Tuscan Skies
Part 13
The Crime Scene Investigation team, and a man from the Coroner's office had been given the unpleasant task of collecting the charred, and unrecognizable remains of what was left of Donald Jennings Lockwood. The twisted, and melted mass of burnt metal, that used to be a rental car had been lifted onto the back of tow truck bed, and removed hours before the CSI crew arrived at the scene, and the Coroner's office had been called in for a statement regarding the victim. The road crews were cleaning the spilled, and burnt fluids from the wreckage off of the tarmac on Interstate 30. The agent from Interpol, and the three FBI agents were talking with Sheriff Fenton Washburn about the incident. The rest of the Sheriff's deputies had been dispatched, or assigned to other duties, and the ranch hands had been thanked for their efforts, and their diligence, and been told to stand down by Bobby and Clayton. In a matter of minutes, the Interstate would be re-opened for traffic, and it would appear as if nothing had happened hours before.
J.R. carefully studied Sue Ellen, waiting for some emotional outburst, or the slightest indication of sorrow, or remorse. Then again, he thought, if he had been the victim of rape, the last person he would feel anything for, in the wake of their death, would be the individual who had inflicted the rape.
Sue Ellen interrupted his reverie, and said, "I'm going to take a shower, care to join me, Darlin?"
J.R. lifted his gaze to where she was standing, and grinned at her, saying, "I'd love to, Sugar." They walked upstairs to the loft bedroom to rinse off the suntan oil on their skin from the time they had spent outside by the pool.
J.R. moved the diverter toggle on the shower faucet that would send the water to the multi-directional showerheads. The water surged through the plumbing, and sprayed out onto the shower floor. J.R. climbed into the stall, and held open his arms, inviting Sue Ellen inside. She walked into his arms, and put her arms around his waist. He lowered his head, and kissed her inviting mouth. She responded to his kiss, in her own inimitable way, pressing her body against him, sending waves of desire coursing through his veins. He delighted in the sensations he was feeling, as the water covered their bodies in liquid warmth. Sue Ellen stared intensely into J.R. eyes, as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She leaned forward, and kissed the soft skin underneath his chin. His pulse was increasing with every touch of her lips against his wet skin. He lifted her up into his arms, trailing kisses down her torso, as she leaned forward in his arms. She pulled his head to her chest, as he lowered her to the floor of the shower stall. She straddled him with her legs, and they started making love. She maintained her hands on his shoulders, as he moved against her with an urgency that surprised him. God, how he loved this woman, he thought, as he called her name out loud, unable to restrain himself.
She held his head against her shoulder, holding him in her arms. She kissed the side of his head, and softly whispered, "You are so amazing, J.R. I've never met any other man who could turn me on the way that you do."
J.R. lifted his head, and hungrily kissed her neck. His voice was deepened by the intensity of the way he felt after their lovemaking. He said, "I love you, Sue Ellen. I'm glad that all of the trouble with Don is behind us, so that we can move forward with our life together."
They dried off, and dressed for a drive into the city for their evening meal. Sue Ellen wore the black sheath J.R. bought for her when they went shopping for suits in the designer clothing stores in Tuscany. She looked elegant in the simple design of the dress. Her fabulous figure looked even more incredible, as the fabric accentuated her curves. J.R. dressed in a dark grey suit that he brought with him in one of his garment bags. It was the color of grey that Sue Ellen said was the most complimentary for his eye color. Sue Ellen loosely piled her hair on top of her head, allowing a few tendrils to fall forward around her eyes. The walked out of the main house, and closed the door behind them. J.R. opened the gate leading into the courtyard, from the main entrance to the villa. They stepped inside the limousine, and drove toward the ancient city of Pitigliano in Montemerano, Italy.
Sue Ellen reached for J.R.'s hand, and said, "I don't want you to worry about me, and how I'm handlin' the situation with Don, J.R. I'm fine. What's done is done, and I'm glad that he wasn't able to hurt anyone else."
J.R. lifted her hand to his mouth, and kissed the back of her hand. He thought about how Don had hurt Sue Ellen, physically, and emotionally, and had to fight to stifle the anger welling up inside him.
He said, "You look ravishing in that dress, Sugar. I'm glad that you like it."
She smiled her most impressive Miss Texas smile, and said, "Thank you for everything, J.R. I don't know what I would have done without your love, and support through all of this."
The limousine stopped outside of Il Tufo Allegro in Pitigliano. The restaurant was located on Vicolo della Constituzione. The ancient city of Pitigliano was carved out of Tufo on a huge outcrop. It is surrounded by three rivers with carved out gorges that add a dramatic setting for the city. Pitigliano sits on top of a bluff, and offers awe-inspiring views at night when it is brightly lit. It appears to grow from the ancient stone. The restaurant is a house, in an old house that sits above five levels of cellar carved into the Tufo. There are paleo-Christian style crucifixes carved into the walls. J.R. ordered Lombrichelli al ragu del'anatra and papardelle, made with saffron and lamb sauce. Sue Ellen ordered agrodolce di verdure, roasted vegetables in a sweet and sour sauce with grapes, almonds, and tarragon vinegar. They shared an order of roast porcini. J.R. ordered Sangrantino di Montefalco 25 Anni from Arnolfo Caprais. A twenty-fifth anniversary edition wine from the Arnolfo Caprais cellars. It was a hearty red wine with a very heavy tannic flavor, with just a hint of a woodsy aftertaste. Sue Ellen enjoyed a bottle of San Pelligrino.
J.R. paid for their meal, and left a more than generous gratuity for their waiter. They left the restaurant, and J.R. instructed the limousine driver to wait for them, while they went for a walk around the city. J.R. placed his arm around Sue Ellen's waist. She held his other hand tightly in her hand. She enjoyed the walks they took together, it gave them time to talk about the things that mattered most to them.
Sue Ellen asked, "Did you enjoy your meal, Darlin'?"
J.R. said, "Yes, I did, but I think that wine is goin' straight to my head. How was your meal, Sugar?"
Sue Ellen laughed at the thought of J.R. nursing a wine-induced hang-over in the morning. She said, "I really enjoyed my meal. It was very flavorful, and not as rich as some of the food we've had lately. I have to watch my girlish figure."
J.R. said, "I'll watch your girlish figure, Honey, and from where I stand, you have absolutely nothin' to worry about."
Sue Ellen kissed his cheek, as they continued walking on the cobblestone streets of the old city. Occasionally, Sue Ellen would stop to admire a piece of jewelry in one of the window displays in a shop along the piazza. Most of the shops were closed for the evening, to allow the proprietors time with their families.
J.R. reached out to stop Sue Ellen from falling, as one of her high heels became lodged in a grating on the corner of one of the streets. J.R. knelt down in front of her, as Sue Ellen steadied herself by holding on to a lamppost, as J.R. tried to dislodge the shoe. He was far too intoxicated to maintain his balance, and fell forward, sending Sue Ellen tumbling backwards on the sidewalk. She hit her head against the cement when she fell, and was knocked out cold. J.R. was in a panic when he saw blood pooling on the sidewalk next to her head. He didn't speak the language, and was at a loss for how to summons help for Sue Ellen. He remembered their driver was bi-lingual, and called out to him. The driver ran over to J.R., and promptly removed his mobile telephone from the pocket of his jacket.
The driver dialed 911 on his mobile phone, and said, "Aiuti, io hanno bisogno di un ambulace trasmesso al della Constituzione di Vicolo. Una donna P caduto e colpito la sua testa. O unconscious e sta sanguinando dalla sua testa. Grazie."
The driver told J.R. that the ambulance is on it's way. J.R. removed his jacket, and placed it over Sue Ellen. The limo driver covered Sue Ellen's legs with his jacket, and tried to apply pressure to her carotid artery to slow the bleeding.
The ambulance arrived moments later. Two ambulance technicians ran over to Sue Ellen. They knelt on the ground beside her, and asked what had happened to the woman.
The first technician said, "Che cosa P accaduto? Che cosa P il suo nome?"
The driver translated for J.R. J.R. said, "Her name is Sue Ellen Ewing. She's my wife."
The driver told the technician what J.R. had said, and asked the technician if he spoke English.
The technician said, "Yes, I speak some English. Are you live here in Pitigliano, Signor?"
J.R. said, "No, we're here on vacation. We were walking, and her shoe got stuck in the grating, and I was tryin' to help her get her shoe out of the grating, but I fell over, and knocked her down."
The technician didn't understand a word J.R. had said. The driver translated J.R.'s frantic response. He said, "No, hanno luogo qui sulla vacanza. Stavano camminando ed il suo pattino P rimasto incastrato nella grata e stava provando a aiutarlo ad ottenere il suo pattino dalla grata, ma P caduto sopra e la ha battuta gij."
The ambulance technician's bandaged Sue Ellen's head, and inserted an IV into her arm. They lifted her onto a gurney, and lifted the gurney into the back of the ambulance.
J.R. asked, "Can I ride in the ambulance with her? I don't want to leave her alone in a strange city."
The driver said, "Pub guidare nell'ambulanza con lei? Non desidera lasciare il suo solo in una cittB sconosciuta."
The technician said, "Si, Signor."
J.R. thanked the limousine driver, and climbed inside the back of the ambulance. The driver asked one of the ambulance technician's which hospital they would be going to.
The technician said, "La Pistoia - Azienda USL3."
The limousine driver followed the ambulance to the hospital, to wait for J.R., and see how Sue Ellen was faring.
The ambulance came to a stop in front of the emergency room doors. The ambulance technician raced around to the back of the ambulance, and opened the door. The other technician who rode in the back of the ambulance with Sue Ellen helped lower the gurney to the sidewalk, and quickly pushed the gurney through the automatic doors. The limousine driver located J.R. when he arrived at the hospital, and offered to translate for him, in order for him to be able to register Sue Ellen as a patient.
The cut on Sue Ellen's head, was not as serious as it initially appeared to be, and was easily closed with a couple of stitches. She was conscious, and cogent when J.R. was finally permitted into the Emergency Room to see her.
J.R. looked worried when he walked into the room. He said, "Sue Ellen, I am so sorry. I never meant to fall over, and hurt you. I just don't know what to say, Sugar."
Sue Ellen reached for his hand, and said, "J.R., I don't blame you for anything that's happened. We've been through so much these past couple of days, and you needed to relax. Accidents happen, Darlin'. Don't blame yourself."
J.R. smiled sheepishly, then said, "I'll try, Sugar." He leaned forward, and kissed her. She lifted her hand to the side of his face, and deepened his kiss.
The ER Physician came into the room, and said, "Buona Sera, Signor Ewing. Sono il dottore Caracelli. La vostra moglie ha uno sbattimento leggero e la sua ferita ha richiesto I punti, ma sarB fine. Vorremmo mantenerli durante la notte lei, per il obsevartion."
J.R. looked completely lost. Sue Ellen reached for his hand, and said, "Dr. Caracelli said that I have a mild concussion, and they want to keep me here overnight, for observation."
J.R. said, "Oh, was that all? It sounded like the good doctor was tellin' me her thesis."
Sue Ellen scolded him, and said, "J.R. sometimes you can be so impudent."
J.R. said, "I'm sorry, Honey. I just wish that someone in this place spoke English. I'll stay here with you, Sugar. I don't want to leave you alone."
Sue Ellen was moved to a private room in another wing of the hospital. J.R. carried her clothes, and shoes, and other personal belongings to the room. Their limousine driver offered to stay at the hospital and wait for them, but Sue Ellen insisted that he go home for the night. He agreed, and told them that he would return for them in the morning.
J.R. waited until the driver left, before he said, "Sue Ellen, I know you said that it wasn't my fault, but I feel so damn responsible. I'm truly sorry. I hope you can forgive me, Sugar."
Sue Ellen smiled at him, and said, "I already told you, I don't blame you, J.R. Please stop feelin' so responsible. It's just a mild concussion, and a couple of stitches. I'll be as good as new by morning. I am glad you're here, though."
J.R. said, "Why is that, Sugar?"
Sue Ellen said, "Come over here, and I'll show you."
J.R. grinned as she pulled on his tie, and lowered his head so that she could kiss him. J.R. was speechless when she ended the kiss. He was aroused, and breathing heavily. Sue Ellen gazed at him through half-closed eyes, and said, "I love you, J.R. I've always loved you. I hope you know that?"
J.R. smiled at her, fighting back the emotion her words had stirred in him. He said, "I do, Sugar. I'm the luckiest man alive, because I've been given another chance with you. I promise you that I won't ever hurt you again. I love you, Honey."
Sue Ellen fell asleep with J.R holding her hand in his.
