When Love Takes You In
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Author's Notes: So... anybody remember when I mentioned part of a chapter that I wrote when I was drunk and decided to take it out of the story? Well, here it is... a deleted scene. It takes place at the end of Chapter Thirteen (still at the Riverton house). It's a New Year's Party.
Deleted 'New Year's Party' Scene
Despite all of Ennis's half-hearted protests, Francine and Junior convinced him and Jack to bring in the New Year with them.
"Do we need anymore decorations, ya think?" Ennis asked Jack as he stood back to examine is work. Ennis had hung garland all over the walls and bought party hats from the dime store. At the moment he was tangled up in the silver garland and had one of the hats sitting on top of his stetson had... on top of his head.
Jack came out from the bedroom and started laughing so hard he couldn't talk.
"What?" Ennis started cluelessly at him.
"Those girls got you wrapped around their pinky fingers!" Jack told him.
"What? No."
"Ennis, look at yourself."
"I'm just tryin' to make the house look nice and festive-like for my girls and their guests..." Ennis defended as he tried to untangle himself from the silver garland rope he was wrapped in. At this point, he really wanted to ask Jack for help but his pride wouldn't let him. Luckily, Jack was smart enough to know this.
"Here, Cowboy..." He reached behind Ennis and found the loose end Ennis had been searching for. He started unraveling all the knots that had been built up and that's when Junior and Kurt walked in.
"Daddy, we brought snacks for- Oh... should we come back later?" Her brows were raised.
"Goddamn... just... help Jack get me outta this stuff." Ennis growled as his face turned beet red. Junior handed the snacks off to Kurt and began helping Jack and her father.
"Daddy, did you decorate just for tonight?"
"Just makin' the house look nice for ya..." He muttered, regretting his efforts as the last silver pieces were taken away.
"Thanks." Junior stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "Francine and Clara are on their way right now. They stopped for Coca-Cola... figured you'd mostly have beer and whiskey in the house."
"At least your daughters know ya." Jack laughed again.
Kurt and Junior took over the house shortly and Jack and Ennis resigned to the couch and let them at it. Soon it looked like a regular party. The table had been covered with paper, making it look like a table cloth. Snacks were arranged and Ennis's little party hats were all set out. All that was missing was the drinks and the last two guests.
"Don't s'pose they had any car trouble?" Ennis worried.
"Ennis, I'm sure they're just takin' their time." Jack sighed. He'd started getting frustrated with ennis. Since Junior and Kurt had arrived, Ennis had been shying away from Jack's little touches or signs of affection. It was Ennis's idea to be open about this around his kids and if Jack was agreeing to it, he wanted to carry it out all the way.
"We're here!" A call interrupted them. Francine entered he house with her arms full of soda. Jack and Ennis were quick to take the load and put it aside.
"So where's this girl o' yours?" Ennis asked.
"She's locking up her car. She used to live in the city so she's paranoid even way out here." Francine explained. As if on cue, the door opened and a girl entered the house. She was Francine's height with pale skin, freckles, and wild red hair. Obviously of Irish descent. Francine put her arm around Clara's waist and lead her to where everybody was.
"Everybody, this is Clara." She introduced.
"This is Alma Junior and her fiancé Kurt. This is my daddy and his boyfriend, Jack." Francine said. Ennis's face pinked at Jack being referred to as his boyfriend. They'd never thought of what to call each other, but he guessed that would be the closest title.
The night progressed as a normal small gathering would. The tv was tuned in to the Annual Dick Clard special and it was almost time for the ball to drop. The girls were all excited and Kurt was being pulled around by Junior. Jack and Ennis hung behind everybody, Jack's arms wrapped around a stiff Ennis.
"We're kissing when that ball hits zero." Jack whispered.
"With the kids here?"
"Ennis, you wanted to be open about this. I'm only willing if we stick with it. Knowing about us helped Francine come out with her relationship. Keep it up." Jack told him.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1!" The kids all yelled. The tv screen lit up with fireworks and Junior gave Kurt a little kiss and Francine gave Clara a peck on the cheek.
When Francine looked back to say "Happy New Year" to her father, they all saw that Jack had Ennis pinned to the wall in a passionate kiss that beat all theirs.
When they broke apart, Jack turned to them all breathlessly.
"Uh... Happy New Year."
End deleted scene
