Chapter Twelve
"After you left yesterday, I filed a motion for a continuance and for a change of venue. Bobby lives here, so it only makes sense that the case is here in this county," Anna said to Jack and Ennis, who were seated in her office.
"What does that mean?" Jack asked.
"A continuance means that I asked for the court to schedule your hearing at a later date, so we actually have time to prepare. Change of venue means we want the hearing to be in this county instead of in Texas. Like I said, this is where Bobby lives now, so it should be heard here in Minnesota. Plus it'll save you, and me, from having to travel to Texas. It doesn't mean the judge will agree, but I want to try for it."
Jack looked relieved.
"Now, you read over this and make sure it's all correct. If it is, I'll have my secretary notarize it." She handed him his affidavit, which was now neatly typed.
Jack read it quickly, then nodded. "Sounds right." He couldn't believe he had to go through this. L.D. had accused him of being unfit, not able to take care of Bobby, that he'd never loved him, never taken care of him, and that he was an alcoholic. By some miracle, it appeared that L.D. did not yet know that Jack was living with Ennis, so there was nothing referring to it in the paperwork. Jack realized, however, that this meant someone else must have made the 'anonymous' report to social services.
"We'll file only your affidavit to begin with and see if it can't be resolved with that. Maybe if L.D. knows you're taking him seriously, he'll drop it."
"Yeah, right. You don't know L.D. Newsome, Anna." Jack said, shaking his head.
"It can't hurt to try," she smiled encouragingly. "And since he doesn't mention your homosexuality," Jack and Ennis looked at each other, their eyes wide, "we'll try to keep a lid on it as long as possible. It's not that I have anything against it. Obviously," she grinned at them, "and I don't think you should hide it in your daily lives. I'm not saying that. We have to face reality, though. Maybe someday our lifestyles will be accepted as normal, but today isn't that day, as much as I hate to admit it. My point is, I want to keep it out of the court process as long as possible."
"I understand," Jack agreed, even as it galled him as much as he knew it did Anna.
She stood and went into the lobby, followed by Jack and Ennis. "Jenny," she addressed her secretary, "would you please notarize this for Jack?"
"Sure." Jenny watched him sign it, then signed and dated it herself.
"Okay, guys, that's all for now. Are you going to Danny's birthday party tonight?"
"We don't feel much like celebratin', but Bobby ain't been talkin' 'bout much else, so yeah, we'll be there," Jack replied.
"See you there," she said, walking them to the door.
"Bye, Anna."
Ennis nodded at her, then put his hat on.
"Wanna go somewhere fer lunch?"
"Sure. Where?"
"How 'bout that little diner on main street. We ain't been there yet."
"Okay," Ennis agreed as they got in Jack's truck and he drove to the diner. Ennis still felt some anxiety at being out in public with Jack, but it was getting better. Other than Jim Jackson, no one had bothered them. Not to our faces, anyway, Ennis thought. Each new place they went was somewhat of a test for him.
They went in the diner and took a seat in a booth next to a window. A young woman with curly blonde hair and a pasted on smile approached. "Hi, guys. What can I get you?"
"Coffee, t'start," Jack said, giving her one of his bright smiles.
"Same here."
"Okay. Menus are right there," she pointed to the menus, which were propped between the napkin holder and the window ledge. By the time she returned, they'd both decided on burgers and french fries.
Ennis realized that Jack was strangely subdued. He'd barely said a word while they'd been sitting there. When he looked at Jack's face he saw a crinkle above his nose and a faraway look in his eyes. "Jack, where ya at, bud? Looks like yer a million miles away."
"Jus' thinkin' about goin' t'court. Ya know, Ennis, I didn't want Bobby. Before he was born, I mean. I was so mad at Lureen, then, once we got married and I started workin' fer her dad and we had a real house and I wasn't so goddamn poor, it seemed like a good thing. But I was still thinkin' o' myself, not Bobby. Then, when he came along, I didn't appreciate him. Sure, he was cute and precious, but I didn't realize how much I really loved him 'til we moved here. I know I was miserable in Texas and it's hard t'be happy an' lovin' towards someone else when yer miserable yerself." He met Ennis's eyes, a fierce look in his own. "Maybe this is punishment fer all that. Maybe I don't deserve t'have him with me." He looked down at his hands, clasped together on the table in front of him, his jaw clenched tight.
Ennis wanted to take those hands in his so much that his heart hurt. Instead, he just leaned forward. "Jack, stop it. You may not have had some big smack upside that head that said 'I love my son', but you've loved him all the same. I remember the look on yer face the first time ya told me about him. Remember that? Ya told me 'he smiles a lot'. Ya could just said he was eight months old an' left it at that, but ya didn't. You were always talkin' about him, always sounded so proud. And now that I've seen ya with him, ain't no doubt in my mind that you love that boy. You're crazy 'bout him. And he's crazy about you, too. So knock off this 'I don't deserve him, this is my punishment' shit. Ya deserve t'be happy, Jack. I want ya t'be happy. I want that more'n anything in the world."
Jack was staring at him. He couldn't believe this was Ennis. Ennis, who it usually pained to get more than two sentences in a row out. And while they were sittin' here, in a diner, where anyone could hear him. Jack smiled. Not his thousand watt smile, but a sweet smile nonetheless.
"What're you smilin' about?" Ennis asked.
"Ya jus' surprise me sometimes, cowboy."
Whatever reply Ennis may have made was lost, because the waitress appeared at that moment with their meal.
Chaos reigned in the McIntyre back yard. There were kids everywhere. Hannah and Emma asked Ennis two times (each) when Franny and Junior were coming back to visit. However, by the time the sun went down, most of the guests had left. Jack, Ennis, Anna, and Nancy were left. Unfortunately, the disappearance of the sun brought the appearance of mosquitoes. For some reason, they seemed to love Jack, but left Ennis virtually alone. Jack was complaining bitterly, scratching yet another welt on his arm, when Ennis leaned near and whispered that they loved him 'cause he was so sweet. Jack pushed him away and mouthed fuck you, but there was a small smile on his face as he said it.
Colin had started a campfire for the kids to roast marshmallows. After the roasting and cleaning up all the stickiness, Ellen sent the kids to bed, including Bobby, who was spending the night.
Nancy and Anna were in an oversized lawn chair. Jack tried not to stare, but his eyes were drawn to them. They were so free and easy together. Anna leaned back in Nancy's arms and every once in a while Nancy would nuzzle her neck or say something in her ear, meant just for her. Jack admitted to himself that he was jealous. He wondered if he and Ennis would ever be that free with each other. Then he felt bad for thinking it. He and Ennis living together was something he thought would never happen. He looked at Ennis tenderly and saw Ennis watching Nancy and Anna, with a thoughtful look on his face. Jack wondered if Ennis shared his thoughts.
Colin stirred the fire and added another log. Jack watched the sparks rise into the night sky, then felt his eyes drawn back to the two women.
"How did you make it all these years?" he asked, no longer able to keep quiet.
Anna laughed, "I was wondering when you were going to ask something like that."
Jack blushed, "I'm sorry, that was too personal, wasn't it?"
Anna smiled at him kindly, "No, Jack, it wasn't too personal. If I were in your place, I'd ask too."
"To start with," Nancy began, "I think it helped that I grew up here. I have a lot of family and friends and they knew me before they knew about my sexuality. Some of them didn't approve, of course," her light blue eyes dipped down for a heartbeat and Anna rubbed her arms gently, "but there were enough left who loved me that it didn't matter."
"We kept a low profile, too, at the beginning."
"I think people focused so much on the fact that I had the twins without being married, that they initially overlooked my living with Anna. That was quite a scandal at that time. Heck, things like that are still a scandal."
"They probably thought I was a nanny," Anna laughed.
"But eventually, we became a part of the landscape and no one questioned it. Well, not usually. There are people who refuse to see me, as a physician."
"And I'm sure I've missed some cases because of it. In the end, it doesn't matter what other people think," Anna looked at Nancy, her eyes softening, "I wouldn't have traded the last twenty years with this woman for anything." She leaned in, their foreheads touched.
It was an act of tenderness Jack and Ennis had done many times themselves. The familiarity of it touched something deep inside Jack. He looked at Ennis, saw the soft brown eyes looking back, and knew Ennis was feeling what he was. Jack looked back to the two women just as they exchanged a kiss. He hoped that some day he and Ennis would feel that free. Even though they were surrounded by friends, he couldn't imagine Ennis kissing him in front of anyone else. Then again, Ennis had surprised him over and over since that fateful day when he'd driven to Wyoming after he heard of Ennis's divorce.
During the drive home, Ennis was quiet, looking out the window and smoking a cigarette.
"Penny fer yer thoughts," Jack said.
"Hmph. Just wonderin' if the world will ever change. Anna and Nancy are real nice. They got good jobs, nice kids, but some people still treat 'em different 'cause of who they love."
"You ever regret comin' here, Ennis?" Jack asked softly, hesitantly.
Ennis turned to him slowly. "Jack, I won't deny that I haven't thought about what a hard life we might have. But, the truth is, it's gone so much better, so far, than I ever imagined it could. Makes me sorry we didn't do it sooner." He looked down at his hands, took a last drag on the cigarette before putting it out. "I shoulda listened t'you a long time ago, darlin'."
"Ennis, I hate to admit it, but I don't know if it coulda worked sooner. I mean, maybe we coulda found a way t'make it work, but things have a way of workin' themselves out. Even though it took us a while t'get here, I'm not gonna look back." He stopped the truck in front of the garage and turned to Ennis, a wicked smile on his face. "Since you're so sorry, maybe ya oughtta make it up t'me."
"Is that so? I thought ya weren't lookin' back." Ennis smirked at him, his eyes twinkling.
"Changed m'mind. You definitely need t'make it up t'me." He leaned close and pressed his lips to Ennis's.
"What'd'ya have in mind?" Ennis asked, his voice low, kissing back, his tongue tracing Jack's lips.
"Mmm . . . definitely something naughty." The sound of kissing and heavy breathing filled the truck.
The guys were all down at the lake. Ennis wished it was another lazy day like the one when the girls were visiting, but today they had a different purpose for being here. They were going along with Jack's idea to clear the trees and brush to make a bigger beach. Ennis wiped his arm across his forehead, trying to wipe away some of the sweat that was dripping into his eyes. Dwayne and Dayle had shed their workshirts and t-shirts long ago, complaining of the heat and humidity. They were nice boys and Ennis found he was really beginning to like them. Right now, they were taking a break, which had started out with them wading into the water to cool off and ended up with them trying their best to dunk each other, and trying to outshout each other, by the sounds of it.
He smiled and shook his head, then turned around to see Jack and Tyler coming back down the trail from hauling the trees out to the clearing that bordered the trees.
"That would be fun," Tyler was saying.
"What would be fun?" Ennis asked.
"I told Tyler we should have a bonfire to get rid of some o' that brush and wood. Have a party, invite ever'one over."
"That is a good idea." Ennis agreed. "We got a lot more work t'do afore that, though."
"You better get those boys outta the water then, get their asses back t'work."
"Jack, when'd you turn into such a slavedriver? I thought ya prefered t'sit down an' work." Ennis smirked at him.
"I'm gonna work you over good, if ya make any more comments like that," Jack smirked back.
"Think ya already did that last night," Ennis said in a low voice, meant only for Jack. "Oh, close yer mouth," Ennis said, seeing Jack's jaw drop, "ya know it's true," he finished, and brushed by a shocked Jack as he went back to work.
By noon, Ennis, Jack, and Tyler had shed their shirts, too. It was too hot and humid to be modest. Ennis had to keep his eyes lowered though. The sight of Jack, shirtless and sweating, his muscles rippling with each move he made, was almost too much for him to bear. He found out Jack was having the same problem when the other three disappeared up the trail with a particularly large tree. Jack pulled him close and met his lips fiercely.
"You're drivin' me crazy, cowboy. You're so sexy, it's drivin' me nuts. If we were out here alone . . ." he trailed off, his lips occupied with Ennis's.
Ennis broke away, breathing hard, "You ain't the only one." He kissed him again, then broke away once more. "You think I'm sexy?"
Jack chuckled gently, "You know I think you're sexy, Ennis."
Ennis smiled, "It's nice t'hear it sometimes, though." They broke apart when they heard the boys returning.
After lunch, Ennis stood by the lake smoking a cigarette. Jack had gone back to the house to call Anna, hoping for some news about the continuance and change of venue. Dwayne and Dayle were working behind him. He suspected they finally realized that the sooner they finished, the sooner they could leave. He'd heard them earlier talking about a double date for tonight. Tyler was lying on the dock, his eyes closed. Ennis realized he was staring at Tyler while he smoked, admiring the dark hair spread out beneath him, the muscular chest and flat stomach, and narrow hips that topped long legs. When he realized what he was doing, he blushed and looked down, hoping no one had noticed, wondering how long he'd been staring. He turned and went down the trail, not bothering to say where he was going.
Tyler was lying in a summer field of sweet grass and daisies. He looked up at the sky, so blue he felt he could swim right up into it and disappear. The sun was bright and warm upon his skin. He closed his eyes and just drifted for a while. Shadow and coolness came over him, so he opened his eyes. A tall, rangy man stood in front of the sun, his features shaded by the brightness behind him. He startled Tyler by crouching down and straddling his hips, his hands on Tyler's chest. Tyler put his hands on the muscular thighs, lightly, barely touching, felt the strength beneath the denim. The other man leaned close, his blond curls moving in the slight breeze. Tyler couldn't stop himself–he put his hand up, touched the cheeks, slid his fingers into the soft curls. The face turned into his hand, kissed the inside of his palm.
Their eyes met again and came closer as the other man leaned forward until their bare chests touched. Tyler drew in his breath, closed his eyes, opened them again and met the light brown eyes, mesmerized by the sprinkle of freckles across the nose. His hands moved up to the slim waist and he was surprised by the other man's indrawn breath when his hand touched the bare skin. Their eyes locked and slid apart as their lips met, tentatively, at first, then more urgently. A tongue probed into his mouth, which he opened wider, granting access, exploring with his own. He arched up, his arousal mirrored by the other, heat and hardness met, separated by denim. Kisses deepened and they rolled over. Tyler, now on top, leaned down, his hair fell in a dark curtain on each side of their faces. He kissed lips, neck, ears, chest. They slipped out of their jeans, slowly, reveling in each inch of skin revealed.
A hand moved low, exploring the silky thighs, then the heat between them. A finger slipped inside, met no resistence, touched that sweet, sweet spot. Another finger slipped inside as legs fell apart, hips rising to drive the fingers further in. A low moan escaped from one, or perhaps both.
Tyler looked down at the wondrous sight beneath him.
Eyes, dark with desire, looked into the darker ones above. Hands came up to tangle in the long, black hair. Their lips met again, more urgently now. A harsh sigh quivered in the air.
Hips bucked, ready . . . please please please . . .yes yes yes . . .
Tyler entered the slick tightness, while the beautiful being underneath him writhed with need, calling his name . . . Tyler Tyler Tyler oh god Tyler.
His lips moved, kissing, whispering into the sweet mouth, Ennis Ennis Ennis.
Release came slowly, wave after incredible wave.
Tyler opened his eyes, Ennis's name still upon his lips, his hand still wrapped around his cock, could feel the warm wetness on his stomach. He sighed and moved his hand, wiped his stomach with the edge of the sheet, then felt a tear slip down the side of his face, to wet his hair, knowing he could never make this dream come true.
Kelly opened her eyes, Tyler's name still on her lips, Her body ached with the memory of the dream of his body heavy on hers, around her, inside her. She rolled onto her side and curled into a ball, pulled her pillow to her face to staunch the tears, knowing she could never make this dream come true.
