Chapter Four

Two weeks had passed since Junior got married and she was back from her honeymoon. While Kurt had to go back to work Junior went to her mom's to get her things. She and Kurt had a nice little place in Cheyenne about 45 miles from her daddy. Junior couldn't understand why her mother acted the way she did at the wedding. She knew her mom and dad had problems but she thought that her mom had gotten over it and moved on. Junior wanted to talk to her mom to find out was going on once and for all. She wanted to know why her mom was upset that she didn't ask Monroe to walk her down the aisle. She had told her mom in no uncertain terms that although she liked Monroe he would never be her daddy. Junior had her mind made up, her mom and her were going to talk whither Alma liked it or not.

Junior knocked on the door and prepared herself for what was about to happen.

"Come in sis, mama will be right down, she's putting Dale down for his nap." Jenny said as she closed the door behind her sister.

"How's things with you and J.D.?" Junior asked as she sat at the kitchen table.

"Good, how are ya and Kurt gettin' along now that yer married?" Jenny asked as she sat across from her.

"Great, it's wonderful being married. Jenny, I need to talk to mama 'bout somethin' and I think you should be here too." Junior started to nibble on her lower lip. Something she always did when she was nervous.

"Oh no, this can't be good, yer chewin' on yer lip." Jenny looked worried.

"Haven't ya ever wondered why mama is still mad at daddy?"

"She's not as mad as she use ta be, but I guess I'd like to know why." Jenny knew that her parents marriage fell apart when the girls were young but her mama never talked about it and she always wanted to know why. Now that Jenny knew about Jack she figured that was the reason but her mama said she was ok with the two of them, but there had to be more.

"I think it's time we asked her." Junior said as she got up to get a cup of coffee.

"Ask me what?" Alma asked as she walked into the kitchen and sat down beside Jenny.

Junior poured two more cups of coffee took them to her mom and Jenny then went back and poured herself a cup. She walked back to the table sat down and took a drink to wet her throat. Boy how she wished she had somethin' stronger right now.

"Mama, I know that you and daddy had a fight at my weddin' over my choice to have Jack walk me down the aisle and not Monroe."

"Junior I never met to upset you; I didn't mean anything by it." Alma could feel the tears welling up inside.

"Mama it's ok, please don't get upset. I want to tell ya why. You know I don't think of Monroe as my daddy, and I never will, but he's been a part of the family for so long, I just wanted Jack to feel like he was part of the family too. I'm sorry if it upset you but I don't regret my choice. I hope you understand." Junior took a deep breath and waited.

"I never wanted Monroe to take your daddy's place. I just couldn't understand why you asked him of all people. I could've handled it being anyone else but him. Seeing him on your arm was just plain wrong." Alma was crying now.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but Jenny and me just want to know why yer still mad at daddy after all these years and why you hate Jack so much."

"Mama, if it hurts too much ya don't have to tell us." Jenny said as she reached for her mama's hand. She hated to see her like this.

Alma didn't look at Junior but at Jenny instead. "Thank you sweetheart, but it's obvious that you girls want to know the truth. I kept it from you all this time 'cause I didn't want to hurt ya."

Junior felt hurt that her mama wouldn't look at her. She knew it was because of what she said.

"Yer daddy and Mr. Twist had been friends for many years. Ever since they went to work up on that mountain one summer." Alma couldn't even bring herself to say the name Brokeback for all the misery it had caused her. She swallowed hard and continued this time looking Junior right in the eye.

"Four years later he came to see yer daddy and when I looked out the door they were kissin' and huggin'. They never knew I saw them. That was the day my life came crashin' down. At first I didn't want to believe it but as time went on and yer daddy kept goin' on his fishin' trips, I couldn't deny it any longer, so I divorce him. It was because of him that I lost my husband and you girls lost yer daddy." Alma felt the bitterness, hurt and anger all over again.

"Are you happy now Junior?" Alma asked as she got up and walked to the living room so she could pull herself together. She never meant to snap at her daughter.

"Nice goin' sis." Jenny said as she got to her feet and left the room to go and comfort her mama.

Just great, this was the last thing that Junior wanted. She was glad that she finally knew but she felt sorry for her mama, having to live with such a secret for so long. Junior left the kitchen to go and talk to her mama; she had to fix this before she left.

"Mama, I'm real sorry for everything you had to go through. I can't even begin to imagine how it must of felt. I see now that you are dealin' with it the best way you can and I'm sorry if talkin' to us today upset you." Junior sat down beside her mama and gave her a big hug.

"It's ok sweetheart, you girls were gonna find out sooner or later. Just don't let my feelin's stop you girls from gettin' to know Mr. Twist or spendin' time with your daddy." Alma put an arm around each of them and pulled them close to her.

Junior finished packing her car, gave her mama and Jenny a hug and told them she would be back soon to visit and left the little house she spent most of her life in and drove towards her new life with her husband.