Dallas, Texas

"He agreed? Just like that?" shocked by her husband's words, Sue Ellen's mind immediately turned toward questioning the finer details of what had happened downstairs, "what are you not telling me? You have to be leaving something out of the explanation. Why would Jock just agree to rewrite the contract and in that rewrite, keep the part about giving you Ewing Oil? I know it's the right thing to do and it's absolutely what you and I wanted, but he was so adamant that it wasn't going to happen last week. He was rude, passive aggressive and things were tense when we left here, but in the two days we were gone, he's somehow had a change of heart and is now being agreeable? I don't understand. Something else has to be going on". Looking at JR with wide, confused eyes, Sue Ellen waited for him to answer; it wasn't that she distrusted him, but surely there had to be more to the story than what he was telling her, otherwise it didn't make much sense.

"I know it sounds strange and believe me, I was just as shocked as you are, but I really don't think daddy has a list of ulterior motives for this decision. I think that our leaving Southfork for the weekend was just the reality check he needed to start doing some real thinking about the situation, and when he weighed up all of the possibilities, this one really wasn't as bad as he'd originally imagined. I have a strong feeling that mama had something to do with him changing his mind and then making this decision, but he never really mentioned mama, so I can't be sure. His decision definitely wasn't one made in haste though, he gave me a very strong, fatherly talking to, about my behaviour and responsibilities, what he expects of me and what you and John Ross deserve as well as what I should want for myself. Everything he said was very pro-family; I think you would have liked it. There were probably a few ideas he has that you wouldn't appreciate hearing about, namely, what would happen to John Ross if you did leave me, however, I really do think that his main reason for changing his mind was that when he considered everything, he knew we were right and ultimately, he wants the same thing. He wants to know that when I promise that I've changed and I promise to remain a good man, that I mean it, I'm not just saying it because I want Ewing Oil. I do mean it, you know that don't you? I love you and I know I messed up, badly; I know that my actions were wrong and hurtful and I've lived with the consequences of them, consequences I didn't like one bit, so I committed to change and I have changed; I'm not that man anymore and I never will be again. Things will be better from now on, I promise. Please believe me". Finishing his explanation, JR hoped that she understood what he was saying and trusted him enough to not question his father's motives when they did go downstairs for cocktails and dinner. The atmosphere at Southfork now seemed to be a little better than what it had been when they'd left, but he wasn't naïve, there were probably more conversations that needed to be had and more conflicts that would arise from those conversations before things were back to being good and steady. In light of that knowledge, he knew that it would be best to wait until the legal changes had been made to his contract before opening himself up for the next round of family drama, and he needed Sue Ellen to understand that too. It was her right to take issue with the way Jock had treated her and he would support her if the disrespect and coldness continued, however, he had a feeling that right now, his father was pretty darn happy with the way things were and he hoped that Sue Ellen could see that too. There was a time and a place for the confrontation that would probably eventually take place between his father and his wife, but if at all possible, that time needed to be after the contracts had been rewritten and signed.

"I know you do and I love you too. It's going to take some time before we're back in a completely good marriage, but I trust that we can do it", smiling at him, Sue Ellen stepped forward and kissed him lightly. Pulling away from him as their kiss ended, her mind then processed the rest of what he had just said. "Wait, what exactly did your daddy say about what would happen to John Ross if I left you? Didn't the mention of that situation in the first place trigger alarm bells in your mind? John Ross may be his grandson, but the details of his life and how we raise him are none of his business; he has no legal right to custody of John Ross and no legal right to have a real say in how or where he lives. John Ross isn't Lucy, he has parents who are capable, loving and are present in his life, all his grandfather needs to do is love him and spend quality time with him, he's not responsible for anything else, we are, and I'd like to keep it that way. If I left you, which I'm not, but if I did, I would expect that I would be dealing with you and only you when it came to matters of custody and opinions on how our son is raised, and honestly, if I was looking for grandparent input, I'd ask your mama before I'd ask your daddy. Please tell me that you verbalised some kind of objection to that thought, even if it seemed like a small sentence in comparison to the larger point. I won't have your father interfering any more than he already does, and before you argue that he doesn't interfere, he does; the simple fact that our son is named John Ross Ewing III and his future role in Ewing Oil was planned out before he was even conceived tells you everything you need to know". Glaring at JR, she waited for him to respond; she wasn't really directly angry with him, but thinking about Jock interfering not only in JR's life, but in John Ross' too, she found herself highly annoyed and unfortunately, he was the closest target.

"Darlin', calm down. I worded it badly when I said that; yes, he was interfering, but not in the way you think. He was speaking about how I was an idiot to ever betray you and how you deserved better, then he said that not only did you deserve respect and love as my wife, but as the mother of my child. He said that if I wanted to keep John Ross here at Southfork where he belongs, then I needed to grow up and be a man, because if I kept acting the way I did in the past, then you would leave and take John Ross with you and it would completely be your right to do so. He was just looking out for me as a father and he was trying to make me see that if I wanted to be a family man like I say I do, then I have to act like it. Again, I already made that commitment and promise; he was just talking and reiterating things, trying to make me see that this was serious". Knowing that Sue Ellen was right and that his father probably did believe that he had some right to decide things about John Ross' life that were really up to his parents, he admitted some of what was said, but also attempted to smooth over the less pleasant parts and move on. It wasn't that he really wanted to defend his father's position, because he understood where Sue Ellen was coming from and he agreed with her, but things were good between them right now and he didn't want to ruin that by starting an argument. The next time his father mentioned John Ross' future, he would be sure to make it clear that he and Sue Ellen were his parents, but did he and Sue Ellen really need to discuss it at length and deal with it right now?

"Calm down? JR, this is our son's life we're talking about. I will not have your father do to John Ross what he did to you, and I would certainly hope that you would never even consider treating John Ross the way you were treated, but in order to prevent repeating past mistakes, we all need to be on the same page, and right now, it doesn't sound like we are. I have no problem with the general plan, I want John Ross to grow up with you as his role model, I want him to want to go to work with you and to want to work with you after college, but I don't want him to be forced into anything. In addition to that, I don't want to be made to feel bad about decisions I make that are best for our family, and you can bet that if I left you and took John Ross with me, it would be because I truly thought it was the best option, not just because I could. I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to do just that, but instead of ripping John Ross out of the only home environment he's ever known, I did what was best for him, I stayed and moved myself into a separate room in this house. Actually, while we're on the topic of houses, I don't know whether they were your words or whether you were quoting your daddy verbatim, either way, it doesn't matter, what I have to say applies to both; Southfork is our home right now, but sometimes I do wonder whether it's right for us, whether it's right for our family…" Leaving her sentence hanging for a moment, she then covered what she really wanted to say with a more general sentence, "…that's not really related right now though. My point is, I don't want to be made to feel bad if I ever do take John Ross away from this house. I'm well aware of what his life here is like and it would take something serious for me to do such a thing, so if I did, I don't think anyone on the outside would be in a place to judge. I don't appreciate the vague threatening language used in your explanation, language I suspect comes from your father rather than you", sighing to herself, she then looked at him in a more vulnerable and less irritated manner, "look, I'm not attacking you, I'm just frustrated. Even when things appear to be good, like your new agreement with your father, there's always a darker side and I'm sick of dealing with it. I just want us to be a happy little family, one that is part of a loving, happy and supportive extended family. It shouldn't be that difficult, but it is". Seeing JR step closer to her, she was relieved when he simply pulled her into his arms and hugged her, it was exactly what she needed in that moment. "I agree darlin', and I'm sorry that all of this is affecting you so much. We'll talk to daddy, together, and we'll figure out how all of this is going to work from now on. I don't want you to be unhappy and I don't want John Ross to feel like he has no option but the obvious. I want us to be a happy family and I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen". Unsure of exactly what to say in response to her concerns, JR simply touched upon the basic feelings behind them and offered the solution that seemed the most obvious. A conversation with his father wouldn't be easy and could possibly end up damaging their progress if he wasn't careful, but it was now clear that it was necessary, so that's what they would do.

To be continued…