Austin, Texas

"Oh, well, could you please make sure to tell JR that I called… thank you. It was nice to speak to you too Miss Ellie…yes, goodbye" Sue Ellen hung up the telephone and sighed, JR wasn't at Southfork and he wasn't at the office, she was ready to talk and he wasn't anywhere to be found. Giving up, she decided that she would have to try again later or tomorrow.

It was Monday morning and Sue Ellen had received an invitation to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new hotel in Dallas, it was a very last minute and she would have normally turned it down because of the timing, but today, she actually wouldn't mind a free trip to Dallas. She asked for her return flight to be scheduled later in the evening, her Miss Texas duties wouldn't take more than a few hours, giving her a good amount of time to go and see JR in person, she was sick of the stupid fight they were in. She attended her morning class and met the Miss Texas pageant representative before going to the airport and boarding a commercial flight, the downside of being a normal person, no private jet access.

Dallas, Texas

JR awoke on Monday morning, hungover, though he knew he had to get up and go to work, his father would not be pleased with his current state. He had spent Saturday night and most of Sunday in a hotel room with some girl whose name he couldn't recall; he hadn't been interested in her personal life and hadn't really asked any details, he'd just made sure she would do exactly as he wanted and he'd rewarded her handsomely for her services and for her silence. As the family ate breakfast, Miss Ellie studied her eldest son, he looked worn out, maybe his work was stressing him out, or maybe it had something to do with Sue Ellen's new 'busyness'; she wouldn't say anything though, he would just deny any abnormality anyway.

Sue Ellen posed for a few pictures and mingled with some of the other public figures at the reception party after the opening ceremony, she was enjoying herself but had the rest of the day's events hanging over her, she hoped that everything went well. Exiting the building and getting into a taxi, she was driven toward the Ewing Building, it was just after one in the afternoon and JR would be taking his lunch break at some point, he was never a very regular eater, sometimes just having lunch in his office because he was busy. As the taxi arrived at its destination, Sue Ellen walked through the main lobby and took an elevator up to the floor where JR's office was located; the receptionist was away from her desk, and the secretaries desks were empty, everyone was probably at lunch, "hello?" she called out but no one replied. Giving up, she took the elevator back down to the lobby.

"This was one of the best ideas I ever had", JR dressed quickly and Julie looked at him, perplexed by his words, knowing JR, he could be referring to any number of things. "I'll agree, because you're full of great ideas, but you're going to have to be a little more specific about the one you're referring to right now" Julie turned and JR zipped her skirt at the back. "The condo" he grinned, "the location is perfect for little getaways like this during lunch and we use it to accommodate out-of-town business associates, making it a nice little deductible on our taxes. Less tax paid equals more profit for Ewing Oil and more specifically, more money for JR Ewing," he explained and Julie laughed, JR was definitely right about that, he was self-serving in a lot of his motives, but somehow managed to make everyone a winner, well, those that he cared about anyway. Looking at his watch, JR realised their hour was almost over, "come on, we don't want daddy wondering where we disappeared to now do we?" he grinned and they left the condo.

Sue Ellen exited the elevator and walked over to a small couch in the lobby, she was unsure of her next move; JR would have to work this afternoon and she didn't want to bother him, but they did need to talk. Her flight wasn't scheduled until eight o'clock and she had the rest of the afternoon free, she may as well stay and try to do something before she had to leave again. Just as she sat down, she saw a couple coming toward the entrance, JR had his arm wrapped around the woman's waist, and she giggled as he whispered something in her ear. Sue Ellen was in shock, she and JR hadn't broken up and she felt betrayed that he would act so friendly and flirtatiously toward another woman. She watched them come closer and she tried to place the woman, she'd met her before but she wasn't sure where. Julie, that was her name, she was Jock's secretary, they'd met at the Ewing barbecue; Sue Ellen hadn't suspected a thing when they'd been introduced, she was suspicious now though. She didn't want to confront JR, that wasn't her style, quietly standing and walking toward the door, "excuse me Miss" the doorman called her back and handed her the small purse, she'd been so distracted by JR that she'd left her purse on the couch next to her. "Oh, thank you" she smiled at the man, though she was close to tears; she couldn't believe what a fool she'd been, obviously the real JR Ewing wasn't the sweet man that she knew, instead, he was the womanizer that everyone had warned her about. In her mind, she figured that if he was this way with Julie, then he was probably this way with a number of women.

"Sue Ellen?" JR asked aloud as he heard a meek voice politely thank someone, it was Sue Ellen's voice, but he wasn't sure what she was doing here, in the lobby of his office or even in Dallas. He couldn't see her, until he finally spotted her walking toward a waiting taxi. "Sue Ellen!" he called down the street toward her and she turned around, she looked like she would burst into tears at any moment. He couldn't understand her visual upset, but it finally hit him, Julie was standing next to him and just a moment earlier he'd whispered a suggestive remark in her ear, it was probably obvious from the way they were acting that they were more than just a secretary and a boss walking down the street together. He'd never intended her to see that, though a small part of him was pleased that she did and that she'd looked upset, because she now knew how he felt when he heard about her and her mystery birthday date. It was sick and twisted, but they were almost even now; he conveniently neglected to count the ongoing tryst he had with Julie, it didn't count in his mind because it was only allowing him something he wasn't getting from Sue Ellen. If she'd been more open and allowed him to take their relationship further, then maybe he wouldn't need other women in his life, in a sadistic way it was her own fault. Sue Ellen didn't stop as he called her name, she couldn't take another fight with JR, especially not while her heightened emotions were clouding her judgement, she opened the door of the taxi and got in, directing the driver to take her to the airport. She didn't care that she still had hours before her flight, right now she just wanted to get as far away from JR Ewing as she possibly could.

To be continued…