THE SWEET LIFE Chapter 1, a brokeback mountain fanfic

Title: THE SWEET LIFE

Author: Donna McIntosh

Email:

Fandom: Brokeback Mountain

Genre: Slash

Rating: NC – 17 FRAO

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Annie Proulx, not to me. I make no money off of them.

Summary: Ennis's girls are grown and gone now and he's totally alone. What should he do? He makes that call to Jack!

THE SWEET LIFE

"Oh Daddy! I'm so glad you're home!" Jenny ran into his arms the minute he stepped down from his truck.

"Baby girl, what's a matter? You, OK? Your sister OK?" Ennis asked trying to console his distraught daughter.

"I was just leavin you a message on the door. I got a call … from Uncle K.E. Oh Daddy, it's awful!" She buried her face against his chest.

"What is it? Somethin happen to one of his kids? What?" Ennis struggled to understand.

"It's Aunt Maggie. She had a heart attack, Daddy. She's … gone." Jenny blinked back the tears.

"Gone? But she ain't but 42 or 43 years old. People that young don't die from heart attacks."

"She did, Daddy. I talked with Uncle K.E. He sounded so awful. She's gone. He said the funeral is gonna be tomorrow and he wants you to be there. I told him you'd call him." She wiped at her nose with a tissue. "I know you weren't all that close to your brother but you gotta go. You think you can get away?"

"I'm goin, Jenny. I gotta go now and make some phone calls. You be all right?"

"Yes, Daddy. I'd like to go too but tomorrow my finals start. I can't miss them or I won't be able to graduate early like I planned."

"You don't worry about nothin, darlin girl. You just see to your studies and I'll see to my brother." Ennis kissed her on the forehead and walked her to her car.

"You sure you don't need me to go along?" She sniffed as she opened her car door.

"No, sweet thing, you go along now. I'll take care of this." Ennis watched as his daughter as she drove away. With a heavy heart he unloaded his groceries from the back of his truck and lit a cigarette. He dug around in his dresser drawer until he found the old Christmas card from years back that Maggie had written a message with their Worland phone number in it.

He sat on the side of his bed with the phone in his lap and dialed the number. It took three rings before he heard his brother's voice. "Yes?"

"K.E. It's me, I got your message. You OK?" He didn't know what to say; he just stumbled along with whatever came to mind.

"Ennis … Good hearin from you. Funeral's tomorrow afternoon. Can you make it?"

"Sure. Sure enough. I'll be there."

"Good. She'd like that. Maggie always had a soft spot for you." His voice trembled.

"She's a good woman, your Maggie. You were lucky."

"Yeah .. I gotta go. You be here?"

"I'll be there."

"Ok. See ya."

"Yeah, bye."

Ennis hung up the phone and dialed the Cole ranch.

"Mr. Cole? Ennis. I just got some bad news. My brother's wife just passed. The funeral's tomorrow up in Worland. I'm gonna need a day or two to see to him."

"I hate to hear that Ennis. If it had been anyone else but you I'd think they were trying to stretch their weekend out another couple days but you never done me that way; not in all the years you worked for me."

"I wouldn't say it if it wasn't so. You know that."

"Yes, Ennis, I do. I'm sorry about your loss. Never heard you talk all that much about your brother but kin is kin and you gotta go do what's right. We can make it without you a couple a days. You see to your brother and we'll see you when you get back."

"Thank you, Mr. Cole. Appreciate it." He hung up the phone relieved and started packing for his sad trip.

He arrived in Worland just after dark and sat in his truck a few minutes before going in. He tried to imagine what his brother must be going through. K.E. and Maggie had been married for more than twenty years now; what would he do without her? They had three kids!

He knocked at the door and was welcomed in by the oldest boy. They hugged briefly and Ennis made his way through the crowd of visitors to the back sitting room where his brother noticed him and came to him with a tearful hug.

"Why don't we step outside and get some air?" Ennis suggested and they exited out the back door and stood in the dim light of the back porch.

"You doin OK?" Ennis asked his brother who stood silent now and staring off into the darkness.

"Nope. And I never will again. She's gone, Ennis. Just like that, stomach ache one day; gone the next." He leaned against the porch railing and let the tears fall.

Ennis went to him, clasping a warm hand on his shoulder. "You'll get through this."

"How?" K.E. turned a tear stained face up to his taller brother. "She was my life, Ennis! There's no way … I can't go on with out her!"

"Yes you can. You got three good reason why; those kids inside. They need you now more than ever."

K.E. gave way to the tears then and Ennis held him while he cried. He remembered this same scene only in reverse when their parents died. He remembered K.E. holding him and telling him they would make it somehow. He comforted his brother the best he could. Neither of them heard the silent footsteps coming up the back walk.

"K.E.?" The soft voice spoke.

K.E. pulled back from Ennis's embrace. "Clint?"

"Yeah, it's me." The young man stepped in out of the shadows. "I had to come."

"I'm so glad you did. Come on inside." K.E. reached out to him.

"No; I'd better not. I don't want to get anything started. I just wanted to make sure someone was here with you. This your brother?"

"Oh, yeah. Hell, I'm sorry. Clint, this is Ennis. Ennis, this is Clint; Maggie's youngest brother."

They shook hands.

"Come on in. Everybody's here now." K.E. asked again.

"No. Better not. I'll be there tomorrow though."

"You got as much right to be here as everyone else; more really. She was closer to you than any of the rest of them."

"You know how they are, K.E."

A voice called from inside, "K.E., you'd better come back inside. It's getting cold out there." His sister-in-law called.

"I don't care what they think." K.E. assured him.

"I know. But now is not the time. I just came by to make sure they arrived and that you weren't alone. I'm glad your brother is here."

"Me too." K.E. put an affectionate hand on his brother's arm.

"I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. Nice to meet you Ennis." He nodded in Ennis's direction.

Ennis nodded and escorted his brother back inside. "What's that all about?" He asked quietly enough for just K.E. to hear."

"Long sad story, Ennis. We'll talk after everyone leaves."

A knock at the front door brought yet another neighbor with a covered dish and condolences.

The long sad evening lasted till nearly mid-night before they were all gone. K.E.'s two oldest boys taking the younger one back to their apartment so that K.E. could be alone with Ennis.

"How about some coffee; or maybe something a little stronger?" Ennis offered with a reassuring smile.

"I think there's some beer in the fridge." K.E. offered.

"I brought somethin a little stronger if you'd like?"

"Oh yeah! I sure could use a drink 'bout now." K.E. ran a hand through his hair and sank down on the couch.

"It's in my truck. I'll get it." Ennis started for the door.

"You're stayin here, aren't you? Bring your stuff in." K.E. said and waved a weary hand.

"Sure thing. I'll be right back."

They sat and talked for hours; about Maggie, their three boys and reminisced about when they lost their parents. K.E.'s youngest boy was just a year older than Ennis was when it happened.

"He'll be fine." Ennis assured him. "He's got a good head on his shoulders and he'll be able to finish school and make somethin of himself. He's still got you and his older brothers both done good. They'll be there for him like you was for me; always lookin after me."

"I know. I know." K.E. shook his head sadly and agreed.

They sat in silence for a time before Ennis asked. "Why was that Clint fella not wantin to come in with the rest of the relatives?"

"They all hate him. Call him names somethin terrible. Sometimes they remind me of the way Pa was."

"Huh?"

"You know how he was; hated everyone that was the least bit different from him."

"I guess."

"Don't you remember how he was? I guess you were kinda young and may not remember some of the awful stuff he done."

Ennis poured the last of the bottle; a half glass each and they drank up.

"What's all that got to do with this Clint fella?"

"Well, I don't know how you feel about such things, Ennis. We never talked about it before. I just don't think the way Pa did; about people being different, I mean."

"Different how?"

"Clint is just different is all; don't like the same things other people think he should."

"You ain't makin much sense, K.E.; you drunk?"

"Nah. It's just a damn shame; Clint's a good guy. He really is. It don't matter none to me who he sleeps with and I can't see as it none of their business neither."

"Who he sleeps with?" Ennis asked.

"Yeah; Clint's gay. The rest of the family treats him like he's this axe murderer or somethin. I tell you; it makes me sick! He was always Maggie's favorite and I think that chapped their asses too."

"How do you know he was … what you said?" Ennis couldn't help the icy trickle of fear that crept over him.

"Gay? I've always known. Since right after Maggie and I were married. She told me. He brought his partner over to meet us. He's a real nice guy. They been living together now, twelve, fifteen years or so."

"Living together? Out in the open?"

"Well it's not like they're doin it out in the street, Ennis; but yeah, they been livin together for years. No body pays them no mind around here; 'cept the relations. Thank God most of them are from out of town and Clint don't have to put up with their shit."

"Ain't they afraid? I mean … people get killed for doing stuff like that."

"There are nuts all over the world, Ennis and if they're of a mind to kill; they're gonna do it. They don't need no reason." K.E. said as he finished off his drink and walked into the kitchen depositing the glass in the sink.

Ennis followed with his glass and dumped the empty bottle in the trash.

"You're thinking of our old neighbors back home?" K.E. asked.

"Yeah. You remember that?" Ennis asked.

"I sure do! Still have nightmares about it; seeing old Earl laying there in that ditch."

"You think Pa had anything to do with it?"

"Probably. He was just the type to do something like that. You remember how he'd go into town and get drunk every Friday night? He hung out with a rough crowd. Momma hated them all."

"She did? I don't remember that."

"You were still a kid back then. I remember though. My room was closest to theirs and I heard them arguing a lot about that crowd. She hated them somethin fierce but there never was any controllin Pa."

"I do remember that. You really think he did it?"

"Probably. You know how he hated just about everybody in the world. I really liked old Earl and Rich too. It was a damn shame."

"You knew them? I mean; you ever talk to them?"

"Sure, I did. They was always in town and around. Nicest guys. They was always helpin other folks out. You remember the year the Wilson's barn burnt down? They was the first ones over there helpin them to rebuild it. And the year old man Weaver broke his leg? They mowed and baled his hay for him, and saw to his farm all that summer. They was well liked around town. It was just some of the town bigots who hated them."

"I didn't know that." Ennis was numb.

"I remember one time I was in town with the pick up. I told Pa I was going to the movies but I really went with Hank and his brother and we went into town and got drunk. I ran the pick up off the road and got it stuck in a ditch. I was about to walk home, scared to death of tellin Pa, when they come along. They stopped and hooked their pick up to mine and pulled it out for me; kept me out of a peck of trouble that night; for sure."

"You think any of them are still alive? Those that done the killin, I mean." Ennis asked.

"I have no idea. If they are, I hope they burn in hell when they go. I know they will. You believe in stuff like that; Ennis, hell and heaven?"

Ennis thought about it a minute standing there in his brother's kitchen in the middle of the night and nodded his head. "Yeah, I guess I do. I know there's a heaven. Momma used to talk about it all the time; she believed in it. I'd like to think she's up there somewhere plantin her flowers."

"If there's a heaven then you gotta believe there's a hell too." K.E. countered.

"I guess I believe that too." Ennis agreed.

Me and Maggie used to go to church every Sunday. She was really big on all that church stuff. I hated it to begin with but I went along with it just to be with her. Then after a few years it all began to kinda make sense; all those things the preacher said every week. I come to enjoy the services as much as she did. I know she believed and it helps now thinkin she's up there; maybe even with Momma tending to their flower gardens together."

"Yeah. I'm sure they'd like each other." Ennis agreed and started back for the living room. "Think I'll crash on your couch for a while. You think you can sleep?"

"I don't know. Yeah, maybe, I guess. But you don't have to sleep on the couch. Why don't you take Aaron's bed."

"Nah; ain't used to that much comfort. Sides, I'd get sea sick. Ain't he the one with the water bed?" Ennis smiled a weak smile at his brother.

"Yeah, that's right. I forgot about that. You sure? I hate that you come all this way and you're sleepin on the couch."

"Don't worry 'bout it. I've slept in a lot of worse places."

"Yeah; we did, didn't we? 'Course we was a lot younger then."

"Couch is fine, K.E. You go on and get some sleep. You can't sleep, you come back in here and wake me up. We'll talk some more."

"Thanks, Ennis. And thanks for comin. I'm really glad you're here. With Lizzy gone, you're all I got left." K.E. gave him a grateful hug and headed down the hall to bed.

Ennis lit up another cigarette and sat and thought about everything; Maggie and their Mom up in heaven and Lizzy, their sister up there too; going on five years now. Then his thoughts settled on Earl; Earl and Rich.

He wondered about them; thought about their life together for the first time. All he ever thought about them before was Earl's murder. He never really thought about them as part of the community. The two of them living together; what it must have been like for them. K.E. said they were good men; good neighbors; and well respected. How could that be? Everybody must have known that they were living together. Weren't they hated by everyone? Was it possible that two men could live together and not be hated? He had a lot of thinking to do and the house was filling with the soft pink light of dawn before he closed his eyes for sleep.

The next day was cold and snowy. The church was full and the preacher gave a nice talk. The services at the grave site were brief and soon they were back in the house again, greeting well wishers. Apparently K.E. and Maggie had a lot of friends in the community. Ennis stayed mainly in the back ground and only approached his brother when he seemed alone for a time. Just standing next to him, a hand on his shoulder; whatever he seemed to need.

Then they were all gone and the house was empty again but for Ennis, K.E. and the three boys. 15, 18 & 19. Ennis sat and chatted with them a while then made his way out to his truck, K.E. at his side.

"I really appreciate you comin, Ennis. We really should try and spend more time together. I'd like the boys to get to know you a little better."

"I'd like that. I got some stuff I need to take care of; get my life turned 'round. Once I kinda get settled 'bout things; I'll give you a call; we'll get together. Maybe go huntin. You take the boys huntin?"

"Once in a while. The younger one likes it but the two older boys don't care much for it."

"Well, we'll figure somethin." Ennis promised and after giving his brother one last hug, got in his truck and left. He had a lot of thinking to do. He thought about it all the way home. Once there, he went inside, picked up the phone and called Jack.

"Twist residence?" Jack using his salesman's voice answered the phone.

"Jack it's me."

"Eh .. right. Just let me get to my desk. I have all the paperwork in there. Hold on just a minute." Jack handed the phone to his son and told him to hold it until he got to the phone in the den. Then went into the den and said, "OK, Bobby. I got it." Bobby hung the phone up.

"Ennis, you OK?" Jack sat down at his desk.

"Shit, I'm sorry. Did I catch you in the middle of dinner or somethin? I never even noticed the time."

"No; just finished. Bobby and I were just shootin the shit. What's goin on? You sure you're OK? You never called me before."

"I just needed to talk to you. I went to a funeral today." Ennis said, sitting down in the recliner with the phone in his lap.

"You did? Who's?"

"My brother's wife. They been together 21 years. Got three kids."

"Oh, damn. I'm sorry, Ennis. How's he takin it?"

"He's all tore up. His boys are with him though. He'll get through it."

"That's tough, Cowboy; real tough."

"Yeah. They had a good life."

"Twenty one years together. That's a long time."

"Yeah. They got married the same year you and I met; back in '63."

"That was a good year!" Jack said.

"You got that right, Bud; the best!" Ennis agreed.

"Course '67 was pretty damn good too!" Jack chuckled a little remembering their reunion.

"Yeah. Jack, I been doin a lot of thinkin."

"Bout what?"

"Everythin."

"Everythin?" Jack was becoming more curious.

"You remember that story I tole you about, years ago; about that neighbor of mine that got killed with tire irons cause he was … you know … like us … gay."

The word stunned Jack. This was the first time he had ever heard Ennis admit that he was anything but straight.

"Yeah, I remember it. It was terrible. You said your Pa took you and K.E. out to see the body. I wish he hadn't done that."

"Me too. Scared me somethin awful, Jack. It really did."

"I know."

"Well, K.E. and me was talkin about it."

"You were? Why?"

"Seems his wife Maggie has a younger brother who's gay and the rest of the family hates him."

"That's sad, Ennis, sad and just plain ignorant."

"Uh huh. I met him. He seemed like a nice guy. K.E. says he met his … partner. Said they spent a lot of time with the two of them; said he was Maggie's favorite relative."

"Uh huh." Jack was in a state of shock to hear Ennis actually discussing such things. It was never discussed before. They never got passed Jack asking him to move in with him and Ennis saying no. He had all but given up hope.

"I was just a kid when Earl was murdered. But K.E, he was older. He remembers more. He said that Earl and Rich had been together for years and years and that they were a respected part of the community. They helped folks out and all."

"Uh huh."

"He said that those who killed Earl was just the town bigots and would have murdered anyone that night. They got drunk and went out lookin for someone to murder; they didn't need no excuse. I remember that Pa and his buddies hated lots of people; anyone who was different from them."

"Some people are like that. Then you add liquor to the mix and you get big trouble."

"Yeah. K.E. says it woulda happened if they came across near anyone."

"He's probably right."

"I been thinkin about all that. You and I never really discussed it. I know I always shot you down 'fore you hardly got the words outta your mouth. Did you have somethin like that in mind? You and me, I mean; bein part of a community somewhere?"

Jack held his breath. Could Ennis really be considering such a thing? Was it possible?

"Yeah; sorta. Just figured we'd get a place and make a life for ourselves together and what ever came our way; we'd handle."

"I been thinkin a lot 'bout what it'd be like; us livin together; bein together all the time."

"I think about it all the time too, Ennis. It's been my dream since Brokeback."

"Yeah, I know. I just never figured such a thing was possible."

"It is, Ennis. Most people are good folks; believe in live and let live. Long as we don't bother nobody, I doubt they'd even pay us much mind."

"Did you have some place in mind?"

"At first I didn't. I was so starry-eyed I'd a gone off anywhere with you and we'd probably starved to death. The last few years though; I've been thinkin about Lightning Flat. Pa's gettin on and won't be in any shape to run that place much longer. It needs new blood; new managin. I figured you and me could go up there and whip that place into shape. Build us a cabin in the back. There's some woods on the back side of the place that's got some real nice sites where a cabin would fit in just right."

"Cattle ranchin is seein some hard times, Jack. It ain't what it used to be."

"I know. Believe it or not, I do keep up. I know what beef prices are and it's a damn shame. That's why I was thinkin we ought to breed horses. With your way with horses, and some cattle on the side; I figured we could make a go of it. The place has good ground and plenty of trees for firewood. Momma always plants a big vegetable garden each year. It's a real nice place Ennis; or it could be with some good old fashioned hard work."

"And what would your folks think if you came draggin me up there?"

"Momma would be dancing in her kitchen and bakin cherry cake and Pa would be figurin all the chores he'd want us to do. We'd never get rich up there, Ennis; but the place could support us. We'd have fresh vegetables from the garden and fresh beef. And each fall we could find someone to trade a calf for a hog with. And it's not all that far from the Big Horns so we could hunt and keep the freezers full. It'd be a good life. Lightning Flat is a nice friendly little town; ain't never been no bigots there that I knew of."

"Jack … you really think we could do this?"

"I know we could! It'd be a lot of hard work but we could do it, Ennis. And if you didn't wanna go to Lightnin Flat, we could look some place else. Wyomin's a big state; we could find us a place; I know we could."

"I ain't the easiest person to live with, Jack. You just been seein me when I was off work; not when I'm all tired and grumpy."

"You get tired and grumpy and I'll rub your shoulders; give you a back rub; kiss you all over."

"Now that ain't fair!" Ennis chuckled and straightened himself.

"It's true though, Ennis. I'd be there working beside you every day; and sleeping beside you every night. Wakin up with you every morning and lovin you like crazy every single minute. Think about that."

"It sounds like heaven, Jack."

"All you have to do is say the word, Ennis, and I'm there." Jack was pacing the floor now, the phone cord draped across his desk and knocking things over.

"We gotta think about this, Jack."

"We been thinkin about it for twenty years now."

"You have. I ain't never give it no serious thought though. Didn't never think such a thing could be done."

"It can be, Ennis. People do it all the time."

"Well, can you give me some time here to think on it?"

"Sure thing, absolutely!"

"I gotta go and get some sleep now, but I promise you; I'm gonna think about it."

"Can't tell you how happy this makes me, Cowboy. You think on it and call me again; OK?"

"I'll do that. Night, Jack."

"Night, Ennis. Call me again?"

"I will. Not right away though. I gotta take some time and think"

"You do that, Ennis. You think about it and call me."

"I will. Night."

"Night."