Circle JE Ranch, April 1995
They lingered over a third cup of coffee and the remnants of breakfast. Ennis seemed quiet to Jack, even for him. Ennis focused on the insides of his cup, yet didn’t. Maybe he was trying to read his future in the coffee grounds, find some markers there to ease the way up an unfamiliar trail.
“Penny for yer thoughts, Enn,” Jack said. Ennis didn’t reply, kept looking into his cup with unfixed eyes.
“Knock, knock…,” Jack said, this time a little louder.
“Huh? Oh, sorry.” Ennis took a shallow breath, let out a little sigh, hands still around the now almost empty cup. “Been thinkin’. Ya know what day this is?”
“Yeah, April 27th, Thursday, Plannin Commission meetin day,” Jack replied. He took another sip of coffee and set his cup back on the table.
“Know yer avoidin it, ya know as well as I do what day ‘tis.” Ennis looked up finally and continued.
“Twenty-one years ago today, ‘twas the worst damn day of ma life. Won’t never forget it. Every year I see it again, watch ya drive up ta the house, hear what I said ta ya, watch the light in yer eyes go dim, feel my throat tighten up tryin not ta cry when ya turned around ‘n drove outta sight. Even now, my palms are sweatin and ma heart is racin jest thinkin on it.
“Don’t know how ya put up with me all those years, rodeo. Kept pushin ya away ‘n ya kept comin back. Wondered how ya could stand it and not quit me. Every day I say a little prayer of thanks, that ya came back ta me, spoke yer mind, and stood yer ground when I wouldn’t let go a ma fears. Ya had the strength to keep us going til I could see straight, Jack, somethin no one never did fer me before.”
Jack reached his right hand across the scarred table top, and took Ennis’ left hand into his, gently massaging the base of Ennis’ thumb with his own. Ennis remained silent. Looking into those amber eyes, aloud he responded,
“Gotta admit what ya did that day made me bitter for awhile, Enn. Still, couldn’t never quit ya, no matter what. And I jest couldn’t stand it no more, neither, seein ya pull in on yerself every time ya thought someone might see us together. So I decided ta fix it. Took the both a us, cowboy, and we did it, but I gotta admit, ya did try ma patience a bit at times!” Jack grinned.
“Yeah, well, ya ain’t no stranger to that yerself, partner,” Ennis smirked.
“’Partner’ … always like it when ya call me that, Enn, makes me real proud, to be yer partner.” Jack’s eyes reflected the joy his words conveyed.
Topic: The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In! (Read 1205101 times)