That evening Jack and Ennis started looking for a place to buy together. Ennis went home a few days later but they both kept looking and called each other every couple days to compare findings. After a few weeks, Jack drove down and spent several days with Ennis. They sat across from one another at Ennis's only table, sharing a cigaret, each scanning a different newspaper. Jack paused, "Hey, look at this." He set the paper on the table, pushed it toward Ennis, and jabbed a finger at an ad. "This looks good."

Ennis picked up the paper and squinted at the ad. Jack had told him three times that morning alone to get glasses—every time, Ennis had told him to shut up. The paper folded itself over; Ennis straightened it and finished reading. "That is good..."

Jack grinned and put out their cigaret. "Don't cost too much either."

"That's true."

"Should I call 'bout this one?"

Ennis nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I think so. I'm going to shower."

"Alright." Jack reached for the phone.

Within a month, Jack and Ennis had bought a ranch a few towns over from Riverton. The previous owner had suddenly had to sell for whatever he could get. Jack went to the ranch. Ennis, meanwhile, had to drive into Riverton to pick his girls up for the weekend and—though he dreaded it—inform Alma that he'd be moving.

Junior sat backwards in a chair, staring out the window, waiting for her father. His truck stopped on the side of the street and she ran outside to meet him partway across the yard. "Hey, Daddy."

"Hey, Junior." He pet her hair then pulled out of her embrace. "Uh, where's Jenny?"

"She's on a trip with girlscouts all weekend."

"Oh. Alright, uh..." Ennis took a breath. "I need to talk to your mother."

Surprised, Junior nodded, led her father inside, and carefully closed the door. She turned and called into the house. "Hey, Mama? Uh, Daddy says he needs to talk to you."

Frowning suspiciously, Alma appeared in the doorway of the living room. "What do you want, Ennis?"

"I just need to tell you, I uh, I'm moving. To Crowheart. Just figured you should know." He shifted his weight nervously.

Alma folded her arms. "Moving? Did you lose your job again?" She sounded accusatory.

"No. I did not. Bought a place."

"With what money?"

Ennis hesitated. "I didn't buy it by myself." He looked out the window quickly. "Jack bought it with me."

Alma's chest puffed up and her eyes went wide. "You're moving in with him?" After a deep breath she said to Junior, "Can you step out please?"

Junior sat on the arm of the couch. "No."

"Junior," Alma said warningly.

"I'm not leaving the room." She looked down and tugged at the hem of her shirt. "There's nothing you might say I don't know."

Alma stared at her daughter. Junior looked up and shrugged. "I know." She looked to her father. "I know about Jack."

"I know." Ennis was looking at the carpet.

Alma looked back and forth between Junior and Ennis a few times then turned on Ennis. "I will not allow my daughter to spend time with that man!"

"Too late, Mama. I've met him, I like him, he's nice. I know you hate him, I can't say I blame you, but you don't get to force that on me." With that, Junior stood, brushed past her mother, and went upstairs to get her things.

Dumbfounded and indignant, Alma looked at Ennis again, now with nothing to say.

"I didn't know 'til after the fact that she'd talked to Jack. I had no idea."

"When did—" Alma was shocked.

"Few months back." There was quiet a while. "'Bout a month ago, well, more like two, Jack got divorced, so he had to move anyway, an'..." He shrugged.

"Sure 'nough." Alma hugged herself.

Junior came back downstairs and she and Ennis left in silence. Sitting in the truck, staring out the window at the house across the street, Junior said, "I'm glad you an' Jack are moving in together."

Ennis nodded once and started the truck.