"JR", Dixie whispered coming closer to him. "Hi baby."

"No don't touch me! What the hell are you trying to pull?"

"Nothing!" Dixie cried. "I would never try to 'pull anything' on my own son! How could you think such a thing?"

"Don't talk to your mother like that

"This woman is not my mother Tad. My mother is dead. I was there. I saw it. Oh she was definitely very dead."

Before anyone could dispute JR, the voice of Bianca's nanny broke through the stillness. "AJ come back here buddy!" Claire called, trying to hold him back but he was already across the field and like the rest of the park patrons he focused only on the growing dispute

"Daddy, stop it! I don't like it when you're mean like this."

Dixie's heart broke at the look her grandson's face. She hadn't seen him since he was little more than a toddler but watching him, it was all she could do to not to hold A.J. tight and try to comfort him as Tad was doing now.

"None of us like it bud," Tad whispered rubbing the boy's back. "But I am going to take Daddy home now, and he is going to get better. You know what you can do for me? I want you to go back and play with Claire and the girls. Go have some fun okay?"

"I don't want to," said AJ crossly. "I just want to go home."

"And we will buddy," said JR. "The two of us, right now."

"No Daddy! I don't want to go with you!"

"You're not going to, bud," Tad assured. "You're going back to my house with Nana, Kathy, and Jenny."

"What are you talking about? Of course you want to go with me, I'm your father! Come on."

"Tad!" In the space of a few seconds JR had a hold of his son's elbow and was yanking away completely forgetting that his mode of transportation was currently wrapped around a tree. "Let me go, Daddy!"

"You…heard him!" Tad grunted breaking JR's grip and handing AJ off to Krystal who was already leading the sobbing Martin girls to the car.

JR made to go after them but Dixie stepped forward in much the same way she had when protecting her own son from Adam. "Let him go, Krystal will take care of him."

"That's what the two of you want, isn't it? Well, Bravo!" JR cried clapping his hands. "Thank you so much for turning my seven-year-old son against me! What in store for your next act Bonnie and Clyde?"

"Hate to break it to JR but you spooked AJ all on your own," remarked Tad.

"Just let us take you home." Dixie offered. "Tad and I…we'll walk you back to the mansion."

"I think that's a good idea," Tad agreed.

"And why is that? So Mommy Dearest can have a captive freaking audience while she tries to justify running off on the people she loves so damn much. I'll pass!"

"No it's because you are clearly in no condition to drive," Tad replied tossing the empty bottle of scotch into s nearby trashcan in the picnic area, with a sigh.

AMC~AMC~AMC

"Colby!" he called pounding on the door. "Colby open up, it's Tad!"

There were footsteps in on the other side of the mansion door. "Hey Tad, JR's not—" She sighed at the sight of her brother slumped between Tad and another woman. "—drunk again is he?"

Tad nodded. " Afraid so, darlin'"

"And only getting drunker," JR laughed heading for the scotch bottle he kept in the parlor.

"Like hell you are!" Colby seethed blocking the door.
"You're not really going to get in my way, are you Colby?"

"If it's between you and trouble hell we're all getting in your way," said Tad. Dixie nodded still amazed at the grown twenty-something woman standing in front of her.

"It's a bit too late for that," Colby sighed. "While your drunken escapades are probably more interesting let me tell you what I've been doing today… fielding phone calls by the dozen from pissed off investors at Chandler! They know you're slipping JR and they're not happy."

"Well next time one of them calls just tell them to go to hell!"

"Oh?" Colby raised her eyebrows. "And I guess I should just say the same thing to Brot?"

"What the hell does Monroe have to do have with this?"

"He was here about fifteen minutes ago looking for you. They found Bianca's car wrapped around a damn tree JR. It's totaled and your booze is in the front cup holder."

"Oh boy, " groaned Tad.

"She deserved a lot more than a busted car for taking Marissa and my son away from me."

"And this is how your planning to get him back?" said Tad in disbelief. "It will be a miracle if Bianca doesn't press charges, a miracle you probably don't deserve."

Colby glared the two men into silence. "Tad right. Channeling Dad's douche-bag qualities won't help you here, JR," Colby snapped turning to the newcomer. "Sorry about all this. Thank you so much for helping bring my brother home. Can I put you in a cab or something?"

"I'll pass." Dixie shook her head.

"I insist."

"Colby honey if things are as bad as you and Tad are saying than I really think I should stick around here and see what I can fix. Most of this is my fault anyway."

"That's not true Dix, you know it's not true."

JR watched gleefully as Colby's jaw fell. "Did I mention she claims to be my mother?"

"She is your mother!" Tad corrected sternly. "And even if you don't believe that, treat Dixie with a scrap of human decency."

"He'll do you one better," Colby remarked, "Dixie why don't you, you know stay in the guest wing? We have everything you need and anyway the house seems kind of empty with Dad gone."

"No!" Tad and JR cried in unison.

Dixie spun on her heel to face them. "And why not?" she asked. "I happen to think it's a great idea. After all the time I missed with you JR…which let's face it hasn't done you a bit of good. Now that I'm here there's got to be something I can do."

"Yeah Mom there is something you can do Go be with Kathy. Go play tea party and dress up with the kid who wants you around!"

"Honey," Tad said taking Dixie's hand in his own. "For all the nonsense JR's been talking I think he may have the right idea this time. Kathy, really wants to get to know you, and I think it's really important that you make the time to bond with her."

"I want her too, I do. And it's not like I won't ever see her again Tad, I would never up and leave her again. We'll finish that Frisbee game and team up on you, try to get you to put something resembling a vegetable in your mouth."

"Too late Kathy already sided with me on that one."

"Well then I have my work cut out for me," Dixie laughed rolling her eyes "Go home to her Tad. Go home and tell her I love her and I'll be back tonight to tuck her into bed."

AMC~AMC~AMC~

"Well hey there! Back so soon?" asked Opal putting the basket of laundry she had been folding on the floor. "Where are Tad and Dixie? "

"Unexpected development," replied Krystal with a look that said the conversation would go no further while there were kids present.

"Well I for one was not expecting the company of a hunk of pumpkin like your grandson although I'm certainly not complaining."

"Mommy do you think you can fix our kite," asked Jenny. "The wind is blowing again."

"This particular kite took a good tumble in the trees," Krystal informed her. "But there are plenty of your other toys to play with. Go on outside."

"What in the world happened?" hissed Opal. "And let me tell you it better be good if Tad's willing to risk immigration deporting his wife because of it. This is going to look mighty fishy if that agent decides to sniff around."

"I'll tell you want happened, JR happened. And the only breeze in that park today was the steam coming out of his ears!"

"Oh my Lord!" Opal groaned. "Not exactly the way a mama wants to reunite with her son is it?"

Krystal shook her head. "And speaking of mamas I think I'm going to call Marissa so she and Bianca know AJ is safe."

"All right, you do that," Opal nodded. "That's a good idea."

AMC~AMC~AMC

"You kids come on inside and we'll get something into your stomachs…."

"My time's running out, okay because no one can know I was here. But I love you okay? I love you and I'll see you soon."

"I love you too."

"Sweetie pie," Opal called coming down the back steps. "Who in the world are you talking to?"