Tuscan Skies

Part 18

J.R. and Sue Ellen arrived back at the villa later than J.R. had anticipated. They would have to postpone their Italian Riviera cruise until the next morning.

J.R. asked, "How would you like to go sightseeing today, Sugar?"

Sue Ellen raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Are you feelin' all right, J.R. This is not like you at all."

J.R. said, "I'm serious, Honey. I want to take you around the city, and show you off."

Sue Ellen apologized for questioning his motives.

She said, "I would be delighted if you were to escort me on a sightseeing tour of this area, J.R."

They showered, and dressed in suitable attire for a day spent walking through the cobblestone streets of Tuscany, and neighboring villages.

Gustavo chauffeured J.R. and Sue Ellen to Pisa, Italy. Nine hundred years ago, Pisa was known as the city of marvels, and is worthy of the name to this day. The city famous for its leaning tower, has much more to offer. One of the first monuments in the city is the Campo del Miracoli, famous in Italy and the world. Il Duomo, one of the world's greatest examples of Pisan-Romanesque architecture, houses works of art such as the Pulpit, by Giovanni Pisano. The main façade of Il Duomo has four rows of columns forming tiers of loggias. The bronze doors of Il Duomo face the leaning tower, and were designed by Bonanno Pisano. The original wooden doors of the cathedral were destroyed by fire in 1596; in addition, much of the interior was also devastated by the blaze. The pulpit miraculously survived the fire, as did a mosaic of Christ in Majesty by Cimabue, completed in 1302. This stunning cathedral became a model for other cathedrals throughout Italy, and the world.

J.R. watched as Sue Ellen was mesmerized by the beautiful artistry involved in the construction of Il Duomo. She reached out and touched the green and cream-colored marble strands that ornamented the cathedral walls, inside and out.

Sue Ellen reached for J.R.'s hand, awed by the ageless beauty of Il Duomo.

She whispered, "This is incredible, J.R. Imagine how many people have walked where we are walking."

Her eyes filled with emotion, as she contemplated the cathedral's history.

Next to Il Duomo stands the famous Leaning Tower, built to show the rest of the world the wealth of the city of Pisa. The early people of Pisa were skilled sailors, and conquered many lands, but they had only one enemy – Florence. They started building a bell tower to show the Florentines how well they were doing. Construction on the tower started in 1173, the first stone was laid on August ninth of that year. The tower started leaning in 1185.

J.R. couldn't resist the urge to take Sue Ellen into his arms, and kiss her. He pushed her against the tower, and placed his hand on her arms. He covered her mouth with his eager lips, and kissed her.

She smiled at him when he released her from his embrace, and said, "I don't know what I did to deserve that, but I'll do it again if it gets that type of response."

J.R. laughed, and hugged her to him, saying, "You don't have to do anything, Honey. I love you just the way you are, and I can't control my urges when I'm around you, Sugar."

Sue Ellen rested her head on his shoulder, basking in how at ease she felt in his arms. She kissed the side of his neck, and he tilted his head back.

His breath caught in his throat, and he said, "I love you, Sue Ellen. I've never felt so much love for anyone as I do for you."

Sue Ellen touched his lips with her fingertips, and gazed at his mouth. Her emotional response to his words was almost too much for her to take, and she lowered her gaze to his chest. J.R. cupped her chin in his hands, and lifted her head to see her eyes.

He asked, "Why are you havin' such a difficult time lookin' at me lately, Sugar?"

Sue Ellen gave him a puzzled look, and said, "I don't know what you're talkin' about, J.R. I'm still feelin' a little distracted after my concussion. I guess I'm not quite feelin' up to par, yet."

Sue Ellen lied to J.R. She was feeling guilty about not telling him that Gian Carlo sat next to her at the fashion show in Milan. She had done everything she could to avoid Gian Carlo, how could she control where he sat? She knew that J.R. would react unfavorably, and possibly get angry with her. She was terrified to tell him that she had given him a ride to the airport in Milan, after the fashion show. J.R. baffled her. His behavior toward her was so different from what she had expected, and she was waiting for him to pull the rug out from under her, as he had done so frequently in the past, when their relationship was going well. She admitted that although she loved the attention J.R. was giving her, it frightened her, too. How could she tell J.R. how she felt, without hurting his feelings, or pushing him away?

She muttered to herself, "Sue Ellen, you are a hypocrite wasn't it you who said that your relationship was past all of the non-truths, and denials?"

She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze, and said, "J.R. can we go sit somewhere and talk?"

J.R. looked worried, her serious tone caused him to wonder what she wanted to talk about. He followed her over to a bench across the piazza, and sat down next to her. She cleared her throat, and took his hand.

Sue Ellen said, "I don't know how to say this to you, J.R., but I'm afraid that things have been so good between us lately, I'm waitin' for the other shoe to drop. Do you understand?"

J.R. looked at his hand, as her fingers nervously rubbed against his fingers.

He said, "I could tell that somethin' has been botherin' you, Sugar. I simply didn't know how to ask you about it. I guess that I can understand your fears. I just don't know what I can say to you to ease your mind about them, though."

Sue Ellen half smiled, and said, "I don't know if there is anything you can say."

She stood up from the bench, and walked over to the tower. J.R. watched as she stood in front of the tower, contemplating what to say to her. How could he convince her that he'd changed, when he had a difficult time believing it himself? How could he make amends to her for the way things had been between them before she left him, and went to London? Why is this happening, now? He walked over to where she was standing, and touched her hand.

She looked at him, and said, "I'm sorry, J.R. I had to tell you how I felt. We both agreed to be honest about our feelings . . . and since we're bein honest, there's somethin' else I need to tell you, too."

J.R. steeled himself for the worst. Had she fallen out of love with him? Was there someone else?

Sue Ellen sensed his apprehension, and said, "When I went to the fashion show in Milan, that man from the opera house was there. He took the seat next to mine. J.R., I wanted to move, but the auditorium was packed. I ran out of there when the show was over."

She continued, "I was in the limousine, when that man tapped on the window, and asked for a ride to the airport. He was afraid he would miss his plane."

J.R. bristled, he remembered what Gustavo had told him about Gian Carlo Montevideo.

He asked, "Well, did you give him a ride?"

Sue Ellen hesitated to answer, then said, "Yes, but not before I asked the limousine driver if he would keep an eye on him, for me. The driver locked down the privacy window, and watched him in his rear-view mirror until we arrived at the airport."

J.R. asked, "Then what happened?"

Sue Ellen shrugged her shoulders, and said, "I didn't see him after I boarded the plane."

J.R. asked, "Is there anything else you haven't been tellin' me?"

Sue Ellen raised an eyebrow, and said, "No, I wanted to be honest with you about everything."

J.R. pressed her, "Why didn't you tell me about the fashion show before now?"

Sue Ellen's voice increased in pitch, and she said, "I didn't tell you because I knew I'd get a reaction like this."

J.R. was irritated, and said, "I'm reactin' like this because of what you said about how you feel about us. I don't give a damn about some Italian bastard who cheats on his wife. I care about you, and I care about us."

Sue Ellen asked, "How in the world do you know that he cheats on his wife? You were jealous when you saw me talkin' to him at the opera house, weren't you?"

J.R. said, "Yes, I was jealous, so I asked Gus if he knew him when I bumped into him the day I bought those earrings for you. Gus told me what a miserable son-of-a-bitch Gian Carlo was. He told me how he cheats on his wife, but she puts up with it for the sake of the family's reputation, and his money. Everything Gus told me about Gian Carlo, reminded me of what a rotten bastard I was when we were together. I'll never forgive myself for the way I treated you, and I struggle with your ability to forgive me, after all of the terrible things I did to you."

Sue Ellen winked at him, and said, "They weren't all terrible. If memory serves, the sex was incredible. I know that you've changed J.R., but I guess I'm still gun-shy."

J.R. flashed her a frustrated look, then realized that she had every reason to question his behavior. He questioned his newfound need for her, too. He exhaled loudly, then reached for her hand.

He said, "I know that you are strugglin' with accepting that I've changed, and I can't say that I blame you. God only knows how much I blame myself for the problems we had in the past. I can only tell you how much I love you, and how committed I am to our relationship. I can't offer you anything else but my heart."

Sue Ellen bridged the gap between them with a swift stride of her long legs. She put her arms around his shoulders, and hungrily kissed him, licking his lips with her tongue. J.R. devoured her tongue, and pulled her tightly to his chest. His hand reached for her breast, but she stopped him. They were gathering quite an audience. When in Rome, she mused, but this was Tuscany.

She smiled at him when she pulled away, and said, "I love you, J.R. I always have, and no matter what happens between us, I probably always will."

J.R. put his hands at her waist, and lifted her into his arms.

He said, "Let's not waste any more time talkin' about the past, Sugar. Let's finish seein' the sights, and go back to the villa. I'd like to go to bed early tonight, if you wouldn't mind?"

J.R. wanted to keep the cruise he'd planned for them a surprise, until morning.

Sue Ellen eyed him suspiciously, and asked, "Is there any particular reason why you want to go to bed early, J.R.?"

He lowered her to the ground, and said, "Now you see, that's exactly what I'm talkin' about. We can't move forward if you keep havin' doubts about innocent comments."

Sue Ellen slugged his arm, and said, "J.R. Ewing, there is nothin' innocent about your comments, and you know it!"

J.R. laughed as he put his arm around her shoulder, and walked her away from the tower, to the next point of interest on their sightseeing trip . . .