Slash N' Fluff Diner

Paper Thin Moon: Pt 4

2009-10-20T01:04:38Z

Written by Fics_At_Random, alias Mandi.
Ratings/Warnings/Happy Thoughts: The title gets explained.

Ennis began t'show signs. He remembered little things with a greater ease, like his birthday and where he grew up and all three a his siblings, his mother's maiden name an, much t'Alma's relief, how he'd met his wife.

Ennis improved.

Junior did not.

She was sent home with a hospital bed an a wheelchair. Jack, sensin opportunity, offered t'take Ennis home first while he was still loopy on the pain killers t'make the transition easier. No father needs t'see his baby broken like that little girl was. Alma willingly agreed, an he felt himself get stabbed somewhere south a his conscience an maybe his belt at the knowledge a why he was bein so kind.

I jus' want a few moments with him alone... t'see what he remembers.

That explanation did him jus' fine, an pushed the other crowdin thoughts outta his head 'fore they had a chance t'correct him.

****

The truck rumbled slowly, Ennis givin directions. Swore he knew his way home an everyone was willin t'believe him on account a all his sudden improvements. But his improvements didn't lend themselves t'Jack... not that Jack thought.

"Take a right up here on this road."

"You 'member the name a it?" He pushed, knowin he had to in order t'help Ennis come 'round. The man was silent, but he allowed it an made the turn.

"You don't 'member me much, do you?"

Ennis breathed hard, but gave no answer.

"We wrangled woolies on Brokeback... I could take you back there... on a fishin trip we was plannin. D'you remember that?"

Nothing, jus' hard, focused breathin.

"Ennis, I cain't lie t'you, but you gotta know 'bout what we are... we're.."

"STOP!" Ennis roared, shockin Jack so bad he stomped on the gas first, then the brakes, his truck screechin to a halt that probably killed the tires.

Ennis sat motionless for a moment. Shit, I done pushed too hard... he DOES remember, an I was right all along... somethin HAD changed... or worse, maybe nothin had at all.

Shakin, Ennis unbuckled his seatbelt an stepped cautiously outta the truck.

"Ennis? Ennis, where you goin?"

He didn't answer, but walked into the open field... An open field with one mangled tree. The only tree in the whole goddamned field. Jack thrust his seatbelt aside an made t'follow this man, wonderin, wonderin...

"This is it," he said quietly, touchin the bark apologetically, reverently. "This here's the... the tree."

The tree.

"Do you remember?"

"This is the tree," he said again. "There was ice here," he stormed angrily towards the road, the same road where he'd slipped outta control, nearly killin his own family...

He felt t'his knees an gagged. His head was swimmin somethin horrible an he wished t'god he hadn't taken that oxycontin or whatever they were givin him for pain as if the shit were candy. He wanted so badly t'puke but couldn't... Tears wanted t'spill out but it seemed on top of everythin, he'd forgotten how t'cry.

His breath shook, whole body convulsin in a fit a blind rage a fate... a fate that may not let his daughter walk again. A fate that almost made him forget her entirely...

Jack, not knowin anything more reasonable t'do, knelt beside Ennis on the winter wet asphalt, steadyin him by the shoulders so he wouldn't fall over, murmurin Ennis' name over an over again.

"She ain't... gonna walk 'cause a this damned tree... an me... An you sonsabitches don't think I know it..."

"I know you know it..."

"This is my fault."

"No! Christ, Ennis, don't you dare say that shit!"

An suddenly he did cry; his body remembered how as hot, salty tears slid down his cheeks an fell t'the pavement. Jack stayed there, holdin him steady again 'til they finally, finally stopped.

"M'okay," he choked. "M'okay."

Jack didn't move t'let him go; couldn't.

Ennis was holdin him back.

*****

"You really should stay at least one night, Jack," Alma said in her motherly way. "I don't want you travelin home in this fog, you'll get lost or worse... cain't see but two feet in front a ya."

"I really couldn't be a bother, m'am."

Ennis couldn't explain the sinkin feelin in his chest at the idea that Jack wouldn't be stayin. Had kinda been hopin for that fishin trip t'Brokeback... Brokeback, was that it? Memories tickled his brain an danced jus' outta reach.

"Don't be silly, we'll pull out the bed from the sofa, you can stay here." She smiled. "I insist."

"If you insist... Best call m'wife, she'll worry."

The sinkin feelin got worse. He was scratchin at his mind t'remember this man, this married man... had he even been there t'see him off?

Don't be so goddamned sappy. Like he needed you there in the first place.

"I'll, uh... get a few blankets," he offered. "Gets cold out there."

"Thanks," Jack replied more with his piercin blue eyes that somehow were still more warm than cool, an Ennis felt a sudden need t'turn away.

"Wheeee!" Junior shouted, wheelin herself down the hall in her new chair, nearly knockin her father offa his feet. Alma was worried that she'd grow t'resent that chair, but as for Ennis, he was just grateful she was enjoyin it for now.

"Watch where you're goin with that, Junior, it ain't a toy," Alma chided, an smiled apologetically at her husband.

But her husband was more preoccupied at stretchin his memory t'encompass Jack Twist.

******

Long after everyone's goodnights had been said, Ennis lay awake in his bed, thinkin.

He remembered his mother most of all as he looked outta his bedroom window. The moon was round an low, hangin by a thread in the sky.

A paper thin moon, he smiled t'himself.

"See the moon, Ennis?" June Del Mar held her youngest and favorite child on her hip, pointin up at the sky. "It's a paper thin moon."

"Paper what?"

She laughed. "Paper thin. It looks like it ain't there at all."

"What's it mean?"

"I'm not sure," she replied, repositionin him on her side so he wouldn't fall. "But my momma told it to me. She had a dream about a moon made a paper an she could fly t'the moon. She drew the craters on it."

Ennis bit his thumb.

"I ain't much of a story teller, am I?" She smiled. "But when you look at that moon, it looks like it's so small, but it's not. It's so big. It's so big that it looks at half the world all the time... And I'll bet the love a your life is lookin at this same moon right now."

Ennis scowled an looked over at Alma, hopin she hadn't fallen asleep, eve though he knew she had long ago.

He got up with some effort an stepped onto the cool wood floor, searchin for a mismatched pair a socks an slid 'em on t'combat the cold. He shuffled out t'the kitchen, hopin for somethin t'steady his nerves, even if the doctors had advised him against drinkin while usin these particular pills.

He slipped past the livin room... or would a, if there weren't a faint light glowin from a flashlight, Jack readin over a huntin manual for his inability t'sleep.

"Uh... sorry, I didn't mean t'..."

Jack whipped 'round silently, then smiled. "I ain't been t'sleep yet, don't go worryin on me."

"Was gonna get a whiskey, you want one?"

He closed his manual. "Sounds good."

*******

They sat at the table, one facin the other, unsure a what t'say. Jack didn't wanna push anythin Ennis weren't ready for, still shocked from gettin hollered at on the drive home.

"You married, then?" Ennis finally asked, wishin he could take it back. Goddamned doctors were right, you shouldn't be drinkin while on these pills.

Jack leaned back, then forward, fixin Ennis with a straight gaze. "Yeah... Yeah, I'm married... miserable, but married."

"Me, too," he murmured 'fore he could think on it or take it back. Damned near dumped all a his drink into the sink.

"You an Alma got problems?"

He sighed. "I love her, but... I ain't... somethin ain't there."

"Yeah." Jack faltered, then opened his mouth. "Somethin's missin for me, too... with Lureen."

"That your wife?"

"Yeah."

"Nice.. . Uh, real nice."

"What hurts the most is I know what's missin, an I cain't have it, no way, no how. Sometimes I wish I didn't know so I couldn't... couldn't face the thing I want... jus' let it be some nameless whisper. I wish I didn't know."

What's missin? He wanted t'ask it so bad, 'cause he wondered if he was missin the same thing... An how do I find it?

"I... I ain't one t'say," Jack shook his head, an Ennis realized he really had said it out loud. "I didn't come here t'make this any harder on you."

"Think it's better you're here," an his jaw fell open at his own words... but in that moment, he knew he'd never spoken no words truer'n those.

"Well... was hopin."

"You, uh... you still up for that fishin trip?"

TBC

Paper Thin Moon: 3

2009-10-01T02:04:37Z

Paper Thin Moon Pt 3
Written by Mandi
Rated PG-13 to R to NC-17

THREE

"I done told you," Jack snarled for the third or fourth time, maybe even fifth, he lost count.  "I'm a friend a Ennis Del Mar!  Now let me see him!"

"Well," the nurse replied calmly, "I don't have you on a list of visitors the Del Mars are expecting."

"A course you don't," he feigned her kind, calm tone in a way that made even this steel nerved nurse bristle. "'Cause I jus' found out 'bout this an I live in Texas... I came up here jus' t'see him an you..."

"Oh, um... I'm sorry, I weren't listenin in but... you said you're a friend a Ennis'?"  A short woman with her arm in a cast asked softly with a kindness that surely weren't fake. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't a been listenin, I..."

"No," Jack said quickly, then faltered. "No, I mean yes. Yes, I am a friend of Ennis'."

"Oh," she nodded. "He's gettin some bloodwork done t'make sure his medicines are all workin okay, but... after that I think he'd like a visit. I think he's tired a seein me an nurses all day long."

The woman behind the nurses' station glared an Jack grinned proudly; game, set, match.

She led him away from the surly nurse an laughed gently. "She wants lists a all the people who can an cain't be here, but you look like you're all right... I'm Alma." She extended her hand.

"Jack Twist," he nodded.

"So you're Jack Twist," she smiled, an for a moment, he got that stomach fallin out his ass feelin again until she didn't slap him or yell at him. "You sent all them post cards from, um.. Brokeback Mountain, right?"

"How'd you 'member that?"

"Ennis is the one with amnesia, Mr. Twist, not me," she laughed at her own cleverness. "He talks 'bout his trips up there with you when ya'll go fishin. We tease him that never catches anything."

Oh, Christ, she knows, she knows, she knows!   I think my stomach DID fall outta my ass...

"You must be the lucky one," Alma smiled, leadin him to what must a been Ennis' room. He only saw the very edge a the bed with two blanketed feet stickin out, but he knew immediately they were Ennis'... didn't know exactly HOW he knew, jus'... knew. "I mean, catchin everythin."

"Uh, s'a bad creek we go to," he mumbled an tripped over his own feet as he followed her t'the door.

"Ennis?" She turned away an called into the room, "I brought a visitor... Jack Twist..."

**

Jack Twist? I don't... I don't know that name, do I? It better not be some other student wantin t'poke at me again with fuckin needles, Ennis groused t'himself... but the name... that name... it meant somethin, an he knew he weren't gonna be harrassed by some new kid who didn't know what end of a needle t'stick him with this time.

A tall man with a thick mustache an the bluest eyes he'd ever seen on someone before walked in behind Alma, an somethin in his brain started whirrin, but was still broken, like he was really tryin t'remember this man.

"Hi, Ennis," Jack said, voice shakin. "I, uh... it's me, Jack Twist..."

"He's your fishin buddy, Ennis," Alma tried softly. "From Brokeback Mountain?"

Somethin in him stirred at the mention a that place, like it were sacred an he oughta remember it an felt like it was a sacrilige that he didn't. Jack Twist?

"'Lo," he nodded politely outta nothin else t'do.

"We, uh... we're fishin buddies," he repeated Alma, feelin stupid for doin so, an lookin an apology at her that she smiled off. "Met wranglin woolies up on Brokeback Mountain, outta Signal..."

"Sounds like I'm a roughneck," he smiled, an Alma looked a little concerned. "I uh... I 'membered that part."

"He never was much a the joker type," Alma shrugged. "Not in all the years I known him."

"Yeah, me, neither."

"Well, Mr. Twist," she cut in politely, seein that Ennis was horrible uncomfortable 'round this stranger, "why don't you take me to the cafeteria for a cup a coffee?  You mind, Ennis?  We'll bring one back for ya."

He waved his monitored hand an nearly knocked his cup from that mornin that he hadn't gotten 'round t'drinkin. Never found himself in a hospital 'fore, but their coffee is as shitty as the legend.

***

"I'm real glad you came," she said softly, stirrin her coffee with her spoon, clinkin it against the sides a the mug, a sound that make Jack's nerves grate together somethin awful. "He needs these things, I think. Reminders a his old life.  Docs tell me that's what's gonna get him t'rememberin things."

Don't say that.  Christ, don't say that. If you had any idea as t'why I'm really here....

"Had no idea he was... well, like this."

She looked like she wanted t'cry, an he was half tempted t'hold her t'his shoulder an let her do it. Goddamned shame...

"Have you met our daughter?"

"Uh, no, not as I recall."

"Well... wouldja like to?"

***

Junior was dressin one a her dolls in the clothes that her mother had sewn up for her when she had use a both a her arms. She knew somethin was wrong with her; couldn't move her legs.  Didn't wanna tell Momma how bad that scared her, or how much the pain hurt an shot up her back an into her arms sometimes.

"Hi, Junior," Alma walked into the room with a strange, but very pretty man in tow.  "This is Daddy's friend, Mr. Twist."

"Hello, Mr. Twist," she said politely, like she'd been taught.

"M'am," he tipped his hat, earnin a grin from the girl in the bed.

"How do you know my daddy?"

"How do I..."  He repeated, buyin himself some time. Jounced a bed with him a few times, but that weren't somethin he thought he oughta be tellin a sick little girl a this age. "We're old ranchin an fishin buddies."

"He never talked 'bout you," Junior said flatly.

"Junior!"  Alma scolded, an looked at Jack apologetically. "She's... Well, Ennis don't talk all that much, I'm sure you know that, right?"

The remark still stung; he bit it down.

"Well," she sighed. "May as well go back an see how Ennis is doin."

They headed back t'the room where Alma dropped Jack t'himself, excusin herself t'go attend t'her daughter. He stood outside that room for a moment or two t'compose himself. He don't know you. He didn't talk 'bout you before, that kid went an said so. Cute little thing.   Am I really gonna fuck up her family for...

"Jack?"

His heart lit for a moment at the sound a what he'd hoped was recognition.

"Jack Twist, that you?"

"It's me, Ennis Del Mar," he sauntered into the room, tryin t'look more calm than he felt. His boots clicked on the overly sanitary floor that looked like it'd never seen dirt in its life, marvelin at it on his way t'the bedside. Ennis was fixin him with this horrible look, like he was tryin t'look at the wall that was behind Jack... Worse, like he was tryin so hard t'remember somethin so precious...

"I know who you are," he finally said, but his eyes didn't light with the recognition Jack was hopin for; still, his heart fluttered.

"Y... Y'do... what d'you remember?"

"Don't remember the powder it'd take t'blow us both t'hell, but... I know yer name."

Jack pulled up a chair an sat down.

"Jack Twist," the words rolled offa his tongue in such a way that it pleased him enough t'do it again. "Jack Twist."

"That's me, Ennis Del Mar," he nodded, an resisted a horrible urge t'take that man's hand an kiss it. "That's me."

TBC

Paper Thin Moon: 2

2009-10-01T01:24:15Z

Paper Thin Moon: 2

Written by Mandi/Fics_at_Random

He’d been expectin that post card since August, an with September comin to a close, Jack Twist had lost his already painfully short fuse a patience.

“Did he finally write ‘cha?” Lureen asked, leanin in the doorframe as Jack packed his clothes together.

“No,” he shook his head, wishin she wouldn’t bother him jus’ now. “I’m gonna go up an see him anyway.”

“What if he’s busy?”

“Ennis Del Mar ain’t the type t’be busy.”

“Don’t you wanna give him a call first?”

“Ain’t got his number.”

“Jack, all these years ya’ll been fishin an you don’t even got a phone number?”

The words hurt more’n he expected; why didn’t he have Ennis’ phone number? He knew it wasn’t on account a not havin one. Did Ennis jus’ wanna keep Jack so much separate from his “normal” life that he couldn’t part with the digits for fear Jack would call an say somethin stupid?

You would, too, said his mind.

“No,” he finally said, pushin himself up off a his knees. “Never really came up, I guess.”

“You men are so weird,” she shook her head. “I didn’t know LaShawn more’n three hours an I had her phone number! You know LaShawn, right? Randall’s LaShawn?”

Acid swelled up in Jack’s stomach. He knew Randall, all right. More’n he should. He felt like he’d suddenly betrayed Ennis an everythin they’d ever been, whatever that was, an painfully pushed the thoughts outta the way a his conscious mind.

“I know her.”

“As much as you talk ‘bout him, I’d think you’d a had his phone number…”

“I don’t got his number!” He snapped, an Lureen looked taken a back an hurt. “Sorry, Baby, I’m jus’…”

Jus’ what? Worried? But why? Couldn’t explain the odd feelin he had that something was distinctively wrong. Ennis would a written by now. By now, if everythin were okay. Somethin weren’t right. Sure as shit couldn’t explain that t’Lureen – she’d think he was crazy as hell, or worse, think he felt more for Ennis’n he should.

You do.

He shook his head an made t’apologize further but Lureen had left the room.

**

“You really oughta eat them beans,” Alma prodded, noddin at the plate a uneaten baked beans on her husband’s hospital tray.

“Uh, don’t think I care for ‘em,” he shook his head.

“Funny, you always ate ‘em when I cooked ‘em,” she shrugged, tryin t’look like she weren’t nearly as concerned as she was. She continued on in her motherly way, “but you need t’get your strength back, so y’should eat ‘em.”

It ain’t my strength that’s gone, it’s my memory. He slid a fork full a beans gingerly into his mouth.

Nope, I don’t think I forgot I liked ‘em…

The ride was long, like it always was, but longer this time ‘cause he weren’t sure who, if anyone, was gonna meet him at the end a it. Ennis always wrote back -- always.

Maybe it were jus’ a thing t’him. Maybe he don’t see it like you do.

Jack had been fightin them thoughts back for the better part a two hours. The radio went out on him somewhere in north Texas, so he rolled down the window an listened t’the roar a the wind for the better part a the drive. Was still listenin to it an bitin back them goddamned thoughts when he crossed the Wyomin border.

It was you that insisted on all these fishin an huntin trips an seein each other for a few high altitude fucks a year, not him. Maybe we was jus’ bein nice.

Suddenly, Jack’s jaw ached at the memory of one well placed punch that had sent him backwards some years ago an smiled. Naw, EnnisDel Mar ain’t the ‘nice’ type.

But the question a why the man didn’t answer the letter still rang hard in his head. Maybe I’m goin for nothin. What if this was a wasted trip?

He decided he wouldn’t waste it, find some other nowhere creek to fish out of. Rolled up the window when a cold wind started sweepin in an hit him in the eyes an thought a other things.

Rolled into the little apartment in Riverton sometime after four. Didn’t see Ennis’ car. Knocked four times, five for good measure. No answer.

Went downstairs to the little run down Laundromat an bought himself a Coke to wash the dryness outta his mouth that he convinced himself was there from the long drive, not outta the fact he’d been searchin for somethin t’say t’Ennis, should have seen him, since he left home.

“You new ‘round here?” Came a soft, elderly voice that half shocked him, not noticin he’d been kneelin behind a washer that had a little paper sign sayin ‘Out Of Order.’

“Huh? No, I’m visitin a.. a friend,” he set the Coke down on top of an unused dryer. “Guy lives upstairs, actually… Ennis Del Mar?”

“Del Mar? The Del Mars upstairs?”

“That’d be the one.” How many Del Mars you got in this town, anyhow?

“Guessin you didn’t hear ‘bout them, then.”

His stomach coulda dropped outta his ass on hearin that. “Can’t says I have, they move or somethin?”

“No, but damned near killed themselves a week ago in this ice we’ve been havin. Real outta season for March.”

He didn’t even notice the man’s mention a the weather; too busy preventin his stomach from droppin outta his ass. “Wh… what happened to ‘em?”

“Hit a tree,” the man replied. “Little kid broke her back, she got it worse, but old Ennis done lost his mind, or so Alma tells me. Real nice lady, she…”

“What do you mean, lost his mind?” He scowled, but thought better a it; least Ennis weren’t dead!

“Amnesia, she tells me,” he hefted himself up onto his feet, smilin satisfactory at his handywork. “Don’t remember much but his name, don’t know his own kid, knows who Alma is okay, but that’s about…”

“Where is he!?” Jack demanded, resistin every urge he had t’shake the hell outta the babbly old fella.

“Down at Mercy Hospital,” he said simply, not lookin too shocked at Jack’s worry. “Same place that baby a theirs was born, that, uh… Junior. Real nice kid, she… huh.”

Jack had sprinted out the door, fired up his truck an sped in a blind upset towards Mercy.

TBC

Epilogue

2009-09-01T23:50:01Z

Sequence Epilogue
Written by Mandi

A/N: Wow, what an amazing journey this has been… but this is the end. The absolute no buts about it end of Sequence. Writing this has brought me such joy and I have met such amazing people from this fandom who have touched my life in ways I cannot even begin to describe. I love each and every one of you. Thank you for enriching my life with your presence.

Thank you for reading my writings. I never in my wildest dreams imagined that Sequence would turn into this epic thing… whatever it is… and would change my life and bring me friendships that will last a lifetime.

May God bless and keep all of you, and my you feel His arms around you for always.

See you at the next epic thing.

God love you. I do.

Mandi

“Wow,” Annie breathed, leanin back in her chair. “What an amazing story, Grandpa Ennis.”

He looked over at Jack; Jack, his dear husband, after all these years…

“Well, that’s the story a our lives, Darlin,” he said, takin Jack’s hand. “Every last bit a it.”

“Thanks for tellin me the story,” she smiled. “It’s like a fairytale…”

“Sure is,” Jack nodded.

“Hard t’believe, weren’t more’n yesterday we were plannin your mother’s weddin, now we’re plannin yours… An a commitment ceremony for Vick an Jackie, too?”

“Jus one big, expandin busy family,” she shrugged. “Jus’ how I like it!”

**

It was a few months later that Ennis received a package and letter in the mail from his granddaughter. She an her new husband John were on their honeymoon in Hawaii, in the same place that Ennis had taken Jack on theirs.

He opened the letter.

Dear Grandpa E & J,

Well, I finally made use of my English degree. I hope you enjoy the book.

Love,
Annie

His heart pounded in his ears as he hollered for Jack. He came racin in from the livin room t’his husband’s side an together they tore open the package; inside was a small book, the shadowy forms a two cowboys on a mountain range in front of a blazin sunset. He read the title an his heart soared.

Brokeback Mountain, by Annie Proulx.

The End

Sequence by Fics_At_Random

Sequence 11-10

2009-09-01T23:20:48Z

Sequence 11-10
Written by Mandi
Rated PG
Warning: Major Character Death. This is the last death of Sequence and is heralding “THE END” with the next update.

Holy crap, guys... Sequence is almost over... :C

“How you holdin up?” Jack asked, Junior now two weeks into an empty nest; the twins had gone off t’college at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

“Oh, it’s hard,” she sighed, soundin like she was holdin back tears. “I miss havin ‘em here, but it’s nice t’have more time with Kurt.”

“I’m sure,” he smiled. “We felt the same way when you went off. Jus’ lucky you were so close by that we could see ya on a moment’s notice.”

“Yeah,” a sputterin laugh t’hide the cryin.

“Aww, Darlin, don’t cry…”

“Tryin not to… jus’ so… so hard. Wasn’t expectin this day t’come so damned soon.”

“Hey, Junior?” A beep sounded on the line, signalin a call on the other line. “Can I call ya back in a few minutes? ‘Nother call.”

“Sure thing, bye, Uncle Jack.”

He clicked the line over. “Hello?”

Nothin.

“Hello?”

Still nothin. Dammit, I disconnected ‘em… Hate this fuckin…

“Jack?”

Silence on his end.

“Uh… hi, Alma.” He’d known her voice anywhere.

“Is Ennis there?” She seemed real direct, but somethin in her tone was horribly, horribly wrong.

“Uh, he’s out ridin his motorcycle, can I have him call ya back?”

“Oh…” She hadn’t started rantin an screamin. While that would ordinarily be a good start, the tone a her voice made icicles form in Jack’s throat. “I… Yeah, that’ll be good if he could call me back as soon as he can.”

“… Know it ain’t my place, but… Is somethin wrong?”

She became the second woman that day t’sob at him over the telephone.

“I got cancer.”

**

Cancer.

Alma had cancer.

He wasn’t sure why, but the thought made him sick… sick with guilt. He never remembered havin a kind thought ‘bout the woman, an now she had cancer… Knew he didn’t outright give it to her or wish it on her, but he felt responsible.

She didn’t say what kind, he thought quickly. Maybe it’s one a them kinds you can treat with chemotherapy or somethin.

He paced the livin room, checkin out the window a few times for Ennis, wonderin where the hell he’d gone off to when the mother a their child was waitin t’drop this horrible news on him.

Maybe it’s better he don’t come back right away, Jack thought. The longer I can keep him from hurtin over this, the better…

His mind quickly shifted t’Junior.

Oh, Jesus, how’s she gonna react when Alma tells her?! She’s already havin a hard enough time with the girls goin off t’school…

The front door yawned open, bringin in Ennis, helmet under his arm, smellin wild like the wind. He smiled warmly at Jack, who couldn’t return it; his face immediately creased with concern. Jack never remembered noticin the way the skin ‘round Ennis’ eyes pulled when he had that look. How did I never see them little lines on him before?

“Somethin wrong?”

“I.. you gotta call Alma.”

“Ah, Jesus, what’s she want?”

“Ennis…” he said sadly. “Don’t be like that, she….” It ain’t my place t’tell him. “She really needs you right now. Jus’ call her. I’m gonna go get a cup a coffee, you want some?”

He shook his head, the little lines ‘round his eyes not fadin as he reached for the cordless telephone.

Jack leaned on the kitchen counter, tryin hard not t’listen in. He knew from the dead silence when she’d told him, an badly wanted t’go in there an hold his husband, but didn’t dare. Didn’t want him t’know he was listenin in. Weren’t his business, really..

But Ennis is my business. Maybe I shoulda prepared him… even if it was Alma’s right t’tell him herself, I shouldn’t let him get shocked that bad. No matter what, that woman is the mother a his child… she’ll always have a place in his life. I cain’t stand in the way a that.

He was so lost in thought that he dropped his coffee mug when Ennis spoke t’him, spillin lukewarm coffee down his leg.

“Alma’s got cancer,” he murmured, his eyes glazed an far away.

“I know,” Jack whispered. “She… she called earlier an she told me. I dunno why she told me, but…”

“It’s terminal,” Ennis sighed, foldin his arms.

Jack felt his soul sink. “Wh… what kinda cancer?”

“Pancreatic.”

“Pancreatic,” he repeated. He didn’t know much, but he knew that shit was some a the worst, an some a the fastest.

“She’s gonna invite Junior over tomorrow with her brother an sisters t’tell ‘em.”

Jack shook his head. “M’so sorry, Honey.”

“Me, too.”

“D’you… can I… can I do somethin? Anythin? If I can help, I wanna… what… what can I do?”

He jus’ shook his head. “I dunno yet.”

**
Junior came over the next day t’talk t’Ennis. Jack felt it weren’t his place t’sit in on the matter, so he took the motorcycle early that mornin an sped off towards wind blown, mind numbin nowhere.

“She says it’s gonna kill her,” Junior’s eyes were red, but despite it, was tryin t’hold strong for her father. Goddammit, you don’t gotta be strong for me… this here’s your momma, you have every right t’cry!

“Uh… well, we don’t know that…”

“She has four months to a year,” she continued as though her father had said nothin. “That’s what her doctors said.”

This time, Ennis really did say nothin, maybe outta respect, maybe ‘cause his tongue felt like lead in his mouth.

“She… she says she’s gonna plan out what she wants,” she took a deep breath. “For everythin… who gets what, what she wants at the funeral…”

“Jesus.”

“I know,” a tear leaked out of her absent eyes. “I… I can’t believe it.”

“Me neither.”

“Ain’t told Jackie an Annie yet,” she sighed. “I… I don’t know how.”

“Want me to?”

She squinted her eyes shut. “I do, but… but I know I gotta do this. I’m their momma, it’s my responsibility…” A sob tore outta her chest, her hands coverin her pale, tearstained face.

After a moment a uncertainty, Ennis reached out an touched his beloved daughter’s shoulder. “I’ll tell ‘em.”

**

Annie took it harder’n Jackie. She an Alma were close, her grandmother havin taught her t’sew an read her countless books when her sister would rather be outside diggin up worms an playin in the dirt with Grandpa Bill.

“I wanna come home,” Annie sobbed over the phone t’her grandfathers, each on a separate telephone.

“Darlin, you gotta be in school, get your education,” Jack urged. “Grandma ain’t goin anywhere for a while… jus’…” He sighed as Annie cried even harder.

“Grandma wouldn’t want you t’stop livin jus’ cause she’s sick,” Ennis continued. “We… She… Shit.”

“I know you want me t’feel better,” her voice quivered, “but I don’t feel right not bein there.”

“Sometimes,” Jack was bitin at the edge a his pinky nail, Ennis was half a mind t’tell him not to, but resisted. “Sometimes people wanna go in private… Y’know? Death is so personal an so… well, Annie, you know what I tell ya, it’s like goin Home…”

“I know.”

“I know it don’t sound good now, but she’ll… she’ll be Home.”

“She ain’t dyin tomorrow,” Ennis interjected, hopin that would somehow calm Annie down.

“Oh, no, she’s fine for right now…”

“Comfortable an all,” he continued.

“I’m gonna call Grandma, okay?” She sniffled, stiffenin her voice, tryin t’sound braver’n she really was.

Maybe it’d be better for her this from Alma herself, Ennis thought t’himself, an tried not t’feel like a failure for not fixin the world for his granddaughter.

**

“Are you gonna… I dunno… talk t’her?” Asked Jack one night at supper, a few days after the news had hit. They’d tried t’act normal, but there was a disquiet that fell over ‘em that neither could speak of. It was so big it closed their throats.

“’Bout what?”

“Jesus, Ennis, everything!”

“I don’t wanna make this harder’n it’s gotta be,” he sighed. “She got enough t’do without me stickin my ass in the middle a it.”

“What if she wants closure?”

“Closure?”

“Yeah, closure. T’be able t’say things t’you she had bottled up for all these years.”

“She said ‘em all, I’m sure.” Ennis grouched. “Called me every name in the book, pretty sure there ain’t nothin left t’say.”

“What if it ain’t ‘bout name callin an more ‘bout mendin fences?”

“What would she wanna mend fences with me for?”

“I dunno much ‘bout your life with her, but I know if I was her, I wouldn’t wanna leave this earth without fixin all my broken pieces.”

“So I’m a broken piece now?”

“Don’t be like this,” he sighed.

“How’s this -- if she wants t’talk, I’ll talk, but I ain’t goin in there an forcin myself on her.”

“That’s fair.”

**

Alma didn’t call back for a few days, almost a whole week. Ennis couldn’t say he was real thrilled t’hear the phone ring, or that feelin he got knowin it was her on the other end a the line.

“Hi, Ennis,” she said sadly, in her usual misery way that was somehow even worse now… or maybe it was in his mind, but he didn’t think so.

“Hi, Alma,” he settled the phone on his shoulder. “Uh… how are ya feelin?”

“As good as can be expected, thanks.”

“I’m uh.. m’real sorry t’hear ‘bout the, uh… the cancer.” Is that what I’m supposed t’say? I am sorry an all, but… dammit, the hell d’you say t’a woman with this disease?

“Yeah.”

“Uh… what kind is it?”

“Pancreatic. Cain’t operate on it.”

His stomach dropped deeper’n he expected it to. “Christ, m’sorry.”

“Ennis, it’s… I’m comin t’terms with it, really.” She paused for an eternity. “Why didn’t you call back?”

“I…” Was scared to, was the real end a that sentence, but wasn’t the one that came out. “Didn’t wanna bother you… figured you had more important things t’do than talk t’me…”

“Did you ever think maybe I wanted t’talk to you? Maybe that was why I called in the first place?” Her voice was icy cold, an he couldn’t help but think he deserved it.

“I dunno what t’say.”

She got gentle. “It’s okay, Ennis, I don’t know what I oughta say, either.”

“Maybe we oughta mend our fences.” He didn’t dare tell her those were Jack’s words; last thing she needed was t’hear ‘bout him.

“I know I gotta forgive you,” she murmured. “An part a me did… but… I guess if I’m dyin, I may as well tell ya…” He winced at the ease she had usin them words. “There’s a part a me that never stopped lovin you.”

“I…”

“Don’t tell me you love me, too, Ennis,” she half laughed, but it was forced an bitter. “I know ya don’t.”

“I do,” he protested, an found himself genuinely meanin it. “I do, in some way. Cain’t love ya like I should, but… Christ, I never meant t’do ya wrong like this.”

Another eternity a silence. “I know.” He almost didn’t hear the words.

“What happens now?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed. “I’m on all sorts a vitamins an stuff, but I ain’t doin that chemotherapy.”

“Why not?” He demanded, somewhat shocked.

“No sense,” she sighed, an he could tell she was ‘bout t’cry. “If God wants me, there ain’t nothin that’s gonna stand in His way. I ‘spose I just don’t see any reason in makin myself sick with them drugs when all it’s gonna do is prolong my misery.”

He couldn’t say nothin; his tongue was stuck t’the roof a his mouth like someone stuffed it full a peanut butter. Deep down, he knew she was right, but there was some part a him that wanted t’scream at her t’take the help, t’take any help that might keep her here longer, for the sake a Junior, for Annie, for Jackie… for himself, t’maybe give him time t’make up for all his fuck ups, t’repair the damage he’d done…

There’s no repairin what you done t’that woman… She’s lived with the repercussions a your choices all these years, what makes you think you’re gonna be able t’magically fix it all now?

“Oh,” was all he could say.

“I know what you’re thinkin,” she said softly. “I know you want me t’take the chemotherapy, an believe me, if it would give me any real worthwhile time, I would. It cures some folks, but it wouldn’t cure me. What I got is too far along an too extreme that all this would do is give me more time t’be sick, an I don’t want that.”

He was silent; didn’t have a goddamned thing he could say.

“It’s okay, Ennis,” Alma murmured. “This is how I want it. I don’t want more time. Whatever God’s gonna give me, that’ll be enough.”

**

Alma went into the hospital several weeks later with severe back pain from the cancer, or so Bill Munroe told him over the phone. She’d fallen in the kitchen ‘cause the pain was that bad an never really regained her balance an had t’get from her hospital room t’the adjoinin bathroom with a walker. Ennis went to visit her a few times at her request; it was very difficult t’see her like that, all loopy on them powerful pain killers, smilin at him with such a strange sorta adoration as if she weren’t aware they’d gone through a messy, complicated divorce.

Junior took it real hard. As tough as she tried t’be for her girls, seein her mother depletin took its toll on her.

“I hate seein her like this,” she said one afternoon while over at her parents’ house, restin her head in her hands. “She doesn’t know where she is half the time from the morphine drip they’re givin her, I’d rip it out myself if I thought she’d be okay without it.”

“Here now,” Jack poured her a shot a brandy, which she accepted without a word. “The docs are givin it to her ‘cause she’d be in too much pain without it. Don’t mean we gotta like it, but it’s better than her bein in unbearable pain.”

“I know.” Junior smiled. “She told me, an I’m not sure if she was high on morphine at the time or not, that her nurse was cute, that one, that… um, Jonathan, I think his name is. She said he has a cute rear end.” She laughed for the first time in what felt like months t’the boys. “Even stoned out of her mind, my mother won’t say ‘ass.’”

“She’s a good Christian woman through and through,” Ennis raised his glass an they all drank t’Alma’s inability t’curse.

**

It was late on a Saturday night that Alma had asked for Ennis’ company; they were watchin What About Bob? on DVD in her room. Bill brought in a DVD player for her an Junior purchased the DVD that her mother enjoyed so much.

“He’s such a funny man,” she sighed, pressin the button a her morphine pump.

“You not feelin good?”

“I’ll be fine in a minute,” she smiled, an reached out for Ennis’ hand; he gave it uncertainly. “Thanks for bein here.”

“Thanks for havin me.”

“It means a lot that you’re here.”

“Ain’t nothin,” he shook his head. “I wanted t’be here.”

She stroked his hand with her thumb, an he never in all his life remembered it lookin smaller than it did now; her skin was paper thin an ashy.

“I wanna talk t’Jack,” she said suddenly.

“I think your morphine kicked in.”

“I mean it,” Alma said firmly, blinkin hard. “I need t’talk t’him ‘fore I go, while I’m still.. while I still got my senses.”

“You…” You don’t mean that. You don’t need that. You don’t need t’see the man I nearly ruined your whole life over. There ain’t nothin he can say t’you t’heal what’s been hurt. Let be, let be. “Alma… please… don’t do this.”

“This ain’t ‘bout you, Ennis,” her face was serene, the tight lines ‘round her lips fadin with the morphine’s kiss in her veins. “I need t’talk t’him. For me.”

He sat dumb for a moment ‘til some other force in his body spoke for him.

“Okay.”

**

Alma had requested t’see Jack alone, somethin neither Jack nor Ennis were really comfortable with. The followin Wednesday, Jack an Ennis piled into the truck an headed for the hospital, drivin mostly in reverent silence.

“I’ll wait outside the room for ya, in case she gets…”

“No,” he shook his head. “The woman’s dyin, we’re not disrespectin her wishes like that. If she wants a few moments alone with me, I think I owe her at least that.”

Ennis was tempted t’tell him he didn’t owe her anythin, but thought that might also be disrespectful, so withheld the statement.

**

Jack stood outside Alma’s room by himself for a few minutes, breathin heavy. He bought her a bouquet a flowers at the hospital gift shop an wondered momentarily if that had been a good idea; for the rest a his life afterward, the smell a daisies reminded him a standin outside a that room, waitin, waitin.

What if she starts screamin at me? Cursin me out? Damnin me t’hell? What if she makes a helluva scene an we get thrown out an Ennis can’t come back t’see her? What if I make all a this worse? Is this really what she wants? Can I still high tail it an run?

His feet acted without the say so a his mind, walkin into the overly sanitary smellin white room, There were several potted flower arrangements, much more extravagant than his, linin the windowsill an the TV was ramblin quietly. Alma was layin in her bed, hooked up t’some machines that clicked away, her eyes closed, face lookin so peaceful he hated t’disturb her, ‘specially ‘cause he knew that it was him she was gonna be wakin up to.

“Uh.. Alma? Alma, you awake?” He asked, steppin as close as he dared.

Her eyelids fluttered; she blinked a few times an opened her eyes fully. Alma stared at him in what looked like either disbelief or lack of recognition, an he wondered for a moment if she wasn’t high on pain killers an possibly didn’t know who he was or that she’d invited him here in the first place.

“You came,” she finally said, an he breathed a sigh of relief he wasn’t aware he was holdin.

“Uh…. Yeah, yeah, I did… How are you?”

“Fine,” she nodded slowly. “Thanks for coming.”

“Sure thing…” His sweaty palms made his grip on the flowers slip, an he held them in her direction with a careful reverence. “I brought you some flowers… seems like I ain’t the only one with the idea.”

“That’s very nice, thank you,” she took them from him an admired the slightly wiltin daisies. Alma nodded towards a chair in the corner. “Pull that up, sit here.”

He did as he was told, the chair makin a dull scrapin sound against the floor. Jack sat down with apprehension, waitin for what exactly, he didn’t know. The two were silent for a moment or two, then Alma smoothed her crocheted bedsheet with her withered hand.

“I know we ain’t got a good history, Mr. Twist,” she began.

“You can call me Jack,” he said quickly.

“Jack,” she said slowly, as if the word was unfamiliar. “There’s so much I wanted t’say t’you…. An now that you’re here, I can’t say a word a it.”

His brow furrowed. “Me neither… I can think of a few… startin with how sorry I am for how all this happened.”

She said nothin.

“I’m sorry ‘bout me an Ennis. I didn’t mean t’fall in love with him,” she looked as if the words had stung her, but kept her composure an continued t’listen. “If I coulda changed all a this… put things right… left you two well alone, I would a done jus’ that…”

“Why didn’t you?” Not anger, no… Hurt. Undeniable, irreparable hurt.

“Alma… All I can do is tell you I’m sorry for takin what was rightfully yours… An I am. I’m sorry for ruinin your marriage an everythin you shoulda had with that man, but I… I cain’t regret it. I’ll never regret it.”

Her expression was unreadable; it wasn’t anger, but some kind of harsh, terrible acceptance of a reality she’d been running from since the day she’d seen her husband kiss this very man before her on the front porch of her little apartment in Riverton, Wyomin.

“An I’ll forgive you….” She said slowly. “I know I hafta… it’s the right thing t’do. But if you don’t know anythin else, know that you took one a the best things that ever happened t’me. I’m forgivin ya ‘cause I hafta… Not ‘cause I want to.”

Jack nodded.

She sighed heavily. “You don’t gotta stay… but I had t’say that t’you, face t’face… I jus’ had to.”

“I understand,” said Jack, an rose t’leave.

“Please,” she said quietly, so much so that he almost didn’t hear her. “When I’m gone…” Her voice cracked. “Take care a Ennis...”

“I swear on everythin I hold dear, I’ll take care a that man.”

Her brow furrowed, an she leaned back into her pillows an stared out the window. “I know you will.”

**

Alma left the hospital t’die at home; said she didn’t wanna go in some impersonal hospital. Bill hired a live in nurse t’help take care of her in her final days.

Ennis came t’visit as much as he dared; didn’t wanna be in the way a the nurse, Bill or the visitin kids an grandkids. Annie an Jackie came home t’see their grandmother one last time. She told ‘em a long, ramblin story ‘bout the time she was in Mississippi -- Alma had never in her life left the state a Wyomin.

Alma went into a coma; Ennis sat by her bed an held her hand, talkin t’her jus’ the same ‘cause Jack told him that even if she looked like she wasn’t there, her spirit was an could hear everythin he was sayin. He wasn’t sure he believed it, but he did it for Jack.

Alma died on a Tuesday in September… the twelfth. Eleven o’clock at night. Bill called t’tell him the news. Ennis hung up, stood stoic for a moment, then pinched the bridge a his nose an cried.

TBC

Sequence 11-9

2009-08-24T23:24:53Z

Sequence 11-9
Written by Mandi
Warnings: zOMG PROM.

“Don’t I look lovely, Daddy?!” Said Annie grandly, descendin the staircase a the Mitchell house, twirlin her burgundy prom gown.

“Well, good God!” Kurt adjusted the glasses he’d needed in his later years, examinin his daughter. “Don’t you look lovely?”

“Thank you, Daddy!” She pecked him on the cheek.

“Where’s your sister?” He asked as Junior came into the foyer and smiled lovingly at her beautiful daughter.

“I dunno, still getting ready,” she shrugged, then leaned forward an whispered, “she’s really nervous!”

“She’s been datin Vick for more’n a month, ain’t she?” Junior replied jus’ as quietly.

“Yeah, but she’s still in that ‘new girlfriend’ phase,” she said sagely. “Either that or she’s real nervous ‘bout goin t’prom with another girl.”

“Oh, poo,” Junior turned up her nose. “If a girl as nice an as pretty as Vick asked ME to prom, I’d have gone with her!”

“Guess I woulda been sittin home on prom night by myself,” Kurt teased.

“I can hear you, ya know,” came a voice, and Jackie appeared at the top a the stairs; everyone quite literally gasped.

She was a vision a loveliness in a poufy white dress that gathered in a soft billow at the hem. Her long hair was curled within an inch a its life an layin delicately at her shoulders. No one had ever seen her wear makeup before, but tonight she was decked in soft pastels that made her dark brown eyes radiate.

“Oh, Jackie!” Junior gasped.

“Jackie, you look… amazing,” Annie shook her head as if she weren’t seein the vision in front a her. “Told you that dress was right for you.”

“Yeah, yeah, you did.”

“She wanted t’wear a tux,” she rolled her eyes at her parents. “Thank God I talked her outta it!”

Jackie snorted.

“My babies,” their mother sighed, lookin at her two full grown girls. “Save a dance for your grandfathers, won’t you?”

“Will do,” they agreed.

**

“Save a dance for me at prom?” Jack only half teased, tyin his tie an flattenin it.

“Not on your life,” Ennis retorted, an weren’t too sure if he was serious or not. He had enough on his plate with havin t’watch after Jackie an Vick t’promise Jack much a any a his attention. “We gotta be watchin these badass kids.”

“Oh, I think they’ll be all right,” he smiled, kissin Ennis on the cheek. “Kids today ain’t what they used t’be.”

“No, they’re worse.”

“Hmm, sometimes. But they’re much more acceptin a folks like us an other kids like Jackie than they were when we were little whelps.”

“Times do change,” Ennis agreed, but still wasn’t sure if he wanted a whole school full a kids jus’ beggin for an excuse t’taunt the fuck outta somethin t’see him dancin with his husband.

“So… how ‘bout that dance?”

Ennis kissed him on the cheek in return. “We’ll see. We got two gals who’ll be expectin a dance with their granddaddies.”

**

“Hi,” Jackie nearly choked on her own words as Vick opened her front door, a vision a loveliness in a soft blue dress that stopped mid-calf. She had t’mentally stop herself from noticin the soft skin an curve a her muscles.

“Jackie! Hi,” she said a little softer, her face positively glowin.

“I, um… you look beautiful.”

“Thanks,” she braved it first an stepped forward t’hug her girlfriend, who grasped back with an urgency neither of ‘em were familiar with, even after their span a datin. Every time they saw each other, it was like the pull got stronger. She pulled away an examined her date. “Are you wearin lipstick?”

“I, yeah,” she touched her lips with an insecurity that made Vick laugh.

“It looks good,” Vick continued. “Ain’t sayin you need makeup, but.. you look real nice in it.”

“I dunno if girls like us are supposed t’wear this shit.”

“Girls like us,” she said gently, “can wear an do whatever we want.”

“Is that Jackie?” Mo called from inside the house.

“Um, yeah, Mom, it’s Jackie.”

“You gonna let her in or are ya conductin all a this from the porch?”

“Oh, God…” Vick covered her face. “D’you… d’you wanna come in?”

“Sure.”

Jackie mused over Vick’s embarrassment, not so sure she wouldn’t a done the same thing, only fendin off a nosey twin sister. Oh, God, I’m SO glad she found a prom date, even if it was last minute… Keeps her from hangin on me all night.

“Hi, Jackie!” Mo smiled broadly, a camera in hand. “Don’t you look wonderful?”

“Thank you, Mrs. Berg.”

“I’m still waitin on ya t’call me Mo.”

“Sorry,” she said, but didn’t add that she probably wasn’t gonna be on a first name basis with the woman for a little while yet.

“Now, onto the back yard,” she beckoned the girls towards the slidin glass porch door. “I want pictures a you girls in your prom dresses!”

Vick smiled embarrassed, an Jackie mouthed a quick “it’s okay” ‘fore sneakin a kiss behind Mo’s back.

**

“Why didn’t we get a limo?” Jack groused playfully.

“The midlife crisis mobile ain’t fittin?”

“We’re chaperones, Honey, kids see us showin up in this thing they’ll be keyin it or hot wirin it.”

Ennis wondered for a moment if maybe a limo wasn’t a better idea, but thought better of it. The last thing he needed was even more notoriety.

“Didja go t’your prom?” Jack asked suddenly.

The thought jarred him. “Naw, didn’t make it t’my later years. Stopped ‘fore sophomore year, they didn’t let the younger kids go anyway.”

“Me, neither,” he smiled. “Guess I’m finally gettin my prom date, even if it is a few years late.”

“We’re here t’watch these kids, not go on a date.”

“Well,” he shrugged, “still counts. I’m dressed up, I’m with my husband, which I think technically makes ya my date…”

“Don’t use that word.”

“Date? Why?”

“Puts too much goddamned pressure on me.”

“What’s worryin ya, anyway?” Jack leaned on his elbow against the side a the car door, hair blowin gently in the wind. “Y’been all squirreled up ‘bout this since Junior asked ya in March.”

“Gotta watch out for Jackie,” he said sadly.

“Why? She gonna do somethin?”

“She came with Vick.”

“So?”

“Ain’t simple like that,” he ran a hand through his hair, wonderin if the gel was gonna hold, reassured as the wind was blowin an his hair wasn’t.

“Nothin ever is, but… well, Jackie can take care a herself.”
**

“Want some more punch?” Jack asked loudly over the boomin music.

“WHAT?” Ennis shouted, squintin out a glare at a young boy who was dancin a little too close t’his date, darin him t’try puttin his hands any further south.

“Ease up, Darlin,” he laughed, jostlin Ennis’ concentration away from the boy. “They’re jus’ kids, let ‘em dance.”

“That ain’t dancin, Jack, that’s feelin a girl up to a music track.”

Jack roared good naturedly and went t’get them a drink. Ennis only half hoped that some kid had the decency t’spike it. He returned with two plastic cups with a bright red liquid that Ennis drank quickly, notin the rather sober feel of it, smirkin t’himself at a random memory of a wine Jack bought outta principle ‘cause it was called “Fat Bastard.”

“Seem nervous,” Jack remarked, balancin his cup between his fingers.

“Huh.” I’m in a damned monkey suit standin next to you with far too many high school kids starin at us an probably wonderin ‘bout how close you’re standin t’me, a course I’m nervous. Lucky I ain’t puked on my shoes.

“Save a dance for me?” The request wasn’t really that, but more like pleadin, like his whole night was gonna be wrecked if Ennis didn’t oblige him.

“I already gotta save one for the girls,” he grumbled. “Cain’t be that many dances in the night.”

Jack smiled good naturedly. “Popular, huh?”

Ennis sighed an tried t’sip the last remains a punch droplets outta his cup.

A slow number began pushin its somber love song outta the speakers an almost by instinct, kids started pairin up, hands droppin lower, eyes gettin dark with lust, hope… maybe love. Shit, they’re almost same age as Jack an I were when we met up… Jesus.

“Grandpa!” The girls called, rushin across the dance floor t’their boys, grabbin their hands with a childlike insistence Ennis didn’t remember seein in either of ‘em since they were twelve.

“You owe us a dance,” Jackie smiled, pullin at Jack’s hands.

“Put the punch down,” Annie fussed the cup outta Ennis’ hand an set it on a nearby table decorated with silver confetti an a single lit candle.

“Guess we got partners for this number,” he winked at his husband. “You got off easy this time.”

An somehow, Ennis felt worse for it, even though he was twirlin his granddaughter ‘round the dance floor, that maybe he should a been dancin with Jack after all. You ain’t gonna see these kids again, the hell d’you care if they see ya dance with your man?

“Ouch!” Annie yelped suddenly as her spacey grandfather stepped on her toes.

“Uh, sorry.”

She looked at him with that fixed look a hers, like she was tryin t’figure somethin out. “You danced with Grandpa Jack yet? Was that what he was talkin ‘bout?”

“Yeah… uh, no. No, I ain’t danced with him.”

“You gonna?”

“Dunno.” He spun her ‘round an as she came back into his arms, she smiled knowingly.

“You should. I know a good song for ya, if you want me t’request one.”

“Don’t hafta.”

“Okay,” she agreed, but looked awful sad in the doin.

**

“I ain’t seen Jackie for ‘bout twenty minutes,” Ennis groused later that evenin. “Or Vick, either.”

“You ain’t gonna go off on some man hunt for our granddaughter, Ennis Del Mar. Let her be. It’s hard enough bein a teenager in love, not only that, but in love with another girl, an on top a that, havin t’try an duck outta sight a your grandfathers t’get a kiss or two.”

“Goddammit…” He spun on his heel ‘til Jack caught him, but quickly let go, knowin how powerful uncomfortable Ennis would be ‘bout that sorta thing.

“Here, now.” His laugh was soft, but louder’n all the music in the whole room. “Don’t gotta be that way. C’mon, let’s go get some air.”

The boys pushed their way outta the ballroom an out into the hall. Jack held the door open for Ennis, steppin out into the cool night air. Had to admit, this was much better’n that horribly loud ballroom, though the music was still poundin in his ears.

“We’re supposed t’be chaperonin these kids,” Ennis grumbled, an oddly, didn’t move away when Jack put his arms ‘round him.

“They’ll be alright for a few moments. Here,” he pulled a small little device from his pocket, an iPod, yet another gadget a Jack’s that he’d never mastered or had the interest in anyhow. Jack separated the earphones, puttin one in his ear, the other in Ennis’. The little silver box clicked as he searched through his music, face lit up when he found the right song, hit play, an soft music floated in Ennis’ brain, almost knockin him off his feet, an mighta done just that if Jack hadn’t been anchorin him. “Figured we could have our own music… our own dance…” He leaned in, his cheek restin into Ennis’. “Will ya dance with me?”

He found his arms wrappin ‘round him without his permission. Woulda given it anyway. “Don’t seem like I got a choice.”

“Not really,” he could hear the smile. “I jus’ like the formality.”

“How is it we’re the only ones out here?” Ennis asked, findin Jack’s fingers wound up in his own.

“’Cause there are chaperones makin sure they don’t find it,” he laughed. “Didn’tcha pay attention? The kids’re supposed t’stay in the ballroom. No wanderin. I figured since we don’t actually go t’the school, the rules don’t apply t’us.”

“Hmm.” Couldn’t deny how goddamned good Jack felt pressed against him. When they were the same age as the other kids dancin away inside, this woulda fired him up somethin bad an he might a burst if he didn’t get his way with the man, but now… now it was warm an homey an familiar, right an good, an as he murmured “I love you” into the shell a Jack’s ear, he knew more than ever or anythin that them words were true.

TBC

fics_at_random @ 2009-08-21T09:28:00

2009-08-21T14:31:32Z

I can't quite figure out what's going on with me, but I'm horrendously oversleeping. A bit concerned, as I'm usually only in need of a few hours of zzz's, but the other day I slept TWELVE. DERNED. HOURS.

So yeah, wondering what the hell THAT'S about.

I'm taking specific energy vitamins to try and combat the fatigue until I can see my doctor and make sure my other medicine hasn't gone haywire or if it's a result of ... something?

I really freak out over medical issues, I think I always have. Even more so after I lost my dad. I know that oversleeping won't hurt me, but I love to make the worst out of any situation.

I'll be stupidly relieved when this is nothing in a few days.

Sequence 11-8 NC-17

2009-08-18T21:26:51Z

Sequence 11-8
Written by the Inedible Miss Mandi
Rated: NC-17. Lock up your kiddies.
Warnings: Homosexual themes, but do I even have to say that? You're reading a BBM fanfic, ya'll. :) Het be damned.

Sequence 11-8
Written by Mandi
Warnings/Ratings/Whatever: Disneyworld. PG. Homosexual themes, but I’m sure you deduced that by the fandom you’re reading. ;)

“You didn’t know?” Annie asked her grandfathers later that night on the bus ride back to the hotel. Jackie and Vick had picked seats far enough back where they were out of earshot of their chaperoning parental units, discussing what all had happened, what it meant and where things were going. From the few glances Ennis could steal, it looked promisin; they were havin their talk while holdin hands.

“No idea,” Jack shook his head, chewin on a piece a Mickey Mouse shaped cookie he’d bought at a little fudge shop that Ennis wouldn’t set foot in.

“Oh,” she flipped her long hair over her shoulder an casually braided her auburn tresses. Ennis had t’shake his head t’get the image a Junior outta his head; Goddammit, she looked like her mother. As if it had been the braidin that caught him off guard, she explained patiently, “I don’t feel like doin my hair ‘fore bedtime when we get back t’the room, I’m too tired.”

“Uh… sure thing.” He scratched the back a his neck. “Uh… Annie… how long’ve you known… uh, ‘bout your sister…”

She laughed. “Longer’n she has!”

Jack smirked. “Could say the same ‘bout your ole’ Grandpa Ennis, myself.”

“Here, now,” his eyebrows furrowed. Doug an Tess were sittin in the way back a the bus, their heads leaned up against one another, blissfully sleepin, an for some reason, the thought a Jackie doin that with Vick made him damned uncomfortable… oddly, it wasn’t on account a Vick bein a girl, it was on account a Jackie weren’t ready for any kinda relationship… she was only seventeen, after all, Ennis thought. “Has it been, uh… days, then? Coupla weeks?”

“Years,” she shrugged, pitchin the braid behind her again. “Yeah, years, I think. I knew for years, anyhow.”

“How’d you know?” Jack wound his arm ‘round Ennis’, who was too engrossed in the unfoldin of his youngest granddaughter’s life that he didn’t even bother t’flinch.

“Grandpa J,” she half rolled her eyes, “if you think Vick’s the first girl she done kissed, you got another think comin!”

Again, Jack laughed, but Ennis felt icicles formin on the inside walls a his stomach. This ain’t the first? She’s only seventeen! If Vick ain’t first, who the hell was? An when?!

“You can’t be tellin nobody this,” she leaned in, conspirin ‘cross the bus aisle, lookin back t’make sure Jackie was well distracted -- an she was, by the look a what Vick was doin with her right hand in her sister’s hair, “but ‘member Elysse Goodman’s graduation party when we were freshmen in high school?”

“Yeah…” Ennis said warily.

“Yup,” a gleam flashed in her eye, like she’d jus’ told her grandparents where t’find the Holy Grail in that damned DaVinci movie Jack had drug him to. Weird shit. Weird conspiracy shit he felt too dumb t’follow. Always did prefer a good Western.

“What, her?” Jack’s eyes grew wide. “Jesus, I’d a thought she’s a picked a better looker’n Elysse Goodman.”

“Me, too!” Roared Annie, who shot a glance quickly backward; still safe. “Caught ‘em kissin jus’ ‘fore we left the party at the lake. None a that cute little ‘goodbye, congratulations’ kinda kiss, this was…” She shuddered a little. “Well, I don’t like thinkin on it… Not ‘cause she’s gay, though, jus’ ‘cause she’s my sister, y’know? An sometimes, it’s kinda like watchin ME kiss Elysse, an if I can tell ya the truth, I can’t stand that whiny little…”

Now Ennis laughed, a little relieved. At least Annie weren’t interested in nobody… At least nobody she could drag home, he thought, rememberin Tyrone at Frederick Douglass High back in Atlanta.

**

“Did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

“Jackie Mitchell an Vick Berg!”

“They kissed!”

“Kissed?!”

“Kissed!”

“I heard they’re an item…”

“Item?”

“Are they datin? Really??”

The bus was abuzz with rumors on the ride back t’Wyomin. Neither Vick nor Jackie seemed t’give even half a shit, an sat in their bus seats together, experimentally holdin hands, much t’Ennis’ dismay.

“Shouldn’t be doin that,” he grumbled.

“Let ‘em be in love, Ennis,” Jack didn’t look up from the magazine he was readin. Somethin ‘bout the Haunted Mansion they went on. Nine hundred ninety nine haunts, lookin for one more… He was of half a mind t’throw Jack t’the Disney Ghosts outta exasperation.

The trip home seemed longer, since there weren’t much t’look forward to, unless ya counted sleepin in your own bed, clean laundry an a wiry greyhound dancin at the front door waitin t’see ya after a week. Ennis sighed pleasurably, thinkin a his side a the jus’ soft enough bed, leanin his head back against the headrest, lettin his eyes close with ease, for the first time on the entire trip, findin a gentle sorta peace, slippin into sleep an driftin off as the convoy rumbled home.

**

“Mom! Dad!” Annie rushed towards her parents, huggin ‘em each in turn, exchangin the usual “I missed yous” and “I love yous” and “How was your trips?”

Jackie approached a little more cautiously, hand in hand with her new lover, her new life… her face was a mix of determination, fear an maybe shame… shame that she’d never said somethin earlier…

Kurt was the first t’look up at her an his eyes immediately fell on the girls’ clasped hands. Vick bit her lip an averted her mismatched eyes. Jackie didn’t move.

“Is this what I think?” He asked quietly. Junior said nothin, but did not look in the least bit surprised.

“Daddy… I… This is Vick.”

He took a step forward passed Annie, who looked rather worried an shot a glance at her sister that was meant t’reassure her, but probably did the opposite. Kurt drew himself up t’his full, impressive height. His face gave away little, if not nothin. He looked from his daughter t’her lover, an finally spoke t’Vick.

“Vick…” He nodded. “Short for…?”

“Victoria,” she said quickly. “M.. My name is Victoria. Victoria Berg.”

“Well, Victoria Berg… can’t shake your hand if it’s holdin onto hers, now, can I?” An his face split into a warm smile. “Nice t’meet ya.”

“N-nice t’meet you, too, Mr. Mitchell…”

Jack, Ennis an Annie breathed a collective sigh a relief that they knew all along they didn’t need t’be holdin. Ennis felt a hand slip ‘round his waist; he didn’t move t’correct it.

**

“Welcome home!” Elsie called as the front door opened, hurryin t’help with the bags. Spud barked excitedly, bumblin off a the couch, (Jack appropriately dubbed Spud “the world’s fastest couch potato”), tearin through the house an jumpin up onto Ennis’ thighs.

“Spud, giddown!”

“Hiya, Elsie,” Jack smiled, kissin her on the cheek. “Dammit, it’s good t’be home… we missed it. Missed you.”

“Missed my cooking, more like,” she laughed, kissin Ennis on the cheek in turn. “Disneyworld charges a fortune for one crappy hot dog, at least with me, ya get the goods ya pay for!”

“If that ain’t the truth,” Ennis nodded, hoistin a duffle bag over his shoulder.

“Can I take anythin for ya?”

“This here’s all we took,” Jack shook his head. “Y’can take the rest a the day off, we’re jus’ gonna get some sleep.”

“Tired from the trip?” She went t’the coat closet an retrieved her light spring jacket.

“Yeah…”

“Well, it’s good t’have ya home,” she called over her shoulder. “I left the key on the kitchen counter…”

“That’s great,” Jack shouted, shoulderin the bedroom door open. “Thanks again, Elsie.”

“Have a good rest!”

The front door closed, an it took less than the time it took for the sound a it t’hit their ears in the upstairs bedroom for Jack t’toss his suitcase aside an knock the bag outta Ennis’ hand, swipin him off a his feet an landin on top a him on the bed.

“Ooof! Goddammit, Jack!”

“Been wantin t’do this since we hit Stone Mountain…” He growled, nippin ‘long the curve a his lover’s neck. “Or maybe that high school… Hell, think I was wantin it when we got on the bus at River Valley…”

“Hmm,” he sighed, knowin there weren’t no fightin Jack Twist, not when he got somethin like this in his head an other more cherished parts.

“Thought ‘bout maybe sneakin my hand down the front a your pants on Splash Mountain, but you were already so pissed ‘bout it that I figured you’d only holler at me…”

“Probably…” He hitched a leg over Jack’s hip, a hand cuppin the dip a his back.

“Goddammit, you drive me crazy,” Jack groaned, archin his back downwards an into Ennis’ groin, elicitin a soft moan a pent up pleasure, a week’s worth, if not more.

Didn’t take Jack very long t’work Ennis’ belt loose, nuzzlin the thick thatch a hair between his legs, hands tracin down Ennis’ thighs with a gentle urgency that weren’t exactly demandin, but weren’t willin t’wait, neither.

The familiar warm depths a Jack’s lips encircled him an Ennis threw his head back against the mattress an groaned with an odd sense a relief. Even now, he felt kinda guilty when Jack pleasured him this way, since he weren’t doin much in return, but after a week a no contact, a week that he hadn’t been fully conscious of, he couldn’t be bothered t’think on it jus’ now, especially with Jack’s tongue swirlin on him like that…

It didn’t take more than a few moments ‘fore he burst, givin Jack all the warnin he could with a hitched gasp. Seemed all fine by Jack, however, who swallowed quickly ‘til Ennis, who hadn’t realized he’d arched his back so violently, fell back against the bed.

“Love you,” he whispered, so quietly he weren’t so sure he’d been heard until there came a soft kiss on his thigh. He made a motion t’pull his husband on top of him, who asked somethin ‘bout everythin bein okay, an he only nodded.

The familiar fullness took him, like it did every time, an Ennis bit down on the inside a his cheek. No matter how many times he let Jack be on top, he never could get used t’the feelings. Always took a few moments for things t’settle, t’get used t’havin another human bein inside a your body… an invasion?

No, an invitation.

But the feelin a bein so deeply connected t’someone else was a feelin he could never duplicate, even when he was buried t’the hilt within Jack; bein taken was a completely different animal. Maybe not as pleasurable in the physical sense, but the way it put his life into perspective, it jus’ couldn’t be, an he smiled at the thought, topped.

“What is it?” Jack panted, his muscles tensin; he was close.

“Nothin,” Ennis sighed, an clenched down at jus’ the right time, sendin his partner hurtlin over the edge with no lookin back, collapsin in a hot, heavy heap on his chest.

“Hmm…”

“Huh.”

Neither could muster any more intelligent utterances than that.

**

“You knew it, too?” Ennis sighed over the phone with Junior, regalin the happenings a the trip.

“Of course, I’m her mother,” Junior laughed. “’Sides, she told me.”

“Why you?” He asked, ‘fore he could think better of it… She was, after all, Jackie’s momma. Why wouldn’t she? “I mean, uh… didn’t she know she could tell us? Me an Jack, a all people?”

“Would you want t’tell your grandparents ‘bout your desires for someone else? Anyone else, man or woman?”

Ennis thought for a moment; he wouldn’t a been tellin his grandma ‘bout nothin, not girls, not Jack…. Guess it stood t’reason that Jackie wouldn’t want her crazy old grandpas knowin she was in love, period, not jus’ with another girl.

“Jack feels bad about it,” she continued, “but I told her you two would understand.”

“Yeah, I do, I jus’… wish I coulda said somethin t’her.”

“Daddy, honestly… would you a taken advice from someone at that age?”

Ennis laughed. “I ain’t takin no advice at this age, Darlin.”

“See?”

“So, uh… what’s t’come a her an.. an Vick?”

“Well,” Junior’s smile could be heard through the phone. “For starters, she’s takin her to the prom this May.”

Ennis’ stomach dropped; they’re gonna get teased or worse… I know it, I know it, I know it!

“An was wonderin if you’d maybe… come chaperone the dance?” She kept right on talkin as his mind whirled ‘round with fears for his granddaughter, an suddenly felt fiercely protective, knowin he should be there t’make sure nothin went wrong for the girls.

“Hell, we’ll be there,” he said without thinkin, without it registerin that he’d just volunteered himself, probably irrevocably, t’chaperonin a dance.

“Oh, thank you, Daddy!” She sounded like she was nine again, like she did at Christmas when he an Jack bought her that damned doll she wanted so bad from the local toy store, the one that talked and pissed its pants or somethin.

After he hung up, Jack passed through the livin room with Spud at his heels, ready t’go for their evenin walk, or as Ennis called it, “drag.” Spud was a powerful dog, as skinny as he was that sumbitch had muscle and could yank a grown man happily down the street; he knew, he’d seen him do it t’Jack.

“Uh… we still got them monkey suits from our weddin?”

Jack stared at him blankly. “I.. no, why?”

“’Cause we’re gonna need ‘em, Darlin. I think we’re goin t’prom.”

TBC

fics_at_random @ 2009-08-10T19:20:00

2009-08-11T00:38:08Z

Conchordian Crush
Tink/Bobble: Goggles
If You Love Me, Tell Me
Innocent Love
Theater Pals
Together Forever: Jack/Sally
I Love You
Ghosts Of My Dreams
In The Realm Of The Fairy Queen
The King and I
The Trouble With Ravenclaws
Mandi & Hercules: Zero To Hero
A Dixie Funeral At DisneyWorld
Miss Mandi and the Hobby Horse
Centauresses

ME! MacIvor Girl

Sequence 11-7

2009-08-07T23:00:17Z

Sequence 11-7
Written by Mandi
Rated PG to PG13, just in case.

Sequence 11-7
Written by Mandi
Rated PG-13ish. Just to be safe.
A/N: Look out, Disneyworld, here come Jack and Ennis!

“I ain’t goin,” Ennis said for the third time that minute. The hundredth time that hour. He couldn’t keep track a how many times he’d said it that day, but he weren’t goin on that damned Splash Mountain.

Jack only smiled, thumbin Ennis’ chin with his thumb and goin back t’readin the map.

“Grandpa Ennis,” Annie sighed, takin her grandfather’s arm. “I ain’t goin withoutcha.”

“Good, you can wait on the ground with me while these two go get themselves killed on that damned ride.”

“Haunted Mansion?” Suggested Jackie, flippin the attention away from the argument between Ennis an her sister. She rolled her eyes at Vick, who was walkin beside her. Vick only snickered politely, but shot an apologetic glance Ennis’ way.

“Haunted Mansion,” agreed Jack, foldin the map back up into his pocket. The disagreement, for the moment forgotten, could be drudged up some other time.

**

“Haha, look at that!” Annie pointed at the portrait of John Gracey, which was aging into a skeleton right before Ennis’ eyes. He blinked quickly an looked again, but rememberin he was in “the happiest and most magical place on earth,” reminded himself that portraits could probably do that.

“Ladies and Gentlemen,” shouted a man in a dark Victorian suit, his nametag readin ‘Vince.’ “If you will please move your carcasses along to the right or left side! Thank you!”

He didn’t smile, which for some reason unnerved Ennis. Jackie, Annie an Vick looked at each other an broke into giggles.

“Are ya really not enjoyin yourself?” Asked Jack, leanin in so only he an Ennis could hear it.

“I am,” he half lied. Hated waitin in all these damned fool lines all day for three minutes on a glorified rollercoaster that he didn’t care for no how, but he wasn’t gonna tell Jack that.

They were ushered into a small room, remindin Ennis how much he didn’t care for enclosed spaces. Jack had called him “claustrophobic” on it a few years back an Ennis jus’ snorted at him an ignored the fact that his husband was probably right, knew him better than he knew himself, an pretended the spaces didn’t bother him as much as they did. The portraits surroundin him started stretchin, revealin strange paintings, the one catchin his eye was that of a young girl holdin an umbrella on a tightrope; as the portrait stretched out, an open mouthed alligator appeared beneath her. Another cold eyed man stood on a powderkeg. Three men on one another’s shoulders were sinkin in quicksand. A woman sat on her “beloved George’s” tombstone with an axe buried in it. Jack’s face was completely lit up with amusement; Ennis wanted a drink an had t’remind himself it was just some strange old man’s idea a fun

Frozen ole’ weird ass dead man, he grumbled t’himself. Wouldn’t be surprised t’see ole’ Walt in here as part a the decoration.

The lights flickered in mock lightnin an thunder roared in the small room; Ennis jumped an grabbed for Jack’s hands as the girls beside him shrieked in spooked delight. Fingers squeezed back in that assurin way a Jack’s, the one that said, “don’t worry, Tough Guy, I won’t say nothin.”

The room musta been some kind a elevator, ‘cause steppin out, he found himself in a completely different place.

“Chicken Door’s that way,” Jack whispered in a half playful manner, noddin his head at some less disturbin portraits an a door leadin out, which a set a parents were takin their hollerin eight year old back into the safety a daylights. Ennis glared at him, only half meanin it, an walked behind the three a the girls in their charge for the “Doom Buggies.”

A husky, disquietin male voice filled the room ‘bout bein their “ghost host,” an several a what he’d come to understand were Disney Cast Members walked in place, not movin a single inch forward; it was jus’ a conveyor belt an he knew it, but the appearance was jus’… strange.

For Christ’s sake, this is a kids’ ride, he thought t’himself. Stop gawkin at it like you was one yourself… or the way Jack is.

Once secured in their Doom Buggie in front a the girls, Jack quietly took Ennis’ hand an smiled. Somehow, it was comfortin t’feel his warm hand in his, even though this was jus’ some kids’ ride, as he’d told himself a hunnert times. Never was one for haunted houses or any kind a shit like that. He remembered goin to the county fair as a kid with his family, one a the last trips they took together as well as one a the only, an everyone but him an his momma went into the Fun House. Everyone knew it was a haunted house an K.E. an Rosie never let him forget that he didn’t go in.

“Stay out here with me, Ennis,” Momma had said, holdin his hand in hers, same way Jack was right now. “I don’t like them fun houses, they scare me.”

He remembered lookin up into her eyes an smilin gratefully for her understandin.

The ride lurched forward an lifted ‘em up into “The Bride’s Attic.” There were portraits of some hauntingly beautiful bride, the story a which he weren’t clear on, but she must a died or some shit. A course she died, you gotta be dead t’be in a haunted house. He remembered the girls pointin out her weddin ring in the pavement while they were in line waitin t’get on.

Wouldn’t Elsie have a shit fit in here? He thought t’himself an laughed softly, almost admirin the clutter an cobwebs that hadn’t decked his house since that woman showed up.

A dead organist played out a somber tune, ghostly dancers locked forever in that dusty ballroom they were passin through. Jack squeezed his hand again, an Ennis squeezed back with a friendly sorta ease.

“Let’s hope we jus’ go Home an dance,” Jack’s eyes glowed a ghostly blue in the lack a light.

“Wherever we end up after this,” Ennis said softly, “I’m sure we’ll be dancin.”

**

“Cain’t believe you talked me into this shit,” growled Ennis, wipin at his dampened shirt. “Told ya I didn’t wanna go on that Splash Bullshit…”

“Splash Mountain,” Jack laughed, hummin the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah tune that’d been blastin on the way outta that wet hell ride.

“Haha, hold still, your glasses are all…” Jackie pulled Vick’s shades off a the top a her head an wiped ‘em on her wet shirt, smearin fingerprints an more water on the lenses. “Ah… sorry.”

“Nah,” Vick shrugged an put the shades over her mismatched eyes. “I weren’t gonna get ‘em dry, neither.”

“Why do you cover your eyes up all the time?” Annie asked.

“Yeah, they’re beautiful,” Jackie continued, goin a little pink from the sun exposure. “I mean, if I had eyes like that, I’d show ‘em off all the time.”

Vick shrugged. “Thanks, but I gotta wear shades a lot ‘cause my eyes are real sun sensitive. Just comes with the territory.”

“Oh,” Jackie nodded. “That… that sucks.”

“Least I have eyes to see with,” she smiled. “Mom always told me that when I bitched ‘bout bein different.”

“Nothin wrong with bein different,” Jack put a hand on Vick’s shoulder an shook her gently. Ennis felt a little uncomfortable at the words, an more’n a little visible, wonderin if everyone who looked at him in The Happiest Place On Earth knew he was different, too.

The sun was sinkin as they headed for the mainland, as Annie called it. Jack said it was called Main Street. There was supposed t’be fireworks that night, their last night at Disney ‘fore returnin home. As much fun as everythin had been, Ennis was more’n ready t’sleep in his own bed and weren’t cherishin one last night a sleepin sittin up on a bus or wakin up half slumped over on Jack, only makin his differences further noticeable.

They stopped at a little hot dog stand for dinner, not feelin like nothin fancy. Jackie an Annie chattered nonstop ‘bout the ghosts at the Haunted Mansion, their favorite ride, while Vick politely pointed out her favorite had been Splash Mountain, an winked at Ennis.

“I’m gonna miss this,” Vick sighed. “I don’t think my life is ever gonna get no better that this. This is my highlight -- I played with my band at Disneyworld. It’s all downhill from here.”

“Wait ‘til your kids are born,” Jack smiled. “Or your grandkids. Or when you get married. This’ll all be bullshit to that.”

Vick looked away. “I ain’t marriage material.”

“Oh, stop,” Jackie shook her shoulder a little. “Even I know that not havin a boyfriend in high school don’t mean nothin!”

“Love finds ya when ya stop lookin,” Ennis said sagely, lookin over at his beloved Jack, surprised for the first time on this trip that he was chaperonin his granddaughters at Disneyworld, eatin hot dogs overlookin the waterfront.

“He’s got some good advice from time t’time,” Jack laughed.

Vick didn’t look convinced; she bit into the last bite of her hot dog, chewed gingerly an swallowed with a reservation no child her age should have.

**

“Great spots,” Annie smiled back at her grandparents; they were practically at the iron bars separatin the guests from the water. Jack had somehow managed t’keep pushin forward in the crowd t’get here, some people gettin bored with the waitin on the fireworks.

Jackie an Vick were surprisingly quiet, insistin they’d eaten too much for dinner, though neither one had hardly picked at much a anything in Ennis’ eyes. He wondered for a moment if Vick hadn’t said somethin ‘bout her feelings for his granddaughter, but resisted from askin; weren’t his business, first of all, an second… he couldn’t find the words no matter how bad he wanted t’know.

“I think Vick said somethin,” he said finally t’his husband when he was sure the girls weren’t listenin.

“’Bout what?”

“Jesus, Jack, that Vick cares ‘bout her… wants t’be… t’be with her,” he looked at her painfully, knowin how awful that feelin was. “They ain’t talkin no more.”

“Jackie said she ate too much,” Jack shrugged.

“That girl eats like a goddamned army,” he groused. “She ate half a hot dog an handed the rest off t’me, does that sound like our girl?”

He shook his head. “We can’t go fixin this for ‘em.”

“Weren’t goin to, but…”

“Sometimes,” Jack sighed, soundin real pitiful sad, “sometimes love jus’ don’t work out the way you want it to.”

Ennis rebelled in his head; well, Goddammit, it should! He felt a roarin need t’set it all right for Vick, for Jackie… Maybe more for Vick than his own granddaughter; if only he could make ‘em both see how hard it was..

CRACK, BOOM!

The sky split open an fireworks rained down an fizzled out. Clap after thunderous clap a explosions went off, lightin up the night sky as if it were daytime. He’d never seen fireworks as bright or colorful as these, rememberin back to a Fourth a July with little Junior where he kicked some foul mouthed bastard’s teeth in for cussin in front a his daughter.

The music accompanyin the fireworks were damned near drowned out by the noise a the explosions. He looked over at the girls again; at least Vick an Jackie were smilin now, a far better look on ‘em than that strange, pained distant…

Jackie an Vick looked at each other an the smiles on their faces disappeared; Vick’s hands came up an pushed a strand a flyaway hair outta Jackie’s eyes, trailin down t’her cheeks and then… then the earth spiraled outta its course an went hurtlin into the moon.

Ennis’ mouth fell open; Vick’s lips touched Jackie’s… An Jackie was kissin back! Full on, arms ‘round the other girl’s waist beneath the firework-lit sky. Annie, standin right beside ‘em, hadn’t even noticed.

“Jack!” Ennis gasped. “Look!”

“Damned fine idea,” an he moved in, takin Ennis completely by surprise; a few people moved aside, but not too many appeared t’care. Those who were disgusted weren’t sayin nothin ‘bout it, jus’ content t’let Ennis’ face burn off from the red hot embarrassment an confusion racin through his veins.

Once Jack let him go, ‘fore he could snap out somethin ‘bout the right time an place for things, his eyes shot back for his granddaughter an her… friend? Vick was smilin an blushin, if possible, brighter’n Ennis, an Jackie looked surprised an acceptin all at once. She looked up an saw Ennis starin open mouthed at her, an quickly moved away from Vick.

“Grandpa!”

“That’s okay, Honey’,” Jack smiled. “We had the same idea.”

“I didn’t… I’m so… I didn’t know how to tell you…”

“Tell me… tell me? You didn’t know how t’tell me… this?”

Jackie’s face fell an Vick bit her lip an fussed nervously with her braid. “Grandpa, I’m so sorry…”

“Ain’t that,” Jack filled in quickly ‘fore the tears could form in her eyes. “We jus’ wished y’knew you could tell us, above anyone else, ‘bout this… Not that it’s our business no how, right, Darlin?”

“Uh… sure thing.”

Jackie ran forward an scooped both a her boys into her arms an hugged ‘em, apologizin profusely, none of which registered t’Ennis’ shocked ears. After a short moment, she broke away an headed back off towards Vick, takin her hands an lookin at her with a confused sorta understandin ‘bout what she’d jus’ done an the direction her life jus’ went coursin down; clearly, they both had a lot a talkin t’do.

TBC

Sequence 11-6

2009-07-13T09:51:45Z

Sequence 11:6
Written by Mandi
Rated PG, whatever. Nothing too offensive unless big talking rodents and Disneyworld aren’t your thing.
A/N: Based on my personal experience.

“Oh, thank God, a real bed!” Annie cried, flopping onto the hotel mattress. “Kind of.”

“Hardly,” Jackie rolled her eyes.

“At least we’re off that bus,” Jack reminded ‘em.

“You gonna call your mother?” Ennis prodded, whippin out a cell phone Jack insisted they buy two of. Hated the damned thing. “She’ll wanna hear all ‘bout the stop in Georgia at that school… an you may as well tell her you’re not sick no more.”

“Ain’t gonna tell her in the first place,” Annie pushed her long auburn hair outta her eyes. “No sense in worryin her over somethin that’s done an over with.”

“Tell her ‘bout Tyrone!” Jackie shouted, jumpin up in one leap onto the bed an bouncin up an down ‘til Ennis stopped her.

“Shut up!” Annie turned as burgundy as the bedsheets.

“Tyrone?”

“Boy she met back at Frederick Douglass,” Jackie continued from the ground. “Real cute, says he liked her long hair, saw ‘em smoochin in the hallway ‘fore we left.”

“You bitch!”

“Language!” But Jack couldn’t help but laugh. “So, Annie, sounds like you found yourself a man.”

“She…”

“I DID NOT!” Annie looked like she might cry.

“Okay, okay, everybody stop!” Ennis separated the two girls, Jackie laughin so hard that she might kill herself, an if she didn’t, Annie was sure ready t’do it for her. “We’re on vacation!”

“Who wants t’go down t’the pool?”

The four took turns in the small, cramped bathroom changin into their suits an joined another group of their high school kids headin down t’the pool. For reasons he couldn’t figure, Ennis very badly wanted t’hold Jack’s hand, but couldn’t, seein two sneerin boys behind ‘em watchin with a readiness t’pass judgment the likes Ennis never saw before. He rubbed the back a his sunburned neck, wonderin how he’d managed t’get one after only two hours picnicking under the Stone Mountain, Georgia sun that day.

“Hi!” Shouted a familiar voice, an Vick bounded up beside ‘em from half a hallway away. She ran faster’n a deer!

“Oh, heya, Vick,” Jack smiled, turnin ‘round, walkin backwards as he chatted with her. “You comin for a swim?”

“M’all dressed an ready,” she grinned. “How’d ya’ll like that stop at Frederick Douglass? An my mom says we’re stoppin at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the way home, I really wanna see that.”

“I ain’t got the itinerary memorized,” Ennis shook his head an Jack fixed him with a look. He quickly added more t’make it seem like he wasn’t tryin t’be an ass.. (He wasn’t.) “Might send m’daughter a postcard from there.”

“Y’remember all them postcards I used t’send you?” Jack grinned lopsidedly an Ennis flushed scarlet. “Back when we were courtin?”

“Postcards?” Vick cocked her head.

“Always sent him one askin for a vacation together; we lived in different states.”

“Jack…”

“That musta sucked,” she kicked the cheap hotel carpet with her sandaled foot. “Lovin someone from far away.”

“It was hard.”

“I don’t think we should be talkin ‘bout this…” Ennis muttered, his face matchin his burnt neck.

“Sorry,” an she really looked it.

“Nah, it’s no bother,” Jack went on as though Ennis had said nothin. “I think it’s perfectly fine t’wonder ‘bout folks like us.”

“You do?”

“Sure. Don’t see too many folks like us, do ya?”

“My uncle is gay,” she said bluntly.

“Your momma told us,” Ennis added. “Uh, on the bus.”

“I love him,” she smiled. “I don’t care that he’s gay. He could love a rock an it wouldn’t matter t’me. I don’t care as long as people are safe, respectful an happy.”

“Got a good head on your shoulders, there, Vick,” an Jack tugged on her red roped braid hangin over her shoulder.

“I wonder sometimes,” she said quietly. “If… you know, if I am or not, but… I guess it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“Like you said, as long as you’re safe, respectful an happy, it don’t.”

She smiled approvingly an held the door t’the pool area open for Jack an Ennis. They picked a few lawn chairs t’sit on an watched as a horde of teenagers leapt into the still waters an turned it into their own personal playground. Jackie was playin Chicken Fights with her sister, sittin on a young boy’s shoulders with hair almost as long as hers; Jack caught Vick watchin the boy an smilin slightly.

“Good looker,” he teased.

She blushed. “Yeah… sure is. Don’t know I’m alive, though.”

“Why not go talk t’him?”

“Him?”

“Yeah, the…” Realization dawned on Ennis as a splash a cold pool water hit him on the abdomen. “Oh…. OH! You were lookin at… Jackie???”

Vick didn’t answer, but looked at him imploringly with those broken colored eyes. “Is… that okay?”

“Oh, honey,” Jack shook his head. “’Course it is, but uh… She’s not…”

Her shoulders slumped. “I know.”

“Don’t get us wrong, she ain’t gonna have any kinda fit, but… she…” Jack stumbled on his own words.

“She’s the one that got me thinkin ‘bout… ‘bout maybe I was… I dunno.” Vick looked like she might cry.

“Here, here, here,” Ennis scooched his chair into the glass table an pulled his gym bag that Jack had bought him for this trip out an dumped a box a cards on the table. “Black Jack, anybody?”

“Of all the card games in the world, Ennis Del Mar,” Jack rolled his eyes teasingly, “ya gotta pick that one?”

**

Bzzz, bzzzz, bzzz, bzzz…

“Ungh.”

“Fuck.”

“No…..”

“Mmmph.”

Ennis, Jack, Annie an Jackie all groaned; it was too early t’be awake; yet the alarm was hummin away, naggin at ‘em t’wake up an get themselves movin.

“Ain’t we supposed t’be in charge a our own vacation?” Jackie slid outta bed, shakin her sister who had fallen back asleep. “C’mon, sis, move your ass.”

“Language,” grumbled Ennis dozily. All them years gettin up at dawn an after one long bus ride t’Florida, he couldn’t pull himself outta that miserable hotel bed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jackie grabbed her towel an headed for the shower.

Once everyone was dressed an somewhat functional, they opened the door a their second story hotel room, lookin down into the pool courtyard and the breakin sun. Jackie stepped out first an nearly flattened Vick, who was on her way down t’breakfast.

“Woah, there! Sorry!” She looked more than a little startled, an Jack an Ennis looked at each other nervously. “Didn’t see ya openin the door…”

“No, no, that’s fine… Vick, right?”

Jack, Ennis an Vick all looked rather shocked. “Yeah… Vick Berg.”

“Nice eyes,” she nodded. “Real cool.”

“Oh, uh… thanks, they work for me, I guess.”

“Where are you sittin for breakfast? You wanna join us?”

“I, um… yeah, I do, is it okay if my mom joins us?”

“More the merrier,” Annie smiled, pullin Jackie by the hand down the steps. “We’ll save a couple a seats for ya.”

“Sure, thanks…”

Once outta earshot a Vick an the twins, Ennis looked at Jack, wide eyed. “Hell was that?”

“Nothin, Ennis, our daughter’s bein friendly. Jus’ hope poor Vick don’t take it the wrong way.”

“We oughta tell her…”

“Don’t you dare, Ennis Del Mar,” Jack looked stern, an worse, serious. “Them girls gotta figure out their own shit, an it ain’t your business outtin Vick to … well, anybody.”

“Out? She ain’t…” Queer? Hell, don’t say that, Jack’ll slap that word right back into your mouth an make you swallow it. Come t’think on it, Ennis weren’t too fond a the word himself an wondered how it had managed t’slip into his mind. Queer weren’t no kinda word he’d use t’talk ‘bout a nice girl like Vick… or… or himself an Jack.

The four sat down at a table, Jackie stayin behind as the others went up to the buffet in order to make sure Vick knew where they were sittin. When the three returned with full plates, Jackie was chatterin amiably with Mo, Vick seated on the other side a her mother, lookin a little confused an more’n a bit surprised.

Breakfast was a slightly uncomfortable affair for Ennis; he watched Vick steal glances at his granddaughter. Didn’t upset him, but he felt bad for her, knowin how she was pinin away for someone who weren’t gonna return her affections… couldn’t.

He looked over at Jack; how lucky did I get that I picked the one fella who could return mine? He nearly choked on his scrambled eggs; never really did think of it like that ‘fore… that he’d chosen Jack, but he had. He’d decided t’leave Alma an run away with this man, start up a pretty damned good life together… How was it he’d never realized before that he’d picked Jack?

Or had Jack picked him?

Did it matter?

He leaned over, (after politely swallowin his bite a jellied toast first), an pecked Jack on the cheek, leavin a slightly sticky strawberry preservative smear behind.

“I tell you what, he’s the damnedest thing,” Jack said through a blush.

“I think it’s nice t’get a kiss from your man,” Mo said approvingly. “Arthur used t’do that t’me, too… jus’ kiss me sometimes, no real reason… it was like he was thinkin how special I was an didn’t have words t’tell me.”

Vick looked down at her lap sadly, then looked up at Jack an Ennis. “My daddy died of cancer last year.”

“Ah, Jesus, I’m so sorry t’hear it,” Jack set down his coffee without sippin it.

“S’okay,” she nodded quickly, jumpin a little when Jackie reached behind Mo an touched Vick’s back soothingly.

“Never is easy,” Ennis said softly. “Lost my folks when I was nine, so I, uh… I kinda know what that’s like.”

Vick forced a sad smile an nodded.

“This is our vacation,” Mo said briskly, like she was shakin away sad memories herself. “We ain’t supposed t’be grievin, we’re supposed t’be havin fun!”

“Dad told us ‘fore he left that he didn’t want us t’think a him a be sad,” Vick continued, an a smile broke across her face an she burst out laughin.

“What is it?” Mo looked puzzled.

“Member when we were puttin our underground pool away for the fall an winter? Daddy had t’hold onto the tarp on one end an the wind kept blowin it up in his face? He was screamin, ‘Goddamned sonofabitchin wind!’”

Everyone joined Vick in her laughter, an Ennis was sorry he’d missed such a man.

**

“This sucks,” grouched Jackie, layin her head on her sister’s shoulder.

“Why’d we have t’wear wool uniforms in Florida?” Demanded Annie, pushin Jackie off a her shoulder. “It’s too hot, don’t hang on me!”

“Cause y’look so damned good in ‘em,” Jack snapped a photo with the digital camera he’d purchased for the trip; Ennis remembered the first camera he’d brought home and wondered how long it’d take him to learn the mechanics a this one.

“Couldn’t we jus’ play in… shorts an tee shirts?”

“Stop your whinin,” Dwight shouted good naturedly to his crabby band students. “I’m wearin one, too, plus this damned hat, an if my fat rear end is gonna roast in one a these wool things, your scrawny butts will survive it, too, I assure you!”

A few a the kids laughed, an Jackie made a rude hand gesture that Annie quickly pushed away and glared at.

“Glad I ain’t wearin one a those,” Jack laughed. Ennis knew he’d said that at least three times earlier that day, but couldn’t remember when an realized he oughta be payin better attention ‘fore he got yelled at on account.

“The girls’ll look back on this some day and be real glad they did it,” he said, his mind blissfully “vacation blank” as he stared at the back lot where the buses parked. He had a decent view a the Magic Kingdom, knowin the girls were gonna drag him an Jack all over it by day’s end.

The students got off the bus an let out a group groan -- it was at least eighty degrees, Ennis reckoned, maybe more. Didn’t bother mentionin it t’anybody; no one wanted t’hear it an it’d jus’ make everyone miserable. Jack, sensin the thought, most like, winked. They shuffled with instruments an wool uniforms over to a garden plaza with a little stage where an orchestra was jus’ finishin up, a small crowd applaudin politely. Ennis couldn’t help but notice the woman with deep brown hair sittin in the front row with a little Asian girl on her lap; the woman was wearin a huge golden ball gown!

“That’s Belle, Grandpa,” Jackie snickered. “From Beauty an’ the Beast?”

“Huh?”

“She’s one a the Disney Princesses,” Jack reminded him. “We watched the movie with the girls a long time ago.”

“What’s she doin dressed up like that?”

“That’s how Belle dresses,” Annie explained patiently. “Belle lives in Disneyworld.” To which, she smiled knowingly at Jackie an her other grandfather.

“All the characters live here,” Jack told him. “Was plannin on runnin into a few of ‘em, gettin some pictures with ‘em.”

Shit, an knowin my goddamned luck, he’ll make Christmas cards outta ‘em.

The two cowboys took their places in the audience; regrettably for Ennis, Jack herded him into a seat close to Belle, right behind her. She turned around an smiled wide an white an perfect, the little girl on her lap peerin over her shoulder.

“That’s a very nice hat,” she said kindly.

“Huh?” He looked up, feelin a little silly when Belle giggled, an realized he was wearin his cowboy hat.

“Are you a real cowboy?”

“I, uh…”

“Yes, M’am,” Jack cut in, maybe for the sake a the little girl she was holdin, maybe t’embarrass Ennis, he weren’t too sure. With Jack, it was always hard t’tell. “All the way from Wyomin.”

“Wyomin?” She repeated in the same tone an accent. “I’ve never heard of such a place! I live in a castle with Prince Adam. Is Wyomin in the Realm?”

“Oh, very far away,” he continued, smilin at Ennis. “We got horses there. You like horses?”

“Oh, yes! I have a horse named Phillipe,” she smiled. “He’s a very good boy. Do you like horses?” She asked the girl sittin on her lap, who looked like she was startin t’feel left out.

“My daddy says I can’t have one,” she said mournfully, an a man sittin nearby smiled knowingly who musta been her father. “I think we could… we could, um… we could keep it in the garage, but he says no ‘cause we gotta keep the car there.”

“Oh, look, honey, the band is starting to play,” the older man beside Belle said, pointin his daughter’s attention t’the stage.

T’say Ennis was proud a his kids wouldn’t a been enough. He’d heard someone once talk ‘bout music bein like magic, an how it could bring two real different people together… but this music really was magic -- not like it had been at that school where it felt like an electrical charge sparkin through the room… but magic like a fairytale princess sittin in the row ahead a you with a little girl on her lap swayin t’the beat a the song… An for a moment, jus’ a moment, she wasn’t a woman dressed as Belle, but a real fairytale princess, an he was a guest in her realm…

Harry Potter New Gen Art

2009-06-25T05:29:38Z

The New Generation HP Art

Say what you will about the epilogue, but I LOVE the HP Kiddos! So the names were cliche, big deal. I still liked it. :)

Teddy Loves Victoire
T/V: Sharing A Hufflepuff Scarf
T/V: Midnight Broomstick Ride
T/V Kiddos: OINK!
T/V: Pennies From Heaven WIP
Teddy/Rosie Piggyback Ride * Not a ship pic, just a friends pic :)
Tonks/Baby Teddy/Remus: Remembering You
Lock Up Your Daughters

Just Because I Can:

Mandi Pope: Ravenclaw Beater Trading Card

Other Linkies:

My Harry Potter dA Gallery Mostly only rated R at the heaviest, but since I am uncertain, I won't commit to that. I think it's mostly clean art, though.

My dA page Be warned; all ratings of various drawings on this page!

Thanks, hope you all enjoy!

Mandi

Sequence 11:5

2009-06-19T16:02:47Z

Sequence 11:5
Written by Mandi
Rated PG
A/N: This is based on my actual real life experience at Frederick Douglass High School back in 2000. It was, without a doubt, one of the most memorable moments of my life to date.

“Ennis…. Ennis,” his shoulder shook gently, five digits buried softly into his skin. Ennis woke with a start, snorted an looked all around ‘til he saw Jack’s face, smilin kindly.

“Fell asleep on my shoulder, Bud,” he grinned. “We’re almost here.”

“Almost where?” He hated mornin amnesia -- but on the plus side, it was what kept him from wakin up an screamin. Helluva thing t’remember that you’re trapped on a bus with a shitload a high school kids an all their band instruments.

“Grandpa Ennis,” Jackie knelt down beside him in the aisle.

“I want you in your seat,” he growled. “Ain’t safe.”

“You’re fine, Baby,” Jack nodded. “Where’s Annie?”

“She ain’t feelin so good, think she’s gettin car sick.”

“She need a bucket or somethin?”

“Don’t think so,” Jackie shook her head. “Says she wants some water when we stop off, though.”

“I got some bottled water here in my bag,” Jack fished ‘round and produced a bottle an handed it off to his granddaughter an Ennis wondered if he wasn’t some kinda strange Mary Poppins with that bag. “Give her this, an if she still don’t feel good once we get where we’re goin, tell her I’ll stop at a Walgreens an get her some Pepto Bismal or somethin.”

“Thanks, Grandpa Jack.” She trotted back off t’find her sister, identical ‘cept for the fact Annie was lookin a little green.

“Should be there in ‘bout ten minutes,” Jack continued. “Kids’re gonna play a concert for the high school we’re goin to.”

“Said it’s all black kids,” Ennis wiped his eyes.

“Ain’t nothin wrong with that, is there?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Jus’… sayin. Don’t got nothin like that in Wyomin, is all.”

“Guess not,” Jack sighed. “Wonder what they’d think if they came an played a concert for us. What are the kids playin, anyhow?”

“Uh,” Ennis pulled out his itinerary sheet from his back pocket. “Looks like Dwight’s got ‘em playin some Dixie funeral march, least that’s what’s highlighted.”

“Can’t wait t’hear that,” Jack smiled. “I ain’t never been to a Dixie funeral ‘fore.”

“Let’s hope you never gotta.”

“Whole school’s turnin out for it,” said a woman who looked to be nearin fifty, but Ennis weren’t good with ages. “Sorry t’drop in, I’m Maureen Berg. Friends call me Mo.”

“Pleasure,” Jack tipped his hat that hadn’t made its way off a his head, even in his sleep. “M’Jack Twist an this here’s my…”

“Ennis Del Mar,” he cut him off, but Mo only laughed.

“Don’t gotta be that way with me, if you don’t wanna say ‘husband,’” she laughed. “I got a brother, jus’ went up to Iowa an got himself hitched. Always teased him ‘bout bringin home a nice Christian girl, he ended up bringin us home a nice Jewish boy!”

“Ain’t that somethin?”

“Huh.” He didn’t really know what t’say t’that.

“Think my folks had a harder time reconcilin the religion than the fact that their son was gay. Oh, listen t’me, I’m so sorry, this ain’t even my business…”

Sure ain’t…

“Nah, don’t bother us none, do it, Ennis?”

Ennis made a face an shook his head; he knew he’d get an elbow in the rib if he did anythin different. “No bother.”

“Dwight jus’ told us you’d be along, like he was ‘preparin’ us or somethin. There are some folks who aren’t so… well, they needed more convincin, but once he let on that there wouldn’t be a trip without ya, I think some of ‘em warmed up.”

Great, thought Ennis, so there are people on here lookin at me funny. Perfect.

“Grandpa!” Jackie shouted from several rows back, rushin up the aisle an kneelin beside Ennis again. “Annie got sick.”

“’Scuse me,” Jack smiled, noddin at Mo. “I got a sick granddaughter t’attend to, from the sounds a it.”

“Poor thing,” Mo cooed. “You need some help?”

“Nah, Annie’ll be embarrassed by more company when she’s sick. Please, ya’ll, continue your conversation.”

Thanks, Jack, Ennis grouched t’himself. Hated bein left alone, specially with nosey folks.

“Jackie an Annie are such nice girls,” Mo half sighed. “My girl’s a flute player, Victoria… she goes by Vick, ever heard of her?”

“Uh… don’t know. Memory goes with age,” he tried t’joke an choked on a laugh. Dammit, he hated puttin on shows like bein Jack’s man made him a performin circus bear or somethin. The thought did make him smirk a little, though. Mo didn’t seem t’mind.

“Vick’s a junior this year.”

“Twins, too.”

“Vick was in their class in kindergarten the year you came in with all the animals,” she continued. “You’re somewhat of a legend ‘mong these kids. A lot of ‘em remember those days. You done good by them kids, not jus’ Jackie an Annie.”

“Thanks.” He wasn’t too damned sure what t’say; couldn’t tell her she’d done right, too… didn’t know her good enough t’say that. He turned ‘round t’look at Vick, wonderin if maybe he’d recognize her. Slumped over onto another girl’s shoulder, (whom he did not recognize), was a long hair redhead with a single freckle above the left side of her lip and two beside her ears. Strange, he thought, Jack’s got three jus’ like those.

The bus rolled to a stop an Dwight boarded. He looked disheveled, like he’d been sleepin, too. It was, after all, eight thirty in the mornin. Most a these kids would be half dozin through their band lesson or a math class by now.

“Alright, folks,” he bellowed, an commanded everyone’s attention, much t’Ennis’ surprise. Man like Dwight didn’t seem t’be very verbally forceful, but when he spoke, the kids listened, an apparently the adults, too. “Here we are at Frederick Douglass High School, home a the Astros!”

A few kids clapped an whooped outta politeness, or jus’ for the excuse a exercisin their voices.

“Settle. We’re gonna be gettin off the bus an headin in the gymnasium doors. I need EVERYBODY t’help unload instruments. Do not grab yours an go! Wait until they are ALL off a the bus. They’re under the cargo hold a bus number two.” He looked at his paper. “Now, for those a you who think you’re gonna act like a bunch a fools up in here, I got news. I got two parents assigned t’stay behind from Disneyworld with anyone who embarrasses this band or this school at the rally today. Ya’ll hear me?”

A few “yeses” rose up and plenty of nods went around. Somehow Ennis knew there weren’t gonna be no trouble; they respected Dwight, or feared him, he weren’t too damned sure. As long as the kids minded themselves, he could a cared less.

Ennis stepped off the bus, stretchin his back that was sore from unuse or overuse, hadn’t taken his pick a which. Mo could be seen pitchin in, haulin out instruments an handin ‘em off to random kids, some of which clearly hadn’t listened t’Dwight tell ‘em not t’jus’ take their own instrument an head in.

“Hey,” Jack appeared at Ennis’ side, lookin a little tired. “Got Annie an the aisle all cleaned up from where she got sick. She’s feelin better now that we’ve stopped, but she’s gonna go lay in the nurse’s office a the school… thankfully, it ain’t that far t’Stone Mountain, so she’ll probably be alright if we get her some medicine t’stop the motion sickness. I’m gonna walk down the street here, driver says we passed a Walgreens couple a blocks back.”

“That’s real good a you,” Ennis nodded, fishin ‘round in his pockets an producin a twenty dollar bill. “Take this, get her some Gatorade or somethin, too… don’t you get all dehydrated when ya puke or somethin?”

Jack smiled an took the folded up bill. “You take such good care a your clan.”

“S’my job.”

“Alright, folks, let’s get movin, assembly ain’t gonna wait for us,” Dwight waved his arm, herdin the high schoolers into the now empty gymnasium where kids an parents alike were helpin set up. Ennis carried a few sheet music stands in, feelin like he was bein useless if he didn’t. Felt awful weird without Jack beside him; didn’t talk much ‘til Mo strode up beside him.

“Hey… where’d Jack run off to? I saw him walkin the other direction.”

“Oh, uh… he’s goin to a drugstore t’pick up some medicine for our granddaughter.” The ease at which the words fell offa his tongue came with some surprise, an how suddenly empty it felt to say “our granddaughter” when the other half of “our” wasn’t there.

“That’s real nice a him. I saw Dwight leadin her in the front door, is she gonna be alright?”

“She says she feels fine, but probably wouldn’t hurt her t’lay down for a bit.”

“Good idea.”

“Mom!” Vick shouted, rushin up beside her mother. “This school is enormous! It must be twice the size a River Valley!” Her eyes turned t’Ennis, an he nearly jumped; one was bright blue, the other was deep burgundy brown. She looked like a tri colored border collie! “Mr. Del Mar!”

“Uh… hi,” he nodded, realizing she must a remembered him, or worse, heard a him from the whispers in the hallway ‘bout the gay cowboys chaperonin the Florida excursion. He hoped it was the former, that she remembered him an Jack from kindergarten an all the critters they brought in that day, but chances weren’t so good.

“I’m Vick Berg,” she extended her hand, then took it back an laughed when she realized Ennis’ hands were full. “Sorry, didn’t think.” She kept starin him inquisitively in the eyes with her unusual gaze; he didn’t want t’admit how uncomfortable it made him. “I went t’school with the twins all my life, they always have such nice things t’say ‘bout their grandpas… oh, and when you brought in all those farm animals? I was there for that! I got to hold one of the baby chicks.”

“Didja?”

“No one ever had a better show an tell than that!” She laughed.

“Vick, c’mover here!” A tall boy with neat brown hair called, wavin her over with a drumstick. She smiled, said a quick goodbye an trotted off.

“Heterochromia,” Mo laughed a little, noticin Ennis’ peculiar face. “Nothin wrong with her eyes ‘cept they’re two different colors. Genetic brainfart.”

“Oh, I…” He blushed, realizing he’d been caught.

“It’s okay. Doesn’t bother her, she jus’ forgets sometimes that people ain’t used t’seein that sorta thing.”

“Real beauty, that girl,” he stuttered. “Don’t see that every day.”

“More common in cats than girls,” Mo remarked. “I jus’ like t’say she’s got one a her daddy’s eyes an one a mine!”

“Good way a lookin at it.”

They filed into the gymnasium an started settin up their equipment. Ennis spoke briefly with Mo, mostly answerin her questions, tryin t’calm himself down with the reminder that Jack would be back soon. Hated bein separated from him.

After a time, small clusters a kids from Fredeick Douglass started t’mull ‘round, lookin at the visitors with great interest. Some approached an started up conversations ‘til the staff shooed them away to their seats. The parents, includin Ennis, took seats on the bleachers opposin the Astro students, an he couldn’t help but marvel at bein in the minority, what with there bein hardly an African Americans in Riverton, until he saw Jack an Annie stridin in an realized he had been all along. Annie took her seat among the band an started chatterin animatedly with her friends.

“Annie’s doin okay,” Jack informed him needlessly. “Gave her some water an some medicine, she’s feelin better.”

“I see that.”

A microphone buzzed, an a loud voice that didn’t belong t’Dwight rang through the gymnasium. Ennis admired all the conference banners hangin from the ceiling as a stout middle aged black man took the stage.

“We here at Frederick Douglass High School would like to warmly welcome River Valley High School, comin to see us all the way from Riverton, Wyoming. Please join me in showing our appreciation of their long trek to come play some music for us today.”

A wild cheer that Ennis wasn’t expectin broke from the crowd.

“With that, I’ll be handing this mic off to their high master of ceremonies, Mr. Dwight Jackson!”

The kids a River Valley applauded the loudest, a few kids whistled, an Ennis blushed an buried his face in his hands when he realized one a ‘em was Jackie.

“Well, thank you for that warm welcome,” he nodded, an went on with a few more things, but Ennis couldn’t concentrate on it with Jack’s hand slippin into his.

A few kids stood up, a tuba player, trumpet player, saxophone player an percussionist, all standin at the front a the band. A slow, somber tune started playin, an Ennis realized it must a been the Dixie funeral. The audience listened politely, clappin when it all began.

An it happened with the change a the pace a the music, the tune jumpin into “When The Saints Go Marchin In.” The gymnasium erupted, kids gettin t’their feet an cheerin, clappin, wavin their hands an dancin. Ennis felt his mouth literally drop open; no way would any band get such a warm reception at River Valley, which was more of a sports school than an arts school, but Frederick Douglass High School seemed to be the opposite; the music was magic an filled the souls a everyone in the room; even Ennis felt like dancin.

When it was over, the screams an whoops were so loud that Ennis couldn’t hear Jack when he shouted somethin ‘bout how great the band played. His heart roared in his ears with the roars a the students, the River Valley High Band standin up an takin their well deserved bows an love from their appreciative audience. Several a the kids from both schools had tears in their eyes as they grinned so hard it looked like they’d break their faces in half.

“M’glad Annie didn’t miss this in the nurse’s office!” Shouted Jack.

“Me, too!”

After a time, the portly principal took the mic again an, wipin his eyes a little, voice shakin, said, “thank you, River Valley, for that moving performance. I would like to announce that as of today, Frederick Douglass High and River Valley High of Riverton, Wyoming, are forever sister schools.”

Another loud cheer erupted, an another tear slid down Annie’s still slightly pale cheek.

“And don’t think we don’t show our appreciation for those who come to so richly entertain us; we proudly present our Frederick Douglass High School marchin band performin the River Valley Fight Song!”

With that, in marched a band dressed in snappy blue uniforms, high steppin as they blasted an empressive rendition of River Valley’s Fight Song. The watchin band gasped, applaudin loudly with the rest a the student body as the performers pranced ‘round the gymnasium.

It was one a the most amazin things Ennis had seen in all his years; the music was magic an affected everyone. People cheered an danced, an two schools separated by thousands a miles became “sister schools.”

Unabashedly this time, he took Jack’s hand in his an squeezed.

TBC

Quick update

2009-06-19T15:39:16Z

Sequence 11-5 to come soon.

Sorry, but I've been stupidly busy working on a portfolio to submit to companies with my artwork as well as helping out friends who are down on their luck...

Thanks for sticking with me, I'm currently finishing up part five as we speak and hope to have it up by tonight or tomorrow!

God love you, I do.

Mandi

Sequence 11-4

2009-05-26T21:22:21Z

Sequence 11:4
Written by Mandi
Warnings: Disneyworld.
Rated: PG13 for language

“How the hell did we get talked into this?” Ennis grumbled, foldin a pair a pants into his suitcase.

“’Cause we’re the best grandpas in the world… that, an if the high school band didn’t get two more chaperones for its trip to Disneyworld, the kids weren’t goin.” Jack reminded him, who, oddly, had already packed all his things, an did it in such a manner that didn’t require Ennis t’sit on the suitcase while Jack tried t’close it.

“Humph,” he retorted, not meanin it, but wonderin somewhere deep down how the kids were gonna take to ‘em. A small handful remembered them from Annie an Jackie’s kindergarten days when they showed up with a truck filled t’the brim with baby animals, but that might not be enough t’win over teenagers.

“You’re thinkin’ ‘bout somethin,” said Jack accusingly. “Things are gonna be fine. They ain’t gonna care that we’re… well, us… jus’ as long as they’re going t’Disneyworld, we could be aliens for all they gave a shit.”

“Until we gotta sleep in the hotel rooms with ‘em,” he grumbled. “We’ll see how much they like us then.”

“Oh, I uh, forgot t’tell you ‘bout that… We’re spending the nights in a room with Annie an Jackie, asked for it specifically, but I figured you’d get worried ‘bout that.”

Ennis rolled his eyes an muttered a half hearted ‘thanks.’ Wasn’t sure how he felt ‘bout bein restrained t’his granddaughters’ room, but the more he thought on it, the less he wanted t’spend time in a room of rowdy high school boys away from Jack.

“Kids always hate havin chaperones in their room anyway,” he shrugged, handin Ennis his bag with his toothbrush an razor in it, the one thing he usually forgot when they went anywhere. “Ain’t nothin personal, y’know.”

“This rate, I’ll have brought more shit on this trip than you,” he took the bag and stuffed it into the suitcase, closin it firmly, ignorin his husband’s wisdom. “I ain’t bringin no more shit with me, it’ll just get in the way.”

“You ain’t borrowin my drawers when you didn’t pack enough.”

A pillow flew an hit Jack gently upside the head.

“I’ll go without.”

**

“I already hate this,” Ennis muttered, only half serious, drivin down t’Jackie an Annie’s school, River Valley High School, a few minutes drive away.

“You’ll have a great time. We ain’t never been t’Florida.”

“Too hot,” he shook his head, though in truth, he was lookin forward t’the nice weather that spring break had t’offer down there. “It’ll be crowded.”

“You’ll live,” said Jack, pullin his jacket closer, lookin a little worried. What if Ennis really is miserable? Jeez, don’t want that comin off on the girls an ruinin their trip…

“Did it gotta be some band tour?” He laughed a little, unable t’contain his irritable demeanor. “Hope I don’t gotta listen t’that shit all the way down t’Florida.”

“The instruments are packed under one a the buses,” smiled Jack. “Brought a deck a cards, though, if we can scare any a them kids up into playin euchre with us.”

“With a bunch a old grandpas?” Ennis smirked. “Don’t think so.”

They bantered back an forth ‘til River Valley came into view with three charter buses in the parkin lot, kids minglin an draggin suitcases an instrument cases, lookin sleepy; it was, after all, seven o’clock in the mornin on the Saturday a spring break; no one should a been awake at this hour!

Jack an Ennis dragged themselves outta the truck, lookin ‘round for their grandchildren. A shout came from above the noise a half awake teenagers; Junior, Jackie an Annie wavin excitedly for their boys, who made their way over t’the girls, who looked overly happy for a Saturday mornin.

“There you are,” Junior hugged her parents, allowin room for her daughters t’greet their grandpas, who jus’ might a saved this whole trip. “Was wonderin if you were comin.”

“Sure are,” Jack nodded. “Brought my harmonica, too, so I can join the band.”

“Grandpa Jack,” Annie rolled her eyes.

“You can take my place,” Jackie nodded over at the percussion instruments bein packed under one a the buses. “I gotta lug half a that shit out for when we make our first stop.”

“First stop?” Ennis asked, somewhat surprised. “Y’mean we ain’t headin straight t’Florida, t’this Disneyworld place?”

“Grandpa Ennis, weren’t ya listenin at the meetings?” Annie scolded. “We’re makin a stop at Stone Mountain, Georgia, an later that afternoon at an all African-American high school called Fredrick Douglas High t’perform for ‘em. It’s on the itinerary, if y’look here…”

“She’s ready for anythin,” Jackie teased as her sister pulled a folded piece a paper outta her jacket pocket.

“Don’t look at me when you don’t know what’s goin on…”

“Here, here,” Jack put a hand on each a his granddaughters’ shoulders. “No arguin, we’re on vacation.”

“Well, they are,” Ennis nodded at the girls. “We gotta chaperone.”

“Thanks again for doin this,” Junior looked at her fathers as if she were wordlessly in their debt. “I couldn’t go, I had a surgery comin up that I jus’ couldn’t postpone…”

Junior was now the head surgeon at the city’s veterinary clinic, an well respected throughout the community as havin a magic way with animals of all varieties.

“Jack, Ennis,” came a slightly familiar, friendly voice of Dwight, the conductor headed on the trip who, foolishly, in Ennis’ mind, had planned all of this. Ennis only vaguely remembered him from the chaperone meetings that he almost slept through. “Good morning!”

“Mornin, Dwight.” Jack shook hands with the short, overly smiley conductor, lookin jus’ as ridiculously happy.

“Mornin,” said Ennis, tryin t’fake enthusiasm ‘bout this trip, lookin ‘round at all these kids that promised t’be problems. (Well, problems in Ennis’ overactive, pessimistic mind.)

“Ya’ll look ready t’go,” Dwight folded his arms over his portly frame in such a way that even Ennis had t’like him. Jus’ a little.

“This one here’s ready t’sleep on the bus,” Jack wrapped an arm over his husband an Ennis could jus’ feel the stares. There they are, them two gay ranchers that belong t’the twins… He blushed, first for himself, then for the girls.

“M’fine,” he shook his head, hopin t’shake Jack away as well; no luck.

“Brought a deck a cards,” Jack pulled an overused box outta his back pocket.

“That’s good,” said Dwight, little black eyes gleamin behind his specs. “Know a few good euchre players… Doug an Tess, real good kids, play in the horn section. Two a my best, but don’t tell no one I said that.”

“Lips’re sealed.”

Jack finally pulled his arm away t’shake hands one last time with Dwight ‘fore he bustled off t’make sure all the instruments were fittin under the bus cargo bay. Jackie an Annie gave their mother a hug goodbye, wishin the kids a good trip and the twins promisin t’bring back trinkets for Junior an Kurt.

“All aboard that’s goin aboard! Off to DisneyWorld!” Dwight sounded off, standin by the first bus; Jack an Ennis were destined for the second with the girls.

With a reassurin smile an a less reassurin clasp a his hand, Jack led Ennis off t’the bus with the girls marchin unashamed an unabashedly behind.

**

“Things’re different now,” said Jack outta the blue, Ennis watchin the little TV screen a few rows ahead of ‘em, playin a movie that Annie said was Empire Records.

“Different?”

“Didja notice no one looked at us funny when we held hands?”

“M’sure Dwight told ‘em not to,” he grumped.

“Ennis,” he laughed jus’ a little, but it sounded forced. “Even if he did, they listened. You think a teacher woulda told us back then not t’be nasty to a coupla folks like us? You think we’d a listened even if they had?”

“Guess not.”

“Hey,” A tall girl that Dwight had pointed out previously as Tess came up an poked Ennis irritatingly on the shoulder. “Were you the two with the euchre deck?”

“Sure are, little lady,” Jack tipped his hat.

“You wouldn’t mind a game, wouldja?”

“Would love one, you got a partner?”

“Doug’s in the back, he said he’d come up and play if I had the guts to come ask.”

As if on cue, a similarly heighted young man with soft, almost feminine features joined her an introduced himself, a young trumpet player in the eleventh grade, same age as Tess. They talked back an forth for a while, an Ennis introduced himself an inserted answers here an there when necessary as Jack produced the deck an started dealin cards into the hands a the players. Tess put a book between them on her lap, one of the Harry Potter books the girls were so interested in, Ennis noticed, and used that as their table.

“You two are pretty good,” said Ennis, one of the first times he’d spoken without bein egged on t’do it.

“Thanks.”

“I’ve been playin since I was real little,” Tess shrugged. “My dad let me play piss hands when he had to go to the bathroom and would come back and jus’ watch me an show me what moves to make.”

“You had a good teacher.”

“So,” Doug said slowly. “You guys are… well, I know about you guys… Annie told me.”

“Yes, we’re gay,” Ennis said, perhaps a bit sharply, as Jack jabbed him in the ribs.

“Did she tell you ‘bout me?”

The boys were silent for a moment. “Not to be rude,” Jack shook his head slowly, “but a man my age got a bad memory, son.”

“Uh,” Doug laughed a little. “Girl, actually.”

Even Jack’s face screwed up, an Tess laughed gently. “Doug was born female.”

Ennis blanched and Jack didn’t miss a beat. “Never woulda known.”

“My birth name is Jessica,” he said. “I jus’ never felt like a girl, that’s all. I always felt like I was in the wrong body… right soul, wrong shell.”

Ennis wanted t’ask why Doug was tellin them this, but realized this did explain the softer features.

“Well, you gotta be who you feel you are in here,” Jack touched his own chest. “I spent a helluva long time livin what I thought everyone else wanted. You’re lucky you got that figured out at seventeen. Most people don’t figure it out ‘til they’re forty or worse.”

“Yeah,” he touched Tess’ card-free hand. “I’m lucky, I got a lot a things figured out.”

Ennis tried t’keep his eyes from goin wide at the realization; Tess an Doug were partners, an more than jus’ in their euchre game.

“I think you two are pretty damned lucky,” Jack nodded. “I weren’t too much older’n you two are when I met this guy here.” At this, he took Ennis’ hands, whose cards scattered to the floor. “Fucked it all up pretty good a few times, but we figured it out eventually. But let me tell you somethin’, if you never know nothin else, know that she’s the most important thing there is.” Doug looked like he was hearin the Gospels straight from the mouth of Jesus. “If you love her, don’t let no one tell you different. It ain’t dirty, it ain’t wrong, an if you want it t’work, it will. Love her, an everythin else is bullshit.”

Ennis thought for a moment, an how true that all was… love him, an the rest is bullshit. What else did anythin matter? He had Jack -- the house didn’t matter, nor the dogs or ranch or trucks or anything else. Just Jack. He leaned over an kissed him on the cheek, gettin a warm smile he felt more’n saw, Doug an Tess grinnin at the gesture.

“What’s that for?” Jack rubbed the spot Ennis had jus’ pecked.

“’Cause everythin else is bullshit.”

TBC

Facebook

2009-05-04T00:21:00Z

Come join me on Facebook! I'm Mandi Roberts, (going by the name as it appeared in high school), and my pic is of me in a white strapped shirt. Feel free to friend me, I'd love to keep up with you guys on Facebook, if you'd be so kind.

God love you. I do.

Mandi

4-2309 ArtDump

2009-04-23T23:04:48Z

Aladdin/Jasmine: Sincere
Fly
Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary Design
A Tinker Fairy Morning
Millenium Moth Kite Parade
Eiko Eiko (crayon)
Rani
Queen Clarion
Prilla's Blue Ribbon
Daddy's Coming!
Tinkerbell & Terrence (a Mandi Fave)
Tinkers In Love (another Mandi Fave)
Don't Drop Me!
Facebook ID Pic

fics_at_random @ 2009-04-10T20:19:00

2009-04-11T01:21:38Z

HEEHEE!

Okay, serious now...

Never leave me alone with a digital camera...

Gratuitous Art Post 4-9-09

2009-04-09T13:18:57Z

DeviantART ID: Age 26
Tarzan & Jane: Lorikeets
Silvermist
Tink and the Ballerina
Juno
Tink/Bobble: Stroll
Tinker Love

PIC: Me and My Parents
PIC: Super Auntie Mandi
PIC: Neener!

Sequence 11-3

2009-04-01T21:55:09Z

Sequence 11-3
Written by Mandi
Rated NC-17, possibly the last one of the Sequence series :(
Warning: Discussion of final wishes. NO DEATHS, only talk of what should happen in case of. This is not a foreshadowing, nothing horrid is coming up, I just wanted to write something realistic about our Passage back Home to the Other Side, and hope some of you will take the time to consider YOUR final wishes and make them known to your loved ones like Jack and Ennis are doing with each other.

Other warnings: M/M sex scene

“Slow down, Spud… DROP IT!” Jack shouted as the dog went for a horse apple that one a the mares had left in the field earlier.

“The hell’s wrong with that dog? Lola an Ernie never ate that kinda shit… er, shit, period,” Ennis grumbled as they hiked out in their fields on an evenin walk. “Neither did Fred, fer that matter.”

“Good ole dogs,” he sighed. “I miss ‘em. Love our Spud here, but I miss our dogs.”

“Tell ya what, if it’s real nasty, Spud’ll eat it… but if it’s so nasty that even Spud can’t eat it, he’ll roll in it.”

“Brawr,” said Spud, which translated into somethin ‘bout this horse apple bein the eatin kind a nasty.

“’Member the days when we’d take a tumble out in these fields?” Jack pushed back some too long grayin hair, the kind Ennis thought needed cuttin, figurin he’d do once they got back home.

“Been a while,” he agreed. “Don’t got it in me no more.”

“Me neither,” Jack sighed sadly. “Kinda miss it, t’be honest with ya. Miss bein young an able t’jump ya at any time… guess we really are becomin old men.”

“We been grandpas for nine years now… think that makes us old men, least it has for a while.”

“Rawr.” Definitely.

Jack shoved his hands in his pockets, despite the warm early summer breeze. “D’ya ever miss it?”

“Miss what?” Ennis pretended not t’know, hopin Jack might drop the subject.

“Guess that’s my answer,” he laughed forcibly.

Ennis sighed. “Yeah… yeah, I do.”

“Was thinkin,” he continued, almost as if he hadn’t heard Ennis at all, “maybe we oughta trailer two a the horses… take a vacation.”

“Why’d we wanna take the goddamned horses?” Ennis raised an eyebrow. “Boy, you’ve gone senile…”

“Maybe up in the mountains somewhere…” Now he was goin on like Ennis weren’t talkin… The men stopped an stared at each other, an Ennis smiled.

“Think I know jus’ the place.”

**

“Yes, we’ll be fine for a week,” Elsie shook her head for the thousandth time.

“Go,” said June, who rolled her eyes good naturedly. “You two need a vacation.”

“You sound like your momma, Little Lady,” Jack ruffled the girl’s hair. “You jus’ want us outta the house.”

“Yeah,” she pushed her yellow curls outta her eyes, who, like Jack, Ennis noted, needed a haircut, though he didn’t dare offer. “I’m thinkin a wreckin the place while you two go off doin whatever it is you do.”

Ennis blushed; he hated the fact that June knew more than she oughta ‘bout him an Jack.

“We’ll be okay,” said Hannah, June’s little half sister, Roy an Elsie’s daughter. “I’ll make sure June doesn’t do bad things while you’re gone!”

“There’s a good girl,” Ennis smiled.

“Tattletale,” June turned up her ski-slope nose.

“Where d’ya’ll plan on goin?” Elsie folded her arms, leanin in the frame a the door. “Ain’t seen y’all take a real vacation since Hawaii.”

“Real homebody over there,” Jack nodded at his husband. “Can’t get him outta the damned house. Most travelin he does is ‘round the coffee pot lookin ‘fore the handle.”

“Damned if that ain’t right,” Elsie laughed, then looked sternly at her daughters. “Don’t let me catch ya’ll usin them words, I’ll clean your mouth out with the good dish soap.”

“Was thinkin a takin a trip up t’Brokeback,” Jack continued, an Ennis couldn’t help but feel himself go a little pink in the cheeks; hated when his man told ‘bout them special things… things he felt should a stayed between the two a ‘em.

“Oh, where ya met?”

“The one an only place,” he beamed. “We’re takin Jezabelle an Nursie, gonna trailer ‘em an ride ‘em in the mountains… Leisure, this time, not like when we were kids, herdin all them damn woolies.” He turned back t’the girls with a gentle warnin look on his face. “Girls, dish soap.”

“Yes, Uncle Jack,” nodded Hannah. June rolled her eyes an giggled.

“Well, have a good time up there,” Elsie pushed herself back up from the frame, pullin her hair back into a loose ponytail. “We might take some time off ourselves, go see Roy’s momma’s grave…”

“I don’t wanna go t’the cemetery!” June practically shouted.

“Inside voices, please, June…”

“It’s creepy!”

“CREEPY!” Hannah did shout.

“Girls,” Elsie closed her eyes, lettin out a sigh. “We’re doin this for Daddy, okay? It’s his momma’s birthday. June Bug, you ‘member Grandma, don’tcha?”

“Not really,” she swung her legs in the dining room chair, lookin at the floor. “Can I wait in the car? I don’t want the ghosts t’get up my nose.”

“Oh, honestly, June!”

“They can get up your nose?!” Shrieked Hannah, eyes wider than the decorative plates Elsie had put up for them over the cupboards two years ago. Or commemorative plates, Ennis didn’t know. All he knew was ya couldn’t eat off a ‘em, so what good were they? Jack liked ‘em, so he allowed ‘em t’sit up there an collect dust an not be eaten on.

“Don’t put those ideas in her head,” she scolded her eldest daughter. “No, Hannah, ghosts do NOT get up your nose. There are no such things as ghosts.”

“An if ya do see one, just say, ‘hello,’ an go about your business,” Jack grinned, “better yet, tell ‘em t’go Home.”

“Oh, Lord,” Ennis pinched the bridge a his nose.

“Listen t’Jack, he knows all ‘bout ghosts,” Elsie dropped the topic on him, lookin a little smug with amusement. “Which do NOT exist!”

“You seen ghosts?” Hannah asked, ignorin the last part a her mother’s comment.

“Sure,” he continued, kinda shaky, wonderin if he weren’t stepping on Elsie’s parentin toes, a little too late now. “But they ain’t ghosts, not really… well, she ain’t bad.”

“She?” June furrowed her eyebrows.

“Well, my Ma comes back t’see me every now an then, jus’ t’see how I’m doin…”

“Jack…” Ennis said in a warnin voice.

“It’s okay,” Elsie put a hand on his shoulder, havin ‘come more demonstrative in the passin years. “Let him go. I’m gonna call him up at three in the mornin when the girls are havin nightmares.”

“Well, yeah,” he went on, sittin cross-legged on the floor in front a the girls. “Jus’ ‘cause she went back Home don’t mean she forgot ‘bout me an the folks she loved here. Know how she says hello?”

“No…”

Jack reached into his pocket an produced two dimes. “Found these in the hallway a few days ago. She drops coins in the hallway for me t’find when she’s been by.”

“Sweet Jesus,” Ennis almost laughed a little, but Jack’s stern glare cut him off at the pass.

“Mean it,” he said firmly, turnin back t’his audience, handin each girl one a the dimes. “Take these with ya to the cemetery, an if you start t’feel scared, hold onto ‘em an think a my Ma, an she’ll come look out for ya an keep bad things away from ya… that, uh, don’t exist, like your momma says, but if you’re still scared, it don’t hurt t’know someone’s lookin out for ya, right?”

The girls examined the dimes. “I never saw one like this before!”

“They’re Mercury head dimes,” Jack explained. “Them’s the kind Ma had in her day, not the kind we got now. That’s how I know they’re from her.”

Ennis looked over, now interested; they were indeed a different sorta dime! For a moment he was thinkin that Jack had jus’ found coins that had fallen outta his pockets on the way t’the bedroom or somethin, but there was no denyin these dimes were… not in circulation no more, an hadn’t been for years.

“Where’d you get those?” He demanded, pointin t’the dime Hannah was turnin over between her fingers.

“From Ma. Weren’t you listenin?” Jack winked.

An somehow, from somewhere far away, Ennis thought he heard a familiar little giggle of a familiar little old lady.

**

“Cain’t wait t’be goin back t’Brokeback,” Jack murmured into Ennis’ shoulder as they laid in bed the night ‘fore their departure.

“Mmm,” he agreed.

“Been so long since I seen the place… wonder what it’s like now.”

“Doubt it’s changed much,” Ennis shrugged, which Jack felt rather than saw. “You sure you got everythin?”

“Yup.”

“You ain’t borrowin none a my drawers if you forgot yours.”

“Sayin I ain’t gonna get in your pants, huh?”

“M’an old man,” he chuckled quietly. “I ain’t the young buck I used t’be.”

“I’m feelin somethin a little different down south that says otherwise,” Jack purred, rollin further into him. “You up for it?”

“Dunno,” he was playin coy an Jack knew it. Loved it when he did that, though; it was their little game -- you chase me, I’ll run a little bit, stumble an letcha catch me… an pretend it was all by accident.

Jack’s hand snaked under the sheets and down Ennis’ stomach, restin at the slim band a flesh an muscle a his waistline. “Well, if ya don’t know, I guess we could jus’… lay here… talk some…”

“Could,” he let loose a soft hiss through his teeth.

“Unless, y’know… y’knew whatcha wanted.”

Damn you, Jack Twist… Damn you an your fuckin games… but I love ya for ‘em…

“Whatever you want’s good for me.”

“I want…” His lips were ticklin the shell a Ennis’ ear now, his breath hot an sensual, stirrin up the passionate flames an urgin him harder. “T’lay back… an… go t’sleep…”

Ennis groaned loudly, coverin his face with his hand. “Christ, you drive me crazy…”

“I know.”

“C’mere…” He pulled that damnable man into his arms an kissed him hard; not with any great demand, but with some kinda need t’get back at him for makin Ennis want him so hard, so bad, makin him ache like he did for all them years with no way a undoin it… no matter how many tumbles they took, no matter how many kisses there were, it never satisfied it… Never, never, never…

“Mmmph,” said Jack, which translated into the dog’s at the foot a the bed, let me get him outta the room first, but Ennis took control a Jack’s tongue an made speech a near impossibility. Good, he thought, the less Jack Twist talks right now, the better.

Somehow over the years, though the love makin got fewer an farther between, it did get better, though Ennis weren’t sure how. It wasn’t any kind a rush or fever pitch anymore, but a deep connection, like he was tryin t’merge himself with this other human bein, like there weren’t no need for two bodies an they were tryin t’become only one. Never happened, a course, but it was the pursuit a such a goal that was the satisfyin part a it all.

Ennis’ eyes flew open when he found himself suddenly deep inside a Jack’s body an didn’t realize how he got there; where had he been for the last few minutes?! Stradlin him, Jack’s eyes were half lidded, the light a the moon shimmerin in what was peekin through a his navy irises, a color that seemed t’only deepen with his age. Ennis reached up an cupped his face, gettin a gentle kiss on the thumb for his efforts that, for some reason, seared through his veins an set his blood on fire; he damned near came from that alone. The hell, I ain’t a teenager no more!

“Slower,” Jack moaned, an he realized he’d been buckin a little harder than he meant to; that man sure had a way a makin him lose all forms a control. Wondered how he did it; wondered if he knew he did it. Looked up at Jack’s face -- he knew.

All of a sudden, overcome with some pre-pubescent urge t’complete this act, Ennis sat up, takin Jack in his lap with a small show a force, wrappin his arms full ‘round his body an thrustin with a gentle need, the bed creakin an moanin beneath their combined weights.

“Oh!” Half moon arcs a Jack’s fingernails stippled into the skin a Ennis’ back; he’d be bruised by mornin from the force a them, but he didn’t care. Trophies, he thought proudly t’himself, almost wishin for a moment he had someone t’show ‘em to.

“Ennis… Ennis… Baby, I’m… Aaah!” It was all the warnin Ennis was gonna get for hot liquid splashed onto his belly, an it was the jolt back into reality he needed before he realized he was goin briefly numb with tight pleasure, the feelin that he always got jus’ before he…

“Jesus,” he panted, an filled Jack completely, holdin him tighter an closer, buryin his face into his man’s neck, holdin on for fear he’d fall away. “Oh, sweet Jesus…”

“Hmmm,” the grip was loosenin, an Jack was slowly pettin Ennis’ tangled curls. He placed an almost apologetic kiss in the crook a Jack’s neck ‘fore pullin away an lookin into those impossibly blue eyes, findin himself an gettin lost all at once….

**

“Jesus, you gonna take the lamp an the bedstand, too?” Ennis asked, foldin one last extra pair a socks together. Always did pack light, unlike Jack, who wasn’t content ‘til half the house was stuffed into his bags.

“Was thinkin on it,” he opened the stand drawer. “But I better not forget some a the stuff we keep in here…”

He pulled out an old, familiar jar a Vaseline that they’d been workin at for the better part of a year. Ennis shook his head; leave it up t’Jack t’go do somethin t’make him blush in the privacy a their own bedroom. How’d he manage t’do it?

“Do you gotta?”

“Wouldja rather go dry?”

He grumbled somethin that neither understood or had to. Jack jus’ laughed, pleased with himself that he still had this ability after countless years together. Goddamn, I’m good!

They hauled their bags into the back a the truck, standin on the trailer hitch, bumpin into the stupid trailer for the horses that Ennis was still insistin didn’t need t’come along. Nursey, his horse… well, that was a funny story. He’d let Jackie an Annie name that one, an it came about after an incident where he’d broken his leg an had t’be laid up for a few weeks off a it. Junior insisted on comin over and helpin out with things ‘round the house, despite the fact Jack an Elsie had it all under control without her. Jackie an Annie took turns tendin t’their patient, playin with the very old stethoscope Junior gave ‘em that used t’belong t’her maternal grandfather in his doctor days. They listened t’Ennis’ heart more times than he could count, even got the whole house in on it; they brought him water an laid beside him on the sofa bed while he read ‘em stories, fallin asleep on either side a him. Whenever Ennis wanted somethin, he’d shout, “Nursies, Nursies!,” an the gals would come a runnin. Never really needed nothin, but he loved seein those bouncin little pigtails as they came rushin t’see what their charge was in need of. So when Jack bought Ennis a new mare after his leg healed, he let the girls name it on account a he couldn’t think a no good names for her. Their first giggly response? “Nursey!”

Nursey knickered in the trailer; she weren’t much for trailerin, fought it real hard whenever they had t’do it with her. She was pissed at him, Ennis could tell, an wondered if she’d take it out on him on the trails.

“Easy, girl,” he cooed low, a voice reserved mostly for spooked animals, injured granddaughters an Jack. “Easy, now.”

“Brrrrph.”

“I know.”

“Pphhhhh.”

“I, uh… I got half an apple, if you want it.” He stuck his hand in through the grates an offered the sweet t’his irritable mare; she took it without so much as a thank you nuzzle an chomped it down as quick as she could. He gave the other half dutifully t’Jezabelle, who took it slowly an munched languidly; Ennis grinned. The name hardly fit her -- she was older, quiet an steady, one a the most docile horses he’d ever met in his whole life. Strange how Jack’s taste in horses had changed from his wild days a low startle point mares t’lazy old ladies who were the equivalent a ridin’ the livin room couch.

“Quit flirtin with my horses, we got ground t’cover,” said Jack, appearin outta the front door, twistin his keys in the lock.

“You left instructions for Els?”

“She’s not comin,” he shook his head. “She an Roy decided on goin t’see his momma’s grave in Beaver Dam an spendin the weekend there with one a his cousins an her kids.”

“Oh, uh, good,” he thought back on the girls not wantin ghosts gettin up their nose, wonderin how they were takin the trip. “Those two need a vacation.”

“S’what I said,” Jack pulled the driver’s side door open an hopped in. “Here, lemme drive, I’m more awake than you.”

“I had two cups a coffee, I’m fine t’drive.” ’Sides, I’ve been gettin up at five since ‘fore I knew ya, an for all these years, I’ve always been up ‘fore you anyway…

“Well, I want to,” he said in a way that reminded Ennis somethin of a small child petitionin for its way. He lobbed the keys gently t’Jack, who grabbed ‘em an fired up the engine.

The trip had started.

**

“Jesus… you remember it bein this… hell, I dunno, but do you remember it this way?” Asked Jack at the base a Brokeback, standin somewhere south a Signal.

“Guess so,” he shrugged, tryin t’search his brain for a time Brokeback looked more majestic than it did now. Didn’t use the word “majestic” in front a Jack; not that he wouldn’t understand it, but he felt it was jus’ too… out a sorts. It weren’t a word roughnecks used.

“Well,” he started pullin bags out from the back a the truck, “we oughta get ourselves goin. Don’t got too much daylight left, an I wanna make camp somewhere kinda far out an roast them marshmallows you bought when we stopped t’take a piss.”

“Good ‘nuff,” said Ennis, an began unloadin the bags, grateful now more’n ever that he’d packed light; he’d only took one bag with him, but Jack had two; wondered how he was gonna haul that shit up the mountain.

**

He found out; Jack got the bags up the mountain via Ennis, who acted as Jack’s personal pack mule with the bat a his pretty blue eyes an a flash of a charmin smile.

“You’re lucky your ass is as cute as it is,” he grunted, several paces behind Jack, who was leadin the two horses. “Else you’d be carryin your own shit up this godforsaken mountain.”

“Always the romantic one, Ennis Del Mar.”

“If I step in horse shit, I’m turnin this rig ‘round an goin home.”

“Ease up,” he grinned. “They shit all over the trailer on the way up, they’re on empty.”

“Goddammit, Jack…”

“I didn’t shit in it, they did. Blame your babies, here.”

“Gonna have t’hose it all down when we get home… guess I oughta have expected that.”

“Don’t think ‘bout work,” Jack scolded gently, makin a noise with his tongue at Jezabelle who stopped t’pull at some errant grass at the trail’s edge. “C’mon, girls… c’mon.”

“The view’s great back here,” said Ennis sarcastically. “T’think, I came all this way t’see horses’ asses.”

“Grouchy ole bastard,” he laughed. “You wanna walk ahead?”

“Nah,” he stared up at the gently ripplin muscles a Jack’s shoulders. “View ain’t that bad…”

**

They made camp an tied up the horses, relaxin with two bottles a Jack Daniels beneath the starry summer sky, watchin the smoke curl up into the navy heavens. He remembered one trip, many years ago, sittin ‘round a similar fire, smokin joints with Jack -- damned glad those days were over. Truth was, he hated the stuff; hated that floaty feelin, that disconnection with everythin… Jack thought it made the sex more pleasurable, but Ennis couldn’t a disagreed more; felt like he was outta his body, couldn’t feel things like he was supposed to… Yes, sir, there was nothin like sobriety for Ennis Del Mar, he thought with a twist a humor as he chugged down a shot a the amber liquid.

“Whatcha thinkin ‘bout?”

“Huh?” He snapped outta the daze, lookin over at the man that was now, thank God an all Creation, his husband… they weren’t sittin here on some rushed trip, partin ways in a matter a days… They were here together, as one, an goin home jus’ the same to their house, their bed, their lives… “Oh, uh… jus’ lookin at the sky.”

“Sure is somethin, ain’t it?” Jack sighed, leanin back against a log, the soles a his boots warmin against the fire. “We had some good times up here.”

“Sure did.”

“What was the best one?” He looked rather expectant.

“I dunno, this one’s pretty good.”

“Why?”

“Cause I’m here with you,” he replied simply, but found himself embarrassed for sayin it. “An I guess ‘cause I’m leavin with ya, too… I ain’t goin back somewhere alone.”

This answer seemed t’please Jack, who crawled away from the log an over t’Ennis, wrappin his arms ‘round his body, squeezin somethin gentle that broke somethin long restrained in Ennis that he never knew needed t’be broken.

“I think,” he said slowly, nuzzlin in closer, “I think this is where I want my ashes spread.”

“What?” An ice cold hand grabbed Ennis by the throat; both a Jack’s were still wrapped ‘round his midsection.

“My ashes,” he repeated. “When I go home, take my body, bury it or burn it out here.”

“Don’t talk like that,” he said gruffly.

“Well, it’s stuff we gotta think of sometime,” he murmured, starin at the fire. “This was the place I was happiest… here an home, a course… but I feel like I belong here.”

Ennis shook his head, tryin not t’dwell on the day Jack wouldn’t be with him no more.

“My life started here,” he continued. “Only seems right that I finish it here, too.”

“Then put me here, too,” Ennis stated firmly. “If this is where you’re gonna be, I wanna be here, too.”

“Let’s get it in writin so everyone knows,” he whispered, hand roamin up Ennis’ chest, strokin soothingly. “Not sayin we gotta worry ‘bout it tomorrow, but… someday’s gonna come when I gotta think ‘bout these things… An this is where I wanna be… an I was hopin it’d be with you.”

“Me, too,” Ennis murmured, an swallowed the hurt a the thought that there was gonna come a day, someday, maybe tomorrow or maybe a hunnert years from now, when he was gonna hafta tend to Jack’s final wish.

**

The trip ended far sooner than either of ‘em woulda liked, findin themselves back on the road t’home in a little more’n a week. They didn’t talk on what they did ‘round the fire that night, but it remained an unspoken ocean between ‘em ‘til Jack couldn’t stand it no more half an hour outta Signal.

“Meant what I said ‘bout my ashes.”

“You ain’t dyin tomorrow, don’t bring that up.”

“But if we don’t talk ‘bout it now, then when?”

“When the time’s right.”

“Ennis,” he said softly, takin a white knuckled hand in his own that was grippin the wheel. “We gotta take extra measures ‘cause a who we are, you know that.”

“Jack…”

“Let me talk.”

“You’re gonna anyways.”

“That’s right, an you may as well listen. All I’m sayin is that… I want my life t’be perfect. I done got everythin I wanted outta it as it is… now I ain’t sayin I’m gonna do nothin stupid, you know that,” he reassured him as Ennis’ hand went tighter in his own at the mention. “It ain’t even like that… but I don’t want our kids an our families t’be sittin ‘round wonderin what t’do with my dead ass when there’s no need for ‘em t’fret over it.”

“Hmm.”

Jack looked back over his shoulder at the disappearin mountain behind ‘em. “That back there… that’s the best place that ever happened t’me.”

“Places don’t happen t’you,” Ennis corrected.

“That one did.”

There was no sense arguin with him, ‘specially seein as he was right.

“I wanna go bein part a that land. I wanna be there for the rest a time.”

There was a long silence; not painful, not uncomfortable, but like all the thoughts in the world were swimmin ‘round in that unspoken ocean that separated ‘em.

“Okay, Jack,” Ennis finally murmured, squeezin his man’s hand with as little trace a loneliness an anxiety as he could. “We’ll, uh… we’ll draw it up in our wills or somethin… Tell Junior an Bobby, make sure they know what t’do with our… what’d you call it? Dead asses?”

“Dead asses,” Jack repeated an snickered at his own cleverness.

“Dead asses.” Ennis sighed, feelin somehow defeated. “Don’t… don’t make me carry that out… your, uh… your final wish.”

Jack was quiet a moment. “Don’t make me carry out yours, neither.”

He exhaled sharply. “What’s the option? Go together?”

“S’what I had in mind.”

“Peacefully in our sleep?”

Jack’s eyes sparkled as he looked down in his lap. “Was hopin t’go out in a blast a fireworks an the best sex we ever had… bust our tickers out.”

Ennis shook his head. “Only you, Jack Twist. Only fuckin you.”

TBC

Tattoos

2009-04-01T17:09:16Z

I was thinking of getting several new tattoos over the next few years.

1) To expand the one I already have of angel wings/halo with feathers falling out that I designed in memory of my father, James Henry. I'm thinking of putting his name under the wings with clouds around it. This one already sits boldly on my upper right arm/shoulder.

2) Disney related flowers; a tat I designed of lillies with the classic Mickey Mouse ears in the center, coming out of the little stems. I've been inspired by Walt Disney since I was a very little girl, and it's what drove me into art. Thinking of putting this on a hip.

3) The rampant lion of Scotland & the key of the city of Valdres, Norway. I'm Scottish and Norwegian in my background, so I'd like to put something on my ankle to honor my heritages. If I do the rampant lion only, I'd like an excerpt from the Bible that means a lot to me; "And you shall overcome thy adversaries as a roaring Lion."

4) A X cross of a pencil and paint brush below my neck/just above my back. I've been an artist since I could hold a pencil, my life is dedicated to creating things. It's what gives me purpose in this life.

5) The latitudes and longitutes of where I grew up in Arena, WI and Verona, WI.

Premiere: Paper Thin Moon

2009-03-28T07:02:25Z

Paper Thin Moon
Part One
Rated PG-13-R right now, and NC-17 later on
Warnings: Injuries, but not life threatening
Written by Mandi/Fics_At_Random

A word from the author:

Welcome to the premiere of "Paper Thin Moon!" :D

Much like Sequence, I can't tell you what this story is about without giving the whole thing away. But do read on. I'm finishing Sequence, but this is the next fic in line. It will be an installment kinda thing like Sequence is/was, so it shouldn't be too much different to follow if you're familiar with my previous work.

As of this posting, Sequence is still being finished -- so please don't fret on that. I just wanted to get this one up and started so there's a cushion for me when Sequence ends. :)

Thank you for reading this little yarn, and if you've been with me since Sequence, thank you even more. Your readership means more to me than you'll probably know, and I have so many treasured friendships and loves from this fandom that I am truly blessed to be a part of it.

God love you. I do.

Mandi

He didn’t remember the loud shrieks of the tires, or the glass shattering and tearing his face. Neither did Ennis remember Alma or Junior’s screams, her fingers gouging into the dashboard as she folded herself over to shield their frightened child.

Ennis did, however, remember waking up in a completely unfamiliar place…. He looked around; a ward? A hospital… The hell am I doin in a hospital?

“Ennis Del Mar?” Someone was touching his hand, a tall man in a white coat with a little ID badge hangin off a it. Couldn’t make it out. “Well, there you are, we were wonderin when you were gonna wake up.”

“Huh?” His voice was scratchy from what he didn’t know was days a unuse.

“You’ve been in a coma for five days. Don’t try to talk, you’ve got tubes down your throat. We got some spray t’numb your throat up so you don’t have to feel it. I’ll have the nurse come down and take care a ya.”

Nurse? So this is a hospital… Why the fuck am I here?! He began to panic, fightin against the cords and tubes he suddenly noticed were attached t’him.

“Ennis… Ennis!” The doctor shouted, callin for a nurse an some drug Ennis never heard of an probably couldn’t pronounce. He fought, not knowin why, but fought hard until the needle slipped under his skin an cold liquid seared up in his blood an he was gone again.

**

The tubes were gone when he woke up; he didn’t remember the feelin of havin ‘em in, ‘cept he couldn’t talk an his throat felt three times its natural size. Sittin beside him was a plain woman dressed in a hospital gown, her arm in a cast, lookin pitiful.

“Hi,” she murmured. “You’re awake.”

Ennis only nodded.

She spoke after a few moments a silence. “It was black ice, they said. We hit some on the way home from my sister’s.” Her eyes were wellin up an spillin over with tears. “Said we had no chance. Thank God there was a tree there, that’s what stopped us, even if it… well.”

“Tree…?” he rasped, his brain tryin t’put together the story he was bein told.

“Yeah… Junior…” Her voice waivered for a moment. “Junior’s um… not doin so good. She’s down in the children’s ward, intensive care. Her back got crushed, the docs are thinkin she’s not gonna walk again.” She broke down in bitter tears, coverin her face with her good hand. “Oh, Ennis… Ennis, thank God you’re here, I don’t know what I’d a done if you left…”

“Wh…” He coughed, voice still shaky from the lack a use, or maybe those goddamned tubes.

“What, Ennis?” She leaned closer, knowin he was tryin t’say something, the words fightin t’move past his throat.

“Who… who’s Junior?”

**

September came an a letter didn’t. Jack paced back an forth t’the mailbox, then t’the post office, wonderin if someone had screwed up an failed t’deliver a postcard addressed from an Ennis Del Mar in Riverton, Wyomin. No such luck.

“That’s the third time you been out there,” Lureen scolded fondly in her soft Texas drawl. “What are you waitin on, anyway?”

“Postcard from Ennis,” he replied blankly.

“That fishin buddy a yours up in Wyomin?”

“The one an only.”

“Is he finally comin down here this time?”

Jack shook his head. “The mountains are up there, Baby, don’t think he could bring ‘em down with him.”

She laughed good naturedly. “Well, we got plenty a lakes and rivers an ponds an shit down here ya’ll could fish in. Why’s it gotta be up in the mountains?”

“Jus’ one mountain in particular,” he sighed, fixin his fingers in his belt loops.

“Which one?”

“Nothin’,” he peered through the lacy curtains a the front door, seein the mail truck stoppin by the box. He darted out, threw the door a the box open…

Oh, well… Maybe tomorrow.

**

“Amnesia?” Alma repeated. “Y’mean… He… he don’t know his own daughter!”

Ennis could hear Alma an the doctors discussin him outside his door. I got broken bones, I ain’t hard a hearin, he thought bitterly, wonderin why doctors assumed that patients earshots ended at their room’s door.

“It happens,” he continued.

“Dr. Bremmer,” she pleaded. “Ain’t there anythin you can do?”

“Short a whackin him upside the head an hopin it jars somethin loose, nothin.” He held her shoulders, not so sure she weren’t gonna go take the advice. “It’ll come back t’him. He’s traumatized, that was one helluva hit he took.”

“Are there any medications that he could… I mean… anything?!” He could hear tears in her voice. “I don’t think he even knows me!”

It bit him hard; he knew her, sorta. Gathered they were married, had a daughter together but didn’t feel much else. Knew her face an her name. Alma Del Mar… but who was she ‘fore that? Couldn’t remember her maiden name. Least, he figured, he could recognize that much. Knocked the wind outta him t’think he had a little girl that he probably wouldn’t recognize if they set her right in front a him.

“She’s been askin for him,” Alma continued. “She wants t’see him but I’m so scared a… a what she’ll do when he don’t know her! She don’t even know how bad her condition is yet, I can’t go puttin that on her on top a her daddy not…” A sob broke loose an Ennis horribly wanted t’comfort her an say he was sorry for bein a dumbass.

“Maybe…” Dr. Bremmer began gently, “maybe this isn’t the right time… Let little Junior know that her daddy’s okay, but he’s jus’ real sick an cain’t see her yet. Give him a little time t’come to.”

“Will he ever remember her?”

Dr. Bremmer smiled kindly. “Who could ever forget a little girl like her? She’s a good kid.”

Ennis beamed with some kinda pride. A course she’s a good kid… she’s mine… jus’ wish I had some better memory a her.

“I better go sit with Ennis,” she excused herself, comin back into the room. Ennis pretended he was surprised t’see her an hadn’t been listenin in. “Hey…”

“Hey,” he nodded, realizin this might a been a bad idea, his throat startin on fire again. Goddamned tubes.

“Well… Doc Bremmer says it’s amnesia… thinks I oughta hit you upside the head t’knock it back into ya,” she teased, tryin hard t’stay the rock she ever was a that family, holdin everything together.

He didn’t ask if he was gonna be okay.

“Ennis, we… You know who I am, don’tcha?” Her eyes were so hopeful, he couldn’t help but bullshit jus’ a little.

“You’re my wife…. Alma. Alma Del Mar.”

“Yeah,” she smiled, a small look a relief spreadin over her features. “An you know who you are.”

“Think so,” he murmured. “Folks been callin me Ennis, m’guessin that’s who I am.”

“Do you know your full name?”

He thought a moment. “Ennis George Del Mar.”

“What’s your birthday?”

“This a quiz?”

“Ennis…”

“December ninth.”

“Where’d ya grow up?”

“I grew up…” He stopped, mind stuttered. Where the fuck did I grow up? “I grew up… I.. I dunno.”

Alma’s face fell. “It’s a start. It’s a start.”

**

“Momma!” Junior’s face lit up when Alma walked into her room, bringin her a little basket a flowers she bought at the gift shop downstairs along with a little bottle of sweet smellin hand cream. Junior loved creams and soaps and any little trace a makeup her mother would let her play with, given she was only eight.

“Hi, Baby,” she smiled as best she could. “Look what Daddy an I got for ya.”

“Is Daddy here?”

Her heart shook. “Uh, no, no… he’s still gettin better, but he’ll be comin t’see you any day now.” Alma handed her the flowers, which she sniffed eagerly and quickly dipped her scratched up fingers into the cream. Alma winced.

“Want some? It smells like roses!”

“Oh, that’s real nice of you, Baby, yes… can you get some for me?”

Junior plopped a little dollop a cream into her mother’s uninjured hand, who inhaled the aroma an smiled her approval, rubbin it into her cheeks. “You should try puttin some on your face, too, Junior. You’ll be nice an soft an smell real nice all day.”

She took her mother’s advice, leavin little white streaks across her face. Alma smiled.

“How are ya feelin?” She asked experimentally.

Junior looked sad. “My legs are broken.”

“Well, yeah, Baby, you were in a nasty car crash…”

“I can’t wait t’get these things off.”

Alma swallowed hard. “Yeah, I’ll bet that’ll be nice, but you got a few weeks in those casts.”

“I can’t move ‘em real good.” The words hit home an almost caused a sob; she held herself together.

“Well, they’re broken,” she continued. “Ain’t supposed t’be movin ‘em anyhow. Jus’ let ‘em heal and we’ll worry ‘bout movin around once you get ‘em off.”

It was a lie. It was a lie an she knew it, but how could she possibly explain to an eight year old that she might never use her legs again? The world was so cruel an unfair to little girls like Junior, whose only crime was bein in the wrong place at the very wrong time. Why couldn’t I have protected her better?

“I miss Daddy,” she said again, wipin some cream off a her eyebrow. “I hope he gets better soon.”

“He will.”

“What happened t’him? Are his legs broken, too?”

“He’s… he’s been broken, Junior. But the doctors are workin on gettin him all better so we can go home an be a family again.”

“Okay.”

She didn’t believe it. That was okay. Alma didn’t, either.

TBC

Sequence 11:2

2009-03-28T06:47:49Z

Sequence 11-2
Rated G/PG
Warnings: None, except an excerpt from my childhood kindergarten days and over the top cuteness abounds.

Written by Mandi

“You got the flowers?” Jack asked, fixin his hat on top a his head, examinin himself in the mirror.

“They’re on the kitchen table,” Ennis folded down his collar, fightin for space in the mirror.

“Can’t believe this day finally came… wish Ma were here t’see ‘em off.”

“Yeah.”

Annie an Jackie were takin their first day off t’school. Junior had called three times last night after puttin the girls t’bed, all in a tizzy ‘bout if they’d be okay the next day. She’d tried puttin ‘em in preschool the year before with no success. It wasn’t that the girls didn’t take to it, it was more that the school didn’t take t’them. Junior, the obsessive parent that she was, sat outside the building in her car for the day in case somethin bad happened, an somehow, she never figured out how, Annie an Jackie slipped out an onto the playground by themselves. Junior immediately jumped outta the car, since the preschool was near a major road, grabbed her girls an chewed the preschool teachers out somethin awful an threatened a lawsuit. It was Kurt who actually went through on it an the money went into the girls’ college funds. The preschool was pretty much ruined from the publicity Junior brought to it, never restin ‘til half the world knew how inattentive this place was t’let two identical little girls wander off unnoticed. “Without their coats,” she later added.

“Didja tell her that there’s not much chance they’re gonna wander off this time?” Ennis joked as they headed down the stairs.

“Didn’t dare,” he shook his head. “Don’t think Junior’s over that yet.”

“Maybe not,” he agreed, thinkin better on his statement. “Guess I’d a been pretty furious, too, had that been one a my kids. Don’t think I’d forget it so fast, either.”

“Well, it’s over now,” Ennis pushed it aside, swipin up two bouquets a wildflowers off a the kitchen table, one for Jackie an one for Annie. “Think Junior’s gonna be okay seein the girls off t’school?”

“No,” Jack sniggered a little. “That’s why we’re comin.”

“Her life’s gonna be real different without havin two little girls t’chase ‘round all day,” he sighed, thinkin how he’d miss the random visits when he’d come in from the barn, (they’d taken in some horses in their retirement, ‘cause Ennis hated doin nothin with it), an seein a minivan parked up front, two little ladies runnin for him as soon as he came in sight.

“We gonna take the dog?” Jack asked. “The dog” was their newest edition to the family, a retired greyhound racing dog that had come with the name Icarus, but Jack never called anythin but Spud.

“Don’t got room,” Ennis shrugged. “You wanna take that damned dog everywhere.”

“The girls like him so much, thought they’d like t’see him on their first day off t’school.”

“They’ll never wanna leave if he’s here,” he fired up the engine.

“Wait,” Jack put a hand on Ennis’. “Let’s take the Z3 instead, give ‘em a thrill.”

Jackie an Annie loved the little BMW convertible an begged their grandfathers for rides in it every time they came over, even in the winter. With a good natured sigh, Ennis removed the keys from the ignition, searched ‘em over for the right one an hiked up to the North Paddock, throwin open the doors, revealin the little black “midlife crisis-mobile,” as called it.

“Two grown men in this damned thing? Could we look like we’re tryin t’cling to our youth any worse’n we already are?”

Jack said nothin. “The girls like it.”

Ennis rolled his eyes.

“Lemme drive.” He threw the keys to Jack, who caught ‘em with cat-like ease. “I do it for my little ladies, yanno.”

**

“Okay, girls, you got everythin?” Junior breathed in hard, tryin t’center herself like her meditation class had taught her. Jus’ couldn’t do it today, though.

“Can I take Angela?” Annie held up her favorite teddy bear, dressed in a maroon gown that Alma had made.

“No, Honey, you don’t want her to get lost at school.”

Annie pouted.

“Besides,” Junior took the bear from her disenchanted child. “You’ll be so busy there that you won’t have any time to play with Angela. There will be so many new friends, new things to do… boy, I wish I were going to school!”

“You can go for me,” Jackie offered. “I wanna stay home an watch Sesame Street.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, we’ve got our backpacks an our shoes tied? Got our pretty dresses on?”

Jackie spun around an made hers flare out.

“Don’t do that at school, you’ll show your undies,” Junior warned, an Annie laughed. “Did you give Daddy a kiss goodbye?”

“Bye, Daddy!” The twins shouted, rushin back into the dinin room where Kurt was puttin on his shoes, jus’ getting ready t’leave for work. He’d wanted desperately t’see his daughters off t’school, but if he missed this meetin this mornin, he surely would be in the unemployment line by Tuesday. Junior promised t’take pictures.

“Oof! Have a great first day a school, girls!” He smiled, lookin fondly an somewhat sadly at his rapidly growin children. “Learn lotsa stuff an come back here an tell Mommy an I all about it, ‘kay?”

“’Kay!”

“All right, Jackie, Annie… Daddy’s got work t’do, let’s go walk t’the bus stop!”

Hand in hand in hand, the three gals walked down the street t’the end a the road where the school bus stopped t’pick up the neighborhood kids. Two other kids were already halfway up the road, an Junior felt a little bad for not gettin the girls out sooner.

‘Round the corner came a familiar black convertible, an Jackie an Annie shrieked delightly.

“GRANDPA! GRANDPA!” They let go a their mother’s hands an raced towards the car, Junior shoutin an screechin the whole way ‘til she caught up with ‘em, holdin ‘em back, even though she knew there was no way Uncle Jack would run over the girls, it was still the principle a the thing…

“DO NOT run out in the street, do you hear me?!” She shouted, so scared an angry an jittery from the whole energy a the day she could a jus’ shook ‘em.

“Yes…”

“Hi, Grandpas!” Jackie bent backwards, smilin with an almost flirtatious nature at her favorite boys.

“Listen t’your momma, Jackie,” Ennis scolded lightly.

“Are you gonna take us t’school in the ‘vertible?” Annie asked as soon as her mother released her. She clung t’Jack’s leg.

“No, Darlin, we jus’ came t’see you off on your first day.” Jack smiled. “Wouldn’t you rather ride on the bus?”

“No…”

The adults shared a brief laugh.

“Got somethin for ya,” Ennis reached back into the car, producin the two bouquets a wildflowers. The little girls squealed delightedly, sniffin ‘em an tradin ‘em off between each other ‘til some kind a arrangement was met.

“How’re you holdin up?” Ennis asked his daughter, who looked like she might have a nervous breakdown at any moment.

“Oh, it’ll be hard not havin them around,” she sighed. “Not lookin forward to it.”

“You wanna go out for breakfast afterwards? Maybe that new restaurant downtown?” Jack offered.

“I’ll be too teary eyed, but thank you.”

“MOM! Jackie brought her doll!” Annie cried, pointin at her sister, now cradlin a somewhat worn baby doll.

“Annie, we don’t tell on people, do we? An Jackie, give Clara t’me, you’re not gonna need her at school.”

“Dummy,” she snipped at her sister.

Rollin up the hill came the big yellow bus. Everyone’s stomach dropped; this was it! The very first day a school! It rumbled to a stop an a kindly lookin older man swung the doors open.

“Well,” he said. “Two new little ladies. My name is Bud.”

“Hi,” said Jackie shyly, always havin been the more outgoin a the two.

“Go ahead, girls, it’s okay,” Junior encouraged, her voice breakin a little. “You’re gonna have a great time.”

“Bye, Mommy…” Annie clutched her mother’s leg, tryin hard not to cry; she didn’t wanna go, but since her sister was so brave an so intent on goin, she didn’t wanna look like a baby. Little did she know, Jackie was thinkin the same thing.

“Say thank you to your grandpas for the flowers. I’ll take ‘em home an put ‘em in some nice vases in your room.”

“Thank you!” They echoed in unison.

“Bye, girls,” Jack leaned down an gave his granddaughters a big, reassurin hug. “Guess you’re all grown up now, ridin a big school bus an all… Why, I used t’walk t’school….”

“Uncle Jack, don’t start,” Junior laughed.

“Bye, Darlins,” Ennis hugged his girls, feelin his heart pull a little, rememberin when their hands weren’t not longer than his pinkie. Where had all that time gone?

“Bye…” They sounded forlorn, boardin Bud’s bus, who smiled at ‘em warmly.

“You’re gonna love school,” he said. “I wish I were goin, I jus’ get t’drive ya there. You gonna tell me all ‘bout it on the way home? Here, sit up front by me, keep me company.”

Junior mouthed “thank you” to Bud, who merely nodded an tipped his hat; Ennis couldn’t help but agree with the embroidered sentiment on it; “World’s Best Grandpa,” even if it did conflict a little with his own position.

As the bus rolled away, the tears spilled down Junior’s face. Jack took her in his arms an let her weep, Ennis pattin her hair, as her little girls rode away towards adulthood.

**

“It’s gonna be our special week at school, Grandpas!” said Annie over the phone.

“Special week?” Jack repeated, leanin with the cordless propped against his ear with his shoulder. “What’s that about?”

“We get to bring in special stuff an tell stories ‘bout us,” Jackie explained. “For Lindsey’s special week, she brought her baby sister Lisa in!”

“But we don’t got a baby sister,” Annie said, an Ennis laughed.

“No, you sure don’t,” Ennis agreed.

Jack, meanwhile, was brewin. “When’d you say your special week was?”

“Starts um…”

“Starts Monday,” Annie said proudly, ‘cause she knew her days a the week better’n Jackie.

“Well,” said Jack, lookin over at Ennis with that look he got in his eye when he was plottin somethin, “I think we got somethin t’make your week real special.”

**

“An this is my baby, Clara,” said Jackie, holdin up her slightly ragged doll. “I got her when I was real little, an…”

There was a soft knock at the door.

“Come in,” said Mrs. Ripley, Annie an Jackie’s kindergarten teacher. In walked Ennis, Jack an Junior.

“Grandpas! Mommy!” The girls shrieked delightedly.

“Hey, there, girls,” Jack tipped his cowboy hat. “We heard it was your special week.”

“Yeah, I was showin Clara.” Jackie pointed. “Annie brought cookies that she made. Mommy helped.”

Junior smiled.

“Well… We got somethin for your special week out in the truck,” Ennis grinned from ear to ear. “Was wonderin if we could… maybe bring ‘em in?”

“That sounds wonderful,” said Mrs. Ripley, who already knew all about the surprise, havin approved of it on Monday.

Annie an Jackie looked puzzled at each other; what did their family have planned?

“C’mon, follow us out to the parkin lot, we need some help bringin our special things into the classroom,” said Ennis, wavin the children to follow him, which they did obediently. He could smell the fresh tempera paint and clay from the art room, admirin the little paintings on the wall, lookin for his granddaughters’ works. He held the door open, an his new kindergarten friends all scurried outside towards the parkin lot.

“Our trucks are the big reds ones, you’ll know ‘em when you see ‘em.”

“OH!” Cried Annie.

“Grandpas!” Jackie shouted. “You! You!”

In the bed a the truck was a little lamb. And a baby goat! And a small cage with three chicks inside! And a piglet! And a calf! It was like they had brought an entire farm!

The children went absolutely berserk, rushin to the two trucks, peerin into the bed for a look at all the animals. Jack an Ennis had put the toppers on the truck for the animals’ safety, an the kids were jumpin up, tryin t’look through the windows.

“Oh, Grandpas, thank you!” Annie clasped her hands, an Jackie rushed t’hug her grandfathers.

“This is way better than her stupid doll!” Said one kid who was tryin t’stand on the wheel a the truck, who apparently, Ennis noted, hadn’t quite picked up on manners or common sense yet an had half a mind t’teach it t’him himself. The twins were too overcome with excitement to hear him, or if they did, too overcome with it to slap him.

The animals were brought in; Junior, Mrs. Ripley, Jack an Ennis carried cages, but the calf an the lamb were old enough t’walk, an Jackie an Annie got t’lead ‘em into the school on little leads; kids an teachers alike poked their heads outta classrooms t’see this travelin circus comin through.

“Wow, look at them!” Kids kept a respectable distance, (only after Junior insisted on it), from the little chicks, peepin curiously at all these new faces, when all they were used t’seein was there mothers or on occasion, Don Wroe.

“Well, uh,” Ennis began, lookin at Jack for help. “We brought some animals…”

“We’re ranchers,” he filled in. “These are the kinda animals some ranchers raise. We raised calves, like that little guy there,” he pointed to the little black an white calf who was busy sucklin a giggly little girl’s fingers.

“Our friend Don raises sheep an lambs,” said Ennis, gainin more confidence.

“An someday, those chicks are gonna grow up an give us the eggs ya’ll probably ate for breakfast,” Junior teased, “the ones you wouldn’t eat, Annie.”

Annie scowled, but it was short lived in all the hustle an bustle a life in the classroom.

“You both um, you’re both ranchers?” Asked one little boy with freckles, lookin puzzled at Jack an Ennis. The boys blushed a little.

“Well, uh, yeah, we own the ranch together…” Jack began, but Ennis gently stepped on his foot; this weren’t the age t’explain it t’the kid, but he looked like he got it all the same.

“You both live there?”

“Well… yeah, we do.”

He was quiet a moment, then turned around an shouted, “Ryan, you wanna live on a ranch with me like the twins' grandpas when we get big?!”

**

“Well, kindergarten friends, what do we say to Mr. Jack an Mr. Ennis for comin by with all these animals for Jackie an Annie’s special week?” Mrs. Ripley encouraged her class as soon as the last a the chicks were gathered up, packed away into their cage an ready t’head out the door.

“THANK YOU!” Came a chorus a big little voices, none seemed t’be able t’contain the thrill a the day.

“Anytime,” Jack tipped his hat. “But now we better be gettin these babies back home, their mommas are gonna wonder where they ran off to. I’ll bet they’ll have a lot t’tell their friends when they get home!”

Ennis hoisted the cage as Jack waved t’the kids, an Junior closed the door behind ‘em. ‘Fore she could, Ennis felt two little weights grab his legs an he almost yelped an let the chicks loose in the hallway.

“Thank you, Grandpa!” Annie squeezed his left leg hard.

Jackie got the right one. “Thank you!”

“This was the best special week ever,” she grinned proudly. “No one is gonna do better’n that!”

“That’s whatcha got grandpas for,” Junior smiled. “They’re supposed t’spoil ya with things like this an make all the other kids jealous a ya.”

“They sure are!”

Jack looked at Ennis an smiled. “C’mon, Cowboy, let’s get these critters back t’Don for one a ‘em shits in my truck… can I say ‘shit’ in school?”

The girls broke into gales a laughter. “You’ll have to stay in from recess an put your head down on your desk!”

“I better not say ‘shit,’ then…”

“Alright, Uncle Jack,” Junior rolled her eyes. “Don’t work ‘em up into a lather jus’ ‘fore we gotta send ‘em back t’class.”

They headed back for the trucks, the girls back into class, an Ennis felt pride radiatin from his whole body; he’d done right by his granddaughters; he looked sadly for a moment at Junior an wished he’d a done somethin like this for her in her school days. But the past was jus’ that, he realized, an unabashedly took Jack’s hand as they strolled down the hallway, who gave him a puzzled look.

“I, uh… I wanted t’be a rancher when I grew up, like that freckly little thing,” he said, an Junior respectably walked jus’ far enough ahead a her fathers so she couldn’t directly hear ‘em. “Jus’ didn’t know I was gonna be this kind… with you… but… but I’m glad I am.”

Jack squeezed his hand. “Me, too, honey… me, too.”

TBC

Sequence 11-1

2009-02-28T14:01:26Z

Sequence 11-1
Written by Mandi

WARNING: Fairly major character death.

“Grampa!” Shrieked four year old Jackie Mitchell, practically tearin at her car seat t’get out an see her beloved boys.

“Grampa, Grampa!” Annie chimed in, shakin her seat.

“Hold on, now,” Junior fussed with the buckles an latches an whatever else was keepin her kids in place despite their excitement. “Jus’ hold still or this is gonna take longer!”

“Well, where are my little ladies?” Jack stood up from his chair on the porch, a cliché rockin chair Ennis hated but indulged him in anyway, wipin a stray salt an pepper grey hair outta his eyes. “I hear ‘em, but I don’t see ‘em!”

“GRAMPA!” Jackie yelled louder, burstin outta the minivan as soon as Junior unleashed her, rippin up the lawn, headed for her namesake grandfather. Jack swooped her up an spun her ‘round ‘til she shrieked, kissin her all over.

“Grampa!” Annie called, more quiet than her rambunctious sister, rushin t’greet Ennis on his way back from the North Paddock, havin spent some time workin on the BMW Z3 convertible he’d bought Jack as a way t’cling t’their youths by a hangnail, as Jack so playfully teased him. He knelt down an hugged her tight, inhalin the clean scent a her hair.

“Ain’t seen you for a while,” he teased. He saw her last week.

“I gots bigger!”

“Sure did.”

“Hi, Uncle Jack, hi, Daddy!” Junior called, closin the minivan door, smiling wearily. “They sure were antsy t’see you… you’d think we’d kept ya’ll apart for years!”

“It feels like it,” Jack grinned, his granddaughter balanced on his hip.

Another car pulled into the driveway, comin to a slow halt; Bobby stepped out an waved his hello t’the family while Helen picked their new baby Charlie outta his car seat.

“There he is!” Junior cooed. “My favorite nephew!”

“Your only nephew,” Helen corrected, touchin noses with her best friend.

“Until you make me some more,” she teased, an Charlie exchanged hands from mother to aunt, whose face absolutely lit up.

“He’s gettin so big! How old is he now?”

“Seven months,” Bobby replied, haulin the large diaper bag over his shoulder.

“He keeps better track’n I do,” Helen laughed.

“Have his eyes changed yet?”

As if on command, Charlie opened his beady little eyes; one brown an one blue.

“I guess not,” Junior grinned. “An I hope you never do, you’ll be fightin off girls with a stick over them eyes!”

“Heterochromia iridium,” said Bobby proudly, for probably the fourteenth time t’his sister. “Jus’ some genetic mix up, but I think it looks real nice on him. Got one a my eyes an one a hers.”

“He’s beautiful,” Junior agreed, meetin up with her fathers on the porch, kissin everyone hello.

“How’s things been?” Bobby asked as Ennis held the door open for him, the clunky diaper bag bangin into the door frame.

“Been fine,” he nodded, keepin the door yawned open for the rest a the crew, followin in last.

“How’s retirement?” Junior teased. “What do two old ranch boys do with their time an money?”

“Golf,” Ennis said quickly, ‘fore Jack even had a chance t’open his mouth an say somethin that’d make Ennis go scarlet.

Bobby laughed. “That’s what us psychiatrists are supposed t’do with our time.”

“How’s the practice, Bob?” Jack asked, an Ennis was grateful for the fact the conversation was shyin away from their retirement an onto somethin less … personal. He was still sore from the night prior.

“Doin good,” he took his son back from Junior, holdin him close. “Don’t like bein gone all the time at them conferences, leavin my wife an son all alone.”

“He thinks were’ invalids,” Helen rolled her eyes.

“Auntie Helen!” A streak a blonde curls an pink overalls dashed ‘round the corner, grabbin for Helen’s legs.

“June Bug!” Helen leaned down an hugged her honorary niece. “How’s my girl?”

“Good…” She swayed back an forth from one foot to the other. Despite the fact she saw Auntie Junior and her little cousins more often, Auntie Helen was her favorite. “I’m this many!” She held up six fingers.

“How many is that?” Helen asked. “Four?”

“No!!”

“Hmmm… three?”

“Auntie Helen, I’m six!”

“Wow! What a big girl!”

“Didja bring Charlie?” She asked shyly. “Can I see him?”

“He’s over with Uncle Bobby, let’s go take a look.”

Elsie came into the livin room, dustin her hands off on her pants, fussin with her diamond weddin ring, pryin bread dough out from between the prongs. “Well, here’s trouble.”

“Hey, Elsie,” the girls flocked in t’hug her, somethin she was still slightly unaccustomed to, but never the less, always gave in an accepted their physical endearments.

“You girls look wonderful. Helen, how’d you lose all that baby weight so fast?”

“Stroller aerobics class,” she grinned.

“I never fully got rid a mine,” she lamented.

“Mine, either,” Junior added, a hand on her stomach. “Hell with it, though. I think it’s pretty. It says, ‘I brought life in this world.’”

“Sure does,” Jack agreed, finally settin Jackie down on the floor. She rushed over t’Annie, who was holdin hands with Grampa Ennis.

“So why ain’t Kurt here?” Bobby demanded.

“He’s on business in Nebraska,” Junior replied. “Things have been real good for us, he’s lookin t’expand out that way.”

“Best a luck,” Ennis nodded, an the others agreed.

“Are those my babies?” A soft old voice floated down the hall, Ma makin her way slowly in with her walker, her caretaker, Ginny, close at hand.

“Hi, Great Gramma!” Annie an Jackie ran t’greet her, but were scooped up quickly by Jack an Ennis t’prevent ‘em from maulin the old lady.

“Here, here… she ain’t ready t’have little girls climbin on her,” Ennis fussed, tryin t’secure Jackie in his arms, markin t’himself how much she was like her antsy namesake.

“Let this old gal sit down first,” Ma padded through the livin room, everyone makin room, Ginny sayin her usual hellos t’the crew. Ginny was pretty shy, considerin how open everyone else was. Jack had hired her two years ago after movin Ma into their house when her health started failin. Hated t’do it, but he had t’admit t’himself he had no idea how t’take care of someone who sometimes forgot her own son’s name.

“Ginny, I gots a new cousin!” Shouted June from across the room, pointin at little Charlie, who woke up from the sharpness a her little voice an began t’howl.

“I see that,” she smiled. “You gotta be quiet around babies, Bug, they like t’sleep a lot an when they get woken up, they get angry.”

June an Ginny got on real well. It were safe t’say June took t’Ginny the moment she stepped foot in the house, an maybe it were on June’s say so that Jack hired her in the first place. “I like her good,” she declared, right in front of the twenty-six year old nurse, who smiled an agreed that yes, she liked June, too. June invited her t’come an play the next day, so Jack really had no choice but to hire her on the spot. Sure was glad he’d done it, Ginny was a fine addition; Ma was glad for her company an not havin t’ask her sons for health help they probably couldn’t a provided no how.

Ma settled herself in what came t’be her easy chair, leanin back, openin her arms as three little girls clambered into her lap. Their mothers fussed, but Ma shrugged it off, insistin she may be old, but no woman could ever be too old or too weak t’hold her grandbabies. The girls smothered her in hugs an kisses, an if only for a moment, Ma looked like she was twenty years younger.

**

“I think I like our Easters best of all,” Junior said t’her father when they were alone on the front porch, lookin out at the now empty ranch, void a cattle an Sam the Ram, who passed on last spring.

“Do ya?” Ennis an Jack had the plastic eggs down from the attic, all filled up with little candies an toys for the kids, ready t’hide ‘em in the house after the kids fell asleep.

“I don’t suppose you know about…”

“If Jack had his hands in it, I don’t.”

“He’s takin the girls down t’Beaver Dam an gettin ‘em each a bunny for Easter.”

Ennis only shook his head. “Ain’t no wonder he didn’t tell me. Why’d he tell you? Ruin the surprise?”

“Nah,” she shook her head. “Had t’ask me, Kurt, Elsie an Roy if it were okay t’give their kids bunnies as presents. After all, the kids are too little t’look after one. Well, they can feed it, I guess, but changin the hutch an all, y’know.”

“Why Beaver Dam?” He leaned over the railin, a little blue for a moment that he was retired an the ranch was so… empty. The only animal left was their border collie, Ernie, everyone else havin moved on to the Other Side, all peacefully, in their sleep, at old ages an comfortable, far as anyone could tell.

“There’s a farm up there that sells ‘em,” she continued, an Ennis snapped quick outta his lonesomeness for their departed critters. “Sells little dwarf rabbits for pets as well as those big ones for eatin.”

He sneered. Never ate rabbit; never wanted to. Couldn’t understand why anyone would want to, or who got it in their head that somethin as small an harmless as a rabbit would make a good dinner. Quickly changed his mind when he remembered the war against rovin rabbits attackin Jack’s vegetable garden two summers ago. Jack ended up givin up on gardenin an planted herbs in the kitchen window; it was Elsie an June who tended to ‘em, though.

“You gettin the girls dwarves, then?”

“I’m lettin ‘em pick what they want,” Junior said airily. “I wouldn’t mind a big rabbit or a little one. I figure the girls will know their pets when they see ‘em.”

“How’s Mia gonna take it?” Mia was their black an white cat Jack an Ennis had given ‘em a while back.

“Mia’s harmless,” she shrugged. “We’ll introduce ‘em slow anyway. If they don’t take, they don’t take, an we’ll jus’ lock Mia up when the bunnies are loose in the house.”

Ennis nodded. “Good ‘nuff, I ‘spose.”

“It sure looks weird here,” she commented, as if she’d been readin her father’s thoughts. Sometimes he weren’t so sure she couldn’t, kindred souls that they were. “Y’know, with no cows an no Sam.”

“Was out in that paddock fixin the Beemer instead a tendin to calves. That’s a real change I weren’t ready for.”

“You needed to retire,” she said firmly. “You an Uncle Jack need time to yourself. You ain’t kids no more.”

“Tell that t’your uncle,” Ennis snickered.

“I’m worried ‘bout Ma,” Junior sighed sadly. “Called up here the other day while you an Uncle Jack were out gettin groceries an she didn’t know who I was.”

“That’s been happenin,” he nodded. “She, uh… she got medicine for it an Ginny’s real good at makin sure she takes it.”

“I cried for ten minutes after I hung up,” she confessed. “I guess I weren’t ready to admit my grandma’s gettin old… an it scares me that my daddies are, too.”

“Your daddies are jus’ fine,” Ennis reassured her. “Worst thing that happened was Jack gettin that laser treatment t’get that tattoo off a his hip. Hurt like hell, he said, but he was sick a it. Said it was worth the pain so he don’t have t’see it no more.”

“Still got yours? That one on your shoulder?”

“Yeah. I ain’t gettin rid a it, not for what I paid for the damned thing.” Truth was, gettin rid a his tattoo would be like gettin rid a Jack, but Junior, little barometer a truth that she was, knew what her daddy meant an pressed it no more.

The front door creaked open, a shaggy old border collie proceedin her human. Jack saddled up beside Ennis an kissed his shoulder, odd, ‘cause they’d jus’ been talkin bout shoulders an tattoos an what-not. He’d probably overheard it, or maybe he was as psychic as their daughter.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” Jack murmured.

“We were jus’ talkin ‘bout Easter. I think it’s one a my favorite holidays,” Junior told him, pushin her auburn hair outta her face. “I remember you two makin those little plastic eggs full a toys an candy for me. Can’t wait t’see what you have planned for this year. Oh, an Daddy knows ‘bout the bunnies.”

Jack looked sheepish. “Was gonna tell ya…”

“No, you weren’t.”

He laughed. “Well, was savin it for tomorrow.”

“Savin it for when we got t’the farm,” Ennis smiled good naturedly, havin come t’accept this behavior as simply Jack, throwin his irritation t’the winds. “Heard you were givin the girls bunnies, what ‘bout me?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You want a rabbit?”

Ennis shrugged. “Everyone else is gettin one.”

“Ennis, you hate rabbits. You took the pellet gun out every time you saw one two summers ago in my garden.”

He didn’t wanna say how empty the house felt; how hard it was t’live on a ranch without animals. Ernie rested her head on her folded paws an let out a low sigh, as if t’remind him she was still here.

“Well, somethin t’think on.”

“Dinner!” Elsie shouted from inside the house, followed by an echo from June.

The three exchanged smiles an went back into the house, gatherin ‘round the large dinner table that jus’ kept gettin bigger an bigger. Ma, bein the matriarch, sat at the head a the table, Ginny at her right hand side, watchin as her collective clan seated themselves an bowed their heads for Grace.

“Heavenly Father… we thank you for this food, but above all else for each other. For this family an these friends that sit ‘round this table,” she continued for a moment, an Ennis silently prayed his own prayer, grateful for such a life he’d never thought possible.

Suddenly, a shriek broke out; one a the twins, from the sounds a it.

“Ma!” Jack cried.

Ma’s eyes rolled back in her head, then closed, an she fell t’the floor.

**

The family sat together in the hospital waitin room, sayin nothin. Ennis, shame an humility be damned, held Jack’s hands so tight his knuckles went white. What happened back there? Ginny looked frantic, as though she had somehow failed Ma, wringin her hands as Junior absently put a puzzle together with Jackie an Annie.

“Twist?” A middle aged woman with long blonde hair read off of a clipboard, shufflin papers back an forth.

“That’s us,” Jack stood up quickly, bringin Ennis up with him. The doctor didn’t seem in the least bit fazed that he was holdin hands with another man. The rest a the family clustered ‘round an the woman’s eyes widened.

“Well, looks like Miss Emma has quite the followin!” She smiled. “Wish I had better news, but it appears she had a major stroke.”

Jack squeezed Ennis’ hand, an Ennis steeled himself for the worst.

“Is she… awake?”

“No, I’m sorry, she’s not conscious at this time,” she said sadly. “But we’ve found that havin family around an talkin, even in a coma, is very beneficial.”

Coma. Ennis felt his heart stop. He remembered suddenly the curly haired bubbly woman who came t’greet him in Lightnin Flat when he was nineteen. Couldn’t picture her unconscious in a hospital bed, weak an frail, and felt nauseous jus’ thinkin a seein her in such a state. The doctor was still talkin, but he hadn’t taken much a it in.

“You can go on in an see her if ya like,” she shoved the clipboard under her arm. “Don’t feel weird talkin to her. Her body might be broken, but her spirit is completely intact an can understand everythin you’re sayin.”

Jack nodded an turned t’the rest a the family. “Would y’all mind if I had a few minutes alone with my Ma?”

Everyone shook their worried heads; Junior had tears in her eyes as she held her daughters’ hands. June wept in Elsie’s neck an Ginny bit her lip so hard it bled. Jack tried t’smile at his husband, lettin go a Ennis’ hand an disappearin from the room an down the long, forbiddin hallway to his mother.

Don’t let this be it, he begged silently t’God.

But somehow, deep down, he feared it was.

**

For several days, Jack an Ennis camped out in the hospital with Ma, who remained asleep an silent. They talked t’her ‘bout the bunnies that the girls picked out; Annie got a white one, Jackie picked a black one an June fell in love with a chocolate Siamese, all dwarves. Ennis an Jack decided not t’get a rabbit after all, not knowin where they’d put it or how t’deal with the mess, an June promised she’d share her bunny, whom she named Missy, an bring her over often for visits.

Ennis said little; didn’t know what t’say, but he tried. Told her ‘bout retirement an how he wasn’t crazy ‘bout it, how he wanted animals again, didn’t feel right unless he was surrounded by ‘em, things he’d probably told her a thousand times in her wakin, conscious moments.

Jack talked ‘bout anythin. Everythin. Talked ‘bout mowin the lawn when the snow first started meltin an takin his new motorcycle out for a spin. Ma always hated motorcycles, fearin Jack would fall off an kill himself. He kept that conversation to a minimum.

**

“I need a shower,” Jack sighed on the drive home. “I don’t think I brushed my teeth this mornin. I can’t remember.”

Ennis’ butt began to vibrate an nearly sent him off the road; he could scream at Junior for buyin him an Jack cell phones an insistin they use ‘em. Fuckin useless pieces a shit, he figured. What if he didn’t wanna be contacted at any hour a the day, or have a mini earthquake hit his ass while he was drivin?

“’Lo?” He flipped the gadget open, almost irritably. After a few seconds, he slammed on the breaks an spun the truck ‘round, the cell phone hittin the floor with a soft slap.

“Jesus, what the hell was that ‘bout?!” Jack demanded.

He couldn’t bear the weight that had jus’ been dropped unceremoniously onto his soul; Ennis began t’weep. “Ma’s gone.”

**

After the phone calls, after the initial tears, the shock, Ennis an Jack sat wrapped up together on the couch, neither knowin what t’say.

“I weren’t there,” Jack murmured.

“You couldn’t a known…”

“I should a been there when she left.”

“Jack…”

“I don’t wanna be alone when I go,” he shook his head. “Promise me you’ll be with me when I go…”

“Don’t talk like that.”

“D’you think she’s… y’know, back Home? With God?”

It was a discussion Ennis hated; their views on religion were so different an unconventional, but for the first time perhaps in his life, Ennis truly felt a lovin presence with ‘em, a soft hand on his shoulder an a familiar scent that he’d come to associate with that uncommonly beautiful woman.

“I know she is,” he murmured. “I know she is.”

TBC

Questions. Comments. Happy Thoughts.

2009-02-25T19:40:51Z

Ok, kiddies.

I had a dream last night where my entire fic of Paper Thin Moon not only played itself out to a dramatic completion, but changed the plot and direction entirely that I'd originally planned. I woke up and had to write it all down before I lost it all.

So pretty much, I've started writing my next epic after "Sequence" called "Paper Thin Moon." The first little snip/installment/whatever is written as of right now based on my dream.

My question to you is;

Do you want me to finish off Sequence FIRST, THEN post Paper Thin, or post Paper Thin concurrent with Sequence?

Which would be easier to read/follow/whatever?

Lemme know.

MandiPants