A Better Idea
Chapter 4
Jack had just about got his mama settled in her bed, with her favorite book, a hot cup of tea and a piece of leftover cherry cake. His aunt Iris had brought them some supper tonight, so they wouldn't have to worry about cooking after being over to the hospital all day. Jack thought gratefully, this is what families are supposed to be like, pushing away an image of his late father-in-law.
Within 24 hours of his arrival, Jack had decided that he would stay for a few weeks, perhaps 4 to 6 weeks, depending on what his dad's needs were when he was home again. Once that decision was made, Jack had called Lureen and brought her up to speed on what was happening in Wyoming. Lureen tried to say all the appropriate, caring things, but she didn't know Claire or John Twist, only by their son's descriptions, and a few letters. But she was poignantly aware of her own needs at the Newsome Farm Machinery Dealership.
She asked Jack what he thought she ought to do, and he told her he didn't rightly know. If you need to hire someone this summer to cover for me, then I guess you have no choice, Lureen. Just as I have no choice about staying to take care of my folks' needs here. She wanted to see what would happen in the next few days. She agreed that she would call Jack every Sunday at 9 p.m.; they could swap news of Bobby and the Twists, and the business.
Privately, and without malice, Lureen thought, if Mr. Twist doesn't make it, there will be no need for Jack to stay up there, and he can come on home, and I will not have to hire a replacement. She didn't exactly hope for that to be the way of it, but she thought it would be a neat and tidy solution.
With his mother comfortably settled, Jack wanted to get off his feet too. He went out to his truck and was just searching in his cooler, hoping there was one last cold beer, when he heard the phone ringing in the house. It was Thursday night, and he hadn't been expecting a call from anyone that he knew of. Jack and Ennis had not been in the habit of calling each other, so a ringing phone would not normally bring Ennis to mind. But Jack had heard no response to his letter, so the blood in his body began racing through his veins, as Jack loped into the house at top speed and breathlessly answered the telephone on the seventh ring. "Twist Residence."
Jack heard an intake of breath on the other end of the line, and he knew immediately who it was.
"Jack?",
"Ennis is it you, cowboy? God, it's good to hear your voice!".
"I'ts good to hear yours too, darlin'. So you're having a rough patch, are ya?"
Jack had to sit down, all the adrenalin he'd generated, now leaving him limp.
"Ennis can you come? Say you'll come up here for a day or so."
"Guess I could come on Friday night after work, that's tomorrow, right? And come back Sunday. Would that help you, Jack?"
"Oh, Ennis. You don't know how much. Is it for sure you can come? Got a pencil? I'll give you directions to the house, you must promise to drive careful, cowboy!"
Ennis asked for an update on Jack's dad's condition, and his mom's too for that matter.
Jack said, "How've you been, Ennis?" his voice sounding chokey, that had nothing to do with the phone lines.
Ennis' voice was a bit harsh too, and he said, "All better now. Jack., all better now."
Jack allowed as how it seemed like a month since he'd seen his friend, to which Ennis heartily agreed. They both laughed that it had only been a little over 4 days. Their laughter was a little shaky, too.
They figured on Jack's normal drive time and decided when to expect Ennis to arrive, one hour either side of their estimate. They were talking so fast to each other, stumbling over happy feelings and relief, and yet concern for the serious business of caring for the elder Twist's, when out of the blue, Jack said, "Ennis I gotta tell ya …
bong,bong "Please Deposit $5.85 for the next three minutes." bong,bong
"Oh, god Jack, I ain't got that much change with me, we'll have to hang up!
See you tomorrow night! I lo". The line went dead.
"What did he say?" Jack's smile slowly crept up his face and lit up his eyes.
Jack walked into his mother's room, she took one look at that face and said "What?"
"Ennis is coming up tomorrow night."
Claire Twist gasped in a dramatic way, smiled, and said "THE Ennis Del Mar?"
Her beautiful son, Jack, grinned as wide as his mouth would allow, and told her, 'Yes, mama, THE Ennis Del Mar."
They talked about when he'd arrive, and considered the best time to go to the hospital. Then with that decided, Jack bid his mother good night, and went to get some rest for himself, completely forgetting that earlier, he had wanted a beer. He finally settled down after 40 minutes or so, and dreamed of Ennis coming to his home for the first time ever.
In Jack's dream, Ennis looked directly into his eyes, and said "I love you, Jack Twist."
Back in Riverton, Ennis was trying to recover from so much excitement, his heart was hammering, and he kept singing to himself, something by Lee Greenwood, like Love don't get no better than it is right now, Love don't get no better, no way, no how. If we just hang in there da da da …hmmmm
Believing himself to finally be "round the bend", Ennis drove home with the windows open on his truck and a goofy smile on his face that, were his daughters to see him, they'd think he was a man in love. And so he was.
After scouting around for everything he thought he might need to take up to Jack's to help out around the place, Ennis packed it ready to grab in the morning, for he was not coming back here to the trailer before heading up to Lightning Flat. That would be a waste of precious time, that's for sure.
He filled several jugs with water and put them in the freezer to carry in his ice chest. Ennis showered, noting that he needed a haircut already, and got in bed to think about tomorrow night.
He got out of bed to make sure his directions were right there with his keys, where he would find them in the morning.
He got out of bed again to write a list of things he wanted to tell Jack.
Remembering the phone call earlier, he flushed. I can't believe I said that out loud. Now I know why me 'n Jack wrote cards, and never called on the phone. If the operator hadn't busted in, we'd still be there yammerin' little love words at each other.
Ennis Del Mar finally fell asleep, and dreamed not a dream, but rested fully.
In the pre-dawn hours, Ennis packed his truck with everthing he could possibly need, and headed in to work an hour early, so as to take no chances about getting on the road in time to see Jack tonight.
His work day flew by, but at the same time it drug along. Ennis was very efficient at taking care of every little detail on Stodemeir's Ranch today, because he did not want any reason to be needed here, this weekend. It was good weather, so he had no hold ups for dealing with mud nor extra rain gear for himself.
His plan was to leave by 4 p.m. so he could get a bit of a head start on the trip, but things were going so well, he thought he might just get out of here by 3:30 if nothing came up to delay him. Around 3:15 old Herman Stodemeir came out of the barn and hailed Ennis to come see him. "What's up Mr. Stodemeir?" asked Ennis. "I yust vant to varn you, Innis, that ve vill neet to keep zee eye on vun uf de heffers der nex copple uf days, it is suzie, stall number 368, the braun heffer wit de white face".
"What seems to be the problem, Sir? She's not due to calve for two more weeks now." Ennis explained.
"True, true, but her temperature is elefated, und she's off her feed."
Ennis began walking in the direction of the barn to check on stall #368, and Mr. Stodemeir walked along with him. "I'll have a look at her now, sir, but I was not planning on being around here this weekend. Going out of town, kind of an emergency."
"Vat kind uf an emergency Innis? I hope nutting too bat."
Ennis replied, "It's a Stroke, sir. My father has had a stroke."
The old man looked at Ennis, and ducked his head, "Innis I knew your fahter, und he's been det for more than twenny, twenny-fife years"
"Oh, right, sir. Actually it's my father-in-law who's had the stroke up in Lightning Flat. I came in early this morning so I could cover everything and get out of here, and be on the road by …. about now."
Ennis was not supposed to be On Call 24 hours a day including weekends, but he had spoiled his employer because he was nearby, and never minded checking on things, night or day. When he could. But in this instance, he could not, and would not.
Having checked the heifer, Ennis did think she looked more advanced than she was supposed to be. Mulling this over, he told Mr. Stodemeir that Bruce or Charlie could be counted upon to handle the situation if needed, and he suggested he would call one of them right now to make the arrangements, should that be necessary.
"No, no young man, yoof dun enuf for me today. You run alonk and see to your papa. Und gif him my best, von't you?"
"Yes, sir, thank you, sir" called Ennis.
Relieved, and then happy, Ennis got in his truck and left the ranch immediately, hurrying north and east to visit Jack, and help lick that
damn Twist Ranch into shape.
After several hours on the road, Ennis pulled over at a rest stop, relieved himself, got a cold drink out of his ice chest, and estimated that he was less than an hour away. An hour away from Jack!
His radio was giving him fits because he was out of the broadcast range of his usual station. He didn't have much luck fiddling with the dial, so he turned it off and calmed himself by singing some old country songs that he liked. Well, humming mostly. Soon he was within ten minutes of Jack's place and nothing worked to calm him. He was so excited he was bouncing, he could hardly stay in the seat of the cab.
When Ennis pulled in, the place looked just as Jack had described it. With only one difference. Jack's truck wasn't here. Ennis approached the door and knocked anyway, thinking Jack might be here, and someone else could be using his truck. But no answer came.
Ennis sat in his truck and waited. He didn't know what else to do, so he just waited. Then he thought, why am I just wasting time? I said I'd come up and help, so he walked through the gate and began to check out the herd. He stayed near the barn and assessed the need for food, water, and clean straw, and took care of what he could, finding what he needed at hand.
Tomorrow, I'll check all the fence line if Jack doesn't have anything else planned for me to do. Saying that to himself, he heard a vehicle approaching. It was a very familiar sounding vehicle. Ennis' face took on a glow and a wide smile, and when he turned he was looking back into an equally wide smile belonging to one Jack Fuckin' Twist.
Well, I have no precedent for this, Jack thought desperately, as he helped his mother down out of the truck. What do I do first? Do I kiss him in front of her? Or die inside wanting to?
Jack decided to opt for chivalry, taking his mother's arm he said "Come on, mama, come and meet Ennis."
"I will, Jack", she said, "but you run on and welcome him first. Don't leave your young man standing there!"
That's all he needed to hear! Jack ran to the yard where Ennis was still making his way back from the barn, and grabbed him in a loving clutch just as they always did when they hadn't seen each other in a long, long, time.
Jack breathed in Ennis' ear, "Christ, you're a sight for sore eyes. Now come along, there's a beautiful woman who wants to meet the famous Ennis Del Mar."
End of Chapter 4