ENNIS
By Tom Forster

Chapter 9


Ennis opened his eyes, the sun was already up and he could hear a car passing on the road.  Billy was still asleep next to him, his arm draped over Ennis' belly.  He thought about last night.  He knew Billy was eager to please him and willing to do whatever he wanted, but Ennis didn't want to hurt him just to satisfy his own sexual desires.  He thought back to the way it was with Jack; the uncontrollable passion he felt for him; the urgent need to be inside him.  It was exhilarating and frightening at the same time, to want somebody so badly.  It was different with Billy,— calmer, less frantic, but still satisfying.

Ennis looked at the clock on the bedside table.  He slipped out from under Billy's arm and walked, naked, into the bathroom to piss.  As he stood there, a feeling of dread came over him.  He knew he'd have to face Chet again and maybe even the old man.  Ennis flushed the toilet and pulled on his jeans.

"Billy, we gotta’ get goin, buddy."  Billy stirred, then got up and sat on the edge of the bed.  He looked up at Ennis.

“I gotta’ talk to Uncle Vernon today.  I gotta’ set things right.” Billy dressed.

When they were ready to leave, Ennis came up behind Billy and pulled him close.

“Thank you for last night.”

Billy turned to face Ennis, but he didn’t look him in the eyes.

“Did I do okay?”

Ennis put his hand under Billy’s chin and lifted his face looking him in the eyes.

“It was wonderful, Billy.  You were wonderful.”

He kissed his lips.

“We better get ago’n, handsome.”  Ennis grabbed his hat and keys.

They got into their trucks.  Billy waited a good while after Ennis left before pulling onto the main road.   He felt peaceful.  He wasn’t sure what excuse he’d make about being gone all night, but what he did know was he was going to try to convince his Uncle he changed his mind,— he wanted to stay in Riverton and take on the ranch.  He knew it was going to be hard convincing the old man without telling him the reasons why.

Ennis pulled up in his truck and parked in his usual place behind the barn. It was almost ten a.m., much later than his usual arrival time.  Nobody seemed to be around.  Three of the ranch hands would be up at the summer pasture, the others could be anywhere on the spread. Ennis didn’t see Chet’s truck.  He decided to talk with Mr. Barker about what happened the night before with Chet.  He decided he might as well face it head on.  As he rounded the corner of the barn he saw Mr. Barker on the front porch of the ranch house talking to a man he never saw before.  A late model car was parked in front of the house. Ennis tried to get into the barn unnoticed, but the old man called him over.

“Ennis this is Bobby Fulmer.  Bobby, Ennis Del Mar is my ramrod  and he does a good job of it, too.”  Ennis took off his hat and the men shook hands.

“Well, Vernon, I better get back into town.  I’ll get this paperwork drawn up and should be back out in a few days to get your signature.  Good to meet you, Mr. Del Mar.”

Bobby got into his car and drove away leaving Ennis and Mr Barker to themselves.  Ennis was quiet for a moment,— his hat still in his hand.

“Come on in, Ennis.  I can see you got something you want to talk about.”

They went into the living room of the house.  Ennis had only been in this part of the house once before.  He usually conducted business with the old man in the kitchen.  The room was large, with a high, exposed beam ceiling with a stone fireplace at one end.  The room was furnished simply.

“Sit down, Son.”  Mr. Vernon called towards the kitchen for his housekeeper.  “Ella, bring out some coffee for me and Ennis, here.”

They made small talk for a few minutes, speculating on how much longer it would be until the cattle had to be moved down from the foothills, and the current price of beef.  It was only a couple of minutes until Ella came out with a tray of coffee and biscuits.  Ella  worked for the Barkers for as long as Ennis could remember, and before.  She had a room off the kitchen.  She was a small woman, part Shoshone Indian.  She was hard working and strong.  Ennis didn’t have much dealings with her but he knew not to get her mad.  He’d seen her lay into more than a couple of ranch hands over the years. Ella gave Ennis a smug look as she set down the tray on the coffee table and poured two cups.  She handed one to the old man, but left the other on the tray for Ennis to get himself, then she disappeared back into the kitchen.

“What’s on your mind, Ennis?”

Ennis sat stiffly in an upholstered chair next to the fireplace.

“Well, Sir, I ain’t sure if you’ve talked with Chet, but I need to make you aware we kinda got into to it last night.”

“I know about it Ennis.  He came over and met with me last night.”

Ennis looked carefully at the old man, trying to detect any change in his demeanor towards him.  Ennis couldn’t be sure what Chet might have said to him, but he would never ask.  He knew Chet worked for Barker for many years, but Ennis had no expectation of what he might say or do.

“I done me some think’n, Mr. Barker, and I think it’s best if I leave here after the cattle are brought down to the South range.  I’ll make sure everything is in good order before I go.  I sure ‘preciate everything you and Mrs. Barker done for me over the years, Sir.”

It was the most words Ennis ever spoke to the old man.  Mr. Barker was silent for a moment, he took a swig of his coffee and set the cup down on the coffee table.

“It won’t be necessary for you to leave, Ennis.  Chet won’t be comin’ back.  He packed up his office this morning.”

Ennis looked stunned.

“Chet has worked for me for many years and done a good job of it, too, but it’s time for him to retire.  I made sure he’s taken care of.  I got a man I’ve hired in Riverton who’ll take care of the financial end of things and broker the deal on the beef.”  Barker looked straight at Ennis.  “Son, I know you love this land.  I’ve watched you work this spread for more than ten years, and I know ranch’n is in your blood. If you leave this place where would you go?”

Ennis looked down at his boots.

Barker said softly, “I was a son of a bitch in my younger days; however, I’ve learned a lot over the years, and I’ve changed.  I judge men by the quality of their character.  I respect and trust you Ennis Del Mar.  You’ve earned it.  Nothing else matters to me.  You need this place, and it needs you.”  Ennis could see the compassion in the old man’s eyes.

Mr. Barker got up, stiffly, and walked slowly over to the fireplace. Ennis could see he was in pain.  He picked up the pipe that was lying on the stone mantel and struck a match.  Ennis smelled the sweet tobacco.

“Billy has decided to go back to Texas after the season is over.  I can’t hold it against him.  He’s done a hell of a job, but I respect his decision.  I was meeting with Bobby to draw up the legal paper work to make sure things keep going here after I’m gone.  Ennis, I need you to be here to make sure everything works out.  It’s important to me, Son.”

Ennis stood, he hesitated before answering.  For a moment he felt he should tell Mr. Barker Billy changed his mind, then he thought better of it.  Billy was a grown man and would have to convince his uncle he wanted to stay.  Ennis stood and put his hat on his head.

“Yes, Sir, I’ll make sure everything works out fine, Mr. Barker.”

 He shook the old man’s hand, then he walked out the front door into the bright sunshine.  He felt a huge sense of relief as he walked back to the stables.  He felt as if he’d just been pulled back from going over the edge of a cliff.

Billy pulled up in the work truck not long after Ennis finished meeting with Mr. Barker.  Ennis was in the stables saddling his horse. Billy was not aware of what happened between Ennis and Chet.  Ennis  refused to discuss it the night before.  Ennis saw Billy walk into the front door of the ranch house taking off his black hat as he climbed the steps.  Ennis led his horse out into the dusty courtyard and mounted.  He headed down to check on the progress of repairs being done to the large barn down near the South pastures.  A local contractor was hired to do the job.  Ennis wanted to make sure it was water tight before the fall rain and snow moved in.  He really hoped  things could be worked out between Billy and the old man, but he knew there was nothing he could do to affect the outcome.

Ennis enjoyed riding in the wide open expanse in the South part of the ranch.  It reminded him of some of the open spaces up on Brokeback where you could see for miles around.  Over the years he and Jack isited many areas of Wyoming on their trips: the Tetons, Wind River, and Big Horn River.  Although they never made it up to Yellowstone, they planned on doing it some day.  Jack would have loved this place.  Ennis dug in his heels and his horse jumped to a gallop.

Copyright 2006 Tom Forster