Lee Horsley as David Clayton
This
is a new fiction titled that SueEllen & JR 4Ever and I are starting, “Could it be too late.” To set the scene,
JR is trying to give Sue Ellen the maternity ring he bought for her after John Ross was born. Hope you enjoy.
“JR you bought me once,
but I am no longer for sale,” Sue Ellen said, rising from the lounge chair. JR closed the box, watching her walk away
from him. He glanced over at his family who were pretending they hadn’t seen and heard what had taken place.
“That’s it,” he thought. “I’ve had all of this I’m gonna take.”
He stood up and hurried upstairs after her. He flung open the bedroom door, “What the hell is wrong with you woman?
Can’t you see I’m trying to be the man you want?”
Sue Ellen laughed
uncontrollably as JR just looked at her like she was crazy. Finally, she stopped laughing and looked at him. “You know
JR, I think something is wrong with me. I think I’ve overstayed my welcome at Southfork.” She walked over to the
closet and pulled out a suitcase, laying it on the bed. She opened it and began packing some of her things. “I think
it’s time you got exactly what you wanted. You’ve got your precious Ewing heir, at least that’s what your Momma and Daddy think. And I’ve realized
that I don’t need you, so you can have all the other women you want.”
“What
the hell are you doing? You’re not goin’ anywhere.”
“You’re
right JR. As long as I stay with you, I’m not goin’ anywhere. So I’m leavin.”
“You walk out that door, honey and you’ll never see your son again. I guarantee it,”
he said angrily.
“You can have your son, if he is your son. You can have your
money, your other women, Ewing Oil, and Southfork. I’ll live in the street if I have to, cause it’s better than
living with you,” she said closing the suitcase and storming furiously out of the room, leaving JR stunned and fuming,
unsure of what he wanted to do.
Sue Ellen carried her suitcase downstairs to the cab
and JR watched from the upstairs balcony, his heart secretly sinking as it disappeared from sight. “She’ll be
back,” he told himself.
Patricia Shepard’s Townhouse
The taxi pulled to a stop in front of Patricia’s Townhouse. Sue Ellen took a deep breath, paid the
fare, and step onto the sidewalk. She entered her mother’s home, carrying her suitcase. “Hello mother,”
she said coldly.
“Sue Ellen what are you doing?”
“Sit
down mother and listen mother.” Patricia looked at her daughter, but silently obeyed. “Mother, I’ve had
it. I have had it with his lying, cheating, conniving ways and I’m not putting up with it anymore. Now you can either
support me and let me stay here while I sort things out and get on my feet, or I’ll go somewhere else.”
“But….but what about John Ross,” Patricia asked?
“Well,”
she hesitated, “I’d like to have brought him with me, but he’s better off at Southfork and JR would never
have given us a minute’s peace if I’d tried to take him.”
“What
are you gonna do,” Patricia asked?
“I spoke with a friend from college
the other day whose the head of a modeling agency. He offered me a job and I took it. I have to be at his office tomorrow
morning. Now mother, if you don’t mind, I’m exhausted and I’d like to rest for a while. I come down in a
little while and help you with dinner.”
“Alright Sue Ellen,” Patricia
said, watching Sue Ellen disappear up the stairs.
The next day, Clayton's Modeling
Agency
Sue Ellen walked into the reception area of the modeling agency. “Hi,”
she smiled, “I have an appointment with David Clayton.
Click to view David's
picture https://jrbrewing.tripod.com/id4.html
The receptionist glanced at her appointment calendar, “You must be Sue Ellen Shepard.”
“Yes,” Sue Ellen replied.
“Have a seat, and
I’ll let him know you are here,” she said disappearing into the office. Seconds later, David appeared.
“Hi, Sue Ellen,” he smiled charmingly. Sue Ellen stood and walked toward him. “Come
on in and we can talk,” he said placing his hand on the small of her back.
They
entered the office, and David closed the door. “Have a seat. Would you like some coffee or something,” he smiled
again. Sue Ellen sat on the sofa, crossed her legs and replied, “No thank you.”
“Damn,”
he thought as he watched her knee length skirt slip up her sexy, tanned legs, “those are the most luscious legs I have
ever seen.” Regaining control of his thoughts, he sat down beside her and said, “I am so glad you decided to accept
my offer.”
“Well, I never was very good at resisting your charm,”
she flirted.
“Oh really,” he said raising his eyebrows. “If I’d
known that, I would have asked you out instead of your roommate,” he flirted back, smiling seductively.
Sue Ellen shifted her legs, keenly aware of their attraction to one another. He stared at her legs as
they shifted, imagining sliding his hand up them and under her skirt. Beginning to feel his desire for her growing, he walked
over to the desk, and shuffled through some papers. Clearing his throat, he said, “The first thing we need to do is
get you a portfolio. Once we do that, I am completely certain that companies will be knockin themselves out to get you as
their spokesperson.”
“Wonderful,” she replied. “How do I get
the portfolio?”
“I have a photographer and a studio already lined up.
As a matter of fact,” he said glancing at his watch, “we’d better get goin or we’re gonna be late.”
He held out his hand to her and helped her off of the sofa. As their hands touched, a wave of electricity pulsated throughout
both of their bodies.
They
made it to the photographer’s studio just in time. The photographer spent an hour photographing Sue Ellen in a variety
of poses.
“I’ll
have these ready in a few days” he said
“That would be great” David
said as he and Sue Ellen walked out of the studio.
They got in David’s car and
started the drive back to his office.
“So” Sue Ellen said “What
sort of modeling jobs do you think I’ll be able to get!”
David smiled
“With a body like yours, you can do anything but everyone has to start at the bottom” he said
“What do you mean?” Sue Ellen asked
“Let’s
just say your first few jobs could be dong advertisements for things like toothpaste, but after a couple of months we’ll
move on” David replied
“Toothpaste!” Sue Ellen exclaimed, raising
her eyebrows.
David laughed, looking at her he realized she was too damn sexy for
modeling toothpaste. God this was going to be so tough being close to her, he suddenly realized that he wanted her more than
he ever wanted anyone else. She was beautiful, warm and so sexy. He felt himself harden as he thought of what he would like
to do with her.
“Hey, are you doing anything tonight” David asked
“Are you asking me out on a date?” Sue Ellen asked
“Sorry
I didn’t mean to say that!” David said
Sue Ellen looked at him “Sure
you did and I would be happy to go out with you” she said “Pick me up at my mother’s at 7.30 pm.
After arriving at David’s office Sue Ellen thanked him and walked back to her car. David watched
her as she walked, thinking about how much he was going to enjoy his evening.
Southfork
JR was home early, he couldn’t keep his mind on his work and wasn’t really interested in staying
at the office. On arriving home he saw Miss Ellie.
“Hello JR” she said
“You’re home early”
“I know momma” he replied “Has
Sue Ellen called?” “No” Miss Ellie said “I can’t believe
she left you and John Ross”
JR didn’t say anything “Momma, if you’ll
excuse me I have a few telephone calls to make” he said as he started walking up the stairs.
He
was just about to walk into his bedroom when he heard crying coming from the Nursery.
“Damn”
he thought “What does someone have to do to get some peace and quiet around here”
He
walked into the Nursery and stared at the crying baby. He was so small and fragile but JR realized that he felt nothing for
this child. It wasn’t his, how could he tell his mother and father that he didn’t have an heir, this was Cliff’s
son.
“John Ross, your momma has gone” he said “So you’re going
to have to get used to that”
The baby’s crying eased at the sound of his
voice, JR looked down at him “Whose son are you, John Ross” he said softly.
Pam
had been in her room when she heard the baby’s cries. She heard JR go into the nursery but still the baby was crying.
Walking out of her bedroom she reached the door of the nursery and saw JR standing there.
“JR
pick up the baby!” she said “That’s the only way to stop him crying”
JR
glared at her “You do it!” he said and stormed out of the room.
Patricia
Shepard’s Townhouse
Sue Ellen arrived home and called to her mother
“Hi momma I’m home” she said
“Hi darlin’”
her mother replied “How did it go”
“Fine” Sue Ellen replied
“Oh by the way I won’t be having dinner here tonight I’m going out”
“Out
with who?” Patricia asked “Don’t tell me you and JR have sorted things out”
Sue
Ellen laughed “That will be the day” she said “No I’ve got a date with David”
“Sue Ellen, you’ve only just left your husband” Patricia said “Is this a good
idea”
“Momma it’s only dinner and beside JR and I are finished”
Sue Ellen replied “Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to get ready”
Patricia
watched her daughter go upstairs. She realized that now that Sue Ellen had left Southfork she would never get to know her
grandson.
A Dallas
restaurant
Sue Ellen and David waited for their meal to arrive. David looked at Sue
Ellen, she looked beautiful.
“So” David said “Is your marriage really
over?”
Sue Ellen stared into her drink and sighed “Yes, it is”
she said “There’s no going back!”
“What happened?” he
asked “You don’t have to tell me but I’m here if you need a friend”
Sue
Ellen smiled “Come on, you didn’t ask me on a date so that I could talk about my failed marriage” she said
“I just get the impression you could do with a friend” he said
Sue
Ellen was quiet for a while and then taking a huge breath she began to speak “I met JR during a beauty contest I entered,
he was one of the judges. In the beginning he was so warm and loving and I fell deeply in love with him. However after we
were married he became distant, stayed away at night, came home smelling of another woman’s perfume, these past few
years we hardly ever made love” she said
“But you’ve just had a
baby” David said
“Yes I know but maybe he’s the result of one night
of sex when JR couldn’t find it anywhere else or he’s the result of an affair I had with JR’s arch enemy”
Sue Ellen said
“You cheated on JR” David said
“Yes,
well after seven years of being cheated on and made to feel worthless I needed someone to love me” Sue Ellen said “Only
trouble was I chose the wrong man, once JR found out and threatened Cliff the affair was over” she said
“So you don’t know who your baby’s father is?” David asked
Sue Ellen smiled “No, JR doesn’t know who the father is but I do, you see he has JR’s
eyes only JR can’t see that!” she said
“How can you leave your baby?”
David said
Sue Ellen couldn’t replied, she didn’t have an answer for that
as she was asking herself the same question. Soon afterwards their food arrived and they began eating occasionally talking
about his plans for her modeling career. After they had finished their meal Sue Ellen noticed the music playing.
“David dance with me” Sue Ellen said
David got out
of his chair and reached for her hand. They walked towards the dance floor. Sue Ellen put her arms around his neck as he held
her by the waist. Slowly they began to move. Sue Ellen closed her eyes and held him even tighter, she suddenly realized that
this had been the first time in a long time that she had felt like a real person and not one of JR Ewing’s possessions.
She was in the arms of someone who wanted her for herself and not just to get back at JR. They continued dancing. David loved
the feel of her body right next to his and hoped one day he would be able to take this relationship further, he wanted to
wake up with her, make love to her all night long, let her experience the love that he knew she had been denied for so long.
He knew he could make her happy but he also knew he had to give her time. Finally as the song ended the couple broke away
and still holding hands walked back to their table. Looking at her watch Sue Ellen realized that it was getting late.
“David it’s been a wonderful evening but I think it’s time to go” she said
David looked at her and smiled “Okay but promise me we’ll do this again some day”
“Okay” Sue Ellen smiled
David paid the bill and then
drove Sue Ellen home.
Southfork
JR sat on
his bed with his head in his hands trying to block out the sound of the baby’s crying. He picked his head up and looked
around the room, his eyes drifted to the picture of Sue Ellen that was on the dressing table. He felt tears in his eyes. He
remembered the night of John Ross’s birth and how he had sat by Sue Ellen’s bedside pleading with her to wake
up, praying for her to live. Now his worst fears had come true, she had left him. He thought back to how he had mistreated
her over the years and realized that he didn’t blame her but he did love her he just couldn’t express it. Now
he had lost his yellow rose of Texas and he felt empty.
Patricia Shepard’s Townhouse
Sue Ellen arrived home to find
Patricia waiting for her
“Hey momma this is just like old times, you waiting
up for me” Sue Ellen said
“Did you have a good time” Patricia asked
“Yes I did” Sue Ellen said. She then sat down and placed her head in her hands.
“Sue Ellen, what’s wrong?” Patricia asked
“Momma
I need my baby” she cried
“I thought you said it was best he stayed at
Southfork” Patricia said
“Momma I know what I said but I can’t do
it, I want him here with me” Sue Ellen said with tears in her eyes “He’s only a month old I want custody
of him”
“You know you’ll have to fight the Ewings for that”
Patricia said “JR wont give him up without a fight”
“Momma will
you help me?” Sue Ellen asked
“Are you sure you want to be a single mother?”
Patricia asked “There’s no hope for you and JR”
Sue Ellen sadly
shook her head “Momma, JR and I are finished. I can’t take his cheating on me anymore. He doesn’t love me,
I’m just one of his possessions” she said
“Okay, if you want John
Ross then I’m with you every step of the way but it won’t be easy” Patricia said
“I
know momma, but I have to have my baby!” Sue Ellen said “It’s getting late I’m going to bed”
“Night Sue Ellen” Patricia said and hugged her tightly.
Sue
Ellen’s room
After getting undressed Sue Ellen lay quietly in bed. She really
had enjoyed her evening; at last someone had treated her like a human being and made her feel wanted but part of her ached.
She hated to admit it but part of her ached for JR, she longed to have the man she first met, the man who had showered her
with love and affection not the cold cruel man he had become after they had married. However she knew there was no going back,
JR was JR and if she stayed with him things would get worse, but she knew that she needed her son, she had thought it would
be so easy to walk out on him but she had been proved wrong. She buried her head in the pillow and cried.
Southfork
JR finally crawled out of the
bed at 4:00am. He tossed and turned since 10:00pm the night before. The bed looked like a dog had rooted around in it. He
sighed disgustedly and headed for the shower. He removed his pajamas, and climbed into the shower. He turned on the water
and let it wash over his body. He closed his eyes to wet his hair, and imagined Sue Ellen sneaking in with him, like she’d
done on their honeymoon. He sank down to the floor of the shower, and pulled his knees to his chest, burying his head. His
body convulsed violently with tears. It was several minutes, before he angrily stood to his feet, slinging his hand across
his face to wipe away his tears. “No way, as God is my witness, there is no way she’s gonna get away with this.
I am JR Ewing. Nobody crosses me and gets away with it,” he said through gritted teeth. He completed his shower, dressed
and stormed out of the house.
Patricia Shepard’s Townhouse
Sue Ellen walked out the front door, to the waiting taxi. She had a full day planned. First, a visit to
the divorce attorney and then she had a photo shoot. David said he’d meet her there and afterward, he’d take her
home.
She reached the lawyer’s office, and climbed out of the taxi. She took
a deep breath before entering the building. “Is this really what you want Sue Ellen,” she asked herself out loud,
looking down at the sidewalk. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted.
“Sue Ellen,”
She looked up from the sidewalk. “JR,” she said with surprise.
Grabbing
her arm and pulling her forcefully toward his Mercedes, he said, “We need to have a little chat, darlin’.”
“About what,” she said angrily pulling out of his grip?
“About
us,” he said calmly, “and your son.”
“There is no us, anymore
JR. There hasn’t been for a long, long time. And as for John Ross, I…” she hesitated not wanting to reveal
too much, “told you that you could have him. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment.”
“Sue Ellen we are not finished talking,” he said grabbing her arm again and looking deep into
her eyes.
Sue Ellen saw the tremendous pain in his eyes and looked away. “Damn
those eyes,” she thought. “Just don’t look into them. If you don’t look into them, you can keep it
together.” “Yes we are JR. You haven’t wanted to talk to me in at least six years, so what is so important
now. Did all your other women finally wise up and kick you to the curb too?”
JR
looked at the sidewalk. “I deserve that,” he thought. He looked up as she turned to walk away.
“Goodbye JR, I’m no longer your possession. I’ve been sold for a Ewing
heir, and countless whores.”
Though he knew she spoke the truth, her last comment
made him see red, and he grabbed her and pushed her closer to the car. “Get in that damn car right this minute, or I
swear you’ll regret the day you ever met me.”
Once again, she managed
to escape his grasp, and moving quickly away, said, “I already regret the day I met you.”
JR stood stunned as he watched her disappear into the lawyers office.
JR
stalked toward his office, ignoring Louella and the other secretaries, who exchanged interested glance. He entered his office,
closed the door behind him, hung his hat on the rack, and walked over to the liquor cabinet. Even though it was only 9:00am,
he poured himself a bourbon straight and down it. Pouring himself another, he walked over to the desk to try and get some
work done.
JR’s
office door opened and Jock walked inside. “JR, I want to talk to you.”
“Sure
Dad, what is it?”
“It’s about your wife.”
“Dad, I….”
“Just shut up and listen JR.
Now I know how much you’ve always enjoyed havin a good time, and I never begrudged you that. Hell I did plenty of wild
things when I was young, but you have a son now. A son who needs his momma. It’s time you got your act together and
brought that wife of yours home where she belongs. Do you understand me?”
“But
Dad, I..”
“I don’t want any excuses JR. I just want you to bring
my grandson’s mother home and I want the three of you to be one big happy family. You got it.”
“Yes sir,” JR replied, “I’m already workin’ on it sir.”
“Good, cause if a man can’t handle his family, then he sure as hell can’t handle a multi-million
dollar company,” Jock said walking out of the room.
JR just sank back into his
chair, and rested his face in his hands, sighing in frustration.
Lawyer’s
office
“So,
Mr. Thompson, that’s the whole sordid story,” Sue Ellen said as she finished relaying her life with JR.
“I see,” he replied. “And you say that your son is at Southfork now.”
“Yes.”
“Well, if you want custody, my suggestion
would be for you to get him away from there and living with you as soon as possible. As for the divorce, do you think your
husband is going to contest it also?”
“Is the sky blue on a sunny day,”
she asked sarcastically. “JR doesn’t give up what he wants easily.”
“Are
you prepared to air that story you just told me in public, because that’s exactly what will happen if you go through
with this?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I have to get myself and
my son away from him for good,” she continued, forcing back her emotions.
“All
right then,” he said. “It’ll take some time to get the papers ready and we’ll have to do an assessment
of you and your husbands property and holdings to determine a settlement, but we can do that fairly easily, based on what
you say you want. So, you can probably expect the papers to be ready for you signature by the end of next week.”
“Thank you Mr. Thompson,” Sue Ellen said shaking his hand as she rose to her feet.
“Your welcome, Mrs. Ewing. I’ll have my secretary call you when the papers are ready.”
Sue Ellen nodded and disappeared out of the building, hurrying toward her modeling session.
Sue
Ellen enjoyed her modeling assignment even though as David had warned her she was only doing an advert for toothpaste. As
she came out of the building she looked at her watch, 1.00pm, she thought for a second. JR would still be at work and Southfork
may be empty. Her lawyer had told her that she had to get John Ross away from Southfork and that is what she intended to do.
David was waiting was waiting for her as promised. She got into his car.
“Hi” he said “How was it?”
“Fine” she laughed “Well as good as it could be with modeling toothpaste”
“We’ve all got to start somewhere Sue Ellen” he said “And you my darlin’
are heading for great things”
Sue Ellen smiled. David looked at her “So
how was it at the divorce lawyers” David asked
“He said he will have the
papers drawn up by the end of next week” Sue Ellen replied “he also said I need to get John Ross away from Southfork”
“JR is going to go mad” David said
“I know but
I have to have my baby” Sue Ellen said “David can I borrow your car this afternoon I need to go to Southfork”
“Alone” David asked
“Yes” Sue Ellen said
“JR will be at the office”
“Okay, let’s drive back to the
office and you can use it after that” David said “But promise me you’ll call me if you need me”
“I promise” Sue Ellen said
They drove in silent back
to the office. After David got out of the car, Sue Ellen got into the driver’s seat and turned the ignition. She gave
a deep sigh, this was going to be harder than she ever thought it would be. She had seen the pain in JR’s eyes, the
same pain she had seen so many times when Jock showed how much he preferred Bobby to JR. But she knew this was something to
had to do, she thought back to the time she had drunk herself to oblivion during her pregnancy to try and blank out the rejection
she felt. If she stayed with JR, her life would continue to go downhill. How could she feel such hatred towards JR in one
moment and yet know that she would truly love only ever him, he was the love of her life She put the car into drive and started
her journey.
Southfork
Driving through
the gates of Southfork Sue Ellen felt her body tremble and could hear the pounding of her heart. She got out of the car and
headed towards the porch. Miss Ellie had seen her drive up and was waiting for her.
“Hello
Sue Ellen” Miss Ellie said
“Hello” Sue Ellen said
“What’s going on with you and JR?” Miss Ellie asked
“I’m
leaving him for good” Sue Ellen said “I’m tired of this sham of a marriage. JR doesn’t love me I’m
just one of his many possessions”
“Sue Ellen what about John Ross, he
needs both parents” Miss Ellie said
“John Ross will be fine, I will give
him everything he needs” Sue Ellen said
“You’ve come to take him
haven’t you?” Miss Ellie asked
“Yes, our marriage is over but I’m
not going to let another Ewing grandchild be brought up away from his mother” Sue Ellen
said “Please don’t stop me”
Miss Ellie was silent for a while. She
knew how much pain JR had put Sue Ellen through and she also knew that John Ross needed his mother. “Okay, Sue Ellen
I wont stop you but just remember that JR will want his son back so don’t be surprise if he’s not beating down
your door to get him” she said
“I can handle JR.” Sue Ellen said
Miss Ellie let Sue Ellen walk into the house. Sue Ellen walked through the hallway and up the stairs.
She looked around her and realized how many memories this place held for her. She remembered falling down the stairs while
she was pregnant with John Ross, the pain of so many nights spent alone because JR was in the arms of another woman instead
of where he should have been. She walked into her and JR’s room; she looked on the dressing table and saw her picture.
JR still had it there he hadn’t thrown it out, she sat on the bed. She felt the tears form in her eyes and tried to
push her emotions aside. All she had ever wanted was JR to love her and only her but he couldn’t do that. Slowly she
got up and went to the head of the bed, something made her pick up JR’s pillow and she pressed it against her breathing
in his smell. She thought back to the good times before they were married, the times in the treehouse where they would talk
for ages about nothing in particular. JR told her he felt safe talking to her and that he had told her things that he had
never told anyone else. He made her feel so special. She remembered how he brought her a horse and taught her to ride, hours
they would spend riding around the pastures. The excitement she felt whenever he touched or kissed her and how he used to
call her his yellow rose of texas. She looked at the bedside clock and realized she had to be quick. Reluctantly she left
their room and walked into the nursery. She looked into the crib and saw her sleeping child.
“Oh,
John Ross” She said “Where did I go wrong, I truly love your father but I wasn’t enough for him”
She started to collect his things together and found a bag to put them in, and then very gently she picked
up the baby. Suddenly the baby opened his eyes and looked at her, she immediately saw JR, from the moment she first saw him
she knew who his father was and yet JR couldn’t see it, he was too consumed with his hatred for Cliff and fearing that
Jock might find out that he didn’t have an heir that he failed to see the truth, that this was his baby, his and Sue
Ellen’s. Sue Ellen kissed John Ross’s forehead and carried him downstairs. On leaving she said goodbye to Miss
Ellie and strapped the baby’s carrycot into the car. She looked around the ranch for one last time then taking a deep
breath got back into the car. After arriving back at David’s office she parked the car and took the baby out of his
carrycot, she then climbed the stairs to David’s office.
“How was it?”
he asked
“Awful” she said
“Was
JR there?” he asked
“No, but that place holds so many memories and not
all of them bad” Sue Ellen replied. Suddenly the baby awoke and started crying.
“David
can you take me home please, I need to feed and change him” Sue Ellen asked
“Sure”
he said and they walked out of the office into the car. Once again they drove in silence. As they reached Patricia’s
house, David turned to Sue Ellen and said
“I don’t suppose I can see you
tonight?”
“Sorry David, I need to get to know my son, beside I’m
sure JR will be calling and I don’t want to leave momma alone” Sue Ellen said
“Call
me if you need me” he said
Sue Ellen smiled and kissed him on the cheek “Thank
you for being such a good friend” she said
Southfork later that day
JR and Jock’s arrival home was greeted by Miss Ellie in tears.
“What
happened?” Jock asked
“Sue Ellen came” Miss Ellie said “She’s
taken John Ross”
JR froze, she really did mean it she wasn’t coming back.
“JR, you’ve got to get them back!” Jock said “I want my grandson here!”
JR ignored his father’s remarks and went upstairs. He felt his heart was breaking
he had never experienced this feeling before. He knew John Ross wasn’t his son but he would have been prepared to bring
him up as his as long as he had Sue Ellen. His thoughts turned to the past, remembering the long walks they used to enjoy
together, she had been the only person who had truly love him for himself, he knew his daddy had always preferred Bobby, JR
had just been his heir and business partner but Bobby could do anything he like, his father had even built that damn treehouse
for Bobby, JR would have given up everything for his father to love him like that. His momma had Gary, poor wimpy Gary who was so scared of daddy that he spent most of his childhood
cowering behind his momma. Sue Ellen had been different, at last he had found someone who truly loved him, and she actually
listened to what he was saying and seemed genuinely interested. Now due to his own stupidity she was gone. He sat on his bed
and once again he cried.
After a while he composed himself and went back downstairs.
His momma and daddy were in the den.
“JR what are you going to do!” his
father demanded
JR looked at him “I don’t know” he said
“Is your marriage over?” his father asked
JR turned
his back as he felt the tears stinging his eyes “Yes” he said
“Then
you have to fight Sue Ellen for custody of John Ross” Jock said “He’s a Ewing he belongs with us not her”
JR sighed, if only they knew the truth. John Ross wasn’t a Ewing
he was a Barnes, Sue Ellen’s bastard child.
“JR we can get the best lawyers
on the case, she wont stand a chance” Jock said
JR didn’t want this, he
didn’t want to hurt Sue Ellen anymore than he had, he just wanted her back to start again and love her like he should
have. He turned and left the room.
Patricia Shepard’s townhouse
Sue Ellen watched her sleeping son, totally unaware of his surrounding and events going on around him.
She remembered how she felt after he was born, not wanting to go to visit him in the hospital, scared of loving him because
of the way she had been hurt by his father. Now all she felt was an overwhelming sense of love and the need to protect him.
He was all she had left of JR and she hoped that he would grow up to be happy and know that he was loved unlike his father.
She almost understood JR’s problem, he had never really been shown love therefore he couldn’t express it, but
she had done everything in her power to show him how much she loved him, that to her he was the most important thing in the
world, but JR had thrown it back in her face. She cursed herself for still having feelings for JR and for being unable to
stop thinking about him. Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother.
“Sue Ellen,
dinner’s nearly ready” Patricia said
“Thanks momma, I’m just
trying to get the baby settled” she replied
Patricia looked at the baby in the
cot “He’s beautiful, Sue Ellen”
Sue Ellen felt her heart burst with
pride “I know” she said “Momma I couldn’t leave him at Southfork”
“Of
course not!” Patricia said “I’m just worried about what JR is going to do”
“Momma
I can handle JR” Sue Ellen said
They went downstairs and had something to eat.
Sue Ellen wasn’t really hungry and played with her food.
“Sue Ellen you
need to eat to keep up your strength” Patricia said
Sue Ellen put her head in
her hands and cried. Patricia walked around the table and put her arms around her daughter. “Where did I go wrong momma”
Sue Ellen said “I loved him so much, he was all I ever wanted”
“You
can go back if you want to” Patricia said “It’s not too late”
“Yes
it is momma, JR doesn’t love me our marriage is a sham” Sue Ellen said “JR and I haven’t made love
in years, John Ross was conceived during one act of sex when JR couldn’t find it anywhere else”
“Then move on Sue Ellen, build a new life for you and your son” Patricia said “You’re
still young, find someone who will really love you”
Sue Ellen dried her tears
and kissed her mother. They then went back to eating their meal.
A few hours later
there was a knock at the door. Patricia looked out of the window.
“Oh my God
Sue Ellen it’s JR!” she called
Sue Ellen felt her heart jumped as she
hurried downstairs “Momma go upstairs and see to John Ross please, let me handle this” she said
Her mother did what Sue Ellen had asked. After she heard her mother enter John Ross’ room she opened
the door.
“What do you want?” she asked
“We
need to talk” JR said
“I’ve told you before there is nothing left
to talk about” Sue Ellen said “You want to talk go and find one of your little whores, or aren’t they capable
of that!”
“My parents want me to bring John Ross home where he belongs”
JR said
“Your parents, not you” Sue Ellen said “You don’t
give a damn about that child”
“Why should I he’s not mine”
JR said
“JR, he’s staying with me whether your parents like it or not”
Sue Ellen said
“We’ll fight you through every court in this land”
JR said “Daddy believes he’s a Ewing and he belongs at Southfork”
“You
do that JR, and I will demand a paternity test ”Sue Ellen said“ How you are going to explain to your precious
father then that the child he named isn’t his grandson”
“You wouldn’t
dare!” JR said
“Believe me JR, I would” Sue Ellen said “He’s
my child not yours and if I have to prove that with a paternity test I will”
Sue
Ellen prayed that JR wouldn’t see that she was shaking inside. She knew what the results of a paternity test would show
but she needed JR to believe that John Ross wasn’t his son.
“Now JR do
you mind getting out of this house and leave me alone” Sue Ellen said “I have nothing more to say to you”
“I’ll see you in court then” JR said
“You
can count on it” Sue Ellen said and slammed the door behind him. Sue Ellen leant against the doorframe. She was shaken,
part of her wanted to open the door and throw her arms around JR, this was going to be hell. JR walked back to his car, getting
in he slammed the door and put his head in his hands. Both of them cried as they realized that they had lost something that
had once been so special.
Southfork
JR finally pulled his car into
his usual spot at Southfork. He climbed out of it and swaggered toward the house. “Thank goodness it’s late enough
that Momma and Daddy are probably in bed. I don’t think I could deal with that now,” he thought. He reached out
for the door, but before he could open it, a voice called out quietly.
“JR,”
Miss Ellie said.
JR turned to face his mother. “Yes ma’am?”
“Come over and sit with me for a minute. I want to talk to you.”
“Momma,
I’m not really in much of a…..”
“JR,” she said sternly.
“Sit down.”
JR silently obeyed. His mother always knew exactly how to
make him feel like a little boy, although tonight it wasn’t too hard for her because that’s how he felt. He felt
like a lost little boy. Part of him wanted to break down, to have his mother hug him and tell him everything was gonna be
alright, but he knew he couldn’t do that. That would be something a weakling would do, and he was no weakling. Sighing,
he sat down in the chair next to her and stared blankly across the Southfork skyline, noticing how majestic the ranch looked
in the moonlight and thinking of another moonlit night oh so long ago now.
Southfork,
Eight years earlier
JR held Sue Ellen’s hand tightly as they walked away
from the house. He was so nervous, he could feel his body trembling. “God,” he thought, “please let her
say yes. I love her so much and for the first time in my life, I have someone who loves me. She loves me. Please let her say
yes and I’ll never ask you for anything else, ever again. Please God.” When JR was sure they were out of sight
of the main house, he let go of her hand and placed his arm around her shoulders pulling her next to him. Her arm happily
and instinctively went around his waist. There were no words spoken, they just enjoyed being together. JR had been so busy
with Ewing Oil, and Sue Ellen had been diligently completing school and her duties as Miss Texas, that there had been little
time left over for romance. Tonight was the first time they’d had alone together in weeks and they both wanted to savor
it. They continued their walk, until they reached the tree house overlooking the lake. JR let go of her and walked over to
the edge of the lake. He reached down, picked up a rock and skipped it across the water’s surface. He stared a moment
admiring it’s beauty as the moonlight reflected across the ripples of the water. Then he turned and looked at Sue Ellen,
marveling at how amazing she looked. The moonlight shone down on her hair illuminating it like a wildfire lights up the night
sky and her eyes sparkled as she returned his gaze. “Now’s the time,” he thought, taking a deep breath,
as he beheld her beauty and the love light in her eyes. He walked back to her, slid his arms around her waist, closed his
eyes and kissed her tenderly, sending shockwaves of passion and electricity throughout both their bodies. When they’d
completed their kiss, he held her body tightly against his, inhaling her scent deeply. Responding to his touch, she hugged
him back as firmly as she could. Sue Ellen sensed something troubling him, but remained silent. After several minutes had
passed, with neither moving or speaking, finally she asked, “JR, are you alright.”
JR pulled back from her and smiled, “Yes, my Yellow Rose of Texas,
I’m fine.” He pulled her closer to him and kissed her again. This time, when their kiss was complete, he dropped
to one knee and grasped her hand saying, “I’ve never been very good at expressing my feelings, but Sue Ellen,
all my life I’ve searched for someone like you. Someone that I could share my life with, someone that I could trust,
someone I could depend and lean on when things didn’t always go the way I’d planned. I never dreamed that anyone
could make me feel this way or that anyone could ever feel the way I think you feel about me. You are so beautiful and my
heart swells with so many emotions whenever I’m near you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” JR reached
into his jacket pocket, pulled out the ring and held it up, “Will you marry me?”
Tears
flowed freely down her cheeks as she stared deeply into his eyes, listening intently with her heart to every word he spoke.
When he’d finished, she gently caressed his cheek with her free hand, “JR Ewing, I love you more than life itself.
Yes, I will marry you.”
JR smiled, placed the ring on her finger, stood to his
feet, and they shared several passionate kisses, holding each other tightly, not wanting the moment or the happiness they
felt to end. “I love you Sue Ellen,” JR whispered. He looked up to the sky, and mouthed the words, “Thank
you.”
Southfork, Present Day
“Where
did you go tonight, JR? To see Sue Ellen? JR!”
“Huh, what,” he said,
his mind returning to the present. “Oh, yes ma’am.”
“And what
did you say to her?”
“I told her that Daddy expected his grandson back
at Southfork.”
“I see,” Miss Ellie replied. Several seconds of silence
passed before she continued. “JR, forget what your Daddy wants. What do you want?”
JR
remained silent. He knew what he wanted, but he just didn’t see any way to have that ever again. He’d tried to
talk to Sue Ellen, but all she did was spit venomous insults at him, and every word she said was true.
“Answer me JR. What do you want,” she asked compassionately.
JR
gritted his teeth and tried desperately to stifle his tears. Letting a deep, mournful sigh, he replied, “I don’t
know Momma. I just don’t know right now.”
Ewing Oil, Several Days later,
“JR, Harve Smithfield is here to see you,” Louella said over the intercom.
JR looked at Jock. Jock looked back quizzically, and said, “Wonder what he wants?”
JR shrugged his shoulders, thinking he had a pretty good idea what was about to occur. “Send him
in Louella,” he answered back. JR sat down in his chair, bracing himself for the storm he was anticipating. The door
opened and Harve entered the room. “Hello, Jock,” he said shaking his hand. He moved over toward JR and shook
his hand, “JR.”
“Harve. Have a seat there?” JR decided he
needed a drink and stood up, walking over toward the bar. “Would you like a drink, Harve?”
No thank you JR. It’s a little early in the day for me.”
“So
what brings you over here today, Harve,” Jock boomed?
“Well,” Harve
squirmed in his chair, “there’s no easy way to say this.”
“Just
spit it out, Harve,” JR said, chugging back a healthy swallow of his bourbon.
“JR,
Sue Ellen is suing you for a divorce.” JR felt his whole body tense. He could feel his father’s eyes watching
for his reaction. JR gritted his teeth for a minute before finally saying, “And?”
“And
she’s asking for sole custody of your son. Of course, she’s willing to give you visitation rights. She’s
also asking for child support and alimony. It’s all here in the papers I received this morning. You can look over them
yourself,” he continued, handing the papers to JR. “After you’ve had a chance to look over them, we can
discuss them further and decide what you want to do.”
“I’ll tell
you what we want Harve,” Jock said, agitatedly. “We want custody of that boy. He’s my grandson and he belongs
at Southfork.”
JR groaned inside. “Dammit, why can’t he just shut
up,” he thought to himself. “I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to get out of here now,”
he thought, but for some reason he just couldn’t move.
“And Southfork
is where he’s gonna be, one way or another. We’ll fight her tooth and nail, to the highest court in the land.
Isn’t that right, JR,” Jock continued?
“Yes sir,” JR replied.
He wanted to say, “Hell no. I’m not gonna fight for any bastard child,” but he knew he couldn’t do
that. Instead, he just took another healthy swig of his drink. “God,” he said silently to himself, “why
couldn’t that boy be mine? Why couldn’t I just be the man she wanted me to be? What the hell is wrong with me?
Stop it JR, just stop it. Get a hold of yourself.”
“JR,” Harve said,
once again turning his attention to him, “you still need to read over these papers carefully. Are you planning on contesting
the divorce, or are you gonna grant it without contest. Also, if you decide not to contest the divorce, you need to decide
if the property settlement terms are agreeable to you. In actuality, she doesn’t seem to be asking for much in the way
of property. It’s really just her personal items and the alimony. It appears fairly reasonable to me, but as I said,
read the papers carefully and call me tomorrow to discuss it,” he said rising to his feet and walking over to JR. Harve
held out his hand and JR shook it. “I certainly am sorry about all of this. You two seemed like the perfect couple.
It’s such a shame things don’t always work out.”
JR just nodded
his head and gritted his teeth. Harve shook hands with Jock and disappeared out the door. JR walked back to his desk, ignoring
the divorce papers, and went back to concentrating on the matter he and Jock were discussing before the interruption.
“JR,” Jock said.
“Yes sir,” JR said looking
up for the geology report he was reading?
“I’ve decided that you need
to take some time off and get away from here. You need to clear your head and settle this divorce and custody battle. Until
it’s settled, you’re of no use here.”
“Dad, I can handle this.
I don’t need to take any time off. I need to be here. There are too many things going on right now for me to leave.”
“JR, that was not a request. I’m gonna take over control of the day to day operations, and
I’m gonna tell Bobby that I want him here.” Jock stood and picked up the divorce papers, throwing them to JR.
“Now get out of here and look those over. And you’d better figure out a way to get my grandson back where he belongs.
Do you understand?”
JR just glared at his father and nodded. He rose to his
feet as Jock held out his coat and hat. JR walked toward him, grabbed his coat and hat, and stormed angrily out of the office.
When the door to the elevator closed and he was alone, he kicked the door as hard as he could and said, “ son-of-a-bitch.” When the elevator doors opened again, he stalked out and headed for the nearest
bar to drown his sorrows.
Meanwhile, Patricia Shepard’s Townhouse
Sue Ellen had just put John Ross down for a nap and she sat on the sofa. Her mother and Kristin had decided
to go shopping for the day. They’d invited her to join them, but something inside her just didn’t want to go.
She just wanted to be alone. She felt she needed some time to herself, some time to think. Immediately, her thoughts drifted
to JR. She thought about their last meeting. She’d been so hateful to him, but he’d hurt her so much. After she
closed the door in his face and she’d regained her composure, she watched him. He sat in his car outside Patricia’s
house for over an hour. His forehead lay against the steering wheel and she could tell that he was sobbing. She remembered
thinking at the time, that he’d die if he knew she was watching him, that she’d seen him break down. It had taken
all her strength to stay inside the house, but she knew she couldn’t go to him. She knew he could never change. She
knew he could never wholly love her and her alone. He’d always want more. She knew she'd never be enough for him. Silent
tears rolled freely down her cheeks as she thought about how much he’d hurt her and how much in the last few years she’d
deliberately tried to hurt him, to repay him for all the pain. “God, what kind of people are we, to have played this
sick little game for so long,” she scoffed to herself? “Why couldn’t we just love each other and be happy?”
Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing doorbell. Quickly, she dried her tears and answered the door. There stood the
very last person on earth she ever wanted to see, even less than JR, Cliff Barnes.
JR stopped outside
a bar, he really wanted to go in but something stopped him. Drinking himself into oblivion wouldn't help. He suddenly remembered
how Sue Ellen had done the same thing during her pregnancy and realized that he was feeling the same pain that she must have
felt. His daddy had put Bobby in charge of Ewing Oil, the favorite son, good old dependable Bobby who could do no wrong in
anyone else’s eyes. JR wiped away the tears that were beginning to form. God, he longed to hold Sue Ellen in his arms
and tell her that he truly loved her and that if she would give him another chance he would make everything right. The only
person he wanted to be near now was her, he got back in his car and drove to Patricia's house. Even if he couldn't see her
he just wanted to be near her.
Patricia's House
Sue Ellen looked at Cliff, she really
did hate this man more than she hated JR.
"What do you want Cliff?" she asked
"To see my son" he replied as he walked into the house. Sue Ellen closed the door.
"You can't come barging in here making demands like that" she said
"I'm
not making demands, I just want to see my son!" Cliff said
"What makes you think he's
yours" Sue Ellen said "He could just as easily be JR's"
"Come off it, Sue Ellen, you
and JR had been together for seven years and not been able to conceived we're together for six weeks and hey presto you're
pregnant!" Cliff said
Sue Ellen sighed, she couldn't tell Cliff that he wasn't the
father as just at this moment she didn't want JR to know that.
"Cliff, you had your
chance, I left JR and came to you but you were too scared, for your career and what JR could do to you, to want me" Sue Ellen
said "I had rejection from both you and JR"
"I want you now!" Cliff said "You and
our son"
"Too late Cliff" Sue Ellen said "As far as I'm concerned John Ross is mine
and only mine"
"Sue Ellen, you've left JR, there's nothing stopping us being together"
Cliff said "I love you!"
Sue Ellen shook her head "Which part of 'No' don't you understand,
I don't love you, all I was to you was JR's trophy wife" Sue Ellen said
"Huh, you
used me to get back at JR" Cliff replied.
Suddenly the sound of the baby's crying
stopped them.
"Now see what you've done!" Sue Ellen said "Just get out and leave us
alone"
"Ok, Sue Ellen if you want a fight, you've got one but one way or another I'm
going to see my son" Cliff said as he walked out the door.
Sue Ellen shut the door
behind him and went upstairs to see her crying son. JR watched as he saw Cliff come out of Patricia's house. "Damn" he thought "I've lost her to Cliff Barnes" He knew he couldn't let that happen even if Cliff was
John Ross's father, he'd destroy Cliff before he let him have Sue Ellen. Feeling tears begin to form in his eyes he put the
car in drive and started to drive home.
Sue Ellen picked up John Ross and held him
tightly against her. Once again her thoughts returned to JR and she felt the tears start to flow. She went and sat down in
the rocking chair and gently soothed the baby's crying.
"John Ross, what I'm I going
to do" she cried "Your father has no idea how much I love him and how much I want him to know his son" John Ross' crying eased
and she looked into his eyes. He reminded her so much of JR that it hurt. Sue Ellen tried to compose herself she knew that
she had to be strong, her and JR were over for good, this divorce was the best thing for both of them, but if that was the
case why did she hurt so much.
Southfork
JR
drove through the gates of Southfork. There was nowhere else for him to go. He parked the car and got out. Miss Ellie was
in the den and saw him go upstairs. She had seen the pain in his eyes, the same pain she'd seen in Sue Ellen's eyes when she
collected John Ross. She couldn't understand why two people who obviously still loved each other couldn't sort things out
and stay together. Five minutes later she went upstairs and knocked on JR's door.
"Who
is it?" JR asked
"Momma, can I come in" Miss Ellie replied
JR
gave out a sigh "Okay" he said
Miss Ellie noticed the tears in JR's eyes.
"Your home early" she said
"Daddy's decided I'm not capable of
running Ewing Oil and has put Bobby in charge, I'm no longer needed" JR said
Miss
Ellie silently cursed Jock, she knew JR needed to keep working at the moment.
"JR
do you want to talk" she asked
"Momma the only person I want to talk to at the moment
won't talk to me" he replied
"Tell me the truth, do you still love Sue Ellen" Miss
Ellie asked
JR felt himself fill up with tears, he got up from his bed and walked
towards the window.
"Yes, more than anything in this world" He said
Miss Ellie walked over to him and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Then
why have you constantly cheated on her, and treated her like dirt?" Miss Ellie asked
"Momma,
I don't know but what I do know is that I've lost the most important person in my life, when daddy told me I wasn't needed
at Ewing Oil, she was the person I wanted to see" JR said
"Your father's planning
on fighting for custody of John Ross" Miss Ellie said
"I know momma, but that is up
to me and I'm not going to do it" JR said "John Ross needs his mother and I'm not going to hurt her anymore by taking him
away"
"Is there no hope of a reconciliation" Miss Ellie asked
"No" JR said "And it's all my fault!" JR felt the tears roll down his face, he hated crying in front of
his mother but these past few days had taken their toil.
Miss Ellie hugged JR tightly.
"Momma I have to get out of here" JR said
"Okay,
you know where I am if you need me" Miss Ellie replied.
Patricia's Townhouse
Sue Ellen sat alone on the sofa. She had the radio playing gently in the background.
I was in your arms Thinking I belong there I figured it made sense, building me a fence Building me
a home, thinking I'll be strong there But I was a fool, playing by the rules[/I
[I]The Gods may throw a dice, their minds as cold as ice And
someone way down here, will lose someone dear The winner takes it all, the loser
has to fall it' simple and it's plain, why should I complain
Sue Ellen listened to the song playing, she knew she was doing the right thing and yet she felt as though
she was dying inside. Part of her wanted to go to JR, throw her arms around him and tell him that she still love him more
than anything in this world, that John Ross was his son and she wanted them to give their relationship one more go but she
knew she couldn't. She put her head in her hands and cried. "JR, I love you so much" she said quietly
Southfork
JR sat alone with his memories in the tree house.
He always believed that he and Sue Ellen were forever that no matter how he treated her she would always forgive him. The
other women meant nothing to him, with them it was just pure sex and the thrill of the chase, but with Sue Ellen it had been
different, during the good times she had been so warm and loving, giving herself completely to him and not asking for anything
in return. He missed her like crazy. Once again he let the tears flow. JR felt his heart breaking and realized that part of
him was dying. "Sue Ellen, I'll love you forever" he said quietly.
Southfork Ranch
JR sat in the tree house looking out across the Southfork landscape for hours,
feeling lost and confused, wondering what to do now. “This is how she felt all along,” he thought. “I was
her whole world, and every night I spent in another woman’s arms broke another little piece of her heart until there
was nothing left but sadness and emptiness. Hell, no wonder she started drinkin’.” He dropped his head, once again
trying to control his tears. “So what do I do now,” he asked himself? He wiped his eyes, and reached into his
pocket, pulling out the divorce and custody papers. He looked at them for several minutes contemplating his decision. He took
out his pen and hurriedly signed the papers. He folded them back up and replaced them in his pocket. As he returned his pen
to his pocket, he noticed his wedding ring. He sighed sadly, “Guess I don’t need that.” He pulled it off
his finger and squeezed it tightly in his hand. “Goodbye, darlin’, you’re free. Maybe now you can find some
happiness,” he paused, his anger growing, “but I’ll be damned before I’ll let you be with that vermin,
Barnes.” He pulled his arm back and started to throw the ring into the lake, but something inside him caused him to
stop.
Southfork Den
“Ellie, where the hell is that boy.” Jock asked?
“I don’t
know Jock. He just said he had to get out of here. How could you do that to him? You know Ewing Oil is the most important
thing in his life. How could you destroy him like that?”
“Ellie, I don’t get involved in your women’s
club meetings, so stay out of my business. If JR can’t handle his personal life, how the hell do you think he can handle
my business?”
“Jock Ewing, don’t you dare take that condescending tone with me. I helped you build
that company remember? But, there are more important things in the world than Ewing Oil, and your son is one of them,”
she said storming out of the room.
Jock watched her leave, and took a healthy sip of his bourbon, shaking his head,
growled, “Women.”
Back in the Tree House
JR slipped the ring into his jacket pocket, and climbed
down. He headed back toward the main house, knowing what he had to do.
The next morning, Patricia Shepard’s Townhouse
Sue
Ellen made her way downstairs quietly, glancing at the grandfather clock to see that it was 5:30a.m. She had never been an
early riser, but since she’d left Southfork she found herself having trouble sleeping. Sue Ellen stepped out onto the
sidewalk and picked up the morning paper. She gasped when she opened it up to the front page and read the headline and saw
JR’s picture. The headline read, “Family Feud?” She walked back into the house, closing the door, and sat
down at the kitchen table to read. She read far enough into the article to know that Jock had relieved JR as President of
Ewing Oil, and placed Bobby at the helm, under his direction. There was also mention of the impending divorce and probable
custody battle. She sighed despondently. “Jock, you son-of-a… ” she said stopping herself. She shook her
head and thought, “I can hear him now. ‘JR you can’t even handle your own family. How in the hell do you
think I can let you handle this company? Take some time off and take care of this. I want my grandson at Southfork. I don’t
care what it takes. I’ll get Bobby to take care of the business’. "Oh JR, I’m so sorry. Your whole world
is just crashing down around you, isn’t it?” She sat staring at his picture, gently rubbing his cheek. "I wish
I could help you, but I just can't," she whispered burying her face in her hands.
Southfork
JR woke early and
dressed in slacks and a button-up shirt, without bothering to shave. He grabbed his hat and made his way downstairs to breakfast.
He walked out the patio doors to the table. “Just coffee Theresa. Mornin’ Momma,” he said kissing her on
the cheek.
“Mornin JR. I’m surprised you’re up so early. As late as you were, getting’ in,
I thought you’d sleep late.”
“No ma’am,” he replied. “I haven’t been sleepin’
much lately. On top of that, I’ve got several things to take care of this morning. After that, I thought since it was
Friday and I don’t seem to have anything to do with my time, I’d go huntin’ this weekend.”
“By
yourself? Is that wise, JR,” she asked, worried about what he might do?
JR laughed slightly. He reached over
and took his mother’s hand. “Yes ma’am. I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t do anything
stupid. I just want to get away from Dallas for a few days, get my thoughts together and figure out what to do next.”
Miss
Ellie placed her hand on top of his, noticing he’d removed his wedding ring, and smiled softly at him. “Okay son,
just be careful.”
JR finished his cup of coffee, stood up, placed his Stetson on his head and replied, “I
will Momma. Don’t worry.”
Miss Ellie watched him with grave concern as he disappeared into his car and
out of the driveway.
Harve Smithfield’s office
JR strode into Harve’s reception area. “Hi
darlin’,” he smiled his best smile, “Is Harve in?”
“Uh, yes sir, Mr…..”
“Ewing.
JR Ewing,” JR replied.
“Have a seat Mr. Ewing. I'll let Mr. Smithfield know you’re here,” she
said turning and walking down the hallway. JR watched her hips sway as she walked, “Nice ass,” he thought to himself.
“Dammit JR, that’s exactly what put you in this situation in the first f***ing place.” A few minutes later,
the secretary returned. “Mr. Smithfield will see you now,” she said motioning him into the office.
“Good
Morning, JR,” Harve said shaking his hand. “I didn’t expect to see you so early this morning, especially
in light of the article in this morning’s paper. I’m sorry about all of this, I know it can’t be easy for
you.”
JR just ignored Harve’s comments, and said, “I just came by to drop these off.” He pulled
the divorce papers out of his pocket and gave them to Harve. “I signed them last night.”
Harve looked confused,
“I thought you were gonna fight for custody?”
JR stared off in the distance, “Well that was Daddy’s
idea. I just want this over as quickly and painlessly as possible. How long before it’s final?”
“Well,
if that’s the way you want it. Since you’re not contesting it, the divorce will be final sixty days from yesterday.”
“Thanks,
Harve,” JR said as he turned and left the office. “One more stop,” he thought to himself.
Office
of Land Management
“Sir, you can’t go in there,” the secretary said, trying to restrain JR.
“Darlin’,”
he glared evilly, “I wouldn’t try and stop me.”
The look in his eyes frightened her so that she let
go of him. JR flung open the door to Cliff Barnes’ office, and slammed it behind him. He walked toward Cliff who began
rising from his chair. JR grabbed him by his collar and pulled him across the desk, “Barnes’ I warned you once.
Stay away from my wife and my son,” JR said through gritted teeth. He wasn’t about to let Cliff know he didn’t
think the boy was his.
Despite the fact that Cliff was scared out of his mind by the murderous look in JR’s eyes,
he said, “The way I hear it, you don’t have a wife anymore, and he’s my son. As a matter of fact, according
to this morning’s paper, you don’t have much of anything these days.”
JR let go of Cliff, glaring
at him evilly. “Don’t kid yourself Barnes. I may be down, but I’m not out. And as for my wife and my son,
remember what I said. Stay away or I guarantee you’ll live to regret it.”
Patricia's Townhouse
Sue Ellen sat in the kitchen,
thinking over what she had just read in the paper. Suddenly all the hatred she had felt for JR over the last few months seemed
to disappear. She knew how upset he would be about Bobby being put in charge of Ewing Oil and part of her wanted to go and
find him, put her arms around him and love all the hurt that he was feeling away. However she knew that that would be pointless,
she had made the break and for her own good and that of her son she needed to go through this divorce. She knew JR would find
his way back to the top. She was deep in thought when her mother walked in.
"Sue Ellen,
do you want any breakfast" Patricia asked?
When Sue Ellen didn't answer, Patricia
asked again. This time Sue Ellen looked up at her mother.
Seeing the tears in her
eyes Patricia said
"Sue Ellen what's wrong?"
Sue
Ellen showed her the paper. Patricia read it and said, "So, he's got what he deserves"
"No
momma, I know he's hurting, the divorce and now this" Sue Ellen said
"Do you really
care?" Patricia asked "After the way he's treated you"
Sue Ellen was silent for a
while, collecting her thoughts "Momma, I know deep down inside me that there is only one man I will ever truly love and that
is JR" she said "When he hurts I hurt"
"Then why are you divorcing him" Patricia said
"Because momma, there's a side to him that I don't like and since we've been married that's the only side
I've seen of him" Sue Ellen replied "I still love him momma"
Sue Ellen buried her
head in her hands and cried.
A lake somewhere outside of Dallas
JR drove until he was outside of Dallas, he needed to find somewhere peaceful just so that he could be
alone with his thoughts. A few hours later he found a nice secluded spot by a lake. He got out of the car and got settled
down. He wasn't really in the mood to go hunting, he just needed the space. As he sat he thought about what Harve Smithfield
had said, in sixty days from now his marriage would be over, possibly his life too.
The
judges will decide The likes of me abide Spectators
of the show Always staying low The game
is on again a lover or a friend a big
thing or a small I]The winner takes it all[/I]
JR
felt the tears stinging his eyes, there had been too many tears lately. He wondered how Sue Ellen was feeling but realized
that as she was the one who wanted the divorce she was possibly okay and with Cliff Barnes sniffing around her again she seemed
to have moved on. He closed his eyes and his thoughts returned to happier times.
His thoughts went to the very first time that he had taken her to Southfork, she had been so nervous that the family wouldn't
like her, but he reassured her that they would love her just like he did and he was right. He remembered how they had gone
for a long walk around the pastures and ended up at the tree house. He had helped her climb up to the ladder and once inside
they had kissed passionately, JR remembered how he wanted to go further but she pushed him away, telling him she wanted to
wait. They had sat in the tree house for two hours just holding hands and talking. He felt so comfortable with her that he
had opened up and talked about the pain of being second best to Bobby, she had listened to him and he could tell that she
was genuinely interested. "Damn" he thought "What have I done, What have I lost" She had told him so many times that he was
the most important thing in her life and he had ignored her, he wished he could turn the clock back and love her like she
wanted him to. Taking his wedding ring out of his pocket he stared down at it and thought how he had lost his soul mate.
Patricia's Townhouse
Later that day Sue Ellen had a phone
call from her lawyer telling her that JR was not going to contest the divorce and that in sixty days her marriage would be
over. Part of her was relieved but part of her was sad as it seemed JR didn't love her as he wasn't prepared to fight for
her. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Sue Ellen opened it to find David Clayton on the doorstep.
"Hi" she said "Come in"
"Thanks" he said "I've just brought round
some details of a modeling job for you"
He handed her the papers and she looked them
over.
"Beauty creams" she laughed "First toothpaste, now this when do we get to the
good stuff"
"All in good time" David said "By the way, you will receive your first
pay check next week so how about I take you out to celebrate"
Sue Ellen didn't feel
like celebrating but she managed a weak smile.
"Okay what is it?" David asked "I know
these aren't very thrilling assignments but hey it will get better"
Sue Ellen smiled
"I've just heard from my lawyer, in sixty days time I'll be a free woman, JR isn't contesting the divorce" she said
"That's good, isn't it" he said
"I guess so" Sue Ellen replied
"Part of me hoped he would fight for me"
"He's not worth it and you know it" David
said
Changing the subject quickly Sue Ellen said "Where do you want to take me then"
"Anywhere you want" David said
"Okay, how
about next Wednesday if you pick me up at 8pm and I'll find the most expensive restaurant I can" she laughed
"It's a deal!" David said "I've got to go now, but I will see you soon"
After
he had gone Sue Ellen sat down, she knew David was right that JR wasn't worth her tears but then David didn't understand just
how much she loved JR. She heard the baby cry and went to him, picked him up and held him tightly against her. The tears started
to flow again.
Southfork, a few days later
JR
arrived home just before dark on Sunday evening. Jock was waiting for him.
"Where
have you been" he barked
"Getting away from here" JR said "Seeing as I'm no longer
required"
"I've heard from Harve, you're going to let Sue Ellen have custody of John
Ross" Jock said angrily
"He's her son" JR said "Beside I've caused her too much pain,
I'm not putting her through anymore"
"Well, if you don't get him back here I will"
Jock said
"You can't I've signed the divorce papers" JR replied
"The hell I can" Jock said "I'll be damned if I let that woman bring up my grandson"
JR wanted to scream at his father that it wasn't his grandson but he didn't have the heart.
"It's my decision" JR said "John Ross stays with Sue Ellen" he then walked past his father and went upstairs
to his room. He lay on his bed wishing that Sue Ellen was beside him, he had never wanted her more than he wanted her now.
Southfork
Almost a month had passed since JR had signed the divorce
papers. He hadn’t heard a word from Sue Ellen, and his father still wasn’t speaking to him. He was still fuming
over the fact that JR refused to battle for custody of John Ross. “If he only knew,” JR thought to himself. Several
times, his father had just about pushed him far enough to tell him, but he just couldn’t. He couldn’t hurt or
disappoint either of his parents that much. He needed for them to believe that John Ross was their grandson. Harve had called
and said that the visitation rights were in effect now and JR could pick up John Ross for the weekend, but he had to be back
with Sue Ellen by six o’clock Sunday evening. JR trudged his way down the Southfork staircase. His mother was thrilled
she was going to see her grandson and so was his father, not that he let it show. JR would rather have eaten horse manure
than to have to go pick up that bastard child and bring him to Southfork, but he realized he had no choice. He reached the
foot of the stairs, and his mother came out of the dining room. “Would you like me to go with you JR,” she asked?
“No, Momma. I can take care of it,” he smiled softly and kissed her cheek. “I’ll be back in
a little while.” He exited the house and sped out of the driveway, dreading every passing minute more and more as he
made his way closer to Patricia’s home.
Patricia’ Townhouse
He pulled his Mercedes into the driveway
and climbed out. Closing the door of his car, he walked up to the door and rang the bell, removing his hat. The door opened
and there stood Sue Ellen. She was dressed in tight blue jeans and a pink button-up blouse, unbuttoned just enough. She was
barefooted, her hair was still slightly wet, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. He looked her up and down, “Damn
you look good,” he said before he thought about it.
“Thank you,” she blushed shyly, “Come in.”
Embarrassed,
he awkwardly looked down at the floor, unsure of what to do or say. “Uh, so, uh, how have you been,” he said finally?
“Good.
And you,” she said nervously back.
“Fine, I suppose,” he said playing with his hat. “I guess
you heard about….Ewing Oil.”
“Yeah, I did. I’m….I’m sorry.”
“Yeah,
well, uh” JR could feel himself starting to lose control of his emotions, “things work out for the best, I guess.”
“I
guess,” she replied, sensing his torment and desperately trying to restrain herself from taking him in her arms. “He
looks so vulnerable,” she thought to herself.
Several more seconds of awkward silence passed before they both
opened their mouths to speak.
“Sue Ellen….” JR said.
“I’ll go…” Sue
Ellen said.
They both let a small laugh as they spoke at the same time. JR looked at her, still smiling softly. How
he loved her smile, and Lord she was sexy. “What were you gonna say, darlin’?”
Sue Ellen felt chill
bumps appear on her body as he called her “Darlin.” She looked back at him. She couldn’t help but smile.
He was so handsome and almost just plain adorable when he was embarrassed and played with his hat. It reminded her of when
they were dating. JR always had it together. He was always Mr. I know exactly the right thing to say, but she could always
get him flustered, and every time she did, he’d look at the floor and start playing with that hat.
“Somethin
wrong, Darlin,” he asked, breaking her away from her thoughts?
“What, oh no, nothing’s wrong,”
she replied.
“Just walk over to her JR,” he thought. “She still wants you and you sure as hell want
her. Just do it.” He made a step forward, but was interrupted by the doorbell.
Sue Ellen looked surprised and
walked to the door. She opened it and her heart fell to her feet. “David,” she said in shock and horror, “what
are you doing here?”
David smiled charmingly, “You said JR was picking up your son this morning and I thought
you might need a friend. Have I come at a bad time?”
JR felt the hair on the back of his neck bristle and every
muscle in his body became tense
“Uh, well um, sort of,” she said. David peered around the door frame and
spied JR.
“I guess I should’ve called first. I thought he would’ve come and gone by now,”
he glanced at his watch. “I can come back later,” he said.
JR could feel himself getting angrier by the
second, and though he was trying to hide it, it was getting harder and harder.
“That would be silly, why don’t
you come in and wait. I was just going to get John Ross, and then JR will be on his way,” she smiled motioning him inside.
David
walked in and held out his hand to JR. “Hi, I’m David Clayton.”
JR just glared at him and then turned
his eyes to Sue Ellen. Panicked, she quickly said without even thinking, “David, this is my husband. JR Ewing. JR, this
is my boss, David Clayton.”
JR relaxed a little, and shook David’s hand. “Did she just introduce
me as her husband,” JR questioned himself. A slight smile crossed his lips momentarily, as he contemplated the fact
that she still considered him her husband.
“Well,” David smiled again, “I hope I’m more than
just your boss.” JR felt his agitation level beginning to rise again. “I went to college with Sue Ellen and I
used to date her roommate.”
“I see,” JR said, uninterestedly.
“Well,” Sue Ellen
smiled nervously and said, climbing the stairs and wanting to get out of the room as fast as she could, “I’d better
go get John Ross and his things. I’m sure your parents are anxious to see him.”
“Why don’t
I give you a hand, Sue Ellen,” David said?
JR pushed him aside as he passed. “I don’t think so whoever
you are. He’s my son. I’ll take care of it,” he said following her up the stairs. As they reached John Ross'
room and she opened the door, JR grabbed her arm and pushed her inside closing the door. “And just who the hell is that,”
he whispered angrily, staring deep into her eyes and tightening his grip?
“My boss, I told you,” she said
back. “Ow you’re hurting me,” she said trying to wrest from his grip.
“Is that a fact? Well
maybe you ought to tell him that honey, cause he sure doesn’t act like any boss I ever knew.”
“Is
that so,” she said finally managing to escape his grip. “Well, he doesn’t sleep with his secretary, so I
guess you’re right. Besides, how is it any of your concern who he is,” she spat?
“Because you’re
my wife,” he barked back.
“No, I’m not JR. I never was. I was something you owned, a possession.
Well you don’t own me anymore. Now, I think it’s time you took your son and got out of here.”
JR
knew he was on the edge of uncontrollable anger, but he couldn’t hold back any longer, “You keep him Sue Ellen.
Maybe that asshole downstairs will want to help you raise the bastard son of that loser.”
As he turned to leave,
she spat venomously, “That’s funny. Seems like you’re the only loser I know.”
JR froze. Sue
Ellen knew she’d hit a raw nerve and immediately regretted it. “JR, I’m…”
“Forget
it,” he said back, regaining his control. “You won’t have to worry about this loser anymore, honey. Next
time, I’ll let my parents come and pick up their grandson,” he sneered. “The best thing I ever did was get
rid of you,” he said as he disappeared down the stairs and out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
Sue
Ellen turned to John Ross, and gently picked him up, as her tears flowed freely for the millionth time in the last month.
Unaware that David had climbed the stairs to check on her and was watching, she said, “I’m sorry John Ross. I
don’t know why I said that to your Daddy. I didn’t mean to hurt him like that.” She hugged him closer and
kissed his forehead. “Oh John Ross, why do I still love him so much?”
Southfork
Miss Ellie glanced
at her watch. “JR should’ve been back by now. I hope nothing happened.” She smiled to herself, “Maybe
they patched things up.” She didn’t know that nothing could have been further from the truth. “I’d
better call and make sure though,” she thought. She walked back inside, and dialed Patricia’s number.
Patricia’s
Townhouse
Sue Ellen laid John Ross back down and wiped her face as she heard the phone ring. Sniffling and trying to
control herself, she answered, “Hello.”
“Sue Ellen. It’s Ellie.”
“Oh hello
Miss Ellie,” she said covering the phone to hide another sniffle.
“I was just calling to see if JR had
left with John Ross yet.”
“Uh, no Miss Ellie. He left, but John Ross is still here.”
“I
don’t understand,” Miss Ellie said with confusion. “Did something happen?”
“I'd really
rather not discuss it, Miss Ellie,” Sue Ellen replied, regaining her composure. “If you want, you and Jock can
come and pick him up for the weekend. I know how much you wanted to see him.”
“Are you sure Sue Ellen?”
“Yes
ma’am. Come on over. His things are all ready.”
“All right Sue Ellen. I’ll be there in a little
while.” Miss Ellie said hanging up the phone wondering what had transpired.
Oil Baron’s Club
JR
stepped out of the elevator and was greeted by Dora Mae. “Hello Mr. Ewing, and how are you today?
“Fine,”
he said through gritted teeth. Handing her his hat, he continued, “I’m just gonna sit at the bar, Dora Mae.”
“Sure
Mr. Ewing,” she smiled in wonder at his behavior.
JR walked over to the bar and sat down, “Allen, give
me my usual.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Ewing,” he replied.
Patricia’s Townhouse
Sue Ellen
walked back down the stairs. “David, I think you’d better go. I think I’d like to be alone.”
“Are
you sure, Sue Ellen,” he said compassionately. “I don’t think that's such a great idea.”
“Please
David. I just need some time by myself.”
“Sue Ellen,” he said pulling her into his embrace, “why
do you let him get to you like this. He’s not worth it. He treated you like trash. Hell he treated you worse than trash.”
He lifted her chin, so their eyes met. “It’s time you moved on,” he said kissing her lips softly. Sue Ellen
felt herself becoming lost in his kiss, but suddenly broke away.
“No, David. This is not right. I’m too
vulnerable right now.” Opening the door, she said, “Please leave.”
“Okay Sue Ellen, but I’ll
be here when you’re ready.”
“Thanks,” she smiled and closed the door.
Oil Baron’s
Club
JR took his drink from the bartender, and downed it quickly. “Give me another one Allen.” Allen raised
his eyebrows, but silently obeyed. “As a matter of fact Allen, whenever this glass is empty, refill it.”
“Yes
sir, Mr. Ewing.
Southfork, several hours later
Miss Ellie and Jock stood in the nursery, admiring their grandson.
Jock sighed, “Now that this boy’s back where he belongs, nobody’s gonna take him away again.”
Miss
Ellie looked at Jock. “Jock! John Ross will go back to his mother tomorrow evening and there’s not one damn thing
you’re gonna do about it. Do I make myself clear?”
Jock glared at her, but he could tell she meant business.
“I reckon.”
“I wonder where JR could be. It’s not like him to just disappear without a word.”
“I
don’t know Miss Ellie. He hasn’t acted like himself since this whole mess began,” Jock growled.
Bobby
and Pam were just about to settle into bed for a little romance, when the phone rang. Bobby reached over and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Ewing, this is Dora Mae?”
“Dora Mae? What’s wrong,”
he questioned.
“It’s your brother. You need to come and get him. There’s no way he can walk, let
alone drive.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can, Dora Mae. Just don’t let him leave.”
“Oh
I don’t think that’ll be a problem, Mr. Ewing.”
Bobby hung up the phone and got dressed. “What’s
wrong Bobby?”
“It’s JR,” he replied, slipping his boot on. “He’s at the Oil Baron’s
and apparently he’s in pretty bad shape. I’ve got to go get him.
Oil Barons
Bobby walked into the
Oil Baron’s and immediately spied JR. He walked over and sat down beside him. “JR, it’s time to go.”
“Go
where,” JR slurred?
“Home,” Bobby replied.
JR laughed. “I haven’t got a home.”
Bobby
pulled JR to his feet, worried about what he might say next. “Alright JR, just come with me.”
“Sure
thing, Mr. Perfect. Mr. Can’t do anything wrong.”
“That’s it JR,” Bobby said pushing
him into the elevator and propping him against the wall. They made their way out to Bobby car and he poured JR into the seat
and fastened the seatbelt around him. Bobby walked around the car, climbed in and drove back toward Southfork. JR roused up
again. “Haaaay, where arrre we goin,” JR asked?
“Home JR.”
“Oh,” JR replied.
“I haven’t got a home anymore. My home walked out on me and is seeing some no good rotten sleazebag.” JR
passed out again.
About ten minutes later, JR roused up and began talking again. “What the hell is wrong with
me Bobby? Why am I like this? Why couldn’t I just be her husband? I love her you know.”
“I know,
JR,” Bobby whispered, glancing over at his brother. “I know.”
Suddenly, out of the corner of his
eye, Bobby noticed headlights coming toward them. As the headlights came closer, he could tell that they were heading straight
at his car. He swerved the car as hard as he could to the right, but there was nowhere to go and no time. Bobby’s car
slammed into the guardrail and then the other car slammed into them and they became one intertwined twisted mass of metal
and glass. Before losing consciousness, Bobby looked over at JR. All he could see was blood everywhere.
Dallas Memorial
Hospital
Jock, Miss Ellie and Pam rushed through the crowd of reporters into the emergency room, frantic for any news.
Jock walked up to the information desk. “I’m Jock Ewing. My son’s were brought here.”
The nurse
looked at her list of patients. “Yes sir. They’re here. The doctors are working on them now.”
“Well
how are they? Are they gonna be alright?”
“I don’t have any information on their condition at this
time. If you’ll have a seat, I’ll let the doctor know that you are here, and someone will come out and talk with
you.”
Frustrated, Jock sank down into a chair next to Miss Ellie and Pam. A few minutes passed, and Jock stood
up and began pacing back and forth. “Jock will you stop pacing, you’re driving me crazy.”
Agonizingly,
the minutes dragged by. “Two hours,” Jock bellowed. “You’d think they could tell us something.”
“Jock, I’m sure they’re doing everything they can for them. We just have to wait.”
Another
half hour passed, and Jock was about to storm the desk, when a doctor opened the doors and walked toward them. “Mr.
Ewing?”
“Yes,” Jock answered turning to face him. “How are my sons?”
The doctor
replied, “Not good. They were both hurt very badly. Both had severe internal bleeding.” He glanced down at the
chart he had in his hands. “Let’s see, Bobby was in better shape. He regained consciousness in the ambulance,
and was awake when we took him to surgery. He had a ruptured spleen, several broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a dislocated
hip. He also had a broken left arm. As I said, he's in surgery now to remove his spleen, and they will probably reset his
hip and arm, if everything goes as expected in surgery.”
“But is he gonna be alright,” Pam asked?
“It’s
still very touch and go, but I think he’ll pull through fine.”
“What about JR,” Jock asked?
The
doctor sighed, “I’m not as optimistic. He sustained a substantial head injury and lost an enormous amount of blood,
as well as broken ribs, a punctured lung and several internal injuries. He’s also in surgery. The head injury is what
concerns me most, because we don’t know the extent of the damage, and he wasn’t conscious.”
“What
does all that mean, Doc,” Jock asked?
“It means that your son is in very critical condition and the next
24 hours are crucial. Crucial for both your sons, but I can assure you that they are receiving the best treatment available.
I’m sorry I can’t be more hopeful. We just have to wait and see.”
“Alright, Doc. Thanks,”
Jock said.
“Your welcome. Nurse will you take the Ewing family up to the ICU waiting room. That’s where
both your sons will be taken after surgery, and their doctors will come out and talk to you when they are out of surgery.”
Jock,
Miss Ellie and Pam followed the nurse silently to the ICU waiting room. When they reached it, Miss Ellie said, “I’m
gonna call Sue Ellen. I don’t want her to hear about this on the news, if I can help it.”
Jock grabbed
her arm as she turned to leave. “Why are you gonna call her? She’s the one who ran out on him.”
Miss
Ellie shot Jock a look that would have killed ten ordinary men. “Jock, I’m going to call her. Whatever has gone
on between them, she is still his wife and the mother of his child. She has a right to be here, and when she does get here,
you will show her the same respect you give me. Understand.”
“You’re right, Miss Ellie,” he
sighed, letting go of her arm.
Miss Ellie walked over to the phone and dialed. After several rings, Sue Ellen groggily
answered the phone. “Hello, Sue Ellen. It’s Ellie.”
“Miss Ellie,” she said suddenly wide
awake. “Is something wrong? Is John Ross okay?”
“John Ross is fine. It’s JR, he and Bobby have
been in a terrible accident.”
“Well how are they? Are they gonna be alright?”
No longer able
to control her emotions, Miss Ellie broke down, “We don’t know Sue Ellen. They’re both still in surgery.”
“I’ll
be there as soon as I can, Miss Ellie,” she said hanging up the phone and jumping out of bed. As she hurriedly dressed,
all she could think was “God, please let him be okay. Please,” she pleaded.
Dallas Memorial Hospital
Sue Ellen drove
to the hospital as fast as she could. Her head was spinning, she felt sick at the thought that JR could die. She knew that
this had all been her fault. If she hadn't left him then Jock wouldn't of removed him from Ewing Oil, if he hadn't lost Ewing
Oil he wouldn't have been at the Oil Barons tonight drunk, Bobby wouldn't have had to pick him up and they wouldn't have been
involved in a car accident. Part of her wanted to stop the divorce and tell JR that she loved him and that John Ross was his
son but she knew she couldn't, the problems they had before would still be there. Maybe they could be happy for a while but
soon JR would go back to his old ways of cheating on her and she'd be back at square one and end up hating him again. She
couldn't live her life like that! The divorce was the best thing that could happen.
She entered Dallas Memorial and
was told to go to the ICU. She saw Jock and Miss Ellie waiting outside and walked over to them.
"How is he?" she asked
"What
do you care, Sue Ellen" Jock said
Sue Ellen was silent, God, she cared, she cared too much. Suddenly the doctor came
out from the ICU and told them that they could go and see the two men. Bobby had regained consciousness but JR was unconscious.
Jock and Pam went to see Bobby while Miss Ellie went into JR's room. Sue Ellen stood outside alone, she didn't know what to
do. Walking out of the ICU unit she wandered around the hospital for a while and found a chapel. She walked in and sat down.
Her tears began to flow freely, for half an hour she sat there and prayed that JR would be okay. Her thoughts were interupted
by Miss Ellie.
"Sue Ellen, you can go and see JR if you want" She said
"Jock wont like that" Sue Ellen replied
"Sue
Ellen what is happening with you two, I can see that you're both in so much pain with this divorce and I know that both of
you still love each other" Ellie said
"Miss Ellie, I love JR more than I will ever love anyone else but we can't be
together, this marriage has been a sham for so long I'm one of his possessions not his wife. I just can't put up with the
way he treats me anymore" Sue Ellen said
"He loves you" Miss Ellie said
"I know and that is what makes this
all so painful, after I heard that Jock had removed him from Ewing Oil I just wanted to see him, hold him and make the pain
go away but I couldn't because I know for some reason neither of us can express our love to each other" Sue Ellen said
"Go
and see him" Ellie said
Sue Ellen walked back into the ICU and went into JR's room. He was still unconscious and wired
to machinery. She hated seeing him like this. She sat down in the chair by his bedside and took his hand in hers. Softly she
spoke
"I'm sorry JR; I never wanted any of this to happen. All I ever wanted was to have you love me and only me but
you just couldn’t do that, you had to be chasing after other women. You wouldn’t believe how much I would love
us to move away from here and be together with our son, and believe me JR, I know he’s your son I only have to look
at him to see you, he has your eyes. The only person who can’t see that is you. Please JR you have to get better, I
love you so much. You’re not the only one who’s hurting, I miss the way we were before we got married, I miss
the man I met and fell in love with, you changed so much after we got married I felt I didn’t know you”
Sue
Ellen looked around the room, the only sound she could hear was that of the machines as they worked to keep JR alive. She
bent down and kissed JR on the lips, before deciding that it was time for her to go home.
Patricia’s Townhouse
It
was quite late when Sue Ellen returned home, however her mother was waiting up for her.
“How’s JR”
Patricia asked
“He’s still unconscious, the next twenty four hours are critical” Sue Ellen replied.
Sue Ellen sat down on the sofa, put her head in her hands and cried.
“Momma, what have I done” she cried
“This is all my fault”
“Sue Ellen, it’s not your fault, you didn’t cause the car accident”
Patricia said
“Momma I love him so much, I couldn’t bear it if he died” Sue Ellen said
Patricia
went to Sue Ellen and hugged her tightly “Momma my life is a mess” Sue Ellen said
“Things will look
better soon, you have John Ross” Patricia said
“John Ross, he’ll never know his father” Sue
Ellen said
“What do you mean?” Patricia asked
“JR thinks that he’s not John Ross’
father but I know he is” Sue Ellen said “Last year I had an affair, I just needed someone to love me but then
I became pregnant” “Sue Ellen are you telling me that you don’t know who his father is” Patricia
asked
Sue Ellen looked at her “No, he’s JR’s baby, I’ve known that from the moment I saw him,
however JR thinks he’s someone else’s which is possibly why he didn’t fight for custody, I couldn’t
bear to be parted from my baby so I let JR believe that he wasn’t the father and now he hates his son” Sue Ellen
said
“Who does JR think the baby’s father is” Patricia asked
“Cliff Barnes” Sue
Ellen said “JR’s arch enemy. If I tell him the truth I will lose John Ross and I can’t do that”
“Sue
Ellen I told you not to marry JR” Patricia said
“Momma I love him” Sue Ellen said “I wish
I could make this pain go away but I can’t”
“Are you ever going to tell JR the truth about John Ross”
Patricia asked
Sue Ellen was silent for a while. She knew what would happen if JR ever found out about John Ross, then
she realized what she had said tonight, but JR was unconscious so he probably wouldn’t of heard her. “I can’t”
she said
Patricia sighed “Sue Ellen it’s late, you really should get some rest”
Sue Ellen
kissed her mother and went upstairs; she stopped by John Ross’ room and looked into the empty crib. She picked up the
teddy bear that had been left there and hugged it tightly to her. One day she knew that she would have to tell JR the truth,
she knew that JR would be a good father and give John Ross all the love that Jock never gave him, but just at the moment she
had to keep this secret to herself.
Southfork the next day
Sue Ellen drove through the gates of Southfork to
pick up her son. She was greeted on the porch by Miss Ellie.
“Hello Sue Ellen, I guess you want John Ross”
Miss Ellie said
“How’s JR” Sue Ellen asked
“Well apparently he had a reasonable night
but still hasn’t regained consciousness” Miss Ellie replied “I’m going to see him later”
“Has
John Ross been okay” Sue Ellen asked
“He’s fine, he only woke up once in the night” Miss Ellie
said “I can’t believe how much he looks like JR” Sue Ellen smiled “I know, every time I look into
his eyes I see JR, he’s so beautiful”
“Come on let’s go upstairs” Miss Ellie said
They
walked upstairs and into the nursery. John Ross was awake and staring at the mobile moving above him. Sue Ellen picked him
up and held him close.
“Hello baby boy, I’ve missed you so much” she said “Miss Ellie you can
always come and visit him”
“I know” Miss Ellie said “I just wish you were both here”
Sue
Ellen smiled “Miss Ellie whatever happens in the future, I can promise you that I will only ever truly love JR and I’m
going to make sure John Ross knows how much his parents love each other” she said “I better get him home”
Miss
Ellie walked with Sue Ellen to the car and kissed her goodbye.
“Let me know any news on JR please” she
said
“I will” Miss Ellie replied
Ellie watched Sue Ellen drive away. Her thoughts turned to when
JR first brought Sue Ellen to Southfork, she had been so shy and JR had been so in love with her. Why did things have to change?
Why couldn’t two people who loved each other be happy?
Patricia’s Townhouse
Sue Ellen had just
put the baby down when she heard a knock at the door. She opened it to find David standing on the doorstep.
“Hello”
He said “Can I come in”
Sue Ellen reluctantly let him in .
“I heard about JR, how is he?”
he asked
“Still unconscious” Sue Ellen said
“Hey, how about I take your mind of things and
take you out tonight” David said
Sue Ellen shook her head “I don’t really feel like doing anything
at the moment” she said
“Sue Ellen, in a months time your divorce will be through, you will no longer be
JR’s wife so stop feeling sorry for him, it’s his fault not yours” David said
“JR could die,
I can’t stop caring about him just because we’re getting divorced” Sue Ellen said
“Sue Ellen
he’s treated you like dirt for most of your married life, forget him!” David said
“I can’t”
Sue Ellen replied “I love him” Suddenly she realized what she had said “I mean I did love him” she
corrected herself
“Nice try, but tell me the truth, you’re still in love with him aren’t you”
David said
Sue Ellen couldn’t look at David, he was right she was still in love with JR. “Yes” she
said
David decided it was time to go, “Okay, I guess I’ll see you at work” he said before leaving.
“I’m
sorry David” she said
David kissed her before walking out of the door “I’ll still be waiting for
you when you decide that you want to forget JR and start again.
Sue Ellen closed the door behind him. Nothing made
any sense anymore. David had been so warm and affectionate with her, which was what she craved for and what JR could never
give her but why did she reject him, why did she still love JR.
Dallas Memorial (a week later)
Sue Ellen
held her breath as she walked into JR’s room. He was still in a lot of pain with his hip and arm, but day by day his
health was improving. He looked up from his newspaper as he saw the door open. He was surprise to see Sue Ellen and John Ross
there.
“What do you want?” he said angrily
“I just wanted to see if you’re okay”
Sue Ellen said
“What do you care, I’m sure your new man wouldn’t appreciate you visiting your ex
husband” JR said
“I thought you might like to see John Ross” Sue Ellen said
“Why would
I want to see that bastard” JR said
Sue Ellen started to cry “JR…”
“Sue Ellen
just get lost, you’re the reason I’m in here, just take your little bastard and get the hell out of my life”
he said “I told you before the best thing I ever did was get rid of you” he said angrily “I’m considering
telling momma and daddy that he’s not my son, that way you wont have any reason to come near the Ewings again”
“JR
please.” Sue Ellen said
“Get out” JR said
The baby started crying “And just shut that
thing up will you” JR said
Sue Ellen hurried out of the room as quickly as she could and made her way back to
the car. She managed to calm John Ross down and settled him in the car. She spent half an hour in the carpark in tears desperately
trying to calm down. She knew JR hated her, it was time to move on. Her heart was breaking she loved him so much.
JR
lay in his bed cursing himself for the way he had just treated Sue Ellen. He needed her support she was the only one who could
help him but he had finally pushed her away. He longed for her to take him in her arms and kiss all the pain away, but this
time he knew he had blown it. She wouldn’t visit him again. And John Ross, he was such a beautiful child. JR wished
that he was his father.
Southfork
After what felt
like thousands of tests and an eternity in the hospital, JR was finally well enough to go home. Despite the fact he was still
in a lot of pain due to the broken ribs he’d sustained and the doctors had no idea what was the cause of the terrible
headaches he continued having, JR was thrilled to be back at Southfork. Leaning heavily on his cane, with his mother at his
side, he walked into the den and sat down. “Are you sure you don’t want to go upstairs and lie down,” Miss
Ellie asked?
“No Momma,” JR replied trying to maintain the last of his patience. “I’ve done
nothing but lie around for the last three weeks. I just want to sit here and sort through my mail. Then I might go for a walk
or something depending on how I feel.”
“Alright JR, she said kissing his cheek. “It’s good
to have you home. Southfork just hasn’t been the same without you. If you need anything, just let me know.”
“I
will Momma.” As she left the room, he turned his attention to the stack of mail that had accumulated. He began sorting
it into two piles: trash and important, when he came to an envelope from Thompson & Thompson, Attorneys at Law. His heart
sank immediately. He didn’t really have to open the envelope. He knew what was inside, but he opened it anyway. He unfolded
the document and sure enough, it read “Final Decree of Divorce.” Slowly he made his way upstairs. He opened the
door to his room, and walked over to the bed. Exhausted, he sat down, staring at the picture of his now ex-wife and rubbed
his aching head. Hoping to relieve the throbbing pains in his head, he lay back against the headboard and stretched out, closing
his eyes. Miss Ellie knocked softly and opened the door. “JR,” she said quietly as she walked over, and sat beside
him, placing her hand on his. “Is there anything you need?”
“No Momma,” he replied, rolling
his closed eyes, “I’m fine.”
“You’ve got another headache, haven’t you?”
“Yes
ma’am.”
“Have you taken anything?”
JR chuckled sarcastically, “Just four BC powders,
and two glasses of bourbon.”
“Have they helped at all,” she asked sympathetically?
“No,
not even a little,” he sighed. “What am I gonna do if they don’t stop?”
“Don’t
you worry about that, Son. They will. You just have to give it time.”
About a month later, Sue Ellen’s
new home
Sue Ellen held David’s hand tightly. “Okay, keep your eyes closed,” she said as they
pulled into the driveway. She pulled his car to a stop in front of the house. “Alright, open them.”
David
opened his eyes. “What’s this?”
“This is mine and John Ross’ new home. Do you like it?”
David
smiled at her. “Well, I don’t know yet. I haven’t seen it all.”
“Well allow me to give
you the grand tour,” she said climbing out of the car and walking into the house.
David followed her and closed
the door behind them. Once they were safely inside, he pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. When they’d completed
their kiss, he said, “Congratulations Sue Ellen. I think you’ve finally broken free and put your past behind you.”
Sue
Ellen smiled her best smile, knowing that really all she’d done was bury her feelings in busyness and her son.
“And
to celebrate,” he continued, “I am going to take you out on the town tonight to the finest restaurant in Dallas
and we are going to dance the night away.” Sue Ellen smiled again, “I’d really like that.”
David
wrapped her up tightly in his arms, lifted her up off the ground and twirled her around, laughing, “Finally.”
Once again he kissed her. “Now show me the rest of this place, I’m especially interested in the bedroom.”
Sue
Ellen smirked at him and they continued their journey through her new home.
Meanwhile, Southfork
Rubbing
his face, he groggily answered, “Who is it?”
“You have a telephone call, Mr. Ewing,” Theresa
answered back.
“Okay,” he replied, as he picked up the receiver. “JR Ewing.”
“JR,
it’s Marilee Stone. How are you doing?”
JR yawned and said, “Fine, Marilee, and yourself?”
“Well,
I could be better,” she said in her flirtiest tone.
“And how is that,” he replied, rubbing his aching
neck?
“You could have dinner with me tonight.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,”
he replied. “Seth probably wouldn’t care too much for it. He and I have never quite seen eye to eye.”
“Seth
is out of town, and I hate eating alone. Besides, I have a proposition I’d like to discuss with you.”
JR’s
ears pricked up. Whatever anyone said about Marilee, she was a shrewd business woman. In the past, he’d usually dealt
with Seth, but everyone in the oil community knew that she was the brains of the operation. She had a head for business and
body for sin, and she used both to her advantage. JR smiled to himself, maybe this wouldn’t be just another boring day
in his now useless life. “What kind of a proposition?”
“You know me JR. A business proposition…with
maybe a little time left over for pleasure.”
JR smiled again and shook his head, “When and where?”
“How
about Carrera’s at 6:30pm.,” she replied, smiling wantonly.
“I’ll see you then,” he replied.
Carrera’s
Restaurant
JR and Marilee sat at their table making idle chatter as they waited for their drinks.
“So
JR, you’re looking very well…” JR’s mind wandered as he saw Sue Ellen glide into the room escorted
by that man that had been at her house the day of the accident.
Over you by Anne Murray plays softly in the background
Over
you….I guess I never will be over you I have tried but it’s so hard to do I’m surrounded by the memories No
I never will be over you
JR watched intently as they’re seated at a table across the room, noticing how happy
she looks, laughing and talking with him. “Definitely not just her boss,” he thought. “Stop it JR. You had
your chance and you blew it.” The waitress delivering the drinks brought JR back to reality. “Darlin’, go
ahead and get me another of these,” he said.
“JR, maybe you’d better take it easy with those.”
“Marilee,
my drinking habits are none of your business. Now what exactly is this business proposition you have in mind?”
“Well,
JR,” she smiled rubbing her foot up his leg, “I just bought this little natural gas company and I need someone
to run it for me.”
“Now Marilee, you and I both know that Stonehurst has an ample supply of people who
could run that company. Besides that, Seth and I have never gotten along very well and I’m sure he’d be thrilled
to know that you’re extending this offer to me, so what are you really up to?”
Marilee smiled wickedly,
“You know me too well, JR. The reason is simply this, I didn’t include the cartel in the deal, and I don’t
want them to know about it. The way I figure it, I’ll let you buy half of it and keep my half a secret. I know how good
you are at keepin’ secrets,” she flirted. “I’ll think it over,” he replied.
“Don’t
think too long,” she flirted, “my offer only lasts so long. Now what shall we order?”
JR picked up
his menu, but once again his attention was diverted as David and Sue Ellen walked out onto the dance floor. He tried hard
to suppress the jealousy, hurt, anger and mostly the regret he was feeling.
Time goes by and I’m still holdin
on Waiting for the day when you come home If you ever change your mind again I will greet you like a long lost friend In
my heart we’ve never reached the end And I never will be over you
David pulled Sue Ellen close to
him, wrapping his arms around her waist. She placed her arms around his neck and they melted together as they danced.
“She
certainly looks happy,” JR thought. Didn’t take her very long to get over me. Hell, I guess maybe she never really
loved me anyway.”
Sue Ellen noticed JR from the dance floor and immediately felt her body tense. “Stop
it Sue Ellen,” she said to herself. “He’s not your husband anymore. You’re on a date with a wonderful,
caring, loving and honest man, not a liar and a cheat.” But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hide from
herself the jealousy she felt at seeing him out with another woman. “Are you alright, Sue Ellen,” David asked?
Sue Ellen pulled back, looked into his eyes, faked her best smile, and said, “Yes David, I’m wonderful.”
I
will love you till the end of time Even though I know that you’re not mine Just as long as there’s a chance
that I guess I never will be over you
Trying not to be too obvious that he was staring, JR occasionally glanced
at his menu as though he was reading it, but when she stared into that man’s eyes, he thought he would come out of his
chair. He wanted to jump up, storm over there and beat the living hell out of that man. Only the appearance of the waitress
stopped him. “Have ya’ll decided,” the waitress asked?
“No,” JR replied, “we haven’t.
Give us a few more minutes.” The waitress nodded and disappeared. The song ended and he watched Sue Ellen walk back
to their table. A wicked smile crossed his lips as he watched her hips sway back and forth and he caught a glimpse of her
legs through the slit of her dress. Then the reality set in again and he realized that he would never hold her, or touch her
or kiss her ever again. Suddenly, he knew he had to get out of that restaurant and now. He knew he was about to lose it and
there was no way he was gonna let that happen in front of Marilee or anyone else. For once, the headaches he’d been
getting became an asset. He grabbed his head as the pains shot through it.
Life’s like walking down a lonely
street I see you in everyone I meet How I long to see your smiling face Oh my love for you I can’t erase No
one else could ever take your place
“JR, are you okay,” Marilee asked?
When he could speak,
he said softly, “No, I think we’d better leave.” They got up from their seats and Marilee had to help him
out of the restaurant. Sue Ellen noticed them getting up and watched as Marilee helped JR. “Is he drunk,” she
thought to herself, but she’d seen him drunk and he wasn’t acting like that. “Why is he holding his head,”
she asked herself? “Something’s wrong,” she knew instinctively. “Stop it Sue Ellen. He’s no
longer your concern.” She returned her attention to her evening with David, although JR was never out of her thoughts.
As JR and Marilee disappeared out the door, he glanced back one last time at her.
And I never will be over you,
over you
Southfork,
later that evening
Marilee pulled JR’s car to a stop in the driveway. Some of the pain in his head had subsided
and he climbed out of the car. As they walked slowly up to the house, JR said, “I appreciate your offer, but I think
I’m gonna have to pass, Marilee. I just don’t think that my health is good enough to go back to work yet.”
“Judging
from this evening,” Marilee said with genuine concern, “I think that might be a wise decision. How long have you
been having these spells?”
“Since the accident. The frustrating part is that the stupid doctors have no
idea what’s causing them. Anyway, come on inside and I’ll get someone to drive you home,” he said escorting
her inside the house.
Patricia’s Townhouse
David escorted Sue Ellen up the sidewalk to the door
of Patricia’s Townhouse.
“I had a wonderful time tonight David,” Sue Ellen smiled.
“I’m
glad. I thought for a while you were off in another world.”
Sue Ellen just smiled, and kissed him on the cheek.
“Good night.”
“Good night, Sue Ellen. Can I see you tomorrow night?”
“I don’t
think so David. I think we should take things slowly. I’m not ready for us to be serious yet.”
“I
understand. I’m willing to do whatever you want.”
“Thank you,” she said disappearing into the
house.
Sue Ellen’s home, Saturday morning, a couple weeks later
JR’s limo stopped in front
of Sue Ellen’s new home. It was a nice place. Nothing fancy. It had a nice sized yard, and a pool, or so he’d
been told. He climbed out of the car and rang the bell. The maid answered, and JR said, “Is Mrs. Ewing in?”
“Yes
sir. May I tell her who’s calling?”
Without really thinking about it, JR said, “her husband.”
The
maid looked at him in confusion, and he corrected himself. “JR.”
The maid smiled and disappeared, leaving
him standing in the foyer. He surveyed the inside of the house, thinking how tastefully she’d decorated it and how much
it suited her. It wasn’t extravagant, it felt comfortable, it felt like home, he thought. His thoughts were interrupted
by the maid’s return. “Mrs. Ewing asked that you wait in the living room, she’ll be right down.”
JR
nodded and walked in the direction he was led. He tossed his hat on the sofa and walked over to the fireplace. He smiled as
he looked at the pictures that adorned the mantle. There was one of Sue Ellen, her mother and Kristin, taken just after the
Miss Texas pageant. There was one of his parents, one of Sue Ellen holding John Ross and the one that really made him smile
was one of the two of them. He searched his memory for when it was taken.
Southfork Barbeque, 1969
“I
can’t believe we just did that,” Sue Ellen laughed.
JR laughed back, “Why, we’ve done it before.”
“I
know, but not here and not with all these people around.”
JR laughed again, “Come on. Let’s get dressed
and get back to the party before someone misses us.” They dressed and as they finished, JR looked at her. She was absolutely
glowing with beauty. He reached up and picked a renegade piece of straw out of her hair and smiled. Taking his hand, she smiled
back, “I love you JR Ewing.”
JR smiled, gave her a tender kiss and they returned to the Barbeque. As they
walked toward the food, both starving, the photographer stopped them and snapped their picture. “You two certainly make
a charming and handsome couple,” he replied.
JR and Sue Ellen exchanged knowing glances and thanked him. As they
continued their journey, Marilee Stone grabbed JR by the arm. “Sue Ellen, if you don’t mind could I steal this
good looking man for a few minutes. There’s something I’d like to discuss with him.”
JR frowned
at that thought. It was that one moment that had changed the course of their whole married life. A business proposition she
had said and it was, but it also involved more than that. Because of that one conversation, he’d cheated on Sue Ellen
for the first time. He’d felt awful, so guilty. She never found out, but after that, he could never really bring himself
to face her. He couldn’t stand to allow himself to be with her, to let her touch him, and then he’d started back
up with Julie to satisfy his needs, then it all just spiraled out of control. He shook his head, and once again, he silently
cursed himself for giving in to Marilee. Sue Ellen’s entrance to the room jolted him from his memories.
“Hello
JR. Kate is just finishing with John Ross’s things.”
JR nodded silently.
“I’m glad to
see your getting’ around without your cane now.”
“Yes,” he replied, “thank goodness.
That damn thing was always in the way.”
Sue Ellen smiled to herself, “same old grumpy JR. Can’t stand
to be sick.”
“So,” he said awkwardly, “you seem to be doing well for yourself. How is your
boss,” he asked snidely?
“David is fine. How are your folks? I read about Bobby and Pam’s announcement.
Tell them I said congratulations.”
“Not that you really care, but my folks are fine. I’ll convey
your thoughts to Bobby. You’ll forgive me, if I don’t share your sentiments.”
“JR, can’t
we at least have a civil conversation?”
“I thought that’s what we….” JR’s voice
trailed off as another one of his headaches hit him. He grabbed hold of the mantle to steady himself, using his other hand
to hold his head. Sue Ellen rushed over to him in concern.
“JR, are you alright,” she asked?
He
nodded and pointed toward the sofa. She helped him sit down, and he laid his head back. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled
out a bottle of pills, pouring out four and popping them into his mouth. “Do you want some water or something to drink?”
“No,”
he whispered.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
JR nodded again, motioning for her to be quiet.
After several minutes of silence, she asked, “What’s going on JR and don’t lie to me?”
“It’s
nothing, darlin’. I just get these real bad headaches from time to time.”
“That’s why you’re
not driving, isn’t it.”
He nodded yes. “I never know when they’re gonna hit me. It’s
just not safe for me to drive.” Kate appeared in the doorway and announced that John Ross and his things were ready.
Sue Ellen and JR both stood. Sue Ellen took John Ross from Kate, hugged him and kissed him goodbye as JR took the boy’s
bag. “You be a good boy for Daddy,” Sue Ellen said to John Ross gently. JR rolled his eyes, and reached out for
the boy. As he did, another sharp pain shot through his head and he collapsed to the floor. “JR,” Sue Ellen yelled
handing John Ross back to Kate! Kneeling down beside him, she took his head in her lap and gently slapped his face trying
to get him to open his eyes. “Kate, call an ambulance!” Kate followed Sue Ellen’s instructions, and several
minutes later an ambulance careened into the driveway, sirens blaring. The paramedics rushed in and began working on JR, asking
what had happened. Sue Ellen gave them all the information she had, and they put him on the stretcher and wheeled him out.
“Kate, call Southfork. Tell Miss Ellie what happened. I’m going to the hospital with him.”
Dallas
Memorial Emergency Room
Sue Ellen followed JR into the hospital until the nurse stopped her. “I’m sorry
ma’am. You can’t go any further.” Reluctantly, Sue Ellen agreed. She turned and went back to the waiting
room. Sitting down, she silently scolded herself for trying to upset him. “Dammit Sue Ellen,” she thought to herself,
“you just had to say it didn’t you. You just had to try to push his buttons,” she continued, burying her
face in her hands to hide her tears. After about twenty minutes, which seemed like an eternity to Sue Ellen, the doctor came
out to speak with her. “Mrs. Ewing?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“Your husband is awake
and he’s asking for you. If you’ll follow me,” he motioned, “I’ll take you to him.” As
they walked, the doctor explained that they’d given him something for the pain and that they were going to run some
more tests.
Sue Ellen followed him. She walked over to JR and sat down beside him on the bed, taking hold of his hand.
“Sue
Ellen?”
Sue Ellen noticed the frightened questioning in his tone of voice. She also noticed that he hadn’t
opened his eyes to look at her. “Yes, it’s me. How are you feeling?”
“Sue Ellen, I can’t
see.”
“What do you mean you can’t see,” she asked, squeezing his hand tighter.
“When
I open my eyes, I can’t see anything. It’s just black.”
Sue Ellen lowered her head momentarily as
once again she felt tears coming to her eyes. She knew he was terrified. She had to be strong for him. He needed her now more
than ever. She lifted her head, and reached up to caress his face. “It’s okay, JR. The doctors’ are doing
everything they can. You’re gonna be just fine. Remember, you’re JR Ewing,” she smiled mocking his voice.
JR
laughed and squeezed her hand. “Thanks, honey.”
“Mr. Ewing, we’re gonna take you upstairs for
a cat-scan now.”
JR nodded, “Sue Ellen, promise me you’ll be here when I get back.” “JR,
I’ll…”
“Please, darlin’.”
“Alright JR. I promise,” she said
as they wheeled him out of the room, leaving her alone once again. She returned to the waiting room just in time to be greeted
by Jock and Miss Ellie.
“What have you done to him now, Sue Ellen,” Jock boomed?
Sue Ellen lowered
her head to the floor. She knew she didn’t have anything to feel guilty for, but Jock had such an overpowering personality.
He was so intimidating. “Jock,” Miss Ellie scolded. Hugging Sue Ellen compassionately, she said, “How is
he Sue Ellen?” Sue Ellen broke down at the question and collapsed into Miss Ellie’s arms. “Jock, help me
sit her down.” Jock and Ellie sat her in one of the chairs. Ellie sat next to her trying to calm her. “It’s
alright Sue Ellen. Whenever you’re able.”
Wiping her face, and sniffling, she managed to finally say, “They’re
running more tests. Miss Ellie, he’s…..he’s blind.”
Jock stood up and began to pace angrily,
not knowing what else to do. Miss Ellie hugged Sue Ellen tighter and said, “Can you tell me what happened?”
“Honestly,
I’m not really sure. We were talking and he all of a sudden stopped, grabbed hold of the fireplace and reached for his
head. I helped him to the sofa, and he took some pills. We sat silently for several minutes, and Kate brought John Ross down.
He said he was fine, so we both stood. I was saying goodbye to John Ross when JR just collapsed. We called an ambulance and
here we are. Oh Miss Ellie, this is all my fault.”
“No it’s not Sue Ellen. You did not cause that
accident.”
“No, but if we hadn’t had that terrible fight that day, he wouldn’t have gotten
drunk at the Oil Barons. Bobby wouldn’t have had to pick him up and they wouldn’t have gotten in that accident.
So you see, it is my fault.”
Southfork, a week later
JR picked up the phone by the bed, running
his fingers over the numbers; he dialed Sue Ellen’s number. It rang several times before she answered. “Hello.”
JR hesitated, scared he couldn’t go through with it, afraid she’d say no or have plans. “Hello,” she
said again.
“Sue Ellen,” he replied tenderly, gathering his courage. “It’s me.”
“JR,
How…”
“I was wondering if….if you’d have dinner with me tonight?”
There
was silence on both ends of the phone. JR prayed that she’d say yes. He needed someone to talk to and she was all he
had. The only person he could open up to. The only person in his life who really knew him.
“I…I don’t
think that’s such a good idea,” she replied.
“Please,” he asked as he tried to control the
frustration and desperation in his voice. “I just want to talk. I promise.”
Sue Ellen remained silent once
again. She could tell he was afraid and could sense the desperation in his voice. “Okay,” she finally said. “What
time?”
JR felt his entire body relax, “I’ll pick you up about seven-thirty.”
“Why
don’t I just meet you at the restaurant?”
“Sure Darlin’,” he replied, slightly disappointed,
“whatever you want. Where would you like to go?”
“It doesn’t matter. Wherever you want.”
JR
thought for a minute. He didn’t want to go to his usual places. Number one, he wasn’t ready to deal with the whole
world seeing him in this condition and secondly, he wanted some privacy without everyone whispering about them being together.
“Let’s go someplace not so crowded. How about that Italian restaurant we used to go to when we were dating?”
“That’s
fine,” she smiled to herself. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Okay, Darlin’. I’ll
see you at seven-thirty.”
The restaurant
Sue Ellen arrived at the restaurant a little early. Part
of her just wanted to get the evening started and finished, but a larger part of her was as giddy as a schoolgirl going out
on her first date. The hostess informed her that JR had not yet arrived, and showed her to the table he’d requested.
Sue Ellen sat down and looked around the restaurant. It wasn’t crowded at all. There were only four other couples, of
course, she thought, it is the middle of the week. She glanced at her watch, “7:27,” smiling she said, “you’ve
got three minutes JR or you’ll be late, and you hate being late.” As she completed her thought, the door opened
and JR walked inside aided by his personal assistant. Sue Ellen was surprised by her reaction to his appearance. He was still
as handsome as ever and if not for the dark sunglasses he wore to shield his eyes, she would never have known he was blind.
The hostess greeted him, and taking her arm, he let her lead him to the table.
“Here, Michael,” he said
as he handed his hat to the man with him. “That’ll be all for now.”
“Yes sir,” the man
replied and disappeared out of the restaurant.
“Hello, Darlin’,” JR smiled his best smile, as he
took a seat in the adjacent chair to hers. “You look beautiful.”
Sue Ellen laughed awkwardly. “How
can you tell?”
JR continued smiling, “Because, you always do.”
Sue Ellen smiled, and gently
touched his hand. “Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”
Taking a firm hold of her hand, he looked
at her. “Your welcome,” he said warmly. “Does my tie match my suit? I wasn’t sure about the pattern.
I had a hard time picking one out that was the right color.” Sue Ellen laughed as did JR. “Now let’s order,
I’m starving.”
Sue Ellen laughed, “Some things never change.”
JR picked up his menu
and pretended to read it. “So what looks good to you,” he smiled.
Sue Ellen laughed again, “You are
too much. I’m glad to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor.”
“Well, I guess that’s
really about the only thing I have left.” Sue Ellen became unusually quiet, and JR sensed a change in her mood. “I’m
sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean…”
“I know,” she interrupted. Changing the
subject, she asked, “So how are you feeling lately?”
“I’ve been feeling okay I suppose. I guess
I’ve just been bored mostly. There’s not a lot that a blind out of work oilman can do. I considered calling up
Ray Charles to see if he needed some help, but then I realized that I never was very musical so I gave up on that idea.”
Sue
Ellen shook her head and laughed again which made JR smile even bigger. Before he thought, he said, “I love your smile.
I think I miss that most of all.”
Tears began to form in Sue Ellen’s eyes, as she remained silent.
“Anyway,”
he continued, “Momma fusses over me like I’m an invalid and Daddy. Well, you know Daddy,” he sighed. “He
doesn’t know how to act, and I think he’s still mad about John Ross too, so mostly he just avoids me. Guess I’m
just one big disappointment to him.”
Once again touching his hand, she said genuinely, “I’m sorry.
I know how much his opinion means to you.” JR sighed again, becoming quiet himself this time. “JR,….I don’t
want to make you angry or ruin the evening, but I’ve been wondering….”
“Why I didn’t
fight you for custody?”
“Yes.”
JR placed his other hand on top of hers. “Well, there
are several reasons actually, but mostly I didn’t want,” JR paused, choking back his emotions, “I didn’t
want to hurt you by trying to take your son away from you.”
The waiter appeared and took their order, so Sue
Ellen decided to let the matter of John Ross drop. She wanted desperately to tell him that John Ross was his. Being this close
to JR when he was so vulnerable, so open, made her ache for him. This was the JR she fell in love with and married. This was
the JR that no one else ever saw, except her. “Stop it, Sue Ellen. This is the man who treated you so awful.”
After several seconds of silence, Sue Ellen asked, “Do the doctors’ know what’s causing the problem with
your eyes and your headaches?”
“No,” he replied disgustedly, “those quacks have no earthly
idea.”
“Do they know if it’s permanent or not?”
“No. They said my vision could
come back anytime, but the longer it takes, the less likelihood it will. At least the headaches are not as bad or as often.”
They
continued chatting until the waiter brought their food. As they ate, they reminisced about times when they were dating, and
the good times of their early marriage. When the meal was complete, JR unhappily settled the check, not wanting the evening
to end, but realizing that it had. He stood to his feet, and held her chair as she stood. He smiled at her and held out his
arm, “Do you mind?”
Happily taking it, she smiled back, “Of course not,” and led him outside.
Sue Ellen reached up and kissed his cheek, “Thank you for a wonderful evening. I’ll get a cab home.”
JR
stopped her as she turned to walk away from him. Now was his chance. He couldn’t let her just walk away. “That’s
just silly, Sue Ellen. Let me take you.”
Warily, she accepted. When they were safely hidden away in the limo,
JR reached up and touched her cheek softly. Sue Ellen closed her eyes, enjoying his touch. He pulled her face closer to him
and tenderly kissed her lips. He was afraid she might resist, but instead, she responded by returning his kiss. Their kisses
continued, becoming more passionate with each one, until JR pulled away, still caressing her cheek gently, and said, “Sue
Ellen, I need to tell you something. Something I should’ve said a hundred thousand times before now. I…”
he swallowed, trying to control his emotions, “I love you.” He kissed her again, feeling the tears streaming down
her face.
“And I love you,” she responded, pulling back from his face and touching his cheek.
“Then
stay with me. Spend the night with me.” Once again, JR pulled her into a passionate kiss, wrapping his arms around her,
holding her body tightly against his.
Pulling away from his kisses, she said, “I…I can’t.”
“Please
Sue Ellen. I need you, and I want you, so much,” he pleaded, kissing her again.
Sue Ellen lost herself in his
kiss. In truth, she wanted him too, more than she’d ever wanted anything. “But can I do this,” she thought?
“I want him so much.” After several more kisses, she finally whispered, “Yes.”
JR didn’t
give her the opportunity to change her mind. He picked up the phone and told Michael to take them to the Ewing Condo. Hanging
up the phone, he returned to showering her lips, and neck with kisses, hoping desperately she wouldn’t change her mind.
The Ewing Condo
They arrived at the Condo and entered in silence, without turning on any lights. JR
took her hand and led her up the stairs to the bedroom. He pulled her gently to him and once again kissed her lips. He moved
his kisses across her cheek to her ear and whispered as he hugged her tightly. “I love you.”
Sue Ellen
melted at the sound of his voice speaking those words to her. She’d waited so long to hear him say that. Slowly, they
removed one another’s clothing and JR laid her gently across the bed. He climbed into her arms and as she wrapped her
legs around his waist, they began to make love. JR felt as if it were his first time. His whole body burned for her. He wanted
to please her. He wanted her to know that she was the only woman he’d ever loved; the only woman he’d truly ever
made love to. He longed to be able to look into her eyes, to see her love for him shining in them. He longed for her to be
able to see into his and see his love for her. Sue Ellen held him tightly as they made love, caressing his back and running
her fingers into his hair thinking how she loved this man. How she’d longed for years for this one moment; the moment
when JR wanted her again and only her. Neither of them spoke, simply put, they explored their deep, endless love, kissing,
touching and just holding each other. As the sun began to rise, JR drifted to sleep in her arms, smiling contently. It was
the first time since she’d left him that he’d slept soundly. Several hours later, JR awoke feeling rested and
relaxed. His smile returned, and he reached across the bed to find Sue Ellen gone. He listened momentarily, and called out
for her. Not receiving an answer, he decided she’d gone downstairs and didn’t hear him. He lay silently for a
few seconds enjoying the smell of her perfume radiating throughout the room. He climbed out of bed, walked into the bathroom
and retrieved his robe. He slipped it on and tied it, making his way downstairs. “Sue Ellen,” he called. Still
no answer. He searched every room, but to his dismay, she was gone. He sank down on the sofa, utterly devastated, allowing
his tears to flow freely down his cheeks. His despair was interrupted by the ringing of the phone. He felt around, and picked
up the receiver. “Hello.”
“JR, it’s me.”
“Sue Ellen. Where are you? I thought…”
“I’m
at home. Listen. Last night was…”
“Wonderful,” he finished for her.
“A mistake,”
she continued.
“Sue Ellen, how can you say that?”
“Because it was, JR. We’re divorced.”
JR
cursed himself silently for ever allowing her to leave him. Then he cursed himself again for making her want to leave. “But…I
love you and I thought we could…”
“And I love you, but we’re just not good for each other.
All we do is cause the other pain. We can’t do that anymore. What happened last night, well it just happened, but it
can’t happen again. I know you’re hurting right now and so am I, but I just can’t let you…”
her voice trailed off as her tears overcame her. Regaining some control, she continued, “I can’t let you back
into my life. You hurt me too much when I do. Once upon a time, we had something very special, but you ruined that and we
can never recapture it. I’m sorry, JR, it’s over.”
Angry and hurt by her words, JR said venomously,
“Don’t be sorry, honey. You don’t have to worry. It won’t happen again. I don’t need your sympathy
or your pity,” he said slamming down the receiver and throwing the phone across the room. He made his way back upstairs.
Finding his pain medication, he opened the bottle, took two pills out and swallowed them. He lay back down on the bed, and
waited for them to take effect and make his pain disappear.
Sue Ellen’s Home
Sue Ellen put the phone down and went and sat on the sofa. Putting her
head in her hand she felt the tears form in her eyes. Why had she let JR persuade her to stay the night with him? It should
never have happened. Then she thought back to how wonderful the evening had been, and how their love-making had been so warm
and tender unlike the other times during their marriage when JR had only wanted her for sex. She cursed herself for still
being in love with him, she still wanted him more than anything in this world but she knew that they couldn’t be together.
The
Ewing Condo
After downing some bourbon with his painkillers JR went and sat on his bed, he thought back to the night
before, he had thought they had made a start on rebuilding their relationship but Sue Ellen had only made love to him out
of pity. Well he didn’t need his pity; he didn’t need anyone’s pity. He felt tears stinging his eyes and
realized that although he didn’t need Sue Ellen’s pity he needed her love. Noone had ever loved him the way she
loved him, last night she had given herself completely, God how he missed her.
Sue Ellen’s House (A week later)
Sue
Ellen came home from a very exhausting Modeling assignment. She had been doing an television advert for a new kind of beauty
product, but it had taken four hours to get a simple three minute commercial right. She went upstairs into John Ross’
room and looked into his crib.
“Hi sweetheart, you’re awake” she said smiling
John Ross reached
his arms out for his mother and she lifted him out of the crib.
“Hey, your momma’s really missed you today”
she said and gently kissed him on the forehead. Suddenly she was disturbed by the telephone. Putting the baby down she went
to answer it.
“Hello” she said
“Hi Sue Ellen its David” came the reply
“David,
it’s good to hear from you” She replied
“I was just wondering how your day was” David asked
Sue
Ellen smiled “Exhausting, I can’t believe how much effort it takes to make a three minute commercial” she
said
“Don’t suppose you want to come out tonight/” David asked
“Sorry, can I take a
raincheck” she said
David sighed “Okay” he said
Hearing his disappointment Sue Ellen thought
for a moment “However why don’t you come here for dinner and we can enjoy a quiet night in” she said
“Sounds
fine to me” He said
“Okay I’ll see you later” she said
After hanging up the phone she
went back to the nursery, she looked down at her son. She wished she hadn’t invited David around but he had been so
good to her that she didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Suddenly she felt uncomfortable, what if he wanted more out of
tonight, and she wasn’t ready for that. Looking at John Ross made her realize something else, the only person she wanted
to make love to her was JR, and her life was too complex how could she see David and still only want JR?
Southfork
JR
sat alone in the den feeling angry and frustrated. It had been a whole week since he and Sue Ellen had made love in the Condo
and he hadn’t heard from her. He suddenly realized that tomorrow was Saturday and he would have to pick Cliff Barnes’
bastard up and pretend to play happy families for his mother and father’s sake. Oh well there was one consolation at
least he couldn’t see the brat, being blind did have it’s advantages. His thoughts were interrupted by his mother.
“JR
are you okay?” She asked
“I’m fine momma, I’ll just be glad when I can see and start getting
my life back again” He replied
“Well, at least tomorrow you’ll have your son with you” she
said “What time are you going to pick him up”
JR felt a cold chill go through him. How long could he keep
this pretence up? John Ross was not his son, he felt absolutely nothing for him, in fact he hated him. He softly spoke.
“I
don’t know momma, I think Sue Ellen is going to bring him here” he said
“Okay, we’re really
looking forward to seeing him” Miss Ellie said
JR felt a headache come on and getting up from his seat he walked
over to his desk draw and took out the painkillers. Putting four tablets in his hand he reached for the bourbon and poured
himself a glass, downing both the pills and drink in one.
“JR!” Miss Ellie said “You should go easy
with those tablets, they’re not sweets” she said
“Momma, I know what I’m doing” He shouted
“I’ve got a really bad headache I need them”
Sue Ellen’s house
Sue Ellen and David enjoyed
a nice quiet meal which she had cooked. They then went and sat on the sofa. David cuddled up to her and Sue Ellen allowed
herself to relax. David began to kiss her gently and she responded to his touch. Slowly his hand reached inside her blouse
and he began to squeeze her breast, Sue Ellen continued to kiss him and felt herself becoming more aroused. David let his
hand wonder down towards her skirt and reached underneath it. Slowly he let his hand move inside her panties and finding her
folds gently stroked her love button, Sue Ellen’s hands went to the zip of his trousers, undid it and pulled his manhood
free, David felt himself becoming hard at her touch, Sue Ellen stroked him gently until David could finally take no more.
“Sue
Ellen I want you” he said, lifting her skirt again he removed her panties, Lifting his body up he then let Sue Ellen
remove his trousers. David was finally happy at last Sue Ellen was going to let him make love to her. Feeling his manhood
come close to her crotch Sue Ellen screamed
“No, I can’t do this!” she said
“What!”
David asked
“David I’m sorry, this is wrong, I’m not ready” she said
“You sure
as hell seem ready enough to me” he said angrily.
“Please, I need more time” she said
David
pulled away and got off the sofa pulling on his boxers and trousers quickly. She looked at him and could tell that he was
angry.
“David….please don’t be angry, I just need a little bit more time” she said
“Sue
Ellen forget it, I know you’re still in love with JR!” he said
“I’m not!” she said
David
got up to leave “I love you” she said
David shook his head “At least if you’re going to
say that, say it as though you mean it” he said, he then walked towards the hall and the front door
Sue Ellen
followed him, as he opened the front door she put her arms around him and tried to hug him but David rejected her advances.
Angrily he left and slammed the door behind him. Sue Ellen leant against the door and cried. She had wanted him but something
inside her stopped her. The thought of him inside her had made her feel ill and she knew she couldn’t do it. She needed
JR. She looked at the phone on the stand and picked it up, something inside her made her dial Southfork. She let it ring for
a few seconds and then heard his voice as he picked it up. She felt butterflies in her stomach but found herself unable to
speak. Quickly she put the phone down.
Southfork (the following day)
Sue Ellen arrived at Southfork with John
Ross. Miss Ellie was there to greet her.
“Sue Ellen how are you?” she said
“I’m fine”
Sue Ellen replied
“Would you like to stay for awhile” Ellie asked
Sue Ellen hesitated “Okay”
she said finally
“JR’s in the den” Ellie replied “Why don’t you take his son to him”
Sue
Ellen smiled and went inside the house. She knew what his reaction would be when he saw them. He hated John Ross and she was
sure that after the Condo incident he would hate her. She looked at the baby in her arms and felt tears come into her eyes.
She knew that sooner or later the truth would have to come out, for John Ross’ sake anyway; she couldn’t let his
father hate him forever. She wandered into the den to find JR sitting at his desk.
“JR” she said closing
the door behind her
“What do you want?” he said
“I’ve brought your son to see you”
she said
“Sue Ellen how long are we going to keep up this pretence, that bastard is not my child and you know
it” JR replied
“Your parents don’t believe that” Sue Ellen said
“Yes but
they don’t know you slept with Cliff, do they” JR said
Sue Ellen walked closer to him “JR, your son
wants you” she said softly.
“Sue Ellen the one advantage I have at the moment is that being blind I don’t
have to see him, take him up to the nursery” JR said
“Please JR he’s yours” Sue Ellen cried
JR
felt himself getting angry “Sue Ellen, just get out of here and take your bastard with you!” he shouted
Sue
Ellen felt stunned, not quite knowing what to do for the best she walked out of the den. She felt the tears streaming down
her face. Trying to compose herself she walked back outside. Miss Ellie saw her distress and walked over to her.
“What’s
wrong?” Ellie asked
“Miss Ellie, JR isn’t feeling too good so I don’t think it’s a good
idea for John Ross to stay” Sue Ellen said
“But we were looking forward to him being here” Ellie
replied
Sue Ellen began to cry “I know, but with JR the way he is, it’s not a good idea, but I promise
you that you can come by the house and visit whenever you want” Sue Ellen said
“You’re not going
to bring him here again are you?” Ellie said
“I can’t,” Sue Ellen said “Things are just
too bad between JR and me at the moment”
Sue Ellen walked back to her car and placed the baby inside. Driving
out of the gates of Southfork she felt herself shaking. She stopped the car and placed her hands in her head. She caught sight
of the baby in the back of the car and burst into tears. This was so wrong, something had to be done and the only way to prove
who John Ross’ father was would be a Paternity Test.
“John Ross, I love you and believe me so does your
daddy” Sue Ellen spoke softly to the baby.
Southfork (six weeks later)
Miss Ellie was looking forward
to the arrival of John Ross. She had finally persuaded Sue Ellen to bring him to Southfork for the weekend. JR was behaving
like a bear with a sore head but she told Sue Ellen that she would look after the baby.
Sue Ellen felt drained as she
drove up towards the gates of Southfork. The past few weeks she had been feeling ill, it took all her strength to work and
look after John Ross, she was relieved that this weekend she wouldn’t have to worry about the baby, that he would be
well taken care of by his grandparents. The feeling of nausea hit her again and she stopped the car, maybe it was time to
make a doctor’s appointment. She had been putting it off for a while hoping that this virus she had would go but she
didn’t appear to be getting better.
Miss Ellie and Jock were on the porch as Sue Ellen drove up. She got out
the car and greeted them then lifted the baby out of his seat.
“How’s JR” she said
“Not
that it’s any concern of yours, he’s okay” Jock said
Miss Ellie gave him a stern look. Seeing how
pale Sue Ellen was she said
“Sue Ellen do you want a drink”
“Miss Ellie, I don’t want
to cause anymore trouble I think it’s probably best that I go” she replied
Suddenly Sue Ellen felt weak
and felt her legs give way from underneath her. Quickly she handed the baby to Miss Ellie and grasped one of the chairs on
the porch.
“Sue Ellen!” Miss Ellie shouted and handed John Ross to Jock
“Jock, get me some
water now!” she ordered
Jock stormed off into the house. Hearing the commotion JR came out from the den. Seeing
his father he asked him what was going on.
“Seems your ex-wife is making a spectacle of herself, must be on the
bottle again” Jock replied
JR felt a touch of concern. How long would it be before he could forget her. She didn’t
love him she made that clear. He went outside to find the others.
Miss Ellie was sat next to Sue Ellen, noticing JR
she got up.
“JR look after Sue Ellen, I’m going to take John Ross inside” she said
JR walked
over and sat beside Sue Ellen. He wished he could see her, all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and love her.
“Sue
Ellen” JR said taking her hand in his Sue Ellen was silent; she felt sick but was relieved at JR’s touch. Suddenly
she felt an overwhelming sense of pain.
“JR, God the pain, it hurts” she screamed
JR felt panic
come over him “What pain” he asked
“My stomach” she screamed “I can’t take it”
She
stood up and tried to walk but she felt weak again and collapsed into JR’s arms.
Dallas Memorial Hospital
Miss
Ellie drove her to the hospital, JR sat in the back of the car holding Sue Ellen’s hand, she was drifting in and out
of consciousness. On arrival at the hospital Miss Ellie and JR were directed to the waiting room while the doctors examined
Sue Ellen.
They were both silent deep in thought finally JR broke the silence.
“Momma I don’t want
to lose her” he said
Miss Ellie looked at JR “She’ll be fine” she said
JR wasn’t
so sure, he felt tears in his eyes again.
“Momma, when is this hurting going to stop, I love her so much, I always
have and yet I can do nothing but cause her pain” he said
“I know you love her JR, but I just don’t
understand why you treated her like you did” Miss Ellie said
“Momma I wish I knew, maybe I thought that
she would always love me no matter what I did” JR said
“That doesn’t give you the right to cheat
on her” Ellie replied
JR looked at her
“Oh come on JR, you’ve cheated on that girl from the
day you married her and all she ever wanted was for you to love her” Ellie said
“Momma I would give anything
to have another chance with her” JR said
“I know” Miss Ellie sighed
Once again both became
silent, each deep in thought. Miss Ellie knew that Sue Ellen still loved JR and she could see the pain in JR’s eyes
to know that he deeply missed her but somehow she didn’t hold out much hope for reconciliation, there had been too much
hurt in the past. JR thought back to the night in the Condo, making love to Sue Ellen that night had been like nothing he
had ever experienced. He remembered the feel of her tender touch, her voice constantly telling him that she loved him, no
other woman had ever done that for him. He loved her so much. Their thoughts were interrupted by the doctor. Miss Ellie stood
up.
“Well how is she?” Miss Ellie asked
“She’s going to be fine, but unfortunately she
lost the baby and quite a bit of blood” the doctor said
Miss Ellie and JR both looked shocked
“Baby?”
JR said
“Yes” the doctor said “She was about eight weeks pregnant”
“Can we see
her?” JR asked
“For a little while but I warn you she’ll be a big groggy, we’ve given her a
sedative” the doctor said
After the doctor had left Miss Ellie turned to JR and said
“I didn’t
know she was seeing anyone”
JR was silent “Momma, do you remember the night I stayed at the condo”
JR asked
“After you took Sue Ellen out for a meal” Ellie said
“Yes” JR replied “Well
Sue Ellen stayed with me and we slept together”
“Are you saying that the baby she lost was yours”
Ellie said
“Yes” JR said
They walked into Sue Ellen’s room. JR looked at her and took her
hand. She appeared to be fast asleep. They stayed with her for half an hour but she didn’t wake.
“I think
we should go JR” Miss Ellie said “Beside your son needs you too”
JR felt himself go cold at the thought
of John Ross, however he knew he couldn’t make a scene so he reluctantly agreed to go home. “JR, we can come
back tomorrow” Ellie said
Southfork
That evening JR lay in bed, his only thoughts were for Sue Ellen and
their lost child, their only child not the bastard imposter that was sleeping in the nursery. He was so glad at this moment
that he had no sight at least his parents couldn’t expect him to look after the brat. After all they wouldn’t
want their precious grandson to be dropped. He longed to have Sue Ellen with him, to hold her in his arms and for them both
to love all the hurt and pain away. Suddenly he felt a headache come on and reached over to his bedside cabinet and got out
four painkillers, taking all of them without water. Then he lay down and tried to sleep.
Dallas Memorial Hospital
Miss
Ellie drove JR to the hospital early. He was anxious to see Sue Ellen. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her and how
he would have been the perfect father to their baby. JR asked his mother to wait outside while he went in first. Sue Ellen
was sat up in bed, the doctor had given her the news of the baby and she felt devastated. Her face brightened when she saw
JR.
“Hi” he said “How are you feeling”
“Tired” she said “How’s
John Ross”
“Okay” he said grumpily “Kept everyone awake all night”
“JR…..”
Sue Ellen said
“Was it mine?” JR asked
Sue Ellen began to cry “Yes, the night at the condo”
she said
“Sue Ellen you lost our baby” JR cried
“I know, I’m sorry” she said
JR
took her in his arms and hugged her tightly, Sue Ellen felt herself responding to JR’s touch she loved him so much.
“JR
we still have John Ross” she said
“Sue Ellen why couldn’t he have died instead of our baby, why couldn’t
you have lost Barnes’ baby” JR said
“JR, that’s a terrible thing to say” Sue Ellen said
“And he’s not Cliff’s baby” “Sue Ellen we both know that he’s not mine” JR said
“I hate him and I wish he was dead”
Sue Ellen let her tears flow freely. John Ross was JR’s baby
and she really did need him to know that but nothing she said would convince him.
“JR I’m feeling really
tired, please can you leave” Sue Ellen said
JR reluctantly let go off her “I’m sorry, it just thinking
of that little bastard makes me so angry”
Sue Ellen turned her head away from him, “JR just go” she
said
JR walked out of the room, Miss Ellie looked at him and could tell that he was upset
“What happened?”
she asked
“JR composed himself “She’s just tired” he said
“Can I go in and see
her” Ellie asked
“If you must, I’ll wait out here, all I do is upset her” JR said
Miss
Ellie walked into the room, Sue Ellen still had her back turned away from the door. Miss Ellie softly spoke her name causing
Sue Ellen to turn to her. She saw the tears streaming down her ex daughter-in-law’s face and went to hug her.
“Sue
Ellen, I’m so sorry” Ellie said
”Miss Ellie everything is a mess” Sue Ellen cried
“I
know, but things will get better” Ellie said
“Miss Ellie, JR hates John Ross” Sue Ellen said
“That’s
not true” Ellie replied
“It is so” Sue Ellen said “JR thinks that he’s not John Ross’
father”
“But he looks so much like JR” Ellie said “Anyone can see that”
“Everyone
but his father” Sue Ellen said “Miss Ellie JR and I were having problems at the time I conceived John Ross, he
was always away nights and we never made love anymore. I thought he didn’t love me so I had an affair, JR thinks that
John Ross is the result of that affair”
“But he’s not” Miss Ellie said “Is he”
“No,
one night JR came home early and for some reason we both wanted each other so badly that we ended up making love and that
is when I conceived our baby” Sue Ellen said “He has JR’s eyes and his smile”
“Who does
JR believe to be the father then?” Ellie asked
Sue Ellen let out a sigh “Cliff Barnes” she said
“Sue
Ellen of all the men you had to choose him” Ellie said
“I know but I was so lonely at the time and Cliff
was so nice” Sue Ellen said
“Has Cliff seen the baby” Ellie asked
“No, I wont let him”
Sue Ellen said “What’s the point, he isn’t the father”
“Sue Ellen there’s only
one way to solve this problem” Ellie said
“A Paternity Test” Sue Ellen said “But that scares
me”
“Why” Ellie said
“Because if JR finds out the truth, he’ll take the baby of
me” Sue Ellen said “Jock has so much influence that I know I’ll lose the baby”
“Sue Ellen
I’m not going to let that happen, you’re his mother and he stays with you” Ellie said “But can you
go on letting JR hate his own son”
“No” Sue Ellen replied “I want JR to love John Ross”
“Then
will you take the test” Ellie asked
Sue Ellen was quiet for a while. She knew that she didn’t really have
a choice. For John Ross’ sake the truth needed to come out.
“Yes” she said
“Okay”
Ellie said “Let me talk to JR”
After spending a few more minutes with Sue Ellen, Miss Ellie left and returned
to JR. Silently they made their way to the car. Once they were inside Miss Ellie turned and looked at her son.
“JR
we need to talk” she said “What about?” JR replied
“Your son” his mother said
JR
was silent, he didn’t have a son.
“Sue Ellen has told me everything” Ellie said
“She
had no right, so now you know that your grandson is a bastard” JR said
“JR, I never want to hear you call
him that again, he’s your son” Ellie said
“I don’t know what she’s told you but he’s
not mine” JR said
“JR you only have to look at him to see he’s your son” Ellie said “JR,
Sue Ellen wants a Paternity Test to prove it once and for all, will you agree to that”
JR thought a minute, it
would make sense but he hated the thought of what his father would think of him when the results came through.
“I
don’t know momma” he said
“Okay, think about this, what happens if in ten years time something happens
to John Ross and you finally find out that you are the only person who can save him as you’re his father. How will you
feel knowing how you’ve mistreated him” Ellie said “We needed to get this sorted out and the sooner the
better.”
“Yes m’am” JR said
Sue Ellen’s House (a week later)
Sue Ellen
was still feeling tired, she and JR had the Paternity Test and were waiting for the results. She was deep in thought when
she heard the doorbell ring. She answered it to find David standing there.
“Can I come in?” He asked
“Yes”
she said
“How are you?” he asked
“I’ve been better” she said “Can I make
you a drink”
“That would be good” she said
Southfork
Jock decided he had to get out
of the house. John Ross was still staying at Southfork while Sue Ellen recuperated and JR had proved he was useless with the
child. His grandson’s crying had finally got to him and he saddle his horse and rode into the pastures. He felt the
stress of last few months. Suddenly he felt a deep pain in his chest, he caught his breath, however the pain increased, he
slowed the horse down and tried to get off but collapsed on the ground.
Sue Ellen’s house
David and Sue
Ellen sat on the sofa, neither saying anything.
“I heard about the miscarriage” David said “Who’s
was it”
Sue Ellen turned away “JR’s” she said “It was one night after we had gone for
a meal together, it meant nothing”
David felt himself becoming angry “How could you” he said
“I
made a mistake” she replied
“Sue Ellen, I thought we had a chance” he said “I’ve done
everything I can to show you how much I care about you, I will even bring up your son as ours”
“I’m
sorry” she said “It was just one night”
“Tell me you don’t love him” David said
“I
can’t” Sue Ellen cried
“Then we don’t have a chance” David said
“I’m
sorry” she cried
“See you at work, from now on it’s strictly business” he said
Angrily
he got up and headed back to his car, slamming the door on the way out. Sue Ellen watched as him drive out. David was fuming,
why she couldn’t see how much he loved her. His mind was on her as he drove, not watching the road he failed to see
the other car approaching him on the wrong side of the road. Before either driver could do anything they had collided, both
cars rolled over on their sides over and over again before resting on their bonnets. Someone called the Paramedics but it
was too late, both drivers were dead.
Southfork
Miss Ellie was concerned Jock had been missing for a
few hours and it wasn’t like him. She knew that the tension with JR was getting to him. She hadn’t told him about
the paternity test so he failed to understand why JR couldn’t handle John Ross. Finally she called Ray and both of them
went out together looking for him. They find him laying unconscious by the treehouse. Ray rushed to the house to call the
Paramedics. Twenty minutes later ambulances were at Southfork, but it was too late Jock had suffered a massive heart attack;
there was nothing that could be done. Jock was dead.
Southfork
JR woke from his nap to John Ross’ incessant crying. He sighed
exasperatedly, “Can’t anybody shut that damn thing up.” He lay silently for a few minutes listening for
someone to go and get the boy. Finally, he decided that he would actually have to do it. “Dammit, where is everybody?”
He climbed out of the bed, grabbed his pills, and walked across the hallway to the boy’s room. He made his way over
to the boys crib. “Boy, you’re old enough now to stop this infernal crying.” As he spoke, even though his
voice was nothing like cordial or gentle, John Ross’ crying softened. JR stood over him. He reached down and touched
the boy’s head lightly. Tightening his jaw, he whispered, “I wish you were mine. I’ve always wanted a son.
There are so many things I could teach you…could’ve taught you.” JR scoffed at himself. “Guess you’ll
be better off with Barnes for a father. At least he’ll be able to see you and do things with you.” JR turned to
walk out of the room. As soon as he’d turned his back, John Ross’ crying started again. JR sighed and turned back
to the crib. “You’re not gonna be happy until I pick you up are you?” JR reached down, finding the boys
ribs, and gently lifted him into his arms. As he laid him on his shoulder, John Ross’ crying subsided and his arms instinctively
wrapped around his father’s neck. JR fumbled around the room, finally sitting in the rocking chair with the boy. John
Ross laid his head on JR’s shoulder as JR rubbed his back. Instantly, his mother’s words echoed in his memory,
“what happens if in ten years time something happens to John Ross and you finally find out that you are the only person
who can save him because you’re his father. How will you feel knowing how you’ve mistreated him?” JR sighed,
“Are you my son? Maybe you are. As I remember, you were a good-looking boy, and there’s no way you could be a
Barnes and be good looking, is there? Maybe Sue Ellen’s telling the truth. Maybe you are my son. There’s nothing
in this world that would make me happier, except…well, except havin’ your Momma back home, but that’s probably
not ever gonna happen.” JR reached in his pocket and pulled out his pills. He popped a couple in his mouth and swallowed,
knowing in a few minutes that the aching in his heart would soon subside.
Sue Ellen’s home
Sue
Ellen heard the sirens tearing down the highway past her house. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have given them a second thought,
but something inside her thought about David. She was unsure of what to do. Should she venture out and see or should she wait?
“Oh Sue Ellen,” she said shaking her head, “you’re being silly. Ambulances pass by here all the time.”
She glanced at her watch, remembering that JR had promised to bring John Ross home today, and returned to her task of preparing
dinner unaware of David’s fate.
Southfork
Finally, Theresa had appeared and JR had her pack John
Ross’ things. Together they descended the stairs and JR climbed into the limo with his son, unaware that his own father
was dead. As the limo made its way toward Sue Ellen’s home, JR’s mind wandered to the thoughts of the baby they’d
lost. “Why? Why did we have to lose this baby? It could have been a whole new beginning for us.” JR sighed, “I
guess we just weren’t meant to be. Maybe it’s time I faced the fact that she really doesn’t love me anymore.”
Sue Ellen’s home
JR’s limo pulled up in front of the house. Michael stepped out of the front,
and helped JR to the front door with John Ross and his things. Kate answered. JR entered, leaving Michael to wait for him
in the limousine. Sue Ellen had heard the doorbell, and knew that it had to be JR. She rounded the corner and a huge smile
crossed her face as she saw her son. “Hi, JR.”
“Hello, Darlin’,” he said tenderly. “How
are you feelin’?”
“I’m okay.” She took John Ross from JR and hugged him tightly. “Hi,
sweetheart,” she said walking into the living room, “Momma missed you so very much.” JR followed, listening
closely and imagining her with John Ross, wondering, hoping even, that maybe he was actually theirs together. Sue Ellen sat
him in her lap, and spoke gently, “You’re very happy tonight. You must’ve had a good time with your grandparents.”
John Ross laughed and cooed in response to his mother’s voice. JR leaned against the doorframe and smiled sadly at the
picture of what his family could’ve been. Sue Ellen noticed his demeanor, and wondered what was going through his mind.
“Well,” JR finally said, “I guess I’d better get goin’. You know how Daddy is about
being late for dinner. Course, I get the feeling that he’d rather I wasn’t at the table at all, but anyway, I’ll
see you next weekend I guess.”
Sue Ellen walked over to JR, and kissed him gently on the cheek. “Why don’t
you stay for dinner here? I don’t really feel too much like eating alone.”
“Are you sure, darlin’,”
he said utterly confused by her behavior?
“I’m sure, as long as you understand that it is just dinner and
nothing more.”
JR’s heart leapt inside his chest. He wanted to scream, shout and jump up and down with
joy. Instead, he said, “I understand, as long as you’re not inviting me because you feel sorry for me.”
“JR,
there’s one thing that I have never felt for you and that is sorry.” Instantly, she felt a twinge of regret for
her last statement. “I didn’t mean that like it sounded.”
JR stopped her and smiled. “I know
what you meant, and in that case, I would love to have dinner with you. I’m starved. What are we having?”
Before
she could answer, Kate appeared and told her she had an urgent phone call. Sue Ellen handed John Ross to Kate, telling her
to take him upstairs, and walked over to the phone. “Hello,” she answered. “What,” she screamed into
the receiver. Instinctively, JR moved over behind her, sensing the distress in her voice. “Oh God, no,” she said
dropping the phone as tears streamed down her face. She turned and collapsed into JR’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Sue
Ellen what’s wrong,” he asked?
“It’s David,” she cried hysterically, “he’s…he’s
dead.”
JR held her tighter as she clung to his body. “I’m sorry Sue Ellen. I know you cared for
him,” JR said genuinely, privately thrilled that this man would no longer be a part of her life.
Sue Ellen clung
to JR, overwhelmed by her feelings of guilt. One thought repeated itself over and over in her head, and she uttered it without
thinking as she hugged him tightly, “Thank God it wasn’t you, JR.”
Secretly overjoyed by her statement,
JR just held her closer than he ever had. After several minutes of standing with her and gently stroking her hair as she cried,
JR said, gently, “Sue Ellen, you and John Ross are coming to Southfork for tonight, and I won’t have any argument
about it. I don’t want you to be alone tonight.” Knowing that she was in no condition to argue, Sue Ellen reluctantly
agreed. JR called to Kate and told her to bring John Ross and a few of his things out to the limo. He also told her that Mrs.
Ewing would be spending the night at Southfork and she should pack her an overnight bag. JR helped Sue Ellen out to the limousine.
He sent Michael to help Kate with the bags. A few minutes later Kate returned and handed John Ross to JR in the limo and they
headed for Southfork.
Southfork
The limo passed through the gates, and JR felt a strange sensation come
over him. He couldn’t explain what it was, but it kept gnawing at him. Sue Ellen had cried continuously since she’d
received the phone call about David, and still clung to him. He dismissed his feeling, attributing it to being concerned for
her. The limo came to a stop in the driveway. JR unfastened John Ross and handed him to Sue Ellen. He climbed out and helped
her out of the car as best he could. They walked inside the house and immediately, JR could tell something wasn’t right.
He could hear his mother crying and he heard an unfamiliar voice. “Michael, take Sue Ellen and John Ross upstairs and
get them settled. You can stay in our room..I mean my room, honey. I’ll take one of the guest rooms.” Weakly,
Sue Ellen gave her agreement. JR followed the sound of the voices, until he reached the living room. He approached his mother,
and knelt down in front of her. “Momma, what’s wrong,” he asked in alarm?
Southfork, upstairs
Sue
Ellen laid John Ross down in his crib and turned to go out of the room. Finally, she’d managed to get a hold of herself,
but she felt drained. She was actually glad to be at Southfork. As she walked out of John Ross’ room, she collided with
Pam. “I’m sorry…Pam are you alright?”
Pam shook her head no.
“What’s wrong,”
Sue Ellen asked?
“It’s Jock,” she said crying.
“What about him?”
“He…he
had a heart attack. He’s….he’s dead.”
Stunned for a second, Sue Ellen didn’t know what
to do. Then suddenly, she realized what Pam had just said. Sue Ellen flew down the stairs, forgetting her own grief. She had
to get to JR.
Southfork Living Room
Miss Ellie hugged JR in a way she’d never hugged him before.
Now JR was really alarmed. “Momma,” he said hugging her back, “what’s wrong?”
Between
her sobs, she said, “It’s your Daddy.”
“Daddy? What about him,” he asked, his worry growing
by the moment?
“JR, your Daddy is….is dead,” she finished, crying hysterically.
JR was stunned
and confused. “JR, I’m gonna take your Momma upstairs now. I’ve given her a sedative, but she refused to
lie down until you got home,” Dr. Danvers replied. All JR could do was nod. Harlan helped Ellie up the stairs, with
Bobby’s assistance. Sue Ellen stood in the doorway, awaiting JR’s reaction. He sank the rest of the way to the
floor, turned his back against the sofa and pulled his knees to his chest, burying his head. Automatically, Sue Ellen went
to him. Without saying a word, she pulled him to her, and they clung together.
“It’s my fault,” JR
finally sobbed weakly.
Sue Ellen held him and stroked his hair tenderly. “No sweetheart. It’s not your
fault.”
“Yes, it is, Sue Ellen. Yes it is,” he sobbed, finally losing all sense of control.
Sue
Ellen sat and held him for over an hour while he cried uncontrollably. Finally, she said, “Come on JR. Why don’t
we go upstairs? You need to get some rest.”
JR nodded, wiped his face and stood. Sue Ellen wrapped her arm around
his waist and they made their way upstairs to the bedroom they’d shared. Sue Ellen opened the door and helped JR over
to the bed. She knelt down and removed his boots. Stopping her, he said becoming angry, “Sue Ellen, you don’t
have to do that. I’m not an invalid. I can do it myself.”
“I never said you couldn’t. Please,”
she said, “I’m exhausted and so are you, so let’s not fight tonight.”
JR nodded, reached into
his pocket and pulled out his pills. He opened the bottle and poured two into his hand, popping them into his mouth. Sue Ellen
watched, and said softly, “Have you got one of your headaches?”
“Yes,” he replied, stretching
out on the bed.
Sue Ellen stood up and caressed his cheek gently. “Good night.”
JR grabbed her hand
in his, “Where are you going?”
“To the guest room across the hall,” she replied.
“No,”
he said, sitting back up on the edge of the bed, “You can stay in here. I’ll go to the guest room.”
“JR,
that’s silly. You know every nook and cranny of this room, and right now you need familiarity.”
JR stood
and walked toward her taking her in his arms. “No Sue Ellen. I need you.” Sue Ellen smiled softly and rested her
forehead against his chest. “Stay and hold me tonight.”
Sue Ellen thoughts ran rampant. Every fiber of
her being wanted to stay. She wanted to hold him, to love him, and have him fall asleep in her arms. She knew how much he
was hurting, and all she really wanted was to take all his pain away. He’d lost everything that was ever important to
him, but if she stayed, what would that change? Using the last of her available strength, she said, “I’m sorry
JR, I just can’t.”
Hurt even more, JR angrily pushed her away and said, “Fine!” as he disappeared
out the door, slamming it behind him. JR stormed down the hall and into the guest room. Angrily, he sat down on the bed, took
out his pills, swallowed two more, and placed his head in his hands. “God, I’m so confused. I mean one minute
I think she cares about me and wants me and the next minute, she just rejects me. I know I hurt her terribly, but why can’t
she see I’ve changed? Why can’t she see that I do anything to have another a chance? One chance to make things
right, to make her happy.” As his thoughts drifted to his father, JR’s heart began to ache even more. “I’m
sorry Daddy. I’m sorry I failed you. Somehow, someday, I’ll make you proud of me. I swear it.”
Sue
Ellen stood sobbing, before finally falling into the bed, unable to control her emotions. She crawled into the fetal position
and hugged JR’s pillow tightly against her body. “God, I’m so confused. Why do I still love JR? All he ever
did was hurt me and cause me pain. The worst part is that I know he loves me and he always has, but I just don’t understand
why he did the things he did.” She paused for a moment, collecting her emotions. “David, I hope you can forgive
me. I know it’s my fault that you were killed. Maybe it’s me, God. Maybe I’m the problem. Every man who
cares about me seems to end up hurting. When is all this pain ever gonna end? Please just make it stop.” Sue Ellen climbed
out of the bed, walked over to JR’s cabinet, opened it, poured herself a glass of bourbon and downed it quickly.
The
next morning, JR slipped on his pants and walked back to his room. He opened the door, and entered the room, closing the door
behind him. Sue Ellen was just emerging from the shower as he entered. “JR,” she screamed!
Startled, JR
said, “What?”
“I’m not dressed.”
JR smiled, shaking his head. “Like it matters,
honey. I can’t see you, remember? On top of that,” he said as a wicked smiled crossed his lips, “I’ve
seen you before.”
“I guess you’re right. It would be kind of silly to be modest now,” she smiled,
noticing how sexy he looked without his shirt. “So what are you doing up so early?”
“Actually, I
never really went to sleep. Besides, I realized that I needed to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Well,
first I’m sorry I stormed out last night. It was stupid.”
“It’s okay,” she said, wishing
she’d let him stay.
“No it’s not. I should’ve respected your feelings.” JR paused. “I
also wanted to say that I’m sorry about what I said about John Ross. I know I shouldn’t hate him. It’s just
the thought,” JR said through gritted teeth, “that you were with Barnes and that the boy is his, just…..”
“Just
what,” she asked tenderly.
JR sighed, “It just makes me sick. Sick with anger and hate.”
“Don’t
you think that’s how I felt all those nights you were in the arms of another woman?”
JR lowered his head,
and said remorsefully, “I guess I never really thought about it.”
“I think you should go and get
dressed now,” she said sadly. “I don’t think we have anything else to talk about.”
“That’s
actually the reason I’m here,” he replied.
“What,” she asked, confused?
“I came
to ask you something important.”
Sue Ellen sat down on the bed, preparing herself for anything. “What’s
that?”
JR shifted his weight and put his hands in his pockets. He despised asking for anyone for help, but she
was the only one who he could trust to understand. “I need some help.”
Sue Ellen remained silent. JR continued,
“I feel like an idiot asking this.”
“It can’t be that bad. Just ask me,” she replied,
becoming impatient.
“Well, Momma’s been helpin’ me pick out what to wear, but I don’t think
she’s in any condition to have to worry about me. You know a blind man can’t tell the difference between red and
black.”
Sue Ellen laughed, and JR started to respond angrily, “Sue Ellen….
Sue Ellen stopped
him. “Of course I’ll help you.” Sue Ellen wrapped his extra bathrobe around her, and took his hand, leading
him into the closet. When they stopped, JR wrapped his arms around her waist. With all the genuineness in his heart, he whispered
into her ear, “I’m sorry I ever hurt you. I’d give everything if I could change it, but I can’t. All
I can say is I’m sorry and I…” his voice trailed off as he choked on his emotions. Regaining his composure,
“I love you with all my heart.”
Sue Ellen didn’t know what to say. She knew he was being honest,
but what did it really change. She loved him too, but that didn’t mean that things could ever be right between them.
Pulling out of his embrace, she turned to face him. “And I love you, but the past is the past. We can’t change
it, and I don’t believe we can ever overcome it. Now, let’s pick you out something to wear. Today’s going
to be hard enough as it is, let’s not make it any harder.”
Southfork, the day of Jock’s funeral
The ceremony had ended about a half hour ago. Jock had been laid to rest, after a small, private funeral service,
on a hill overlooking his favorite part of the ranch. Well-wishers, who had not been allowed to the graveside, were now gathered
at Southfork. Most of the family gathered inside in the living room. Miss Ellie took Sue Ellen aside for a moment. “Sue
Ellen, I just want to say thank you.”
“For what, Miss Ellie?”
“For being here and helping
out. If it hadn’t been for you taking charge, I really don’t know what we would’ve done,” she smiled
sadly.
Sue Ellen grasped Miss Ellie’s hand tighter. “You don’t have to thank me. It was the least
I could do.”
Meanwhile, outside
JR mulled around in the crowd, occasionally speaking to one of
the guests. He, in typical Ewing fashion, had put on his stoic exterior, determined to be strong. JR had spent a lot of time
the last few days thinking. Thinking about his father and his life and he’d made some decisions. It was up to him now.
As the eldest son, he was the head of this family and blind or not, he was going to live up to that expectation and make his
father proud. He was going to get his life back, one way or another. As he continued through the crowd, he ran into the members
of the Cartel. “JR,” Jordan said. “We sure are sorry about your Daddy. He was a fine man.”
JR
nodded as they shook hands, “Yes, he was. If you’ll excuse me, I was trying to get back in the house.”
“I’ll
help you JR,” Marilee volunteered.
“That’s alright Marilee, despite my appearance, I am not helpless.
As a matter of fact, I know this ranch and the house like the back of my hand. Thanks anyway,” he replied. As he walked
away, he could hear their whispers behind his back. The same whispering he’d been listening to all day. “Poor
JR, poor JR, poor JR. Well, they can all go to hell,” he thought. “I don’t need their pity. What I do need
is to get in the house and take something for this terrible headache.” He made his way into the house and into the den,
thankful that it was empty. He closed the door, walked over to the leather sofa and relaxed onto it. He took out his pills,
popped two in his mouth, and stretched out to rest. He was almost asleep when the door opened. He listened intently to see
who had entered the room.
Sue Ellen closed the door to the den gently, unaware of JR’s presence in the room.
She walked over to the bar area, took a glass and poured it full of Vodka. As she lifted it to her lips, JR said, compassionately,
“Sue Ellen, don’t do that.”
Startled, she turned to see him as he sat up on the sofa. “JR,
what are you doing in here?”
“The truth?”
“No,” she said sarcastically, “lie
to me. I’m used to that.”
JR sighed disgustedly. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m
just aggravated at Marilee Stone.”
JR laughed a little. “You too, huh?”
Confused, Sue Ellen
replied, “What are you talking about?
“That’s one of the reasons I’m in here. She and everybody
else here can’t wait until they think that I’m out of earshot to say how pitiful my existence is these days. Finally
I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had to escape before I lost it. What’d she say to you?”
By now,
Sue Ellen had made her way to the sofa and was sitting beside him with her drink still firmly in her hands. “Oh you
know Marilee. She never could keep her mouth shut about anything.”
JR laughed, “That’s true enough,
honey, but that stuff in your hand won’t solve your problems.”
“Oh,” she responded, “and
I guess you think that little bottle of pills you keep in your pocket will solve yours.”
“What are you
talkin’ about? I only take those when I have one of my headaches.”
“Please JR. You’re not fooling
me. I know you. Remember? I’ve seen how you take those things. You take them like their breath mints.”
JR
started to argue with her, but he knew she was right, so instead, he put his arm on the back of the sofa behind her and said,
“I tell you what, you don’t drink that and I won’t take anymore pills unless my head is splitting into a
million pieces. Deal?”
Sue Ellen inhaled deeply, staring at the drink in her hand. “Deal,” she finally
replied.
For several minutes they sat together in silence, both lost deep in their own thoughts. Sue Ellen broke the
silence, “We’d better get back out there before people notice we’re both missing and start searching closets
or bedrooms for us.”
JR laughed. He hadn’t thought about that in a long time. “I forgot about the
closet.”
Sue Ellen laughed back. “I didn’t. How could I? I’ll never forget the look on poor
Theresa’s face when she opened that door.”
JR grinned slyly, “I wouldn’t know. I was kinda
busy at the time.”
Sue Ellen just rolled her eyes, shook her head at him and smiled. “Come on, let’s
go,” she said starting to move off the sofa.
JR stopped her by gently taking her arm. “Not just yet. I’d
like to talk to you for a few minutes.” She hesitated. “It’s important.”
“O..okay,”
she said warily.
“I want you to hear me out completely before you say anything, okay,” he said?
“Alright.”
JR
took the glass from her hand, took a sip to settle the butterflies in his stomach, and set it on the table beside him. “I’ve
been doing a lot of thinking the past few months. I know I wasn’t the perfect husband, and I know that I hurt you repeatedly
by cheating on you, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t love you. I did, and I still do. I love you with every part
of my mind, body and soul. My heart has ached for you from the moment you walked out that front door.”
“JR,”
Sue Ellen interrupted.
“Sue Ellen, just listen. You promised you would.” Sue Ellen sat back again and stared
into his sunglasses, wishing she could look into his eyes. He continued, “That night at the Condo, all I wanted was
to prove to you how much I love you. I know you think it was a mistake and maybe it was, but I don’t regret it one bit.
There’s still something between us Sue Ellen, and you know it. I can’t promise I won’t make mistakes, but
I’d do anything for a chance to make things right between us. Please, give me another chance. I promise I’ll make
you happy and I will never cheat on you again for any reason. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to put us back where
we belong. You don’t have to answer me now, but promise me you’ll give it some thought.”
“What
about John Ross? How does he fit into this picture,” she asked watching for his reaction.
Without batting an
eye or even taking a breath, JR said, “He’s our son.”
“What changed your mind? Did you get
the paternity test results or something?”
“No, I didn’t” JR replied. “I just suddenly
realized that you wouldn’t lie to me. Please tell me you’ll think about what I said.”
Sue Ellen sat
quietly, marveling at the change in JR. “I promise. Now let’s get out of here before someone finds us and the
gossip mongers start wagging their tongues.”
“You go ahead. I’ll be a few minutes behind so as not
to raise suspicion.”
Sue Ellen nodded, stood and walked to the door. As she opened it, JR said, “Sue Ellen,” She
turned and looked back at him. “I love you,” he finished his sentence, “and if you’ll give me another
chance, I’ll prove it every day for the rest of our lives.”
She smiled, “I love you too,” and
disappeared closing the door behind her, leaving him alone and hoping.
Southfork living room, two days later
Theresa
led Harve Smithfield into the room. Harve walked over and sat next to Ellie. He smiled softly at her, “I know this isn’t
easy Ellie, but it has to be done.”
Ellie nodded her silent agreement. “Let’s just get it over with
as quickly as possible.”
Harve rose to his feet and stood facing the entire family. “I’ll dispense
with all the personal belongings and so forth that Jock left each of you. You can read those for yourselves. I want to focus
on the larger items. I have here in my hand, a codicil to Jock’s Will. It was prepared by me at Jock’s request
a short time ago. I’ll skip all the personal sentiment and get right to the heart of the matter. To Ellie, I leave Southfork
and all it holds. My most precious memories are here, and I know that you will always cherish those. As for Ewing Oil, I have
decided to divide it as follows: 25% to Bobby and 25% to any subsequent heirs of his. Bobby will control the total of these
shares until such time as any of his future heirs attain the age of maturity at which time they will be divided equally among
the heirs. This means,” Harve explained that Bobby will have 25% and any future children with divide the remaining 25%
equally.” Harve continued reading, “25% I give to JR and 25% to John Ross. JR, I know of late, things have not
been easy for you. It is for this reason, that until you regain your eyesight and custody of John Ross Ewing III, your mother,
Eleanor Southworth Ewing will control all of your shares. Bobby will remain President of the company until such time as you
can administer yours and John Ross’ shares. If and when that occurs, you will return as President and Bobby will become
Vice President. I hope and pray that your sight returns. As you know, it was my fervent hope that you two could run Ewing
Oil together and build it into the biggest and best independent oil company in the nation. My only regret is that I did not
live to see the realization of that dream. Bobby, don’t be afraid to listen to your brother. He has a lot more knowledge
and experience than you. Both of you remember that family is your most valuable asset. Always protect the family.” Harve
looked up from the papers he held. “Well, that’s the important stuff. The rest you can read for yourselves. Oh
before I forget, Jock wrote each of you a personal letter and sealed it. He requested that you read it in private,”
Harve said, pulling out a group of envelopes from his jacket. He handed one to Miss Ellie, Gary, Ray, Pam, Bobby, Lucy and
Sue Ellen, and two to JR. JR looked a little confused. “JR, you have two because your father wrote one for John Ross.
He requested that when he was old enough, you read it to him,” Harve explained. JR nodded and placed the envelopes in
his pocket. “Well,” Harve continued, “that concludes my duties.” He walked over to Ellie who stood
and hugged him. “If I can do anything Ellie…”
“I know Harve, and thank you.”
“Your
welcome, Ellie,” Harve said. “Good night everyone.”
An awkward silence filled the living room, until
Bobby finally said, “Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m exhausted. I’m gonna turn in,”
he finished kissing his mother’s cheek. He held out his arm and said, “Come on Pam.” She nodded and followed.
“Me
too,” Gary chimed in. He kissed his mother’s cheek and followed Bobby and Pam upstairs, with Lucy by his side.
“I
have to get goin’ too Miss Ellie. We’ve got an early day in the morning,” Ray said.
Ellie nodded
and said, “Good night Ray.”
“Night, Miss Ellie,” Ray replied disappearing out the front door.
JR
stood from his seat and walked over to his mother, placing his arm around her shoulder. “Momma, can I do anything for
you. You sound exhausted.”
Ellie smiled wistfully, “No JR, there’s not anything you can do for me.
But there are some things I would like to discuss with you and Sue Ellen. Come into the den with me, please.”
JR
looked at her suspiciously, but followed her into the den, as did Sue Ellen. When the three of them were inside the room,
Ellie closed the door. “Sit down.” JR and Sue Ellen obeyed. “Do not interrupt me, either of you. First,
I’ve watched the two of you over the last several months, and though you both deny it, even a, pardon the pun JR, but
even a blind man can see that you are still hopelessly in love with each other. I know that there are things between you that
are none of my business and I’m not trying to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, but I think you both need
to take stock of your lives and figure out what you really want. Life is too short to give up on something as special as you
share. Find a way to make it work. Now that the lecture is over, this came in the mail this afternoon,” she said holding
up a plain white envelope. Though it was addressed to you JR, I opened it because it was the results of the paternity test.
JR, Sue Ellen the results of the paternity test states that the father of John Ross Ewing, III is..”
“Momma,”
JR interrupted, “You don’t have to read that. I told Sue Ellen the other day. It doesn’t matter what that
paper or anybody else says, John Ross is my son.”
Miss Ellie smiled her proudest smile. “I’m so glad
to hear you say that JR. You’ll never know how proud it makes me, especially since that's what this piece of paper says
too.”
Southfork
Miss Ellie left JR and Sue Ellen alone after
delivering her speech. JR was shocked and suddenly felt guilty about his treatment of the baby. Both were silent for what
seemed like a lifetime. Suddenly Sue Ellen broke the silence.
“What are you thinking JR?” she asked
“I
can’t believe it, I was so sure he wasn’t my son” JR replied
Sue Ellen smiled “And I was so
sure he was”
“Where do I go from here?” JR asked
Sue Ellen looked confused. “What
do you mean?” she asked
“Sue Ellen, I’ve treated that child appallingly since the day he was born”
he said
“I know, but he’s only a baby, he won’t remember much about this time of his life”
Sue Ellen said “Which means that you can wipe the slate clean and start again”
“What about us?”
JR asked
Sue Ellen was silent once again. She had really enjoyed the last few days
back at Southfork, helping JR through his grief, but could they really start their relationship over again, part of her wanted
to but there was another part that was scared of letting him get to close to her. After all he had hurt her so much in the
past.
“I don’t know” she said “I don’t want to revisit the past; we’re just no
good together”
“How can you say that?” JR asked “This past week I’ve needed someone to
lean on and you’ve been there for me every step of the way”
“JR, if I agree to starting over how
long will it be before you start chasing other women; not coming home at night and leaving me alone” she said “I
can’t live my life like that again!”
“It won’t happen, I promise” he said
“Yes,
it’s easy to say that now” she replied “But what happens in five years time when you’re fed up with
just me and a beautiful women catches your eye; can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me you won’t leave me”
“Yes” he said “Noone has ever cared about me the way you do, even though I’ve put you through
such pain and heartache you’ve been here when I needed you”
“I want to believe you” she said
“Do
you love me?” JR asked
“Yes” she said “I love you with all of my heart”
“I
love you Sue Ellen, I want you back” he said
“JR” Sue Ellen said “We need to take this slowly”
“Whatever
you say” JR said
“Which means that John Ross and I will be going home shortly” Sue Ellen said
“But….”
JR said
Sue Ellen stopped him “JR, one step at a time” she said
“But I want to get to know
you and my son again” JR said
“And you will, there’s no reason why you can’t visit us, it’s
just staying here isn’t a good idea” she replied “I promise I’m not going to stop you seeing John
Ross”
“I wish I could see him” JR said
Sue Ellen got out of her chair and went and crouched
down by JR, tenderly she stroked his face.
“I know sweetheart and you will it’s just going to take some
time” she said “It’s getting late, we’re both tired” She reached for JR’s hand and
pulled him out of the chair. They climbed the stairs together and looked in on the nursery. Sue Ellen stroked the side of
her son’s face.
“He’s fast asleep” JR said “It makes a change!”
Sue Ellen
smiled and kissed him “Don’t tell me he’s been keeping you awake at night” she said
“That
child has got a powerful set of lungs on him” JR remarked
“Just like his father” Sue Ellen said
Both
were silent as they watched their sleeping child. Sue Ellen watched JR’s expression. She knew he would make a great
father, she also realized that she needed him in her life, she hated to admit it but she was still in love with him. JR reached
for her hand and held it tightly. She kissed him tenderly on the cheek.
“What was that for?” he asked
Sue
Ellen smiled “I love you and I’m just so glad that I was right and you are the father of John Ross” she
said
“So am I” JR replied “I wish I had known that earlier”
They walked out of the nursery
and stopped at JR’s bedroom door. JR didn’t want to spend the night alone; he wanted Sue Ellen lying next to him.
“Sue
Ellen stay with me tonight” he said
Sue Ellen looked at him. She thought for a moment there was nothing she wanted
more than to be with him tonight, she hold him in her arms and ease his pain, but was it too soon. She thought back to the
night that Jock had died and how she had rejected him then, she didn’t want to do that again.
“JR, we agreed
to take this slowly” she said
JR kissed her “Okay” he said and letting go of her hand he walked away
from her. Suddenly Sue Ellen felt guilty, she knew how vulnerable he was and how much pain he was in at the loss of his father.
“JR”
she said
He turned around “What”
She walked up to him, put her arms around him and hugged him tightly
“You can stay in your room tonight” she said
“Where are you going” he asked
“Nowhere”
she said “I’m going to be right there beside you”
“Are you sure?” he asked
“Yes”
she said
Having got ready for bed, they both cuddled up together holding each other tightly.
“How are
your headaches?” Sue Ellen said “You’re not still taking your medication like sweets are you?”
JR
laughed “Of course not, actually they don’t feel too bad at the moment” he said “And what about you,
please tell me you’re not drinking”
“No” she said “We made a deal”
JR
kissed her passionately, Sue Ellen felt herself responding to his touch. Slowly she let herself go, she wanted him so badly.
JR started to kiss his way down her body, removing the straps of her nightdress; he was amazed that she didn’t resist
him. Finally he removed the nightdress from her, Sue Ellen’s hands went down to his pajama bottoms and undid them, she
felt JR harden at her touch. When they were both naked JR stopped, he realized that she wanted to take things slowly, he didn’t
want force her into doing something that she would later regret. Sue Ellen stroked his face.
“Is this okay?”
he asked “I don’t want to make another mistake”
Sue Ellen smiled “Yes” she said “Make
love to me”
JR kissed her tenderly on the lips, he then let his hand wander down to her womanhood, gently he
placed his fingers inside her folds and stroked her love button.
“JR” Sue Ellen said and wrapped her legs
around him. He took her hand and placed it on his manhood. He let her guide him inside her and they came together as one body.
After making love they lay still in each other’s arms.
“How do you feel?” JR asked “No regrets”
“Oh,
JR I have regrets” she replied
JR started to pull away from her but she tightened her grip on him.
“JR
the only regret I have is that you never treated me this way when we were married, if you had we wouldn’t have got divorced”
she said
“I love you, I always have” JR said “I just don’t find it easy to express my feelings”
“I
know” she said “But this is a new beginning, we’re going to do things right this time”
Finally
they fell asleep in each others arms. Both happy and contented but realizing that they had a long way to go.
The following
morning JR woke up in bed alone. He called Sue Ellen’s name but there was no response. He gave out a sigh; she had done
it to him again, left him before he had woken up. He felt confused, last night had been so special, she had wanted him just
as much as he had wanted her but once morning came she was gone. He felt tears fill his eyes. Suddenly he heard the door open.
“Sue
Ellen?” he said
“Who else were you expecting” she replied
She looked at him and seeing tears
in his eyes she asked “What’s wrong?”
“I thought you had done to me what you did after we made
love in the condo, I thought you had left me” he said
Sue Ellen laughed “Here, open your arms!” she
told him
“Why” he asked
“Because your son wants to say ‘good morning’” she
replied
JR stretched out his arms and took John Ross off her. Sue Ellen climbed back into bed beside him and snuggled
up close to him.
“I’ve been here all the time, I just went to get John Ross, I knew he’d be awake”
she said
“He doesn’t like being alone and awake does he” JR said
“Neither do you”
she replied
JR pulled the baby closer to him and John Ross rested his head on JR’s shoulder. JR kissed his son’s
head and held him tightly.
“Do you really have to go back home?” JR asked
“Yes” Sue
Ellen replied “But don’t worry we’ll have plenty of moments like this”
“What with me
at Southfork and you at your house” JR said
“You can come and visit” Sue Ellen said “And if
you’re really good I’ll let you stay over”
JR grinned “That’s sounds good” he said
Reluctantly
they decided they had to get up. Sue Ellen left John Ross with JR while she had a shower. JR listened to the water running
in the shower, then turned to John Ross.
“Hey buddy, you’re in a good mood this morning. I told you there
was no need for all that crying” he said, softly he ticked him and John Ross giggled. JR smiled “I’m really
sorry about the way I’ve treated you these past few months but I was so sure that you weren’t my son, I promise
you I will make it up to you, I’m going to love you so much and when I finally get my sight back we can do things together.
I promise that I will always be there for you and for your momma. I love you both so much” he said
John Ross
cooed at the sound of his father’s voice, Sue Ellen walked out of the bathroom and smiled at the pair of them.
“I
see you’re going to spoil him” she laughed
“I don’t want to make the same mistakes that my
father made” he said “I never knew if daddy really did love me or whether I was just his business partner”
Sue
Ellen sat on the bed “JR, your father loved you” she said
“I better get up” JR said “Will
you help me get dressed”
Sue Ellen laughed “Shall I take John Ross back to the nursery; he’s a bit
too young to see this”
She picked the baby up “I’ll be back in a minute” she said.
After
getting JR dressed they returned to the nursery to pick up their son before going downstairs to breakfast. Miss Ellie was
the only person at the table when they got there.
“Where is everyone” JR asked
“They’ve
all had their breakfast and have gone, how come you too are up so late” she asked
Sue Ellen placed John Ross
in his highchair and sat down beside him. “How are you Miss Ellie?” she asked
“Fine” she
replied “What about you two”
“We’re fine” JR said “We’ve had a long talk
and we’ve decided that we’re going to give our relationship another go”
“That’s just
what I wanted to hear” Miss Ellie said
“But” Sue Ellen said “We’re going to take things
slowly, I’m going to be moving back home in a few days”
“I’m going to miss my grandson”
Miss Ellie said
“Yes but you can see him all the time” she said “You can visit us whenever you want”
Sue
Ellen’s townhouse(a week later)
Sue Ellen had returned home a few days before, she felt sad as she really enjoyed
her time at Southfork but she knew that she needed to get home. She knew that if she stayed there she would have found JR
too hard to resist. She had just put John Ross to bed and decided that she would go and sit down. She picked up a book from
the bookshelf, sat down and began to read. Suddenly she felt tears spring to her eyes as she thought about David. She realized
that all the time she had been at Southfork, helping JR with his grief she hadn’t thought about David once. She remembered
the night he died, he had been so angry and hurt when she told him that the baby she had lost was JR’s. She had refused
to make love to David, who had only ever shown her love and affection and yet she had slept with JR. It was her fault that
David was dead. She heard a knock at the door and went to open it.
“JR!” she said “What are you doing
here”
“Thought you might like some company” he said “And I’ve got some good news”
Sue
Ellen smiled “Okay, come in” she said
Sue Ellen took JR’s hand and guided him into the living room
and helped him sit down. “Can I get you a coffee?” she asked
“Sure honey” he said “That
would be good”
Sue Ellen went into the kitchen and prepared some coffee for them. JR put his hands behind his
head and rested back on the chair.
“Make yourself comfortable” she laughed
“What’s wrong?”
he asked “You seemed a bit upset when I came in”
“I was just thinking about David” she replied
“What
about him” JR asked
Sue Ellen went and sat next to JR and cuddled closer to him.
“That it’s
my fault he’s dead” she cried
JR put his arm around her and pulled her close to him “No it’s
not” he said
“JR, the night he died we had an argument. He asked me who the father of the baby was and
I told him it was you. He got angry and upset that I had betrayed him especially as I had slept with a man that had constantly
given me grief” she said “When he left, he was angry, I guess he wasn’t watching the road closely enough”
“Sue
Ellen, this isn’t your fault it’s mine” JR said If I hadn’t treated you like dirt for the last seven
years things wouldn’t have been so bad between us, you wouldn’t have slept with Cliff and I would have known John
Ross was mine from the start, we wouldn’t have got divorced and you wouldn’t have been with David”
“Why
did you need other women” she asked “Didn’t I satisfy you”
“It wasn’t you Sue Ellen,
what I had with them was just sex” JR said “The most important part of the game was the chase then I would sleep
with them and sooner or later I’d get fed up and end it. However you were different when I was with you there was real
love there, I’ve never felt for anyone what I feel for you, I only realized how much I loved you when you walked out
on me”
“Do you still have a need for other women?” she asked “JR, I need to know whether you’re
going to cheat on me again”
JR held her tightly “No” he said “I promise you that you are the
only woman I want”
“What’s your good news then?” she asked
“I went to the doctors
today and he seems to think that there’s still a good chance that I could regain my sight, I’m starting to be
able to pick out outlines of things, but it might be a slow process” JR said
“Hey that’s great”
she said
“Can I stay here tonight?” he asked “I sent Michael away, so if you make me go home then
I have to phone for someone to pick me up”
Sue Ellen laughed “JR” she said “What did I tell
you!”
“I know you wanted to take things slowly but if you let me stay I promise I will make love to you
real slow” he said
“JR, you always know how to make me smile” she said
“Does that mean
I can stay?” He asked
“I’ll think about it” she said
JR took his letter from his father
out of his pocket “Hey, I thought you could read me what my father had written” he said “I’m afraid
I’m not up to it at the moment” “JR, it’s a private letter, you sure you want me to read it”
she said
“Yes” he said
Sue Ellen opened the letter and read it to herself. She smiled to herself
and thought that this was just what he needed to hear.
“Okay” she said “JR, I can’t say that
I have agreed with the way that you have done things. However I’m your father and I have always loved you even though
I know there were times that you thought I didn’t. I took you into Ewing Oil when you were too young and I regret that,
I should have spent time with you as my son and not my business partner maybe then you wouldn’t have turned out the
way you did. I’ve seen the way you are with your son and I ask you as his grandfather to get to know him and make sure
that he knows you love him. He needs you. As for Sue Ellen, I could never understand why you treated her the way you did.
JR she loved you more than anything in this world, anybody could see that and yet you’ve cheated on her continuously
throughout your marriage. We only get one chance to find the person we’re meant to be with and you were lucky because
you found her early on in your life but now you’ve lost her. Take my advice son, do everything in your power to win
her back and let her know that you love her and only her. I guess that’s all I’ve got to say to you. Love Dad”
She
looked at JR and saw the tears in his eyes; she smiled and held him close to her.
“I love you” she said
JR kissed her “I love you so much” he said “By the way, what did your letter say”
Sue
Ellen laughed “He told me that he was glad that you had chosen me as his wife because he knew that I truly loved you.
That he was proud of his grandson and hoped that you and I would cherish him. He said that he thought we were soulmates and
belonged together. She said “Maybe he’s right”
“Do you remember when I first took you to Southfork”
JR asked
“Yes” Sue Ellen replied “I was so nervous; I thought your family would hate me as I wasn’t
as wealthy as they were”
“Momma told me to hold onto you” JR said “She was convinced that you
were the one for me”
“I remember the times in the treehouse” she laughed
“Yes, I wanted
to make love to you and you made me wait until we were married” he said
“It didn’t stop you trying
though” she said
“God, I had so many cold showers during that time” JR said “You drove me crazy”
Sue
Ellen laughed “I remember the walks around the pastures, you taught me to ride a horse, we had so many good times”
she said
“We sure did” JR said “I remember our honeymoon”
“Which part?”
Sue Ellen asked
“The following morning when you crept into the shower with me” JR laughed “That has
got to be the longest shower I’ve ever had”
“I just wanted to prove how much I loved you” she
said
“And where did you learn all those things you did to me” JR asked
“Wouldn’t you
like to know” Sue Ellen replied
JR looked astonished “I thought I was the first” he said
“You
were, but there are such things as books” she laughed
“Do you remember the first year of our marriage when
everything was so good” JR asked “I don’t think there’s a part of Southfork we haven’t made
love in”
“Oh God, we had some good times” Sue Ellen said
Suddenly their conversation was interrupted
by the sound of crying “I guess your son wants to say hello to his daddy” Sue Ellen said “I won’t
be long”
JR laid back on the sofa. He suddenly realized he felt happy and relaxed, the past few months had taken
their toll on both JR and Sue Ellen but now they were on the road back to happiness. Sue Ellen brought John Ross into the
living room and he immediately stretched out his arms when he saw his father. Sue Ellen put him in JR’s arms and sat
back down. She watched as JR played with his son, tickling him until he squealed with delight.
“I’m going
to get him a bottle, he’s probably thirsty” Sue Ellen said
JR continued playing with John Ross “Hey
buddy, I think you’re getting heavier. Soon you’ll be able to crawl around; I just hope I can see it. There’s
so much I want to do with you” he said.
Sue Ellen returned with a bottle of warm milk. JR was about to hand
their son over to her but she stopped him “You can feed him” she said
“But I can’t see”
JR said
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you” she said and together they fed their son. Afterwards
Sue Ellen lifted him out of JR’s arms.
“Right young man” she said “It’s time for your
bed; I don’t want you grumpy tomorrow”
JR stood and kissed him goodnight, Sue Ellen took his hand “Come
on, let’s go upstairs” she smiled
“You mean I can stay” he asked Sue Ellen laughed “JR,
you knew I wouldn’t stop you didn’t you” she said
No, but I hoped that you wanted me as much as
I want you” he said
“Let’s put our son to bed” she said
They stayed in John Ross’
room for a while, watching while he fell asleep. Then softly they walked across the hallway to Sue Ellen’s room. She
was just about to open the door when JR stopped her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked
“Is this
going too fast for you” he replied
“JR, I must admit I’m scared but after what your mother said to
us and your father’s letter I realize that we do have something very special between us and I want to build on that
and hopefully with time we can build a new and happy future for us and our son” she said
They entered the room
and JR pulled her into a passionate kiss. After undressing they climbed into bed and held each other in a tight embrace.
“I
love you” JR said
“I love you too” she said now let’s get some sleep, our son will be up early
tomorrow”
JR kissed her goodnight and she watched him as he drifted off to sleep. Both of them had been through
hell these past few months but now things were starting to look brighter. She couldn’t understand why they had hurt
each other like they had but now she hoped things would be different. She knew there was still a long road ahead of them,
and things may not always be easy but they had made a start of putting their lives back together. She finally drifted off
to sleep feeling safe in JR’s arms.
Sue Ellen’s home, the next morning
Sue Ellen woke the next morning, feeling refreshed, relaxed,
and happier than she could ever remember being. Turning over, she propped on her elbow and watched JR as he slept. Smiling,
she thought how much she had always loved waking up before him. It didn’t happen often, but she relished it when it
did. Even when things were bad between them, she’d enjoyed watching him sleep. “I guess that’s why I stayed
as long as I did,” she thought. “I always kept hoping that one day you’d wake up and be different. Have
you really changed? Or is it because you lost everything? What happens to us when you regain your sight and go back to Ewing
Oil?”
JR began to rouse up, and without opening his eyes, turned his head and smiled at her. “Are you staring
at me?”
“Mm hmm,” she smiled back.
JR rolled over on his side and wrapped his arm around her,
pulling her to him. “Why,” he asked, kissing her lips tenderly.
“I don’t know,” she said
avoiding the subject.
“Uh huh,” he said skeptically, “So what were you thinking?”
“Nothing
important,” she replied, kissing him passionately.
When they completed their kiss, JR said, “Come on Sue
Ellen. That’s classic avoidance. I know,” he smiled, “I invented it. Now, are you gonna tell me or am I
gonna have to tickle it out of you.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh wouldn’t I,”
he grinned devilishly, giving her several short pecks on the lips. “Let’s see, as I remember,” he said sliding
his hand down to her inner thigh and tickling her relentlessly.
Sue Ellen began laughing and wiggling, trying to wrest
free of him, and trying to grab his hand to stop him. After a few seconds, he stopped and said, “seriously now, tell
me. How are we ever gonna make this work if you won’t talk to me?”
Sue Ellen fell over onto her back and
sighed, “you never wanted me to talk to you before.”
“That’s not entirely true,” he replied,
snuggling closer. “We used to spend hours just talking. As a matter of fact, I used to love listening to you complain
about your mother and Kristin. The more you complained, the angrier you got,” he smiled, “and the sexier you got.”
JR cleared his throat, reminding himself not to get carried away. “At least not yet,” he thought to himself. “But,
this is now and we agreed to start over, so spill lady or I will tickle you some more,” he said sternly, trying to hide
the trepidation he felt.
“I was just wondering how long this new you will last? I mean, what happens when you
regain your eyesight and go back to work?”
JR lay silently for several minutes, mulling over in his mind what
she’d said. He sighed sadly, “It’s funny, I’ve been thinking what I’d do if my sight never came
back. I’ve been thinking about all the things that I’d miss. Things like John Ross walking, teaching him to hunt
and fish, and play football and watching you fawn over him when he gets hurt or cries.” JR could feel the tears forming
in his eyes, “I guess this sounds kinda dumb right now, but I was so vain. I had everything any man could ever want,
but I was never satisfied. I always had to have more. Now, I’d give anything just to be able to pick out my own tie,
to see my son smile at me, or to look into your eyes.” Once again, he sighed, “I can’t guarantee the future
darlin’, but I promise that I will never take you for granted again. We just need to take one day at a time, and speaking
of one day, I was thinking that maybe we could spend the day at Southfork with our son.”
“I’m sorry
sweetheart, I can’t. I have to work,” she said.
JR laughed, and kissed her, “I thought I was supposed
to say that.”
Sue Ellen laughed back, “You did, all the time. Now it’s my turn.”
Pulling
her closer to him, he asked, “What time is it?”
“6:30,” came her answer.
“And
what time do you have to be at work?”
“9:00”
JR smiled wickedly, working his way down her
body with his kisses, “Perfect, we have plenty of time.” As he kissed her inner thigh, they both heard John Ross
crying. JR collapsed in frustration, “Aaaaaagh.”
Sue Ellen just laughed at him as she climbed out of bed
and put on her robe. “Our son takes after his father. He’s an early riser too.”
JR grumbled and growled,
climbing out of the bed and throwing on his pants. “I’ll go get him. Why don’t you grab a shower and get
dressed.”
“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
“I think so. I can follow his voice
to his room, and if I remember correctly there’s a chair right beside his crib, right.” Sue Ellen marveled
at the change in JR’s attitude toward John Ross, “You’re right, there is a chair, just be careful.”
JR
gave her a disapproving glare, and walked out of her bedroom and into John Ross’s room. He picked the boy up, sat down
in the chair, and began playing with him. A few minutes later, Sue Ellen appeared in the doorway and said, “Come on
you two. I’m hungry.”
JR stood up with his son and said, “Good, cause we’re starved too.”
“Now
that’s a shock,” she laughed sarcastically. “Why don’t you get dressed and you can take us out for
breakfast.”
“Hmm,” JR said, looking toward John Ross, “your Momma has some pretty good ideas…every
now and then.” He handed John Ross to her and as he walked past her, she slapped his behind. “And hurry up,”
she said, “we don’t have all day.”
JR smiled to himself, thinking how wonderful things were going
to be between them from now on. As he climbed into the shower, he whispered, “God, thank you for this second chance,
I promise I won’t mess it up.”
JR showered and dressed quickly, and just as he walked out the bedroom door,
a bright flash of light shot through his line of vision. “Whoa, what was that,” he said, grabbing the doorframe
to steady himself. He blinked several times, but he could still only see just dark, vague outlines and shadows of things.
He made his way downstairs, deciding to keep this information to himself. “Are you ready, darlin’?”
“Yes,”
she replied and they headed out the door.
A restaurant in Dallas
JR, Sue Ellen, and John Ross sat in a quiet, secluded corner of the restaurant.
Neither of them wanted to be disturbed. They just wanted to be a family. As they enjoyed their breakfast, they talked quietly.
“Sue Ellen, I was thinking while I was in the shower…”
Smirking mischievously, she interrupted, “About
what I wonder.”
JR laughed and said, “that’s not all I ever think about you know.”
“I
know,” she smiled, “but it takes up a large portion of you day, doesn’t it?”
JR shook his head,
pretending to be mildly annoyed, and replied. “Anyway, I was thinking that you might drop me and John Ross at Southfork.
We can spend the day with Momma, while your working and then you can come out and have dinner with us this evening. I know
Momma would love to see you both.”
“I don’t know JR. I’m not sure it’s such a good idea
about dinner, but I think the two of you spending the day with Miss Ellie is wonderful.”
JR sensed her uneasiness,
and said, “if you don’t want to stay for dinner, that’s fine. I just figured you had to eat and you’d
probably be tired after your photo shoot, so dinner at Southfork when you come to pick up John Ross was the logical thing.”
Sue
Ellen thought for a minute, “He’s right, Sue Ellen, that would make sense. Oh how I hate it when he makes sense.
Just make sure he knows it’s only dinner, even though you want him more than anything.” “I suppose that
it would be the logical thing for me to have dinner out there, but after dinner, John Ross and I are coming back home, alone.”
Slightly
disappointed, JR replied, “Whatever you want honey. I just want my family back, and I’m willing to do whatever
you want.”
Southfork, later that evening
After finishing dinner, JR and Sue Ellen
sat alone on the patio, talking and laughing, but mostly enjoying the mild spring evening together. “So what did you
try to sell today,” JR asked?
“You don’t want to know,” she said.
“Sure I do,
honey. Let’s see now, you’ve done toothpaste, and beauty creams, what could be next? Um, deodorant,” he
said stifling his laughter.
“Are you making fun of me?”
JR smiled his best smile, “No Sugar.
Teasing maybe but not making fun of you. I’ve got it, perfume.”
“No,” she responded.
“Well,
are you gonna tell me or am I gonna have to guess all night.”
“I don’t know what you’re gonna
do, but I am not going to tell you.”
“Why not,” he pouted, moving closer to her on the bench they
shared?
Sue Ellen smiled at his pouty face. “You are so cute when you do that,” she said, kissing his lips
softly.
“I know, but you’re avoiding the question again, darlin’,” he said. “Why won’t
you tell me?”
“Because you’ll just get mad and yell at me like a big ape.”
“I
see,” he said, “but won’t I find out sooner or later? And I imagine that I’ll be a lot more angry
if I find out from someone else later than if you just tell me now.”
“Aaaagh,” she replied, which
made JR smile. “I absolutely hate it when you make sense and especially when it happens twice in one day.”
JR
took hold of her hand and laughed triumphantly, “Well darlin’, where you’re concerned, I rarely make sense,
so just this once I’m gonna revel in it.”
“Now you’re just being maliciously infuriating,”
she laughed back.
JR returned her laughter, taking her chin in his hand and kissing her lovingly. Suddenly, he pulled
away as another flash of her face shot across his eyes. “What’s wrong,” she asked?
“Nothing’s
wrong. I just felt something weird.”
“What do you mean.”
“Really, I can’t describe
it. It’s like a flash of an image, and I’m not sure if it’s something I’m actually seeing or just
like a memory flashing through my head. Anyway, it’s not important. Tell me what you were advertising today.”
“Are
you sure you’re okay,” she asked concernedly.
“I’m fine, except that my wife is starting to
annoy me by being so secretive.”
“Just so we’re clear, I’m not your wife.”
“Now
who’s being infuriating?”
“If that’s how you feel, think it’s time I collect my son and
go home,” she said standing up.
JR stood with her, “Why are you being so damn touchy all of a sudden? Why
can’t you just tell me about your day, and why do I feel like your hiding something from me?”
“I
don’t know,” she said, turning away from him. “I guess it’s because I know how you’re gonna
feel about it, and I’m so afraid of losing you again.”
JR puts his hands on her arms and pulled her body
against his, kissing her cheek tenderly. “Why don’t you just tell me and let me decide how I feel, and no matter
what, you are not going to lose me. I love you, remember?”
Sue Ellen closed her eyes, letting her body relax
into him slightly and whispered, “Suntan lotion.”
Confused, JR asked, “What’s so bad about
Suntan lotion?”
Turning around in his embrace, she said, “I had to put it on.”
“Oh,
you mean you were photographed in a bathing suit?”
“Yes,” she replied softly.
Knowing she
was intently watching him and awaiting his reaction, he carefully studied his words before speaking. “Well,…I
can’t say that I’m happy that the whole world gets to see you like that, but I know you pretty well and I don’t
think you’d do anything that you thought wasn’t tasteful. On top of that, I trust you and as long as I’m
the only man who gets to see you without the bathing suit, then I can live with it,” he whispered, holding her tighter
and kissing her. As they continued kissing, their desire for one another began to overwhelm them.
“It’s
getting late,” Sue Ellen whispered, “I should get John Ross and go home.”
“You know you don’t
have to go,” he whispered back.
“Yes, I do. We decided we were going to take things slowly, remember?”
JR
took a deep breath and pulled back from her. “I remember. I know you want to take things slow and I respect that, it’s
just that I hate waking up without you.”
Sue Ellen touched his cheek lovingly, “I know. I don’t like
waking up alone either. I didn’t like it when we were married and I don’t like it now, but that’s how it
has to be.”
JR lowered his head, silently regretting every moment he’d spent with any other woman than
her. “Why,” he wondered? “Why did I ever leave her alone? None of the other women I was ever with even came
close. How could I have been such a fool?” “I know,” he finally said. “Like I told you earlier today,
I just want my family back and I’ll do whatever you want me to in order to make that happen.” JR took her hand
in his, “Let’s go get our son, and I’ll ask Bobby to see you home.”
“JR, I can go home
by myself.”
“I know you can, but I’d feel better if someone went with you considering the hour. I
just want to be sure your safe.”
Southfork, around midnight
JR lay in bed, listening to the television
in his room. Mostly, he just had it on for the company. He wasn’t really aware of what was on. He was lost deep in thought.
A knock at his door, startled him back to reality. “Come in,” he said.
The door opened, and Miss Ellie
entered the room. She walked over and sat on the edge of his bed. “How are you feeling,” she asked?
“I’m
okay, Momma. I’m more worried about you. How are you doing and don’t tell me fine, cause I know that’s a
lie.”
“Honestly JR, I’m okay. Spending the day with you and John Ross today was great.”
“Momma,”
he said taking her hand, “you don’t have to put up a front with me. I know what it feels like to lose the love
of your life.”
“I know you do, son, but now you’ve got a second chance. Don’t screw it up,
cause you won’t get a third chance.”
“I won’t screw up this time. I promise.”
“Speaking
of, why aren't you with your w…”
JR laughed softly, “You mean Sue Ellen?”
“Yes,”
she laughed back. “What exactly are we calling her these days? She’s not your wife. I guess your…..girlfriend?”
“Sounds
weird doesn’t it,” he asked?
“Yes, it does. You two didn’t have a fight did you?”
“No
ma’am. She just wants to take things slowly and build a real relationship and that’s what I want too, so I’m
trying to be on my best behavior.”
Miss Ellie smiled again. “It’s killin you though isn’t it?”
JR
blushed. “I don’t think I want to have this discussion with you.”
“Why? It’s not like
I don’t know about sex.”
Shifting uncomfortably in his bed, JR said, “I know that Momma, but my sex
life is not something I really want to discuss with my mother.”
“Alright,” she smiled, shaking her
head and kissing his cheek as she stood. “Goodnight son. I love you. Do you want me to turn the TV off on my way out?”
“Yes
ma’am.” Miss Ellie switched off the TV and walked out of the room. Just before she closed the door, JR said softly,
“Momma, I….I love you too and I’ll always be here when you need me.”
“I know JR. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,
Momma,” he said as she closed the door. He scooted down in the bed, fluffing his pillow, preparing to toss and turn
for the next several hours, when the phone beside his bed rang. Alarmed, he answered it quickly, “Hello.”
“Hi,
sweetheart. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No you didn’t wake me darlin’. Is something wrong?”
“No,
I just missed you and wanted to hear your voice before I went to sleep.”
JR smiled. “Missed me, huh? It
pleases me to hear that, because I miss you terribly. It’s awfully lonely in this room without you.”
Sue
Ellen smiled. “Well, it pleases me to hear you say that.”
Silence filled the phone line for a few seconds.
“Well, it’s late. I should let you get some rest,” Sue Ellen finally said.
“Darlin’ before
you go, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Well I was talking to Momma about you a few
minutes ago and it occurred to me, do you mind being called my….”
“Your what,” she asked intrigued?
“It
feels weird even saying it….my girlfriend.”
Sue Ellen laughed out loud. “You’re right, that
does sound strange, but I suppose that’s what I am.”
JR smiled wickedly, “Well you are my girl and
you’re also my best friend and until the day I can convince you to be my wife again, girlfriend will have to do. By
the way, I am not trying to pressure you in any way. I just want you to know my intentions.”
“Oh I know
your intentions,” she said coyly, “and they’re to get me in bed.”
JR laughed, “As soon
and as often as I can. Actually, if you think about it, I’ve got you in bed now.”
“JR Ewing, you’re
incorrigible,” she giggled playfully.
“What? You can’t blame a man for tryin, can you?”
“I
suppose not,” she replied.
“That makes me think, when can I see you again?”
“Why don’t
you come for dinner Friday?”
JR groaned, “That’s two whole days.”
“I know, but
I think you can survive, and no just showing up on my doorstep like a lost little puppy, because you know I can't resist that.”
“Damn
you’re a hard woman, but I sure do love you.”
“I love you too. Goodnight.”
JR sighed
contently, “Goodnight, darlin’.”
In their respective rooms, JR and Sue Ellen settled into bed and
slowly drifted to sleep smiling and dreaming of each other.
Sue Ellen’s home, Friday
After dinner, Sue
Ellen and JR sat on the sofa, cuddled together. Sue Ellen was watching TV, while JR was holding a sleeping John Ross and enjoying
being with his family. Sue Ellen glanced up at him and smiled, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “I love this new
you,” she said.
JR smiled back at her, “I love you too, but could you take John Ross? My arm is asleep.”
Sue
Ellen laughed. “Sure. Why don’t I take him upstairs and put him to bed?”
JR kissed John Ross’
forehead. “Goodnight son. I love you. Okay Darlin’ here you go,” he replied handing John Ross to her.
Sue
Ellen carried John Ross up the stairs and laid him in his crib. Smiling, she rubbed his back gently. “Good night baby
boy. I love you very much and so does your Daddy. I knew he would.” Sue Ellen descended the stairs, reentered the living
room and turned off the TV.
“What’s the matter Sue Ellen,” he asked?
“Nothing, I just
wanted some peace and quiet,” she said, returning to her position next to him.
JR wrapped her up tightly in his
arms and kissed her tenderly. “Is something bothering you,” she asked as they completed their kiss?
JR
hesitated for a second and said, “Not really.”
“Then what’s on your mind?”
JR
smiled softly. “I keep forgetting how well you know me.”
“Well, then don’t keep me in suspense,”
she replied, fearing the worst, as all sorts of scenarios ran through her mind.
Gently, JR touched her cheek. “I
don’t know. It’s just…do you remember the other night when you asked me why I did the things I did. Why
I cheated on you.”
“Yes,” she said, becoming even more uneasy.
“I’ve been thinking
a lot about that.”
“Oh,” she said, still wondering? “And?”
JR inhaled deeply and
stood to his feet, turning his back to her. “Sue Ellen, what I’m about to say is….is gonna be very hard
for me and maybe for you too,…but whatever I say, please don’t interrupt me.”
“Okay sweetheart,”
she said, worriedly, grabbing and hugging one of the throw pillows on the sofa.
As she called him sweetheart, a shock
of electricity pulsed through him. Once more, he silently berated himself for ever being such a fool where she was concerned.
Finally, he continued, still facing away from her, “It’s not easy for me to show my feelings, much less to talk
about them, but here goes. My whole life, I did everything that was expected of me. I did exactly what Daddy told me, but
I never felt like his son. I always felt like.. I might as well have been his employee, but despite that, I loved him more
than life itself. I would’ve done anything for him.” Tears formed in his eyes and began to roll down his cheeks,
but he persevered. “Anyway, when Bobby came along, so many things were different. Daddy wasn’t building Ewing
Oil anymore. It was a well-run, well-established oil company and I was so heavily involved that he had a lot more free time.
Time he spent with Bobby doing all the things I always wanted to do with him. I always wondered what I did wrong. Why I wasn’t
good enough for Daddy’s love,” JR sighed, trying to choke back his emotions and maintain his typical stone faced
exterior.
Sue Ellen clutched the pillow tighter, as tears rolled down her cheeks. She wanted to go to him and wrap
her arms around him, but she knew he needed to say these things. She knew how JR felt about his father and his treatment of
Bobby, she knew he’d never talked to anyone about these feelings and he had to get them out. She wondered where in the
world he was going with all of this, but she continued listening intently, recognizing its importance.
He dropped
his head as he leaned on the chair, and continued, “At some point in my life I decided that it didn’t matter.
That if I could be the best oilman in the world, then Bobby wouldn’t matter. That would be the one thing I would always
have…the business. But then that Barnes woman shows up and Bobby starts wanting to be involved in the business…anyway
that’s a different story. The point is that no matter how I denied or pushed it down inside myself, the way he treated
Bobby hurt me. I think it hurt me more than I ever even realized. As a result, one day somewhere along the way I decided that
I would never let anyone get close enough to me to hurt me ever again. Then I met you, and…..and I fell hopelessly in
love with you and it scared the hell out of me.” JR rubbed his temples. He could feel the tension in his body bringing
on a headache, but he refused to give into it.
Sue Ellen started to interrupt, but remembered his request and waited
until he could regain his ability to speak.
“The question you were about to ask Darlin was, then why didn’t
you act like it. The answer is for a while I did and then we married and every time we made love it was so much more than
I could handle, emotionally speaking. I could feel how much you loved me, and I knew there couldn’t be any way that
I could deserve that. Desperately, I wanted to return that love. I wanted….I wanted to let you in, to let you have all
of me, but I’d spent so many years building those walls that… I just couldn’t. I couldn’t let you
tear them down. And the more we made love, the more uncomfortable I became with the closeness we shared. Then, a business
deal presented itself that required more than just business and that started it. After that, I felt so guilty and I hurt so
much that I just couldn’t bring myself to be with you. I wanted to. God how I wanted to, but I just couldn’t unless
I was drunk or we were so angry with one another that I knew it…it would just be sex. Then as time passed, I cheated
more and more and I couldn’t stop, and then you told me about John Ross. I was thrilled. I promised myself that I’d
stop, that somehow I’d make things right between us and then you told me you’d had an affair.” JR buried
his face in his hands as he stifled back his tears. He wiped away his tears and continued. “You’ll never know
how much that hurt me, and then to find out it was with Barnes. The one man that I hated most in the world and that the child
you were carrying could be his. After that, I told myself that I was right all along. I told myself that you never loved me,
but I was determined that you were my wife and I would control you no matter what, just like I controlled every other thing
in my life. Then you started drinking and it made it easier for me to justify my actions. I want you know that the third worst
day of my life was the day I left you at that sanitarium. The second worst day of my life was the day John Ross was born.
You don’t know this, and you can ask Bobby if you don’t believe me, but I sat beside your bed, holding your hand
in mine, deathly afraid that I was gonna lose you, silently praying that you’d survive and I could make things right
between us. When I brought you home from the hospital, I really did want to fix things. I wanted to be the man you wanted
me to be, the father you wanted me to be and the husband you wanted, but you wouldn’t let me. The day you walked out
on me was without question, the worst day of my life, and when you picked up John Ross I knew you were never coming home again.
Once again, I lied to myself. I tried to convince myself you didn’t care and that I was better off without you, but
even then I knew that I’d lost everything. When I got the divorce papers, and Daddy removed me from Ewing Oil, I went
to the tree house. Truthfully, I drove to Patricia’s first. I wanted to …I wanted to come inside, to talk to you
to make you see that I loved you and I needed you, but then I saw Cliff leaving and I thought I’d lost you forever.
So I went to the tree house, the one place where things had always been perfect between us. I spent hours up there thinking
about our life together, about the fact that John Ross wasn’t my son, and about all the things I’d done to you
and I realized that I was the reason you left. I was the one who’d caused all the hurt in our marriage, not you. That’s
why I signed the papers and didn’t fight you for John Ross. I thought…. maybe without me you could find the happiness
you deserved, and I was okay with that, …..until I came to Patricia’s and David showed up. As soon as I saw him,
everything I’d ever felt for you came rushing back to me, and we had that terrible fight. Then Bobby and I had the accident….”
By
now, Sue Ellen was crying too, and fighting the desperate urge to walk over to him and hold him.
“…and
you came to the hospital. I was still so angry, but even then I wanted you there. I know I yelled at you and pushed you away…it
was ….it was just that every time I looked at John Ross all I could see was you with Barnes and my whole body filled
with uncontrollable rage.” JR smiled softly, and turned to look at her. He walked toward her and knelt down in front
of her, touching her cheek. It surprised him to feel the tears on her face. “You are the only person who could ever
get to me like that. You always know exactly the thing to do to make me lose control.”
“Sorry,” she
said softly, lowering her head.
“Don’t be,” he responded compassionately, lifting her chin, “it’s
one of the reasons I love you so much. Anyway, then I lost my sight and you were there. You’ll never know how glad I
am that you were the one who was with me. As afraid as I was when I woke up, knowing you were there made it better. I decided
at that moment that somehow I would prove to you that I loved you and that I wanted you and only you. So I called you and
you agreed to have dinner with me. I didn’t plan on us ending up at the Condo, but I was thrilled that we did. That
night was magical, probably one of the best nights of my life. I thought it could be the start of something new between us,
a second chance, but I woke up and you were gone. And I realized after you called that the only reason you’d spent the
night with me was because I’d lost my sight and you felt sorry for me.”
“That’s not true JR.”
JR
placed his finger on her lips to quiet her. “I know that now. I’m just trying to tell you how I felt.” She
nodded. “I was so angry and hurt that when you brought John Ross to Southfork, I really didn’t give a damn. Then
you collapsed and Momma and I rushed you to the hospital and I found out you’d lost our child. All I really wanted at
that moment was to hold you, but instead I let my stupid foolish pride get in the way and I hurt you again. Then we went through
the paternity test and Daddy died and once again, you were there. You put everything in your life aside and took care of me,
just like you always had. I spent a lot of time thinking after he died and I promised myself that if you’d give me another
chance that no matter what it took, I’d make you happy and I’d never hurt you again. Anyway, I said all of that
to say this. I’m ready to tear down all these walls I’ve built and let you have me completely. I won’t say
it doesn’t scare me, or that it will be easy, but I want it more than I’ve ever wanted anything, and I promise
nothing will ever be as important as you and John Ross. You and John Ross are my family, and nothing will ever separate me
from my family. Nothing.”
Sue Ellen threw her arms around his torso, and squeezed him tightly. “If you
only knew how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.” JR returned her embrace. “That’s all I’ve
ever wanted from you JR,” she said, squeezing harder. JR smiled, and whispered, “That’s great Darlin’,
but could you loosen your grip a little, I can’t breathe.”
Sue Ellen laughed, and took his face in her
hands and kissed him passionately. “I love you JR Ewing, now more than I ever have.”
“And I love
you Sue Ellen, more than anything.” After several minutes of clinging to one another, JR stood up and said, “It’s
getting pretty late and I know you have to work tomorrow, so I’d better go home.”
Sue Ellen smiled, stood
with him, putting her arms around his waist, “As far as I’m concerned, you are home,” and kissed him passionately,
flipping off the light switch in the room.
Sue Ellen
and JR lay peacefully in the dark. There was a comfortable silence between them. Both were deep in thought. JR’s words
had touched Sue Ellen deeply, she knew how difficult it was for him to express himself but he had finally opened up to her
in a way that he never had before. They had come so far in just a short space of time but finally she had what she always
wanted. JR broke the silence.
“I can hear you thinking!” he said
Sue Ellen laughed “Good job you’re not a mind reader then” she said
JR pulled her closer “Are you okay?” he asked
“Better
than okay” she said “You’ve just made all my dreams come true, all I have ever wanted was you and for you
to want me and only me. I’ve spent so many nights laying in bed at Southfork wishing that you were beside me instead
of with one of your many girlfriends”
“I’m sorry” JR said “I
had the world with you and I never realized until it was too late, you are the only person who has ever loved me for myself,
you gave me the unconditional love that I’ve craved for all my life”
Sue
Ellen kissed him and held him tightly “There’s a lesson to be learned here JR” she said
“What’s that?” he asked
Sue Ellen was silent for
a moment, trying to get her words correct before she spoke. “JR, all your life you’ve been second best. Miss Ellie
was closer to Gary, mainly because he was the most vulnerable and needed her whereas Jock never saw how you worshipped him,
he saw you as the heir to Ewing Oil and treated you more like a business partner, and….after Bobby was born you were
pushed even further into the background” she said “You have to learn from this experience and make sure that John
Ross never feels like you did. However many more children we have we both have to treat them equally and give them as much
love and affection that they deserve”
“I haven’t given John Ross
the best start” JR said feeling tears in his eyes.
“JR, you don’t
have to worry about that, I can assure you he doesn’t remember that after all he’s only seven months old”
she said
“I feel so guilty” JR said “I should have trusted you when
you said he was mine”
“JR your son adores you, the minute he sees you he
stretches out his arms for you” she said “Just you wait in two or three years time he’ll be following you
around like a shadow” Sue Ellen replied “But, we do things differently with our son, I don’t want him involved
with Ewing Oil from the age of 5, I want him to grow up to know his father loves him and he’s not just his business
partner”
JR was silent, Sue Ellen held him tightly “JR, your father did
love you, he just didn’t realize that you needed him to show it” she said
JR
sighed “I love you more than you could ever know” he said
“Show
me” Sue Ellen said “It’s time for bed”
“What time do
you have to go to work tomorrow?” he asked
Sue Ellen laughed “I forgot
to tell you, I don’t, it’s Saturday and I’ve got the weekend off”
“Great”
JR said “So what are your plans”
“Haven’t made any” she
replied “Come on let’s go upstairs”
Sue Ellen took his hand and led
him upstairs; silently they entered John Ross’ room.
“He looks so peaceful”
Sue Ellen said
“I wish my sight would come back” JR said “I want
to be able to see him”
“You will” Sue Ellen said
Sue Ellen put her arms around him and squeezed him tightly “Let’s go to bed” she said
Sue Ellen led him into her bedroom and closing the door she took his face in her hands and kissed him passionately.
“I thought you wanted to take this slowly” JR said
Sue
Ellen smiled “I did, but you’re just to damn irresistible, I want you now more than I’ve ever wanted you”
she said
Sue Ellen took his hand and led him to the bed; gently she pushed him down
onto it. She then laid down beside him.
“So what do we do now?” JR asked
Slowly Sue Ellen undid the buttons of his shirt and then removed it from him. She then kissed his bare
chest. JR put his hands up her skirt and finding her panties moved them aside before inserting two fingers into her. Sue Ellen
started to move up and down on his fingers, finally her hands went down to his trousers, finding the zip she began to undo
it, JR other hand stopped her.
“Don’t touch what you can’t afford”
JR laughed
Sue Ellen removed his hand “Oh, sweetheart don’t worry I’m
only going to touch what’s rightfully mine”
She then reached into his
trousers and found what she was looking for. She pulled his manhood free of his trousers and began to massage it. JR closed
his eyes and enjoyed the sensation; he then removed his fingers from her. Still with her panties on she guided him inside
her and started riding him, slowly at first then faster. JR held onto her hips and pushed himself deeper inside of her. Sue
Ellen reached down and kissed him.
“I love you JR, so much” she said
“I love you too” JR said “Promise me that you will be mine forever”
“JR that works both ways” she replied “Promise me that the only woman you will ever make
love to is me”
JR sighed “I promise from now until eternity, I swear the
only place I want to be is inside you” he said
Sue Ellen rode him faster then
finally she felt her orgasm hit her, as her walls constricted against JR’s manhood he cried out.
“Sue Ellen, God I need you” he said
Finally JR couldn’t
take anymore and flew over the edge spilling his seed into Sue Ellen. They lay silently for a while. They then slowly undressed
each other until there was nothing between them. JR then kissed his way down her body. When he reached her folds he slipped
his tongue between them and gently started licking her love button, Sue Ellen started to moan. JR carried on with what he
was doing, Sue Ellen clung to the bedspread and suddenly bucked off the bed as the sensation of JR’s
actions became to much for her. JR gently pushed her back down again. He then stood up and spreading her legs he pounded into
her again. Sue Ellen called his name as he pushed himself deeper into her causing her walls to constrict against him, pushing
them both over the edge and into ecstasy. They both relaxed, JR stayed inside her, not wanting to lose the contact.
“You are incredible” JR said
Sue Ellen laughed “So
are you” she said
They both settled down and fell asleep, both contented to
be in each others arms. Sue Ellen woke early the next morning and looked at JR. He looked so peaceful, just like John Ross
did when he was asleep. She gently began to plant small kisses on his face. JR lay still with his eyes close enjoying the
sensation of his touch. She knew he was really awake. “Well JR she thought, if that’s the way you want to play
it” She pulled the sheet away from his body and started kissing her way down his torso. As she reached his manhood,
she looked up at him, he still had his eyes close “Okay JR you’ve asked for it” she thought and with a wicked
smiled she took him in his mouth. She sucked on him like a child sucking an ice lolly. With her hand she gently massaged his
scrotum. JR desperately tried to keep his eyes close but she was driving him crazy, finally it was all to much for him and
he opened his eyes and moaned. Sue Ellen stopped what she was doing and looked at him
“Something wrong sweetheart?” she asked
JR sighed “God,
where did you learn to do that” he replied
Sue Ellen ignored his question and
went back to what she was doing, finally JR could take no more and he bucked of the bed. Sue Ellen laughed and gently lowered
him back down.
“Sue Ellen I can’t take much more of you doing that”
he said, with those words JR’s orgasm hit him and he spilled his seed inside her, Sue Ellen swallowed every last drop
then licking her lips she began to kiss her way back up his body. When she reached his lips to kissed him passionately, pushing
her tongue inside his mouth. Once they had completed their kiss JR looked at her and said
“Good
morning to you too!”
Sue Ellen smiled “How are you today”
JR held her tighter “I feel brilliant, especially knowing that you were with me all night long”
he said
Sue Ellen kissed him again “JR you are the only man I’ve ever wanted
to wake up with” she said
“I’ve acted like an idiot” JR said
“But I was too scared to let my real feelings show”
“How about now”
Sue Ellen said
“I’m willing to take a chance” JR said “To allow
myself to love you completely and hold nothing back”
“Good” Sue Ellen
said, suddenly they heard crying from the room next door.
“I see your son is
up” Sue Ellen said
“He’s not the only one” JR laughed
Sue Ellen looked down his body at his erect manhood “Later” she said and kissed him, right
now I’m going to get our son”
Sue Ellen got up and put on her robe. JR
lay back in bed, then decided he better get up.
“I’m going to take a shower”
JR said
Sue Ellen walked into the nursery and looked down at her son in the crib
“John Ross, you have great timing” she laughed as she picked him up.
She
changed and dressed him then took him downstairs. She heard JR in the shower singing to himself and smiled. After getting out of the shower JR started to get dressed but was hit by a headache and then experienced
a flash of vision. Suddenly everything went dark again. JR lay down on the bed hoping his headache would soon disappear. After
ten minutes Sue Ellen wandered into the bedroom.
“JR, what’s wrong”
she asked
“Sue Ellen, I just had a massive headache and then my vision came back
but now it’s gone again” he said
Sue Ellen went to him and put her arms
around him “Maybe we overdid things last night” she said
“Sue Ellen
I just wish these headaches would go and my vision would come back, how can I be a proper father to my son” he said
“Maybe he would have been better with Barnes as a father”
“JR, that’s
just not true” she replied “John Ross is your son and you are the only father I want for my children”
“Even after I was so horrible to you” JR said
Sue Ellen
kissed him “Yes” She smiled “Now let’s get something to eat before John Ross decides he’s fed
up with waiting and starts screaming the place down”
JR got off the bed and taking
Sue Ellen’s hand they walked downstairs. John Ross was gurgling in his highchair. JR felt his way to the chair and sat
down beside him. He then gently kissed his son on his head.
“Hey buddy, are you
hungry?” he asked
John Ross picked up the spoon on his table and pushed it towards
JR’s mouth. JR laughed and picked him out of the chair. He cuddled him close to his chest. Sue Ellen watched them and
smiled
”Your son loves you JR” she said
“What
are we going to do today?” JR asked
“I was thinking we could go to Southfork”
she replied
JR looked at her surprised
“Well”
she said “Your mother would like to see her grandson and we could spend some time exploring the ranch like we used to
in the old days”
JR laughed “I’d sooner explore something else!”
he said
Sue Ellen gently hit him “I was thinking, would you ever consider moving
in here permanently” she asked
“What leave Southfork” JR said
“Not for ever, but I would just like a chance at being a real family on our own for a while”
she said “Without the rest of the Ewings”
She could see JR was deep in
thought “Sue Ellen I would love that too but momma needs me” he said
“JR
we won’t be that far away” she said “And we can visit Southfork all the time”
JR leant over and kissed her “I would love to move in here, but can I see what momma thinks of the
idea” he said
Sue Ellen looked at him “This is the side of you that noone
ever sees, the caring JR who does put other people first, I’m sure your momma will be fine with the idea”
Southfork
JR and Sue Ellen left John Ross with Miss Ellie and went
for a walk alone.
“So where would you like me to take advantage of you”
JR asked
Sue Ellen laughed “You’re so full of yourself at times JR, what
makes you think I want you to take advantage of me” she replied
“Because
I’m charming and handsome” he said “And madly in love with you and I know you can’t resist me”
“How about the treehouse” Sue Ellen said, suddenly realizing what she
said “JR , I’m sorry I shouldn’t have said that”
“Why
because I’m a useless cripple who can no longer make it up there” he said
Sue
Ellen held his hand tighter “Now you’re just feeling sorry for yourself” she said “Come on let’s
go down to the lake”
They walked hand in hand down to the lake and lay down enjoying
the warm sun on their faces. Sue Ellen turned to JR
“We never made love here”
she said
“Don’t tell me you want to now” he said
Sue Ellen’s hand moved to his trousers. She could feel that he was already hard.
“You telling me that you don’t” she said
JR breathed
deeply as he felt her hand on him. Sue Ellen hiked up her skirt.
“JR we’re
all alone here” she said as she unzipped his trousers.
Gently he removed her
panties then as she took his manhood out of his trousers she guided him inside of her. Both looked at each other with such
passion in their eyes.
“What are you waiting for Sue Ellen” JR said “Ride
your cowboy” Sue Ellen started moving up and down on him, JR pushed deeper inside
of her and as her orgasm took hold of her he felt her tighten around him. Finally as they came together as one, they relaxed
wrapped in a tight embrace. For half an hour they lay silently, touching each other, kissing each other content to be where
they were finally Sue Ellen broke the silence.
“Come on “she said “It’s
time to go back
“I can’t believe we did that here” JR said
“Well we’ve got a lot of lost time to make up for” Sue Ellen replied, then taking his
hand she pulled him up. Suddenly JR staggered and fell back down.
“JR, what’s
wrong!” Sue Ellen said with concern
“My head” JR said “I feel
sick”
Sue Ellen sat down beside him and cradled his head in her arms.
“Sue Ellen what’s happening” he asked
“I
don’t know sweetheart but we have to get you back to the house” she replied
Slowly
they got up, JR held on to Sue Ellen as they walked back towards Southfork. Sue Ellen looked at JR; he had turned a deadly
shade of white. Once they got to the patio JR collapsed on the chair
“JR, I’m
going to call the doctor” Sue Ellen said
“Don’t leave me, I’m
scared” JR pleaded
Sue Ellen crouched down beside him and kissed him gently “It’s
okay, I wont be long”
As she turned to walk into the house, she heard a thud
and looked back. JR had tried to get up and walk into the house but as he got out of the chair he collapsed on the patio.
Dallas Memorial Hospital
Twenty
minutes later, the ambulance had rushed them to Dallas Memorial. The doctors were assessing JR while Sue Ellen and Miss Ellie
waited in the waiting room. Minutes seems to last for eternity, Finally Sue Ellen could take no more.
“Miss Ellie I need to know what’s happening” she said
“Sue
Ellen he’s in the best possible care” Miss Ellie replied
Sue Ellen sat
down and put her head in her hands “I can’t lose him, not now that we’ve got a chance to be happy”
she said
Miss Ellie walked over to her and hugged her tightly “I know”
she said
The two women sat holding each other for a while. A short time later the
doctor came in. He turned to Miss Ellie and said
“Mrs Ewing, you son has been
transferred to the ward” he said
“What’s the problem” Sue Ellen
asked
“We’ve done various tests on him and can’t find anything. However
the good news is that his sight has returned. We’ve given him something for the headaches but we would like to keep
him in a for a few days” he said
“Can we see him” Miss Ellie asked
“Sure” the doctor replied “I’ll take you to him now”
As they reached JR’s hospital room, Miss Ellie told Sue Ellen to go in first. As she entered the
room, JR looked at her and smiled.
“Yellow rose of Texas” he said
Sue Ellen went to him and hugged him tightly “I thought I’d lost you” she said
“I’m never going to leave you” he said “I love you so much”
Sue Ellen kissed him
“Sue Ellen this is a new start, now I
can be a proper husband to you and a proper father to our son, I want to watch him grow up, take his first steps, speak his
first word and then when he’s older I’m going to teach him to fish and hunt” JR said
“Hold on Sweetheart, he’s still only a baby” she laughed
“I
want to see my son” JR said
Sue Ellen smiled “Okay, I’ll send you
momma in and I’ll go back to the ranch and pick up John Ross” she kissed him then left the room.
Five minutes later Miss Ellie walked in.
“JR how are you?”
she asked “You had us worried”
“Momma I’m fine now” he
said “I’ve got my family and my sight back”
“JR, Sue Ellen
loves you, she was so scared that she was going to lose you” Miss Ellie said
“Momma
I love her so much, we had a long chat last night, and I told her things that I’ve never told anyone. She’s my
soulmate, the love of my life and I want to be with her forever” JR said
“Just
don’t hurt her” Miss Ellie said
“Momma, how would you feel if I left
Southfork?” JR asked “What?” Miss Ellie said
“Sue
Ellen wants me to move in with her for a while, just to be a family by ourselves for a while” JR said “But if
you really don’t want me to go then I won’t”
Miss Ellie thought for
a moment “JR, Sue Ellen and John Ross have to be the most important people in your life now, I’ll be fine, beside
you’re not going to be that far away are you” she said “I agree with Sue Ellen you need time to be a family
together and her house is perfect for you”
“So you don’t mind”
JR said
“No” Miss Ellie said
Half
an hour later Sue Ellen walked back into the room with John Ross in her arms. The baby immediately stretched out his arms
for his father. A delighted JR took him and held him close. Miss Ellie and Sue Ellen watched as JR played with his son, tickling
him to make him squeal with delight.
Miss Ellie looked into her handbag and picked
out a photograph “Hey you two, I’ve been carrying this around for a while and thought you might like to see it”
she said
She handed the picture to JR “It’s John Ross” JR said “But
when was this taken”
“No” Miss Ellie said “It’s not John
Ross, for a start it’s a black and white photo, it’s you”
JR looked
at it “But.”
Miss Ellie looked at him “That is why I knew whose son
he was, JR he’s the spitting image of you”
JR looked at his son and kissed
him “I was so sure he wasn’t” he said JR handed the photo to Sue Ellen just in time before John Ross decided
he was going to make a grab for it.
“I knew he was yours from the first moment
I saw him” Sue Ellen said
JR reached for Sue Ellen’s hand and squeezed
it tightly. He had everything he ever wanted, somebody who loved him unconditionally. “I’m going to make everything
perfect” he said
“I know” Sue Ellen said
“And
momma said she doesn’t mind if I move in with you” JR said
Sue Ellen turned
to Miss Ellie “It wont be forever, just for a while” she said
“I
know” Miss Ellie said
“And I promise we’ll come and visit you every
weekend” Sue Ellen said
“Yes we might even bring John Ross, if he promises
to behave” JR said Miss Ellie smiled “In a few months time that child will
be into everything” she said “He’ll be crawling all over the place”
Sue
Ellen and JR looked at their son and laughed,
Sue Ellen’s house
JR had been released from hospital after a week. He had moved into Sue Ellen’s house a few days later.
Sue Ellen had taken some time off work to look after him and John Ross. They had spent the time being a family, having picnics
in the park, and enjoying each others company. Saturday afternoon they went to Southfork for a visit. Leaving John Ross with
his grandmother they took a walk through the pastures. JR held Sue Ellen very tightly, she saw him looking at her out of the
corner of her eye.
“What” she asked
“Do
you know what I want to do” he asked
Sue Ellen looked at him and smiled “No
but I’m sure you’re going to tell me” she said
“Remember our
special place” JR asked
“The treehouse” she replied
“Yes the one place that always felt like home for us” JR said
“And
you want to go up there” she laughed
“Just for old time’s sake”
He replied
Sue Ellen laughed “Okay, but you’re sure you feel okay about
climbing up there” she said
“Never felt better” he said
They reached the treehouse and climbed inside. After sitting down, Sue Ellen looked at JR.
“Do you remember all the conversations we used to have up here” she said “You used to
tell me all the things that bothered you”
JR snuggled up closer to her “Yes
I remember”
Sue Ellen stood up “Oh yes, and I seem to remember that you
always wanted to go one step further than I wanted” she said
“You wouldn’t
let me” He replied
JR stood up and put his arms around her. “Let me make
love to you here, the one place that was always perfect for us” he said
Sue Ellen
kissed him “What if I told you I wanted to wait” she laughed JR kissed her
passionately and pushed her against the wall of the treehouse “I can’t” he said “I want you now”
Sue Ellen laughed; she pulled away from him and sat down. JR moved up closer and nuzzled into her neck.
“Please” he said “You know you can’t resist me”
“JR
you’re full of yourself” she laughed
“No” JR smirked “I
want you to be full of me”
Gently he laid her down on the floor and began undoing
the buttons of her blouse. Sue Ellen really wanted to tease him but he was driving her crazy. Slowly her hand went to his
trousers. Slowly they undressed each other until there was nothing between them, then slowly and passionately they made love
in the one place that had always been theirs. Afterwards JR looked at Sue Ellen
“You
still look at beautiful now as you did when I first brought you up here” he said
Sue
Ellen laughed “You say the sweetest things”
JR reached into his pocket
and pulled out a ring box “Sue Ellen, you remember the maternity ring you threw back in my face” He asked
Sue Ellen sighed “Yes, but I couldn’t accept it, not then” she said
“What about now?” he asked
Sue Ellen took the ring box
from him and placed the ring on her finger “It’s beautiful” she said
“I
just wanted to say thankyou for my beautiful son” he said “I’m going to cherish both of you for the rest
of my life”
Sue Ellen kissed him “You and John Ross are the only things
that I want” she said
A Dallas restaurant (later that evening)
JR and Sue Ellen sat eating a meal in an expensive restaurant after leaving John Ross at Southfork. Both
were silent, enjoying their meal and being together.
“Sue Ellen you don’t
mind staying at Southfork tonight” JR asked
“No” she said “As
long as I have you beside me” she said
“Where do you see us in five years
time?” JR asked
Sue Ellen smiled “Do you want my fantasy or reality”
she replied
“Maybe I could make your fantasy a reality” JR smiled
Sue Ellen sighed “I don’t know, to be honest in five years time I would like to see us remarried
with a couple more children, but part of me is scared” she said
“Scared
of what” JR asked
“I don’t know but these past few weeks have been
like when we first met. You’ve been so warm, loving and caring but I also know the other side of you and I’m scared
of that showing again once I’ve made a commitment to you” Sue Ellen said
“Sue
Ellen, I promise it won’t. Losing you was my worst nightmare come true, I never want to go through that again”
he said
“Do you remember the night you came around to my mother’s house
after I took John Ross” she asked
“Yes” JR said
“And after you left, you spent an hour sobbing in your car” Sue Ellen said
“How do you know that” JR asked
“Because I was
watching you” she replied “Do you know what I wanted to do”
JR shook
his head
“All I wanted to do was go out to that car, put my arms around you and
tell you that everything would be okay, I was still in love with you, I’ve never stopped loving you” she said
“Those months before the divorce were horrible, I wanted to go back and change everything, to stop the divorce but I
couldn’t” she said “Then when you lost Ewing Oil I knew how desperate you would be, I just wanted to hold
you in my arms and love you”
“Sue Ellen, we’ve…..I’ve
been so foolish, but I promise that I will be yours and yours alone for the rest of my life, I love you so much that it hurts”
JR said
Suddenly a song started playing, JR looked up at Sue Ellen and smiled “Dance
with me” he said, Sue Ellen took his hand and they moved onto the dance floor. Both held each other tightly as they
moved to the music.
Maybe I didn't treat you Quite
as good as I should have Maybe I didn't love you Quite
as often as I could have Little things I should have said and done I
just never took the time You were always on my mind You
were always on my mind Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died Give me, give me one more chance To keep you satisfied, satisfied Maybe I didn't hold you All those lonely, lonely times And I guess I never told you I'm so happy that you're mine If I make you feel second best Girl, I'm sorry I was blind You were always on my mind You were always on my mind Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died Give me, give me one
more chance To keep you satisfied, satisfied Little
things I should have said and done I just never took the time You
were always on my mind You are always on my mind You
are always on my mind
Sue Ellen closed her eyes and pulled JR even closer to
her. She felt safe in JR’s arms and knew that there was no other place she wanted to be. As the song died down JR looked
into her eyes and whispered
“Always on my mind, forever in my heart”
Sue Ellen smiled and whispered “Ditto”
The song ended and
JR and Sue Ellen headed back toward their table, hand in hand.
“Well, well, well,” a voice called out. JR froze in his tracks, as
Sue Ellen tried to pull him forward, but to no avail. JR turned around to find himself face to face with the last person he
ever wanted to see, Cliff Barnes. “If it isn’t Dallas’
biggest loser,” Cliff said, smiling his biggest grin. “So Sue Ellen, did you finally take pity on him or are you
just a glutton for punishment?”
JR gritted his teeth and flexed his jaw. “Barnes,
what are you doing here? Are they havin’ a two for one special or something?”
“JR,
just ignore him. Come on, let’s just go back to our table,” Sue Ellen said, pulling him toward the table.
JR started to oblige her request, when Cliff said quietly, “By the way, how is my son?”
JR just smiled and shook his head. “You know Barnes, you may think I’m the loser, but let
me tell you something. I am the richest man in the whole world, and I’m not talkin’ money. I have a beautiful
woman who loves me, a family who supported me despite everything and let’s see” he said reaching into his pocket
and pulling out a piece of paper, “the smartest, most handsome son in the state of Texas.”
JR lowered his voice, so only Cliff could hear him. “In case you can’t read, that little piece of paper says that
John Ross is my son. And while we’re talkin’, if you ever come near me, Sue Ellen or John Ross again, I’ll
break you.” JR’s smile grew larger and he pulled Sue Ellen close to him, “You have a nice evenin’
now, you hear.”
JR and Sue Ellen walked back toward their table, arm in arm.
“God that felt wonderful,” JR laughed. Sue Ellen smirked at him. “What,” he asked? “He deserved
it.”
“I know,” Sue Ellen said, “but as you pointed out, we
have everything and he has nothing.” Sue Ellen started to take her seat, but JR stopped her. “I’ve got a
better idea,” he said pulling her into his embrace, and knowing that Barnes was still watching, he planted a kiss on
her lips that made Hell seem like Antarctica. Inches from her face, he whispered, “Let’s
go home.”
Sue Ellen dizzily, nodded her approval, and they walked out of the
restaurant.
Most of the way back to Southfork, JR and Sue Ellen rode in silence, until
finally JR had had enough. “Alright Sue Ellen, out with it,” he said gruffly.
“Out
with what,” she replied just as annoyed.
“With whatever it is that I’ve
done. You haven’t said a word since we left the restaurant.”
“You
just infuriate me. The way you kissed me before we left. ”
“Why? All I
did was,” JR replied.
“Oh please,” she interrupted, “you used
me to get at Cliff. That’s the only reason you kissed me at that moment. It certainly wasn’t because you wanted
to show me affection, now was it. Is that all I still am to you, some trophy you can show off and use when you feel like it?”
“If that’s what you think, then maybe I should take you back to your house,” he said
angrily.
“Maybe you should,” she yelled back!
And
with that, JR turned the wheel of the car sharply, made a u-turn in the middle of the highway, and floored the gas pedal as
the car sped back toward town. As the car came to a stop in front of the house, Sue Ellen jumped out and slammed the door
behind her. JR sat seething with anger for a moment, watching as she entered the house and closed the door. “No, by
god this is not over,” he said aloud angrily. He jumped out of the car, and slammed his door, stalking up the porch,
skipping two steps. He reached and turned the knob, but the door didn’t budge. “Sue Ellen,” he yelled, “you’d
better open this damned door right now before I break it down.”
“Go to
hell,” she yelled back.
“Fine Darlin’. If that’s the way you
want it.” JR stepped back, braced himself against the doorframe, lifted his leg and kicked the door as hard as could,
but once again, it didn’t budge. Instead, JR fell onto the porch writhing in pain and cussing like a sailor. Sue Ellen
watched the scene play out from the side window, and couldn’t help but let a small laugh at his stupidity. Still angry,
she opened the door and said, “You big idiot, why didn’t you just use your key?” Kneeling down, she asked,
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, but help me up.” As she
helped him inside to the sofa, JR said, “You know they make that look so easy in the movies, but I’m here to tell
you it ain’t.”
Sue Ellen laughed at him as he sat on the sofa. “Well
if you weren’t being such a big jackass, this wouldn’t have happened. I’ll get you some ice.”
“Put some bourbon over it, and I was not being a jackass. You were the one who got mad just because
I kissed you,” he yelled into the kitchen. “Damn that hurts like a son-of-a-bitch,” he said to himself,
rubbing his knee.
Sue Ellen returned a few minutes later with an ice pack for his
knee and his desired bourbon. She handed him the glass, and dropped the ice on his knee causing him to cry out in pain again.
“I was not mad because you kissed me. It was the reason you kissed me and you know it.”
“Why
does it matter? I kissed you because I wanted to. It just so happens that Barnes was watching and the fringe benefit is that
it pissed him off immeasurably. I want him, and the whole world for that matter, to know that you belong to me. Besides, why
do you care if it made him mad? Do you still want him? Cause if you do, honey there isn’t room for me.”
“Aaargh, God you make me want to strangle you sometimes.”
“The
feeling is mutual darlin’,” JR replied.
“No, I do not still want
Cliff,” she sneered angrily. “Truthfully, the only thing that ever attracted me to him was the fact that you hated
him so much and I wanted to…..”
“To what darlin?”
“To hurt you as much as you’d hurt me. Are you happy now?”
JR
sighed disgustedly, “Are we ever gonna be able to put the past behind us and move on.”
“I
don’t know, you tell me,” she replied sitting next to him on the sofa.
JR
took a sip of his drink. “I have to know something.”
“What,”
Sue Ellen asked warily?
“Was he….as good as me? Did he make you scream
like I do?”
“Oh JR,” she said disgustedly.
“I mean it darlin. It bothers me and I have to know.”
Sue
Ellen sighed, “No sweetheart. Cliff is not even in the same league. You are a home run hitter every time, and Cliff,
well Cliff is still trying to hit slow-pitch softballs.”
JR laughed heartily
at her comment and pulled her onto his chest. “I’m sorry if I made you feel used. Honestly, it was not my intention,
but even you have to admit, it was a hell of a kiss.”
Sue Ellen smiled, “Yes,
it was. Do you think I could get another just like it right now.”
JR whispered
seductively, “I think I can manage that.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, letting his passion
and desire for her flow freely. As he felt cold water dripping down his leg, he laughed, “I think we melted the ice.”
Sue Ellen laughed back at him and picked up the ice pack as she stood. “Come on, let’s get
back to Southfork. Your mother is going to be worried about us.”
JR pulled his
pants leg back down and stood up, gingerly. “Damn that still hurts.”
“Maybe
that’ll teach you not to be such an idiot,” she said putting her arm around his waist and helping him toward the
door.
“Ha Ha Ha. Here,” he said handing her the car keys, “you’ll
have to drive.” As they walked through the doorway, JR looked at it. “No wonder, you big dummy,” he said
to himself, “its solid oak. You never would have knocked it down.”
They
climbed into the car, and as they pulled out of the driveway, JR silently took her hand in his and kissed it softly. Smiling
mischievously, he said, “After we check on our son, could I persuade you to help me make my knee feel better?”
Sue Ellen returned his mischievous smile and replied, “You can try.”
JR
laughed wickedly, “Trying is half the fun.”
A couple of weeks
later, Harve Smithfield’s Office
JR walked up to the receptionist, “Morning darlin’. I believe Harve’s expectin’
me.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Ewing.”
“You
remember me,” he asked?
“Yes sir, a good looking man like you is hard
to forget,” she flirted.
JR smiled back at her.
“You
know,” she whispered seductively, “ I go to lunch in a half hour. It sure would be fun to get off with you.”
JR cleared his throat nervously and took a step back. “Could you just tell Harve I’m her darlin’?”
Disappointedly, the receptionist walked down the hallway to Harve’s office. As she walked away,
JR admired the view, and smiled proudly to himself, “Maybe you’ve finally grown up JR. It wasn’t that long
ago that you’d have taken her up on that offer.”
“JR,” Harve
smiled, stretching out his hand. “Come on into my office.”
JR shook his
hand and walked into Harve’s office, taking a seat in front of the desk. “Would you care for a drink,” Harve
offered?
“No thanks Harve.”
“It
certainly is glad to see you out and about again. I was glad to hear about your eyesight returning. Is your health back to
normal now?”
“Yes,” JR replied, never one to reveal too much information.
In truth, he was still having terrible headaches, which seemed to be getting worse every time, and he was terrified he’d
lose his sight again.
“I also heard that you and Sue Ellen were trying to patch
things up between you,” Harve smiled.
“News travels fast, doesn’t
it,” JR responded.
“News like that does. I’m glad to hear that it’s
true. I always thought you two looked like you belonged together. Anyway, what can I do for you?”
“A couple of things. First, I need to have a look at my will. I haven’t changed it since John
Ross was born, and I want to make sure the he’s taken care of if something happens to me.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“Well, I want to
make sure he inherits my stock in Ewing Oil, and I also want to set up a trust fund for him.”
“That
shouldn’t be any problem. I’ll take a look at your holdings and then we’ll get together and decide exactly
the best way to handle that.”
“Good,” JR replied. “Now, in
regards to Ewing Oil. Exactly what do I control right now?”
Harve grimaced to
himself slightly, he knew that was why JR was here and he dreaded having to be the one to tell him. “Right now, you
don’t control anything. Your Daddy’s will states that you must regain your eyesight and custody of John Ross.
Currently, you don’t have custody of John Ross, so your mother still controls your shares.”
“I see,” JR said. “Is there any way besides gaining custody of John Ross for me to control
those shares?”
Harve thought for a moment, “Well, I suppose your mother
could cede control to you if she wanted, but since you and Sue Ellen are getting back together, that shouldn’t really
be an issue, I wouldn’t think.”
JR shook his head at Harve, and said before
he realized it, “I guess I’ll have to talk to Momma, cause I don’t want Sue Ellen to even think that the
only reason I want to be with her is so I can control those shares.” Regaining his composure, JR stood and said, “Thanks
Harve. Let me know when you have that stuff for my Will ready.”
“Okay
JR, I will,” Harve said, standing to show him out. “It was good to see you. I’m sure your Daddy’d
be proud of the way you’ve handled things lately.”
JR placed his Stetson
back on his head, and said “Thanks Harve,” as he disappeared out the door.
Southfork
JR pulled the car to a stop in his usual spot. After leaving Harve’s office, JR had returned home
to pick up John Ross. He knew if he went to Southfork without him, his mother would tan his backside with a Hickory switch. That thought made him smile as he unfastened John Ross’s car seat,
and carried him in the house. He opened the door and entered through the kitchen. “Let’s see Son, where could
your Grandma be?” As they walked out of the kitchen, JR heard the piano being played softly. JR tiptoed quietly into
the living room, and sat John Ross on the floor behind the piano stool. Immediately, John Ross grabbed the back of Miss Ellie’s
blouse and pulled himself up. Startled, Ellie turned and smiled at her grandson. “Well look at you. Aren’t you
becoming quite the big boy,” she said and lifted him into her arms and gave him a big hug and a kiss.
JR walked over and kissed her on the cheek. “Hi Momma,” he smiled. “How are you today?”
“Much better now,” she smiled at John Ross, nuzzling her nose into his belly button, causing
him to laugh. Sitting him on her knee, she said, “I was just about to have lunch. Are you two hungry?”
JR quickly responded, “Starved.”
Miss Ellie laughed,
“Some things never change, John Ross, remember that.” She stood up and they walked into the kitchen. She put John
Ross in his highchair and began to prepare lunch.
“I’ve got a better
idea Momma. Why don’t John Ross and I take you in to Braddock for lunch? It’ll do you good to get out of the house
for a while.”
Miss Ellie hesitated, and JR picked up John Ross, “You know
you can’t refuse the two most handsome men in all of Texas, so just say yes and come on,” JR smiled.
A restaurant in Braddock
Twenty minutes later, they were
seated in a quiet little booth, toward the back of the restaurant. After they’d ordered, JR said, “So really Momma,
how are you? You looked kinda down when I first saw you today.”
Miss Ellie smiled
sadly. “I was. I was just thinking about your Daddy and now that you and Sue Ellen aren’t at Southfork, the place
is so big and so empty.”
JR reached across the table and grasped her hand, “That’s
only temporary Momma. I promise.”
“I know JR, but it’s still lonely
right now.”
JR returned her sad smile, and decided to change the subject. “I
noticed that your garden is flourishing, as usual. It’s really gonna be beautiful for the Barbeque this year.”
“I’ve been thinking about canceling the Barbeque this year. I don’t feel much like having
it.”
JR looked at her with shock. “Momma, you can’t be serious.
The Barbeque is a Ewing tradition. No matter what else happens, we have to have the Barbeque.
Besides that, it will give you something to occupy your mind other than moping around Southfork. You know Daddy would hate
that. He never liked for anyone to feel sorry for themselves.”
“Maybe
you’re right.”
“Of course, I’m JR Ewing. I’m always
right,” he smiled.
Miss Ellie laughed "and always full of it.”
JR smiled wider, “That’s what some people say. I prefer to call it confident.”
“You’re becoming a mess, boy,” Miss Ellie replied, “and it’s about time,
maybe you should’ve been temporarily blinded earlier in your life.”
JR
laughed, “May be.”
“Speaking of which, are you still having those
headaches? And don’t lie to me, or I’ll tan your backside.”
JR smiled,
“Yes ma’am. I still get them from time to time, but don’t say anything to Sue Ellen. She’s on my back
enough to take it easy as it is.”
“Have you been back to the doctor, lately?”
JR shook his head, as the waitress placed their food, “I went last week. He said everything was
fine and he had no idea what’s causing the headaches. He wants me to see a neurologist.”
“Are
you going to?”
“Yeah, I guess. I’ve got to do something. I think
they’re getting’ worse, and I don’t want to lose my sight again. I don’t think I could take another
round of that.” JR turned his attention to feeding John Ross.
Miss Ellie smiled
proudly. “JR, I’m so proud of the way you are with John Ross. I knew you’d be a good father, although there
for a while I wanted to give you a good ass-whippin,”
“Momma,” JR
said with astonishment.
“Well it’s true. It’s shameful the way you
behaved.”
JR looked sadly at his son. “I know Momma, but I’m making
up for that every day. John Ross will never know anything but how much I love him from now on.”
“Good,” she replied. “I’m glad to hear it. Now, what did you really want to talk
to me about?”
Once again, JR looked at his mother with astonishment. “How’d
you know I…”
“I’m your mother, JR. Mother’s just know
these things.”
JR just smiled. “I wanted to talk to you about Ewing Oil.”
“What about it?”
"Well, I know Daddy’s will
said that I have to have my eyesight and custody of John Ross, and I basically have that, but Harve says since I don’t
legally have custody of John Ross, then I don’t have any say-so. Anyway, I’d like to go back to work at least
part-time for a while depending on how I feel. To be quite honest, I’m a little bored with just sitting around the house
all day.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“Well, in order for me to control my shares, I either have to have legal custody of John Ross, or
you have to cede control of the shares to me. Now don’t get me wrong, I intend to marry Sue Ellen and for us to be a
real family and have more children, but I don’t want her to even have the slightest twinge of a feeling that I want
to marry her just to get Ewing Oil. So that only leaves you.”
Miss Ellie pondered
his request for several minutes. “Alright JR, but I have some conditions.”
JR
waited silently for her to relate the conditions.
“First, you go back only part-time
until after you see a neurologist and they find out what’s causing your headaches. Second, you have to promise me that
John Ross and Sue Ellen will continue to be your first priority. Finally, you have to promise me a wedding and some more grandchildren
soon,” she smiled.
JR smiled back at his mother. “On the first one, I
agree. On the second one, you have my word. And as for the third one, I don’t want to pressure Sue Ellen to marry me
too much. I want her to be ready. In regards to the grandchildren, I am trying my dead-level best,” he grinned mischievously,
“but sometimes your grandson here interrupts my plans.”
“Well, perhaps
he should come visit his grandma overnight more often.”
“That’s
not a bad idea at all, but his Momma can’t stand to be away from him for very long.”
“And
neither can his Daddy,” Miss Ellie smiled knowingly.
JR smiled back at her.
The finished their lunch, and drove happily back to the ranch. JR left a sleeping John Ross in his car seat, as he opened
his mother’s door. Kissing her cheek, JR said, “I’d better get home. Sue Ellen should be back by the time
I get there and she’ll be wondering where we are.”
“Okay, Son. I
had a wonderful time today.”
“Me too Momma, and thanks for understanding
about Ewing Oil.”
“Your welcome. I’ll call Harve and get him to
get the papers ready as soon as possible,” she said walking toward the house.
JR
walked after her and stopped her. “Momma,” he said looking at the ground, “if you need anything…”
Miss Ellie touched his cheek, and smiled softly, “I know Son. I know. You just take care of Sue
Ellen and my grandson.”
“I will Momma, I promise.” He watched her
walk into the house. “I love you Momma,” he whispered softly after she’d disappeared.
The Ewing Home, later that evening JR and Sue Ellen lay snuggled
together in the darkness of their bedroom, both enjoying the feel of the other and simply listening to one another breathe.
Sue Ellen had begun to drift to sleep, when JR’s voice startled her.
“Sue
Ellen,”
“Huh, what,” she jumped.
JR
laughed, “were you asleep?”
Sue Ellen looked up at him sleepily, “almost.
What do you want,” she asked grouchily?
“I was just wondering how you’d
feel if I, um, if I went into the office for a while tomorrow.”
Sue Ellen was
silent. “You woke me up for that,” she thought. This was the moment she’d been dreading since JR’s
sight returned. She wanted him to work. She knew he needed to. She couldn’t just expect him to sit around all day, playing
with John Ross or doting on her, but the thought of him at Ewing Oil scared her. “Oh well,” she thought, “it’s
time to face this head on once and for all. This will be the true test of the new JR Ewing, and our relationship.”
“Sue Ellen, did you fall asleep on me,” JR laughed softly, caressing her arm and squeezing
her hand as it lay on his chest.
“No,” she replied. “I was just
thinking about how I feel.”
“And?”
Sue
Ellen sighed, “If you think you’re ready.”
“That’s not
what I asked you, darlin’. I asked how you’d feel.”
“I know,
and I don’t want to tell you because it’s me being selfish and unreasonable.”
JR
smiled. “After everything I’ve put you through darlin’, maybe you have the right to be selfish and unreasonable.
So just tell me what you’re thinking.”
Sue Ellen sat up and pulled her
knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. JR placed his hand gently on her back, sending a shiver through her body.
“Honestly, it scares me to death.”
JR pulled her back down beside him,
turned on his side and positioned himself to look down into her eyes. Caressing her cheek softly, he said, “Honey, I’m
not that man anymore, but I can’t sit around here with John Ross all day. As much as I love being with him, it’s
hard to have a stimulating discussion.”
Sue Ellen laughed, “Why not? Sometimes
you act his age.”
“Cute, darlin. Real cute. Another remark like that and
I’ll be forced to tickle you,” he smiled wickedly. “Seriously though, I can’t sit around here all
day and wait for you to come home, and my ego doesn’t like you supporting me.”
“JR
you have enough money that you’d never have to work another day and you’d still have more money than I’ll
ever make.”
“But it’s not about the money and you know it.”
“I know. And I know I have to trust you. I know I can’t keep you tied up here the rest of
your life.”
“No, but you can tie me up occasionally,” he whispered,
giving her a passionate kiss.
“Now who’s being cute?”
JR smiled, “Sorry darlin’. I just couldn’t resist.”
“Anyway,”
she replied, “I know how important it is to you, and I know how much you love the oil business. You wouldn’t be
JR Ewing if you didn’t and if I tried to keep you from it, you’d end up hating me for the rest of your life. And
I certainly don’t want that. So, as long as you think you’re ready and don’t overdo it, I’ll get used
to the idea. Just promise me it won’t take over our lives again.”
JR kissed
her tenderly, “I promise. I won’t overdo it and it won’t become the most important thing in my life. That
spot is already occupied,” he smiled, “by a beautiful young lady and a mischievous little boy.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” she smiled back, placing her finger in the dimple on his chin.
Seductively running her finger from his chin, down his chest to the first button of his pajama top, which she began to unbutton,
she whispered, “You know, suddenly I’m not so sleepy anymore.”
JR
hardened instantly at her touch, and returned her smile. “Really,” he whispered, raising his eyebrows. “So
what would you like me to do about that?”
“Oh,” she said wonderingly,
“I bet you can think of something fun.”
JR laughed seductively, and kissed
her again. Sliding his hands to her hips and pulling her silky nightgown up her body, he smiled against her lips, “I
wouldn’t be JR Ewing if I couldn’t.”
Sue Ellen laughed into his
kisses, as she unbuttoned and removed his top. “And I wouldn’t be nearly as naughty if I didn’t do this,”
she replied, reaching inside his pajamas and massaging his manhood, causing him to gasp.
“Oh
how I love it when you’re naughty,” he whispered lustfully.
Ewing Oil
Sue Ellen strode happily toward the elevator, humming to herself softly and smiling.
Life had been nearly perfect these last months. JR had returned to work and kept his promise. He was home for dinner every
night, showering her and John Ross with attention and love. He had become the perfect husband and father. Sue Ellen sighed
contently as the elevator doors opened and she walked out toward JR’s office. “Hi, Louella. Is JR busy.”
“No Mrs. Ewing, but he’s not here.”
“Oh,”
she said disappointedly. “Where is he,” she asked naturally, feeling an aching in the pit of her stomach.
“Beats me. He just said he had a meeting and wouldn’t be back the rest of the day. Is it important?
I can try to find him for you if you want.”
Sue Ellen gathered her emotions,
and said, happily, “No Louella. I was just going to see if he wanted to have lunch with me, but I’ll just see
him at home this evening. Goodbye,” she uttered as she made her way to the elevator. She stepped inside and as soon
as the doors closed and she was alone, the tears she’d been repressing overcame her. “How could he,” she
thought? Then her rage took over, “Son-of-a-bitch! I warned him what would happen. I warned him,” she thought.
As the elevator doors opened again, she gathered herself, wiping the tears and making sure she looked presentable. She knew
exactly what she was going to do to him, but she needed to pick up some things before going home. She climbed into her car
and drove off to complete her tasks.
The Ewing Home
A
couple of hours later, Sue Ellen walked through the front door of her home, still seething with hurt and anger. She called
for Kate, but received no answer. “She’s probably upstairs with John Ross,” Sue Ellen thought as she proceeded
to carry her packages up the stairs. She sat them down outside her bedroom door, and walked into John Ross’ room. She
became alarmed when she didn’t find either of them, but then it occurred to her that they were probably in the back
yard, since it was such a beautiful day, “or at least it was,” she thought. She picked up her packages and opened
the bedroom door.
“Well,” JR said, “It’s about time. What
took you so long? I thought you said you’d be home around lunchtime.”
Sue
Ellen looked at JR in complete shock. There he sat, in their bed, shirtless and staring into her eyes. Immediately, she began
to cry.
“What’s wrong,” JR asked?
Sue
Ellen smiled softly as her sobbing continued, “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just…I stopped by your office
to see if you wanted to go to lunch and..”
“And you thought I had a meeting
with another woman.”
“I’m sorry. Yes.”
“I told you, Honey. I’m not that man anymore,” he said tenderly.
“I know, but sometimes I forget.”
JR smiled lovingly
at her, “Well come here and let me remind you.”
Sue Ellen walked toward
his outstretched arms and collapsed into them as he pulled her against him, still crying tears of relief. JR kissed her tenderly,
holding her tightly to his body. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I never thought about you goin’
to the office. I just figured you’d come home.”
“It’s okay,
but from now on, don’t be so mysterious with your secretary.”
JR chuckled,
“What would you like for me to have told her? That I was coming home to have sex with my wife.”
“It would have been music to my ears,” she laughed back. Much better than “he had a
meeting.”
“Alright then,” he said laying her gently into the bed,
still cradling her in his arms and kissing her, “next time, I’ll give her all the intimate details of exactly
what I want to do to you.”
“You don’t have to go quite that far,”
she replied, returning his kisses, and letting her hands slide down his back.
JR kissed
down her neck, toward her chest. “You’re wearing entirely too much clothing.”
“Before
we get too carried away,” Sue Ellen said, taking his face in her hands. “Where are Kate and our son?”
JR moved her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I gave Kate the day off, and I took John Ross to Southfork.”
“How come?”
“Because, I wanted you all to my
self. Do you realize that we really haven’t had any time just to ourselves?
“Yes,
I do but why today, all of a sudden.”
JR looked at her in astonishment, “You
don’t know what today is, do you?”
Sue Ellen thought for a moment, searching
her mind. “Wednesday?”
JR laughed, “Yes, it is Wednesday, but I
meant the date. Today is the anniversary of the first time I ever looked into these beautiful eyes of yours.”
Sue Ellen kissed his cheek softly, and started to speak, but JR pressed his finger to her lips, “That
was the best day of my life.” For several seconds, he just stared into her eyes. “I love you Sue Ellen, from the
first moment I saw you I loved you.”
Sue Ellen’s heart melted, and she
pulled JR closer to her, kissing his lips, and gazing into his shining blue eyes. “Make love to me.”
She didn’t have to say it twice. Tenderly, JR began to unbutton her blouse, kissing each inch of
newly exposed skin as he went, and skillfully removing it and her bra. Sue Ellen closed her eyes, enjoying him loving her.
He lifted her hips, and unzipped the back of her skirt, sliding it and her undergarments seductively off her body. Starting
at her ankles, he took her leg in his hands and slowly caressed up it. “I love your legs,” he smiled, lifting
it to his face and kissing her thigh. He left her leg over his shoulder, and caressed her other thigh with his hand, guiding
it gently towards her womanhood. Softly, he began massaging her, until she began to whimper for him to be inside her. He entered
her slowly, savoring the feel of her body at one with his. Sue Ellen raked her nails across his chest, taking his breath as
her fingertips brushed across his nipples. As he thrusted into her, she raised up and began kissing and sucking on his chest.
“Oh God, Sue Ellen” he cried out as she sucked on his nipple causing his climax to crash into his body, with her
following immediately. JR fell backwards, exhausted, pulling Sue Ellen on top of him. “Now do you believe that I’m
not that man anymore,” he asked breathlessly.
“I’m beginning to,
but I think I need more reminders, more often,” she laughed, still breathing hard.
JR
laughed, “In a few minutes, ….right now I just need to breathe.”
Sue
Ellen snuggled closer to him, and they both held each other, never wanting to move.
Several minutes later,
as they lay tangled together in the afterglow of their lovemaking, Sue Ellen said, “Why haven’t you asked me to
marry you?”
JR
rolled them over onto their sides, laughed, and kissed her, “Impatient, are you?”
“No.
It’s just that I know you want us to get married and I know how impatient you are, and I was just curious. It’s
just unusual for you not to have asked me already.”
“Well,” he said,
“if you want the truth, I didn’t want to pressure you. I wanted to give us some time for you to be sure that’s
what you wanted and to make up your mind that you knew you could trust me again.”
“Oh,”
she replied, “I was beginning to think you didn’t want to marry me anymore.”
“Darlin,”
JR said, gazing deeply into her eyes and softly cupping her cheek in his hand, “I’d marry you right this minute
if that’s what you want.”
Kissing him passionately on the lips, she smiled,
“I think we’d better wait until we’re both fully clothed.”
JR
laughed, “I suppose that is a good idea. While we’re on the subject, assuming you agree to marry me of course,
how would you feel if we didn’t have a big wedding?”
“What’d
you have in mind,” she asked curiously.
“I think I’d like something
very intimate. Something where I could…..where I could tell you how you make me feel and how much I love you, with maybe
just our family there. We can have as big a reception or whatever as you want, but I just want it to be us at the ceremony.”
Sue Ellen snuggled closer to him, “that sounds wonderful. And I tell you what, if I decide to marry
you,” she smiled at him, “you can plan the wedding if you want, and I’ll plan the reception.”
“I don’t know about that,” he replied. “You’re much better at planning things
than I am.”
“Yes, but you’re much more of a romantic than I am.”
“That’s not true,” he smiled.
“It is so,
you’re just good at hiding it from everyone but me.”
“That’s
because I don’t hide anything from you anymore.”
Several minutes later,
JR said, “Come on let’s get up. I’ve got another surprise for you.”
Two
hours later, Southfork
JR helped a blindfolded Sue Ellen out of the car. “JR,
where have you taken me?”
JR smiled, just be patient darlin’. I’m
about to show you.” JR held her hand tightly and walked her forward to the spot he wanted. Stopping her, he stepped
behind her and wrapped one arm around her waist and using the other hand, removed the blindfold, and then put his other arm
around her waist, pulling her body tightly against his. Sue Ellen opened her eyes and surveyed the scene in front of her.
JR had taken her to the lake at Southfork. Several feet from the water’s edge, he had an open air tent, draped in scores
of yellow roses. Sue Ellen turned around to face him, and asked with confusion, “What’s going on?”
JR smiled and kissed her tenderly, immediately dropping to his knee and taking her hand in his, “Sue
Ellen, I love you with all my heart. I have since the first moment I saw you. The last months I’ve rediscovered that
love and I’ve found it to be the most exciting and fulfilling thing in my life. You and John Ross are my whole world,
and there’s nothing I wouldn’t give or do for you. I want you beside me for the rest of my life.” He reached
into his pocket, pulled out the ring, and gazed deeply and powerfully into her eyes. “Will you be my wife, again?”
“JR,” she smiled, kneeling to his level, “I would love to be your wife again.”
JR grinned real big, and slipped the ring on her finger. He stood to his feet, took her in his arms, and
kissed her with a passion she’d never felt. When they completed the kiss, JR whispered nervously, “Uh Darlin’
you know how you said I was impatient and you’d let me plan our wedding?”
“Yes,”
she replied suspiciously.
“Well, I was uh hoping that if uh you wanted to marry
me again, uh maybe you wouldn’t want to wait. If you do, I completely understand, but I just don’t want to waste
any more time.”
“What have you done,” she asked?
JR smiled nervously, “I told our family that I was going to ask you to marry me tonight, and I asked
them to wait at the house. I also arranged for a minister. As I said, if you don’t want to, I’ll send everyone
home, but I think that this is our place and our time. By the time they get here and we get married, the sun will just be
beginning to set over the lake. It will be perfect, just like I promised.”
Sue
Ellen pulled him closer to her and kissed him. “When you put it like that, how can I resist?”
“So…you mean it’s okay? We can get married tonight?”
Sue
Ellen smiled and nodded her approval. JR wrapped his arms tighter around her, lifted her up off the ground and twirled her
around, completing his joy with a tender kiss. “Thank you. You’ll never know how happy you make me. By the way,
since I sprung this on you, while we’re waiting you’d better be thinking about your vows, cause we’re using
our own.”
“JR,” she said disgustedly.
JR
smiled boyishly at her, “I know you’ll come up with something wonderful darlin’. Just speak from your heart.
That’s what I’m gonna do.”
He walked back to the car, opened the
glove compartment and pulled out the handheld radio. He radioed to Bobby and told him to bring everyone out.
Southfork,
a half hour later
Finally, everyone arrived. Sue Ellen asked Kristin to be her maid
of honor, and JR asked Bobby to be his best man. Everyone took their places and the rest of the family gathered in a close
circle. JR took hold of Sue Ellen’s hands and looked deep into her eyes. “Are you ready darlin’?”
Sue Ellen returned his powerful gaze and nodded happily yes.
The
minister began, “We are gathered here to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. JR, I believe you said that
the two of you wanted to say your own vows, is that correct?
JR nodded, and the minister
said, “Why don’t you go first.”
JR continued his gaze into Sue Ellen’s
eyes, letting his love for her fill them. “Sue Ellen, at almost this same moment a few years ago our eyes first met.
When they did I knew you were the only woman for me. I know I haven’t always acted in a manner that would make you believe
that but it is true. I heard a song the other day and it says all the things that I feel.” JR took a small piece of
paper from his pocket and read: I’m not a perfect person. There’s many things I wish I didn’t do, but I
continue learning. I never meant to do those things to you. I found out a reason for me to change who I used to be and I just
want you to know I’m sorry that I hurt you. It’s something I must live with every day. And
all the pain that I put you through, I wish that I could take it all away, and be the one who catches all your tears. That’s
why I need you to hear, I’m not a perfect person. I never meant to do those things
to you but I found out a reason to show a side of me you didn’t know. A reason for all that I do. A reason to start
over new, and the reason is you. You are the reason my life is worth anything, you are
my home and I will never again be the man that hurts you. With all my heart, I love you and I promise to show my love for
you every day in every way,” he said slipping the ring on her finger.
Sue Ellen
smiled softly through her tears, reached up with her hand and wiped a tear from his cheek.
“Sue
Ellen, now it’s your turn,” the minister smiled.
Sue Ellen nodded, as JR
wiped her tears away, and took a deep breath. “JR, how can I ever tell you how I feel about you. From the moment I met
you, there has been something indescribable between us. There’s a song that I always thought described how I felt when
we were together. It says: I must be dreamin, or am I really here with you. You take me in your arms and though I’m
wide awake, I know my dream is coming true. Magic, it must be magic. The way I hold you and the night just seems to fly. It’s
easy for you to take me to a star. Heaven is that moment when I look into your eyes, and I fall in love again. Just one touch
and it happens every time. There I go I just fall in love again and when I do, I can’t help myself I fall in love with
you. No matter how bad things were between us I always felt that way. Every time I look into your eyes, I fall in love all
over again and it is magical. Today, you’ve made all my dreams come true, and I love you more than words can describe.
Thank you for coming home to me,” she said slipping the ring on his finger.
By
the time they both finished speaking, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place, even the minister was crying. Wiping his
face quickly, he said, “In as much as you have pledged you love and faith for one another, and by the power vested in
me by the State of Texas, I now pronounce you husband and
wife. You may kiss the bride.”
JR snapped back to reality, and wiped his face
quickly. He pulled Sue Ellen to him and kissed her as passionately as he ever kissed her. Finally, it was Sue Ellen who pulled
away blushing. JR just smiled at her and hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear, “I love you Yellow Rose of Texas,
and I won’t ever forget it again.”
“Da da,” John Ross yelled,
stretching his arms out for JR. JR smiled, and turned, taking his son from Miss Ellie. “You are such a good boy, and
I love you.” John Ross smiled and grabbed his face. “You’d better go see your Momma,” he smiled handing
him to Sue Ellen, “cause she’s havin’ withdrawals. I’m not sure how she’s gonna survive on our
honeymoon without seeing you, but you are not coming with us,” JR laughed. After several minutes of congratulations
and chit-chat, the rest of the family and the minister made their way back to the house, leaving JR and Sue Ellen alone once
again.
“So, Mr. I’m full of Surprises, where are we going on our honeymoon?”
JR smiled coyly. “We’re spending our wedding night at our second home,” he said pointing
up at the tree house. “After that, anywhere in the world you want to go. I don’t care as long as I’m with
you, forever.”
|