When Love Takes You In
Author's Notes: Wow… so it's been hectic since my last update. My little sister (very pregnant little sister) had to go to the hospital with a kidney stone. Since she's preggers, there were only certain drugs and stuff they could use and they didn't want to retrieve the stone with the little basket (they actually go up through the urethra and grab the stone and pull it out… small but still painful surgery) because they were afraid of the basket thing maybe causing her to go into early labor. Of course, my other sisters and I thought the whole thing was kinda like karma. We've all had kidney stones… my sisters and I (don't know why, but we get them) but Linsday was the only one who hadn't yet. She kept saying "You don't know real pain. You haven't given birth." and now she's like "This is so much worse than childbirth. At least when I was having Connor, I knew there was a miracle at the end." So anyways… the stone wasn't passing so the hospital finally decided to give in and have Lindsay go into surgery. She asks to take a bathroom break right before going into the operating room… and bang, she passes the stone! Haha! But they kept her in the hospital because the stress from it all had caused early labor anyways… and then they found out that the baby is breached (automatic C-Section)… luckily the doctors were able to stop the labor and baby is still in the tummy all safe and sound.
On a better note… I actually finished writing this story in my notebook and I finished a short story to post afterwards. After I get a new notebook, I'll start writing the sequel. I'm so excited because boy do I have plans for it! I might even have a title picked out for it… it might be called "No Day But Today" or "I'll Cover You". Yes those are both songs from RENT…almost every story I've ever written is titled from music titles or lyrics.
Chapter Fourteen
Ennis knocked on the door. It was his daughter's wedding day and he'd been pacing the back halls of the church for a long time. To say he was nervous was an understatement. And Jack was already seated in the pews, not there to give comfort to the jittery man. So now he was standing outside the bridal chambers waiting for someone to answer the door.
One of Junior's bridesmaids, a friend from school, answered the door and let him in.
He saw Junior and all his breath left him. She was beautiful. Her dress was simple, delicate, showing her figure while still keeping a pure look. Her hair was down and curled and her skin glowed.
"Can I have a moment alone with my daughter?" He managed to say. Everyone left them alone.
"Daddy. I'm so excited. How do I look?" She asked, taking a turn around for Ennis to see.
"Like your momma did on our weddin' day… but there's somethin' even more special about ya. Yer more beautiful'n anythin' I ever saw," he told her. She was facing a giant mirror, looking at him through the reflection. He took a sep forward and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Almost time for me to give you away, baby girl." He whispered. He wasn't really looking forward to giving his daughter away. It symbolized that the husband was taking his place as the most important man in her life. As if reading his mind, Junior turned and faced him.
"Just because I love Kurt… it doesn't mean I love you any less, Daddy. You'll always be my father no matter what happens." She reached up and hugged him tightly and he held on, almost afraid to let go.
The tender moment was broken by a knock on the door and a yell, "You better get your asses out here so we can have us a weddin'!"
Junior giggled nervously. "Don't mind Meg… she's not one to sugar coat nothin'."
"Well, daughter… guess it's time to go." Ennis put his arm out and she hooked her arm with his. They stepped out of the room and followed the three bridesmaids and groomsmen to the sanctuary and down the aisle.
Ennis suddenly had tunnel vision. While they walked forwards, Junior's eyes were on Kurt but Ennis was only watching Junior as they moved. They reached the end and Alma stood with him beside Junior.
"Who gives Alma Del Mar Junior away?"
"We do."
Alma hugged her daughter and sat down. Ennis kissed her on the forehead like when she was a little girl and wrapped his arms around her.
"Daddy, it's time to let go…" She said with a nervous smile and tears of joy in her eyes. There was a light wave of snickers in the pews at the classis moment and Ennis came back to himself. He ducked his head down and hunched his shoulders to his normal stance and peered at Kurt.
"You take care of my little girl,"
"That I'll do, sir."
Ennis turned and went to his seat in the front pew which was saved by Jack. When he sat down, he felt Jack's hand cover his and Ennis threaded his fingers with Jack's. He was thankful for Jack's presence because it was the only thing keeping him together at that moment. Ennis may have been a rough neck and a tough shell to crack, but at that moment he felt as fragile as the glass ornaments that Alma always liked to hang on her Christmas tree.
The service went smoothly for the most part save for a comedic moment during the exchanging of the rings when Junior, I her nervousness, momentarily forgot which hand was her left hand and had actually held them up to form an 'L' like kids did when first learning right from left.
Before Ennis realized it, the ceremony was over and most of the guests had filed out. He was being put into poses for wedding party and family pictures. One with him, Alma, Junior, and Kurt. One with Junior, Kurt, and his parents. One with Alma, Monroe, Junior, and Kurt. And then to his surprise, they wanted one with him, Alma, Kurt, and Jack.
"But I'm not even family…" Jack protested.
"I'm sure you would be if you could. You'd probably be my step-dad right now if it was legal for you both." Junior said. Ennis and Jack's first reactions were to shush the girl, but they remembered that they had said they weren't going to hide anymore. Her argument did make sense when put in those terms, so they consented for the picture.
After the photo was snapped, Ennis leaned in to his daughter and whispered, "D'ya think we could maybe get a copy of that? Ain't got no pictures of me an' Jack t'gether." His face was flushed with embarrassment at asking so sentimental, but he stood there and didn't back from his request.
"Of course, Daddy." She nodded. She had a better idea then and waited until the rest of the pictures were done and everybody else had headed out to the reception before asking the photographer for one last one.
"I want one with just Daddy and Jack. Everybody's gone 'cept you guys, Ma, me an' Kurt. I want this for you." She said as she grabbed their hands and dragged them to the front of the church.
Still used to keeping their relationship hidden, neither man was comfortable showing affection so openly even for a photograph. They didn't know what to do beside stand side by side with stiff smiles.
Alma broke from her wallflower stance and approached the two men. She spoke to Jack in a soft voice that she used whenever the girls had been in trouble when they were younger.
"Listen here, Jack Twist. You took my husband from me long ago… before I ever had him. I sure hope you both didn't leave what you had for a lifetime of stiff smiles and awkwardness. If this is real, let's see it. Let me know I didn't lose that man for nothing." She said. Her words pierced Jack's heart. In all the years when he and Ennis lied to their families to be together, they'd never thought about how it affected them.
"Yes'm." He nodded. He looked over at Ennis who had been listening with his face down, trying to hide the shame and guilt he still felt after all these years for what he'd done to his ex-wife. Jack held his hand out for Ennis to take.
"Remember up on Brokeback?… when we used to just watch the fire?" Jack asked softly, trying to bring Ennis out of the shell he'd built up again and forget about any other people in the room. He saw Ennis's mouth twitch with the hint of a smile.
The photographer then called out with pose directions, not quite sure how to pose two men together intimately. They ignored the photographer as Jack kept talking softly, taking Ennis in with memories of their first summer together. Ennis realized what Jack was doing as he subtlety moved Ennis into photographical positions with him, but he didn't care.
They ended up in a position close to how they once stood with Jack in Ennis's arms next to a fire up on Brokeback. Small differences put Ennis's hands around Jack's waist instead of shoulders and they both looked at each other instead of gazing off to nowhere.
"There… that." Junior whispered, prompting the photographer. The camera flash startled both men and they pulled apart quickly, embarrassed. They kept their hands linked together as a testament that they weren't embarrassed by their relationship, but by being caught up in something so intimate and private.
"Well, uh… let's get on over to the reception then…" Ennis said, face back to it's normal stony look. He looked at no one and so didn't see Alma who's eyes were wet with un-shed tears and she nodded her head, satisfied with what she saw.
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The wedding reception went well. It wasn't too fancy, but it had dancing, cake, and an open bar. All the essentials for a small down wedding.
Ennis hung back in the corners while the young ones danced and partied the night away. He went out once for the traditional father/daughter dance and then migrated back to his spot in the darkness. Jack stood by him for most of the night, but every once in a while he would get called out to dance with the ladies. Ennis would shove him out with all the confidence that Jack would come right back to him. He was amused that even in their older ages, Jack was still loved by all the young ladies. He couldn't blame them though… he definitely saw what they saw and more.
A slower song came on and everyone who had someone made their way to the dance floor as the singles slowly filtered out to the sides. Jack was back with Ennis and he noticed Ennis's leg bouncing nervously.
"What's up, Cowboy?" He asked.
"Tryin' to work up the nerve."
"Nerve for what?"
"to ask ya to dance out there… in the open."
"Well, I think you should just go for it. You never know what could happen." Jack told him.
"Well… so ya wanna?" Ennis asked. Jack smirked.
"Wanna what?"
"Dance, ya dumbass."
"I dunno…. Callin' someone a dumbass really doesn't seem like a good way to ask."
"Song's gonna end eventually an' I won't be askin' again."
"Then I guess I could spare a song for you" Jack answered, giving a mock sigh and a grin. He followed Ennis's shuffling out to the dance floor and held his hands.
The dance started awkward, Ennis not much of a dancer and Jack not wanting to be a leader and make Ennis follow him. They swayed slowly, holding hands and facing each other as Ennis became more comfortable with the beat. Soon their arms were around each other's waists, they were smiling and having a good time. There was no leader and no follower and they managed to dance as equals just as they lived their life together.
"… two drifters off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. We're after the same rainbow's end… waiting 'round the bend. My huckleberry friend. Moon river and me…"
To both of their surprise, there wasn't any big fuss from anyone about them being together there, though they thought (and might be right) that the only reason was because nobody wanted to ruin the night for Junior and Kurt.
The reception stayed upbeat right up until Junior and Kurt left for their honeymoon in a shower of rice and bubbles. After they were gone, the reality that Junior was not a little girl anymore finally set in and Alma started weeping. Monroe had to take her and Dylan home, but Francine wanted to go with Jack and Ennis.
The three set out about an hour after Alma and them were gone. Jack drove and Francine sat in between them in the truck.
"Francine.. I been meaning to tell ya somethin' and I been puttin' it off for a while." Ennis finally said.
"What? Something wrong?"
"Not really… but… well me and Jack's movin'. We got ourselves a little place up in Wisconsin. Near abouts where Junior and Kurt will be livin'."
"Yer movin' so far after we just started talkin'?" Hurt was all over her face.
"We made the plans before Christmas, darlin'. An' well… I didn't think you'd mind at all. Thought ya kinda wanted me outta yer life and Junior still came around to see me an'…I'd love to take ya with me, but I don't think yer Clara'd be too keen on that." Ennis said. She was silent, absorbing what he'd told her.
"But I still want ya to visit often as ya can. You can see yer sister then too… I'll pay for the plane tickets and-"
"Does Junior know too? Am I last to find out again?"
"No. Yer the first…. Nobody else knows. But we're leavin' tomorrow. Drivin'… long drive. More'n a day of drive. I'll call soon as we get there.
"Promise?"
"Sure he does…. And if he forgets, I'll remind him." Jack piped in.
"I'll be visitin' in summer then…. Or if Ma will let me, during spring break. You better have a bed ready." She smiled, keeping up a bright demeanor in spite of her sadness at her father leaving.
"You bet."
They arrived at Francine's home and let her out.
"Love you, Daddy."
"Love you too, darlin'."
Francine waved to them as she walked away and went into the house. Jack put the truck into drive and started of to their place.
"Fuck… I wish she'd just get angry instead of lettin' it slide off her back." Ennis muttered.
"Maybe she will… she's got Clara to talk to. Like you've got me. You've always got me." Jack said.
Ennis put his hand on Jack's lap, back to being excited about starting a new life with Jack.
End chapter
Okay… so this chapter was kinda… okay a lot… sappy.
