Title: NUMBER PLEASE
Author: Brokeback Mountain
Rating: NC-17 FRAO
Warning: Explicit M/M sex scenes
Disclaimer: These characters belong to Annie Proulx; not me.
Summary:
NUMBER PLEASE
"Number please?" the operator asked.
"Aaahhh. I don't know the number. Can't you look it up or
somethin?" His voice was slurred.
"City?"
"Huh?"
"What city, Sir?"
"Wanna talk to Ennis. Can you get me Ennis?" He bent his 6'2" frame
down over the pay phone and lit another cigarette.
"Ennis, Texas. Ok. Who did you want to talk to in Ennis?" She was
becoming tired of this customer.
"Ennis Del Mar. He lives in Riverton, Wyoming. I need to talk to
him."
"OK Sir. You want to talk with someone named Ennis Del Mar in
Riverton, Wyoming?"
"'ats what I said! I need to talk to Ennis! Can't you just wake him
up for me?" The noise in the bar was getting worse. It was Saturday
night and the crowd was getting louder by the minute.
"One moment please."
"'ello?" the sleepy voice answered.
"Ennis? That you?"
"Yeah. What's wrong? You OK?"
"Oh shit, Ennis. I just miss you so much. It's OK I called you?"
"Yeah. Ok." He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, got up and went for
a cigarette. "What's wrong? You sound drunk."
"I just need to talk to you. Hear your voice." A drunk stumbled into
him on his way to the john and he bumped into the wall.
"Where the hell are you? Sounds like a party." Ennis sat on the side
of his bed and lit up.
"A bar. Somewhere. Tulsa I think. Yeah. Tulsa. Here on
business". Can I come see you?"
"Riverton's a long ways from Tulsa. What's botherin you, Bud?"
"I need to see you. Shit, shit, shit. I can't stand this, Ennis!"
"Now calm down. What's wrong? You never called me before."
"I need you! Damnit! Can't you understand that?" He leaned out of
the way this time as the drunk came reeling back down the hall.
"Jack...You gotta get a grip now. You can't let this thing get a
hold of you like this."
Silence on the other end; just the bar noises.
"You still there?"
"Yeah. Sorry, I bothered you." He hung up the phone, went back to
the bar and ordered another drink. It was going to be a long night.
It had been a long week. Work at the ranch seemed to be never
ending; or maybe he was just getting old. Seemed like it took more
out of him every day. Or maybe he was just worried. Jack had
sounded so down. He wasn't due up for another two months. It had
been a week since the call. He got ready for bed and sat staring at
the phone, willing it to ring. It didn't. He turned out the light
and laid down; wondering if he'd dare to call. No. He couldn't do
that, wouldn't be safe. He's alright. He's gotta be alright.
RRRRIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!!!
He grabbed the phone before the first ring had stopped. "Hello?"
"I'm not drunk. Can we just talk some?" Jack's voice sounded much
better this time.
"Sure we can. What you wanna talk about?" He scooched up into a
sitting position, leaning back against the headboard.
"You. Are you alone? I mean, I know you were seein that waitress.
She ain't there now is she? I can call back later or tomorrow or
somethin."
"I'm alone. Don't see her no more. It was just a short kinda
thing. Nothin much to it."
"Wish I was there with you." his voice was wistful.
"I do too, Bud, but you know that ain't possible."
"Tell me again why? I can't seem to get it in my head. You want me,
but you don't want to be with me but coupla times a year, is that
right?"
"It ain't exactly like that. You know that." Why couldn't he make
Jack understand.?
"I know I need you. I want to be with you. Doesn't it ever get to
you? Don't you ever just want it so bad..." He couldn't finish.
"Jack, you know how I feel about this. We talk about it every time
you come up here."
"I know. I just keep hoping maybe you'll change your mind, and maybe
want me as much as I want you. Guess that's too much to hope for."
"Don't talk like that. You know I'm as anxious for our time together
as you are."
"Yeah. Yeah. See you in July. Bye"
He hung the phone up and banged his head back against the headboard.
He did it again and again. It didn't help. He got very little sleep
that night.
Next Saturday night.
RRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGGG
"Hello?" He caught it, first ring again. He'd been sitting there
waiting, knowing it was going to ring. It did. He nearly knocked
the thing off the table grabbing it.
"Hey. You busy?" Jack's voice seemed solid again.
"Just waitin for the phone to ring. You sure these calls won't show
up on your bill or somethin? Could cause trouble."
"Nah. I'm in a restaurant. Phone's in the john. No one in here but
me. I'm using a credit card no one knows about. It's perfectly
safe."
"Good to hear you. You sound better tonight."
"I'm gettin to be a good actor. Maybe I'm in the wrong business.
Aught to go into the movies, what do you think?" He was joking but
there was a sadness in his voice.
"I think you'd be good at whatever you wanted to do."
"Anything but what I really want to do."
There was silence for a time. Ennis didn't know what to say to that.
"You still there?" Jack asked.
"Yeah. Where else would I be. I got no where to go."
"I could come up with a few ideas, if you're interested?'
"I'm interested, Bud, but ain't nothin I can do about it."
"What if I just drove up there, grabbed you and stuck you in my
truck and drove off with you? What about that?"
"Now you're talking foolish." He grinned though. Not unhappy with
the thought.
"I think about it everyday and every night. Got all kinds of plans
worked out. I got enough money saved up now. We could really do
something, Cowboy."
"It's a beautiful dream, Jack, but that's all it can ever be. Just a
dream."
"I'm gonna do it one of these days, Ennis. I'll get tired of
waiting, and get on up there and just take you off. I swear!"
Ennis chuckled at him, "And we'd spend the rest of our lives lookin
over our shoulders waitin for them to come for us."
"Might just be worth it, did you ever think of that?"
"Can't happen, Jack. I'm sorry 'bout it." He didn't know what else
to say that he hadn't already said over and over again.
"We'll see. Bye."
He sat and waited for the phone to ring the next Saturday night but
it didn't. He waited all night; finally falling asleep just before
dawn. Next morning he was numb. Went about his usual business,
getting in groceries for the week, gassing up the truck, doing a few
chores around the trailer. No phone call. He checked the phone for
a dial tone several times; it was fine. It just didn't ring.
He was eating lunch when it finally did ring. He nearly tripped
jumping over stuff to get to it, still beside his bed.
"Hello?"
"Hi, It's me. Something came up. I'm in Lightning Flat. My Pa had
a stroke yesterday. I had to fly up here to be with Momma."
"Oh, Jack. That's tough. He gonna make it?"
"Don't know yet. Momma's takin it pretty hard. She ain't never been
alone before. I been thinkin hard on this one, Cowboy. I'm gonna
move up here. I already told Lureen. Didn't exactly come as a
surprise to her. Our marriage been hangin on by a thread for years.
Just waitin for an excuse to end it. This is it."
"What about your boy?"
"He's 17 now. Old enough to know a few things. He's got a good head
on his shoulders. He's already got plans with his granddaddy for the
summer, some cruise, or somethin. One more year of high school and
he'll be off to college. I'll see him when I can. He knows I love
him. He'll understand; sooner or later."
"You sure about this?" Ennis was excited at the thought of having him
so much closer; it also terrified him.
"Yeah. Whichever way it goes for Pa, he ain't never gonna be the
same. Never be able to run this place again. Place has been in the
family for generations, I ain't just gonna let it go."
"I can understand that. Place is yours by right."
"Gotta go. Doctor's comin to talk to us. I'll call you when I can.
Bye."
He paced the floor in his tiny trailer waiting for the phone to
ring. It had a long cord so he was able to carry it back and forth
with him as he walked. It didn't ring. He was sitting on his bed,
phone on his lap when a knock on the door startled him.
He ran to it and yanked it open. It was Junior.
"Hey, Sweet Girl. What're you doin here? Its kinds late for
visitin, ain't it?"
"Oh Daddy." She clung to him, tears sliding down her cheeks.
"What is it, Darlin.? What's happened?" He pulled her over to sit
down at the small dinette.
"It's awful, Daddy. Just awful." She wiped her nose on a tissue.
"What is, Baby?"
"Kurt's brother. He's was just 23. He's got a wife and baby boy!
It's just not fair!"
"You're gonna hafta help me out here. Whats happened to him?"
"Car accident. He's...dead." She disolved into tears again.
"Oh Baby. I'm so sorry. That the brother that was gonna be best man
at your weddin?" He reached across the table and held both her hands.
"Yes! I just don't know what to do. We were gettin married in two
weeks. We don't know if we should put it off or go on with it. Kurt
is just so broken up about this. They were real close."
"That's sad, Girl. Real sad. Only 23. It's a shame."
"I gotta go, Daddy. Everyone's goin over to their house. I need to
be there. I just had to stop and...I don't know...I guess I just
needed one of your hugs." He walked her to the door and she was gone.
He went back to the phone and sat down on his bed again. For hours he
sat in silence. Thoughts whirling through his mind. He ached for
his daughter's loss. The boy was only 23; his whole life ahead of
him. What a waste. He thought about Jack's dad. From what Jack had
said, he was a mean old man, and he was hanging on. Had to be near
70 by now. Why was it that the meanest of the mean lived so long and
a young, happy young man of 23 was taken. It just wasn't fair! Life
wasn't fair. If it was, he and Jack would be together. He dozed off
and on; his mind burdened with a heavy load. Why? Why? Why? He
couldn't make sense of it.
RRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGGG
The phone brought him out of his reverie. "Hello?"
"Hey. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. It looks like the old
man's paralyzed on one side. It might come back and it might not.
Doctor ain't too hopefull."
"Geeze. That's rough. I'm sorry as I can be, Bud."
"Yeah, thanks. Momma's in with him now. I gotta take her home. See
to her. "He sounded so tired.
"Yeah, sure. See to your Momma."
"Bye."
"Bye."
He went to work the next morning but his heart wasn't in it. He kept
thinking about the latest events. Life really sucked, he decided.
He ran the hay-baler all morning and the thought occurred to him, "Who
was gonna bale the hay on the Twist ranch?"
At lunch time he left a note in the ranch manager's office and left.
He went home, showered, got in his truck and headed north.
It was five in the afternoon when he got to Lightning Flat. He
stopped for gas and asked about the Twist ranch. The attendant gave
him directions and within 30 minutes he pulled up in the driveway
next to the rental car, that was obviously Jack's.
He knocked on the door and waited. Jack opened it and stood there
staring at him, not believing his eyes. Ennis put a hand on Jack's
chest, backed him into the house and closed the door behind them.
"Where's your Momma?" he asked.
"Asleep."
He took Jack in his arms then, holding him close for several minutes
just pressing kisses into his hair, his temple.
"I quit my job, today. Figured you might need a hand 'round here."
Jack pulled back from the embrace to make eye contact. "You
serious? You quit?"
"Uh huh. Figured you needed me here. I got enough saved up for the
last two child support payments. I figured I could work 'round here
for room and board. What do you think?" He smiled one of his rare
smiles, just the corners of his mouth turning up and the eyes
glistening a bit.
"What do I think? I think I'm dreamin. You mean it? You come up
here to stay?"
"If you still want to. I mean, I told you 'no' so many times; if
you changed your mind, I'll understand."
Jack pulled him over to sit down at the table. They sat, Jack
holding Ennis's arm; afraid to let go.
"The place needs a lot of work. The house ain't much; but it could
be. With a little work...You sure about this?"
"I been doin a lot of thinkin. I'm through worryin 'bout what people
might think or do. You need help up here. I wanna be the one to do
it. Life's too short...to uncertain. Either one of us could be
taken at any minute, and then what? I know we ain't never said the
words before, Jack, but I love you and you love me. We should be
together. Don't care 'bout the rest of it anymore; so if you still
want me, well, I'm here."
"Yes, absolutely!! Yes!" he stood and yanked Ennis to his feet and
bear-hugged him.
"Land sakes, Son. What's goin on?" Mrs. Twist walked into the room.
"Momma, thought you was sleepin. This here is Ennis Del Mar. I told
you about him. He's come up here from Riverton to help us run the
place." He was all smiles and proud to finally get the chance to
have his Momma meet Ennis.
"Ennis Del Mar! I'm so glad to meet you." she smiled and offered him
her hand.
He took it and smile back at her, "Ma'am. I'm sure sorry about your
husband. I figured you could use some help so I came on up. Shoulda
called first, I guess..."
"Not at all! I'm so glad you came. I was worrying how Jackie and I
were gonna do it all ourselves." She went to the stove and put some
coffee on. "Now you're here to give us a hand, I know things are
gonna work out just fine. Aren't they son?" She asked smiling
lovingly at her son.
"Yes, Momma. Everything's gonna work out fine. You'll see. With
Ennis here now, everythin's gonna be just fine."
THE END (of part 1 of 3 parts)