Dallas, Texas

'I cannot control anyone but myself and most things are not as serious as I imagine them to be', repeating the words in her mind as she walked up and down the long, tree-lined driveway with John Ross in her arms, she tried to remain positive about the current situation. It appeared that the combination of the motion of walking and something about being outside was what he wanted right now and although she wasn't particularly enthused about walking around in the hot, dry Texan summer for long periods of time, if it was what was going to prevent him screaming the house down then she would do it. According to Doctor Danvers, John Ross Ewing III was a healthy little boy and his parents and caregivers were doing everything they should be to nurture him, he just happened to be specific in his instinctual likes and dislikes and unless those preferences were met, he wasn't completely satisfied. Being an infant though, it was very difficult for anyone to truly know exactly what he wanted or what was bothering him, so knowing how to soothe him at a particular point in time was really more about trial and error rather than anything else and by that method, she had now worked out that he enjoyed being carried. She enjoyed carrying him, she enjoyed spending time alone with him and she was enjoying the occasional gurgles and sounds he made, some even sounding as if he were giggling, though she couldn't be sure; the only thing that was truly annoying her about the situation was the heat. Naturally, John Ross was quite a hot baby, so having to hold him to her, combined with the fact that it was 100°F outside meant that she was on the verge of overheating and she couldn't understand why he appeared to enjoy it so much; even in his light cotton outfit, he had to be boiling. It was calming him though, that she couldn't deny, so even if it wasn't an activity she would have chosen, she kept walking, up and down, up and down. Southfork ranch was huge, but most of the land lacked significant tree shade coverage, so the driveway, although a little monotonous, was her only choice if she didn't want to keel over from heat exhaustion. After almost an hour of walking, she sighed with relief as she noticed his eyes beginning to droop and with an extra burst of motivation about their current activity, she found herself walking more enthusiastically than she had been; eventually seeing his eyes close, she then made her way up to the house and laid him down in his crib. He would probably wake again within the next hour because he was hungry or his diaper was full, but she wasn't thinking about that as she quietly closed the door of the nursery; she had successfully soothed her son by herself and that was a victory, even if only a small, temporary one.

Across town, JR sat at his desk and sighed to himself as he read the reports from his connections in Washington; things were not good for the US as a whole right now and no matter how good his personal life was, he found his mood slipping. Ewing Oil was safe, for now, but to have the national oil industry crumbling around them didn't bode well for John Ross' future legacy or even the more present legacy his own father was planning to pass down to him. He couldn't bear to think about the possibility that things would take a turn for the worse before he was named president of Ewing Oil; he had worked for that his entire life and now it was within reach, so to have it all taken away from him now would play out like a sick joke. His father had committed to giving him 51% upon his retirement and had been hinting more often since John Ross' birth and since he cleaned up his behaviour that that day wouldn't be too far off and even if it meant inheriting a company in the middle of industrial difficulties, he desperately wanted to have that commitment fulfilled. He deserved it, he wanted it and he was going to have it, he just had to make sure that there was still a company to inherit when his father did eventually retire. He was JR Ewing and he would do it; even if his actions only benefitted Ewing Oil, that was still success and if being single-minded toward that particular goal instead of trying to prop up a failing industry meant that he would be seen as a successful and powerful oilman, then he would do that. He had always planned on making Ewing Oil the largest independent oil company in Texas and for a moment, he wasn't sure that that would happen now, but thinking about it a little more, he knew that he was capable, as long as he was smart. If a lot of other companies were failing because of the economic and political climate, but he thought and worked smartly, then he could reach that goal a lot quicker than originally planned. Small companies going bust meant larger companies were free to purchase their assets and that could only mean good things for Ewing Oil. Yes, the industry was in trouble, but he was JR Ewing, he could do anything he set his mind to.

Making her way downstairs for lunch with Miss Ellie and Lucy, Sue Ellen found herself in a good mood; although being a mother was mentally, physically and emotionally hard work, amongst all the challenges and frustrations were the amazing, rewarding moments and personal victories and she really did love it. She still felt as if it were a blessing for her to actually be in the position she was in, where she had the resources available to her to allow her to truly enjoy the experience of being a mother without the stresses of worrying about everyday issues. She enjoyed being in a privileged position financially and socially where she didn't have to worry about her husband's salary being enough to support their family or whether she would be able to get all the chores done before the baby awoke. That didn't mean she didn't worry or have her own challenges, she certainly did and her life definitely wasn't perfect, but she was truly thankful for the way things were working out and she was sure that if she continued to work on her own personal issues, then things could only get better for she and everyone around her. Sitting inside for lunch at her request, she couldn't bear to be outside in the heat again, not after her morning with John Ross, she found herself looking between Lucy and Miss Ellie as they ate and talked amongst themselves; despite all the hardship and conflict, she really had ended up in a pretty good life position. "Miss Sue Ellen?" hearing the phone ring in the background, but not thinking much of it, she was surprised when Teresa spoke her name; standing, she walked over to the phone and answered, her good mood deflating as soon as the person on the other end began to speak. Listening to her mother making comments about missing her first grandson and wanting to be a part of his life and politely answering her questions about how she was doing, she had no choice but to say yes when her mother hinted at wanting an invitation to visit Southfork for the weekend. It may have come in the form of grandmotherly longing, but Sue Ellen knew it was more than that; her mother liked pretending she was a wealthy woman for a few days and by contacting Sue Ellen, she could make that wish a reality, at least for a little while. Her mother was good at manipulating though and despite the fact that Sue Ellen knew she had a hidden agenda, nothing she verbally said actually indicated that, so she had no real excuse to say no. She could hardly stop her own mother from visiting her first grandson, especially when she had asked so politely and tactfully, so reluctantly, she agreed. Sighing to herself as she hung up she knew she would have to sort out her mental and emotional issues much faster now than originally anticipated; she could not show her vulnerability to her mother, she would eat her alive if she did. She needed and wanted to be strong and happy, not weak and sad; it was what John Ross needed his mother to be and she truly wanted to be that woman, so even if it meant more frequent sessions with Doctor Williams and being mentally tougher on herself until something changed, she would do it.

To be continued…