Rodeo,
Shave that damn critter off your face and get your ass back here.
Love,
Cowboy

- - - - - -
Laureen gave a snort and then a giggle as she read the postcard. She always knew that if Jack ever left her it would be for Ennis Del Mar but she'd never pictured a summons like this one. She'd always figure he just wouldn't come home from one of them fishing trips of his.

Not that it'd pain her any, as far as she knew the only person her "Husband" had slept with in the last two years was Ennis Del Mar. He certainly hadn't been bedding her; they didn't even share a room anymore.

This postcard though was perfect timing. She'd found her self a new man and had been spending the last two weeks trying to work up the courage to ask Jack for a divorce.

Jack had in the last two years become her best friend. It was amazing how civil then friendly they'd become after they stopped sharing a room. She knew that neither one of them were in love with each other but that didn't mean she wanted to hurt him and she'd been afraid that the divorce would hurt him. She'd asked him once before why he stayed and he'd been bluntly honest and told her that he had no where else to go. That was the last day they'd shared a bedroom.

Tom had finally just told her if she didn't tell him today there wouldn't be no need for her to tell him cause he wasn't waiting around no more. So she'd come home early grabbed the mail and sat herself at the kitchen table to wait for Jack. It was just too funny that the postcard that come today meant that she'd be lucky to keep him in town til the divorce was finalized.

"Howdy, Laureen, you're home early" Jack said as he walked through the back door and hung his Stetson on the hook.

"Jack" Laureen answered "we need to talk hun."

Jack took a deep breath and eyed his friend for a long moment before responding. "You want a divorce."

"Yes. I told you about Tom. Well we think we could have a real fine life together. Jack - you and me, well we were only pretending for the town anyway."

"I'd be obliged if I could stay here until I can figure out where I go from here." Jack said as he stood there. He couldn't say this was coming out of left field. After all he knew about Tom but it still seemed to be a bit disorientating for him all the same.

"Yeah well I don't see that being a problem. Jack I want your word now that you'll stay here until the divorce is final. It wont take that long since both of us are in agreement. Will you give me your word?"

"Where would you think I'd be runnin' off to then Laureen?"

"I think I'd like your word before I tell you that." Laureen said with a slight giggle.

Jack looked at her like she was a bit off but gave in with a sigh. "Alright Laureen, I give you my word I will not leave til the divorce is final. Now just why do you feel you need that and just where do you think I'd be goin'?"

"Well I figure, and I know I'm right Jack, that if you'd got home before me and gotten the mail, well you'd a been shaved and out the door within an hour." Laureen gave another short snicker as she stood from the table and tossed the postcard at her best friend.

"Shaved and out the door?" Jack stared at her with a bewildered look on his face as he automatically reached out for the mail that she'd flung at him.

Laureen just nodded at the postcard in his hand. Glancing down and seeing what she meant he felt the need to sit down for the first time since the conversation started.

"Oh Lord, Laureen. He. He. Well shit! I gotta get packed." Jack jumped up and started for the hallway.

"Oh no you don't you gave your word Jack Twist." Laureen chased after her soon to be ex-husband.

"I have to go now Laureen what if he changes his mind?" Jack had already pulled his duffle from the closet.

"Jack stop. Jack your just panicking now. Please stop. Look we'll go to the lawyers tomorrow. Surely one more day can't hurt. We'll find out how long it'll take or what you actually need to be here for ok. If you just leave like this it will take longer for the divorce."

"Laureen I just can't chance it. Ennis is… Well I've been beggin' him for years for this and he's always fought me on it. I just can't chance it now."

"One day Jack that's all I am asking for. I'll call the lawyers right now; make sure they can see us first thing in the morning Jack." When Jack didn't say anything just continued to pack Laureen decided to try a different tack.

"You owe me Jack Twist. You damn well owe me. Fifteen years of marriage and not one of them you was faithful to me Jack Twist. Not in body and not in heart. And I never complained, I never left you, never stopped you from goin' on them fishing trips of yours. I always knew, Jack, always knew you'd leave me for him and I never tried to do anything to change that. Now I am asking you for this, for this one day so that we can get things straightened out at the lawyers."

Jack let his shoulders slump. Laureen was right. He did owe her, she'd been nothing but good hearted towards him these last two years, when she could have gone runnin' for the hills screaming about her queer husband. "If he changes his mind before I get there I will come back here and make your life hell." Jack told his friend with next to no heat to the words.

"And if he changes his mind before you get there I promise to hunt him down and make him see reason Jack." Laureen answered her friend as she patted his shoulder before turning to leave the room.

"Don't forget to shave" snort "that damn critter" snicker "from your face Rodeo" Laureen said on her way out.

Jack couldn't help but give a snort. Ennis never did like his mustache.