On their way home the Ewings were thankful to hear that Patricia's visit was intended to be very short-lived. Kristin needed to be back in school, she explained. Accordingly, their return flight was booked for late afternoon the following day. "We can spend the morning with Sue-Ellen and Ella and then go direct to the airport" Patricia informed them. "Our next visit can be planned when we know when the little one is to be discharged home." JR gave a quiet sigh of relief. This would give him at least some time to try to sort things out with Sue-Ellen, he thought.

Jock and Miss Ellie held a convivial, celebratory dinner that evening. There was a certain appearance to be kept up. They occupied Patricia in gregarious conversation whilst Lucy attempted to engage Kristin. Lucy realised instinctively that something was up that needed to be kept back from Sue-Ellen's mother and sister. She may not care much for JR but she at least recognised that it was her responsibility to tow the Ewing line.

"You are quiet, JR" Patricia commented at the table. "Uh, well I just miss Sue-Ellen and Ella. I want them both home." JR's words were entirely true. He didn't want to be entertaining the dreadful Mrs. Shepard and her bratty daughter over dinner. He wanted to be with his wife and baby, loving them and looking after them both. "Aw, isn't that just adorable! I do declare that fatherhood has completely melted your heart!" Patricia replied. The depths of her insincerity had still not yet been fully plumbed, JR fumed.

The birth of baby Ella, coming as a surprise, prompted Jock to request the early return of Bobby from his travels. Jock needed him back in the office whilst JR supported Sue-Ellen after the somewhat traumatic birth, Bobby was told. The news that Sue-Ellen was now a mother had the effect of permitting Bobby finally to move on from his earlier feelings for her. Before the baby was born it somehow didn't feel real to imagine his older brother and his wife having a permanent future together. Now that the baby was here, though, he had to accept that there were a whole host of reasons not to think of his sister-in-law in the way that he had done before and, in particular, not hope, jealously, that her marriage to JR would not survive.

However, Miss Ellie remained suspicious of her youngest son's motives where Sue-Ellen was concerned. She recalled vividly the vehemence with which Lucy had been convinced that Bobby was in love with her. It had resonated with her own interpretation of certain incidents between the two of them and still made her feel uncomfortable. Miss Ellie decided that, where Bobby was concerned, the least that was said about the trouble that JR was in the better. She counselled her husband to keep quiet for the time being. "It's their business, Jock. Sue-Ellen is a proud young woman and we don't want to frighten her off from returning home by making her think that she has no privacy here." Jock nodded in assent. Miss Ellie knew Sue-Ellen much better than he did, he mused.

In the meantime, the preparations for Sue-Ellen's return home began. She was still refusing to see JR on her own despite him sending her an array of gifts, most notably a rope of the finest pearls with a diamond clasp and matching earrings. Sue-Ellen was simply concentrating on caring for baby Ella. She wanted her little girl to put on sufficient weight to be able to come home to her as quickly as possible. When JR did visit, usually in the company of Miss Ellie and Lucy, the atmosphere was polite but stilted. Sue-Ellen showed JR how to feed and change his baby daughter and she always permitted him to spend time holding and soothing her but, as far as she was concerned, things went no further than that. When she did come home tomorrow she was moving into the guest room. Nothing had changed between them as a couple. She was resolved and, finally, she was feeling much stronger.

On the morning of Sue-Ellen's discharge from hospital Jock asked JR to speak to him in private in the den. JR was nervous as he left the breakfast table to follow his father. He knew only too well what was coming. "I don't want to know what you have been up to, boy, but you sure as hell are taking too long to resolve things with your wife" Jock began. "Do you want Sue-Ellen to up and leave, taking your baby with her?" "There's no way that could happen, sir" JR responded. "Oh yes it could! Do you think I haven't already taken legal advice about the situation you, we, are in? Harv Smithfield's partner who specialises in matrimonial law reckons Sue-Ellen has an open and shut case for full custody of Ella!" the old man replied. JR was shocked but at the same time grateful that his father had had the good sense to take pre-emptive advice.

Jock's attitude softened a little when he saw his son's stunned reaction. "Look, son, there are ways for a man to get his wife to forgive him, even for a major transgression. Gifts perhaps?" "Sir, I have tried" JR replied "I sent some very expensive jewellery in for her the other day. She asked mama to tell me that she wouldn't accept it." "Well, what else could you get for her that she might not reject? Something more practical perhaps?" Jock was not the most romantic of souls. "I know, get rid of that station wagon that you have her drive. Buy her a nicer, fancier car, something more in keeping with her status as your wife and mother of your child." JR shrugged his shoulders. He would do as his father had suggested but he had little confidence that a new car would help to mend his marriage. Jock's parting words were cutting. "Sue-Ellen is young and beautiful. How long do you think it will be before she catches the eye of another wealthy man, someone who is quite prepared to take her and Ella right away from here?" The bluntness of his father's words made JR feel quite tearful. He knew all too well that he was on the precipice of personal disaster. He turned his thoughts away from his own conduct and focused his ire on someone else- Julie Grey.

tbc