Dallas, Texas

Picking at the stray pieces of hay beside the picnic blanket he had laid out in the hayloft, Bobby listened to his wife's news, frowning as she got deeper into the description of her plans. Noting the expectant look on her face, he was silent for a while before murmuring, "Pammy, how do I say this nicely…" trailing off as he realised whatever way he said it, it was going to sound selfish.

"Just say it", seemingly unimpressed by his hesitation, or by his need to find a kinder way to phrase his thoughts, Pam gave him a clear direction.

"Now isn't a good time", doing as she had asked, he couldn't say he was exactly proud of what he was saying. It was obvious that she was excited by the opportunity she'd been presented with, he was too, he wanted her to be happy, but he could see a different side to the situation and that made it difficult to just be happy for her.

"No?" sounding as if she didn't believe him, she questioned his stance.

"No", hesitant, he couldn't say he was thinking only of himself because he wasn't, it wasn't just about him, it was about his family, their family now.

"Why do you say that?" not accepting his one word answer as a valid reason, she looked for a further explanation, which he supposed she was entitled to considering he was essentially making decisions on her behalf.

"Well, you know how things have been recently, I savour our time alone together but that has been limited with Sue Ellen's condition and your work schedule, and now you're suggesting leaving for a week. Plus, maybe it's selfish but I'd really like your first taste of Paris to be with me", reminding her that he wanted to be the one to show her the world, he tried not to make his reasoning sound like it was all about him but he wasn't sure he succeeded.

Laying down on the picnic blanket, dramatically draping her arm over her face, Pam closed her eyes and shook her head before opening them again and looking up at him looking down at her. "You're not being fair Bobby. I agree that our time alone together has been limited recently, but that's been by a lot of things and I feel it would be a lot less limited if we stopped worrying so much about involving ourselves in everything the Ewing family has going on. As for Sue Ellen, she's doing about as well as anyone would expect; you've been to see her, so have I, she's upset but she's getting better and I don't think there's much more we can do for her than we already are. Lastly, I would love to go to Paris with you, but let me ask you this, when can we go? Because you have work, I have work, and neither of us want to give up our work".

Listening to her, he couldn't say he agreed with everything she had to say, but he could accept that she made some sense. They did have to work hard to find time alone together, they did find themselves involved in family business a lot, they had done what they could for Sue Ellen, and they were both stubborn when it came to what they needed and wanted to do. He could easily make leaving Dallas happen if he wanted to, the ranch could operate without him and he'd love to see the world with her, but she was determined to stay for her family and now for her job and if she wasn't committed then he wasn't going to go and break his own commitments.

"I don't want to argue about work", lying down next to her, he sidestepped her question.

"Then don't", looking at him as she turned her head and their eyes became level again, her facial expression told him she meant what she said, more than simply just in relation to leaving Dallas for Paris.

"So…" assuming she meant she didn't want to hear negative comments about her employed status at all, he sought a lengthier explanation anyway, having previously assumed a few things about her thoughts that couldn't have been further from the truth.

"So, say you're happy for me, support me in doing what I have to, and let's enjoy our time together before we're apart for a week", telling him what she wanted, he was able to take a hint.

"I am happy for you", wanting to get on with what the latter part of her comment teased him with, he didn't hesitate to say the words, even if he wasn't a hundred percent sure he stood behind them. He was happy for her of course, he wanted her to enjoy her life, he was just sulky because their ideals didn't line up in his mind and she wasn't so easy to sway with the promise of all the nice things she was excited for if they had to be done his way. She wanted to see Paris, but she'd apparently rather see it on a business trip than during a romantic getaway with him, though he did understand that it wasn't that she was rejecting him but more that she enjoyed having something of her own.

"Thank you. But would you mind trying to sound like you are?" pointing out that he wasn't as convincing as he thought he was, she rolled onto her side, touched his face and looked at him with pleading eyes, obviously wanting to believe he was telling her the truth.

"Oh, my presentation wasn't good enough for you?" snaking his arm around her waist, he spoke in a mock surprised tone, attempting to lighten the mood of their discussion.

"It needs a little work", cracking a smile, she didn't disagree with him, and even more positively, didn't shy away from his intention to bring them closer together.

"I'll try my best next time. Maybe I'll even teach you a couple of French phrases", confident that she wasn't upset with him anymore, he meant what he said, he would try to react differently the next time she mentioned work, before that happened though he intended to follow through with what she had teased earlier, making their time together before her trip count.

"You speak French?" sounding surprised by his off-the-cuff remark, she had reason to be sceptical.

"Oui", smirking, he didn't have to reach too far into his understanding of French to answer her, because his depth of knowledge of the language didn't extend too far beyond the basics.

"Really?" surprised, she sat up to get a better look at him.

"Non", shaking his head, he anticipated her reaction, lightly pulling her over to straddle him as her faux outrage surfaced, "Bobby!"

Circling her waist with his hands as she settled in to their change in position, he explained himself, "ok, so I don't know much more than what you'd find in a guidebook, but I'm sure I can teach you a little something".

Laughing at his attempt to find common ground, she played along with the joke, "I think I know some French of my own".

"Oh?" having a fair idea of what she meant simply from the way she was looking down at him, he grinned as she turned his thoughts into a reality.

"Mm", easing down, she met his lips with hers, communicating in a French that needed no translation.

To be continued…

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