Arlington, Texas

"I had a wonderful time tonight, thank you for inviting us", leaning in to give Paula a farewell hug, Sue Ellen meant every word she said; she was genuinely happy with the way her life was, it was nice to have adult friends, another couple to socialise with, and it felt wonderful to be in such a good, strong marriage. "Yes, I agree. We must do this again soon", directing her comment at both JR and Sue Ellen, Paula was thrilled when Roger shook JR's hand and reiterated her feelings without any prompting; as Sue Ellen did, she too found it wonderful to have adult friends and seeing that her husband appeared to feel the same way, the situation appeared promising. Agreeing and making tentative plans for another dinner date sometime soon as well as extending an invitation to the upcoming Ewing barbecue, JR and Sue Ellen then said their final goodbyes before leaving Paula and Roger's home. Holding his liquor better than his wife, JR insisted on driving home, though as Sue Ellen happily chatted about their evening, audibly a little tipsy, his concentration began to slip, both from the alcohol he'd consumed and the love and desire he felt for his wife. At the rate his mind was working, they'd end up in a car accident before they got anywhere near Southfork; he couldn't concentrate on the road, not when his wife was right there, happy, sexy and free from parental responsibility for the moment. So, pulling off the interstate, he followed a conveniently placed sign and before Sue Ellen noticed or thought to question what was happening, they were parked outside a small, romantic boutique hotel and he was opening her door for her. Giggling as she finally caught up to his thoughts, Sue Ellen was not at all upset when almost immediately after assisting her out of the car, he pinned her up against the passenger door and kissed her; their connection was romantic and fun, like it had been when they were first dating and that was a wonderful feeling. Aware that they were in a public area, even if it was dark and deserted, JR pulled out of their kiss as it began to get increasingly passionate, "spend the night with me". Making his words into a statement rather than a question and ignoring the fact that they were married, in love and completely committed to each other, he looked her in the eye and waited for her answer, and when she leaned up, kissed him gently and then took his hand, waiting for him to lead her, he had his answer.

Awaking on Saturday morning, in an unfamiliar room, with a slight headache, Sue Ellen's confusion was relieved when she felt JR moving slightly and the wonderful memories of the previous evening came back to her. It had been lovely to have dinner at Paula and Roger's house and it had been unexpectedly and wonderfully romantic when JR had interrupted their drive home with a detour. She didn't need spontaneity in her life, but she did love when it occurred, especially since JR's time was so precious and often inflexible, it made the rare occasions where he did act impulsively so much more precious. Gently slipping out of bed and walking into the bathroom, she freshened up a little before returning to the bedroom and getting back into bed next to her husband, lying down on her side so that she could watch him sleep; he always looked younger and more relaxed when he was sleeping and she enjoyed seeing that side of him. Happy and relaxed by the knowledge that John Ross was in good hands with Miss Ellie at Southfork, as she'd insisted that they needed adult time and there was no need for them to rush home to check on him, Sue Ellen decided to take her mother-in-law's words seriously and really take the time to enjoy her husband this morning. It wasn't often that they had the opportunity to be completely alone like they were now and she really wanted to enjoy it while she could. Watching him sleep for a while, relishing in the peaceful look on his face, her thoughts turned elsewhere as he changed position, rolling closer to her, reminding her just how much she loved him, physically as well as emotionally, and knowing that he never objected to waking up happy, she made her move, slowly sliding her hand under the covers.

Dallas, Texas

Arriving back at Southfork, happy, refreshed, satisfied and relaxed, JR and Sue Ellen were pleased to see that John Ross was still a happy little boy and their night away from home hadn't had any lasting effects on him. They didn't plan on ever intentionally being away for him for too long, not when he was so young, but it was good to know that he was adaptable and happy to be looked after by his grandmother and the baby nurse for a while before his parents returned. Home now though and completely ready and willing to act in a parental way again, they quickly settled in to enjoying their son's playful mood and developing curiosity about the world around him. It was a joy to be a parent, to be there to experience him growing and developing and to be a major part of who he turned into, and although it was a big responsibility, it was also very rewarding and neither of them would have had it any other way.

Across town, the joy of parenting wasn't so obvious to Miss Cynthia Moore; of course she loved her son, there was never any doubt about that, however, without help from her parents, her son's father, whoever he was, or anyone else, she was beginning to feel as if she were going crazy. For the moment, she was lucky enough not to have to worry about her living situation, thanks to an ex-boyfriend who had taken pity on her situation and had offered her a place to stay, in exchange for her housekeeping services and other favours. However, now with a baby that cried every time she put him down and a body that had been to hell and back and physically showed it, she wasn't sure how much longer her current situation would last. Part of their agreement had been a promise that her parenting wouldn't affect their arrangement, as well as an understanding that since he was not the child's father, he wouldn't be expected to take responsibility as if he were; now though, exhausted, emotional and in need of help, she wasn't sure those were commitments she could stick to. She'd been a little hesitant about blackmailing a man as powerful as JR Ewing, she didn't exactly have proof and she was the weaker party in their negotiation when assets and social power were taken into consideration. However, it wasn't impossible that the doctors could have been wrong about her date of conception, they only guessed it based on her previous menstrual cycle, they weren't psychics, so, for all either of them knew, he was the father of her son and she had every right to ask him for support. The doctors at the clinic and hospital assured her that her medical records were completely confidential, so unless he wanted to go through a potentially public court process to disprove her claim, blackmail was worth a try. From what she had read, he was a happily married man and she couldn't imagine that he would really risk his good life just to prove her a liar, especially since it was a fact that he had slept with her, whether it resulted in her son or not. She didn't want him to leave his wife and she didn't even particularly want him to have marriage problems, all she wanted was a little monetary support for her son; surely that wasn't too much to ask for.

To be continued…