Dallas, Texas

Standing to kiss Bobby goodbye as he walked back out onto the patio, Jenna could feel the change in atmosphere now that Sue Ellen had arrived and had taken a seat at the breakfast table with her. There was tension where none had been before and she knew why.

"I shouldn't be late."

His arms resting on her shoulders, her arms draped around his neck, they were halfway to normal behaviour; however, there was a distance between them, not physically but emotionally.

"Would it be ok if the girls rode over? Your daddy mentioned he'd be happy to take them."

With summer vacation just beginning Lucy and Charlie had all sorts of ideas, ideas that she wasn't keen to say no to as she knew how long the summer could be without a plan for the day.

"If they're with you or daddy, I don't think they should go alone."

"I'll make sure they're with someone."

Southworth Stables was set to open in just over two weeks and Bobby's days were busy, however having his family around didn't prove to be too much of a distraction; he could always use someone to give feedback on the trails or practice using the new facilities.

"That sounds good. I might see you then, but if not then tonight." Kissing her goodbye again, he looked at Sue Ellen and nodded, greeting her with a hello and goodbye, "Sue Ellen."

Receiving equal, if not a little friendlier acknowledgement from Sue Ellen, Bobby then let her go and headed off for the day.

"Is something going on between you two? Bobby seemed a little distant."

Waiting until his car started up and he was reversing out of his parking spot on the driveway, Sue Ellen didn't hold her question in much longer.

"Bobby's envious of what you and JR have and he's annoyed that I haven't changed my mind to please him."

Never one to stay quiet in the face of a direct question, she told the truth. Bobby had been a little cold for a reason, one she wasn't going to reverse her opinion on just because he was sulking.

"I gather you're referring to my condition?"

"Precisely. I don't even think it's personal towards you, it's just the condition itself. Bobby would love for that to be us."

Attempting to make Bobby sound a little less selfish and envious, she wasn't sure she did a very good job. Bobby of course loved that he was about to be an uncle again, so it wasn't that he didn't care for JR and Sue Ellen's baby, it was just that he'd decided uncle wasn't his preferred title, daddy was.

"I can't say I'm surprised, Bobby wanted children from the moment he married Pam and she felt much the same way you do."

"Great, so he has experience in changing his wives minds about such matters."

Well aware of how quickly Bobby and Pam had gone from husband and wife to expectant parents, she had very little desire to understand what conversation had taken place to facilitate that change. She'd once told Pam she didn't think she was ready for a baby and it turned out that she'd been onto something with that observation, unfortunately, by that point Pam was well into her second trimester, leaving no room for change, other than the one that had ultimately ended that situation for everyone involved.

Shaking her head, Sue Ellen revealed something she hadn't been aware of, "not quite, Pam's pregnancy was a complete surprise."

Hearing the news, her stomach lurched, for more than one reason.

"I've already had one of those; I don't wish to relive that experience."

She could empathise with the shock of a positive test when it was not planned or overly desired, but more than that, knowing that it had now happened to Bobby before didn't leave her overly optimistic that convincing him taking precautions to prevent expanding their family was the end of the conversation. Sue Ellen's information led her to believe Bobby likely had hope that she'd experience a repeat of their past and make him a father again anyway, despite her protestations.

"Bobby can't understand that?"

Empathising with her position, Sue Ellen expected that Bobby would feel the same way, however it wasn't that simple and she really ought to remember that.

"Did you understand when JR didn't share your enthusiasm for a second baby?"

Quiet as she thought about the past, Sue Ellen shrugged and answered, "eventually."

It was a little more complicated than that, they both knew it, but both JR and Sue Ellen had taken their time to work through their differences and come out the other side in agreement, something she and Bobby could do too if he weren't so pushy.

"Mm, well Bobby's a little more stubborn. He has a feel for fatherhood and thinks he has to have the full experience himself right now. I'm equally as stubborn, I don't want to continue to go over it, I've made up my mind and I'm not open to other opinions at the moment. Charlie is enough, I'm a mother to her, we give and receive the love we need from each other, Bobby is great with her too, but he wants more."

"If he eased off a little and listened to your feelings about the subject do you think that might move things along in your relationship?"

"I don't know. I'm not holding out on him to upset him or whatever it is he thinks I'm doing, I just don't think it's the right time, for me or for us. This isn't new, you know that, I told you a long time ago that I didn't want to be a mother of two anytime soon, Bobby doting on me or keeping me at a distance doesn't have anything to do with it."

It was true, a year ago, a few months following Sue Ellen's miscarriage, when the dust and emotions had settled they'd discussed the exact thing they were now and her answer hadn't been any different. She'd been with Richard then but the conversation had been about Bobby too, she'd said she'd marry him if he asked her, and she had, but a second go at motherhood was less of a certainty.

"Is my condition going to cause problems between the two of you?"

Changing the subject back to the tense atmosphere that had been present earlier, Sue Ellen sounded genuinely concerned that her development wasn't considered good news in everyone's eyes and that was something she should internalise.

"Maybe, but that's not your problem."

"It doesn't make me feel very good."

"Bobby and I will be fine, don't you worry about us."

She meant what she said, where everything else was concerned her and Bobby's marriage was strong and she didn't see it breaking any time soon, despite their current disagreement.

"Are you sure?"

"Sue Ellen, you and JR are on the same page, you're both delighted, there is absolutely no reason you should hesitate to enjoy the experience."

"You're right, we are delighted."

Laying her hand on her still flat abdomen, Sue Ellen looked down and smiled. It was good news as far as she and JR were concerned and nothing else should matter.

To be continued…