CHAPTER 3: Fresh start

Early morning.

Sue Ellen watched the clock on the bedside, it was 9am. She turned to the other half of her bed, JR was sleeping next to her. It wasn't a dream, Sue Ellen couldn't believe that everything really happened. She was still watching at JR, she smiled. He was wearing a his pyjama, she had not idea that she still had few of his pyjamas in her wardrobe.

*What a night* she thought.

Sue Ellen never imagined that she could spend so many hours with JR without fighting or having discussion. They spent most of the night talking and remembering all their memorable moments, good and bad. It was a little bit weird talking about everything they had been through for only one life. They remembered the great moment with little John Ross when she didn't live in Southfork and they all went to the park, having a lot of fun together. They also remembered when she wanted to buy a baby and JR paid off the woman; she wanted to leave Southfork but JR grabbed her arm so she turned to him and she slapped him, ending to making love. She couldn't to resist to JR's kisses on her neck, they were something inexplicable. And how to not mention the kiss in the gym; JR sat behind her, after a short chat he hold her shoulders and he slowly almost made her lie down, starting to kiss her.

*What a kiss* she thought. JR always had a particular way to kiss her and she always loved his way. So passionate, seductive and romantic at the same time.

Sue Ellen was watching the ceiling of her bedroom when JR interrupted her thoughts. 'Good morning, darlin'.

She turned to him again. His eyes were narrowed. 'Good morning, JR' she whispered, smiling. JR caressed her cheek, with a softly touch and they kissed.

'What time is it?' he asked, getting out of the bed.

'It's 9am' he replied to him, getting out of the bed as well. She had a lot of things to do that day. First call Ann, even if there was a war between JR and Bobby and between their respective sons, she didn't want to lose her dear friend.

'I have to go, darlin. I have some work to do with John Ross' JR said wearing his clothes.

Sue Ellen took her black woman dressing gown and she fastened the rope to her waist. 'I have a lot of work to do as well' she said. She reached him. JR turned to her.

'I'm still impressed for the woman you become in these years. You know how to impress me, darlin' he said, holding her hand.

Sue Ellen smiled at him. They started to walk over the door. She had to leave his hand so they could walking downstairs. JR immediately hold her hand again as soon they were on the same floor and they started to walk over the living room.

*Oh My Gosh* she screamed in her head.

'Mom? Dad?' John Ross said with a surprised tone.

Sue Ellen had no idea that their son was in her house. 'John Ross..' she didn't know what to say, only an embarrassed 'Hi' follow his name.

'Good morning, son' JR said to him. JR's voice sounded confident and without embarrassment. Actually there was nothing to be embarrassed of, but Sue Ellen couldn't be help to feel like that.

'What..' John Ross shook his head with an incredulous face. He needed few seconds to understand everything. 'You're back together?' he asked.

'Your mother gave me another chance to be worthy of her love' JR replied, tightening her hand. Sue Ellen smiled.

'Are you okay, John Ross?' she asked. Her son looked shocked and confused.

*How could blame him?* she thought.

'Yeah, mama. I'm fine. I just..' John Ross said 'I just need few seconds to realize it'. Sue Ellen was still holing JR's hand when John Ross stared again. 'When did it happened? Don't you ever thought about mention it?' he asked.

'We had dinner together yesterday and at the end of the night..' JR turned to her '..we kissed. We love each other too much to waste another time being a part' he said, smiling.

'Okay okay. I don't want to know anything about the night that you've just spent together..' he said, joking '..but I'm very happy for you both'.

'Thank you, sweetheart' Sue Ellen said. She left JR's hand, she walked over her son and she kissed his cheek. She was afraid that maybe John Ross couldn't accept it, but everything went just perfectly.

'Son, I think we have to go now. Business is calling us' JR said.

'Let's go' John Ross replied to him. He turned to her mother and he kissed her cheek again. 'Talk to you later, mom'.

'Sure, darling' she said, smiling.

John Ross walked over the door and she reached JR.

'What do you think about a quiet dinner here tonight?' Sue Ellen suggested.

'That's great' he replied.

JR hold her hands and he kissed her, romantically. Sue Ellen was a little bit embarrassed because she knew that John Ross was watching them from the hall of her house but she wasn't ashamed of it. After the kiss, JR caressed her face, he smiled at her and she walked away.

*This time, I know he will come back to me* she thought, smiling.

JR spent the rest of his morning working with John Ross at the Ewing Energies to find a way to drill Southfork. The history is repeating itself, JR saw himself in John Ross, working to find a way to be in charge in the same way he tried to be in charge of Ewing Oil a lot of years ago. He wasn't proud of a lot of things he had done to get what he wanted but in that moment they looked necessary, but now it was the moment to try to fix something else.

'John Ross, I have to go. See you tomorrow' JR said to his son, putting on his hat and starting to walk over the door of his son's office.

'Okay, daddy. Have a great day with mama' John Ross replied. 'Oh daddy..' JR turned to him. 'Please, don't disappoint her again' John Ross continued.

JR actually didn't what to say, he just smiled to his son and he walked out of the office. Closing the door behind him, he started to walk over another office in the Ewing Energies. His brother's. He knocked at the door.

'Come in' Bobby said. JR opened the door and he saw Bobby at his desk, working with some paper. 'Oh JR. Please, have a sit' he said.

JR closed the door and he sat in front of his baby brother. Everything looked like 20 years later, at the Ewing Oil. 'Bobby, I need to talk to you' JR started.

'Is everything all right?' Bobby asked, with a worried tone.

'I think that we're too old to fight against each other.' Bobby sighed. 'I'm here to suggest a truce in our fight. I still want to drill Southfork and you don't cause you promised to mama that you'll never let it, but our behavior is damaging our boys' JR took a breath.

'What?' Bobby asked, surprised. 'What the hell is happening to you, JR?'

'I just realized that since they are working together with the woman at the DCT, maybe we can try to be a family. Mama and daddy would be proud of us' JR said. He really wanted to be a family especially now that he finally had Sue Ellen's heart back.

'Are you serious or you're just kidding me?' Bobby asked. JR didn't say anything, he just watched in his brother's eyes. 'You really meant it' Bobby continued, shocked. 'Well brother. You finally are come to your senses and I couldn't agree more. Our boys are finally working together and I think it's time for us to have another chance to be a family' Bobby said, getting up.

They both drink a glass of bourbon. JR had a lot to celebrate with that whisky, his favorite.

'JR, can I ask you something?' Bobby said. JR just nodded his head, smiling. 'What made you change your mind so suddenly?' he asked.

'Sue Ellen' he replied. Bobby was looking at him, shocked. 'She gave me another change to be worthy of his love. So I thought it was time for me and you too'. JR said.

'Sue Ellen gave you another chance?' Bobby asked. 'When? Well, it's not my business, brother, but I'm happy for you. Just try to not hurt her again' he continued.

'I won't' he replied to him.

'I think that this news deserves another toast' Bobby said pouring some bourbon in both of glasses.

JR felt happy to have fixed the situation with his baby brother and to have told him about Sue Ellen. JR greeted Bobby and he walked out of the office.

Sue Ellen was in front of Southfork main door. After a little conversation with Ann at the phone she invited her at Southfork. She knocked.

She heard Ann's voice. 'I'm coming'. Her friend opened the door and she welcomed her with a big smile. 'Hi, Sue Ellen. Come in' she said.

'Hi, darlin' Sue Ellen said walking in that familiar house.

She walked inside, Ann closed the door behind them and they went in the living room. Sue Ellen sat on the sofa in the middle of the room. Ann was in the kitchen.

'Would you like a cup of tea?' she asked.

'I'd love that, thank you' she replied.

Sue Ellen turned to the fireplace. Everytime she came in that house she watched the beautiful painting of Jock and Miss Ellie. Miss Ellie helped her so many times, especially when JR hurt her. Sue Ellen never built a big relationship with her ex father-in-law, but she wished to have them back in Southfork. The big family back.

'Here the tea' Ann interrupted her thoughts.

'Thank you darlin' she replied to her. Ann sat on the couch in front of her. 'So, how is Emma?' she wanted to start the conversation without talking about JR.

'She's fine. You know, I'm trying to make everything more comfortable for her' Ann said. 'Hope she'll be fine here'.

Talking about Emma, she walked in the living room.

'Oh sorry' she said with an embarrassed tone. 'I didn't want to interrupt your conversation'.

'Don't worry, Emma' Sue Ellen said. ' How do you find yourself in this house?' she asked.

'It's a big and beautiful house. The people here are great and make me feel like one of the family. And I can finally spend more time with..' she stopped and she turned to Ann, '..my mum' she finished, smiling.

Sue Ellen turned to Ann, she was smiling and she had bright eyes. 'I'm glad you feel like home here and you two deserve a fresh start' Sue Ellen said to them.

'I really needed' Emma said. 'Sorry I have to go now. Bye' she said, walking over the back door.

'Bye' Sue Ellen and Ann said together.

Sue Ellen took the cup of tea and she took a sip.

'Talking about fresh start. Don't you have anything to tell me?' Ann said, smiling.

'JR and I had a dinner yesterday. It was.. magical' Sue Ellen started. 'At the end of the evening, we were in JR's limo in front of my house..' she took a breath. 'It was too hard for me to leave him again so I got of the car, JR reached me and.. we kissed'. Ann looked shocked and happy at the same time. She knew what she had been through because of JR but she always thought that he still loved her and she was right.

'Oh Sue Ellen, I'm so happy for you. You both have the chance to be happy again' Ann said with a sincere tone. 'But tell me, what happened next? John Ross knows it?' she asked.

'We spent the night together, talking about all our adventures and he slept in my bed' she started. 'This morning, we walked downstairs and John Ross saw us, so we told him what was happening' she said, smiling.

'John Ross was there?' she said, shocked. 'Well, what he told about that?'.

'He said that he didn't want to know what happened during the night..' they both laughed, '..but he said that he's happy for us'.

'I'm happy for you too. You two deserve another chance. JR and I hadn't an easy relationship as brothers-in-law but he cares about you, more than anything' Ann said. 'So he's moving in your house?' she asked.

'Not yet, but we're gonna have a dinner tonight. We'll see' Sue Ellen replied.

They both laughed because they both knew the answer. JR would move in Sue Ellen's house very soon. She needed that chat with her dear friend. They spent a beautiful afternoon together.

Without thinking of business, Sue Ellen felt like her life was finally complete.

Few hours later.

JR and Sue Ellen were sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace. It was lit and he was holding her hand. They had a delicious and romantic dinner together, candles and soft music. Sue Ellen created a great atmosphere for the evening. Her head was resting on his shoulder.

JR took a handkerchief from his pocket and he coughed. He noticed that something was wrong. He looked at the handkerchief and there was the proof of his fear. Sue Ellen rose his head, JR tried to put the handkerchief in his pocket as soon as he could but she stopped his arm.

'JR' she said, shocked. 'Is that blood?' she asked, talking about the red blotch.

'I'm fine, darlin. I've got a sore throat, probably it's just an inflammation. Don't worry' he replied to her, comforting her. Sue Ellen took the handkerchief.

'I know you better than anyone, JR. Don't lie to me. Why there's blood here?' she said.

JR could see the fear is her eyes, she was more than scared.

'I..' he didn't know how to tell it to her. 'I have cancer, Sue Ellen'.