A Better Idea
Chapter Thirteen
Jack had managed to get through Sunday fairly well, in spite of Ennis leaving this afternoon, because he was assured that his Cowboy would be back again on Friday night. Also Ennis would be calling on Wednesday or Thursday. Still, he missed him like hell; an actual ache in Jack's chest pinpointed the spot where Ennis should be resting his head tonight, but would not be. They'd never had so much constant contact in all their past twenty years together, though Jack had pushed and nagged for it. "Never enough time, never enough." he'd bitched just a week ago at the trail head. For that reason, it was very satisfying to think that it might be changing a bit, and might continue for awhile. Jack was unaware that he was smiling.
He had practically worn a groove in the floor with his pacing by the time the phone finally rang on the stroke of 9 p.m. "Who knew Lureen would be aware of the time difference, and call him when it was 9 o'clock, Mountain time. It's 10 p.m. in Childress, I expected her call an hour ago." he thought. Since there was only one phone in the Twist household, Jack had stayed close by and waited nervously. He grabbed the black handset, and spoke. "Twist Residence." Lureen kinda smirked, and said "Twist Residence, back atcha. How is it going up there, Jack? Ready to get back home?"
Instantly, Jack's entire body tensed, every fiber of his being, reacted to Lureen's use of the word "home", I AM HOME, he thought, Maybe for the first time in my whole fuckin' life!"
Out loud, Jack only said, "huh?" He needed to take a moment to compose himself from that unexpected assault on his nerves. He pulled a kitchen chair over and sat down.
"Oh, that's better, Lureen. I just had to sit down a minute. What were you saying? No. You know I can't leave here till we get my dad home and settled. Then we'll see what he needs, and decide what has to be done." He told Lureen the latest that the doctors were saying about his dad's progress, his rehabilitaton, and the current estimate of June 9th to bring him home.
No more'n a week or two and he'll be back here, thought Jack. That mean old man who there ain't no way to please, no way, no how. It was something to be endured; Jack felt resigned to it. You've got a duty to help your father, no matter how much of a son of a bitch he is.
Jack realized that he was off on his own track again, and Lureen was talking on the Texas end of the line. " . . . no idea where he is, nor what he's up to tonight, either. Tomorrow's a school day, and he ain't got too many a those left to redeem himself. Though his teacher did say he has been doing a bit better, turning in his homework, and paying attention more often in class than he was before. Guess his Final Exams will tell if he's bluffing it or really pitching in."
Good grief, thought Jack, did she always talk this much? I don't remember it if she did. 'Course after being with Ennis Del Mar so much over the past two weeks, Jack's eyes lighting up at the memory makes it seem like everyone else talks a blue streak.
For one second, Jack had a flashback of Randall saying 'The woman talks a blue streak" referring to LaShawn after the dance, but he firmly pushed the thought away.
"Uh, sure thing, Lureen. Have you thought about what we oughta do with Bobby, our youngest Mr. Twist?" As his own words penetrated Jack's consciousness, he realized that what he was about to propose would result in there being Three, count'em 3, Mr. Twist's in the very same household. Huh, that might be dangerous, he thought, like adding fuel to a tinderbox.
"Lureen, I think we should get Bobby up here where I'm at. I've thought about it since you and me talked earlier, and I just think it's the best thing, all around. How would you feel about not having him with you this summer? Oh, you would? Well, good. Do you have the school schedule handy so me and, uh, so I can figure out the best way to handle it? Will you be able to get him to the airport? I would drive to Childress to get him, but I just don't think I should be away that long right now."
Lureen checked the school newsletter and reported to Jack that the last day of classes, for everyone except graduating seniors, would be May 26th. "What!" exclaimed Jack, "ain't that this coming Thursday?" I guess time got away from me, thought Jack, I should a realized that it was almost here, summer almost here, end a school almost here. Time to think fast!
"Well, Lureen, I'm leaving this up to you then. You call the airlines and set up a flight for him into Casper, either this Friday night, or next Friday night." Checking the wall calendar that was hanging next to the telephone stand, Jack said, "That's the 27th or June 3rd. Might save a bundle if we put it off one more week, but that's up to you and Bobby. His Junior Class friends might have some End a School parties, or waterskiing at Lake Kemp planned a'ready."
"Make sure he knows he's coming to spend the summer with me, that I want him here, and need his help. It's NOT a punishment, nor a sentence for misbehavin'." demanded Jack. "Better yet, Lureen, talk to him tomorrow, and have him call me here tomorrow night. I'll invite him myself. In the meantime, would you call and get flight information for those two days, the 27th or the 3rd, anything that would get him into Casper around 6 or 7 p,m., if possible. How's that sound?" Lureen did not think to question why Friday was the only day that Jack offered for the flight arrangements.
When did Jack become a take-charge kinda guy, tellin' me what to do? thought Lureen. I like it. "Okay Jack, Mondays are always a bear at the office, but I'll make sure to speak with Bobby before school in the morning, and I'll call the airlines from work as early as I can. Bobby will call you from my office, after school, so it'll be around 3 o'clock your time, awright?"
"Yes." said Jack.
"You sure?" asked Lureen,
"Yes," said Jack, "any time between 4 pm – 5 pm your time, is okay by me. I'll be here, either way."
"Oh Jack, I meant to tell you, I had company Saturday afternoon." offered Lureen. Goddamn, he hated how she always did this; she'd make a statement and then wait for him to guess what was on her mind.
Not wanting to encourage her in this habit, he merely replied, "yeah?"
"Yeah, LaShawn and Randall stopped by on their way to the rodeo; wanted us to go with them. Randall was surprised you weren't back from your fishing trip yet. I told them about your dad's stroke. They wished him well, and said they hoped you would get back here pronto. Randall was saying something about a fishing tournament that he registered the two of you for at Lake Kemp, and he wondered if you'd be back any time soon. When I told him it might be several weeks, he seemed disappointed. He acted like he wanted your phone number up there, so he could talk to you about whether you could still make the tournament."
"Yeah, alright." said Jack licking his lower lip, "You see Randall again, tell'im to cancel anything he has me slated for, you got that Lureen? Cancel everything! And, Lureen, I don't think it's a good idea to give out this number to anyone. Dad'll be home soon, and needin' his rest without interruptions. We don't neeed this phone ringin' off the hook."
Jack had begun to sweat. He was picturing Ennis answering the phone to hear Randall asking to speak to his friend Jack about going fishing. That would be even worse than the last time I asked him to answer the phone and take messages, and Lureen had called. This would be much, much worse. Ennis Del Mar is no fool. Nosirree bob, no fool.
"Jesus H.!" thought Jack, "what have I started here? This shit could blow up in my face when I've finally begun to make some progress with Ennis."
Lureen agreed to tell Randall to cancel all Jack's commitments; and she agreed to keep the Twist's phone number private, as well.
She continued with the news from home. "Mama had supper with us last night, Jack. Said she's joined a new singing group called The Sweet Adelines. She really seems to be enjoying it, there are lots of other women her age, some are widows also. I'm so glad she's starting to get out and about again. For so many years, she did nothing but cater to daddy, whatever he wanted was the way it was going to be. The only singing he'd let her do was in the church choir. This new group is something she's wanted to be a part of for a long time. Mama said they will be performing at the 4th of July celebration in Heritage Park down on the river, and she wants us to come hear her sing, she has a small solo. My, she is excited and proud of herself!"
"Absolutely, you should go Lureen. I doubt Bobby and I will be back by the Fourth, but you never know. You said she had supper with "us", did Bobby stay home to have a sit down meal with you and his gramma?" asked Jack.
"Yes, he surely did. That boy always seems to listen to my mother more than he does to me. You ever notice that? Why do you s'pose that is, Jack?"
"Don't know, never gave it any thought, Lureen." Jack replied. But he couldn't help thinking it was because Gramma Newsome obviously likes Bobby, and she listens to his ideas and dreams. Lureen doesn't always take the time to listen to him. Well, there are things you can control, and things you can't. This came under the "can't" category for Jack.
Jack was anxious to get off the phone, he had Lureen recap what they had tolked about, what she was to do, and when they would re-connect by phone. When he was satisfied that she understood that there was no time to waste, he told her, "Well, thank you for handling all the arrangements, Lureen. I really appreciate you doin' it. Talk to you tomorrow afternoon then."
Maybe now Jack could let the subject of Bobby rest for a few hours. He could go to bed and think back over the weekend that he and Ennis had just spent up here on this lonesome little old Wyoming ranch. Didn't seem so lonesome now, did it? That will be a sweet way to go to sleep, he thought.
Even though Jack Twist has only moments ago felt horrified about possible disastrous revelations where Randall was concerned, he decided to bury that idea deep in the back of his conscious mind, and just think good thoughts about a possible future with Ennis. Jack the romantic, Jack the dreamer.
Claire had allowed Jack some privacy to talk to his wife, and she had plenty to keep herself busy in the bedroom. In a week or so her husband would be coming home, she tried to visualize how to make their room function as efficiently as his hospital room does now. Besides, she didn't need to be around while Jack and Lureen made decisions that would ultimately affect their family, for better or for worse. Better for her to use this time productively and concentrate on things she Could Control, rather than things she Couldn't.
Her new book was calling her name, she was enjoying it so much. Iris had loaned it to her, and you could bank on it, when Iris liked a book, Claire would like it too. They were that much alike. But no, it didn't seem like the time to be reading for entertainment. There was something serious nagging her mind about setting up a sick room for John, and she had to work it out in her own mind, about what would be best.
Jack sure was talking to Lureen a long, long time. Hope everything was going okay. In a way, Claire was very excited to think that she would soon get to meet her only grandchild. On the other hand, she knew how teenagers could be, so full of energy, bouncing off the wall at times, so easily bored. I just hope we can handle it, hope we know what we are getting into having him come up here.
It's bound to affect Jack and Ennis' time together, I fear. If not the actual amount of time they can be together, it surely will affect their easy and natural way when they are around one another. No more holdin' hands at the breakfast table, no more walks with arms around each other, and thinking that, Claire became sad over the injustice of the world that made them part from their soulmate, back in the very beginning.
Well, the fact is, they did part, and they both have children and other people in their lives, so I'll just have to be as supportive as I can be. I'll need to get creative on this one. After thinking for a few minutes , Claire began to smile a bit, you could almost see the light bulb flashing over her head with the caption, Good Idea, beneath the bulb.
She would talk to Walter at her first opportunity. His grandsons Kyle and Eric were about Bobby's age, so perhaps this summer Bobby would be spending a good bit of time getting to know his cousins and perhaps he will even spend a few nights away from here, on sleepovers or campouts. This was one idea worth developing, thought Claire.
Good, but not great, she thought. I have to do better than an occasional sleepover. Besides, they'd all end up over here at times, too.
As suddenly as the wind can shift across the prairie, it all clicked into place for Claire. She would need help with this plan, but Jack would be very happy to assist her if she explained it to him. It's now 10:15 p.m. on Sunday night, she thought, no time to start a project, but she could wait till morning!
Satisfied with her scheme, Claire started preparations for going to bed, Tomorrow is another day.
Jack had plenty on his mind, but he knocked softly on his mother's bedroom door to tell her goodnight. "Come in" she called. When Jack looked in, Claire was turning down the bed. "Everything all set with you and Lureen now? And Bobby's trip?"
"Not quite, mama. We still hafta talk tomorrow, Lureen's going to collect some flight information, and I'm going to ask Bobby which date he wants to come up here. Did you realize this is the last week of school, already?"
"No, Jack. That's been the last thing on my mind! Well, looks like you and me have our work cut out for us tomorrow morning then, before we go to the hospital. We have no time to waste, Bobby'll be here before we know it."
Without divulging her plan, she let Jack know to be ready to work bright and early in the morning. Time to get that ball rolling in the right direction.
Jack showered and got into bed; he was really tired, as it had been a long day full of twists and turns. Jack began his reminiscence of their weekend together as he'd planned. He started with Ennis' blazing smile when Jack and mama arrived home from the hospital and found his Cowboy already here at the house. How glad they were to be seeing each other so soon after their agonizing argument, and each had regretted his part in it. That's as far as he got before falling into a deep restful sleep. As the moon rose higher in the sky, it created a wispy pattern of tree limbs across the bedspread covering Jack's slumbering form. When the wind picked up, the shadows became much more turbulent and threatening.
"Little darlin' " said Ennis, as he undressed and climbed into bed next to Jack. He snuggled up close just the way he always does, and held Jack in a loving embrace. Soon, he was dropping little kisses along Jack's spine, and trailing his fingers along the downy black feathering on his chest and stomach at the same time. The sensations were so intense Jack was unsure what to concentrate on first; what Ennis was doing behind him with his mouth, or what his fingers were doing in front. Jack had felt his own immediate response, and was audibly grateful for the attention when his Cowboy took charge of his erection. "Oh god, baby," he moaned, as Ennis took Jack in his mouth and began to –
Crash ! The door burst open and Randall stomped into Jack's bedroom, yelling and waving a tire iron, "What the fuck do you mean, cancel the fishing tournament! Cancel "everything"! Do you think you can just cancel Me!"
For some reason, Jack could not understand, Ennis did not notice Randall, and he just kept teasing Jack with his tongue and teeth, licking and nipping. Just then, Mrs. Elswick, Jack's second grade teacher walked in, and said "Mr. Twist, you are tardy again. Do you have your spelling words done?"
"No, No! Stop! Run Cowboy!" Jack awoke in terror, screaming in fear for his life and that of his lover. The sweat was pouring off him in sheets, and he was as limp and wrung out as he had ever been in his life. From the looks of the bedding, Jack had been struggling for some minutes before he woke himself. "Goddamn, shit!" muttered Jack. "That's hard."
Jack had to go downstairs to get a drink of water, and he quickly showered the sweat off his body and washed his hair. Drying himself off with the towel he kept trying to get the dream images out of his mind. "Now," he thought, "I finally know a little bit of what Ennis has been going through all these years, in his dreams about me."
Listening at his mother's door and hearing no movements, he decided he must not have disturbed her sleep. He went back upstairs to bed, however, Jack slept no more that night.
As much as he hated to do it, he examined his conscience. As the sun came up over the horizon, Jack decided what he must do. Today without fail, he must find a way to deal with Randall.