Chapter Twenty-Three

Sunday, January 16, 1977

Ennis opened his eyes and for a moment, in the darkness of early morning and the comfortable familiarity of his own bed, which smelled of him and Jack, he forgot the trauma of the day before. It felt like a kick to his chest when realization came rushing back and nearly took his breath away. He looked at the clock and wasn't surprised to see that he'd slept later than he'd planned, although at just a little after seven, it was still early. He slid from beneath the blankets and pulled the bed into a semblance of order before putting on his jeans and socks and adding a heavy flannel shirt over the t-shirt he'd put on after his shower the night before.

The kitchen was empty when Ennis made his way down there after brushing his hair and teeth and splashing some water on his face, but the coffee was on. He poured a cup and looked out the window while he gulped it down. When he spotted Ben's truck in the driveway, he remembered that Kelly was going to ask him to stay the night.

Ennis rinsed his cup and left it on the counter, then dressed for the cold outdoors in his lined work coat, stocking cap, thick leather gloves, and work boots. He wasn't surprised to find Ben in the stable.

"Morning," Ennis greeted him.

"Morning, Ennis. I finished with the feed and water. Was just about to start on these stalls," Ben said. "I can handle it if you got other things to take care of."

Ennis looked around, taking in the familiar smells: hay, feed, leather, animals—smells he'd grown up around his whole life. There was comfort here. "No, I'll help ya for a bit. No one else is up anyway."

"Franki told ya what all happened yesterday?"

"Yeah. What a mess." Ben shook his head. "You heading to the hospital to see Jack and Tyler this morning?" Ben asked

"I'll go after breakfast. Jack wants to see Bobby and the girls, so I'm gonna bring then. I'll probably go back alone later, though, if you wouldn't mind sticking around again tonight?"

"Sure, no problem," Ben said, in his usual good-natured way.

Ennis looked at him for a moment and said, "Thanks, Ben. It's good ta have friends like you."

Ben looked up and met Ennis's eyes. "You're a good guy, Ennis. You and Jack both. I ain't got no problem with how you live your lives. Live and let live, is what I think."

A hint of a smile drifted across Ennis's lips before he shook his head and said, "Thanks."

Ennis rounded up Junior and Frannie after breakfast and they headed over to McIntyres to pick up Bobby. He'd called earlier, so they knew to expect him. He didn't even get the car door open when Bobby burst through the door and headed to the car. Ennis caught him as he threw himself into his arms.

"Hey, Bobby, how're ya feelin today?" Ennis asked, hugging him tight.

"Fine. I wanna see my daddy." He pulled away from Ennis and ran around the truck to get in. His mouth dropped open a bit when he realized Junior and Frannie were in the back seat of the car.

"What're you guys doing here?" Bobby asked.

"We needed our daddy," Frannie said, when Junior didn't answer.

"I need to see my daddy," Bobby said, before almost yelling, "Come on, Dad! Let's go!"

Ennis poked his head in the open door. "We'll leave in just a minute. I just want a word with Ellen and Colin."

"But we gotta go," Bobby whined.

"We will. Just a minute," Ennis said and shut the door. He looked up and found Ellen walking toward him, pulling on a jacket.

"Everything okay?" Ennis asked.

"Fine," she replied. "He's been quiet since you were here yesterday."

"This is hard on him," Ennis said, still watching Bobby through the window of the station wagon.

"He's had a lot of death in his life, for one so young," Ellen agreed, shaking her head. "How's Jack?"

Ennis looked at her and said, "I haven't been to see him yet this morning. I wanted to take the kids—he's anxious to see them. I was there till late last night, though, and he was doing okay. Ornry," he added, with a smile.

"I bet he was," Ellen said, smiling herself. "Do you know how long he'll be in the hospital?"

"Probably just until tomorrow."

"That's good," Ellen exclaimed. "Give him our love, okay? And Ennis, if you need anything, you guys let us know."

"I will," he said.

Ellen reached out and pulled him into a hug and said gently, "I mean it. You, all of you, mean a lot to us."

Ennis hugged her back, too surprised to do anything else, and just nodded. He broke away and got in the car and Ellen watched them until they'd disappeared down the driveway.

Tyler took a deep breath and blinked slowly. It took a moment to remember where he was and how he got there. He shifted in the uncomfortable hospital bed and turned his head toward the window. The light was dim and he was pretty sure it was early morning rather than late afternoon. Movement caught his eyes, which lit up a bit when he realized the lump huddled on the torturous looking fold-out chair had soft blond curls peeking out above the white cotton blanket. He moved again, trying to get comfortable and figure out if he could get out of the bed to use the bathroom by himself or if he'd have to give in and call the nurse.

Beau either heard him or sensed the movement and sat up quickly, blinking owlishly as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Babe?" he said softly.

"Hey, sunshine," Tyler murmured, mustering up a tiny smile.

Beau flung the blankets off and hopped out of bed and padded over in his stocking-feet to take Tyler's hand. "Good morning, sweetheart," he said softly, leaning down to kiss Tyler's forehead. He started to straighten up, but Tyler tugged on his hand and raised his head. Beau got the hint and pressed another kiss, longer but just as gentle, to his lips. "How do you feel?"

"Sore. Tired."

Beau ran his fingers through Tyler's hair, brushing it away from his forehead. "The nurses wouldn't leave you alone more than a couple hours at a time."

"When can I go home?"

"I don't know, sunshine." Beau straightened the blanket across Tyler's chest. "Are you warm enough? Comfortable?"

"I'm fine." Tyler wrinkled his brow and asked, "How's Jack?"

"He's doing okay. He'll probably go home tomorrow morning."

"Where's Leah? Is she okay? And the kids? Steve didn't hurt them, did he?"

"No, she and the kids are fine. She's been here, but went home last night to be with Star and Quinton. She'll be back later today."

"Okay," Tyler sighed and closed his eyes.

"Do you remember what happened?" Beau asked.

"Yeah. It came back to me during the night." He opened his eyes and looked up at Beau. "I can't say I'm completely surprised. After what happened when him and his friends beat me up and the way he's acted all his life. I mean, we used to get along when we were kids, but when he got older and got into drinking and drugs and hanging out with losers, all going nowhere… guess it wasn't a shock, is all I'm saying."

"I'm sorry, baby." Beau leaned over the bed, wrapped one arm around Tyler, and rested his head on Tyler's. "I'm glad we decided to move away from here." He felt Tyler stiffen in his arms and pulled away to look at his face.

"What's the matter? Should I call a nurse?" Beau asked.

"No, it's not that. I just… I made a decision. I'm not leaving. I refuse to be driven from my home by a bunch of small-minded, ignorant bigots."

"What? When did you decide this?" Beau's mouth was gaping a little.

"This morning."

"Oh. Well, you don't have to make any decisions right now. We can talk about it when you get out of this place."

"I'm not going to change my mind, Beau."

"Tyler, baby, I don't want you to get hurt anymore and this place isn't safe for you," Beau pleaded with him, a little desperation in his pale blue eyes.

"This place is my home," Tyler hissed, trying to sit up, "and I won't be run out like I'm a criminal," he finished, his voice fading, but still intense. He dropped back on the mattress and turned his head away from Beau.

Beau soothed his hands over Tyler's chest and drew the blankets back up to cover him. The action and Beau's placating words made Tyler burn with irritation. "I know that's how you feel now, but Tyler—"

"Can you just leave me alone for a bit? I'm really tired." Tyler made an effort to unclench his jaw as he closed his eyes and kept his face turned away.

"Yeah, of course," Beau said softly. Tyler felt soft lips brush his forehead. "I'll just go find some coffee and something to eat. You need anything?"

Tyler shook his head, too worn out to answer. He opened his eyes when he heard the door close behind Beau, but closed them moments later, truly overcome by exhaustion.

The hospital hallway was mostly quiet as Ennis, Junior, Frannie, and Bobby made their way to Jack's room. A nurse, Molly, was just leaving when they got to his door and her face broke in a smile.

"Hey, Ennis, hi kids," she said.

"He awake? Is it okay for us to go in?" Ennis asked.

"Yep, he's awake. He'll be happy to see you guys."

"Everything all right?" Ennis asked, not surprised at the hint of exasperation in her tone.

"He's just sick of being here. Wants to go home," she said.

"And lettin' ya'll know it," Ennis surmised, the corner of his mouth lifting in the hint of a smile.

Molly let that slide and just said, "You have a good visit. He really is doing good," she said, looking down at Bobby with reassurance in her eyes.

"Thank you, Molly," Ennis said. He moved to open the door, but paused and turned back to the children. "You heard Molly. He's doin good, so let's all try ta keep calm, okay?" He looked at each of them in turn and they all looked back with big, scared eyes.

"Okay, daddy. Let's go in," Junior said, speaking for all of them.

Ennis opened the door and was surprised and relieved to see Jack sitting up, looking perky and just about his same old self, if a little pale and fragile around the edges and surrounded by medical equipment. He held the door for the kids, who walked in slowly.

"Well ain't you all a sight for sore eyes," Jack quipped as they all stopped in the doorway gaping at him. He smiled, but Ennis could see the bit of desperation and sadness hiding in his normally sparkling eyes, and knew how much Jack hated scaring the kids like this.

Ennis moved past them and leaned in to kiss Jack and murmur, "Mornin, darlin." He turned back to the kids, who were still playing at being shy, just in time to see Bobby's eyes fill and overflow.

"Ah, son, come here," Jack said gently as he held out his arms to his son. Bobby moved slowly, all of his usual exuberance gone. "Come up here."

Bobby crawled up on the side of the bed and fell into Jack's arms. Jack rubbed his back and whispered in his ear. Bobby sniffled a few times, but got himself under control much more quickly than Ennis expected.

Junior and Frannie waited until Bobby calmed a bit before going around the other side of the bed. Jack kept one arm around his son, but looked up and said, "Hi girls."

Frannie was the first to step up and hug Jack. His arm tightened around her and he kissed the top of her golden hair and said, "It's good to see you, Frannie. We missed you an awful lot."

"Missed you all, too," she said, with her own sniffle. Jack's arm tightened a moment, then he let her go as Junior stepped forward and hugged him, too. "Missed you, too, Junior," Jack said, meeting Ennis's surprised eyes over her head.

Junior let go and looked at his face. "Are you really okay? You're going to be all right?" Bobby and Frannie both looked at him just as intently as Junior.

"I'm going to be fine. I just have to take it easy for a while."

"I can help out more. I'm old enough now," Junior told him. She looked at him, then turned her head away and took a deep breath. She looked down and fiddled with the bottom of her jacket before she finally met Jack's eyes again and asked, "Jack, is it… I mean, would it be okay… Can Frannie and I live at the farm with you and Daddy?"

Jack never broke eye contact with her as pulled his arm from around Bobby and held both out to her for a hug, which she went into with a sigh of relief. "If it were up to me, sweetheart, you could live with us as long as you want. Forever and ever. So, if that's what gets decided, after we clear up this mess, I want you to know that I want you there. You and Frannie. I hope you don't mind, but in my heart, you and Frannie are the little girls, the daughters I never had. I love you girls, just like you was my own."

Junior buried her face in Jack's neck and sobbed. It was like something broke inside her and she was trusting Jack to help her start putting it back together.

Ennis sat in the chair next to the bed and took Frannie into his arms as she started to cry, too. He looked up and met Jack's eyes and, in spite of all the tears that morning, he could see the strength and resolve he felt reflected in Jack's blue eyes. For the first time in days, he was hopeful they'd come out of this, better than they were before.