Return to Camelot

Part 7

Dr. Chamberlain knocked on the door of Sue Ellen's hospital room to examine her incision, and see how she was feeling.

Sue Ellen said, "Come on in."

J.R. stood up from the side of Sue Ellen's bed, and shook Dr. Chamberlain's hand.

Dr. Chamberlain asked, "How are you feeling, Sue Ellen? I'll bet it feels good to be in your own clothes?"

Sue Ellen glanced down at the gown and robe J.R. brought her from the ranch, and smiled at Dr. Chamberlain, saying, "Yes, it makes all the difference in the world."

J.R. kissed Sue Ellen on the cheek, and excused himself from the room, while Dr. Chamberlain examined Sue Ellen. J.R. didn't want Sue Ellen to see his face if his reaction to her incision was negative in any way. J.R. stepped into the hallway, just as Miss Ellie and Clayton were walking toward Sue Ellen's hospital room.

Miss Ellie smiled at J.R. He looked rested, and he had managed to shave his face. J.R. hugged and kissed Miss Ellie, and much to his surprise gave Clayton a hug, as well.

Clayton asked, "How is Sue Ellen?"

J.R. straightened his back, put his hands on his hips, and said, "Her doctor is in with her now. She's feelin' much better. The doctor thinks that they might be able take her off of her IV, either today or tomorrow, and start her on a liquid diet. I'm hopin' that her condition has improved enough that they can take her off of that damn heart monitor."

Miss Ellie asked, "How are you holding up, J.R.?"

J.R. laughed, and said, "I slept real good for the first time last might, Mamma. I fell asleep holdin' Sue Ellen in my arms."

Miss Ellie's eyes misted over at the thought of how much J.R. and Sue Ellen's relationship had changed.

Clayton asked, "J.R., are you hungry?"

J.R. said, "Yes, I'm starvin'. I could eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, all in one sitting."

Miss Ellie laughed at J.R.'s admission. J.R had always maintained a healthy appetite for food. When J.R. was growing up, it was all that Miss Ellie could do to keep him out of the kitchen at Southfork, and away from the pots and pans on the stove that were brimming with the delicious dishes she had prepared for the family.

J.R. said, "I'll join you for breakfast as soon as I tell Sue Ellen where I'll be."

Dr. Chamberlain finished his exam, and walked out of Sue Ellen's room, into the hallway.

J.R. asked, "How is she doin', Dr. Chamberlain?"

Dr. Chamberlain smiled, and said, "Sue Ellen is doing much better, Mr. Ewing. I've taken her off of the heart monitor, for the time being. We'll continue to monitor her blood oxygen levels periodically throughout the day, but I'm reasonably sure that we can take her off of her IV, and start her on a liquid diet."

J.R. grinned from ear to ear, and said, "That's wonderful news Dr. Chamberlain. I can't thank you enough for all you've done for us."

Dr. Chamberlain excused himself, and told J.R. that he would stop back later in the day. J.R. knocked on Sue Ellen's door.

Sue Ellen said, "You can come in, J.R."

J.R. opened the door, and stepped into the room, asking, "How did you know it was me, Sugar?"

Sue Ellen smiled, and said, "I'd know the pattern of your knock anywhere, Darlin'."

J.R. chuckled, and said, "Mamma and Clayton are here, we're gonna grab a bite to eat, then we'll be right back. Will you be all right 'til we get back?

Sue Ellen said, "Of course, J.R. The nurse is supposed to remove my IV, and give me a sponge bath. I'm gonna ask her if she could wash my hair. I can't stand it anymore."

J.R. leaned over, and kissed Sue Ellen.

Sue Ellen lifted her hand to J.R.'s cheek, and drew him closer, to deepen the kiss. J.R. pulled away, not trusting his actions, if he were to allow his response to intensify. Sue Ellen flashed J.R. a questioning look, but J.R. touched her cheek, and she kissed his palm.

Sue Ellen spoke, "J.R.? I can't tell you how much the words you wrote in the card you gave me, meant to me."

J.R. replied, "I didn't know how to put my feelings into words, so when I saw the quote in that card, I figured that pretty much summed up how I feel about our life together."

Sue Ellen softly asked, "J.R.? Did you…do you still want to marry me, like it said on the front of the card?"

J.R.'s eyes filled with emotion as he said, "Yes, I do, Sue Ellen, now, more than ever. Havin' you as a live-in lover has been incredible, but I've reached a point in my life where I know the difference between the things that matter, and the things that don't matter, much at all. I love you, Sugar. I want you, and need you in my life. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, as your husband. If you'll have me?"

Sue Ellen's tears fell freely from her eyes as she met J.R.'s intense gaze.

Sue Ellen huskily whispered, "Oh, J.R. Yes, I'll marry you. Whenever you want, and wherever you want. I love you so very much."

J.R. kissed Sue Ellen all over her face, before taking her into his arms.

J.R. said, "I won't be long, Honey. I love you."

Sue Ellen smiled, and said, "I love you, too, J.R. Enjoy your breakfast."

Sue Ellen climbed out of her bed, after J.R. left her room. She walked over to the mirror on the back of the closet door, and lifted her nightgown. She wanted to see how bruised her abdomen really was. She cringed when she saw the discoloration on her abdomen. The bandage covered a larger area than her incision occupied, giving Sue Ellen the impression that her surgery was more extensive than Dr. Chamberlain had led her to believe.

Sue Ellen let her gown fall over her legs, as she angrily turned her head away from the mirror. She closed the closet door, and slowly walked back to the bed. She sat down on the edge of the bed, as tears of anger fell from her eyes. Sue Ellen grabbed her pillow and buried her face against it.

J.R., Miss Ellie, and Clayton returned to Sue Ellen's room. J.R. knocked on the door, but Sue Ellen didn't respond. J.R. motioned to Clayton and Miss Ellie to wait in the hallway, while he checked on Sue Ellen. J.R. opened the door to Sue Ellen's room.

Sue Ellen was standing by the window, with the head against the glass.

J.R. walked toward Sue Ellen, and asked, "Darlin', what's wrong?"

Sue Ellen sobbed, and said, "I don't know, J.R. I'm so tired of feelin' like this. One minute I'm happy, the next minute it feels like the world is gonna end. When will it stop?"

J.R. pulled Sue Ellen into his arms, and hugged her tightly to him. Please, God, help her, he silently prayed, as he stroked her freshly washed hair with his hand. J.R. slowly rocked Sue Ellen back and forth in his arms. Whispering to her that everything would be fine, she just needed to allow herself time to heal. J.R. pulled back from Sue Ellen to see if she wanted him to ask Miss Ellie and Clayton to come back later on, when she felt like having visitors.

Sue Ellen wiped at her eyes with a tissue, and said, "No, I'll be fine, J.R. Thank you for bein' so understandin'. I don't know what I'd do without you."

J.R. kissed Sue Ellen's forehead, and said, "Why don't you go splash some cool water on your face, while I get Mamma and Clayton?"

Sue Ellen nodded her head in agreement with J.R.'s suggestion.

J.R. opened the door and invited Miss Ellie and Clayton into the room. Sue Ellen stepped out of the bathroom, pulling her robe tighter around her torso, and smiled a timid smile at Miss Ellie and Clayton.

Miss Ellie took one look at the rosy color of Sue Ellen's cheeks, and said, "Oh, you look much better Sue Ellen. How are you feeling?"

Sue Ellen reached for J.R.'s hand and said, "Thanks to J.R.'s love and support, I'm feelin' one hundred-percent better, Miss Ellie."

J.R. kissed the side of Sue Ellen's head, as he put his arm around her shoulder, hugging her to his side.

Clayton folded his arms across his chest, and said, "You do look much better than you did the other day, Sue Ellen."

Sue Ellen stepped toward Clayton and said, "Thank you, Clayton. I feel much better than I did then. I understand that you gave me mouth-to-mouth. Thank you."

Sue Ellen looked around her hospital room, and said, "I'm very fortunate to have all of you in my life."

Clayton opened his arms to Sue Ellen, and hugged her. He kissed the top of her head, and gently patted her back. Sue Ellen stepped away from Clayton, and reached for Miss Ellie, kissing her cheek. Miss Ellie eagerly hugged Sue Ellen.

J.R. said, "Come on, Honey. Let's get you back in bed."

Sue Ellen willingly did as J.R. recommended, She was emotionally drained, and feeling tired from standing on her feet for too long. J.R. helped her over to the bed, and lifted her legs on top of the mattress. Sue Ellen patted the mattress by her side, inviting J.R. to sit next to her. J.R. smiled, as he joined Sue Ellen on her bed.

Sue Ellen leaned into J.R. She put her arm around him, and laced her finger through one of the belt loops on his jeans. J.R. covered her fingers with his hand, and kissed Sue Ellen's hair. Sue Ellen closed her eyes when she felt J.R.'s lips on her head. She lifted her head, and grinned at J.R.

Miss Ellie sat in the chair that Clayton had moved to the foot of Sue Ellen's bed, and asked, "Has your doctor told you when you might be coming home, Sue Ellen?"

Sue Ellen said, "I haven't even thought to ask, Miss Ellie. They're supposed to be removing my IV later on today. They've taken me off of the heart monitors, so that's a good sign."

Sue Ellen turned to J.R. asking, "Will you remind me to ask Dr. Chamberlain about that, Darlin'?"

J.R. said, "Anything, Sugar."

J.R. lifted Sue Ellen's chin, and kissed her mouth. Sue Ellen lifted her hand to the side of J.R.'s face, and parted his lips with her tongue. J.R.'s eyes blazed with desire, as Sue Ellen deepened her kiss, oblivious to the embarrassment she might be causing Clayton and Miss Ellie.

Miss Ellie patted Clayton's hand, and smiled at him. Miss Ellie marveled at how close J.R. and Sue Ellen had become, although she was deeply saddened by the fact that it seemed to have taken the tragic loss of their baby to bring them closer together.

Clayton and Miss Ellie decided to leave to give J.R. and Sue Ellen some private time. Sue Ellen thanked them for stopping by to visit with her, and told them to drive safely on their way back to the ranch. Miss Ellie told Sue Ellen not to hesitate to call the ranch, if she needed anything.

J.R. closed the door to Sue Ellen's room, and sat down on the foot of her bed. J.R. pulled off one of Sue Ellen's slippers, and started rubbing her foot. Sue Ellen sighed heavily as J.R.'s hands deftly worked their magic on her aching feet. J.R. had Sue Ellen throw him a bottle of lotion from the stand next to her bed. J.R. rubbed the lotion into Sue Ellen's feet.

J.R. said, "Lean back against the pillow, Honey. I'm gonna rub your feet until you're feelin' comfortable, again."

Sue Ellen asked, "What about you, J.R.?"

J.R. grinned, and said, "When you're up to it, Sugar. I know exactly what you can do to make me feel more comfortable."

Sue Ellen winked at J.R., saying, "Do me a favor, J.R.? Don't ever change."

J.R. said, "I've done all the changin' I'm gonna do, Sugar. I just hope the changes meet with your approval."

Sue Ellen gave J.R. a puzzled look, and asked, "What do you mean, J.R.?"

J.R. said, "After I lost you, when you left for London, I never realized how important you were to me. I never understood how much of a void you filled in my life, until you weren't there, anymore. I started doin' a lot of soul searchin', and I'll tell you what, I didn't like what I found. I had been a real bastard to you, Honey. I was an arrogant son-of-a bitch. I took you for granted, just expectin' you to put up with my philanderin' ways."

Sue Ellen said, "J.R…"

J.R. interrupted her, "Let me finish, please?"

Sue Ellen nodded her head, saying, "Go on."

J.R. replied, "Your leavin' me was the best thing that could have happened to the old J.R. Ewing."

Sue Ellen tilted her head to one side, and said, "I do so love the man you've become, J.R."

J.R. smiled as he moved closer to Sue Ellen, and said, "The man you love isn't the same man I was then. I've changed, and I owe it all to you."

Sue Ellen reached her arms out to J.R.

J.R. knelt on the bed, being careful not to fall off the edge, and sat beside Sue Ellen.

Sue Ellen nestled her head into the crook of J.R.'s arm. J.R. put his arms around her, and asked, "When was the last time I told you that I loved you?"

Sue Ellen lifted her head and smiled at J.R., saying, "Hmm, I'm not sure."

J.R. kissed Sue Ellen. Sue Ellen pulled J.R. to her by his elbows. Sue Ellen tilted her head back, as J.R.'s mouth moved to her neck. Sue Ellen's heart rate increased with every touch of J.R.'s lips on her skin. Sue Ellen lifted her hand to the back of J.R.'s neck and started playing with his hair.

J.R. pulled away from Sue Ellen, as he looked deep into her eyes.

Sue Ellen said, "I…I'm sorry J.R. I didn't mean to get so carried away."

J.R.'s breathing was ragged as he said, "You're not the only one, Sugar. I think I'd better take a quick shower. I'll be out in a few minutes."

Sue Ellen grudgingly let go of J.R.'s hand as he arose from the bed. Sue Ellen watched J.R. walk into the bathroom, and close the door. Sue Ellen listened to the sound of the water hitting the tiled floor of the shower stall.

Sue Ellen covered her mouth, to stifle her laugher, as J.R. yelled, "Damn, that's cold!"

To be continued…