Dallas, Texas
June 1977
Lying in bed, her hand resting gently on her abdomen, Sue Ellen couldn't stop smiling, nor did she want to.
Physically, she didn't feel a thing. She wasn't nauseous, crampy, hungry, tired, or bloated. Emotionally, though, she was a mess, happy, but completely overwhelmed.
It had started the moment Doctor Carter closed the door and asked her about her wellbeing. He quickly put her mind at ease with a smile and an enthusiastic, "Congratulations, you're pregnant."
Hearing those words, she hadn't quite believed him and from JR's response, it seemed he felt the same.
"I am?" she asked, shocked.
"She is?" JR echoed, equally stunned.
"Yes. Here, see for yourself."
Doctor Carter had handed her a sheet of paper with a graph detailing her recent blood test results, showing her hCG levels rising. She didn't know what hCG was, but she understood the message.
"JR, we're going to have a baby."
The rest of the appointment had been a blur, her tears and pounding heart making it hard to focus. Now, though, she could concentrate, and her mind was on only one thing: their baby.
JR switched off his alarm, fully aware that something was different.
He could breathe, he'd always been able to breathe, of course, but this was different. His chest wasn't tight, and for the first time in ages, he felt... free.
There was nothing wrong anymore. Sue Ellen was expecting their baby in February, and the sheer relief and elation he felt were unlike anything he'd experienced before.
He wouldn't have to offer Sue Ellen a pity divorce or resort to alternative means of starting a family. He had a baby on the way, and the thought delighted him.
JR looked like the cat that got the cream, and Sue Ellen's mood had noticeably improved. They were clearly pleased, and Jock suspected he knew why.
Frustratingly, he couldn't be sure he was the reason for their good spirits. His contact had vanished, untraceable even by the usual methods he relied on, despite his generous payments.
It was never a good idea to pay in full before a job was completed, and now he was facing the consequences of paying half upfront too. Even half of the agreed amount could go a long way if someone were determined to make off with it. Additionally, since his contact had been in an assistant position rather than one requiring professional registration, disappearing and starting fresh under a different name would be easy.
July 1977
Miss Ellie was suspicious. She hadn't said a word, but Sue Ellen knew. She'd spent the last decade getting to know her mother-in-law, and she could tell when Miss Ellie was keeping thoughts to herself.
Sue Ellen was tempted to share the news, to spill her joy, but she was terrified too. The moment she shared it, everyone would know, and with it being so early, it felt risky.
For now, it was her and JR's little secret, just theirs, until the time felt right.
She was in good health; she'd always been in good health, so there wasn't any higher risk for her than for anyone else. Still, it felt safer to wait, and so she would.
Sue Ellen was definitely with child. That much was obvious every time he saw her by the pool. The real question was, whose offspring was she carrying, and why hadn't she and JR shared the news yet?
He'd noticed a change weeks ago, but Miss Ellie had only recently started making hopeful comments, her conclusion based on Sue Ellen's altered eating habits, improved mood, and occasional absences from DOA events, not her abundance of new swimwear.
Now that Miss Ellie was seeing the same signs he was, he felt reassured that it wasn't just wishful thinking on his part. JR and Sue Ellen were expecting a baby, hopefully a boy to carry on the family name. Whatever actions he'd taken or not taken, it would all be worth it if he got to hold John Ross Ewing III before he left the earth.
They called it morning sickness but her experience was that it came at night, leaving her exhausted by the time the real morning came.
Eight weeks along and her only negative experience so far being night-time morning sickness put her in a fairly good position though, she thought. Everything else she was experiencing was manageable, and in some cases enjoyable, for her and JR, so while it was unpleasant to be up half the night in the bathroom, the rest of her life was pleasant.
The best part was that Doctor Carter was satisfied with her progress and had discharged her back to her regular doctor. The last time she'd seen Doctor Lewis, she'd been in tears over her struggles to conceive. Now, just a few months later, her wish had come true. Everything was falling into place, and she couldn't be happier.
Why hadn't they said anything? Seven years of marriage and clearly expecting, yet they were keeping it quiet.
Their silence and secrets were beginning to make him antsy. He was ready for the news to be out in the open, to be able to say what he thought and give his opinions on things he ought to have a say in, especially considering his potential contribution. They didn't know, they couldn't know, but he did and he'd feel better once it was open for discussion.
Until then, he'd make do with speculating alongside his own wife. Miss Ellie had given him three sons; she knew a thing or two about childbearing and was just as excited as he was. It was nice, but he wanted more.