Joined Bettermost recently, and came upon your series of tales early on. Have enjoyed all of them. The canon ones are hard to get through, except the ghost story, without having my emotions rise to the surface and bubble over, in a good way.
Particularly like the AU series of the guys on the old Barkley spread outside of Signal. As you said, "what if" they had made the choice in 1967, what if Ennis had put aside his fears long enough to make the choice? And having them take three years to work it out between themselves and their wives, well, isn't it often like that? True to life, and true to themselves. I also like how you incorporated things: the tire iron over the mantle, Jack learning culinary skills over and above opening cans of beans messily, Ennis loving his horses, lighting a cigarette for each other, the wedding of Junior and Kurt, Alma's frostiness towards Jack, their struggle to make ends meet, and finally doing just that, little things like that. Also like your portrayal of Ennis doing the books for the ranch. Nice to show that Ennis can handle that; lot's of stories have him doing only the ranch work, and Jack handling the money and business end.
Hope the spirits of Jack and Ennis will visit you soon again, and inspire you to add another chapter or two or three or...about their life in signal. After all, Ennis will eventually become a gran'pa, and Jack needs to somehow reconnect with Bobby or at least try, and Ennis needs to meet Jack's parents even if it is only to be thrown off the place by Jack's dad. Maybe Joey, Marcy and Joshua need to visit sometime. Ennis invited KE to visit the ranch, so maybe he and Doris should do that, with their kids, for Thanksgiving, along with Junior and Kurt and Francie. And Franice's graduating, so they need to drive over to Riverton for that. More little things like that.
Thanks for the great stories.