A PLACE FOR US.
A/N. This story is a sequel to "Jack Twist's Legacy." You really need to read that first. As with that story, some of the agricultural or other farming practices I describe might not sound right for Wyoming. Please don't flame me. I am a Kiwi writing this in New Zealand. I am hugely grateful to the good people at Google Earth. This has been an invaluable tool for researching the country around the Lightning Flat area.
Many thanks to my flatmate, Martin, who is also my beta reader.
A big heart felt thank you those who have been so kind with your reviews for "Jack Twist's Legacy". Especially to Kos - Mos607, Hussy, The Everlasting sugarquill and Saphobrazil. It has encouraged me to carry on with this sequel. I will post this one as I complete each chapter. Hopefully at least weekly.
Disclaimer. The world of "Brokeback Mountain" and the characters from there are the property of and the product of the genius of Annie Proulx. I only own my own original characters.
CHAPTER 1
Ennis Del Mar stood, hands on hips, basking in the late afternoon sun. Ennis was a solidly built and handsome cowboy of around 40 years old. He was standing on the roadside at the front entrance to Brokeback Ranch, which he owned in partnership with Bobby Twist.
He was admiring their new sign. They had had an enlarged version made of a sign Bobby and his two friends, Jackson and Mac had given to Ennis. The enlarged sign was now hanging proudly from a sturdy arch which spanned the front gate, proclaiming proudly to the world that this was "Brokeback Ranch".
There had been a great deal of discussion over where to mount it. Bobby was adamant it had to go on an arch. He was a Texan after all and that's where a good Texan rancher would have his property name displayed!
Ennis pointed out that they would have to build an arch as high as the Hoover Dam so that Bobby could get his combines underneath it. They had finally compromised by building an ordinary sized arch and installed a wide gate next to it for the combines and other heavy machinery.
Ennis had to admit it looked mighty fine. They had added a fanciful design for a brand mark of two capital Bs back to back. He was sure that Jack would approve and would be smiling down on him from where ever he was now.
As he turned toward his horse to ride back to the house, he heard a low rumble in the distance. It brought a small smile to his face. This was so late summer thunder storm brewing. Sure enough, as the noise grew louder, the huge bronze and white pick up truck called "The Mothership" came into site.
The big pick up belonged to Bobby Twist. He had inherited it from his daddy along with his half of "Brokeback Ranch". The other half of the ranch had been left to Ennis Del Mar.
Bobby's daddy, Jack Twist and Ennis had met while herding sheep on "Brokeback Mountain" back in the summer of 1963. During those long months together they had fallen in love. They continued their relationship for twenty years, despite both marrying and having families.
The relationship came to an end with the sudden death of Jack Twist.
Ennis smile spread right over his face as the big pick up pulled into gateway beside him and Bobby leaned out the window.
"Don't it look just great!" he enthused as his own features lit up with one of his super charmer smiles.
Bobby was a handsome young man of around 19 years old. He was tall and slim with startling blue eyes he inherited from his Daddy. His blond hair he inherited from his Mama, Lureen Newsome-Twist. The summer sun had bleached it even whiter.
He stepped out of the pick up to stand beside Ennis. As he did so an older man of around 60 years old climbed out of the passenger seat.
This man was Bobby's paternal Granddaddy, John Twist. He had the family blue eyes, but had the look of a man who had seen many hard years. He and his wife, Carol Twist, had originally owned the ranch, until Jack had bought it.
The boys had called it "Brokeback Ranch" in honor of Jack's dream of he and Ennis taking over the ranch together.
"I like it." the old man agreed. "It's about time the old place had itself a name. Jack sure did like that place, Brokeback Mountain."
The memories of the mountain and being there with Jack brought a deep sigh from Ennis. Bobby stepped up to him and draped an arm over his shoulder.
"Daddy would have loved it!" he assured Ennis.
Ennis thumbed away a small tear that had started to run down his cheek.
"Yeap. He surely would!"
Bobby gave his shoulder another squeeze.
"Come on. Let's get home and see what Grandma Twist is fixing for supper." he said as he headed back to the "mothership". John climbed back into the passenger seat. They waved to Ennis and with a throaty growl from the big V8 engine, they headed off up the drive.
Ennis waited for a second for the dust cloud to clear, then swung onto his horse and cantered off up the drive after them.
Later that evening, they were all in the kitchen helping Grandma Twist clean up after supper. Ennis turned from where had just finished stacking plates away in a dresser.
"How are Jackson and Mac doing?" he asked Bobby. Jackson and Mac were Bobby's age and his best friends. They also worked for he and Ennis. Jackson worked on Bobby's agricultural contracting business and Mac worked on the ranch with Ennis. They were gay and dating each other.
The boys had recently both been brutally beaten and left for dead by an old adversary of Ennis and Jack's called Joe Aguirre. Aguirre and some friends of his had been out to get Ennis and Bobby, but Jackson and Mac had got in the way. To make matters worse, Mac had been brutally raped as a warning to Ennis.
When the thugs had turned up at the ranch, Ennis had turned the tables on them and trapped them in the barn. A feat that was still being hailed as one of the best criminal captures in Wyoming history!
Bobby looked up from where he was drying cutlery and putting it away in a drawer.
"Jackson is actually doing real well. He's out most days driving one of the combines or hauling grain with one of the tractors. He gets a bit tired and sore but otherwise he's pretty good." He sighed deeply.
"It's Mac who worries us though. He can't bare to be on his own and hates being away from Jackson. He rides around on whatever machinery Jackson is driving to keep him close by. Or he sticks close to me. Physically he's healing well. It's what is going on in his head that worries me!"
"Well that's understandable after what that bastard Aguirre and those others did to him. But he can't go on bein' scared of everything"
"Those poor boys!" Grandma spoke up from the sink where she was just finishing washing up pots and pans.
"What harm were they doin' anybody. Being left there to die like that. I thank God you found them in time Bobby! I just wish somebody could have been there for your Daddy." she finished quietly.
Ennis and Bobby both gave her sharp looks. They both wondered how much she had known, or guessed, about Jack and his unconventional life. Did she also suspect that his death had been a result of a hate crime, not from an exploding tire as was officially believed. Ennis and Bobby both definitely suspected hate crime!
"Their parents are really worried about them traveling so far to work." Bobby observed.
"They love that Jackson and Mac work for us. They just worry about the boys being on their own that long. I guess because they were attacked while driving after all."
Grandma turned away from the sink while drying her hands on her apron.
"Why don't they come and live here with us?"
Ennis and Bobby both gaped at her.
"Are you serious Grandma?"
"Of course! Why not? They'd be safer here than in town where someone else might have a go at them. They wouldn't have to travel alone to work" she observed wisely.
Bobby looked at Ennis.
"That would be awesome!" he enthused. "What do you reckon Ennis?"
Ennis looked at Bobby's face which was lit up like bright summer field of wheat at the thought of having his friends living nearby. So like his Daddy when he got taken up with and idea. As usual it was going to be Ennis who would have to be the voice of reason. Not that he always disagreed. He had great respect for Bobby's ideas and opinions despite the boy's youth. He just worried that Bobby might be inclined to go off half cocked.
"Mmmmm. Well yeah, it would be great, if their parents agreed."
"I'm sure they would! Jackson's Daddy even said he wished he could find somewhere closer for them to live."
"Ok. Where would they live? The house is already kind of full with the four of us here already."
Bobby frowned for a second, then his face lit up again.
"We could convert part of the barn, or get a double wide moved on by the house here. I've still got some of Daddy's money left."
John Twist had come into the room while they were talking and sat down at the table. He had lent back in his chair with arms folded and followed the discussion quietly. At this point he had had chuckled quietly.
"Ennis you might as well agree now. You know the boy will have it all thought out three ways from Tuesday already. I reckon he put his Grandma up to suggesting it!"
"No he didn't old fool!" She gave him an affectionate swat from where she was now standing at his shoulder.
"I didn't Granddaddy!" Bobby exclaimed. "I wish I had though! I didn't know how to bring it up."
Ennis looked like he still believed he might have been stitched up by the Twists. He smiled as he affectionately watched Bobby. More and more he was feeling fiercely paternal to this son of Jack's. The boy had that look he got when he was excited about something. As though he might be about to burst any minute. He was almost vibrating on the spot with the tension building up waiting for Ennis' to answer.
He gave the old man a rueful look.
"I gotta try!" he grunted, then turned a wide smile on Bobby.
"It's ok Rob Bob. It's a great idea!"
Bobby beamed at Ennis' use of his Daddy's pet name from his childhood in Texas. He launched himself across the room and grabbed Ennis up into a tight bear hug. Ennis was glad he had remembered Jack talking about the boy affectionately as his "Rob Bob" over the years.
"Thanks Ennis!" Bobby said from somewhere around Ennis' ear.
"Ok then, Go make some calls before I change my mind"