Hello everyone! Really enjoying the reviews. To Megan, the notion that my story makes you think of original Dallas put me over the moon. That's quite a compliment and I'm humbled, thank you very much.
Three hard knocks on the front door of Elena's cottage startle her. She's hardly presentable this early in the morning. She puts her mug of tea down, tightens the robe around herself and smooths her hair as she passes the mirror above the coat rack by the front door. Three more knocks.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she calls out. She pulls the curtain back on the small window in the door and quickly lets it fall closed again.
"Now don't be shy, honey. It's just me," JR says behind the closed door. It opens slowly seconds later.
"JR," Elena says, looking uncertain. "What's the matter? Is John Ross alright?"
"Oh I suppose he is. You haven't heard from him this mornin', I take it?"
"No. I haven't talked to him since you threw me out of his condo last night."
JR smiles. "I'm sorry about that honey. Just bad timing I guess. Listen, I'd like to invite you to our family dinner tonight since it seems John Ross hasn't asked you yet. How about that?" JR chuckles. "Six o'clock sharp in the dining room. Cocktails at 5:30 in the den, if you like. And uh, dress for the occasion, would you? Leave your stable clothes in the closet, okay?"
Elana smirks. "Believe it or not, I know how to dress for Sunday dinner. See you at 6," she says and closes the door in his face.
JR tips his hat to the closed door and walks back to the main house. He looks up at the bright blue cloudless sky and sighs contently. It's a beautiful day for an eviction.
"Hey babe," John Ross says into his cell phone, stifling a yawn.
"John Ross, what's going on? JR just came over here and invited me to dinner at Southfork tonight. He called it 'our family dinner'. What's he up to?"
John Ross laughs. "Nothin'. He's just an old man stuck in the past, is all. A hundred years ago, our whole family would sit down to dinner every night at 6 o'clock and they'd yap about their days and the business."
"And my Aunt Teresa would prepare a meal for all those people every night?" Elena asks.
"Yeah. I guess. We had more help than they do now, not just one maid, uh, oh - "
"That's okay, don't worry. I'm not ashamed of what my mother does for a living. She works hard and I'm proud of her. It's not an easy job, you know. Your family can be…"
"Assholes? No, you don't say?"
"Demanding is what I was thinking. Anyway, I'm surprised he invited me. After all, I'm just the help's daughter, right?"
"Of course not. You're my girl, Elena. Who cares what JR thinks? I sure don't."
"Then why didn't you invite me?"
"Aw come on, babe. Why would you want to go to this stupid dinner? Everyone's just gonna pretend they're happy to be there. JR's even got my Mama coming. This is just gonna be another deal where the Ewings fake getting along."
"You know you should make more of an effort with your family," Elena says. "Bobby and Ann have always been nice to me. You're lucky you know, to have so many people who love you, especially Sue Ellen, John Ross. It's obvious how much she adores you. Speaking of her, what time are you leaving for Fort Worth?"
"I'm not."
"What do you mean? You're not going to her rally?"
"Nope."
"John Ross! She was counting on you to be there. You should go support her."
"Hey JR shot out my tire last night, remember? Right after he told you to leave."
"But what's that got to do with your Mother? That wasn't her fault. I really think you should go, John Ross. If you need a ride, I'll take you."
"I already told my Mom I couldn't make it because JR flattened my tire so - "
"You're playing them against each other. Why?"
"No I'm not. It's what happened, isn't it? And even if I were, big deal? My whole childhood was one big chess game between them with me as the pawn. So who cares if I give them a little payback now and then?"
Elena stays quiet.
"Ah you wouldn't understand anyway," John Ross says.
"Maybe not, John Ross. But I do understand that you're an adult now and it's time to stop keeping score. No one's getting any younger. One day you're going to regret playing these games and it might be too late to do anything about it. I'll see you tonight at 6."
Aubrey arrives at Sue Ellen's campaign office feeling excited, almost - dare she say - giddy. And Aubrey is about as far from giddy as someone can get. Earlier this morning she read all the coverage of Sue Ellen's DUI stop and her subsequent response which was so obviously Mark talking. She can't wait to get a look at Sue Ellen today. Surely she's going to be a nervous wreck for the rally in the wake of this bad press, perhaps even a weepy mess. One can only hope. In any case, Aubrey's made her father proud and that's not easy to do. So it's a good day indeed.
She looks at herself in the mirrored walls of the elevator and wipes the smile off her face, replacing it with a look of concern. By the time the doors open and she steps into the campaign office, she looks every bit the sympathetic staffer ready for marching orders. She rounds the corner of her cubicle and looks across at Mark's office. His blinds are up and she sees him on the phone. She has to stifle a laugh. He must be near the edge over this fiasco. She's never met such a nervous little man in her whole life. He's so over his head here. Idiot.
Aubrey pulls her desk chair back and suddenly stops. The small green Post-It note she leaves sticky side up on her chair every night is gone. Someone has sat in her chair. Why? Still standing, she slowly scans her desk left to right. Nothing looks out of place. She moves her mouse and her computer monitor displays her log-on screen asking for her password, just as she'd left it on Friday. She quickly tries all her desk drawers. Still locked. What is she missing here? She picks up her desk phone receiver and pushes the redial button. Her nail salon voice mail answers. Out of ideas, she sits down and logs on to the office server. Over the top of her monitor, she sees Mark ending his call.
"So," Aubrey says in Mark's doorway, "busy night? You must be exhausted."
"Morning, Aubrey," Mark says with a big smile. "No, I'm good. Really good, actually. Sue Ellen and I were able to get out in front of that ridiculous story this morning. And it's pretty much died out, I'd say. Wouldn't you?"
"Well it's still all over the web. And on people's minds. I don't know how you gauge something so damaging as 'died out' so soon after it happened. But I guess you're the expert, right?"
"Actually, no. You're the social media coordinator for this campaign, so I'd say that makes you the expert. But we didn't hear a word from you so I stepped up. Where were you on this?"
"Where was I? I was in my bed sleeping at 3 o'clock in the morning like every other normal person whose job isn't their whole fucking life." Aubrey walks into Mark's office, slides his phone over and sits on the side of his desk. The phone receive falls off its cradle and dangles off the edge by the cord. She crosses her long legs covered in black nylons with a faint fishnet pattern and her tight gray skirt rises halfway up her thighs. "I woke up at 7, checked my Google alerts and saw your email telling me to butt out, so I did. You're the boss, right? I did what you told me to do. So why are you fucking with me right now?". Aubrey's red lips curl into a smile. She looks for Mark to wipe his sweaty palms on his pants any moment now. This is so much fun.
Mark stands up. "Get off my desk," he says. "And don't use foul language with me. You get one pass and you just used it. Do it again and I'll take it further. Got it?". Now Mark smiles.
Aubrey stands up, looking shocked, then puzzled. "Did you take a self esteem class or something?" she says and pushes her hair behind her ear, a nervous habit Mark's only seen a few times. Aubrey turns to walk away but stops, looking down near Mark's chair. She bends down and picks up a small green Post-It note. "Drop this?" she asks, staring straight into Mark's eyes. He shrugs. She crumples the note tightly and drops it into his trash can on her way out of his office.
Sue Ellen's campaign bus glistens in the sun as she drives into her office building parking lot. She stops her car and takes in the sight. That's her name on the side of that bus. It's taken a good long while but she finally knows exactly what that name stands for and she wants the voters to know, too. This is going to be a great rally. She feels unstoppable.
She recognizes quite a few cars already in the lot. She's grateful to have such a dedicated staff supporting her. Unknowingly she touches John Ross's pendant as she walks to the building. Just as she reaches the first floor door, Aubrey opens it for her.
"Good morning, Sue Ellen. I'm so sorry about the press. Mark told me he'd handle it and not to contact you. I felt so helpless. Are you alright?" she asks and takes Sue Ellen's arm.
"Oh thank you, honey. Yes, I'm okay. I'll admit, I was surprised by that officer and downright angry to see those pictures all over the internet but this is politics, isn't it? People are going to come after me whenever and however they can," Sue Ellen says. "We better get used to it."
Aubrey gasps. "Is that what you think this was? Someone coming after you? Who would do that? Well that just scares me to death, the thought of somebody wanting you harm."
Sue Ellen opens her mouth, then closes it and smiles. She shakes her head and says, "Don't you worry, darlin'. I'm not that easily shaken. In fact, I'm not letting go of this incident so easily. I think we just might have some answers soon." She and Aubrey walk into the office arm-in-arm. Aubrey waves at Mark as they pass his office.
Ruby gives Paul Two the keys to her classic 1961 Bombay blue Cadillac DeVille. Just as he takes them from her, she squeezes his hand hard. His fingers hurt much more than they should in the grip of an old lady.
"You get there good and early and you watch that front row. When all the seats fill up you walk by real slow and play like you're lookin' for someone. You get a good look at every face in that front row at Sue Ellen's rally, you hear?"
"Yes ma'am," he says. "Just like I heard the first time you told me."
"You hold that tongue of yours or I'll cut it right out your mouth," Ruby says.
Paul Two laughs out loud. "Miss Ruby, we both know you ain't gonna do that. You would miss my singing too much."
Ruby turns away but Paul can see her smile in the kitchen window's reflection. Early morning sunlight streams into the room as he finishes mixing the Bloody Mary and hands her the tall, chilled glass with a frown. She takes it with both hands and ignores his expression.
"More Tabasco, dammit," she says after one sip and shoves the glass back at him.
"What you trying to do, Miss Ruby? Breathe fire?"
"What I am trying to do is enjoy my morning juice despite your best efforts to ruin it for me. It's a good thing you are moderately useful in other ways else you'da been back on a banana boat in Gee-may-cah a long time ago," Ruby says and looks out the window at Sue Ellen's house.
Paul shakes the little Tabasco bottle into the Bloody Mary faster and faster as Ruby talks.
"Now straight to Fort Worth and straight back, boy. You hear? And treat my blue bird real careful. She gets but a scratch on her in your care and you're gonna pay dearly. I'd ruther you come back all scratched up then her. Understand?"
Paul cocks his head at Ruby, a mixture of amusement and bewilderment on his face.
"Tell me this," he says and slides the spicy Bloody Mary to her over the counter. "If you think I'm so careless, why send me all the way over there in your special Cadillac car? Let me take the truck and give us both some piece of mind," Paul says and shakes his head. He throws the dish sponge into the stainless steel sink and water drops spatter the window above it.
Ruby rolls her eyes. "You see there? You see how you are? Chrissakes. Believe me I wouldn't let you drive around this block in my blue bird if it was up to me but it ain't." Ruby throws her hands in the air.
"Well then, who is it up to?" Paul asks and rips a paper towel off the roll to clean the window.
Ruby looks at him in total disbelief. "The Lord, you dumb ass. Who else would you possibly think I'd take orders from?"
Paul stops wiping the glass and snaps his head back to Ruby. Her blue eyes gleam, her long white hair pulled high atop her head in elaborate twists and curls seems bright as fresh snow. He squints and his mouth falls open but nothing comes out.
Ruby continues, "I got nudged, that's all there is to it. Now you got to draw someone out the crowd and my blue bird's gonna help you do it. That's all I know. Don't need to know nothing else, neither. You best follow my example and stop askin' questions. Just do what you're told, boy. And get a damn good look at them people in the front row!" Ruby yells as she walks to the parlor, Bloody Mary in one hand, bible in the other.
Aubrey doesn't leave Sue Ellen's side for the entire ride to Fort Worth aboard the campaign bus, talking incessantly and laughing too often. Her green cat eyes dart back and forth from Sue Ellen to Mark, making sure he sees her victory. When Sue Ellen walks toward the back to use the restroom, Mark pounces.
"Aren't you gonna follow her in there?" he asks Aubrey.
"What kind of a sick crack is that?"
"Don't play dumb. I see what you're doing. And frankly, you have good reason to be worried," Mark says, rolling the dice.
Her smirk relaxes slightly and her eyes narrow.
"I don't know what your problem is with me, Mark, but you better back off before I complain to Sue Ellen," she says and smiles. "You don't want me to do that, trust me."
"No, you've got that backwards. You don't want me complaining to Sue Ellen," Mark says and winks. He's not even a winker and he doesn't know who this is speaking through his mouth right now but they sure sound great. He leans his elbow on the headrest of Aubrey's seat and bends down to her, "You know exactly what my problem is with you, Aubrey, or whatever your name is."
Aubrey pauses for a minute, then counters. "Whatever you think you're on to, you're wrong. And whatever clout you think you have with Sue Ellen, mine trumps it by a long shot in a way you can't touch no matter how hard you try, and you sure do try don't you?"
She stands up from her seat and comes within inches of Mark's face. She whispers, "You see, I'm an abused woman, Mark, just like Sue Ellen. That's a very exclusive club; men not allowed. And in your case, I use that term loosely." She speaks normally now, "So, save yourself the trouble and stop snooping around my desk," she says and winks back.
The restroom door opens. Aubrey and Mark both look at Sue Ellen and smile.
She walks down the aisle to them. "This is going to be a special rally, I just feel it. I really do. And I want to say thank you again, to both of you, for helping me get here, to this point in the campaign," she says and looks at Mark. Sue Ellen puts an arm around each of them and squeezes tight. Aubrey pats Sue Ellen's hand. Mark smiles but Aubrey's voice replays in his head, 'stop snooping around my desk'.
A large crowd of news reporters in the parking lot as the bus pulls in turns his attention away from his panic.
"Whoa, I expected some local affiliates but what's all this?" Mark says. "It can't be for the DUI story all the way out here – "
"I thought you said that's already died out, Mark," Aubrey says.
Mark wants to stuff the bottle of water he's holding into her mouth.
Aubrey shakes her head. "I was afraid of this. You really should have let me help, Mark. This is a terrible way to start the rally, in the shadow of a DUI scandal," she says and touches Sue Ellen's shoulder.
Sue Ellen holds up her hand but Mark continues. "Scandal? Sue Ellen wasn't drunk. There's no cover up. That's hardly a scandal. It was a random stop and we responded in kind. So what's the problem?" Mark says.
Aubrey raises her voice, "The 50 microphones out there with no prepared statement in here is the problem! What are you gonna do, just read off the press release they've already seen?"
"What is going on with the two of you?" Sue Ellen says as the bus comes to a stop. "We're on the same team, remember? Now look out this window. That's a gold mine of publicity and I couldn't be happier to see it. Have you both so little faith in my ability to think on my feet that the sight of a few reporters has you shaking in your boots? Well, my boots are steady and ready to ride. So collect yourselves and let's take advantage of this."
Aubrey and Mark are speechless. They both look down at Sue Ellen's silver star-tipped red and black boots.
"Mark, what channel was the one that responded to the media call?" Sue Ellen asks.
"Channel 8, Fort Worth local," Mark says and looks out window. "There. I see their van. They're here."
"Go out there right now and invite them into the bus. Everyone else can have at me after the rally but not one question before. Tell them if they stick around, it's open season after. I'll take any question."
Mark and Aubrey talk over each other's advice against this.
"Stop!" Sue Ellen shouts. "Whose name is on this bus?"
"Yours," Mark says.
"It's a rhetorical question, Mark, god," Aubrey says and shakes her head.
Sue Ellen shoots Aubrey a steely look. "That's right, my name. Not yours. Now I told you how I want this handled, so handle it Mark."
"Yes ma'am," Mark says and looks down, feeling like his old and unwelcome self again.
Aubrey smiles triumphant and puts an arm around Sue Ellen.
"And Aubrey?" Sue Ellen says.
"What can I do to help, Sue Ellen?"
"You could have monitored social media the entire drive over here instead of chatting me up six ways to Sunday. Have you even checked our Facebook or Twitter in the last few hours?"
Aubrey drops her arm from Sue Ellen's shoulders and swallows hard. "I, um, I'm just excited about the rally, that's all. I'm sorry if I annoyed you," she says and makes her chin quiver. It shakes so unnaturally Mark wants to laugh out loud at the feigned emotion. All is not lost, thankfully.
Aubrey grabs her tablet from the seat. She tucks her hair behind one ear. There it is. She's thrown off and trying to recover.
Mark strikes. "Yes please check before I go out there, Aubrey. Is there anything I should know?" He bites his lower lip so hard to keep from laughing that he tastes blood.
She ignores him and looks intently at the tablet, searching Facebook and Twitter posts. Her eyes stop and widen.
"Well?" Sue Ellen says.
"Yes. Okay. It might be nothing to get anxious about but - "
"What?" Mark interrupts.
"Well there is a tweet from the Fort Worth chapter of MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, wanting a response from Dallas PD on the results of your field sobriety test, and….Dallas PD said that there is no record of the stop," Aubrey says and looks authentically shocked.
"Oh fan-tas-tic," Mark says. "What time was the MADD tweet sent?"
Aubrey looks pained. "Almost four hours ago."
"And silence from us," Mark says. "Really, Aubrey? Really? Unbelievable. So that's why they're all here. They want a statement." Mark's heart is pounding in his ears.
Sue Ellen crosses her arms and looks out the window at the growing media crowd whose camera people are now training their lenses on the bus. Aubrey touches Sue Ellen's forearm, "I'm sorry Sue Ellen. I want so much to do a good job for you and I screwed up on this. I'm so sorry," she says.
Sue Ellen stares at her for a moment. "Listen to me, both of you. I'm no delicate flower that needs constant tending," she says and removes Aubrey's hand from her arm. "I might look like a Texas rose but I've got thorns. So approach with caution. Now get Channel 8 on this bus, Mark," she says, smooths her hair and sits down with a relaxed smile.