from the rest of the world! I wasn’t ready to realize I love a man either! When I thought ya’ were dead I realized that I love ya’! That I love Jack Twist, the man, Jack Twist, my soul mate!” Ennis said through tears. He was telling Jack what he always wished to say and had retained himself from saying.

Jack was just looking at Ennis as he opened himself up, telling him all the feelings Jack knew were there. But since Ennis never told him his real feelings, he had always managed to understand him, he always knew about this, but he just wanted to hear it from Ennis. He felt he needed it. He just placed his hand on Ennis’ face and gently pressed his lips against his. He kissed those lips with so much tenderness and love that he even tried to not cry of doing this. Ennis was crying already and he needed to be strong. Even he knew Ennis was dying, but he was already in that same place before, years ago. He knew he loved Ennis right after that night on Brokeback when Ennis came back and they had their first kiss. To Jack, there was nothing better than Ennis, it was true he had affairs with other men, but none of them could compare to what he felt for Ennis. They were just lust and one time sex, except for Randall, but Ennis was constant; Ennis was his doom and his happiness. One moment with him was more than enough to let him pass the rest of the day. And they were now, after almost twenty six years, fulfilling the dream he always had - to be with Ennis for the rest of his live.

“En... guess ya’ know how much I wish for this!” Jack said as he stared at Ennis brown eyes. ‘Beautiful,’ he thought. He could loose himself in Ennis’ eyes for hours before and now he would have that for the rest of his life.

“I do Jack,” Ennis said, looking at Jack’s blue eyes. He had the same feeling about Jack’s eyes also. For the first time in his life, Ennis was not scared or worried about what other persons thought. ‘People be damned,’ he thought. Now for him what was more important was Jack and his feeling of necessity to be with him. Jack was all he needed and he always knew this, but the fact he was a coward was what almost destroyed his happiness.

“So Ennis, after this where will we go?” Jack asked. He realized that they never talked about that; they had spent almost two weeks up there and they never thought about where would they live or go.

“Dunno Jack! But as long ya’re with me that’s ok!” Ennis said, smiling at Jack and he suddenly bit his lips raised, his eyebrows, trying to think where to go. “I gesh that we can go to Texas! I’m renting a house there. It’s pretty comfortable: two rooms…” Ennis said, describing the house. Jack just rolled his eyes and said to Ennis “We don’t need two rooms, Ennis! Besides I don’t want to go to Texas! I don’t want to see Lureen, at least not now!”

“What’ya just say? Not now? Jack, that bitch destroyed our lives!” Ennis said in an angry tone, restraining himself from starting a fight.

“I know, but we aren’t ready!” he answered Ennis as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Ready? Rodeo, I don’t understand that last statement ya’ made!” Ennis answered, looking at Jack. He didn’t understand what was meant by that comment. Jack just sighed and looked to the sky, trying to find the correct words to explain everything to Ennis.

“Listen Ennis, we have to think of how to approach both of them! I mean Alma and Lureen. We need an explanation of why they lied to us instead of confronting us! We need to be clear minded to do that! And I know ya’ Ennis, ya’ are the kind who would head up to my …I mean her house and kill her without explanation!” he managed to say, but it was hard since he didn’t want to sound rude to Ennis.

“But that is what they deserve! Rodeo, ya’ know what they did to us right? So why are ya’ gonna ask me to not kill them?” Ennis replied angrily and he turned around, showing Jack his back; all Jack could do was sigh. Jack looked at him and with his fingers counted from one to five, it was when Ennis turned back.

“Ya’re to good to them! We should kill them and then bury their bodies on their yards! They destroyed our lives! I was nothin’ without ya’, Jack, I was nothing! And now ya’ tell me that I have to think of how to approach them!” Ennis yelled at Jack - it wasn’t something he wanted to do, but anger was taking him over. Even though he knew Jack was right, he wanted to kill Alma, Lureen and K.E. (someone he didn’t even want to mention) for destroying his happiness. Jack just gave Ennis a hug and rubbed his back.

“Ennis if I say something ya’ promise not to kill me?” Jack asked, looking at Ennis who raised his eyebrow and nodded. “Well. I thank them!” as soon he said that, he watched the expression on Ennis’ face change completely. He opened his mouth when Jack kept talking: “If it wasn’t for them, none of us would have being strong enough to make the decision we just made!” he said to Ennis. He closed his eyes, expecting to be hit by Ennis. But he just received a kiss, something he didn’t even think could be a possibility.

“Damn you Jack! How come ya’ always find a good part in everything?” Ennis questioned as he watched the sky, “But I guess ya’re right, I would have never made the decision to be honest and tell ya’ how I felt!” Ennis smiled and looked into Jack’s eyes. “Damn Rodeo, how come yer eyes make me want to kiss you until ya’ can’t breath?” he chuckled.

“Well what I can say? I’m too damn cute!” Jack replied and they both laughed and kissed one more time.

Junior, Kurt and Bobby were in a restaurant eating and talking about their parents. They hadn’t got any news about them since they left them on Brokeback. Bobby was a bit scared, mostly because he didn’t know how Ennis would react to this situation and every time he asked, Junior always answered, “I don’t know, my daddy is not the same as before.” So Bobby was really worried about his dad. He was not ready to be an orphan.

“Well, it is almost 11:00 a.m. We better go and pick them up,” Kurt said, putting the money on the bar as Junior picked up her purse and Bobby finished his coffee. They went out of the restaurant and to Kurt’s car. They drove all the way to Brokeback and waited, but 12:00 p.m. passed and no one appeared. They looked at each other, worried, then it was 1:00 p.m. and still no sign of them.

“Oh Lord yer dad killed my dad!” said Bobby, so scared that he was unable to think clearly.

“What’ya talkin’ about? My Daddy would never kill yer daddy!” Junior replied angrily. It was then that Kurt raised his hand and pointed in front of them. Bobby and Junior turned back and saw two men on their horses coming down the hill of the mountain. One of them was singing ‘Water Walking Jesus’. Bobby sighed, he knew that it was his daddy and that he was alive. They still needed at least 10 minutes to finish coming down.

Junior and Kurt were amazed to see Ennis’ face; he was full of life, he was happy, he was complete. Junior ran towards her father as soon as he was able to be reached. She was so exited to see her father like this and not the way he was as she had grown up. Ennis was smiling as he looked at them and Jack, well there is no expression to say what he was feeling at that moment. Ennis saw his daughter running towards him and he quickly jumped off of the horse and gave her a big hug as both of them cried; Ennis more so than Junior.

“Thank you Junior! Ya’ gave me back my life!” Ennis cried, as he hugged her really hard. Junior, who was crying, buried her face in her father’s arms.

“Daddy ya’ don’t have any reason to thank me! I didn’t do anything! I just tried to give you back the happiness you deserved,” Junior cried as they both looked at each other and smiled. Ennis mumbled, “Thank you darling.” Junior cleaned his tears and gave him another warm hug.

“Dad, ya’ deserve to be happy! Leave the past behind and look at the future - your future,” Junior said. The words hit Ennis like a shot straight to his heart. He knew what she meant by this and to whom she was referring. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Junior, who raised an eyebrow too. Even though neither of them was saying a word, they were already talking with their eyes.

“Oh Jesus!” Kurt said, when he saw that scene. He’d already seen it before, Junior and Ennis were cut from the same cloth and they could talk without saying word.

“What is happening to them?” Bobby asked as he watched that scene, Jack walked directly to his son and gave him a hug, “Bobby it worked! Ennis and I are going to be ... What are you watching?” He asked and looked back. He got it at once.

“Last time I saw this was when Ennis’ sister committed suicide! Ennis wouldn’t cry for her and Junior looked at him; they both broke into tears! I know it sounds weird, but they can talk without words!” Kurt said as they kept watching them.

“I know Ennis and I can do that too,” Jack said.

“Well it is all clear daddy?” Junior asked, smiling. Ennis nodded, only Jack noticed how Ennis crossed his fingers as he was looking at his daughter.

“Yes it is Junior,” Ennis answered and he looked to Jack, who just raised his eyebrow like he was telling Ennis that he saw what he did. Ennis walked over to shake Kurt’s hand, who gave him a hug back. “It is good to see you happy Ennis,” Kurt said. Ennis looked at Jack and saw a younger version of Jack, who was smiling at him.

“Oh I know ya’! I ran away from you on the graveyard!” Ennis said laughing.

“Yes sir, I am …” Bobby was going to introduce himself when Ennis interrupted him “Ya’ are Bobby! The same as yer father, like two drops of water.” Bobby smiled and looked down, ashamed.

“Sir I’m sorry that I scared ya’ in the graveyard,” Bobby said.

“No worries son! It’s ok, let’s just say I was a little surprised! Not often do ya’ find out that the person ya’ lo……love is alive,” Ennis said. Jack noticed that he had some troubles saying ‘love’. He thought he wasn’t going to say it, but he did and he was happy - that was a big step for Ennis.

“Yes sir!” Bobby smiled when Ennis looked seriously at him and said, “Please, call me Ennis, I guess that we should call each other by our names! We’ll be seein’ a lot of each other now; we can even say that we are related! Ya’ already know what I feel for yer dad and I’m not ashamed, now, so please call me Ennis.” Bobby laughed as Jack just opened his mouth; this Ennis was a lot different from the one he knew. “Ok then sir…I mean Ennis,” Bobby said as Ennis gave him a big hug.

“Well, we all know each other!” Junior said, smiling, proud of her father’s new attitude. Ennis went to Jack’s side and both the men helped Kurt to put their things in Jack’s car.

“So, where will you be goin’?” Kurt asked Ennis and Jack, who just chuckled as they look each other.

“Ya’ know that is the one million dollar question!” Ennis said, rubbing his face.

“Yeah! We talked a lot about that! But we decided that in the end we should go to my daddy’s place, after all it is mine now!” Jack said, as he held Ennis’ hand and smiled at him.

“So we are goin’ to Lightning Flats,” said Bobby, smiling. When he saw Ennis and Jack faces he realized they were surprised.

“Bobby...” Jack started saying. “Ya’ don’t need to say it! Ya’ were not thinkin’ of takin’ me there, right?” Bobby said, hoping for them to say no.

“Actually no, yer daddy and I didn’t think of taking ya’ with us!” Ennis said in a serious tone.

“What? Bu...but dad! Where am I supposed to stay?” Bobby asked.

“Bobby I guess ya’ will return to Childress! Yer mamma will already be worried about ya,’” Jack said and Ennis mumbled something, but he didn’t hear them.

“Sure enough!” said Bobby and entered to his car, angry.

“Emmm...Bobby,” Jack said to his son.

“What?” he responded in an angry tone, Jack sighed and took a deep breath. “Ya’ know, we’ll be goin’ in this car, I guess ya’ can return to Childress on airplane, can’t ya’?”

“This is my car! Ya’ gave it to me! Ya’ dump me from yer trip and now ya’ take my car! Ain’t fair dad! Ain’t fair!” Bobby said as he stepped out of the car.

“Bobby please listen...” Jack tried to talk. “Don’t worry dad, I’m fine. I was expectin’ this, I’m just jealous, that is all! I’ve been with ya’ and now I have to get used to Ennis,” said Bobby, looking at the sky. “I’ll go by airplane to Childress, Kurt can take me to the airport. After all, I have credit card; I can pay for my own ticket,” he said as he got into Kurt’s car.

Kurt looked at Alma and chuckled; he knew she was jealous also, but she was not going to show them that since she wanted them to be happy now.

Kurt entered his car and looked at Bobby, he was still in bad mood, so Kurt looked at him and talked to him.

“Bobby, right? Listen, yer Dad needs to be with Ennis. Ya’ know that they have a lot to talk about. I know ya’re jealous, we all are! But we need to let them be! Besides, ot would be a couple of days and ya’ need to go back home before yer’ momma suspects something.”

Bobby looked at Ennis and saw his eyes full of happiness and love for his father, then looked at his father and saw his old daddy - the one he remembered full of life and happiness.

“Well, ya’re right! I’m bein’ selfish! They need to be together; after all, I have that damn dinner I have to assist with in a couple of weeks!” said Bobby.

Junior went to Jack, gave him a hug and smiled at him, “Please take care of my daddy,” she said. He responded, “I’ll take care of him as I would my own life!”

She entered the car and sat next to Kurt. She looked out the opposite side of the window and started crying; she didn’t want to leave her father, but she was sure that he would be better and most of all, he would be happy and she needed to let him be happy with Jack.

Ennis and Jack watched as their son and daughter left in the car. Ennis looked down and then he felt Jack’s hand on his arm and he looked at him, smiling.

“Time to go cowboy! We need to go home!” Jack said, as he looked at him and smiled.

“Just one thing before going!” Ennis said with an evil smile and he gave a big kiss to Jack.

“Whoa Ennis! Someone could see us kissing,” Jack said, surprised.

“So who cares! We are grown enough to defend ourselves,” Ennis said, Jack smiled and kissed him back. They both entered to the car and set out on their way to Lightning Flats.

Ennis and Jack arrived at the old house and as soon Ennis set his foot down, he looked at it, its the paint tarnished, and he sighed. Indeed, this was Jack’s house. He always knew that Jack was lazy when it came to doing some work…well most of the job.

“Ya´told me ya’ had been here for two months? And you didn’t try to paint this?” said Ennis, looking the place over.

“Hey! I was grieving and it was yer fault! Ya’ were dead, remember?” Jack chuckled, as he looked at Ennis, who was looking at him seriously.

“Ok, ok! I was not in the mood fer’ paintin’ it!” Jack admitted, rolling his eyes.

“Well I’m here! So we’ll be painting it together. What color would ya’ like?” Ennis said, smiling and looking at his new project. This was his house and his home.

“What color would I like? Well Ennis this white: I never liked it! What do’ya think about pink?” he said, smiling but Ennis was not smiling. He was serious and cold as a rock.

“Ya’re kiddin’ right?” Ennis said, poking Jack in the chest.

“No I’m no kiddin’, I’m serious. I like the house in pink and…. STOP POKIN’ ME ENNIS!” Jack yelled, but Ennis kept poking him and Jack was getting upset, “I’m warning ya’!” he said, but Ennis kept poking him; this time with his two hands. Jack just yelled and jumped onto Ennis so fast that Ennis was unable to protect himself, suddenly Ennis was on the ground and Jack, on top of him.

“I told ya’ stop pokin’ me, but ya’ don’t listen! And ya’ knew I was kiddin’, I want the house blue, not pink! But now what I’m gonna do with ya’? I have to think of a good punishment for ya’! I can’t kiss you until ya’ can’t breath, or fuck you until ya’ can’t walk or I’ve drained ya’ completely,” said Jack as he was rubbing his chin with his left hand and Ennis was smiling at Jack with an evil smile.

“What is so funny? I’m bein’ serious here!” Jack said, but Ennis kept laughing. Suddenly Jack found himself trapped by Ennis’ hands and was unable to move.

“Hey it ain’t fair! Ya’ fooled me! I want a recount!” Jack said, trying to release himself, but he knew well that Ennis was stronger than him.

“Well, Rodeo, ya’ were thinkin’ on how to punish me? I guess I’ll punish ya’ then. All the power of Ennis’ law will fall onto you right now!” Ennis said and in a quick move he was the one on top and Jack was on the bottom, with a naughty smile.

“Well: Ennis law? So that is what you call it now? Mmm…well I thought it was called li’l Ennis!” Jack chuckled as he used his hands to grab and touch Ennis’ hips.

“I’m warnin’ ya’, rodeo! Ya’ are awakening something ya’ can’t control. There’s no one here to save you!” Ennis said, looking at Jack.

“Great, I don’t need help! I just need ya’!” Jack answered and then suddenly both mouths were together, kissing. Jack was rubbing Ennis body as Ennis was getting both of them naked with his left hand and with the right hand was caressing Jack’s face. They ended up naked and doing it at the entrance of the ranch, in the middle of the day. People could have passed and seen them, but they didn’t care. It was their damn house and no one could tell them what to do, it was their property….Well Jack’s property.

When they finished they stood up naked, their clothes in their hands and unpacked their stuff and entered the house without dressing again. Ennis and Jack walked through the house and Jack was showing him the entire house telling him all his kids’ stories and the fun he had there when he was a kid.

“Ya’ sure were a spoiled kid!” Ennis said, when he heard the story of how he painted a horse on the kitchen table and how his mother said it was a piece of art and then how red his ass was when his father discovered it.

“Well what I can say? I guess that I was just teasing my dad” Jack answered, when he looked at Ennis and watched the man in front of him, with defined abs, hard muscles and big feet. ‘Damn! He is a Greek God!’ he thought. He was hypnotized by Ennis’ perfect body. To Jack, there was no other man that was as handsome as Ennis.

“Ya’ know Rodeo, I always wished to walk naked in my house. I mean, I never did and it feels damn good, the breeze down there,” Ennis said, smiling when he realized Jack was not answering, he was looking at him, lost in his own thoughts. Ennis looked at Jack and tried to talk but Jack was not reacting. All of a sudden, he just pushed Jack into the kitchen’s wall and kissed him.

“Well, I think that I’ll eat some before the big meal,” Ennis said, while Jack was moaning because of the way Ennis was kissing his neck.

“Ennis …..I love you!” Jack said Ennis stopped kissing him. Jack thought that he said something wrong and that he had scared Ennis. Ennis was serious and looked at him with a real cold look, suddenly he caressed him and smiled, “I love you too, Jack fuckin’ Twist,” he said. Jack rolled his eyes and smiled, for a second he was scared and thought that Ennis was going back to the old times. He kissed him again and they both fell to the floor, by the end of that, the kitchen was full of the smell of semen and sex. They both dressed and decided to clean the kitchen and prepare their food. Jack prepared roasted chicken; more roasted than chicken, since he was really bad cooking and Maria was the one that always cooked at their house.

Ennis set the table with no difficulty, he had done that many times when he was married to Alma, so there was no problem. He took some beers from the fridge and placed them on the table. By the time Jack served the food and they were enjoying Jack’s awful cooking, Ennis tried to eat the food, but he was having problem swallowing it. The chicken tasted like coal. Jack, on the other hand, thought his food was delicious because Ennis was not complaining about it.

“Thank you Ennis! This is my first time cooking roasted chicken!” he said, smiling, he was really happy that Ennis was enjoying his meal.

“Well Jack it really tastes b….different! I really like it and as a prize I’ll cook for ya’ next time!” he said, hoping to sound convincing. He preferred his food rather than eating Jack’s chicken again.

“Is there a problem with my food Ennis? Why ya’ wanna cook? I thought ya’ liked this!” Jack whined, looking at his plate.

“Jack I haven’t said that it is just that…. ok yes, Jack, yer cooking sucks! I can cook better than ya’!” Ennis said and Jack was red with anger at that time, tried to say a word but he knew that Ennis was right. He started laughing and Ennis was curious and surprised at that attitude.

“Ya’re right, still can’t cook worth a shit! But I did my best, I have to admit, I guess it is better for ya’ to cook. Ennis I prefer you doin’ it, at least we won’t starve if ya’ cook!” Jack said. They finished their meal and cleaned up everything. It was almost bed time when Ennis wondered where he was going to sleep.

“Well where else? Ya’ll sleep with me, on my bed, well my new bed! We’ll be sleeping in what used to be my parents’ room!” Jack said, smiling at Ennis who was not sure if that was a good idea. But well he wanted to be with Jack and he didn’t care if it was going to be oo the floor in his parents’ room, he just wanted Jack Twist.

“Oh Jack I forgot to tell you this! I sleep naked!” Ennis said in a naughty voice.

“Better for me, better for me!” Jack answered and they both went to sleep.

Bobby returned to Childress with no idea of how to threaten Lureen Twist, his mother. She was the one that caused Ennis and Jack despair but she was in her right, Jack was her husband and was cheating on her, so she did what she thought was right, but he also thought that if she knew this from a long time ago she should have ended her marriage instead of throwing his father into that deep sadness like she did. He was not thinking clearly, she was his mother and after all she deserved respect from him and no matter what, he loved her as well. His cab arrived home and he saw his mother at the door, waiting for him. She went fast and gave him a big hug, he got scared: this was not common for his mother.

“Oh Bobby, I missed you! My li’l boy! How was yer dad?” she asked him; he noticed tears in her eyes.

“He is ok mom, he’s still in Lightning Flats” He answered as Lureen sighed and gave him a big smile.

“And you guys didn’t go to any other place?” she asked, curious.

“No mom, we stay there as I told ya’ before. He’ll come here in two weeks for the dinner at Laverne’s place!” He said lying in his first comment and hoping his dad and Ennis would not do something stupid and both come to Laverne’s dinner.

“That is perfect, the business hasn’t bein’ same since yer daddy went there, I hope he comes back soon so we can make good money like before!” Lureen said happily and she saw an angry look on Bobby’s face.

“That is all that is important tor you? Fuckin’ money! I thought ya were worried about my dad but no! ya’re worried about yer stupid business!” he yelled at her, ran to his room and slammed the door behind his back.

Bobby was angry, he had thought his mother was worried about his father but she was worried about the business. It was true, since Jack left, the Newsome business wasn’t the same, Bobby looked at a picture of the three of them smiling. Colorado’s Grand Canyon, a trip they took back on the 1979, when he was 12, he thought they were a happy family there but he was not aware that after they came back his father went to “Fish” with Ennis. He now knew why he liked to fish with Ennis. He threw the picture to floor and the glass shattered into pieces.

“Joven Bobby ¿Esta usted bien?” “Young Bobby are you ok?” asked Maria, his Mexican maid, knocking on the door. She opened it and saw the picture on the floor and immediately started picking up the mess.

“Maria ya’ don’t have to do this!” Bobby said to her trying to stop her, “I caused this, I can clean it!” he added.

“Bobby, don’t come with those kinds of statements! I know you are upset with your mother! I know you too well!” she said. She finished cleaning the mess, Bobby smiled; Maria had always meant a lot to him: like his second mother.

“I forgot! I called your school and I told them that you were on a trip and they send me these papers for you to read and do! That Laverne girl brought them!” Maria said leaving the room.

Bobby looked at his desk and he opened his eyes wide; he had at least 30 tons of papers and a lot of books to read, it was his fault, he’d missed three weeks of classes from college and he knew that he was not going to sleep now. He went to pickup his phone and made a phone call.

“Hello, who is this?” the voice said.

“Howdy Mrs. Malone, this is Robert Twist!” he said to the woman.

“Bobby! Howdy! How sweet of ya’ to call! I’ve been wonderin’ where you were! Yer daddy is ok, right? Because, remember the dinner is in two weeks!” she said, really excited. Bobby heard a noise on the phone he knew it was Laverne, he heard how she took the phone from her mother’s hand.

“Bobby, my dear, how are you doing? Ya’ received my notes? I left them on yer room!”

“Yes, I got them, no problem. I’ll study, thanks to you. I really appreciate the help I got from you!” he said on the phone to her. They spoke for an hour, and afterwards, they both went back to studying and working on their assignments; more for Bobby.

In the next weeks in Childress, Bobby spent 18 hours studying and other 6 on college he was not sleeping but it was ok for him, he was hoping to have some rest on the weekend and was expecting to have that dinner at Laverne’s place. There was only one week left until the party. What he didn’t know was that the dinner was going to be the beginning of the end.

In the next week, Ennis and Jack worked hard to put the house in shape. It was no longer white it was blue, navy blue: a color both liked and Jack really liked the process of painting, because on multiple occasions, he threw the paint over Ennis’ clothes, who in his rage, fucked him in the same place. They were enjoying that strange honeymoon that they were having. Ennis was the one cooking until Jack went to the store and bought a cooking book. The lady in the store asked him if it was true that he was staying at his ranch with a friend but he smiled and said to her, ‘he is more than that to me,’ and left.

When Jack came home, he told Ennis about that question that he got at the store, he thought Ennis was going to get scared, but he just laughed and said, “Damn this town is small we’ve only been here one week and they know about us! I guess that we will have to stop havin’ outdoor sex then?”

Even though Jack liked Lightning Flat, he felt that it was not safe for them live there, especially after the incident that happened three years ago, in which they killed a young couple of students who were found nailing each other. Jack thought that he would probably sell the ranch and get something out of Wyoming. He thought in Denver and in Topeka, but he thought that it was a good idea to discuss it with Ennis, before doing so. He was going to discuss that with Ennis when he approached Jack and looked at him seriously.

“Jack there’s something I wanted to ask and I want you to tell me the truth,” Ennis said, Jack didn’t like that tone of voice so he took a deep breath and answered the question.

“Sure, cowboy I’ll be honest with ya,’” he said.

“Ok, Jack, when I came here and talked with yer parents, yer daddy told me that ya’ were planning to move out here with that neighbor of yours! Who was he?” Ennis said and he noted how Jack got pale and gulped noticeably.

Jack looked down and then at the ceiling, took a deep breath and tried to say something but the words were not coming as he wanted, he never thought Ennis was going to ask about this.

“That neighbor was the foreman’s wife right? Ya’ weren’t honest with me that time! I don’t wanna fight, I just want to know!” Ennis added but Jack was not answering, so Ennis gave him a hug and kissed him gentle.

“I guess that ya’ were goin’ to find it out soon, I’m not happy of what I did. In fact, I’m ashamed. I should never have done that Ennis! Why ya’ wanna know? Why no,w when we are so damn happy?” Jack cried, but he knew that Ennis needed to know this, so he mumbled ‘Randall Malone’ in a very low voice and Ennis said “Who?” he mumbled the name a little bit louder but Ennis was unable to hear it.

“It was Randall Malone,” he said and closed his eyes. Ennis stepped back, scratched his hair and didn’t say a word for two minutes.

“Randall Malone, the owner of the Blue Hills Ranch?” Ennis said, surprised, and Jack nodded.

“Well that explain lot of things,” he said.

“What’ya sayin’? You know Randall?” Jack asked, looking at Ennis. He was neither upset nor disturbed, he was surprised.

“Of course I know him! He is my boss! I am his foreman he pays me $1,500.00 per month to run his ranch!” he said smiling

“So ya’ ran the ranch for him and ya’ didn’t want to have a sweet life with me!” Jack said, angry. Ennis didn’t understand why, but he got angry also.

“Wait a minute, rodeo! Ya’re tellin’ me this: ya’re the one that screwed my boss? Oh no, Jack, stop this shit! Besides, I’m living with you, right? So what is the fuckin’ deal here? Or are ya’ tryin’ to change this so you can be the victim?” he said in a really upset tone as he poked Jack who just twisted his mouth in anger.

“Listen Jack, I think that it is time for ya’ and me to leave the past behind us. Let’s look to the future, that is why I asked. I don’t want to fight, I just wanted to know who he was so if I see him next to you, I could kick his ass to the floor!” he said, showing his fist to Jack and smiling. Jack laughed and rolled his eyes, maybe Ennis was changing, but in his insides were the same, he was still the Ennis he had always loved. Jack told Ennis that his son Bobby was dating Laverne Malone.

“Are ya kiddin’? Did’ya know that I was helpin’ them to organize a party they were doin’ for her boyfriend’s family? So that was you and Lureen!” he laughed “This world is so small! Seems to be we were meant to reunite in this way or with the party!” he added.

“Speaking of the dinner, Ennis, I think I won’t be goin’! I don’t want to see Lureen!” Jack said.

“Of course ya’re goin’! I mean we both are goin’ and there’s no point of discussion here!” Ennis said to Jack and he started rubbing his cock and kissing his neck.

“Are ya’ bribing me, Ennis? If I say yes, we’re gonna fuck?” Jack said, in his excitement.

“No rodeo, I’m just horny,” Ennis said as he unbuttoned his shirt and pulled his pants off, while Jack was doing the same.

Laverne and her mother worked a lot that week to organize the dinner, the guest, the menu, the music, they even planned to show a little rodeo for enjoyment of the Twists, since they knew that Jack used to be a rodeo cowboy, they did their best to have everything on time. Their menu was Roasted Steak, ribs, sweet corn, rice and beans and chili. And the whole ranch was decorated with flowers that Laverne selected especially for the occasion. Everything was perfect: Randall in his best suit, Lashawn in a dress, with a big hat with a red bow on it and Laverne was in a red dress with high heels - her hair, natural, something about which her mother complained.

At 2:00pm, Bobby arrived with his mother on hand. Bobby was dressed in his regular white shirt, his black Levi’s and his usual leather boots, his mother was in a white dress, too with her blonde her tied in a bow. Bobby looked at that fancy decoration and sighed, he was thinking twice about this “dating Laverne” thing, if she did this, then he was not going to consider this longer. Her mother, on the other hand, loved that horrible decoration: found it exquisite and beautiful.

“Lureen Twist! How are ya’ doin’? It’s been years since I’ve seen ya!” said Laverne as she kissed Lureen’s cheek. ‘Drunk,’ she thought as she kissed her back and gave her a fake smile.

“Thanks LaShawn! So sweet of ya’! I haven’t see you in years, ya’ look great” Lureen said smiling, ‘ Bitch,’ she though. Those two women hated each other and lived in a constant war of envy and for both it was really horrible to have their kids dating.

“Look at ya’ Bobby! Ya’ look like yer father and it is better than being like that old, fat grand dad of yours!” LaShawn said smiling, but the comment erased Lureen’s smile.

“Laverne! That is beautiful! I’m so happy that ya’ are as gorgeous as yer mom, but I’m more happy that ya’ don’t have that tongue yer mom had,” Lureen said as LaShawn looked at her, quite upset.

“Thanks! Why don’t we go into the house?” Bobby and Laverne said as they saw that little battle of their mothers. “I hope this won’t be happening during the whole dinner,” Bobby whispered to Laverne, who just nodded.

“Bobby, look at ya’! Ya’re as handsome as yer father! Give me a hug!” Randall said and he gave a big hug to Bobby. He rubbed his ass; Bobby just opened his eyes, didn’t said anything. He thought, or tried to think, that it was an accident and that was not the purpose of the hug.

“So, Lureen, where is Jack?” LaShawn asked as she gave Lureen a glass of whiskey.

“Oh, Jackie, well he is at his folks place, ya’ know he is fixin’ it that so we can go there on vacations,” Lureen lied. Bobby just coughed and took a deep breath, he was hoping for something not to happen.

“I’ve been at my dad’s old house. It’s a pretty old ranch, and it needs lot of help! So he is there, fixin’ it,” Bobby said

“Oh! I bet that Ennis would be able to help him! He is our foreman and look how good our ranch is! Randall and I are really happy with his work!” LaShawn said, Lureen dropped her glass and it shattered on the floor.

“Ennis? Ennis who?” Lureen asked with her hands shaking, ‘Please let him be a Jones or a Lopez but not a Del Mar,’ she thought.

“ Ennis Del Mar!” said a new voice in the house. It was Jack, who was entering the house with Ennis by his side. They both were smiling and were looking at Lureen, who was pale and started breathing fast, shaking.

“Lureen? Honey, how ya’re?” Jack said with an evil smile, Bobby had never saw that look on his father’s eyes and he even saw that Ennis was looking at her the same way, but Lureen’s eyes were full of fear.

“J…J…Jack h…h..how are ya’? I’m fine!” she managed to answer; she was horrified, she thought she was going to cry, but she was already crying for her life.

“Can you believe that I went to the graveyard to visit my old friend’s tomb and he was there alive? Lureen, it was so weird! I thought that Ennis was dead but ya’ see, he is alive!” Jack said and everyone noticed his sarcastic tone of voice.

“You two know each other?” Randall asked Ennis, surprised.

“Oh yes Randall! We know very well, happens that Jack and I….” Ennis was saying when Lureen interrupted him. “They are fishin’ buddies! That is what they are!” she said trying to avoid them saying the truth about their relationship.

Laverne and LaShawn were looking at the scene with no idea of what happened, but they were enjoying the show.

“Not really Lureen! Ya’ see Randall, Ennis and I are together!” Jack said, smiling. Lureen screamed and grabbed her hair.

“Together?” LaShawn asked.

“Yes Mrs. Malone together! Jack and I are in love!” Ennis said, looking at Lureen and Randall. Lureen screamed again and started crying, Randall squeezed his fist. ‘Jack Twist,’ he said.

“In…in…love?” Laverne asked. Her mother and her were really impacted to hear that; they never thought that. Bobby just looked at that scene without saying a word, he was not going to be on anyone’s side, he just didn’t want the dinner to be the place where this was going to be shown. But it was obvious that for his dad and Ennis, this couldn’t wait any longer.

“Yes in love! Ya’ see Laverne, I love Ennis. I always did since I met him in 1963!” Jack said, looking at Lureen, who kept crying.

“So Jack ya’ are….” LaShawn tried to talk, but Ennis interrupted her.

“Queer, faggot, homo…yes I guess we are, but we don’t care. We just love each other and we are not goin’ to let anyone destroy this!” Ennis said.

“Shut up! Ya’ nasty beast! Ya’ don’t know what ya’re saying!” Lureen said, trying to breathe and hold back her tears. “Ya’ are nasty beast! Ya’ two won’t be together!” she added.

“And who gave ya’, K.E. and Alma the right to decide that? Ya’ know Lureen, ya’ had no right to do what ya’ did!” Jack yelled; he was no longer calm.

“We better get out here,” said Randall, taking LaShawn by the arm. He didn’t want them to see or listen, in case they mentioned his affair with Jack.

“Why? I want to see!” LaShawn said, as she was being pulled out of the room, by Randall, who was holding her arm.

“Bobby I think we should go too” Laverne said, and they both left Ennis, Jack and Lureen in the room.

“Tell me Lureen! Who gave ya’ that right!” Jack yelled at Lureen, who was crying and on her knees.

“I WAS YER WIFE! I WAS NOT GOIN’ TO BE FOOLED BY YA’ JACK! YA FOOLED WITH ME! THERE WERE NO FISHIN’ AT ALL, YA’ JUST WERE FUCKIN’ THIS MAN!” Lureen yelled at Jack, who was looking at her.

Ennis didn’t say anything, he was just watching the scene. Lureen knew he was enjoying this, seeing her destroyed.

“That was not the reason Lureen! Ya’ didn’t want me to leave because ya’ knew that if I left ya’, the business would come down!” Jack yelled back.

“Ya’ know I was the fuckin’ reason the business was ok! And ya’ know that our marriage was failing already because ya’ started getting colder and colder!” he added.

“BUT YA MARRIED ME KNOWIN’ YA DIDN’T LOVE ME! YA’ NEVER LOVED ME, JACK! NEVER!” she yelled at him.

“And that gave you the right to do that! I can put ya’ in jail, ya’ know? I certainly can! Yer little plan almost killed me and I can say ya’ planned this and ya’ will spend the rest of yer days in jail!” Jack yelled.

“DO IT! YA’ JUST WANT AN EXCUSE TO FUCK THAT QUEER!” she yelled, pointing at Ennis.

“Now it is my turn to talk!” Ennis said as he went and grabbed her by the shoulders; she tried to hit him but he just placed her on a chair.

“If I’m a queer or not is not yer fuckin’ problem! I know we did bad, but ya’ didn’t have the right to do that!” Ennis said angrily, Jack thought he was going to hit Lureen when he grabbed her, but he realized that Ennis was not the kind of man that would hit a woman.

“I didn’t want to do that! It was Alma’s idea, she came to me in 1979 and …” Lureen said desperate trying to save her ass from the situation. “If someone has to go to jail, she is the one that should have to go! She and yer brother! They planned this, yer sister was not happy with this and tried to stop us but yer brother threatened her,” she added. In Ennis’ mind, it was all clear that his sister had killed herself, unable to handle the pain, she left a note with just, ‘I’m sorry,’ on it.

“Don’t try to get out of this, Lureen! Ya’ll pay for this, I can guarantee you that!” Jack said, looking at her.

“It was not my fault Jack! I love ya’! I did what every woman would do to keep her man!” she tried to defend herself.

“Try to defend…Try to defend? Ya’ mean that the fact that I was almost killed, ya’ weren’t defending me! That is so good Lureen, I’ll ask ya’ to defend me next time I want to get killed!” Jack said “I want the divorce and I want no excuse of this and ya’ll give me what I deserve: the half of this fuckin’ business I made with ya’ and there’s no excuse there. If ya’ don’t do that, I’ll put yer little ass into jail!” he yelled at her.

“Jack, I won’t let ya’ be with him! I’d prefer to die!” Lureen yelled at him.

“Ya’ want that? I can put you into jail and let you die there! But this is my last word! Divorce or jail!” he yelled.

“And ya’ know what this man over here is the love of my life and I don’t care if ya’ think I’m queer or not!” he said and he grabbed Ennis and kissed him in front her. She was unable to contain her cry, “Let’s get out o’ here,” Jack said. Ennis and he left the house, went back to their car and left her on the floor crying. She was destroyed and ashamed; soon all Childress would know that her husband had cheated on her with a man. She grabbed her purse and ran to her house, to her car. She had to let Alma know what was happening, that there was fire over the ranch and that they were together. Their love was a force of nature that they were unable to stop.