As JR twirled her around the dancefloor, she caught the occasional glimpse of her father-in-law. He stared at her intently, willing her to make eye contact, something she steadfastly refused to do. Despite all that was going on around her she could not stop thinking about yesterday, the day that she had made what was the biggest mistake of her life.
Flying out to Galveston to meet him was where it had started. He was supposedly at a cattle auction in Fort Worth but one of the senior hands had taken care of that for him. She had left on the pretext of meeting an old college friend for the day. JR, as usual, hadn't seemed to care less about where she was going or who she would be seeing as he departed for the office that morning, bidding her farewell with the disingenuous kiss to her cheek that she had long become accustomed to.
Knocking on the hotel room door, as instructed, her hand shook and the knot in her stomach, the one that had developed since their conversation by the pool, twisted ever more tightly. The urge to turn and run away was strong but so was the desire to bear a Ewing heir. If her husband wouldn't do it for her, then his father just might, she told herself. As he had said when trying to convince her, what was there to lose?
The rules had been set beforehand. There was to be no kissing, as that would be too much of a betrayal to both of their spouses. What needed to be done would be done, quickly and unceremoniously. Jock would enjoy the momentary pleasure he sought, and she would receive his seed in return.
If only it had gone that way, she reflected, shuddering internally at the memory. Once they had become ensconced in the hotel room, he had forced her to surrender any control she imagined she had over the situation. It wasn't that he had hurt her in any way, at least not physically. Had he been JR, or any other man for that matter, what he had done to her would have been more than acceptable. It was who he was and what this represented that caused her pain. "Stay there, don't move, Sue Ellen" he commanded after the second time, ignoring that she was on the verge of tears. He wrapped her long legs over his arms to produce a degree of tilt and sat back facing her, satisfied. "Are you alright?" he asked irritated by her now obvious emotion. "This was so wrong, Jock" she answered finally, trying not to weep. He shook his head and stroked her leg tenderly. "No, it wasn't" he replied confidently. "You'll see."
"Sue Ellen?" She was jolted back to the present by the voice of her husband "Are you sure you're alright?" Instinctively she moved closer to him so that their cheeks touched. "I don't feel too good" she whispered in his ear. "Do you need some fresh air?" he enquired, feeling unusually concerned. "I need to get out of here" she answered. "I feel like I am going to be sick."
He gazed into her eyes and the empathy that he had experienced before returned. She was so beautiful, he thought, but there was also a vulnerability about her that he rarely encountered these days. It took him back, to the days when they were dating, to the time when the only woman he could think about was her. "Come on" he told her, grasping her hand and leading her from the dance floor. "You need some fresh air."
They emerged into the cool night air. No farewells or excuses had been given. JR failed to notice the look of concern on his father's face as they exited the ballroom and made their escape. Sue Ellen studiously avoided any eye contact with her in-laws as she left. An explanation could be made in the morning, she reckoned once she had devised something convincing.
He draped her evening coat around her shoulders and walked to the edge of the street to hail a cab. She followed, reaching out for his hand. "I don't want to go home yet, JR" she told him firmly. "I thought you were unwell?" he quizzed her. "I think I was over heated, that's all" she explained. He turned briefly back towards the door from which they had come but she dug her heels in by way of resistance. "JR" she began. "I just want to be with you. Alone."
She gripped his hand as she looked into his eyes and repeated her request. There was something different about her, he pondered, intrigued. Rather than her usual histrionic and argumentative self, she was calm and quietly determined. He liked it and found it alluring, he decided.
"I know a place" he responded, holding his right arm high to attract the attention of an oncoming taxi. "Let's go, please?" she asked. He nodded as the vehicle drew to a stop at the edge of the sidewalk. He opened the door and helped her in, touching the small of her back deliberately as he did so. They wanted each other, for the first time in a long while.
As the driver moved the car away from the sidewalk and turned in the direction of their intended destination, JR pulled Sue Ellen to him, and they began to kiss.
Happy 2024 everyone :)