8. Tuscon & Manitoba

It was early Sunday morning . KC had'ta be in Tuscon by Monday. EuEarl was to haul a load of freight up to Manitoba in three days, too. Them two hated being mad at each other. Hated it ! But neither one could take the first step t'fix it.
So, there didn't seem much point in drawing things out. Whatever was 'tween 'em was clearly over now.
....Right ?.....
KC had put his brown bag of clothes on his passenger-side seat. They'd already said their goodbyes. EuEarl had turned his back to him, waiting for the sound of his engine starting. KC stood frozen in the moment outside his truck door . Eventually, he turned the handle t'get in...
"I don't want ya to go !"
EuEarl would never be sure if he'd said that out loud or not. He would only recall a tremblin' sensation & an overwhelming sense of un-necessary loss that seemed to be ripping his heart apart ! EuEarl spun around so fast, he'd nearly lost his balance ! He spoke, almost yelled out these words. " There's a old house just outsid'a Euwalla on the Mudflat, KC ! Rundown some, but won't take much work. Nobody livin' in it, yet...?"
KC started cryin' , silent like, afraid to look up in case he hadn't heard right.
" KC." EuEarl voice cracked some. " I can't be without you ,man . Not any more. Stay with me, baby. Please?"
KC's eyes were full. He'd heard right. At last ! " Couldn't'a seen muh way to the road, no how." , he said low. then turning to look on his man with a smile. " If ya really sure ya want me t'stay..."
" So sure, that if ya won't stay, I'm comin' with ya !"
KC, to his father's disdain, had always been prone to express his emotions, so those last words from EuEarl's lips had him flat out blubbering ! They were in each other's arms in no time, not caring who drove by or what the possible consequences of this decision they'd made might be.
At that moment & from there on, they would primarily be occupied with holding each other &
their Love !