The Bettermost Drabblefest: Please Join In!

[Lumière]

Okay, I just finished my drabble.  I kinda went over the word limit but .. here goes .. 



Forgotten Sunday ..

Sunday July 24th, 1966

They’d moved into a little two-bedroom apartment above the only laundromat in Riverton.  It was furnished with an old stove and refrigerator, the plumbing had just been redone.  It was humble, but Alma liked it; at the very least, it was in town.  She’d had her fair share of solitude and deprivation in lonesome ranches, Ennis putting in long, hard hours each day.  She loved him - the way he worked so hard to care for the family and the way he was protective of the girls.  They were far from well-off, but they were a family, what she’d always wanted.

It had been a fairly uneventful Sunday, quieter than she was accustomed to.  The girls had spent the day with her sister and were now happily tucked away in bed; Ennis was still out, he’d been called away to the ranch early that morning.  Alma stood at the kitchen sink, busily washing the dirty dishes from supper.  She peered out the kitchen window, still no sign of him.  She sighed, ‘I wonder if he’s forgotten..’ she thought.

She’d settled down in front of the television with her knitting when she finally heard his old truck come to a stop outside, then heavy footsteps on the wooden stairs and few moments later he was hanging his hat by the door.

“Hey honey..” he called as he walked into the living room.

“Hey Ennis,” he placed a kiss on her lips.

“Girls asleep?” he inquired.  She nodded and managed a little smile.

“Okay.  Wait here, I’ll be right back.”  He disappeared momentarily and returned with a big smile and little box, elegantly wrapped in cream-colored wrapping paper with little flowers embossed all over it.   “This is for ya.  Open it now if ya like..” he handed her the box and knelt down on the carpet beside her feet.

Her knitting now forgotten on the sofa, Alma carefully untied the pink ribbon on the box, her eyes darting back to Ennis’ face just before she opened it.

“Oh dear God, Ennis…” she gasped, pulling out the dainty little black embroidered bag she’d spotted at Wilson’s Antiques in town, a couple of weeks before.  “Oh God Ennis, how did you .. I thought you’d forgotten .. I.. ” she swallowed, “We could never afford this .. I know I said I liked it, but ..” Ennis reached for her hand.

“Hey hey, never mind the money.  It’s yers now.  I know I ain’t home much and I don’t always tell ya, but I see everything yer doing for us.  You take such good care of my little darlins, and ..” he paused, wiping a tear rolling down her cheek. “Well, I know I don’t buy ya all the new things you deserve but I’m workin’ hard for us.”  He kissed her gently on the lips.  She pulled him to herself in a tight embrace, her tears of happiness flowing freely, momentarily lost for words .. “Happy 21st birthday honey,” he said, resting his head upon her shoulder.



                                                 


I made good of my promise - A happy story for one of Our Brokeback ladies ..

[haunted_by_bbm]

Nap Time 

Wednesday, May 15, 1968  11:02 a.m.   

Jack sighed, leaning on Ennis heavily, arm around the taller man’s waist, as the two men walked across the camp, re-entering the tent. Jack groaned noisily, collapsing unceremoniously onto his left side, eyes immediately closing. One would have thought he was instantly asleep, the moment his head hit the bedroll, but for the fact that his right hand came up behind him, without looking, grabbing for Ennis, pulling the man down beside him, without saying a word, but managing to convey everything known and everything felt with that one simple little gesture.

Jack was asleep within moments.

Ennis coiled himself around Jack, protectively, pressing his face deeply into the man’s thick soft hair, as he always did. But once he recognized the steady sound of sleep upon his friend, Ennis lifted his head for a time, just watching, as Jack rested in peaceful satisfied slumber…exactly how long, Ennis couldn't say…before he finally turned over to peer out the tent flap for a while, his eyes surveying as far as he could see…the contents of their black duffle bags strewn across the camp, the horses in the meadow, the rushing sound of the nearby stream, the birds in the trees, the sound of small animals scurrying on the ground…taking in everything, all in one fell swoop. Ennis squinted, narrowing his eyes, seemingly staring down an unseen yet palpable presence, as if warning nature itself to stay clear of hindering their happiness.

Satisfied at last, Ennis tied the tent flap closed, and slid his long body securely once more beside his restful friend, wrapping himself around Jack like a protective shelter, and laying a defending arm across the quiet body rising and falling slowly in rhythmic, peaceful serenity.

“…sleep well, Bud. I’m right here.”

__________________________________________________________________

(300 Words)   
__________________________________________________________________

Okay, yes…I completely and totally cheated with this drabble.   

With the exception of some minor tweaking to fit in the “black duffle bags,” this entire piece is lifted from the end of “Warmest Week of the Year,” – Part 4.
(But I realize a few of you already know that.          lol  )

__________________________________________________________________ 

[haunted_by_bbm]

   
"Sure thing..."  He picked up the bag and made for the door.  He turned and said. 
"... just like your horses...  Ya hear?"

"Yea, Doc.  Thanks."

I loved this one.   
TH,  this is my favorite of all that you've written so far.       

That really struck a chord, telling Ennis to treat himself as well as he treated his horses. 
Really, really nice.   

C*

[Cameron]

“Hey hey, never mind the money.  It’s yers now.  I know I ain’t home much and I don’t always tell ya, but I see everything yer doing for us.  You take such good care of my little darlins, and ..” he paused, wiping a tear rolling down her cheek. “Well, I know I don’t buy ya all the new things you deserve but I’m workin’ hard for us.”  He kissed her gently on the lips.  She pulled him to herself in a tight embrace, her tears of happiness flowing freely, momentarily lost for words .. “Happy 21st birthday honey,” he said, resting his head upon her shoulder.

Aw M,  I just loved that, so nice that Alma finally had a good day..... with Ennis. Just lovely.
I will give Cassie a good day soon.

Wonderful drabbles today everyone.



To Everyone,

Earlier today I sort of had a fantasy that came to me reading the comments, I thought I would share.

 I imagined all the drabblers getting together in real life.  I imagine we all could spend hours and hours if not more just telling wonderful stories about BBM and lots of other things too. 

Of course with us will be Marie, encouraging us and laughing with us and taking such good care of us all.

Wouldn't that be sweet....

 


And thank you so very much Goadra, for all that work on the archive.  It is wonderful

[mariez]

Forgotten Sunday ..
.  .  .
 “Happy 21st birthday honey,” he said, resting his head upon her shoulder.

I made good of my promise - A happy story for one of Our Brokeback ladies ..

Aww, that really was lovely, M - and when he mentioned her birthday at the end it struck me again how young they all are - forget that sometimes.

.  .  .
Satisfied at last, Ennis tied the tent flap closed, and slid his long body securely once more beside his restful friend, wrapping himself around Jack like a protective shelter, and laying a defending arm across the quiet body rising and falling slowly in rhythmic, peaceful serenity.

“…sleep well, Bud. I’m right here.”

That's not cheating, C*     It's impossible to read that too many times.


Your "fantasy" made me smile, Marl.  Thanks. 

Marie

[jpwagoneer1964]

EXCELLENT WRITING EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ifyoucantfixit]

     "What is it that I can do to save and protect these for he rest of my life?"  Ennis walks
over and sits on the edge of his narrow bed in the trailer.  He has held them all night long, he
felt he could just wrap himself in the shirts, and lay there until he went to find Jack. 
     "How could I not realized that you, took my shirt Jack?  He feels the blood flood to his face, the anger towards himself and the disgust he feels for the life they  have missed. 
His eyes are filled with unshed tears and his anger all at once are giving him a tumultious, and cramping gut. Ennis has no knowledge of what to do at this point in his life.  Not like he
ever has been the soul of forthought.
     "Jack, you have always been the one to make the decisions."  "You had to get hold of me, after four long years.  I, never would have been brave enough, to do that." "You were the one to ask me to have the (Sweet Life)."  "You are the one to always ask for more time, more time."  "I don't know what to do no more Jack."  "Your are were and always have been,
my compass." 
     "What do I do now Jack?  What do we do, how do we now find each other?"  "Its now
my turn to take care of the shirts."  "This time I will take the job of protecting you, and you will have to depend on me.  I promise I will try to do as good as you done Jack."  "Your shirt
is  goin inside of mine, this time.."it'll be me protecting yours."  "I don't see why I didn"t see
the way it truly was between us."  "I guess I always knew it.  I jus didn't wanta see."  "I know now."  "I know you always, loved me.  And I always, loved you too."  "I was just too shamed, and scared, ta admit it."  "Please forgive me Jack, please forgive me."  "I just hope some day, i'll be able to forgive myself." 

well that one went way over the line, on words

[jpwagoneer1964]

     "What is it that I can do to save and protect these for he rest of my life?" 

Good job Janice!!!!!!!!

[Lumière]

Aw M,  I just loved that, so nice that Alma finally had a good day..... with Ennis. Just lovely.
I will give Cassie a good day soon.

Will be waiting on it Marl! 

Aww, that really was lovely, M - and when he mentioned her birthday at the end it struck me again how young they all are - forget that sometimes.

True Marie.  I went with the assumption that Alma was 18ish when they got married ..
Yap, kids, they were! 

[MaineWriter]

Hi everyone,

Let's give these prompts a go, shall we?

• marathon
• sneakers
• bread and butter

Leslie