Dallas, Texas

"…so they're going to break ground in the spring and it'll be ready to use by the time the summer arrives."

"I expect that means you won't be coming to Southfork then?"

"That's not our intention at all. I'm just planning ahead."

"For what?"

Kneeling beside the sandbox packing sand into a bucket for John Ross, only half listening to JR and Jock's conversation, Sue Ellen looked up at the sound of a car nearing, unable to see anything due to being on the other side of the house to the driveway.

"When Southfork is full again and I want my own pool to relax by, without the sound of several children around."

"Do you forget you have a son?"

"I was talking about Lucy and those friends of hers, all that inane chatter and giggling is not my idea of a relaxing Sunday afternoon."

Laughing, Jock seemed to understand what JR was getting at.

"Mama, Bobby."

Turning her head at the sound of Charlie's greeting, Sue Ellen stood to walk over to the couple as they approached, immediately noticing something very different about Jenna since she'd seen her last.

"How was Galveston?"

Having a fair idea of how it had been considering Bobby and Jenna's linked arms and matching smiles, she asked anyway, curious about the new development in their relationship indicated by the ring on Jenna's left hand.

"Wonderful."

Gushing, Jenna looked about as happy as she'd ever seen her and that was saying something.

"It's what you think it is."

Catching her looking at the large diamond, Bobby addressed her thoughts.

"Is it?"

"Yes", looking at his family who had now gathered around to welcome them back, Bobby beamed as he delivered the news. "Jenna and I would like to invite you all to join us next month when we do what we should have done a long time ago."

"You're getting married?"

Speaking for the group, JR's delight at the news was obvious. He'd always liked Jenna, now he could call her family.

Nodding, Bobby pulled Jenna even closer, answering for the two of them, "we are."

"Congratulations."

"I'm so happy for you."

"Does that mean you're going to be my daddy?"

Hugs and handshakes all around, not a single person seemed upset by the news, which was a welcome change from the last time Bobby had announced a marriage.

A few days later, she sat in front of a curtain in the bridal boutique dressing room, listening to another conversation take place, this time between seamstress and bride.

"February 24th."

"1975?"

"No."

Answering the question as to when the wedding was to take place, Jenna's tone didn't indicate she saw any problem with the situation, however the silence that followed said a lot.

"Next month?" sounding cautious, as if she were hoping she'd misunderstood, she could just imagine the look the seamstress was giving Jenna about now.

"Yes."

"I'm not sure that's possible. These dresses are handmade, that takes time."

Knowing from her own engagement and wedding that nothing happened overnight, she understood exactly what the problem was. Bobby and Jenna had planned a very short engagement, not because she was unexpectedly expecting, ill, or anything sinister, simply because they'd decided what they wanted and saw no reason to wait.

She wasn't surprised, they both had a history of eloping with other people and the last time they'd tried to marry each other it hadn't ended up happening, so to set a date that was just a month after their engagement felt right to them.

"Please, whatever it costs."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

Not long after getting close enough to the answer she wanted, they were outside again, leaving the bridal boutique in search of their next purchase, a few pieces for the honeymoon.

"I'm going to be Mrs Ewing."

Smiling, she understood the dreamy tone Jenna was using, she'd had a long time to imagine her future with JR, their relationship had been the complete opposite in terms of timing to Jenna and Bobby's.

"I know the feeling."

"Isn't it funny how life turns out? If things had been different we'd be in the same position, both Mrs Ewing, just I'd have been at your wedding instead of you being at mine."

Entering another store, Jenna made a comment that caused her to think. She'd gathered from the stories she'd been told that Jenna had left Bobby about a year before she'd met JR, so she was right. Life would have been quite different had she had Jenna around in her early marriage, and although she didn't have many regrets about that time now that it had led her to where she was, she couldn't say it wouldn't have been nice to have a friend at Southfork in those early years.

"Very different. We'd have had a lot more time to prepare for the wedding too. It took JR just under two years to propose to me, and we didn't get married for another year after that."

"I hate to say it, but that doesn't surprise me. I told you I was shocked when JR told me he was married."

Shaking her head, Jenna's honesty was refreshing to hear, even if it wasn't exactly complimentary of JR.

"My mother was pleased once we were engaged, but before that her displeasure was no secret."

"How did you feel?"

Interested in how the situation had affected her, Jenna's question was one she would have loved to have been asked more when it was happening.

"I wasn't thrilled about the long wait either. I bought into JR's lines about getting engaged when the time was right for a long time, eventually I got tired of his waiting game though. We actually broke up for a little while because of his hesitation."

Appearing surprised, Jenna interestedly asked, "then what?"

Remembering the lead up to the night and then the night itself well, she smiled to herself, "then he proposed."

It had all been so perfect, the roses, the jewellery, the dress, the tent, the dinner, the dancing, even the storm, it had led them to the cabin, and that had led to the question she'd been waiting a long time to hear.

"And you got married and lived happily ever after?"

Chuckling, she wished it had been that easy, but it hadn't, real life never was. "Not quite, but I don't want to dampen your spirits so I'll just say, I am very happy now."

"I'm glad, because so am I."

Seeming to understand, Jenna didn't push her for an explanation, instead just agreeing, delighted with how things were now too.

To be continued…