Austin, Texas
"Another shampoo ad? Fall and winter cold medicine? Insurance?" Sue Ellen looked over the list of companies she would be modelling for in the upcoming month, the fun photoshoots had stopped for some reason and she was down to the ones she found particularly dull. "I'm sorry; I know you prefer fashion shoots, but your name somehow didn't make it onto the list and by the time I tried to rectify that, all the good ones were taken. I'll try and get some better ones for next month. On the positive side, you still have your magazine contract; you're the star model over there", Sue Ellen smiled as her manager apologised, there was a small silver lining, though she wasn't sure that JR would be too pleased if she kept modelling for fashion magazines. "I suppose you're right, and while you try and get me my regular assignments back, think about how much money I'm making at Her Style magazine and how that was arranged privately. You don't get any commission from that work, so you better make sure that I start getting the jobs I want, or else I may not be your client for much longer", she smiled sweetly but her words were harsh; she'd learnt a few things from the JR Ewing school of business.
Dallas, Texas
JR stood at the window of his office and looked out at the city of Dallas; the offices were finally quiet and he didn't have a million stupid questions to answer, it was the end of August and Bobby was finally back at college, far away from Ewing Oil, right where JR wanted him. Things were going well for him right now; he was screening Sue Ellen's modelling jobs and making sure she only got the ones that met his standards, and as a bonus, he was making a steady profit from his investments in both the magazine company and the talent agency. All would be well if he hadn't sensed how unhappy Sue Ellen was with the new 'changes' at both of her jobs; maybe he was being too harsh, maybe he should let her do a little more fashion modelling, it was almost fall and the clothing would be changing, she wouldn't have to wear anything revealing. He didn't want to completely ruin her life, just protect her from any negative feedback and repercussions on her reputation.
Austin, Texas
"What do you mean I can't get back in the list?" Sue Ellen was confused, she hadn't done anything wrong; in fact, she thought she was doing quite well. "I'm sorry, those are just the instructions I've been given, I don't make the rules, I just follow them", Mr Harris, the casting director spoke but Sue Ellen still didn't understand. "Instructions? Who is making these decisions? I thought you were the person in charge. I don't understand, I've never been told that there was anything wrong with my work", she was getting flustered, this meeting wasn't giving her the answers and results she'd hoped for. "I'm sorry, I actually don't know. I've never met the new owner, I just assumed it was a financial investment for them. They didn't do much restructuring within the organization, just a few changes to the modelling assignment lists", he wished that he could explain, but truthfully he didn't quite understand himself, if it weren't for the very specific orders, he would have put her straight back onto the fashion department casting list. "Do you have a way to contact them? I'd really just like an explanation. I'll keep doing whatever assignments I'm given, but I would like to do fashion again if that is possible. I even miss doing cigarette ads; at least I got to be the pretty girl in those ones", she was a little bitter, for some reason she was only being given the really boring jobs that didn't require a glamorous model, it wasn't exactly self-esteem boosting. Maybe her mother had been right, maybe she was getting old and the modelling industry was already over her; "I'll see what I can do", he tried to reassure her, the last thing he needed was an unhappy model.
Dallas, Texas
"Sue Ellen?" she lay by the pool at Southfork and enjoyed the sun, it was nice to be away from the distractions in Austin, "yes Lucy?" she sat up and looked at the young girl. "How old are you?" for a second she began to panic, what if she really was beginning to look haggard, was she really past her prime? "Lucy, what have I told you about that question", Miss Ellie had tried to teach her young granddaughter to be more tactful in her language, but she hadn't quite understood; at least Sue Ellen was still relatively young, unlike some of the DOA ladies, "sorry grandma. I'm sorry Sue Ellen", she apologised and Sue Ellen felt a little bad, it was probably an honest question and nothing more. "It's ok Lucy; just remember in polite company that you never ask a lady her age. But for you, I'll answer; I'm twenty one", she politely responded, though it still didn't make her feel good, she was beginning to realise that a lot of girls her own age were already further ahead in their lives than she was, she was just an unmarried, former beauty queen and has-been model. Lucy made a sound, almost gasping, "wow, you're so old, you're fourteen years older than I am"; the numbers were making her feel sick, it wasn't that she really was old, but hearing Lucy call her old made her feel old. "Lucy!" Miss Ellie hadn't realised that Lucy would make such a comment; "would you excuse me please" Sue Ellen stood and walked into the house, subconsciously taking the stairs up to JR's bedroom. JR had been talking to Jock over by the patio and hadn't been taking too much notice of the women by the pool, "Sue Ellen?" he called out to her as she ignored him and walked into the house; without thinking, he excused himself from the conversation and followed her upstairs.
"Am… am I… am I old?" she stuttered through her sentence as she cried, standing in JR's ensuite bathroom, "no, of course you're not old. What's brought this on?" he was unsure of what had happened, one minute she was happily sunbathing and the next she was an emotional wreck. "Well, it's everything; Lucy…" he heard Lucy's name and knew that she'd been causing trouble again, she was quickly turning into a mischievous young girl. Jock was always too light on her when it came to punishment and JR was dreading her teenage years; his parents were getting older and he would probably have to take on more of the parental responsibility with her if he wanted to keep her in line with his high expectations, he wouldn't have her sullying the Ewing name. "Say no more darlin', Lucy is just causing trouble. You are not old; you are young and beautiful…and I love you", he paused between the end of his sentence and added that he loved her, as much as it made him feel self-conscious to say it, it was what she needed to hear right now. "Thank you JR, I love you too. But love won't fix my problem" she began to cry again and he was now sure that there was more going on than she was explaining. "Problem?" he questioned and she tearfully explained her thoughts about why she'd stopped being asked to model where they required someone young and glamorous. "…and if they think I'm too old, then that's the end of my modelling career. First I lose Miss America and now this"; JR felt guilty, he'd caused a lot more damage than he'd intended to. He only really wanted to stop her from selling herself in a sexy way, to keep her for himself and keep her out of the eyes of other men, but he was a busy man and it had been easier to stop her doing any glamorous work than to look over every proposal that was sent to him for approval. He hadn't realised that his actions would make her feel so inadequate and bring out all of her insecurities; he would have to reverse or at least change the way her was approaching the problem. "Shh, it's ok, I promise, everything is going to be fine. I have a feeling that you'll be back to your old self in no time", he hugged her and knew that it was his own fault that she was in this position; he had underestimated how complex she actually was.
To be continued…