ABI FF 60 – LJ 57
This is the next to the last chapter. It's been a wonderful four year journey with our boys, Ennis and Jack. Thanks to everyone who has made the trip with us; I appreciate you whether you commented or whether you remained silent.
Judy
The Henderson's, Maggie, Dolph and the children made a life for themselves in Loveland, Colorado. The Bell/Twist/Del Mar family pitched in to help them build a home on John and Claire's section of land. Both households had plenty of room and they became very close friends. The children elected to use the same names for the older couple that the other kids used; they called them Gran and Poppa.
As soon as they could get to the County Seat, Dolph legally adopted Becca. Daniel was already getting ready to leave for college, but he felt that he should carry the same name as the rest of his family, besides, he loved the man who had helped his mama raise him to manhood. So, like his sisters, he took the name Henderson that summer before enrolling in CU.
The boy had worried whether he was disrespecting his own father, Joe Cooper, by choosing another man's name, but after careful thought he decided that it was what he wanted going forward. Daniel Cooper was his past, Daniel Henderson was his future.
The little church had become the center of their world, both spiritual and social. As the elder Twists and the Henderson's became closer, Dolph convinced Claire and John to join the choir along with Maggie, Becca and him. Every Wednesday night at Loveland Creek Episcopal Chapel they gathered for choir practice. These evenings were special and fun. As they could not practice their hymns and watch Rose at the same time, they happily left her with Ennis, Jack and Branch.
Rose looked forward to Wednesday nights; she loved Branch like a brother, and she liked lording it over him that she was two years older! They were inseparable. Rarely did an evening pass without a squabble, or a mess, or a time-out. But they were in it together, no matter what the trouble turned out to be, or who started it.
Both had skinned knees half the time and Jack realized he'd better lay in a goodly supply of band-aids. Ennis was on iodine duty because Jack couldn't take it when they cried that it stung.
As the summer days passed, both families realized that soon Rose would go to school, and leave Branch behind. Jack made an effort to find other families in the area who had boys Branch's age. They needed to face it; the boy would lose Rose as his primary playmate when she went to kindergarten.
At the fish fry that Friday night, the Robiskies made a great suggestion. They had a Mother's Day Out Program held every Tuesday at the church. Several of the children who attended were near to Branch's age. So Jack talked Ennis into letting him go there, just to give it a try. Most of the week, he shadowed his daddy's at work or played with Bailey, Barley, Bobo, or the kittens. But on Tuesday's he got to go see other kids. Branch had the best of both worlds.
* * *
Ennis couldn't wait to get his boy up on a horse, to teach him to ride. He didn't count on the wailing and screaming the first time he introduced him to the idea. No way was Branch Del Mar gonna get up on that monster horse! Ennis was beside himself with disappointment! He tried several times with no luck. Branch was having none of it.
Rose started school. She came over to see Branch, but really just to rub his nose in it that she was so grown up, so far ahead of him. "We had Art on Friday, and I drew a picture of a dog." She crowed. "That's nice." He said.
He had nothing to counter with. He struggled to come up with something that could "outdo" Rose and her school accomplishments, but he was coming up with nothing so far. He had an idea that he could get daddy to teach him to play the harmonica; that would show Rose!
Jack agreed gladly. So every other morning they had a 30 minute practice session during which time Ennis left the house. He went to the barn, to town, to mom's house, anywhere he could, to get away from the awful whining and screeching of TWO harmonicas.
Branch wasn't having any fun though. He dreaded those lessons and his ears hurt after playing and listening to daddy play. He'd have to come up with something else. He told his daddy, "no more harmonica lessons!" just as emphatically as his daddy had once told Ennis "no more beans!".
That night, when Jack confided to Ennis that Branch hated playing the harmonica, Ennis looked sternly at him, "You owe me, big time, for all that catterwalling you and Branch been doin."
Jack was disappointed that his talent wasn't appreciated enough but he thought he might make this work to his advantage. "I been awful bad, makin such a racket. I think you should punish me right now, Ennis." begged a penitent Jack.
Ennis loved it when Jack begged for it. Soon he had him whining and pleading for release but couldn't resist tormenting him just a little bit longer. When they were through playing and teasing, the two men made love with a passion that would never diminish.
*^*^*^*
"Branch, would you bring daddy that brush, please?" As Ennis cared for the horses as usual that next morning, he involved the boy just a little bit. Day after day Ennis asked more of Branch. As the weeks went by, the little one gained confidence as he fed, watered, curried and petted those huge creatures he was still a tiny bit afraid of.
Branch fed and watered them all, but Ennis could tell there was one horse in particular that his son favored. He was a sweet gentle gelding, a bit on the small side. There was an apparent kinship between the boy and the small horse.
"Branch, Pinto Bean needs to be exercised this morning. Will you take him out and lead him around the paddock for a few laps for me?" He did. This was the boy's first time on his own with a horse.
The next morning, Ennis barely had finished his coffee when Branch was tugging on his sleeve. "Dad, does Pinto Bean need to be walked this morning?"
"You think you can get his bridle on him?"
"Yes daddy, oh yes!"
Branch had to climb on a chair to reach the tack and harnesses, but he managed just fine, and when he was satisfied, called his daddy to come check his work.
This soon became Branch's job. He often helped with the other horses too, and each time, he gained in control and strength. The more often he cared for them, the less he was concerned with their massive size.
"Why don't you get Pinto's saddle and blanket, Branch?" Ennis taught the boy how to throw the blanket over the back of the horse, and then the saddle, before cinching and tightening everything. "Is it good and tight, son?"
He tugged on the straps, "feels like it."
"Jump up there and see," he said. And Branch did. Up on that box, he placed his left foot in the stirrup, and swung his right leg up and over. He slid into the saddle, wiggling his butt a bit to see if anything would slip but everything was nice and secure. He seated himself properly, sat up straight and proud. 'This isn't so bad,' he thought.
"You want to take him for a few turns around the paddock, just to make sure?"
"Okay," said Branch, then he lifted his right leg to begin his dismount.
"Oh, stay right there. That will be fine," said his nonchalant daddy.
Ennis handed the reins to the boy, and walked toward the paddock, as if leading them on parade. For a mere second, Branch just sat there. Then he nudged Pinto's sides with his heels, and clicked his tongue like he'd heard his daddy do so many times. The horse began to walk. Ennis studiously kept his eyes on his work of cinching another horse into gear, pretending it was no big deal what was going on with his son.
With one full circuit of the corral completed, Ennis risked a look to see how it was going. Branch had a small smile on his face, and his cheeks were pink.
"You goin again?" then he nodded at the boy and returned to his work, letting him decide and carry on whichever way it went.
When the second circuit was complete, Branch didn't even stop. He'd gotten used to the walking gait, and then pushed the horse a little faster. Ennis let him push the envelope another fifteen minutes or more, before waving him over. "That's enough for today, son."
"Can I ride again tomorrow, daddy, can I, huh?" Branch's eyes were shining bright, and he was smiling from ear to ear.
"Yep, you can ride tomorrow." Ennis kept it low key, but inside he was thinking, 'and every tomorrow of your life, li'l darlin.'
*^*^*^*
At last, Branch had something of his own. He didn't go to real school yet, but he could ride a horse, and take care of them, just like daddy. He couldn't wait for the next Wednesday night when Rose would come over!
On Wednesday evening when Dolph dropped her off Rose was more quiet than Branch had ever seen her.
"What's wrong, Rose? You seem sad or mad or something."
With her lower lip stuck out a mile, Rose told Branch "I hate Billy Pearson."
"Why, what'd he do?"
"He told the whole class he was gonna marry me someday."
"Well, what did you say?"
"Nothin. I just punched him."
"Ya did?" Branch bent over laughing so hard. "Seems like ya took care of the problem. Let's go out to the corral now, okay?"
As they walked outside, the boy kept chuckling. "Quit laughin at me! I punched him 'cause I couldn't tell him the truth."
"Well what is the truth then?"
"That I already know who I'm going to marry and it ain't him."
As they pulled open the barn door, Branch shushed Rose with quiet words, "it'll be alright, Rosie. Let's not rile up the horses."
He began speaking softly to the horses, and approached Pinto Bean with a big ol' smile on his face. He fed him a quarter of an apple, and the horse nuzzled his face and neck.
"Hand me that saddle blanket, will you Rosie?" Branch climbed up on the set of wooden steps he kept there handy. He put the bridle on Pinto first, then the blanket and saddle, cinching the straps nice and tight.
Rosie was impressed but also worried. "What are you doing this for?" Won't your daddy be mad?"
"Nah, I do it all the time." Branch knew he wasn't telling the whole truth. He'd never done this without a parent nearby. He knew he was showing off for her.
"Let me show you. Stand up here and put your left foot, no your left foot, into the stirrup, then swing your right leg up and over . . . there you go. Good girl."
As Rose got comfortable in the saddle, Branch checked the length of the stirrup straps. They were fine at the length he used them. Then he took the reins and started walking PB and Rose out into the corral.
"Are you okay?"
"I think so, don't let me go Branch."
"I won't leave you on your own, I just want to give you the feel of the horse under you. We'll walk around the corral a time or two. Okay?"
"Yes."
As Branch walked ahead of them, holding the reins, Rose asked "How do you know how to do all this, Branch? I thought you were afraid of horses."
"My daddy let me help him, day after day till I got comfortable with them. Then little by little I got to know Pinto Bean here. He is sweet and gentle."
Rose got brave and reached out a hand to pet Pinto Bean on his head and down his neck where she patted him. At that moment, PB shook his head and snorted, scaring her. Branch held the bit and petted PB's muzzle, and reassured Rose. "Horses do that all the time, it wasn't anything you did. Pet him some more while we are standing still. Get the feel of what he likes."
Slowly Rose relaxed again. The quiet reassurance from Branch had been what she needed. Otherwise, she'd be running for the house right now. After two circuits around the ring, Branch helped Rose down, and then he mounted the Bean. They galloped off to a rhythm the two had become familiar with over the past weeks. Rose watched with a growing respect.
"Can we do this again next Wednesday?"
"You bet. As often as you like."
When they went inside after rubbing down Pinto Bean and hanging up all the gear, Rose's uncle Jack and uncle Ennis were snuggled together on the couch.
"'Bout time!" hollered Jack. "Thought you'd never get tired a those horses," smiled Ennis.
They had been holding snack time till the kids got back in. There was chocolate cake that Gran had made and milk for the kids. Ennis poured their coffee while Jack got out the Hi Ho Cherry O game, and the cards. Sometimes they opted to play Go Fish or Crazy 8's instead of a board game.
The bad part about Rose being in school was she needed to get to sleep as soon as the choir practice was over. So, no longer was there time for visiting and snacking on Wednesday nights even though the adults wanted to.
As a result of these changes in their lives, they established game night every Friday night, and they took turns hosting the casual meal and fun. It was good because Becca and Daniel could also join them, and they always had good ideas for new games. As the older kids found sweethearts, the crowd got bigger, and the games more varied.
It didn't happen often, but sometimes Jenny and Bobby would drop in, or Junior and Kurt with the twins. What a grand, noisy time they had then.
^*^*^*
Ennis and Jack were able to make a bit of noise on their own. One night they were wrestling on the living room floor after Branch was in bed. Jack pinned Ennis and then pulled back to stare lovingly at his face.
Ennis asked, "whut?"
Jack licked across Ennis' cheeks and nose. "Can't even count all the freckles you got there, boy."
"Ain't you ever looked at me before? Had'em all my life."
"I know, I know. But you got yourself some sun today. Lots more popped out. And as for ever looking at you? Every chance I get, Cowboy. Every chance I get."
They began kissing deeply, and holding on to each other tightly. Jack said, "wonder whether you got any more anywhere else? Let me just unbutton this shirt a bit." When he got Ennis' shirt off, he began to hunt for and kiss all the freckles. He got mixed up and thought those nipples might be freckles too, but Ennis didn't mind.
Ennis reached for his own belt buckle, and with a quirked eye brow said "Think I got me some more lower down - here let me get out of these clothes."
Just then Branch coughed, and they both stopped and listened.
Jack murmured suggestively, "I'm still dressed, why don't I go see about the boy, bring him some water? I will see you in the bedroom, Mister, and these clothes better all be off."
When Jack came into the bedroom, Ennis was nowhere around. But there were sandalwood candles flickering around the room, it was their second favorite lovemaking scent. Number one is the scent of lodgepole pines from their earliest memories together.
Ennis emerged from the bathroom carrying a jar of massage oil and small sponges. They both worked their body's hard, and they enjoyed giving each other a good rub down whether they had sex or not; but it was much better when they made love.
The good musky scent was coming off the warmed candles now, and Jack undressed in record time.
"Did you lock the door?"
Jack looked startled, and quickly went back and twisted the door handle just so. He began to chuckle. "God I remember the other night when he walked in on us, after having a bad dream. I was all 'ass in the air', and you were ready to fuck me when he suddenly was just standing there, blinking at us. Ennis, you were amazing. I just froze and never could have thought of doing what you did!"
At that, Ennis began to chuckle too. "It was all I could think of, Jack. It had to be something normal, and explainable. I had my hand on your ass already, so I had to come up with a reason. Saying 'where does it hurt?' and 'does this seem painful now?' was all I could think to do."
"Well, that tale about me being bitten by a horse fly sure made him forget about his nightmare. He even helped by getting a cloth wetted with cold water for me to sit on."
The two men rolled together on the bed in laughter remembering the huge charade they went through for Branch's sake.
Before they realized it, their laughter turned to passion, and without any massage oil or sponges, they franticly joined their bodies together. They slammed and pounded, male flesh to male flesh, skin to skin, desperately trying to manage as much contact as they could get. Each giving everything he had to the other. They never wanted to be two separate men ever again, but One Being. The way it was always supposed to be.
Tenderly they kissed. While all sweaty and cooling down, they murmured to each other those words that bound them for all eternity. Their secret words had never been for anyone else to know, or to hear. As their whispers trailed off, their eyes closed and sleep took them softly once again.
*^*^*^
"Piss off! I'm not doin' it!"
"No, 'course not! Cause it's what I want!"
Branch ran down the stairs for breakfast, as his fathers hashed and rehashed the argument they'd been having for days now. Paying them no mind, he poured himself some cold cereal and ate it along with some toast and jelly. While he ate, he thought of the arithmetic test he was going to have this afternoon.
He did really well in school, especially with math. Both of his fathers were willing to help him with his homework, but neither was much help in English Literature. Rosie's dad was great at that though. So Dolph was happy to be called upon when needed to tutor or discuss authors or story lines. He was due to come over tonight to discuss Uncle Tom's Cabin with Branch, for an exam later in the week.
The boy walked to each of his dads for his goodbye kiss; he never left for the day, nor did they, without a kiss and a 'see you later'.
Ennis stopped everything to speak to his son, "Good luck with your test today, Finals are never easy," and to kiss him goodbye.
Jack hugged their boy to him, and wished him well. "You'll do fine, you're my son!" He twinkled his blue eyes mischievously at him, then kissed him goodbye.
As Branch grabbed his books and lunch box, then wheeled his bicycle off the porch, they both waved and smiled at his departing figure.
"I ain't gonna buzz cut my hair off for the summer; nor yours neither! My daddy did that to me every year, and I said never again. So just stop asking, Jack!"
Jack walked off to begin working. He wanted to pout but he'd known he couldn't win from the start. He had always known Ennis' opinion of his imposed shearing every year at his daddy's hand. He'd hated it.
He decided to maybe start wearing a bandana or a kerchief over his hair or around his forehead. The last time they'd been to town he'd considered a straw hat for the summer, looking at them at the General Store. He had to do something, a black hat was too hot for working outside in Colorado summers.
A couple hours later, they were both working near the barn. Ennis' mind was on the garden they were planning. This one would be twice the size of previous years, and the reason was complicated. They wanted to try fruits and vegetables that neither had grown before, and they wanted to give Branch a big job now that he was old enough for it. This garden was for him.
With a long pointed stick, Ennis began to rough-in the size and shape of the new garden. He'd just drawn the long side, making sure it wouldn't be too shady there, when he heard horses approaching fast.
Jack looked up too. He was replacing some rotted planks on the east side of the barn when he heard the sounds of hoofs. Then someone began calling his name. "Jack! Jack!"
Both men rushed out to see what the ruckus was all about. The sight before them stunned them and stopped them in their tracks; but only for a second.
Quickly they regained their wits and hurried to Dolph's side to help him get the body down. The unconscious body of John Twist had been draped across his own horse, Buck.
Dolph rode Goldie and led John's horse, carefully, but as fast as he could, seeking help.
They laid him out on the ground and unbuttoned his shirt collar. Jack felt for a pulse, which was faint at best. He began to slap his dad's face, hands and arms. "Dad? Dad! Can you hear me?"
Dolph explained to them that the two of them had been out checking fences when John had grabbed his chest, groaned strangely, then fell off his horse unconscious. He'd managed to lift him up on Buck, and hurried here.
Ennis ran for the truck, threw a couple blankets down on the truck bed and backed up to where John lay. He yelled, "Come on!" Jack rode in back with his dad while Dolph and Ennis whispered frantically in the cab. Ennis drove to the nearest hospital and pulled into the emergency entrance.
When he stopped the truck at the hospital doors, Jack didn't move. His head was down on his dad's chest, his tears wetting his dad's shirt. He told them "It's too late."
Two orderlies or doctors or some guys in white coats came rushing out pulling a gurney. When Jack tried to dissuade them from taking his dad inside, they convinced him that it was still worth a try to get him medical help. Jack followed along with them to the ER.
"Ennis, give me your keys. I'll park the truck and then come in and find you," said Dolph. "You go on with Jack and his daddy."
Ennis found Jack and held his hand while they each patted John and hoped for the best. His hands were cold. They tried chafing them to warm them.
"Dad, if you can hear me, hang on. Don't leave me. Ya hear me dad?" The tears were finding their way out of Jack's eyes again, wetting his dad's chest again.
Finally the doctor and a crew came in with a crash cart and began to examine him. They found no pulse, so they began CPR. That met with no success, so the doctor used the defibrillator to get the heart going again. After three tries, they had a pulse; a thready beat showed up on the monitor. The doctor gave instructions to the nurses for medications that might settle him down, and allow for his recovery. But he wasn't hopeful.
The doctor stepped outside the curtain where Jack, Ennis and Dolph were waiting. He asked, "Next of kin?"
"I'm his son," replied Jack. "My mother's not here."
"He's breathing now, but I'm not hopeful. You should get her here as quickly as you can."
Jack stayed and talked non-stop to his daddy, who seemed to slip in and out of consciousness. Ennis went after Mom, told her the news, and brought her to the man she'd loved all her life. Dolph got on the pay phone and called his wife Maggie, who first called the Robiskies, and then Bobby and Jenny who came right away.
As she went in to see John, Claire charged Ennis with calling her brother Walter and his wife Iris to ask them to call the rest of the family. While he was at the bank of phones, Ennis remembered to call the mother of his children. He told her what was going on, and when she asked what she could do for him, he asked her to call Junior and Kurt. "And one more thing, Alma; our Jenny is so crazy about her Poppa, there won't be any consoling her if he dies."
By seven o'clock p.m. the family had gathered at the waiting room of Good Samaritan Hospital's ICU, and waited for word on John's condition. Miraculously, he was still breathing on his own, and seemed to be a bit stronger.
When Claire left her husband's cubicle to allow Jack time with his daddy, she reported to Ennis and Jenny that he had said a few words this last time. When Jack came out and indicated that Bobby could go in to see his grandpa, he said his dad had done nothing but groan while he was with him.
Walter came to the hospital to see his sister Claire, and her Johnny. He left Iris at home, cooking and baking. She responded to every emergency this way. "Whatever happens to people, good or bad, they always need to eat," Iris believed that firmly.
The late shift doctor was seemingly aghast at what was going on. "This man needs his rest! You all clear out until morning. The wife can stay, but no one else."
John smiled. "Thank you, doctor."
"No big deal. I do it all the time. Folks don't want to be the bad guy, run their relatives and friends off; but someone has to do it. I kinda like being the bad guy." He smiled at John and Claire. "That chair opens up to be a single bed, ma'm. Now get some sleep, you two. The nurses and lab techs will be in to keep you awake soon enough."
Everyone else went to Walter and Iris' house for food and rest. Once they had all tucked into the chicken casserole and the many delicious side dishes, breads and desserts, they began to really feel how they felt. Tired and worn out. It was the adrenaline, or the effects of it. Jack held up his hand to make an announcement before everyone went off to home or bed. "Mama told me that the doctor is very pleased with daddy's progress. And, that they were planning to run us all off so he could get some real rest. And she said we are not to worry ourselves sick about it."
They all looked at each other, and you could see the weight lifting off their shoulders a bit.
Bobby, who spent his days taking care of sick and injured animals held up his hand next.
"What is it Doctor Twist?"
"I have a message for everyone who loves someone."
"Well, I guess that means all of us. What is our message?"
"Learn CPR! And if it's been a few years since you learned it, take a refresher course. Learn to save lives of those you love, or even of strangers. You'll never regret it."
Ennis and Jack headed for the door, arm in arm. "G'night all. Everyone have some place to lay their head tonight? Speak now or forever hold your peace."
They kissed Iris and thanked her for her hospitality. They shook hands with Walter, and then hugged him. "See you in the morning."
tbc