(Originally posted 15/07/13)
Trilogy Part Two
A/N This is the second outing for Brokeback Mountain's Ennis Del Mar's twenty-one year old ranch-hand grandson Rusty and his new friend Jason. Both are original characters created by the wordsmith grieving-pln.
THE CALL
Thursday 25th Oct 11.45pm 2018.
(A R&J PRE-DEBUT DRABBLE)
Jason had just lain his twenty-something head on his pillow. After another beyond hectic shift at the hospital, where he had had to retrieve not one but two lost seniors, mopped up three accidental spillages of dubious natures and had directed eighteen members of an Episcopalian family to the small chapel of remembrance; he was beat.
His eyelids fought with his brain to see who could shut down first.
His phone buzzed.
He ignored it.
His phone buzzed again.
More ignorance.
His phone continued to buzz.
Reluctantly Jason answered it without opening his eyes.
"This better be worth it friend" he drawled, "else I'm a gonna rip ya legs off."
"Oh um Jason hi, is this not a good time? I know it's late an' all, I can call back. Sorry I shoulda thought er just didn't think on." Rusty stammered and tripped over himself in his rush to explain his actions. Thankful that it was dark in his bunk room where he was calling from, his blushes disturbed no-one.
Jason's eyes flew open, he sat up instantly.
Alert. Intrigued. Thrilled.
"Russell" he whispered. "About time cowboy, thought you'd got lost on a cattle-drive." Despite his fatigue, Jason managed to inject some sassiness into his voice. His confident manner easily accessible.
Rusty huffed nervously into his cell. "Yeah, it's been a while. I've been…well, been .., just.. um busy, is all."
"But you're free now?"
"Yeah my Grandpas just gave me the weekend off." Rusty was eager to share his unexpected good fortune.
"Don't let it go to your head now. A whole forty-eight hours, how you gonna spend them?"
"With you." The words were out of Rusty's mouth before his brain had formed them.
Jason chuckled "Well that's a mighty sweet offer, but I'm working on Sunday, how about we go out on a date before you move in?"
Rusty was mortified, he'd actually practised what he was going to say to Jason and this was not it.
"Course. Yes. No. That's not what I meant. I just thought.."
"We could go out for a drink?" Jason interjected with ease.
"Yea. I was thinking…"
"Tomorrow night, say 8pm?"
"If you're free.."
"We could start out at my place and see where the night takes us."
"If you like."
"It's a date then?"
"Um yea seems that way." Rusty felt this tractor was driving away from him.
"I'll be seeing you then?"
"Right."
"Oh and Russell?"
"Hmmmmm"
"Thanks for askin' cowboy."
"M' pleasure." Rusty clicked off his phone feeling that something somewhere had gone right, without any help from him whatsoever.
Jason lay back down and shared his secret smile with his ceiling. He liked an assertive man. His smile became broader, an' Russell had all the potential of being just that - one day. Jason pulled the covers up to his nose because now at last, he could begin to dream of a future with a certain copper-headed cowboy.
-OOO-
Comments are always appreciated