One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Come on, Jack, pick up. Four rings. “Hello.” “Um…” “Ennis?” “Yeah.” “You okay?” “Umm… No, not really.” “What’s wrong? What happened? You hurt? “Tell me!” Jack’s worry went straight to his soul, finding the one crack in the hard shell, and splitting it wide open. All the shouldas wouldas couldas, all the fears shames excuses, all the won’ts don’ts can’ts, all Earls Richs daddys, rushing out to confront him, only to evaporate into thin air when they hit the warmth of Jack’s caring. It left him breathless.
He opened his mouth only to have his through close up with emotion. His jaw creaked like a rusty hinge on a wayward gate swinging open and closed and open again in the winds of change. He felt those winds buffeting his heart, felt the change over come him, knew he could never go back to the way they were before. “Jack, I… darlin’… we…” From 937 miles away he felt the emotion coursing through the telephone line, and prayed to the God he had feared for so long that Jack felt the same emotion coursing back. Now or never.
“I wanta be with ya… I want ya with me… I want what ya want … wherever ya want it… what I mean is… cowboy, I…” deep breath, del Mar “… luv you.” He knew Jack had a penchant for quick responses, so the silence on the line spoke volumes, told him the meaning of his words had permeated Jack’s normal self. Jack’s next words confirmed that, pensive, meaningful. “Had given up hope of ever hearing that from you, ‘specially after…” NO! His turn to jump in. “Saw that in yer eyes, felt that in yer hug. Couldn’t stand it, want to fix it, can we?”
[For you, Littlewing1957. And, three Drabbles in one! 299 words overall, Prompts: (1) should, could, would, (2) open, close, creak, (3) pensive, penchant, permeate]