Dallas, Texas

After exchanging gifts, drinking, relaxing around the fireplace, drinking, eating their Christmas lunch and then drinking some more, the only members of the Ewing or Shepard family that had any real energy by the time the late afternoon arrived, were the children. While it was true that Lucy and Kristin weren't the best of friends, when it came to socialising with each other or sitting down and quietly listening to the adults discussing boring current events and business, the decision was easy. Additionally, Kristin found it a novelty to be around John Ross, and Lucy had formed a special bond with her young cousin, so neither of them had a problem with spending time with him, especially since as he grew older, he became more alert and interested in interacting with people and his toys. They had all received their own special gifts and would all enjoy their gifts separately over the coming days, weeks and months, however, for the afternoon, the interest and excitement generated from looking at and exploring all of their new items was enough to keep them all happy.

From across the room, Sue Ellen split her attention between listening to the conversation JR, Bobby and Jock were having, maintaining a conversation with her mother and Miss Ellie, keeping an eye on her son, sister and niece and enjoying how physically and emotionally close she and JR were. Things had been a little rough over the past week, not between her and JR specifically, but for them as a couple when it came to dealing with Jock. She saw no point in explaining further or being rude about their decision; they had made their feelings quite clear and now it was up to him to accept it and move on from whatever he was sure was in their future, however, just because it was that way, didn't necessarily mean things automatically changed. She was adamant they had dealt with that situation though; it wasn't going to come back to them any time soon; Jock was just being stubborn, he didn't like being told no, so he would sulk, but when it came down to it, he knew what was what and that he had lost.

Even though the past week or so had been a little rough, it hadn't been all bad and overall, she was feeling positive. Her mother and Kristin had arrived a couple of days ago and although they weren't her favourite people to deal with, their visit really hadn't been too bad so far. Her mother was still picky and opinionated, however, for the first time in a long time, she was also somewhat tolerable to be around, at least in small doses. Sue Ellen didn't really know what had caused her mother to act so sanely, but she liked to think the discussions they had had during her two most recent visits had caused her to think and reflect on the way she was and had caused her to want to try to be different.

Kristin was the same; things were a lot better now she was away at boarding school for the majority of the year. She had positive role models and her schedule was full of academic, extracurricular and social activities, so for the most past, she was too busy and too exhausted most of the time to get into trouble or develop a nasty, whiny side. There was a small downside to her new life of controlled freedom, privilege and encouragement; she knew when she was good at something and she had the resources to exploit her natural talent; so when she returned home with a long list of accomplishments and skills, she was only too keen to tell anyone who would listen. Sue Ellen knew her younger sister's boasting wasn't something JR enjoyed, he just wasn't that interested or interested in pretending he was interested, however, for her, she was interested and happy her sister was latching onto things that were productive and would be good for her personal development. Being a model, a pageant queen and marrying a wealthy man had worked out well for Sue Ellen in the end, but she also knew she didn't want her sister to be stuck waiting for the same thing to happen to her. Additionally, she didn't want Kristin to experience the pain, passiveness and self-doubt she had when she was a child, teenager and young woman, because no matter how well it had turned out in the end, she knew she was and would always be somewhat emotionally damaged by her previous experiences. Kristin deserved more; she deserved the chance to skip straight to being her own person, without having to break free from the control of those around her. There were a number of reasons why Sue Ellen was supportive of her sister and more than happy to hear her stories, but the main reason was because she truly wanted to see her happy and unburdened.

As well as things not being so bad with her mother and sister, things weren't at all bad between her and JR either, in fact, they were quite wonderful. It had taken them a long time to get to the point they were at, but they finally seemed to be there and she really believe things were actually going to work out this time. While it was true she hadn't exactly tested JR's loyalty recently, so she could never be entirely sure he would never betray her again, she did have faith and believe things had changed, that he had matured, had seen the error of his ways and the consequences of his actions and had made a decision to be a better man. Additionally, she had also changed a little; she wasn't the same naïve girl she had been when she'd married him, and as much fun as the previous evening had been, where they had enjoyed reliving some of the more innocent days of their relationship, she was glad things were different now that they had both grown and matured.

Attuned to her son's needs and behavioural cues, her thoughts quickly changed as she observed the way his interaction with Lucy and Kristin changed. From his apparent disinterest and almost annoyance with the toys they were offering him, and from looking at her watch, she knew it wouldn't be long before his slight grumbly mood turned into fussing, then whimpering and if she left him long enough, a full meltdown. Leaning over to whisper in JR's ear where she was going, she then walked over to her son, scooped him up off the floor and carried him upstairs, away from the busyness of the living room and toward the quiet and calmness of his nursery. He wasn't hungry, he'd eaten not long ago, he was just tied, nearing being overstimulated and in need of a break.

Watching Sue Ellen heading upstairs with John Ross, JR had two thoughts, two thoughts that simultaneously conflicted and fit together perfectly. The first was that despite all the worrying she had done prior to and during her pregnancy, she was a wonderful mother and she had nothing to worry about when it came to John Ross knowing he was loved and wanted. The second thought was that they would definitely be having themselves a merry little Christmas later when they were alone, because even dressed in her family-gathering-appropriate black dress and pearls, her long legs and lithe body were on full display. Emotional attraction and understanding was important in a relationship, there was no denying that, but in times where they didn't completely agree on something, or even just generally, his commitment to her was definitely strengthened by the fact that he was so physically attracted to her. He knew she worried about old age and keeping his attention forever, but he didn't see it as an issue she needed to be concerned about anymore. Their relationship was more than physical attraction and even if they only looked at the physical side of it, he had no doubt the things she had been so upset about wouldn't actually be issues for decades, so for now, it was absolutely nothing to worry about. He liked to plan for the future, he was a smart businessman, but at the same time, in his personal life, he was slowly learning to focus on the present and immediate future and not allow non-issues to have so much influence. The present was good and the future looked good too; it was time for him and Sue Ellen to enjoy their life together.

To be continued…