Dallas, Texas

Reading over the paperwork he'd brought home, reclined in the large leather chair, JR looked up when his wife re-entered the downstairs office. She'd disappeared earlier to put the children down for bed, John Ross to sleep and Charlie to read independently for a while and had been gone ever since.

"That took a while."

Chuckling, Sue Ellen explained herself. "Charlie read John Ross a story and then insisted I stay to hear the end of it. She's a sweet child, so different to how Kristin was, or even Lucy."

Appearing happy, her maternal side was obvious, making him wonder again whether it was time to reconsider their family.

Keeping his thoughts on their family to himself for now, he responded to her comment, causing Sue Ellen to laugh.

"She's different to how I remember Jenna at her age."

Smirking, Sue Ellen kept quiet too, not verbally acknowledging how much higher Jenna's need for attention was in comparison to Charlie.

"I get the feeling we're going to start double dating again soon." Changing the subject, Sue Ellen made general conversation, although her choice of words surprised him.

"You don't consider our recent social engagements double dates?"

"Not according to Jenna."

They'd been out with Bobby and Jenna more than once and he'd assumed that they were seeing each other in the same capacity he and Sue Ellen were, with declared romantic intention, but apparently not.

"No?"

Shaking her head, Sue Ellen revealed far more to him than what either Bobby or Jenna had.

"This weekend is more than just a weekend away, it's the first weekend away, the first official anything…"

"Hm." Genuinely surprised that Bobby had been able to resist Jenna's persistence and flirting for as long as he had, he wondered what went on in his brother's head sometimes.

Something had obviously changed recently, he'd invited Jenna away for the weekend, that was definitely no platonic gesture, but what it was he couldn't be sure.

Bobby could be strange at times, he'd married Pamela Barnes after barely dating her, but had resisted Jenna for months before finally admitting he did have feelings for her. Of course, there was an element of grief at play in recent months, but he didn't think that explained everything.

"I'm happy for them. It's a new year, time for a fresh start." Removing the papers he was holding from his hands, she settled herself on his lap.

"I'm surprised to hear you say that."

"Because I liked Pam?"

"That and you were so sure after it happened that if it happened to us I'd move on too quickly."

Pam had been gone now for longer than she and Bobby had been married, he didn't think it was too soon for Bobby to be making plans for the future but he was just surprised that Sue Ellen felt the same way. She'd always liked Jenna, even when Pam had been alive, but to support a Bobby and Jenna relationship was a big step.

"I would've thought you'd know by now that you can't take everything I say in an emotional state as absolutely how I feel in a normal frame of mind."

Addressing that she had in fact been in a very strange place mentally following Pam's death, she indicated that she was no longer there.

"So you think it's been long enough?"

Looking away from him, she was silent for a few moments before answering, "I think Bobby has grieved and is ready to start living his life again."

Running a hand through her dark hair, he was honest when he said, "I'm glad to hear you say that."

"Why?"

"Because I'd like to think the same applies to you too."

Leaning into him, her arm on his, her head buried in his shoulder, she held him for a long while before speaking again, "are you asking whether I've grieved and let go of the past?"

"Yes."

Looking up at him from inches below his face, she nodded, "I think so."

Relieved, happy to hear what he thought he was hearing, he addressed something they'd not spoken about for a couple of months, when she was in the midst of the emotional crisis she'd just admitted to.

"So, I can safely broach the subject of giving John Ross a sibling?"

In the last year she'd had a very hard time with the reality of miscarriage and then later maternal mortality, her opinion swinging wildly from one extreme to the other, leaving him in the middle unsure how to comfort her. She'd made the mistake of going behind his back to control the situation and ease her mind, leaving neither of them in a happy place when her deception was revealed. Recently, things between them had been good, but he was still conscious that she was actively preventing expanding their family, which he wasn't sure was still the right thing for them.

Holding eye contact, her expression didn't reveal all of her feelings as she asked, "is that what you want?"

"I feel the same way I always have; I'm happy with John Ross, but I think we could be very happy having two children. Look at now, you're so natural with Charlie, it's not hard to imagine a future where we have another one of our own. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to though, so if you have any hesitation just say so; we don't have to make a decision now."

He couldn't say he was aching to have more children, he had the son he'd always imagined he'd have and until recently he'd never really appreciated a sibling relationship, however, Sue Ellen was a fantastic mother and seeing John Ross grow and change was rewarding in a way he'd never known possible. Waiting for John Ross had been difficult, especially for Sue Ellen, but there was no reason why it should be anywhere near that stressful or any reason why it shouldn't happen for them now, so he was willing to make the choice to see what naturally occurred when they stopped trying to control things.

"Do you understand where my head was a few months ago? Going from the heartbreak of the miscarriage to the happiness of trying again to the terrifying reality of losing Pam as a direct result of pregnancy complications, I couldn't bring myself to consciously try to enter the same state as her; I didn't want to meet the same fate."

"I understand. How do you feel now?"

Knowing how the past had affected her, he wanted to hear her thoughts on the future.

"Now, I've mourned, I've healed and I think I'm ready again."

Thrilled to hear she'd had a change of heart, he pulled her closer to him, kissing her, then whispered in her ear, "do you remember our lake house promise?"

It had been last May that they'd had the discussion at the lake house and a lot had happened in-between then and now, but the main point of their agreement hadn't changed.

"I do. No pressure." Smiling, she whispered the words and then met his lips again.

He didn't know what the future held for them, he never could have predicted their recent past, but he hoped that whatever did happen to them was only good from now on, and he'd try his best to make sure it was.

To be continued…