-1 Supper that night seemed to drag out for Ennis. Old man Twist was sitting there dividing his attention between eating and throwing dagger like glances at Jack who was talking up a storm with his ma. Damn, he thought, does this guy never shut up? Never heard anyone talk so much in my life. It's like words are free and he has a river full to give away. Finally having his fill, of both food and chatter, he takes his dishes into the kitchen and starts to wash them when Ma Twist pipes up and tells him to leave them alone. Knowing enough not to cross her, he heads outside for a smoke before heading off to bed in the bunkhouse.
Standing there looking at the stars and the land, he starts to feel a peace come over him. Suddenly, he hears the door open behind him. He knows who it is without having to turn around.
"Mind if I bum a smoke?" Jack asks wondering if he can get this Ennis fella to say more than a few words to him. Ennis just hands him the pack without saying a word. When their fingers touch they both feel an electric current pass through them. Ennis yanks his hand back dropping the smokes on the ground and quickly backs away before turning and heading for the bunkhouse confusion running rampant in his head. What the hell was that? Never felt anything like it before. Not sure I wanna feel it again either.
"What the hell?" Jack whispers to himself totally confused. Almost felt like I was bein' 'electrocuted there. He looks up in time to see Ennis heading for the bunkhouse. What the hell's his problem? Is he this tight lipped all the time or is it me? Could I have done something without knowing? Damn, Twist, what could ya have done this time? Ya never could keep from screwing something up. Shit, ya could probably screw up changing a light bulb if ya weren't careful. Feeling an inexplicable sadness at seeing Ennis walk away, Jack turned and went back into the house to go to bed laying Ennis' pack of smokes on the table as he went.
For the next few weeks Ennis managed to avoid Jack as much as he could. Old man Twist actually helped without realizing it. Course it also helped that Ennis always got up before the sun and Jack never got up before 8 am. Around the first of the month Jack came downstairs for breakfast only to learn that Ennis had left for Signal. Ma Twist told him Ennis had left to get married. She didn't know if he would be coming back or not.
"Go head an eat yer breakfast, Jack," she said giving him a knowing look that he didn't see.
"Not hungry right now, Ma." Sighing, Jack stepped outside to have a cigarette and stare down the road he knew Ennis had taken.
Inside, Ma Twist wiped the tear that was leaking from her eye. She knew what her boy's problem was, but, she didn't know how to help him and it broke her heart. Oh, Jack, my poor boy. Why'd ya have to go and do that for? Ya should'a known , Son, ya should'a known.