Jack waved goodbye to his dad and pulled off down the road. “Where we headed?” Jack asked, his eyes fixed on the dusty road ahead. Jack cut his eyes toward Ennis for a brief second. “Got any place in mind?” Ennis mulled it over. “No,” he whispered. “I have no idea.” Jack gripped the steering wheel. The day was clear and cold, just the way he liked it. Ennis looked at his lover. “You have a place you want to visit, Jack? There must be some place close that you’ve always wanted to see but didn’t get the chance?" Jack said nothing. He did have a destination in mind: a place he needed to visit one last time before they headed out of town. Jack turned the truck toward his tree house.
Ennis was silent as the tree house came into view. Jack looked dead serious, somehow ready for business, and Ennis knew better than to question him. To Ennis the tree house meant only one thing. Did it have a deeper meaning for Jack? Jack pulled up at the base of the tree and killed the engine. He didn’t wait for Ennis to join him, but was scaling the ladder to the tiny house atop the tree while Ennis, almost at his heels, was breathless, trying to catch up. Neither man spoke as they climbed the rope ladder to the small house that was nestled safely in the arms of a tree. Jack was inside first, of course, and he turned around and gently pulled Ennis in. Ennis sat still for awhile and caught his breath. “Why we need to stop here, Jack?” Ennis asked, once he composed himself a bit. Jack didn’t answer but rummaged around under his old sleeping bag. He pulled out a small bag shaped like a man’s shaving kit. “What’s that?” Ennis asked. “I thought you packed everything you need for our trip back at the house?” “Not everything!” Jack answered as he pulled the bag’s zipper open. Ennis leaned forward and looked inside the shaving kit. It was full of coins and wadded up paper money. “Jack, what is this?” Ennis asked, wide eyed now. “Where did you get all that money?” Jack shrugged and turned the bag upside down, spilling his treasure onto the sleeping bag. Ennis and Jack were both silent as they stared at the cash and coins. “I’ve been saving this for as long as I can remember,” Jack stated. “Whenever ma gave me an allowance or I took an odd job at one of the other ranches, I put the money aside here. Guess I could have put the money in the bank, but I don’t rightly trust banks.” Ennis laughed at that. “I even have all the money Aguirre paid me last year, right here,” Jack exclaimed as he pointed to the cash. “How much is there?” It was Ennis, as he picked up a coin and examined it. “I don’t know. C’mon, help me count it.” Ennis and Jack counted Jack’s stash and were delighted when the paper money totaled $710.00. They didn’t even bother with the coins. “Quite a nice sum, Jack!” Ennis whistled as Jack replaced the money into the bag. “Not bad,” Jack agreed. “It will keep us in food and a place to stay for awhile until we find work. “We..Us!” Ennis liked the sound of that. He looked down at the sleeping bag. “You’re going to share with me, Jack?" Jack chuckled and lifted Ennis’ chin with a finger. “You know I will, Friend. Why do you even ask?” Ennis shrugged, but still couldn’t look Jack in the eye. Jack smiled at his lover. “You would do the same for me, I’m sure.” Ennis was able to meet Jack’s baby blues when he heard that. He nodded, and it was settled. When Jack had the paper money and coins safely back in his shaving kit, he rose a bit and moved for the door of the tree house. But Ennis had other ideas. He grabbed Jack by the wrist and pulled him close. Their mouths were drawn together in a kiss both desperate and urgent. It had been too long! Ennis and Jack made love that afternoon to the music of the birds singing in the tree right outside Jack’s tiny retreat.
When they were ready to go, the day was almost done. Jack started the truck and waited while Ennis took a leak behind the tree. When Ennis was aboard, Jack took one last look at the tree house and stifled a sigh. He would return here before too long. But for now, he had a life to build. “You ready, Cowboy?” Jack asked as he smiled at his lover. “Let’s ride,” was Ennis’ answer. They drove in companionable silence right to the edge of the tiny hamlet of Lightning Flat. Jack stopped at a light and glanced over at Ennis. He wondered how he could ever keep his mind on the road with such a hunk seated beside him. “Watch what you’re doing, Jack!” Ennis spoke as he noticed Jack’s eyes on him.” “The light is green.” Jack turned his sights back on the road and gave the truck some gas. But just as he was about to pull out into the intersection, a teenaged boy ran right out in front of them. “Damn!” Jack screamed as he stepped on the brakes. Ennis almost hit the windshield as Jack’s truck stopped on a dime. “Hey, Cowboy, you alright?” Jack was frantic as he saw Ennis seated there, holding his head. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he managed. “You?” “ I’m okay,” Jack muttered as he attempted to steady himself. He looked out the window and was panic stricken when he didn’t see the boy. He hoped to hell that the child wasn’t under his front wheels. “Did you see that boy?” Jack screamed. “Where the hell did he go?” But Ennis was already out of the car, looking for the young man.