Denison, Texas

"I think I owe your daddy an apology", glancing at JR as she placed John Ross' lunch plate on his highchair tray, Sue Ellen couldn't help but smirk at the sound her husband made in response to her statement. "An apology? What for?" caught between choking slightly on his drink and laughing, it was evident in the tone of his reply that he was shocked, slightly confused and intrigued. JR Ewing wasn't an easily shaken man, but the complete randomness of his wife's comment was enough to briefly throw him; he knew Sue Ellen didn't despise his father, but she wasn't his biggest fan either, and to decide out of the blue that she was going to offer him an apology, for anything, just seemed odd to him.

Watching John Ross for a moment to make sure he was safely eating the small pieces of banana and cooked carrot on his plate, Sue Ellen then took her seat and looked at her husband, grinning at the look on his face before she began speaking again. "Well, I hate to say it, but he was right, babies are resilient and adaptable and if they're tired enough, they'll sleep anywhere. John Ross was fussy all the way here yesterday, but he slept just fine last night, and although it took him a little while to adjust to not waking up in his nursery or at Southfork this morning, it seems now that he's as comfortable here as he is at home. I'd like to think that it's completely related to him feeling safe and secure with us, no matter where we are physically located, but I don't know, I get the feeling some of it is just human nature. New things are a little scary at first, and changes to his routine are confusing or irritating, but then he gets used to them and it's not an issue anymore".

"I was just thinking earlier when we were down by the lake, I love our family time at home and I love when we take a few days like this weekend to just relax and take a break from everything back home. That got me thinking about the past though and I realised that perhaps I did overreact a little that first day after we moved out of Southfork; I was so insistent that John Ross sleep in his new nursery at our new home that I ended up upsetting your mama and daddy and for that I do feel bad. I don't think I was completely wrong for being excited about our new home or wanting to set firm boundaries, but in thinking about things in the context of how things are now, I do have some regrets. Heaven knows your father and I don't always agree on things, especially now that you and I have turned over a new leaf and are trying to live as equals in our marriage, but I'm not so self-righteous that I can't admit when I make mistakes. I don't agree that loving John Ross or paying attention to him is in any way harmful or will turn him into a spoiled, selfish, lazy or cowardly person, but I can see now that in some ways my displays of love could be seen as coddling and overprotective. I don't plan to change anything, I think John Ross is developing into a lovely, happy, healthy little boy and while some of that is just who he is by nature, I truly believe a large part of it is the loving and nurturing environment we've created for him".

"All I'm saying is that in that one instance, your daddy was probably right, I was probably being overdramatic, and I didn't react as I should have to that situation, so perhaps I should apologise. I'm not stupid though, I know your daddy, he's not perfect and there are many other things I should not and will not apologise to him for, including 'pressuring' you into taking time away from Ewing Oil to spend with your family, or being steadfast in my opinion that John Ross is an individual and should be treated as such. I can't change the past, especially the past that I am not a part of, like your childhood, but I can apologise for my past mistakes and I can make commitments and change the way I do things and react to things in the future". Attempting to explain what had gone through her mind earlier in the morning, Sue Ellen's mood and tone changed from amused to reflective, and looking straight at JR as she finished speaking, she hoped that even if he didn't completely understand her, he would at least try to respect her opinion.

Looking over at his son as Sue Ellen spoke, JR couldn't help but grin as John Ross babbled a few words as if he knew something was going on and he wanted to make sure he got to voice his opinion on the issue. Nodding at his son and murmuring a few words of agreement, he then turned his attention back toward Sue Ellen, "mm, well, you're a better person than I am, but I don't think that's a secret"; he knew he had a hard enough time admitting there were things he was wrong about, let alone actually apologising for them. "If you're asking for my opinion, I don't think it's necessary to reignite old disagreements, but I know you're not asking for my permission to do so, and even if I told you not to, you'd do what you thought was right anyway, because you are a good person and these things do weigh on your mind. This isn't about me though, not really…"

Reaching over to ruffle John Ross' hair, he then continued to speak, "you're right, John Ross is wonderful, and whether that comes from nature or nurture is almost irrelevant in my opinion; we're responsible for both anyway. John Ross is our son, by nature he's a combination of the two of us, and by nurture what he's learning from us is helping him to develop into the happy, loving, adaptable, resilient, determined little boy that any parent would be proud to call their own". Looking Sue Ellen in the eye as he spoke, he knew his words were affecting her and he felt empowered. It had taken him decades to feel, but in the last few years and especially in the last year he had really come to understand just how wonderful personal success felt and how the things he felt, did and said could influence a situation. Just like Sue Ellen, he hated to admit that his father had had a point years ago, but he now realised that what he had been saying was true; there came a time in a man's life where he had to leave the bachelor lifestyle behind and face up to his responsibilities. Being a husband and a father didn't have to be boring or feel suffocating, life was all about what he made it, and right now, his opinion was that he had made a pretty good life for himself.

"Go ahead, if you think you need to apologise to daddy then do it. I don't think you need to, at the time you said what you said because you really believed it, and I agreed with you. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, there's no point in dwelling too much on things in the past when we're powerless to change it. I think that if you really think it's necessary to apologise though, then you should, for your own peace of mind", looking her in the eye as he spoke, he have her a small, encouraging smile before turning his attention back to John Ross as he let out a happy squeal. He didn't know whether Sue Ellen would understand what he was trying to say, because in all honesty, he didn't quite understand the situation himself, marriage and fatherhood weren't easy and he was still learning; he hoped his good intentions were clear though; he loved Sue Ellen and he wanted her to be happy.

To be continued…