Foreshadowing part 4- by Trekfan

Ennis had told Jack that the most traveling he ever did was goin around

the coffeepot lookin for the handle. So when Ennis stopped for gas he

picked up road maps of Wyoming and the US. He was on Route 26 going east

towards Casper. He made it to Denver and pulled into a rest stop. He

parked the truck and walked into the McDonalds to get a cup of coffee,

grabbed a burger and came back out with a bag in his hand and ate in his

truck. He looked at the map and realized he still had another eight

hours driving through New Mexico and into Amarillo before he made it to

Childress. He leaned back and felt so exhausted. He was thinking 'how

the hell did Jack do this for the past twenty years' driving for

fourteen hours. Ennis had been on the road for six hours and already he

was ready to drop, he couldn't keep his eyes open so he curled up on the

seat and fell asleep for a few hours. A semi's horn woke him up and he

groggily opened his eyes and sat up. He thought 'no wonder Jack would

always sleep so soundly right after they'd set up camp. He felt so

guilty after he'd turned Jack down when he had driven up to surprise him

after Ennis' divorce. He assumed Ennis was giving Jack the green light

to start that sweet life together. Ennis remembered the hurt look on

Jack's face as he drove off. Back on the road for another fourteen-hour

ride. 'Maybe that's when he went to Mexico' Ennis shuddered at the

thought of Jack with another man, doing the things they did together. He

felt a surge of anger, but it wasn't directed at Jack, it was at

himself. 'You dumb asshole, Jack's been making so many sacrifices for

you, leaving his wife and son, driving all that distance wanting nothing

more than to be with you. Want it to be 'just like this always' he heard

Jack's voice echo in his head. And what do you do? Push him away.

He started the truck and headed out, he still had another eight hours to go.

It was about eleven the following morning that Ennis got to Amarillo. He

pulled up on the side of the road, he couldn't believe he was finally

here. Texas, Jack's home, no not Jack's home. Jack may have settled down

here, have a wife and kid, but his marriage was just as much a sham as

his had been with Alma. Ennis realized both of them had just gone

through the motions like robots, did what society expected them to do.

This was no life for Jack, home was with him in Wyoming or wherever Jack

wanted to live that sweet life he'd been talking about.

Ennis took a deep breath and bowed his head till his forehead touched

his hands, which were clutching the steering wheel.

"Dear God, I know I ain't much on talkin to ya. Maybe I don't deserve to

expect you to listen to me, but Please Lord, I'm not askin for myself,

I'm askin ya to keep my friend Jack safe. I love him, maybe I'm not

supposed to but I do. Punish me if you have a mind to, Lord, but spare

him. Let me get to him in time."

He straightened up, started the truck and headed for Childress.

It was a short time later when he pulled up to Jack's place, he whistled

when he saw how big the house was. It had a manicured lawn and a large

wrap around porch.

'Jack did real good for himself, married a woman with money. Why'd he

want to waste his time with a hard ass cowboy that doesn't have much to

show for himself.' Ennis thought to himself 'Maybe he loves ya you

jackass.' He took a deep breath and got out of the truck and rang the

doorbell.

"Yes?" a blonde haired woman answered the door, she was dressed in a

fancy dress, wore lots of makeup and he couldn't help noticing a huge

diamond on her left ring finger. He remembered seeing a fancy ring on

Jack's finger and Jack had told him it was Lureen's idea. He had wanted

a plain band, but she insisted he wear something with diamonds.

"Hi, ma'am, I'm Ennis Del Mar. I'm a friend of Jacks."

"Oh yes his fishing buddy. I thought Jack had made you up." She stood in

the doorway and didn't invite him inside.

"No, ma'am, we've known each other for twenty years. We met when we

herded sheep one summer back in '63."

"I always wondered why Jack always had to make that long drive up to

Wyoming, why you never came down here to Texas to fish."

"I never could get that kind of time off of work. Asides I ain't much on

long distance driving."

"Well you're here now, you apparently found your way out of Wyoming, Mr.

Del Mar. What's the occasion?" she was being very condescending.

Ennis ignored it and pressed on. "Is Jack here?" he was very nervous to

be in this woman's presence. He knew she was judging him. He held his

hat tightly in his hand like it was some kind of security blanket.

"No, he's out on business." She was being obtuse.

"Do you know where he is, it's real important that I see him." He hoped

she wasn't going to slam the door in his face, just to spite him.

"Well let me check his appointment book." She reluctantly ushered him

into the hallway and went to Jack's office. Ennis took a look around the

room while he waited. The hallway led to a large living room that had

wooden floors, a large stone fireplace, and a set of couches, glass

coffee table and two huge windows that looked out at a view of the

backyard patio and built-in pool.

He took a few steps forward and was able to glimpse inside Jack's

office. It had a large oak desk and a few filing cabinets behind it. A

brown leather couch against one wall and some photos of Bobby and Lureen

on the mantle above the fireplace.

"Here you go Mr. Del Mar. I wrote you down the address of the client in

Vernon that Jack is seeing. He has a 1:30 appointment. You can meet him

there, just make sure you don't bother him. He's our top combine

salesman and I don't think he'd appreciate it if you cost him a sale by

disturbing him." She was walked him to the door.

Ennis put his hat back on his head and tipped his finger to his hat.

"Thank you, ma'am." And left.

Ennis knew Jack was a pretty good salesman, but while he was looking

around the living room he'd spotted a certificate on an end table by the

couch. It said "Best Salesman of the year 1982." He didn't know Jack was

being honored. He suddenly swelled with pride for his lover and then he

sobered up and got back in his truck and looked at t map and headed east

to Vernon. He was a man on a mission, he could feel it in his bones that

Jack was in trouble and he had to save the other half of his soul.

TBC

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