Dallas, Texas

Running her fingers over the nape of JR's neck as she listened to his thoughts on his day for probably the third or fourth time that evening, Sue Ellen was more thankful now than ever that they lived in their own home. It gave them the freedom to walk away from tense or trying situations without causing a fuss, and they were close enough to Southfork to visit, but far enough away that they were not forced to spend every minute of their day with the family in one way or another. Closeness was a good thing, everyone wanted strong family bonds and most people benefited from those bonds, but there was also something to be said for personal space, especially at times like this. JR had a long, complicated history with his parents and she was hopeful that eventually they would be able to work through and move past the things that challenged their relationship closeness, but for now, that wasn't how things were and it was a blessing that they weren't forced to play nice with each other all day and all night.

"…you should have seen it, it was nauseating. He gushed over daddy and Ewing Oil and daddy lapped it up. Oil is one of my favourite things to talk about, you know that, but this was just odd, it wasn't a conversation as much as it was a stream of adoration. I tried to get him to talk about himself, and why he was here, but everything seemed to come back to daddy and Ewing Oil. It's not normal, he's not daddy's son, he's Jason's, or he says he is; unless my uncle Jason is some nutcase who doesn't stop talking about the brother he never speaks to and the company he hasn't been a part of for decades, this Jack person is obsessed for no reasonable reason. I suspect if he really is Jason's son, that Jason mentioned a couple of times he used to be involved in Ewing Oil, then Jack did some research and decided to make his way down to Dallas to cosy up to daddy and get himself a nice little slice of the Ewing Oil pie. I can't prove it though, not yet, but I'm working on it…" Caught between feeling irritated and sad at the clear indication that his father was easily swayed by such insincere flattery from a stranger but yet so gruff with him, and feeling gleeful at the thought of catching his supposed cousin out and giving him everything that was coming to him, JR savoured his drink and continued to think aloud. Sue Ellen was capable of intelligent conversation, Patricia had made sure of it, but she was also emotionally intelligent and while she often knew what to say when he was looking for a response, she also seemed to have an intuitive knowledge of when he just wanted someone to listen to him, like he did now. Doctor Williams had been a big help to both he and Sue Ellen, he had taught them a lot about emotional communication and he'd genuinely helped their relationship; he didn't go around publicising it, but he didn't deny privately that that was the case, and at times like these, he was glad he had given the good doctor a chance.

"Another thing; Jack is distracting daddy and not in a good way. You know mama and I are going to see the doc together tomorrow; I had Diane block a time in my agenda the way she does with our appointments, and I know that daddy saw it, but he didn't say anything. It's silly to feel disappointed by that, because I don't want him to grill me about where I'm going and why, I'm sure he already knows from talking to mama, but the indifference he's showing now is a surprise. I have everything I need for future control of the company, and with Bobby leaving I thought everything was going to start running more smoothly, but I have this awful feeling that somehow Jack is going to swoop in and gain something that he's not entitled to and I'm going to have to put up with it because of timing. Daddy isn't on my side in this, and he doesn't even seem to be challenging me when I challenge the changes that are being made, it's like he's given up on me because I'm too difficult and Jack is much easier to deal with". Continuing to talk, he didn't know whether he was making much sense and he was sure he sounded like a complete wuss, just like Gary, always blaming everyone else for his own weaknesses and insecurities, but he found himself speaking aloud anyway; he wasn't afraid of Sue Ellen knowing he was human. He did have a reputation though and that reputation hadn't come from nowhere; he planned to get rid of Jack, even if it was only because his presence made him feel insecure. He couldn't and wouldn't put up with strangers showing up in his life trying to steal the things that were his; his family was his family and his company was his company, he already did enough sharing with Bobby, there was no more room to comfortably accommodate other men and simply tolerating them being there just wasn't a long-term option. He had a plan though, he already had a man investigating his 'cousin' and he was sure that once he had a better picture of the full story, Jack wouldn't be bothering the city of Dallas for much longer.

"Oh JR, I don't think your daddy has given up on you, you're his firstborn son, you hold a special place in his heart, his life, and in Ewing Oil. Jack is a novelty, that's all; he's new and he's charming, but his charm is the kind of charm that gets old quickly, it's all based on superficial nonsense, not a genuine connection. Give it a week or two and your daddy will be sick of telling the same stories on repeat, and with Jack not having much of anything of his own to contribute, I think things will start to even out. In the meantime, why don't you try using this time to benefit your relationship with your mama? You heard what Doctor Williams said, your daddy isn't receptive to discussing the past right now, but your mama is and you've agreed to do that tomorrow. With your daddy distracted, this might be the perfect opportunity to start a conversation with your mama; you can talk with Doctor Williams and in private without having your daddy hovering around making unsolicited comments and judgements. I know it's hard to see Jack's presence as a positive thing, because for what it's worth I don't trust him completely either, I know exactly what you mean when you say he seems too interested in Ewing Oil and the past; but please, don't let him being here crush your spirit. You're JR Ewing, you're so special, to me, to John Ross, to your mama, and I know to the rest of the family too, even if things get tense sometimes. Jack is new, he's something interesting to play with for a little while, but he's not established, not like you are, and if you just wait it out, I'm sure your position in the family will be clear again soon". Knowing her husband and seeing the way Jack was with Jock, she understood him and his concerns; however, she also had a clearer vision of the future and a more optimistic attitude. JR had the perfect opportunity to make good with his mother without his father's interference, so instead of focusing on getting rid of Jack, she believed he should instead focus on improving his own life. She also believed that while the family treated JR pretty badly sometimes, they wouldn't choose Jack over JR, they did have some loyalty, and surely everyone else had noticed that Jack didn't seem completely genuine either. Continuing to run her fingers over the nape of his neck, she hoped her gentle action and encouragement to look at the less negative side of the situation would work. JR was her husband and she only wanted the best for him, and right now, she really believed that meant not focusing on his father's selfishness but instead focusing on how he could use the opportunity to move things along in other areas of his life.

To be continued…