(AU/AU) This is the sequel to Sierra with Ennis and Jack starting their new life together. This story follows them through their first summer working in and around Yosemite National Park. Things aren't always smooth, but they're determined to make it last. Some new characters join the story, and we'll also see some favorite (and maybe not so favorite) characters from before.
Chapter 1
Ennis stood up to stretch his legs. He looked down at the old wooden bench that had come with the house. It was sorely in need of a good sanding and some varnish. Maybe Thompson Water Seal. He smiled. In all the years he'd owned his trailer, he'd done next to nothing to maintain it, and now here he was, less than twenty-four hours in the new rental house on Azalea Lane, and he already had it in his head to start sanding an old bench.
He took a deep breath. The air was fresh and warming up nicely on that June morning. He hadn't slept very well and had been up since daybreak. Everything was new and strange, and last night every noise in and around his new residence seemed to disturb him. The house creaked, an owl or two had hooted for hours outside the opened bedroom window, and he'd even heard birds chirping in the night.
None of that seemed to have kept Jack awake. Each time Ennis had woken up from a light doze, Jack's breathing indicated that he was still sound asleep. In fact, he was still in bed now. They'd christened the bedroom real good which should have knocked Ennis out, it usually did, but he guessed it was too much to ask, that he fall into a groove right away. After all, on top of everything else, today was the first day of his new job. That was enough to make anyone nervous and keep them awake. Tomorrow was Jack's interview, so maybe tonight he'd be the one not sleeping.
Drinking coffee, while watching his new surroundings come alive with the calls of the jays and squirrels, was peaceful and tranquil. Yeah, he'd better get the bench spruced up. He'd probably sit out there every morning, and if Jack could drag himself out of bed, he'd probably enjoy it too. There were two chairs out in front of the house, but the patio was a lot more private.
When they were moving in the day before, he had seen a man from across the way standing in the window gawking, and he'd even come right outside and stood in his yard while they unloaded the u-haul. Ennis thought maybe he was going to offer his help, although he looked in his mid sixties at least, but he didn't, he just stared, looking none too friendly. It bothered him then, and it did now thinking about it.
Shit, Ennis mumbled, pulling his phone out of his pocket when he heard it ring. He checked the screen, and just as he was afraid of, K.E.'s name showed in the display. He shoved it back deep in his pocket. He wasn't going to answer, just as he hadn't answered or returned any of K.E.'s calls all month. Not that there'd been many, but he knew that his brother would call again and again the more time that passed with no response.
K.E. probably assumed that Ennis was at Mono Lake by now. Obviously he hadn't bothered to drive by J Diamond to check for the trailer. He hoped like hell that K.E. wouldn't see it still there before he could get back and tow it up Tioga Pass to Don's. He needed to pack up most of what he had in the trailer to bring back with him, mainly pots, pans, and dishes. He'd have to go on his first day off, and he didn't know when it would be. Guess he'd find out later today.
They also needed to make a trip to Merced or Fresno to shop for furniture. Jack's couch and love seat could use some end tables next to them, and maybe a coffee table. Jack's desk filled part of the guest room, and they planned to buy a bed for when Don and Dorothy wanted to visit, maybe even Jack's mama someday.
He looked at the grassy area next to the patio. They were responsible for yard upkeep, so he figured they'd need a lawn mower. When he'd lived next to the barracks it was all natural foliage and wild grass, which most of this lot was, but the part close to the house had been planted, and during the weeks after they'd rented the place, it had really sprouted up. They sure didn't need to find a snake hiding there, so the sooner he could mow, the better. He wondered what kind of pruner they'd need for the manzanita and elderberry bushes.
He went inside to put his cup in the dishwasher just in time to see Jack come down the stairs.
"Hey, you're still here," he said through a big yawn. "Shit, it was so quiet when I woke up I thought you'd already gone."
"Are you kidding? I wouldn't leave without my kiss for moral support."
Jack met him halfway and wrapped him in a warm hug. It felt reassuring. He took Jack's face in his hands and planted a good morning kiss on his lips. After a few seconds it started heading in the direction of a little too sensual for the circumstances. He felt Jack's morning erection against his. He broke the kiss, not that he really wanted to.
"You about ready to take off?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, yeah...I'd rather stay here and finish what we started." He backed away, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Jack, the sexy devil, folded his arms and smiled. "You're gonna do great. You have nothing to worry about. I'm sure the horses will like you." Jack patted him on the back as they walked toward the door.
Ennis chuckled. "It's not exactly the horses I'm worried about. You know me...meeting a bunch of new people..."
"Well, you've already met the boss, and he's the most important."
Ennis smiled. "Yeah, you're right. Hey, what are your plans for today?"
"I thought I'd try out one of the jogging trails and unpack some more. You want to plan on frozen pizza for supper?"
"Sounds good. I'll try to call on my lunch break, let you know how it's going. If not then, I'll call before I head home."
After one last hug, he was on his way, hoping that by the end of the day he'd feel a lot less uptight.
...
Having an entire day to do anything he wanted wasn't an everyday occurrence for Jack, and he hoped it wasn't going to become the norm. He needed a job badly, and was counting on the interview the next day to go well.
He'd rattled around in the house unpacking for a couple of hours, and felt like taking a break to go jogging. He located the shorts and tee-shirt that Ennis had given him for Christmas and set out for the Henness Ridge Fire Lookout Trail that began at the end of Azalea Lane. Ennis had told him that the fire lookout had been built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, and that there was a spectacular view from the top.
He'd just left the yard when he noticed the neighbor from across the street was outside sweeping. He decided to stop over and introduce himself. He didn't know what Ennis would think about that, he hadn't been impressed with the man the day before. It was true, the man had looked rather sour, but Jack didn't really think he'd been staring like Ennis had said. Maybe he was just curious to see who was moving in. In any case, since they'd be neighbors, why not say hello. He started across the street toward the porch. An American flag hung on each side of the front door fluttering in the breeze. The man looked up from his sweeping. He certainly didn't look very approachable, but Jack pushed ahead.
When he got close enough, he smiled and said, "Mornin', I thought I'd stop by and introduce myself. I'm Jack Twist and I just moved in across the way." He stepped closer and offered his hand, but the man's reaction was totally unexpected.
"I know who you are," he said in a tone that was anything but friendly, and simply turned and walked into the house.
He felt like his feet were planted in place. It took a moment for the shock to wear off. He'd never encountered such a rude individual in his life...well, maybe his old man, but no normal person. Evidently this man wasn't normal. Shit, he wondered if he should tell Ennis.
He headed down the lane, walking at first, but so unnerved by his unpleasant encounter that he picked up speed. He tried to fill his senses with the beauty of nature that was all around him and not let one complete idiot ruin it. The fact that the man happened to live across from them was unsettling though.
He hadn't gone too far when he came upon a thin, red-haired woman jogging in the same direction. On the back of her tee-shirt were the words Sorry, I've Gotta Run. He wasn't sure if he should speak to her, but he needn't have worried because she glanced at him, smiled and said, "You on your way to Fire Lookout Trail?"
He was pleasantly surprised by her friendly manner. He kept pace with her as he spoke. "Yeah, my first time. Thought I'd try it out."
"Aren't you the guy who belongs to that little red jeep down the lane?"
"Yeah...how'd you..."
"I live a few houses up...the white cottage with the bay window. I noticed you moving in yesterday. I'm Phyllis, by the way. Phyllis Andrews." She came to a stop and offered her hand.
"Ahhhhhh," he said, as the fact that she was another of his neighbors sunk in. "I'm Jack Twist." They shook hands.
He realized that he must have a funny look on his face when she went on. "Don't be afraid, I'm not a cougar." She laughed. "I'm very happily married with two teen-aged kids." She brushed back her wispy bangs. Her hair was super short, but she looked quite feminine with her make-up and jewelry.
Jack barked out a laugh. "Oh, I wasn't afraid...as a matter of fact, I'm gay."
That caused Phyllis' jaw to drop, but she recovered quickly. "Hummmm, the blond fella in the white pick-up is your partner then?"
He couldn't believe that he'd just blurted out such a personal piece of information to a complete stranger, but Phyllis seemed very nice and he liked her already, so it just sort of happened. He knew that Ennis wouldn't want his name brought into this conversation though, so he began to jog again with Phyllis by his side and changed the subject.
"Do you happen to know the man across from my house...in his sixties, grey hair, wears a baseball cap?"
"You mean Herschel," Phyllis said, looking a little less cheerful than before. "Let's head this way." They started onto a shaded dirt path lined with dogwood trees. "Herschel is the perfect example of a crotchety old coot." She laughed softly. "I take it you've met him?"
"Uh...well, I tried, but he turned his back and went into the house."
"Oh...you must have caught him on one of his worst days. With Herschel, I'm afraid that's just about every day."
"He acts that way all the time?"
"Well, maybe not quite that rude, but...yeah. I don't think there's much he likes in this world. I know he hates teenagers, dogs, loud music, and tourists, to name a few. We've had some small disputes with him during the two years we've lived here. Always managed to work it out, and we try to be civil with him...you know, saying hello if we see him outside."
"I wonder how he feels about guys like me," Jack said.
"Well, I can't say for sure," she answered.
After they'd jogged a short distance, Phyllis stopped, opened her water bottle and took a long drink. Jack used the opportunity to do the same. Talking while jogging had him more tired than usual. The altitude probably had something to do with it too, along with the conversation about this Herschel character.
Phyllis screwed the cap on her bottle. "Let me be fair to Herschel here. I'm not condoning his behavior, but he doesn't have the easiest life. I hate to gossip, so I hope you don't take it that way. I just think you might benefit from knowing...you know, give you a little insight into what makes him tick."
He was all ears. "Go on."
"He takes care of his ninety-something year old bed-ridden mother." After a few moments of silence she went on. "I can see you're shocked. Yeah, it's true. He does it twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, except for when his brother or the nurse comes to stay a couple hours to give him a break to go shopping for groceries and whatnot...so you see, I don't really think he has much happiness in his life...not an excuse for how he acts, but..."
"Well, thanks for telling me. That does shed some light on the situation."
"I sure hope he doesn't give you and your partner any heartburn. If I were you, I'd try to ignore him. He'll probably do the same." Her face took on a happier expression. "Enough about him. Shall we hike to the lookout? Are you game?"
"Hike? I thought we were jogging." The two of them shared a good laugh as they continued along the trail.
"How likely is it to run into a coyote...or worse, along this trail?" he asked.
"No more chance than in our own backyards." He could have sworn that Phyllis enjoyed trying to get a reaction. He just smiled.
...
Jack and Phyllis finally turned to walk up their lane about an hour later. It had been an awesome hike up to the lookout. He was tired, but it was a good tired. He couldn't wait to tell Ennis all about it. He hoped that Ennis would be happy to hear that he'd made a friend. Phyllis was kind of an unlikely one, but a friend just the same. She was about ten years younger than his mom. She loved jogging and nature, was open-minded and friendly. He sure hoped that Ennis would like her too.
"Jack, my new friend...this winter we'll have to do that hike on snowshoes. You'll really know what tired is then." She patted him on the shoulder.
"That view was amazing. I still can't get over it."
"Yeah, I wasn't sure if it was the panoramic view that was keeping you up there or if that was an excuse to rest. I thought you were going to camp out on that lookout tower."
"Next time I'm bringing binoculars. I sure wish I'd had them today."
"I've been up there so many times, I never bring mine. It's too bad no one else in the tower had a pair. You could have taken a quick look."
"Yeah, well… I got a feel for it anyway. I need to take my camera along next time too."
"Yeah, you need a picture of historic structure number 5300 for sure."
They stopped in front of Jack's house. "I'd ask you in for something to drink, but the place is still kind of upside-down. We're using paper plates and cups right now."
"Another time, when you're more settled. It was sure nice meeting you, Jack Twist. Nice having your company on the jog. Good luck on your interview tomorrow."
As he watched Phyllis take off toward her own house he tried to pick it out from her earlier description. She was in front of Herschel's place when he realized the old curmudgeon was sitting on the porch. He wondered if he'd been there the whole time. It surprised him when he heard Phyllis great him in an overly cheery voice. It sounded as if he said something back, but it sure didn't look like he smiled.
He had listened for his cell phone while he was out, but hadn't heard it ring. When he got inside, he pulled it out to check for missed calls and there was nothing. He had expected Ennis to call when he had his lunch break, but he must not have had a free moment, or else he hadn't had lunch yet. He sure was anxious to hear how it was going.
He opened a can of Coke and headed up the stairs. A sure way to make the phone ring would be to get into the shower.
To Be Continued...