Wild Is The Wind, Part 37
Even though it was the weekend, the manager in charge of the small, local bank in Braddock proudly led one of his best clients down a back hall to a private conference room.
"Here we are, Mr. Ewing," the formal, well-dressed man announced as he opened the door, letting J.R. pass by him. "Everything is just as you asked. And if there is anything else you need, sir, please let me know. I'll be in my office."
"Thank you, Robert," J.R. said with a nod, appreciating once again that he used the bank for his personal business due to their flexibility and personal attention. "That'll be all for now."
Watching as the door closed behind the man, J.R. then turned and was greeted by the expectant grin of his secretary, Sly.
"J.R., it's so good to see you up and around!" The pretty, young blonde said as she approached her boss to give him a hug.
"Aw, thank you, Sly!" J.R. happily chuckled as he returned her platonic embrace then drew back to look down at her. "It's good to see you, too. Thanks for meetin' me out here on your day off and with such short notice."
"That's no problem at all. It was good to get your call." She paused for a moment to observe her boss then smiled again. Instead of the pale, injured man she expected, he had a healthy color and looked very well rested. Plus there was more, something about the bright, fired up look in his eyes. All were things she hadn't noticed about him in a long time and it was good to see. "You look so much better than I expected. I thought you'd be pretty roughed up after what you went through. Instead, here you are, looking rested … relaxed … so full of life!"
"Well, I gotta tell ya," he replied with another laugh at her enthusiasm while being pleased by her comment. "The tornado be damned, this past week has been good to me."
"That wouldn't have anything to do with you being out with Sue Ellen last night, would it?" Sly said with a knowing smile.
Surprised, J.R. looked over at her. "Well, it surely would. How'd you know about that?"
"It's in this morning's paper." Sly handed him a copy of the paper folded to the section she wanted him to see.
"Marilee and that big mouth of hers must be workin' overtime," he muttered to himself as he took the paper from her and looked it over. After he read the brief blurb in the society section, J.R. looked back at Sly then began to laugh. "And bless her little black heart because of it."
Sly closely studied him. "You're not upset by that?"
"Hell no!" He grinned "That's the way I planned it, why I took Sue Ellen to the Oil Barons Club in the first place. Marilee just took it a whole lot farther than I ever expected with her blabbin' to the paper." Seeing the confusion on his secretary's face, J.R. explained further. "You see, Sly … now it's more than just the Oil Barons Club that knows I'm with Sue Ellen again … it's all of Dallas. And that's good 'cause I'm gonna be back in business soon, I'm gonna be partnered up with Sue Ellen, and the whole town better get ready 'cause we're gonna make them all sit up and take notice."
"The two of you in business together … that sounds great!" She enthusiastically replied. "But that must also mean the rumors about you leaving Ewing Oil are true, too?"
"Yes, it's true. But it's nothin' for you to worry your pretty head about 'cause when I'm out on my own again, buildin' up a new company with the Ewing Oil assets, I won't be able to do it without my best secretary at my side now will I?"
"No, you won't." She beamed. "Thank you, J.R.!"
"So, for right now, you just cool your heels at Ewing Oil. I'll work that all out with Bobby. 'Cause I gotta whole lot of things to set in motion before we get goin' again. But before I do, I'm also gonna be takin' some time off for a little bit."
"Some time off?" She unintentionally interrupted him, surprised by what he said.
"Yeah, I know," J.R. grinned. "Vacationin' isn't one of the things I do best. Hell, I can't even remember the last time I had more than two days off in a row … well, besides that fiasco in Haleyville. But right now, there is nothin' more I want than to just spend some time with my wife and son, gettin' to know them again."
"That sounds wonderful, J.R.," Sly replied, genuinely happy for her boss and finally understanding his transformation. "It really does."
"In the mean time," he continued with his instructions, "I need you to work on gettin' all my files in order and field my calls for me. I'll be stayin' with Sue Ellen so you can contact me there. Plus I need you to get in touch with Bob Johnson. I want him to get me a rundown on Stonehurst Oil … you know, the usual information he supplies me with. I wanna know just where Marilee's strengths and weaknesses are."
"Yes, sir," Sly said as she wrote down what he said on the notepad she had brought with her.
"And Sly," J.R. said as he slyly looked over at his secretary with a playful, devious expression. "While I'm outta the office, how 'bout keepin' an eye and ear on my baby brother and that idiot Barnes? If anything interestin' comes up, be sure and let me know, will ya?"
"Of course," Sly nodded with another perceptive smile.
"Now then …" J.R. said, looking around the room then over at the box on the long table at their side. "You got my safety deposit box ready?"
"Yes, sir," she replied, turning to it. "I unlocked it just before you got here."
"Puttin' you on my list for this box was one of the best things I ever did," J.R. said as he walked over to the box and opened it. "You're not only a great caretaker, it sure saves me a lotta time." They both approached the box then J.R. opened it and looked inside. "The envelope I'm lookin' for … it's white and has Sue Ellen's name written out 'cross the front of it. You know the one I'm talkin' about?"
"Yes," Sly replied as she fingered through the contents of the box, already having everything neatly in place in her usual way. "If I remember right, it's in the back, towards the bottom."
Just as she said, tucked away at the back of the box among J.R.'s personal papers and deeds was a small, misshapen envelope with the words "Sue Ellen" written out across the front in his handwriting. Sly picked it up and handed it to him.
J.R. took the envelope and studied it carefully. The intention had always been that if something happened to him and the box was opened, Sue Ellen would receive the envelope and it's contents. At the time he put it in the box, it seemed the best thing to do. Now, as he stood staring down at the envelope, he realized just how wrong that decision had been. The contents should have never been hidden away in his safety deposit box. There was somewhere more important it belonged.
With no more hesitation, he carelessly tore off the end of the envelope then slowed his motions to tip the opened end into his hand, letting the contents slip onto his palm. A simple gold band was suddenly there, glistening up at him from the fluorescent light of the room. Then he smiled, realizing he was once again holding the wedding ring Sue Ellen had placed on his finger so many years ago during their first wedding ceremony.
Handing the torn envelope to Sly to discard, J.R. turned his attention back to the ring and held it up for closer inspection as he considered what he was about to do and the reason why he was doing it. The gold band, hidden away in a bank vault, represented more of the terrible lies he had told Sue Ellen over the years. But at least it was one of those lies he could correct.
He had thought of so many excuses why he stopped wearing the ring. Excuses so easy to find when he really wanted to. Some he couldn't even remember. He had probably even said he had lost the ring. But then again, Sue Ellen had never asked why he stopped wearing it even though he knew she had noticed.
J.R. remembered exactly when he had taken the ring off. He had stopped wearing it just before John Ross was born. With the baby's parentage in question and Sue Ellen so distant, the ring had felt like the heavy, unbearable symbol of all that chained him to the things his father and mother wanted, not what he wanted.
What he had wanted at that time was to be the carefree playboy he had been in college ... going where he wanted, when he wanted, and seeing any woman he damn well pleased. Although he could easily cheat on Sue Ellen whether he was wearing the ring or not, not wearing it seemed symbolic of not being married … just as he wanted … and taking it off helped sever the ties to a wife he thought he didn't love and a baby he would grudgingly have to pretend was his.
Neither belief could have been farther from the truth, he sadly thought.
With all honesty, J.R. knew that Sue Ellen hadn't been the problem back then but he had never bothered to consider her feelings. He had made her a Ewing by marrying her, given her the life, status, and money that went with it. In return, he had expected her to accept anything he did. And she had tried. Tried so hard it had it had given her even more reason to withdraw from him, making her turn to a bottle of alcohol and other men.
That was just as he had hoped for, just as he had planned. Only now, after everything they had been through the past week, after nearly losing her and nearly being killed himself, the way he had mistreated her throughout their marriage once again stung like hell.
Concerned by her boss' sudden silence and the distance she could see in his expression, Sly gently reached out to put her hand on J.R.'s shoulder.
"J.R.," she softly called out. "Are you all right?"
Jolted back to the present, J.R. released the breath he had been unknowingly holding and attempted to grin over at his secretary.
"Yeah … yeah … I'm fine," he replied, trying to gloss over his mood change. "It's just everything I've been through this week with the tornado and all ... guess it's made me a little reflective."
"That's understandable," Sly sympathetically agreed. "I'm still amazed at you being back on your feet and looking so good after such a short time."
"Yeah," J.R. nodded as he fingered the ring in his hand. "Nothin' like bein' with a good woman to get me whipped back into shape."
Sly was intrigued by what her boss said. There was no doubt he was talking about Sue Ellen. Of all the woman she had seen him with over the years, there was only one who truly made an impression on him, over and over again, and that was his ex-wife. But what Sly hadn't realized until that moment was just how deeply J.R.'s feelings were for her in return.
"This ring, Sly," J.R. said, holding up the gold band. "It's the first one Sue Ellen gave me. I've decided to start wearin' it again."
"I, uh … noticed ... the two of you had words before the wedding was supposed to start … before the tornado," she said, struggling for the right words.
"Yes, we did," J.R. agreed. "The weddin' …" He stopped and sighed. "God, that feels like years ago and it was only last week. Little did I know that day I was gonna end up with the woman I was meant to be with all along."
Sly smiled once more at her boss, both genuinely pleased for J.R. and that he had obviously realized how mismatched he was with Cally. She had never had any problems with Cally personally. The girl was actually very sweet. But Sly had overheard so many derogatory comments about J.R. and his "hillbilly bride" in the copy room and break room, it would be a relief he was back with Sue Ellen, a woman who was so much better suited to him in so many ways.
"You sound happy, J.R.," Sly warmly said.
J.R. looked over at his secretary for a moment then nodded and smiled in return. "I truly am, Sly … I truly am."
He looked once more at the ring in his hand then picked it up to slip it onto his ring finger. Flexing his hand, opening and closing his fingers, allowing the gold band to settle comfortably into place, J.R. then curled his hand into a fist and looked down at the ring once more. Seeing it on his finger again gave him an odd feeling of strength. It would now be a reminder he would always have with him even as it regained the symbolism of what it was originally meant to be … proof of his commitment to the woman who gave it to him so many years ago. The woman he was now bound to like no other.
"And now," J.R. added, slamming the lid on the safety deposit box closed as if he was slamming the door on the terrible past actions he now wanted to make right. "It's time I was gettin' myself out to Southfork to meet my wife and son for the day we've got planned."
"That sounds nice." Sly agreed. "And J.R. … about the ring," she carefully added. "I have a feeling once Sue Ellen sees it on you, it's going to make quite an impression."
"I hope so, Sly," J.R. said with a sigh. "I need all the help I can get. I gotta a lot to make up to that woman." He paused and became reflective again. "You know better than anybody. It's been a while since I'd did the right thing versus the most expedient thing." He flexed his left hand again, reminding him of the ring once again on his finger. "But this time around, I have every intention of keepin' this commitment."
"You go, then … go and meet your family," Sly grinned. "I'll finish up everything here."
"I'd be lost without you, you know that?" J.R. said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "So, don't you be goin' nowhere and leavin' me, you hear?"
"No, sir … I won't." She grinned.
"I'll catch up with you early next week. And call if you need anything in the mean time."
"I will. Enjoy!"
"See you soon!" J.R. went to the door then stopped, pausing for a moment before he turned back to his secretary. "And Sly … if you talk to your Uncle Harry, do me a favor and tell him I'd like to buy him a beer sometime … if he's up for it."
Sly knew the two men had had a falling out but she had never asked either for explanations. The business they did together had always been too secretive for her to pry into. But she did know it had bothered her uncle, whatever it was, and would gladly give him the new message from J.R.
"I'll be happy to, J.R. Anything else?"
"Nope, that's it," he said with one last grin and a wink. "Thanks again."
With that, he was gone. Sly slowly shook her head and smiled, marveling at her boss once more. He had always been one of the most confident people she had ever dealt with … maybe even a little overconfident at times. But now, there seemed to be a renewed purpose about him … a better sense of what he wanted and whom he wanted to be with. Could he have really changed that much in the space of a week? She shrugged her shoulders. How could nearly getting killed not change a person? And with that person being her boss, she hoped it would only bring better things for both him and her.