Title: Whiskey River
Author: Pyro
Rating:NC-17 to R
Disclaimer: Credit goes to Annie Proulx, Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana, and Ang Lee
Notes and Summary: What if Ennis had said yes when Jack came up to see him after the divorce? What if Jack had then divorced Lureen and they bought a ranch? This is that story.
Whiskey River
Chapter 4
The drive to Childress was uneventful. It wasn't until Jack pulled up to the curb that things began to not sit right with him. L.D. Newsome's car was in the driveway; big, ugly, and gaudy as ever. Jack grumbled to himself, "Just what I need." He opened the front door, and walked into the den. Lureen and her mother were sitting at the table, of L.D., there was no sign. That should have been his first warning. His second was the strained, serious look on Lureen's face.
"Lureen?"
She looked up at him and tried to smile. "Jack. How was the drive?"
"All right. Lureen, what's wrong? Did somethin' happen? Is Bobby ok?"
Lureen shook her head.
"Bobby's fine. Jack, it's about the divorce." Jack went still.
"What about it? I thought we had agreed on most ever'thing. Something change?" Lureen nodded.
"Daddy thinks you shouldn't see Bobby. Wyoming's too far away, and the plane tickets are expensive."
Jack was furious. He paced for a moment to get his temper under control. It wouldn't do any good to yell, even though he wanted to.
"Lureen, your Daddy ain't takin' my son from me. I agreed that he should stay in school here. There's good schools here. I agreed that you should keep him. Lord knows I'll be out on a horse most of the day. I won't be able to make sure he does his schoolwork, or goes here, there, and yonder. I am not agreeing to this! If it's too much to send him on a plane, I'll drive down and get him. That isn't a problem. He'll have a room and bathroom all to himself, acres to run in, and lots to do in Wyoming. So what's really going on here. Lureen?"
"I'll tell you what's goin' on here." L.D. stepped into the room, "What's goin' on here is I'm not gonna let my grandson grow up to be no noaccount like his father."
"Noaccount? Who asked you anyways?"
"He's my grandson."
"And he's my son. This is my house, Lureen is still, as of right now, my wife, and Bobby will always be my son. So you can take your arrogant, overbearing, self righteous ass right out that door! And don't let it hit you on your way out! This is between Lureen and me, and it ain't none of your nevermind!"
L.D. puffed up like an angry bullfrog. He opened his mouth to croak out something, but Jack got up right in his face. He said, real soft and serious, "Get out."
L.D. blustered and grabbed his hat. "Come on, Fayette. We're leavin'." Lureen's mother rose from the table, hugged her daughter, and followed her husband out the front door. Jack and Lureen stared at each other as L.D.'s car peeled out and drove off. Jack blew out a breath and sat down across from Lureen.
"What's really going on here, Lureen?" His voice was soft, but brooked no refusals. Lureen stared at her hands, and twisted a Kleenex.
"It's part of the deal Daddy wants to make with you. He'll pay you to leave, provided you don't ever see Bobby again." Jack frowned.
"What are you goin' to tell Bobby when he asks why he can't see Daddy any more? I won't have L.D. makin' me out to be a bad guy, Lureen. He's got no right tryin' to take my son from me."
Lureen sighed. "I know. I suppose Daddy would want me to tell Bobby that you were too busy or something."
"Where is Bobby?"
"Over at a friend's."
"I meant everything I said, Lureen. I'll give you the divorce, and everything you ask for. I won't give up my son, and I'll fight you tooth and nail on that if I have to. It's up to you." He looked at her steadily. She looked away, but nodded.
"All right, Jack. You get Bobby summers. I want to go to court as soon as possible. I'll have a lawyer draw up papers."
"Lureen, don't let your daddy mess in this. I meant what I said. I'll only sign those papers if they are fair."
"I know."
"Good." Jack stood and walked to his room. He pulled out a duffel bag and began to pack up his things, sorting through what he wanted to keep and what he wouldn't need. In the other room, Lureen dialed the lawyer.
Ennis hated having to deal with people. Too damn complicated. Give him livestock any day. The fellow installing the phone line wanted to talk. Talk about the ranch, how it'd been in the McIntyre family four generations. Talk about the weather, about the cattle, about every damn thing that crossed his mind. Ennis had stopped listening after twenty minutes, settling for grunting every so often.
"Well, that should do it. Have you named the place yet?" Ennis blinked, "Hmm?"
"Named the ranch." Ennis shook his head.
"Not as yet. Why?"
"Well, we can't put a number down without no name. Tell ya what, just come on in when ya have a name to put down. Til then, we'll list it as Twist and Del Mar, alright?"
"Yeah."
"Here's the number. See you around."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Ennis stared at the number on the paper. He should call Jack and let him know. He stared out the window to the hill where the cattle grazed. It was early afternoon. There was plenty of work to be done. If he called Jack now, he'd never want to get any of it done. Ennis put the number on the table and went outside. Picking up the hammer and wire, he got back to mending fences. He'd call Jack this evening.
Jack sighed and reread the papers. Child support, two hundred dollars a month. It would be tight, but he could do that. Visitation rights over summer holidays, he flipped the pages. Here it was. June to August he had Bobby. That was good. Lureen got the house and everything in it, which was fine with him. She got the shares in the business, also fine. He hated that business. At the very last page was written something in tiny print. Jack squinted, tried again to read it.
"Damnit!" He stood and went into the den. Lureen was reading a magazine with the television blaring.
"Lureen, what is this?"
"What, Jack?"
"This tiny print here. Where is the magnifying glass?" He hunted through drawers looking for the glass.
"Ah, here it is." Jack slid the glass over the words. He frowned and read them again.
"Lureen, this don't make sense. Why is L.D. even mentioned?"
"It's if you take the money. You give up all rights to Bobby, and keep the money." Jack looked up and glared at her.
"You didn't think I'd read it before I signed? I told you Lureen. Take this out if you want it signed. I'm not selling my son."
"All right, Jack! I'll have the lawyer take it out."
"I mean it, Lureen! Don't just bury it in something else. I won't stand for this shit."
"Fine, Jack."
"Good." He left the room, leaving the crumpled paper with the clause circled on the table. Lureen sighed. She had told Daddy that clause was a bad idea, but he hadn't listened. Said that if it was small enough Jack would never see it, and would sign anyway. She picked up the phone and called Jacobs, the lawyer, to have him strike the clause for good. Jack was right. No more games or nonsense.
Jack flopped on the bed, groaning. This was more tiring than working. He heard Lureen on the phone. Finally. Maybe now they could get this thing done. It had been a week and he still hadn't heard from Ennis. He hoped nothing had happened. Jack rolled over and punched the pillow. When all else fails, he thought, go to sleep.
Ennis sat in one of the chairs in the den, glasses perched on his nose, reading. He'd found some of Jack's books, and was now engrossed in a collection of short stories by Jack London. Absently, one sock foot was rubbing Lady's stomach, and Fuzzybutt was curled up in Jack's chair. The puppies wrestled on the floor. Ennis put down the book, stretched and cracked his spine. He got up and headed into the kitchen where the phone was. He'd put off calling Jack in hopes he wouldn't have to, that Jack would be back by now. He dialed the Childress number and waited.
"Hello?" a female voice answered on the other end.
"Is Jack there?"
"Yes, just a moment." He could hear Jack being called to the phone.
"Yeah?"
"Hi, Jack."
"Ennis! What took you so damn long? Is everything ok?"
"Yeah. Got the number here. They want to know what name to put it under. Somethin' about namin' the ranch."
"Hell, I don't know. Lureen's always goin' on about Brokeback being someplace where bluebirds sing and there's a whiskey spring."
"We got a river, an' it's off Whiskey Road."
"So call it Whiskey River. Hell Ennis, I don't know. What's the number?"
Ennis rattled it off, thinking. It would serve Jack right if he did name it the Whiskey River Ranch. Jack sounded tired, and irritated.
"Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"How are you?"
"Tired. We finally sign the papers tomorrow. I'll be back by Tuesday, God willin' and the crick don't rise."
"Good."
"Yeah." A heavy sigh accompanied that. His voice lowered some.
"I am so damn tired of L.D. fuckin' Newsome, I could scream. I won't, but I could." Ennis smiled into the phone, and nearly whispered," I miss you."
"Same here," Jack lowered his voice to a whisper as well, "So damn much it hurts." He coughed, and then spoke in a normal pitch.
"Did you get the fences mended?"
"Yup. Started paintin' the girls' rooms. You can do Bobby's."
Jack snorted, "Thanks a lot, friend." There was silence for a moment.
"Well, I'll see you Tuesday, Jack."
"See you, Ennis." The phone disconnected. Ennis smiled, more at ease than he'd been in a while.
Walking around the house, he shut out lights and let out the dogs. A quick shower later, he was in bed. He shut off the bedside light, pulled Jack's pillow to him, and was soon lost in dreams.