A quick author's note: apparently I forgot to upload this chapter when I first posted in on livejournal. Sorry for that! I'll be posting Chapter 36 right after this one.
Chapter Thirty-Five
September 19, 1976
The smell of grilling steak wafted on the evening air, making Ennis's mouth water.
"So, how are you feeling?" Nancy asked, from her chair next to him on the deck.
"I'm feelin' pretty good. Get a little tired sometimes."
"Are you taking it easy?"
"Yeah, doctor's orders, right?" He smiled his crooked smile at her.
She smiled back at him. "That's right." She looked out towards the barn, thoughtful and silent for a moment. "Do you remember what happened, Ennis? What made you fall?"
"Well . . . I thought I saw someone out in the trees, saw a flash of somethin'. I didn't recognize 'im, he was too far away, really. I s'pose it was that private detective L.D. hired, snoopin' around and takin' pictures. Anyway, I stood up t'get a better look an' lost my balance. Stupid." Ennis shook his head, stood up, and flipped the steaks over. "These're almost done. Think we can tear those two away from work fer a while?"
"I think so."
Ennis looked over at her, suddenly serious. "Nancy, I'm so glad we got t'be friends. I don't know how we coulda went through me bein' in the hospital without you there t'protect us. Jack, he ain't so careful sometimes." He cleared his throat. "And Anna, she's been amazin' with this whole custody thing. If it weren't fer her, I don't know that we'd woulda been able t'find a lawyer who woulda helped us." He put the steaks on a plate and turned around to find her looking at him with a soft look in her eyes. He flushed and cleared his throat. "Would ya mind openin' the door?" She did and followed him through.
"You guys ready t'take a break?" Ennis asked. "Supper's ready, soon as we get the table set."
Anna and Jack jumped up to help. They moved their paperwork to the smaller kitchen table, so they could eat at the dining room table. Once it was set, Jack called to Bobby, who was in the living room, engrossed in a movie on the Wonderful World of Disney. "Aw, daddy, I'm gonna miss my movie."
"Come on, you can finish watching it after we eat."
Bobby didn't look happy, but he obeyed. "What are you watching, Bobby?" Anna asked.
"The Shaggy Dog. It's about a boy who turns into a dog! Cool, huh?"
"Yeah, that does sound cool."
"Is yer homework done?" Ennis asked.
"Yes, dad. I got it done before I started watching tv."
Jack didn't miss the look that Anna and Nancy exchanged.
"I wish we could get a dog." Bobby looked at Jack, his blue eyes wide and pleading.
"Maybe," Jack replied.
After they finished eating, Jack and Anna went back to the paperwork while Ennis and Nancy cleaned up. They were standing at the sink, Ennis up to his elbows in soapsuds and Nancy with a dishtowel. "Are you going with Jack tomorrow?"
"Yeah, he wants me to." Pause. "Do you think I should be going with him?"
"Oh, Ennis, I can't tell you that. You have to decide that for yourself. I think you know if you should go or not."
"Jack really wants me to."
"Maybe that's your answer."
Ennis turned his head and looked at Jack's head, bent close to Anna's as they talked quietly. They'd tried to keep as much information away from Bobby as possible. "Yeah, maybe."
A few minutes later Bobby came in the kitchen. "What's fer desert?"
"How 'bout some ice cream? I think we got chocolate," Ennis said.
"Sure!"
"All right, then, go back in the living room and I'll bring it to ya."
"Okay. But I want a lot."
"Don't you always?" Ennis smiled at him from the refrigerator where he was getting the ice cream out of the freezer. "Go see if yer daddy an' Anna want some." Nancy got some bowls and spoons for them and helped Ennis dish it up and hand it out. When they'd all finished, Bobby went up to bed and Nancy and Ennis sat down at the table with Jack and Anna.
"We're all done. Now, Jack, I want you to get a good night's sleep. Don't lie awake and worry all night," Anna said.
"Easier said than done," Jack said.
"Try, okay?"
"Yeah, I'll try."
"Thanks for supper," Nancy said as Anna gathered her folders and put them in a box.
"See you tomorrow morning," Anna said.
"G'night, ladies. See ya tomorrow, Anna," Jack said.
"Drive safely," Ennis told them as he held the door for them. He shut it behind them and turned back to Jack. "Come on, let's go to bed."
"I don't know if I can sleep."
"You heard Anna. She said get some sleep."
"I'm too nervous."
"Hmm . . . sounds like ya need somethin' t'take yer mind off yer worries."
"Wha'd'ya have in mind?"
Ennis put his hands on Jack's hips and pulled him close for a searing kiss. "Thought I'd start with some o' that and then, ya know, see where goes from there." He smiled at Jack, his whole face lighting up. Jack looked into those dark honey eyes and felt himself falling.
He put his hands on each side of Ennis's head and drew him back for another hard kiss that spun around them until they were both lost. "Let's go."
Jack was beginning to hate this conference room. The beige walls, the dull brown carpet, the fake wood table and hard chairs–they were all offensive in their blandness. He looked over at Ennis, seated next to him, dressed in a new, white shirt and dark blue jeans. Jack tried not to think about how good he looked, but found his mind straying back to last night. The sex had started hard and fast, almost like their first time, but later, they'd been sweet and tender with each other and Jack liked it both ways. Ennis met his eyes and, without a word, gave him some calm and comfort. For a moment.
The door opened and Anna walked in. "Okay, let's go in the courtroom."
"They agree t'anything?"
"Nope, we're going forward with the trial, so let's get started."
Jack sat at the table, Anna next to him, and Ennis behind them. Across the aisle, L.D. and Faye sat with their lawyer. L.D. sneered openly at Jack, but Faye, looking paler than Jack had ever seen her, wouldn't meet his eyes. Randy Jones and Chuck Brown, two guys Jack used to work with at Newsomes, and Janet Oakes, a good friend of Lureen's, were present also. The door opened and Janie slipped in, an apologetic smile on her face, and sat next to Ennis. Another latecomer opened the door and Jack's heart clenched, along with his stomach. Maria, their neighbor, their friend, stepped through. Her eyes met Jack's and he saw them widen and fill with tears. He looked away, confused.
Court was called to order and the judge asked, "Have the parties reached an agreement?"
"No, Your Honor."
"I've received a report from Ms. Peterson, dated September 10, 1976. Any objections to my receiving the report?"
"Yes, sir, we object on the basis that Ms. Peterson is a friend of the respondent and, therefore, not a neutral party."
"Have you read the report, Mr. Lawson?"
"Yes, sir."
"Is there anything in the report that you specifically object to?"
"No, just the report in its entirety."
"Your objection is noted and overruled. The report is accepted."
"Are we ready to proceed?" The judge looked at them over his glasses.
"Yes, sir."
"Mr. Lawson, call your first witness."
"Yes, Your Honor. We call Mr. Randy Jones."
"Mr. Jones, please come forward and be sworn in." Randy Jones, a small, dark-haired man, stood up and walked forward to stand in front of the Judge. "Raise your right hand." Randy did. "Do you swear the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
"Yes, sir."
"Take a seat in the witness stand."
Randy sat down and looked at Jack, a sneer on his thick lips.
"Please state your full name," Rick said.
"Randall Lawrence Jones."
"Mr. Jones, you are currently employed at Newsome Farm Equipment?"
"Yes."
"How long have you worked there?"
"About six months."
"And you worked there with a Mr. Jack Twist?"
"Yep."
"And Mr. Twist, do you recognize him here in the courtroom?"
"Sure do," he pointed at Jack, "that's him right there."
"Please note that Mr. Jones pointed at Jack Twist. Mr. Jones, how long did you work with Mr. Twist?"
"Well, only about a month. He left right after I started."
"Did you know him prior to working with him?"
"Not personally, but heard o' him." He directed another oily smile at Jack. "I heard what kinda boy he is."
"Objection," Anna said.
Judge Lundeen held up his hand towards Anna and looked back at Randy. "Mr. Jones, please keep your comments to the questions asked."
Randy glanced at the Judge and said, "Yes, sir."
Rick went on. "Mr. Jones, when you worked with Mr. Twist, did you ever see him with his son?"
"Sure."
"And what did you observe?"
"He left him in the truck while he went in to work."
"Did you think this was appropriate?"
"No, sir."
"Did you ever see Bobby with any other family members?"
"Yep, Lureen brought him to work one day for a couple hours. He was a nice kid. Spent a lot of time with his grandad that day."
"Do you think Bobby had a good relationship with his grandad? I assume you're talking about Mr. Newsome, who is present in court today?"
"Yeah, I thought they had a real good relationship. Bobby followed his grandad around the store that day." Randy glanced at Jack, who was whispering something to Anna.
"And who do you think would provide a better home for Bobby?"
"L.D., of course."
"Thank you, Mr. Jones, no further questions."
Randy started to rise. "Wait a moment, Mr. Jones, please stay seated. Ms. Grant, do you have any questions for Mr. Jones?"
"Yes, thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Jones, how long did you work with Mr. Twist at Newsomes?"
"About a month."
"Would two weeks be a little more accurate?"
"I don't know, I guess so. Thought it was a little longer."
"On the occasion when you say you saw Mr. Twist with his son, do you recall the circumstances?"
"Just that he stopped at the store and left Bobby in the car while he came in to work."
"Did he work the whole day?"
"No, I don't think so."
"If I said that Mr. Twist stopped by to talk to Mrs. Twist for approximately ten minutes, does that sound accurate to you?"
Randy's face got a closed, tight look on it. "I don't remember."
"And do you remember that Mr. Twist left Bobby in the car because he was sick?"
"No, I don't remember."
"Do you remember that Mr. Twist took that day off work because his son was sick? He took him to the clinic and stopped by the store afterwards to tell Mrs. Twist what the doctor said and left him in the car because he was asleep. Do you recall that day a little more clearly?"
"No, I thought he came in to work that day. Guess I didn't remember how long he was there. Thought it was longer."
"Okay, well, Mr. Jones, the day Mrs. Twist brought Bobby to work with her, you said he followed his grandad around that day. Was it the whole day?"
"Well, I guess not. He spent time with his mama, too."
"Did you hear Mr. Newsome raise his voice to Bobby?"
Randy hesitated and looked down at his hands. "No, ma'am."
"So if I told you that Mr. Newsome yelled at Bobby, causing him to run to his mama in tears, that would be incorrect, to your knowledge?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Anna nodded, a small smile on her lips. "Thank you, no further questions."
"Mr. Lawson, any more questions?"
"Yes, Mr. Jones, the day Bobby was at work with Mrs. Twist, did you see Bobby talking and laughing with his grandad?"
"Yes, I thought it was real nice."
"Thank you, nothing further."
"Ms. Grant?"
"No questions."
"Thank you, Mr. Jones, you may step down."
Rick stood up. "I'd like to call Mr. Charles Brown."
Chuck stood up and was sworn in and gave his name, said he'd worked at Newsomes for about five years.
"Mr. Brown, you've worked for Mr. Newsome for five years. So you worked with Mr. Twist for a few years, too, is that correct?"
"Yes, sir. I worked with Jack about four and a half years."
"What did you do at Newsomes?"
"I was a salesman, same as Jack."
"Did you ever observe Mr. Twist with his son?"
"Sure, sometimes he brought him with when he stopped at the store. We had a few company picnics. The whole family came to them."
"What did you think of Mr. Twist, as a dad?"
"Well, he let Lureen do it all. He didn't pay no attention to that boy at all."
"So, at the picnics, Bobby stayed with his mama. Where was Mr. Twist?"
"Drinkin' beer and shootin' the sh–I mean, talkin' with the guys."
"Leaving Mrs. Twist to take care of their son."
"Yes."
"Did you ever see Mr. Newsome with his grandson?"
"Oh yeah, they, he and Mrs. Newsome, were always at the picnics."
"And how did they act with him?"
"You know, like grandparents. Always talking about how proud they were, showin' him off."
"Did they ever do anything that made you think they weren't good grandparents."
"Nope, sure didn't."
"You worked with Mr. Twist?"
"Yeah."
"What was he like, as a co-worker?"
"Well, he was usually pretty quiet. Kept t'himself mostly. He was good at selling combines."
"So, he was a good worker? Just not very friendly?"
"Sure."
Ennis's eyes narrowed. Had this guy really worked with Jack, who was friendly and talked up a storm most of the time? He found it hard to believe.
"You worked with Mrs. Twist, also?"
"Yeah, she worked in the office."
"Did she ever talk about their marriage?"
"Not really. Heard her complain about Jack being gone sometimes. Real inconvenient sometimes."
"Do you know where Mr. Twist had gone?"
"Nope. Lureen said he was off on a fishin' trip a few times. Guess he was off with his faggot friend."
"Your Honor, I object, the witness is speculating."
"Sustained." Judge Lundeen turned to Chuck. "Please keep your comments to information you have first-hand knowledge of and refrain from using foul language in my courtroom." Chuck frowned and didn't say anything.
"Mr. Brown, did Mr. Twist ever approach you in a way that made you uncomfortable?"
"What d'ya mean?"
"In a sexual way?"
"No, but I could tell there was somethin' funny about him."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. I just knew he wasn't, ya know, there was somethin' wrong with him. Caught him lookin' at me weird one day. Just starin'."
"And it made you uncomfortable?"
"Hell, yeah."
"No further questions."
Anna paged through her notes she'd taken of his testimony. "Mr. Brown, how many of these company picnics did you attend?"
"Uh, a few I guess."
"Might the answer be closer to one?"
"I'm sure I was at more than that. At least two."
"So, two company picnics in five years. And you say Mr. Twist left Bobby's care to Mrs. Twist?"
"Yeah."
"These picnics, were they held at a park with a playground?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"Would it be accurate to say that the kids were all playing together, not hanging around their mothers or fathers?"
"Well, I guess so."
"So the fact that Mr. Twist was talking to the guys wasn't unusual for any of the fathers there?"
"No, I guess not."
"This picnic you were at, do you remember Bobby falling and skinning his knee?"
Chuck looked over her head, thinking, before answering. "Sure. Yeah."
"Do you remember who went to him and took him to clean the knee? Who bandaged it?"
A stony look came over Chuck's face. "No, I don't."
"So, if I said it was, in fact, Mr. Twist who took care of his son, while Mrs. Twist continued to talk with a group of ladies, you don't remember that?"
His face turned red. "No, I don't."
"All right, let's move on. You say that Mr. Twist was staring at you one day, made you uncomfortable. Did you talk to him about it?"
"No, why would I?"
"I'm asking the questions, Mr. Brown. Could it have been that Mr. Twist was merely staring into space, daydreaming, like most of us do, and you just happened to be in his line of sight?"
"I don't know."
"Did you ever see Mr. Twist do anything you thought was inappropriate, with another co-worker?"
"I guess not," he mumbled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that, could you speak up?"
"I said, I guess not."
"Thank you, Mr. Brown. No more questions."
Judge Lundeen looked at Rick, who just shook his head. "You may step down, Mr. Brown. Call your next witness, Mr. Lawson."
"I'd like to call Ms. Janet Oakes."
Janet walked forward, was sworn in, and took the witness stand.
"Ms. Oakes, you were a good friend of Mrs. Twist?"
Janet smiled wide, her lips full and red. "Yes, sir, Lureen and I were friends way back in high school. Been friends all these years."
"So you knew her pretty well?"
"I think so."
"Did you ever talk to Lureen about her marriage?"
"Sure, she wasn't real happy. Said things weren't very excitin', ya know, in the bedroom." She flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and gave Judge Lundeen a secretive smile.
Rick cleared his throat. "And did you ever talk to her about Bobby, her son?"
"Sure."
"Did you talk about who she would want to raise her if anything ever happened to her?"
"She told me she'd want her parents to raise Bobby."
"Do you think she was being honest with you?"
"Of course she was. Lureen spoke her mind, yes she did."
"Thank you, no more questions."
Anna looked at Janet thoughtfully, then asked, "Ms. Oakes, can you recall the circumstances when Lureen told you she wanted her parents to raise her son?"
"What d'ya mean?"
"What was happening in her life?"
"Well, I guess it was one o' those times Jack was gone fer a week. Bobby was cranky, teethin' or somethin' and she was frustrated."
"Oh, so she was frustrated when she said it?"
"That's what I said, ain't it?"
"Thank you, Ms. Oakes, that's all."
"Cross?" Judge Lundeen asked Rick, who shook his head. "Call the next one, then."
"We call Ms. Maria Calgaro."
Maria stood up and walked forward. Jack could've sworn she winked at him as she went by, but couldn't be sure. She was solemn when she was sworn in and repeated her name.
"Ms. Calgaro, you were Mr. and Mrs. Twists neighbor and friend?"
"Yes, sir."
"You also watched Bobby after school, until Mr. and Mrs. Twist got home from work?"
"Yes, I did."
"Who usually picked up Bobby?"
"Mr. Twist."
Jack was watching Rick's face and he could tell that the answer surprised him. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure," Maria replied, smiling.
"How did Bobby react when his dad picked him up? Did he resist going with him?"
"Sometimes, yes, when he was in the middle of a game or playing with the other children. Other times, he was very happy to see his daddy."
"Ms. Calgaro, did you tell Mr. Newsome that you were worried about Mr. Twist raising his son all alone?"
"Yes, I did."
"Why did you say that? What were you worried about?"
"I was worried about Bobby growing up without his mama, just as I would worry about any child who lost a parent."
"Were you worried about Mr. Twist, specifically, taking care of Bobby?"
Maria laughed and replied, "Of course not. Why would I worry about that when I felt like he was an exceptional daddy?"
Rick turned and glared at L.D., whose face was turning bright red. Rick turned back, a sick smile on his face. "No more questions."
"Ms. Calgaro, how many years have you known Mr. Twist?" Anna asked.
"Let's see . . . about eight. We moved in about eight years ago and they were already in their house. Lureen and Jack came over right away, introduced themselves and Bobby right away. I started babysitting him during the day, while they were at work, and when he started kindergarten, I watched him after school, along with other children in the neighborhood."
"You said it was usually Mr. Twist who picked Bobby up?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Did you ever see Mr. Twist do anything that gave you cause for concern? Anything at all?"
"No, ma'am. Jack was a real good daddy."
"And Mr. Lawson said you told Mr. Newsome that you were concerned about Mr. Twist caring for Bobby after his mother died? Could you explain what you meant?"
"Well, I did say that, but I guess he didn't understand what I meant. I was just worried about Bobby's mama being gone and Jack having to raise him all alone. A child should have two parents, shouldn't have to mourn after one at such a young age. Lureen was my friend and I'm so sad that she's gone."
"You've known Bobby almost since he was born?" Maria nodded. "Tell me, what do you think is the best thing for him?"
"I think it's best he stay with his daddy."
"Thank you, Mrs. Calgaro, no more questions."
"Mr. Lawson?"
"No questions."
"Fine. Let's take a fifteen minute recess."
Jack stood up as Maria left the witness stand. She walked to him and he reached out and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, sweetheart."
"Jack, you're a good daddy. I think Bobby should be with you. How're you doing?"
"I'll be better once this is all over and done with. Are you gonna be in town long?"
"'Til tomorrow."
"Why don't you come over fer supper tonight? You can see Bobby and we can catch up."
"I'd love to."
"Where are you stayin'?"
"At the Holiday Inn in Goosedown."
"I'll pick ya up at six then."
"Okay." She hugged him again, then turned to Anna. "Can I go or do I have to stay?"
"Well, technically you're Rick's witness, you'll have to ask him."
Maria went out the courtroom door and Jack turned to Anna. "What the hell was that?"
She laughed. "That's what you get when you don't question your witness very well before you put them on the stand. Rick probably just took L.D.'s word that Maria would say what they wanted. Come on, let's go to the courthouse café and get a cup of coffee."
Court was called back to order and Rick called his next witness, Faye Newsome. She was sworn in and questioned about her relationship with Lureen, Jack, and Bobby.
"What do you think is best for your grandson?" Rick asked.
"To be with me and his grandad, of course," Faye replied, in a quiet voice.
Rick turned her over to Anna, who started with, "Mrs. Newsome, you didn't make an appearance last week when we were here for the pre-trial. Mr. Lawson said you had a medical issue. What was it?"
"Well, I . . . I was in the hospital. I wasn't feeling good."
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Newsome, but could you please be more specific?"
"No, not really."
"Your Honor . . ." Anna looked to the judge.
"Ms. Newsome, please answer the question."
"Objection," Rick broke in.
"On what grounds?" Judge Lundeen asked.
"Relevancy."
"Mr. and Mrs. Newsome are asking for custody to be awarded to them. I want to know if they have any health issues that we might be dealing with."
"Objection overruled. Go ahead and answer, Mrs. Newsome."
Her eyes teared up and she looked at her husband. "I was in the hospital. I miss my daughter."
Anna looked at Jack, her mind working. "Mrs. Newsome, were you hospitalized because you miss your daughter?"
"Yes," she said, low.
"Because you were depressed about Lureen being gone?"
"I miss her so much."
"So, you were hospitalized with depression because you miss your daughter?" Faye just nodded. "Will you be able to take proper care of your grandson, if he's put in your custody?"
"Of course I will! I'll take care of him just like he was my own."
The questions to Faye went on, until both sides were satisfied. After she stepped down, the judge excused them for lunch.
They came back at one o'clock and there was another man, someone Jack didn't recognize, in the courtroom. Court was called to order and Rick called John Crater to the stand. That answered the question of who it was–L.D.'s private detective. He stated his name and profession for the record.
"I'd like to introduce exhibits one through twenty."
"Any objections?" Judge Lundeen asked. Anna shook her head.
Rick handed the pictures to John. "Mr. Crater, do you recognize these pictures?"
"Yes, sir."
"What are they?"
"Pictures I took while in the hire of Mr. Newsome."
"Can you tell me what the pictures are of?"
"Mostly Mr. Twist kissing another man."
"Is that other man present here in the courtroom today?"
"Yes, he is, he's seated right there behind Mr. Twist." He pointed at Ennis.
Jack turned slightly and glanced at Ennis. Ennis looked like his jaw was about to break, it was clenched so tight. Jack's mind went back a few days, when he'd shown Ennis the photos.
Ennis looked at each one before he looked up and met Jack's eyes. "Well, we never had our picture taken together before. This is a hell of a way to get it done. I always thought it's be in one o' them big, fancy photography studios, ya know, the kind where they put make-up on ya an' make ya tilt yer head just so." He stood up and flung the pile of photos on the table.
"You okay?" Jack asked.
"I'm just fuckin' fantastic, Jack. What do you think?" He stopped near the window. After a few minutes, Jack went to him, put his hand out and touched his ear, caressed his cheek with the back of his hand.
"I'm sorry, Ennis. Sorry I brought this on us."
"Jack, you didn't do this." He was silent a moment before asking, "Was Lureen like him?"
"No. Well, she had his business sense, but she had a good heart, deep down. I liked her fire. I think part of the reason she married me was because her daddy definitely didn't approve. By the time we realized the mistake we were makin', it was too late–she was pregnant. We made better friends than husband and wife."
Ennis finally turned and met his eyes, a flicker of amusement deep in the dark brown depths. "Ya know, if those pictures didn't have anything t'do with L.D., there's a couple I like–just fer the two of us."
Jack knew what he was talking about. A couple of the pictures perfectly captured the love for each other in their faces, the times when the masks fell away and it was just the two of them–lost in each other. Jack's attention snapped back to the present.
"Mr. Crater, you took these pictures yourself?"
"Yes."
"Did you change them in any way?"
"No, I didn't."
"Thank you. Your witness," he said, turning to Anna.
"No questions." Jack looked at her sharply and she shrugged.
"You may step down, Mr. Crater."
Rick finally called L.D. to the stand. He put his hands on the table to help himself up, his girth giving him a waddle-walk on his way to the stand. He raised his right hand and swore to tell the whole truth, nothing but the truth. He testified to being the most wonderful man in Texas, or so it sounded to Jack. He told them all that Jack was a poor employee, a terrible husband, a lecherous homosexual, and a pitiful father. Jack started to slide down in his chair, withering under the spray of L.D.'s words. He had to give him credit, somewhere along the line he'd reigned in his hate-spewing and sounded the part he was trying to play–the loving grandfather to a poor little boy. Jack sank a little further, then felt a soft touch on his shoulder. He turned slightly, but the hand was already gone, a familiar scent the only reminder of its presence. He sat back up and berated himself for letting L.D. make him feel any bit of doubt about his ability as a father or a man.
When it was Anna's turn to question L.D., she asked, "Mr. Newsome, if Bobby were placed in your custody, what would you do to assure that he'd have contact with his father?"
"Well, he could see him whenever he wanted. 'Course, he'd have to come to Texas to see him. We wouldn't want him here, around him and his, the man he lives with."
"So, you'd never let Bobby come to Minnesota to spend time with his daddy?"
"Nope."
"Have you ever seen Bobby with Mr. Del Mar?"
"No, of course not."
"Are you aware that Bobby calls Mr. Del Mar 'dad'?"
L.D. snorted. "That ain't true. My grandson would never be that stupid."
"Oh, I assure you, it's true. I've heard him with my own ears. How does that make you feel?"
"It ain't true, I said."
Anna sighed. "Okay, let's move on. Did you ever talk to your daughter about who should raise her son if something happened to her?"
"No, I didn't have to. I knew my daughter. I knew what she'd want."
"So, you don't think she'd want Bobby's daddy to raise him?"
"No, course she wouldn't want that goddamn faggot to raise her son."
Judge Lundeen, who had settled into a post-lunch malaise and looked like he'd been half-asleep to this point, raised his head and looked at L.D. "Mr. Newsome, might I remind you that I don't tolerate that kind of talk in my courtroom?"
L.D. glared at him and narrowed his eyes.
"No more questions," Anna said.
Rick rested his case and Anna called her first witness, Janie Peterson. Janie took the stand and Anna handed her a copy of the report she'd submitted and it was admitted as exhibit twenty-one. Anna asked her questions about the report, the times she'd spent at the farm, and her talks with Bobby.
"So, your recommendation is that Bobby remain in the care of his father? Do you think that's in his best interest?"
"Yes, I do. Bobby loves his dad very much and they seem to have a very close relationship. I've never seen Jack do anything inappropriate with his son."
"Now, you know that the court has been made aware that Mr. Twist lives with another man, Mr. Del Mar?"
"Yes."
"Did you take that into consideration when you made your recommendation?"
"Yes, I did. I've been around Bobby with Mr. Twist and Mr. Del Mar and I think they have a good relationship and will be able to raise Bobby with the love and guidance a child needs."
"Have you talked to Bobby?"
"Yes, on several occasions."
"Has he ever said anything to you about where he wants to live?"
"Yes, Bobby has told me that he loves living with his daddy and he wants to stay with him."
"Did he talk about his grandparents?"
"The Newsomes?" Anna nodded. "Yes, he has said he'd like to be able to see them and spend time with them. He also said he'd like to spend more time with his other grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Twist, who live in Wyoming."
When it was Rick's turn to cross examine her, he was surprisingly brief and focused mainly on her youth and the few years of experience she had and then she was excused.
"Next, I'd like to call Mr. Jack Twist to the stand," Anna said.
Jack stood up and walked forward, raised his hand, and swore to tell the truth. He took a seat and a deep breath.
"Mr. Twist, you are Bobby's father?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"How do you feel about your son?"
"I love him with all my heart."
"Has he lived with you since his mama died?"
"Yeah. He lived with me before that, too."
"Of course, of course. Mr. Twist, you heard some testimony this morning that you brought Bobby to work one day and left him in the truck. Do you remember that day?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"What happened?"
"Well, Bobby was real sick. He was burnin' up with a fever. Lureen went to work an' I took Bobby t'the doctor. Afterwards, I stopped at the store fer a few minutes an' went in t'tell his mama what the doctor said. It was just a flu bug. Gave him some medicine an' told me t'take 'im home and put 'im t'bed an' watch his fever. Said t'put him in a cool bath if he got too hot. I was at the store 'bout ten minutes, then I took Bobby home an' stayed there with him fer three days while he was gettin' better."
"You also heard some testimony about company picnics. Did you attend some of those?"
"Course I did."
"Do you remember Mr. Brown being at any of those picnics?"
"Just one."
"Do you remember an incident involving Bobby?"
"Yep, he fell and skinned his knee but good. Lureen was chattin' with the ladies and didn't see him right away, so I picked him up and cleaned it, put a coupla band-aids on it and he was good as new." Jack smiled at the memory.
"Do you think you're a good dad, Mr. Twist?"
"Well, I ain't perfect, I know that. But, yeah, I think I am. I love my son, I'd do anything for him. I love him with all my heart." Jack sniffed and sat up straighter in the chair.
"Do you think Mr. and Mrs. Newsome should be allowed to have contact with Bobby?"
"Of course I do. They're his grandparents. Every kid needs grandparents. I'm willing t'let Bobby go spend time with them, in the summer, maybe during school breaks. And they can visit him anytime they want if they come here."
"Now, Mr. Twist, it seems that one of the Newsomes concerns is your relationship with Mr. Del Mar. What is your relationship?"
Jack hesitated. He'd talked long and hard about this with Anna and not much with Ennis. She reasoned that the judge already knew, or that it would surely come up, and it would be better to be straightforward about it than to try and hide it. He expected her to ask, but it was still disconcerting to answer. "He . . . he's my partner."
"He's your partner? At the farm?"
"Yes. And, well, in my life."
"Your life?"
"Yes. I . . ." he looked down and hesitated again before he looked up and met Ennis's eyes. "I love him."
"Do you think he's a good person to have around Bobby?"
Jack's eyes snapped back to Anna's, irritation in their blue depths. "Of course. I wouldn't have Bobby around him if he wasn't."
"Now, Mr. Del Mar has two daughters, doesn't he?"
"Yes."
"What are their names and ages?"
"Well, Alma Junior is eleven, almost twelve, and Francine is nine."
"Have the girls spent time at the farm with you and Bobby and Ennis?"
"Yes, ma'am. They spent one week in June and two weeks in August."
"Their mother, Mr. Del Mar's ex-wife, did she know you lived at the farm with Ennis?"
"Yes, I've talked to her on the phone."
"Yet she still allowed the girls to come and stay with you and Mr. Del Mar?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"How do Bobby and the girls get along?"
Jack smiled before answering. "Well, Bobby and Franny, Francine, I mean, are about the same age and they get along real well. Alma Junior and Bobby get along, too, but they ain't got much in common."
"Does Bobby have friends in the community?"
"Yes."
"He goes to school here, in Goosedown? Any problems?"
"Yes, he does, and he hasn't had any trouble."
Anna changed direction. "Jack, are you financially able to take care of Bobby?"
"Yeah. The farm makes real good money. Ain't got no worries there." Anna picked up some paperwork from the table and handed it to Jack.
"Mr. Twist, do you recognize these?"
"Sure, they're the financials fer the farm fer the last three months."
"I'd like to submit these as exhibit twenty-two."
"Objections?" asked Judge Lundeen. "None noted, please mark the exhibit."
"Mr. Twist, what do you think is in your son's best interest?"
Tears sprang unexpectedly to Jack's eyes. He blinked and wiped them, cleared his throat, and said, "To be with me, his daddy, where his mama would've wanted him."
"Thank you. Mr. Lawson, your witness."
Rick nodded at her. "Mr. Twist, do you honestly think it's best for a child to grow up in a home like yours? With two dads?" The last three words came out with a mixture of such disgust and disdain that Jack wasn't sure he heard right.
"Yeah, I do. When it's two dads that love him and want only the best fer him."
"Do you really think Lureen would want that?"
"I know Lureen would want him with me."
"How do you know what Lureen would want? You obviously didn't love her. You moved right in with your male lover after she died."
Jack's jaw clenched and he said quietly, "I did love her, in my own way. I knew her and I know what she woulda wanted." He would've gone on, but a low cry interrupted him.
"Stop it! Stop talking about her!" Faye Newsome had her hands over her eyes and was crying softly. "My baby girl, she's gone, she's gone and she ain't coming back. Stop talking about her."
"Faye, fer god's sake, knock it off!" L.D. tried to quiet her, put his arm around her back. She reacted as if burned, flinched away from him arm and turned to hiss at him, "Stop it! It's your fault! It's all your fault! You drove her away! You drove her to him! Ah . . ." her cries died to a low wail. L.D. grabbed her by the shoulders and started to shake her. Jack watched as her body became limp as Bobby's old stuffed pony. She started to cry in L.D.'s arms.
Judge Lundeen called a recess, but didn't leave the bench. He called the attorneys to him. "Is she going to be okay?"
"Yes, I think so. If we could just take a few minutes for her to get some fresh air?" Rick smiled, but there was tension in it.
"Certainly, take a twenty minute recess. Have the bailiff notify me if it turns more serious."
"Yes, sir, thank you."
"You can step down, Jack," Anna told him. He watched L.D. and Rick lead Faye out of the courtroom. She was so pale and looked so sad. He realized how difficult these past months must have been for her. He wanted to go out and help her, but knew it would probably only make things worse.
Anna sighed, "Come on, boys, there's a soda machine on the first floor. I could use something cold to drink." They followed her out the door and as they left, Jack felt a light touch on his back. Those light touches gave him more strength today than he could ever imagine they would.
Anna got herself a root beer and Jack and Ennis shared a Pepsi. Anna took a long drink and said, "I hate to say this, Jack, but this may work in our favor. It doesn't seem to me that Faye is in any condition to take care of a child."
"I really don't want to hurt her," Jack said, his fingers brushing Ennis's as he took the bottle of Pepsi back for a drink.
"I know. I could re-call her and break her down, but I won't. Come on, let's get back."
They entered the courtroom and saw Faye seated next to L.D., same as before, but there was a void look in her eyes. Jack took his place back on the witness stand and Rick resumed his questioning. "Now, Mr. Twist, before the recess you said you loved Lureen, yet, as soon as she died you moved in with Mr. Del Mar. Would you please explain that?"
"Me an' Lureen were more friends than husband and wife. I've been in love with Ennis since 1963. We never gave ourselves the chance to be together before this spring. We were gonna try an' make it work. I told Lureen that, but then she got in the accident." He paused for a moment. "She was my best friend, after Ennis." Jack brushed his eyes. He missed Lureen in that moment more than he ever had before. His eyes met Faye's and gentle empathy passed between them.
"Your relationship with Mr. Del Mar . . . you love him? So, it's a romantic relationship?"
"Yes."
"Is it a sexual relationship?"
Jack flushed and his eyes went to Ennis's, was not surprised to find him still as a stone. "Yes."
"So, what does this sexual relationship consist of? What do you do, you know, in bed?"
Anna stood up. "Your Honor! Objection. Relevance."
"What's your point, Mr. Lawson?"
"May I rephrase the question?"
"Let's hear it, but I'm sustaining the objection if you don't show some relevance."
Rick turned back to Jack. "Do you and Mr. Del Mar engage in sodomy? Which, as you know, is an illegal act in the state of Minnesota."
Anna had warned him that this question might come up. He looked at Ennis, a silent apology in his eyes, and he lied. "No, sir."
"So, if I put Mr. Del Mar on the stand and ask him the same thing, he'd agree with you?"
"Yes."
"You do understand you're under oath?"
"O' course."
Anna stood up again. "Your Honor, I fail to see the relevancy of this line of questioning. Again, I object on the grounds that it isn't relevant."
"Mr. Lawson, please explain where you're headed."
"He's admitted to a sexual relationship with a man. We all know what that means–sodomy, which is against the law in this state. My clients do not feel it is in their grandson's best interest to be raised in a household that promotes an illegal, not to mention immoral, activity."
"Fine, objection overruled, but he's answered the question. Move on, Mr. Lawson."
Rick frowned and paged through his notes. Finally, he looked up and said, "No more questions."
"Ms. Grant, any questions?"
"Yes, thank you. Jack, you admit to having a romantic relationship with Mr. Del Mar. Do you ever do anything in front of Bobby? Anything that might be considered inappropriate?"
Jack shook his head. "No, we're real careful. I won't deny he's probably seen a kiss or hug, but we don't sit around neckin' in front of him."
"But do you think you have a loving home?"
"Of course. Bobby knows he's loved. He probably knows me an' Ennis love each other. And the girls, too. They're a part of the family, even when they ain't here."
"Thank you, no more questions."
The judge looked to Rick, who just shook his head. "You may step down, Mr. Twist."
"Call your next witness, Ms. Grant."
"We rest, Your Honor."
"Any rebuttal witnesses? No? All right, how do you want to proceed with final arguments? Written or oral?"
"I'd prefer to do written arguments, if Mr. Lawson agrees?"
"Fine with me."
"Have them to me in two weeks time. In the meantime, my previous order remains in place. Bobby will remain with his father in Minnesota. Visitation with his grandparents is at Mr. Twist's discretion. If there's nothing further, this hearing is adjourned." Judge Lundeen stood and left the courtroom.
The attorneys began gathering their paperwork and L.D. asked, "Well, what does that mean? He's not going to make a decision today?"
"We have to submit our final arguments and then the judge has up to ninety days to make a decision."
"Ninety days?" L.D. asked.
Rick sighed. "L.D., we talked about this. I told you he'd have that much time after the hearing. Why don't you take Faye back to the hotel and let her rest. She looks worn out."
Jack cleared his throat and stood up. "L.D, Faye, I was wondering when your plane leaves? I could bring Bobby over tomorrow if you ain't leaving too early." He could see that L.D. wanted to refuse, but couldn't. He didn't miss the sudden light in Faye's eyes, either.
"Ain't he got school tomorrow?" L.D. asked.
"Yeah, but I know he'd want to spend a day with you instead. I'll bring him by in the morning and you can let me know what time to pick him up."
Faye stepped in front of L.D. and grasped Jack's hand. "Thank you, Jack."
"Yer welcome."
Rick, L.D., and Faye filed out of the courtroom. Jack turned back to Anna. "I know you said somethin' about the judge having time t'make a decision, but I fergot about it, too."
"Try to think positive," Anna replied. "He'll go over all the evidence and make an informed decision. Judge Lundeen is usually pretty fast–he rarely takes a full ninety days. You guys should go home. It's been a long, hard day."
Jack followed Ennis out to the truck and got in the passenger side. "We have t'pick Maria up. It's almost six. Why don't we just swing by there on our way home?"
"Okay." Ennis started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot. He started towards the Holiday Inn, but pulled over and stopped a few blocks before they got to it. Jack looked at him, curiosity clear in his eyes.
"Jack, before we pick up Maria, I just wanted t'say somethin' to ya." His eyes dropped and he picked up Jack's hand where it rested on the seat and sandwiched between his own. "I'm so proud of ya, darlin'. So proud."
"Ennis, I'm sorry I had t'lie."
"Don't be. I woulda done the same thing."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. That's a stupid law anyway. What business is it t'the government what we do in the privacy of our own bedroom?"
Jack took a deep breath. "I'm glad it's over. Wish we knew what was gonna happen, but at least the hard part's over."
"Yeah," Ennis agreed, although he had an inkling that the waiting might be the hardest part. He let go of Jack's hand and started the truck again. He smiled at Jack then, a rare, full, just-for-Jack smile. "Let's pick Maria up. I wanna get home and see that boy of ours."
