Title: I Can't Lose You Again.
Chapter 10
Here it is a new chapter, thanks for your patience and thanks a lot to my Beta Sam, who edited this chapter very fast. Sorry for the delay, but as people who read "Bluebells and Roses" already know, we lost dear Aunt Carla a week ago, due to post surgery ictus. So I'm busy with too many things to do also for Mum.
This is the sequel to "Mexico", ten days after its end.
Disclaimer: the talented Mrs Proulx owns the original story and characters.
Special thanks again to my dear beta Carol, Sam and to Onefreetoroam for the title idea.
Thanks to all of you readers and to those who added their opinion
Bobby's nervousness increased during the late afternoon and Jack stopped at a motel for the night. The place was cozy and friendly - the price unfortunately high - but Jack wanted Bobby to feel at ease. He took his son to the biggest burger restaurant in the county, as the sign full of blue and green lights promised.
There was another one with a red light but he purposely avoided it.
Bobby ate all his fries and then slept like a log, while Jack remained awake until 3 a.m., rewinding his life like a film.
He missed Ennis in a different way now, not the longing for something impossible to have, but the plain absence of somebody dear.
He woke up in the morning with dark circles under his eyes and spent some time in the bathroom using some fresh water before calling Bobby.
As soon as the truck moved Bobby started asking questions about his grandparents. How old they were, was Grandma thin or fat, did Grandpa have a big belly like LD.
Jack answered, happy for Bobby's curiosity.
"You'll soon meet a friend of mine."
"Where is he, Dad?"
"He lives at the ranch now. He's working with me."
"Wow, I thought it was only you and Grannies."
"There are lots of cousins around, your grandma has a huge family. Just you and me are only sons."
"Should I remember everybody's name?"
"It isn't necessary, Bobby, just try to be polite to them. Especially my friend Ennis, he's far from his home right now."
"He's sad?"
"A little. He has left two girls at home, a little older than you."
"Oh! Are they far from there?"
"A couple of hours. Why do you want to know?"
"Because we cannot play together if they are too far away."
Jack remained speechless, the idea of Bobby meeting Ennis' daughters had never crossed his mind before. He himself had met the girls only once and for such a short time that he only remembered brown hair and porcelain skin, so different from Ennis', whose face had been burned by the sun working outside.
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Ennis had spent the entire week without Jack working 12 hours a day. He was the first to wake up, very early in the morning, started the coffee pot for Claire, entered the barn to check and feed his boys, then took his old truck – every time thanking God the engine started – to reach the place where he had finished his task the day before.
It was easy to forget the thought of working like a mule for John Twist; it wasn't the right time to worry about those trivial problems, because he had to send Alma the normal monthly child support in a few days.
When Ennis was back from the horses, Claire would be waiting for him outside the kitchen with a metallic lunch box full of ham and cheese sandwiches and some small cakes, because Ennis would be back only for dinner. She felt that her guest was purposely avoiding her husband as much as possible, but she couldn't really blame him.
The long working hours weren't heavy for Ennis, except for a strange ache, just in the middle of his chest. He fought with himself the whole week to erase Jack from his mind, refused to wait for a telephone call, avoided to mention Jack's name with Claire.
She remained silent, too, and the old house again waited for her lost soul.
Ennis and John would talk for a few minutes after dinner, when they were both smoking a cigarette on the front porch. Their brief conversations were to discuss what to do tomorrow; John was pleased to notice Ennis' skills and his silent attitude.
John found himself staring often at Ennis' back when he walked across the garden to close the barn doors and for a moment he wished Ennis was his son, not Jack, who always spoke too much for his own good, who was never at ease with his father or inclined to spend his life on the ranch like two generations of Twists had before him.
John Twist well remembered when he had been younger and had owned more than three times the animals that he did now, cows which pastured in fields greener than today, when the reservoir was full. And the barn, too, with his beloved horses. John had had to give the last two, Thunder and March, to Peter four years ago. March had been Jack's favourite when he was a boy and he had lived to be 18 years old.
He hoped now to buy back March's two surviving offspring and maybe also a couple of mares. His aim was to work with his nephew in the breeding horse program, maybe with the help of Ennis.
So the week flowed away fast, faster than Ennis expected. On Sunday morning he found Claire already in the kitchen; butter and flour mixed on the table, a row of eggs ready to be broken. Claire smiled when he entered and offered a hot breakfast. "There's a cup of coffee for you by the sink and a plate of eggs and bacon on the stove."
"Thanks, Mrs. Twist, but it's too much for me."
"Don't joke with me, Ennis Del Mar, you must eat a lot today or Jack will think I'm starving you."
Jack was due to return on Sunday, four days of travelling and three with Lureen.
When Jack had called home excited on Saturday afternoon, saying that Bobby was travelling north with him, the phone slipped from Claire's hand; she'd started crying and Ennis had been so confused he was only able to wish Jack a good night.
He ate half of the bacon and two eggs while Claire was describing the cream and almond cake she was making for Jack. It was for Bobby, they both knew, Jack had never been partial to almonds or nuts, but Claire tried to cover her fears and nervousness by busying herself in the kitchen.
"Yesterday afternoon John went to town to pick up the new bed I ordered. Could you help me to take it upstairs?"
"Surely, Mrs. Twist."
"When will you be finished with your horses?"
"I'll be back in half an hour."
"The bed is still on the truck; John will be downstairs in a short while."
"I think I can do it alone."
Late in the afternoon, Claire was the first to hear the truck from the open window; her pulse accelerated but she remained at the kitchen table. She wanted to see Bobby so much but she didn't want to scare him.
Two doors closed, one opened and Jack's voice was calling her from the hall. Claire swiftly dried her sweaty hands on a towel, tidied her hair in the mirror hanging on the wall and answered. "I'm coming, Jack."
"I have a surprise for you. Where is everybody?"
"Your father is feeding …."
She stopped, seeing her grandson beside his father.
Dark hair, like Jack.
Blue eyes, like Jack.
Jack's jaw, Jack's ears, and Lureen's nose, if the pictures of the wedding were right.
"Good morning Grandmother Twist," Bobby politely said.
"Good morning, Robert."
"Bobby, please."
"Good morning, Bobby. Are you hungry after your journey?"
"A lot!"
Claire had used the right key; a nine old boy and food were surely friends.
She moved to take Bobby's bag from Jack and leave it near the stairs before going into the kitchen.
Bobby looked around, noticing the emptiness of the sitting room, so different from his own house and grandpa LD's one.
So this was the ranch his dad always talked about, a worn out armchair, an old radio, Grandma Twist in a plain grey dress. It was all grey or brown around him. The brightness on his face faded and he turned to face his father.
Jack kneeled and hugged his son, it was too much for a young boy, maybe he should have waited longer before bringing him to Lightning Flat.
"I want to go home."
"This is home too, it's Daddy's old home."
"I want my room."
"Grandma has prepared a new room just for you."
"But it's so ugly, there's nothing here."
"I m sure your room is completely new. Let's ask Grandma if she put new covers on the bed for you. When I was young I had one with horses."
Claire entered with a plate covered with a flavoured cake and saw the boy's wet eyes. Jack put a finger on his lips to suggest silence. "Bobby, there is a big cake for you, do you want some?"
The boy nodded but also tightened his grip on Jack. Claire cut a large slice.
"You have to make up your mind quickly, because if you don't want it, I'll eat it for you," Jack stated.
"What flavour is it? Chocolate?" Bobby asked in a tiny voice.
"Yes, chocolate," Claire answered, thanking God she decided to prepare another cake following Ennis' advice.
They sat at the kitchen table, all eating the cake and drinking milk. The kitchen was better, Bobby thought, it smelt of food and wood, while the afternoon light made strange patterns on the wall.
"Your room is up there," Claire said, "so when you're awake in the morning I'll hear your footsteps and get your breakfast ready."
TBC