After dinner JR and Sue Ellen decided to take their nightcaps outside on the balcony of JR's bedroom. They had both changed into their pjyamas and were sitting, cuddled in on a lounger. They'd been out there for about an hour, not talking just enjoying being together. JR thought he'd finally ask more about Sue Ellen's relationship wih Billy.
"Sue Ellen?" JR nudged her as he wasn't sure if she was sleeping or not.
"Yeah JR, what's up?" Sue Ellen hadn't been sleeping at all. She was just comfortable where she was. JR made her feel safe and at peace.
"Can I ask about Billy? Like what he was like and..." Sue Ellen sat up a little. She wasn't sure why JR wanted to know about Billy but she trusted him enough to let him know all he wanted to know.
"He was lovely in the beginning..." Sue Ellen started. She was now having to remember all the horrid times past that she'd throwen to the back of her mind "But I felt that was just an act to fool my mama into allowing him date me. You see he used to be very charming and so kind and mother practically forced me to marry him because he was so nice to me. He bought me expensive gifts and took me out a lot..."
JR chuckled, "A regular charmer then, huh Sue Ellen"
"He was, and then after I married him things changed and I still don't know why"
"What happened? What did he do?" JR took hold of Sue Ellen's hand in order to comfort her a little. He was aware he'd brought up a touchy subject.
"It started with little things like being really picky about my apperance then it progressed to telling me not to talk to, smile or look at other men when we were out together. I remember he used to squeeze my hand really tightly, as if to remind me. I used to wear gloves all the time and never take them off around people"
"For bruises?" JR asked. Sue Ellen nodded back at him and he asked "Why didn't your mama do something?"
"She thought I was over reacting, but she realised that I wasn't the day he slapped me and she had walked in" Sue Ellen held JR's hand a little tighter.
"Why what happened there?"
"She was coming around for dinner one day, so I was making dinner and I had asked Billy to go set the table because I was busy, obviously, but he told me that was my job and gave me the one of the hardest hits I've ever had. Lucky for me my mama walked in the kitcken door just in time. She shouted at him and told him to get out. So he did and left in the car. I was in tears and couldn't breathe, do you know that way?"
"Yeah I know that way, you just feel really suffocated and shocked" JR could remember when he was a child ad he'd get that way.
"My mama told me to still stay with him however, because at this point I was preganat with Kyle and of course she didn't want a child born into a seperated family sircumstance."
"Oh, I see. My mama would have probaly said the same thing to be honest" JR knew his mother was old fashioned but after he'd said that he thought about it a little. "But Sue Ellen" he started up again "wouldn't your mama have seen that he hurt you and told you to leave him? 'Cause now that I think about it my mama wouldn't tell Lucy, for example, to stay with Mitch if she'd seen him hit her?"
"My mama's different JR. I don't think she wanted to believe it but like I said she just didn't want a child brought in his world to an unhappy marriage" Sue Ellen lowered her head as all the tears finally made an appearance. JR was slightly shocked when she started crying he thought she was a little stringer minded than that. He held her close to him and patted her back. He could hear her sobbing very softly.
"JR I'm sorry for crying like this but..." Sue Ellen sobbed, shaking her head. JR lifted her head up from his chest.
"Sue Ellen look at me" Sue Ellen kept her head low. She didn't want to look at JR after the fool she'd made of herself fro crying over a man she doesn't even love. "Ah Sue Ellen please look at me darlin'" JR cupped her chin and she turned her head towards him. "There's my beauty, now I get that you're all upset Sue Ellen, I understand. I don't want you to feel foolish for being upset" Sue Ellen opened her mouth as if to get words out but JR, softly pressed his index finger against her mouth "Let me speak please, now I know how you feel but only to a certain extent obviously. I can see how sad this conversation is making you feel so lets never talk abut Billy again, okay?"
Sue Ellen smiled, "Alright that's easily done"
"Good, I don't want him to be a chip in our relationship. I don't want his memory to cloud your judgement about what a real mans love is Sue Ellen, if that makes any sense at all"
Sue Elle giggled "I get it a little, but you've shown me, in only a short time, how much I'm worth to somebody and I'm happy you've took on Kyle the way you have. It makes me so happy JR. That even your family have taken so well to him."
"I feel the same about how happy you've made John Ross. He loves you so much Sue Ellen, a bit like his daddy does"
"Oh JR" Sue Ellen laughed and hit him on the arm, playfully.
"Ahh Sue Ellen" JR laughed with her. Sue Ellen threw her arms around him and they fell backwards on the lounger. After a few sweet kisses JR spoke again "Sue Ellen don't you think it's time we went to bed my love"
Sue Ellen yawned "Yeah maybe it is" JR picked Sue Ellen up in his arms and carried her towards the bed. She got herself underneath the sheets and JR got in the other side.
"JR" Sue Ellen started and turned around to face him "I want to thank you for at least asking me about Billy and not going and asking anyone else"
"Oh, Sue Ellen I wouldn't have asked anyone else you should know that" JR put his arm around Sue Ellen waist and the two of them fell asleep almost straight away after the fun day they'd had with their sons.