Dallas, Texas
18 September 1970
"What evidence does Mrs Ewing have to support her claims of adultery?"
Straight and to the point, Paul Morgan was nothing like Harve, who he'd wanted to do the job, but as Harve insisted he refer him to someone who specialised in family law he'd have to do for now.
"I don't know for sure but likely statements from the family about my comings and goings, perhaps a private eye report, pictures if she's smart."
"So you don't deny it happened?"
"No."
There was not a chance in hell of denying it had happened now. Ellie was right, he and Julie had been incredibly indiscreet, and he hadn't cared a bit.
"We can work with that."
"There will be a request for medical documents. Ellie has the wrong idea about one thing but the truth would devastate even more people."
He'd corrected Julie's insolence and he'd correct Ellie's soon enough. He wouldn't have women telling him what to do and when to do it. That said, he knew when and where to draw the line between past and present and what he needed to do to prevent more chaos.
"The truth?"
Paul looked puzzled which wasn't surprising. It probably wasn't every day that he had fathers taking responsibility for their son's mistakes.
"I'll claim it was my doing but between you and me, it wasn't."
JR had made an error in judgement, one any man could get caught up in, but he'd rectified it without ruining his own marriage, so he deserved another chance and would get one, for the good of the family. So long as his eldest son held up his end of their lifelong bargain, to continue the family line, he could do almost entirely as he wished.
"I don't understand."
"This past July…"
21 September 1970
"We're going to have a baby."
"You…"
"I'm pregnant."
"That's wonderful news."
"I know. I'm delighted."
"How far along?"
"About six weeks."
Sitting in his office, remembering the scene again, JR smiled to himself.
The news had come as a complete surprise, with everything else going on he hadn't been thinking too much about his own marriage, but in the background it seemed things had been moving along nicely.
He and Sue Ellen were expecting a family. Half a year after they'd committed to each other in marriage, and mere months after he'd committed to true fidelity, forsaking all others, their union had become fruitful.
"I think we should wait to share the news. I'm worried that the timing is all wrong. That it isn't appropriate to announce such joy at a time like this."
It was understandable that Sue Ellen was concerned, it felt like all hell had broken loose at Southfork since the announcement of his parents' divorce, however, his parents' issues were nothing to do with his and Sue Ellen's marriage and he would do his best to keep it that way.
24 September 1970
"A cash settlement?"
"Yes."
Nodding, Lincoln Hargrove looked uncomfortable delivering the news, likely suspecting how she might feel about Jock's actions.
"He wants to pay me out and be done with me?"
"He didn't say that."
"No, but his behaviour did. He isn't even fighting it. He doesn't care."
Most likely Jock was making things 'easy' because he wanted to keep his infidelity an open secret only amongst those who already knew and not have their business printed in pages of Dallas newspapers, which a contested divorce absolutely would be.
"What do you want to do?"
What did she want? She had a few ideas but none of them were particularly doable. The one thing she wasn't about to budge on however was her family property, that she would fight for.
"He wants the ranch?"
"He agrees you may stay living in the ranch house, he concedes that it would be unsettling for Lucy if you left."
Jock hadn't left their family home officially, probably on the advice of his own lawyer, but he'd abandoned their family all the same and it was rich for him to claim now he cared about how anyone but he felt or that he was being generous in allowing things to stay as they should.
"I can live there but not own the property?"
"For lack of a better explanation, yes."
"That isn't going to happen. The land has been in my family for generations and the condition in which he came to own it was linked entirely to me. The ranch stays with me."
It wasn't Lincoln's fault, he was just the messenger, however he was delivering a message she didn't like and she didn't bother being polite about her feelings.
"I can certainly propose that."
"You do that."
3 October 1970
Sick from sun up to sun down the last few weeks, Sue Ellen reminded herself constantly that a baby was a blessing, although it was hard to believe when she felt so rotten.
Her only luck since conceiving seemed to be the timing. She didn't want to be bothered when she felt the way she did and thanks to the warring between her in-laws, no one but JR had shown any interest in her recently.
JR was all she needed. He was the husband she adored and since she'd told him the news she'd felt even more connected to him.
Their lives were perfect but unfortunately, the lives of everyone that surrounded them were less than perfect.