Dallas, Texas

Pacing back and forth in their bedroom, Sue Ellen looked at her husband and spoke, "I don't like this JR. I feel like we're interfering in their marriage and it feels wrong. I know your parents have had more say in our marriage than we would have liked, but are we any better than them if we attempt to pry information from them and then mediate whatever issue they're having? I gave you my answer to your daddy's proposal. I'm not completely opposed to it long term, but I am opposed to it right now. We need time to settle into our own lives, independent of the rest of the family and independent of any official tie to Southfork ranch. I don't have a problem with the idea of using some of our land in the future for economic and environmental benefits, however, I do take issue with being railroaded into a decision before we've even left Southfork; to me, it feels like an attempt to maintain control of some part of our lives. I know there is no sale of land, so we wouldn't be giving up any of our assets, but I don't like the idea of being a landlord and leasing our land to Southfork ranch, it sets a bad precedent in my mind, as if a little money is enough to sway our decisions on things. I want us to take a little time to get used to living in our own home, on our own land, before we start thinking about all the ways we can make our land productive and profitable if we choose to do that. I want us to at least have the opportunity to figure out exactly which pieces of land we actually use on a regular basis and which we simply own and do nothing with, and I want us to be the ones that have first and final say on how we design our landscaping. I don't want to have to think about or consult anyone before making decisions about our home. Please tell me you understand that?"

She had a fair idea now why Jock and Miss Ellie had been arguing the previous evening, and although she sympathised with what she now assumed to be Miss Ellie's position, she knew better than to involve herself too much in the personal side of the argument, especially when neither Jock nor Miss Ellie has asked her to. She did however know she had to involve herself in the business proposition, because that was something she had a strong opinion about and knew that if she didn't voice that strong opinion, she would be pushed into agreeing to something she vehemently opposed. JR didn't really see it as clearly as she did, but it was obvious that Jock's motivations weren't purely about business, they were personal too, and with personal motivations came selfish thoughts; it wasn't smart to enter into a deal like the one currently being proposed, because they were finally moving toward independence and this would be a step backwards.

Watching his wife pacing back and forth and then listening to her response to his explanation, JR wasn't too surprised by what she was saying; essentially, she was just reiterating what they had already discussed, and the content of their discussion was what he had originally assumed she would say. She wasn't interested in being any more connected to the Ewing family than they already were; she had been the one to propose the idea of them owning their own home and she had always supported him when it came to his bid for the future presidency and ownership of Ewing Oil. She wanted him to be his own man and she wanted their marriage to be one where things were about the two of them and John Ross, not a constant back and forth consultation between them, his parents and her mother. She had a valid point; to enter into a deal where their personal land was tied to a Ewing family business from the very beginning, just seemed a bit too much too soon; she wasn't ruling the idea or a similar one out completely, but she did want to wait a while before considering doing anything productive with their land. It made sense, they didn't need the income ranching would provide, but they did need the time and space owning and controlling their own property would provide, so to sign a deal with his father right now didn't seem like the smartest thing to do.

As well as that, her point about involving themselves in his parents' argument was also true. He personally disliked it when his parents attempted to tell him what to do, and he had hated when it seemed like they were ganging up on him when he had wronged Sue Ellen, so it seemed a bit hypocritical for he and Sue Ellen to start asking questions and sticking their noses into things that didn't really concern them. Of course, they would probably have to approach the subject at some point, because it was now clear that there was a disagreement between his parents, a disagreement that was related to the idea his father had proposed to him earlier. Neither of his parents had actually made any concrete statement confirming the argument and neither had asked for their opinions, but it was obvious from the information he and Sue Ellen had pieced together from talking to and observing them at Sunday lunch and then just generally. Although it seemed silly, because in a way, it could count as interfering, he knew it was best to just say it and make their feelings clear; he and Sue Ellen needed to specify that they didn't wish to be the cause of any family disagreements and they were specifically making choices to ensure that they weren't. Once it was all said and done and everything was cleared up, he hoped things would return to normal and he and Sue Ellen would once again be able to resume the less serious, more carefree side of their relationship. He had highly enjoyed their evening together yesterday and their marriage as it had been recently and he was definitely ready to return to that way of life. The sooner they could get past the current drama in their lives, the better.

"Ok", listening as JR responded with just one word, Sue Ellen wasn't sure what to think. It wasn't like him to have nothing more to say, but somehow, even though he'd barely said anything, she understood what he meant. They had had a more detailed discussion earlier, but it had been less about coming to a mutual agreement and more about explaining their individual perspectives on the situation. Hearing his tone of voice now though, she found herself more physically and mentally relaxed than she had been earlier; he understood her perspective and was agreeing to respect her wishes, hopefully because he knew they were what was best for their family, their marriage and their relationship with his parents in the long run. It was clear to her now that their marriage was definitely different now than it had been in its early days, and for that, she was infinitely grateful, because although she hadn't necessarily been miserable just agreeing with him, it was a little stifling to never really have her own voice. It had taken a lot of hard work, because finding her own identity was hard when she had always been under someone else's control and had always been attempting to please everyone, but things were wonderful now; she finally felt like she had a voice and her voice was being heard. It was nice to be able to have an honest discussion with JR, to listen to his perspective and then voice hers, without fearing he would be upset or disappointed in her because she wasn't blindly following him.

She knew as well as JR did that a conversation with Jock and Miss Ellie would have to take place, but she didn't have nearly as much apprehension about it as she would've a few years ago, because she knew she had JR on her side and she knew their point wasn't too much to ask. It was perfectly reasonable to reassure her in-laws that she and JR were strong, independent adults who didn't need babying and didn't need other people to take their issues upon themselves and it was perfectly reasonable to reiterate that for the moment, they wished to make their own decisions about what they did with their own property. There was no need to be disrespectful or even dramatic about it; it was what it was and they would say it, then they would move on and hopefully Jock and Miss Ellie would too. She was ready to return to not worrying so much about the state of the Ewing family and instead take some time to actually enjoy the family she and JR had together with John Ross. She was ready for them to start their new lives in their new home, without the rest of the family somehow involved in every decision they made or proposed making.

To be continued…