(Tad searches around him for a jacket, heading for the door. Dixie stands in front of the couch, her hands on her hips)

"Uh...actually, Tad, I agree with you."

"Agree with me, what?"

"I...I think we should let JR come home on his own. I don't want to, but I don't know of any other way. It's when Erica went looking for Bianca that she got caught in her mess, so...I'll let him come home on his own."

"But Dix," he said, pausing behind the couch. "JR isn't Bianca. Besides, he was there when Erica went looking for Bianca and that's why we're here now. Are you taking Adam's hands-off method?"

"Come here, Tad." Slowly he walked forward, looking directly at her. "I love JR. You know, I know...everyone knows I love JR and that I'd give my life for him."

"And?"

"And I can't control his life. I don't know what kind of games Adam is playing...whether it's for Liza or what but JR needs direction. I've tried. I...I don't know how to raise a child. I'm learning. I don't know if I should look to Ruth or Opal or Erica or my Mother...because everything seems so different everywhere and...I'm not going to read books because I know JR better than anyone else and he's not going to slip away from me like this. I want him to get help, but I want him to help me."

"You think he's doing this for attention?"

"A little bit. I don't know why. Maybe because I've been so self-centered or...I don't know what's been going around with this house since we...since Leslie Coulson came back. Everything changed, Tad. Not just between you and me, it's like a bad aura just jumped into the centre of my world."

"Well, what do we do?"

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her. "I just want a hug, Tad," she whispered into his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"We're going to figure something out...don't worry."

She pulled away from him, holding his hands in hers. "I'm not. I'm not going to worry. I trust that JR will make decisions in his best interest. I trust that he'll make mistakes because we all do and that...things will work themselves out."

"You're such a wonderful mother, Dixie."

"If was such a wonderful mother, my son would be roasting smores over the fireplace right now or upstairs doing his homework. Somewhere along the lines I screwed up. JR isn't gone forever...he's a good kid."

(enter JR. His face is flushed, his hair mussed up.)

"So, you're still here," he said, brushing a hand through his head. He stood in the doorway, Dixie peering at him behind Tad.

"Yes, I'm still here, JR. I'll always be here."

"Don't know why---"

"So I can help you."

"Why would I need your help?"

"JR, why don't you just...just sit down" Dixie asked, coming to him and wrapping her arm around him. "Ooh, you're cold. Just sit down and I'll turn up the heat," she guided him to the couch. He sat down without a word, rubbing his hands together. Tad sat down in an adjoining chair, Dixie walking past him to turn the heat up.

"I'm sorry, Tad," he said.

"What?"

"Look, I said I'm sorry, okay? Don't press for more."

"Thank you, JR. Thank you."

"Okay," Dixie said, reentering. "Heat's up." She sat down next to JR, rubbing his hands again.

"Mom you don't have to baby me. I'm cold...I'll get warmer."

She stopped, "I'm sorry I just...I'm sorry."

"Look, if you guys don't mind, I'm just going to sleep now. I'm tired."

"JR...you don't have to go to school tomorrow if you don't want to but, can you please go back Tuesday?"

"Sure, Mom. Whatever."

Dixie watched JR leave the room, then turned to Tad. "What the Hell do you think that was?"

"What?" Tad whispered.

"JR...he left here in a hurry--he was angry and on the edge of something horrible and he comes back cold, but calm and collected. I don't get it."

"The cold'll do that sometimes."

"Tad, I might've been born at night but it wasn't last night. Don't talk to me like I'm inferior. You know as well as I do that something was changed in him, tell me you didn't see it."

"I think we should just...maybe go upstairs to talk about this."

"Why?"

"...because I just want to be honest with you and I cannot--I can't risk JR misunderstanding something he might here."

"Just what---"

"Shh--. Let's just go upstairs, okay? Besides, we have some other business we have to attend to don't we?" he asked, kissing her softly on the lips. She kissed him back, putting her head on the back of his neck. "Mmm..."