One of these days I'll really do a "drabble"...still can't get the hang of writing "short" vignettes. Oh well, hope you won't hold it against me. Here goes.
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Circle JE Ranch, September 1984
After lighting the candles, Jack blew out the match and stood back to survey the table. Just right. "Babe, dinner's ready, come and get it."
He heard Ennis walking down the stairs and across the living room, and saw the looks cross his face when he rounded the corner into the darkened dining room. Surprise, happiness, love, that grin that Ennis gave only to him.
"What...? How'd ya know?"
"Junior, and about time, too. Couldn't wait any more for you to tell me, so had to ask her."
"Been so long since...can't remember when... almost forgot."
"Well, now you won't ever have to remember, 'cause I won't ever forget for you. Happy Birthday, our first birthday party together in our place."
"Dammit," Ennis said, "must have somethin' in my eye." Ennis wiped a sleeve across his face, and then pulled him into a strong hug and a deep kiss. "Thank ya, darlin', for this and for everythin'," Ennis whispered into his ear, before nibbling on it.
"You're welcome." Catching something in Ennis' voice, he added, "Any regrets?" He could hardly get the words out, with the sensations of Ennis' tongue probing his ear and his own hands running through Ennis' damp curls and their two bodies joined from thigh to cheek.
"Nope, never had and never will!" Ennis pulled back enough to look him in the eyes, deep blue meeting dark amber. "And don't ya have none, either, Jack. Best thing that ever happened to me, next to fallin in love with ya. Wish it hadn't taken almost losing ya to..."
"Hey, none a that, you hear?. Ancient history, Babe." He pulled Ennis back into a hug, then forced himself to untangle himself from Ennis, all the while realizing that they would never be untangled. "Now, you better blow out the candles before they melt more wax all over the frosting or set off the fire alarm."
"Hey, there's not that many!"
"Oh yeah, there are, old man."
"Who ya callin old?"
"You, you're older than me," grabbing the camera off the buffet. "Make a wish. And say cheese!"
Ennis leaned over, smiled, and blew out the candles, as the camera flashed.
One of the pictures, a smiling Ennis in front of his birthday cake with all 41 candles ablaze, still sits on the dining room buffet in a double silver frame, engraved with the date below it. The picture next to it in the frame is a smiling Jack in front of another birthday cake with 41 candles ablaze, engraved with another date below it.
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