Chapter 75: Making Up
(Saturday, October 21, 1984)
Ellery drifted between uneasy sleep and almost-wakefulness, the spasm in his back retreating and pulling him under, away from awareness. Somewhere in the distance, he heard the doorbell ring, then shortly afterwards, the telephone, and sometime later, the bedroom door opened.
“Darlin,” came the now-calm voice of his lover, hovering uncertainly in the doorway. He opened his eyes.
“What is it?”
“You awake?”
“Kinda... somethin wrong?”
“Wes wants ta talk to ya.”
“Can ya get me some water or somethin?” Ellery scrambled at the covers, trying to sit up, and Ennis moved quickly to grab the phone and hand it to him.
“Sure, be right back.”
The receiver felt like it weighed ten pounds as Ellery took it, his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke. “Cantrell.”
“Ellery I booked Larry Esteban on trespassin an property destruction an brought em ta get looked at up at Ivinson. He’s okay except for a split lip an a stitch in his ear. Thought you’d want ta know.”
“Yeah.”
“You on medicine?”
“Yeah, pulled my back runnin.”
“Ellery maybe you should know this before you tear a strip out a Ennis – he was pullin his punches. He could a killed that boy, or broken out his teeth or his collarbone or somethin, an he didn’t. So don’t go too hard on em. This kind a thing is a nightmare come true for somebody been through what Ennis has. This on top a Julia an Bunny.”
“I see, okay. I haven’t taken a strip out of em yet.”
“Ya want me ta come by again? Ennis calmed down?”
“I think so. I been in bed.”
“An don’t worry about Esteban. I mean Lorenzo Senior. That ain’t any a yer doin despite what Larry thinks. He saw his daddy fall apart an he’d like ta blame somebody for it.”
“Okay. That don’t make it easier. You know how close we were.”
“I know.”
“Ya think I should go see em?”
“You think a man as proud as Esteban wants you goin down ta see him in dryout? Go back ta sleep, Ellery, we can talk about it Monday. An one more thing – the kid admitted he wasn’t givin you Samuelson’s messages, so you can stop steamin about her too.”
“Sumbitch.”
“He’s young, Ellery. Remember when you were young?”
“I don’t think I was ever that young, Wes.”
“Try ta stop worryin an take care a yer back.”
“Yes, Sheriff.”
“That’s better. I’ll call tonight an see how Ennis is doin.”
“Okay, bye now.”
Ellery let his head fall back to the pillow, the distant sound of the dial tone fading as he drifted off again, and Ennis returned, plucking the phone out of his hand and hanging it up. “Ellery?” he asked softly, sitting down on the bed.
Ellery opened his eyes once more, and Ennis lifted the glass of water. “Oh yeah, water.”
“How bad is it this time?”
“I dunno. Don’t hurt much at the moment, I’m just thirsty.” He took the glass gratefully and sipped, then handed it back. “Help me sit up will ya?”
“Sure, come on.” Ennis set the glass back down and slid an arm around Ellery’s shoulders, pulling him up, grabbed his own pillow and put it behind him, propping him upright, then handed back the glass. Ellery gulped gratefully, his head nodding forward slightly as he fought off the drowsiness, then handed back the empty glass.
“Thank you, Ennis. I shudder ta think what might happen if somethin like this happened ta me with you not around.”
“You’d have Edna lookin after ya,” Ennis said softly.
“Ain’t the same.”
“Darlin,” Ennis said, reaching a hand out and touching the hand that lay open on Ellery’s lap.
“Hm.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”
“It’s okay, Ennis.”
“No, it ain’t okay. I didn’t even notice you was hurt.”
“I told ya not ta go. Ya never heard me.”
“I know.” Ennis bowed his head. “I’m real sorry.”
“Okay.”
“Yer mad at me.”
Ellery shook his head. “Not anymore.”
“I don’t, I just don’t understand –“
“I do. Let it go. It’s over. Wes arrested the kid an that’s it. Listen, I got an ice pack in the freezer, can ya get it for me?”
Ennis got up, confused at Ellery’s abrupt dismissal of his apology, and went to get the ice pack, wrapping it carefully in a thin towel, and brought it back. Ellery smiled at him when he returned. “Here ya go, let me get it on ya.” Ennis knelt on the bed and helped ease Ellery onto his side, placing the pack on the mattress and then maneuvering him back against it.
“Thank you.”
Ennis sat quietly, wringing his hands together. “I shouldn’t leave ya alone here.”
“I can’t argue with that. I might need help walkin ta the bathroom, an I sure as hell can’t cook.”
“I’ll call Dupree an tell em I won’t be comin tonight.”
“Okay.”
“Darlin...” Ennis grasped at Ellery’s hand, clutching it, misery reflected in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“I know. I forgive ya. Okay? Ya got a black eye ya know.”
Ennis touched the swollen spot on his cheek. “Yeah.”
“Kiss me,” Ellery said softly.
Ennis leaned forward, pressing his lips softly against Ellery’s, sliding one hand behind Ellery’s neck, kissing him gently, unhurriedly, whispering against his lips. “Sorry.”
“Shhh...” Ellery whispered back, pressing his mouth back against Ennis’s, lips parting, kissing him more hungrily now, pulling him in close.
Ennis bent over him, one hand cupping the back of Ellery’s neck, the other sliding down his bare arm, holding him, trying not to lean against him, but needing the contact with his body, the reassurance of intimacy in the aftermath of shock, anger, and pain. They broke the kiss slowly, reluctantly, and as their mouths separated, Ennis whispered to him once more. “I love you.”
Ellery smiled, lids now half-closed. “I know. It’s all right. I got ta sleep now.”
Ennis brushed his fingers across the pale forehead, pushing strands of stray hair away and tucking them behind his ear, then kissing Ellery’s cheek. “I’ll call Dupree now.” He got up, and stopped at the door. Ellery’s head lolled back, eyes now completely closed. He was already asleep.
Topic: Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll (Read 3507974 times)