Dallas, Texas

"JR", Jock stopped his eldest son as he was about to walk upstairs after dinner, it was time he and JR had a serious discussion, because things simply could not continue the way they were, it wasn't good for anyone. It had been almost three weeks since Sue Ellen had left Southfork under the guise of visiting her mother, though not long after she'd left he had found out the real reason for her departure, one that deeply disappointed and angered him. After listening to Miss Ellie's plea to allow JR and Sue Ellen a little time to deal with their problems themselves, he'd calmed himself down enough to prevent him from doing anything drastic to get Sue Ellen and more importantly, the baby she was carrying, back to Southfork. But now, weeks after hearing the news and having JR assure him that he was working on bringing his wife home, he was just about done with waiting; if JR wasn't going to man up and take control of the situation, then he would have to do it himself. "Yes daddy?" JR was confused as his father stopped him from walking any further and pointed toward the downstairs office, sometimes they talked business after dinner, but he hadn't been aware that they were doing that tonight, especially since he couldn't think of anything that needed discussing right now. "I want to talk to you, alone", JR listened to his father's words and immediately noticed that his tone was serious, and in his experience, when his father was serious and wanted to speak to him alone, something was usually wrong, though right now, he really had no idea what it was. "Yes sir", he followed his father into the office and gulped as Jock closed the door behind him, it was a signal to anyone outside the room that he didn't want to be disturbed; something was definitely wrong.

"I have a few things I want to say, things I should have said a long time ago", Jock walked straight toward the bar and started to make two drinks as he spoke, they may have just had dinner, but this was a situation that was easier to handle with a drink in his hand. JR simply nodded as his father spoke, he still didn't really understand what was going on, "thank you", he took the drink his father handed to him and waited for him to speak again. Staring into space for a moment, Jock gathered his thoughts and then began to speak, "you know, I never did stop you boys having a good time. Hell, I always did. But there comes a time and a place when fun stops and you start facing up to your responsibilities. You've always had that place in business but apparently that understanding didn't translate to your home life, though I don't really know why not, Sue Ellen really was the perfect choice for your wife and the mother of the Ewing heir, you should have been happy to marry such a suitable lady, especially one that really loved you". He shook his head at the idea of any of his sons disrespecting their wives to the extent that JR had, it simply wasn't gentlemanly and he'd thought he'd raised him better than that; he thought he'd set an example for JR with his own marriage, he and Ellie were very happy and they were committed to each other. "No more JR. I told you that I wanted Sue Ellen and my grandson back on Southfork no matter what, but so far, you've failed to make good on your promise to do just that. I'm giving you an ultimatum, today is Thursday, you have three days before I personally deal with the situation", he spoke in a serious and slightly threatening tone and JR knew what his father meant. Jock wasn't an evil man, but he understood that sometimes difficult choices had to be made and not everyone would be happy with them. If the situation got to a point where it was up to him to bring Sue Ellen and his grandson home, he would first try it the nice way, but if that didn't work, then he wasn't at all hesitant about using his power to override her decision and bring her back whether she wanted to be there or not. If JR wouldn't do it, then it was up to him. He simply could not have a Ewing grandchild living away from Southfork, it just wasn't right.

"From now on, I'll see to it that you stay on the right side of enjoying yourself. It's in everyone's best interest for your wife and child to be here at Southfork and for you and your wife to be happily married. I know that Sue Ellen won't want to come back to this house or your marriage without a promise of change, so you'd better work on what you're going to say and how you're going to keep that promise". He scowled at JR for pushing things so far that needed reminding of the basic concept of monogamy and commitment; he was thirty-two years of age and had been married for almost two years, fidelity should have been ingrained in him by now. "I want Sue Ellen happy to be your wife. I want my grandson here, healthy, and proud to be a Ewing, proud to have you as his father. You have to start acting like a man and being a man means facing up to your responsibilities as a father and husband. The time for playing around is over, that's the way it has to be". He sighed as he finished speaking and as he watched JR's face; nothing he was saying was new or profound information, so really, there shouldn't have been anything for JR to think about in an inquisitive way, it was how it was and that wasn't going to change. Seeing the deadly serious expression on his father's face, coupled with the long speech he'd just given him, JR thought it best not to offer any response other than a complete agreement, "yes sir, I understand". He decided not to go into detail about his current response to the situation, his father simply wouldn't understand his waiting game, Jock wanted Sue Ellen back at Southfork now, not in a few days or weeks when she eventually decided to return on her own like JR assumed she would. Finishing his drink, Jock slapped JR on the back, "good. I trust you'll handle this; you have until Sunday…", he placed his empty glass on the table for Teresa to collect later before he turned and walked out of the room, leaving JR alone to think about everything he'd just said and hopefully start working on a solid plan for getting his wife and son back home to Southfork, permanently.

To be continued…

Author's Note: Part of Jock's speech adapted from the episode John Ewing III: Part 1, written by Camille Marchetta.