Dallas, Texas
January 1978
Jock didn't have time to deal with Lucy's misbehaviour or Bobby's absence. What space in his mind wasn't occupied by Ewing Oil matters was filled with figuring out the logistics of how and when he'd get an answer to the question that had kept him on edge for months. He needed a test done, but he also needed JR, Sue Ellen, and the baby to submit samples, which would be tricky to arrange without a good excuse, perfect timing, and a reliable contact to keep everything off the record.
February 1978
The nursery was decorated, the closet filled with clothes, her hospital bag packed, and JR on alert. All that was missing was a baby.
As soon as her due date had arrived, Sue Ellen had started trying to induce labour, picking and choosing from a list in a magazine. She'd begun with the most enjoyable options: intimacy with JR and eating pineapple. When neither of those had worked, she had added spicy food to the menu, taken a walk down to the stables, and asked Ray to drive her over the roughest terrain on the ranch. When none of those had an effect either, she'd finally resorted to drinking castor oil. By the time that was out of her system, she'd almost changed her mind about wanting to bring on labour, feeling too ill and too tired to do anything anymore. Luckily for her, the baby had decided it was snug and comfortable where it was, staying put a week past her due date with no sign of wanting to meet her or JR anytime soon.
JR stood in the brightly lit hallway of the maternity ward, arms crossed over his chest, watching the staff bustle around. The smell of disinfectant and the muted sound of babies crying filled the air, but his focus was solely on the head nurse standing in front of him. He fixed her with a firm stare, making sure she understood just how serious he was.
"We've had problems before. I want tight security and privacy, and I don't want to have to repeat that," he said, his voice low but authoritative.
The head nurse, a woman in her forties with a no-nonsense demeanour, gave a nod of understanding. "We understand, sir. We take great care to provide a safe, private service for each of our patients," she assured him, trying to match his intensity.
"I'm asking for a service above and beyond," JR continued, leaning in slightly as if to emphasise his point. "No one speaks of or to my wife or baby unless they're directly involved in their care, and no one but me or my wife is to receive information about either of their conditions. Family will come through us. Friends, acquaintances, and strangers can wait until we're home and ready to announce it in the newspaper."
He hadn't received any strange reports since that medical bill months ago for services he hadn't requested, but he wasn't taking any chances. If someone had been interested in finding out information about him and Sue Ellen when they were expecting, there was a strong possibility they would regain interest once the result of their visit to the specialist's office was born.
"Yes, sir."
"Good. I expect not to have to concern myself with this matter any further."
He was leaving nothing to chance, not this time.
He'd been in an important meeting, leaving Julie with strict instructions not to disturb him for any reason. What he hadn't anticipated was that, in the two hours he was behind closed doors, his entire life would change.
"Congratulations, Jock, you have a grandson," Julie announced, hugging him as soon as the elevator doors closed and his guests disappeared from sight.
"When?"
"Mrs Ewing phoned about an hour ago to inform JR. He left in a hurry, and then, about five minutes ago, she called again with the good news. It sounds like it all happened very quickly."
"Wonderful. John Ross Ewing III. I'll be gone the rest of the afternoon."
Son or grandson, he wasn't sure, but at minimum he'd been right about it being a boy.
"I'll handle everything here. They're at Braddock County Hospital."
"Braddock County? Not Dallas Memorial?"
"I'm sorry, that's all I know. I don't have the details."
Braddock County Hospital was a problem; his entire plan had been based on having a contact at Dallas Memorial. If John Ross was transferred there, that would be fine, but if he stayed at Braddock County until he and Sue Ellen were discharged home, Jock was in a bind.
It didn't make sense. She had waited her entire marriage for the baby in her arms, spent weeks trying to get him to come out sooner, and now that she had him, she couldn't understand why she'd wanted it to happen so quickly. It was odd; she was tired, but emotionally she felt nothing. Miss Ellie and JR were chattering excitedly about something, probably the baby, but she couldn't bring herself to care enough to listen.
The baby was cute in the way all babies were cute. He had a small amount of brown hair and was pink and wrinkled. She didn't think he looked like her, JR, or anyone they knew, he was just a baby. He cried, ate, needed burping and diaper changes, and then slept, mostly in that cycle. It hadn't taken her more than a few hours to realise that was just about all he did.
"May I hold him?"
Miss Ellie approached, arms outstretched in anticipation.
Without hesitation, Sue Ellen handed him over. "Yes. You can feed him too, if you'd like. I'm very tired."
Looking at JR, she got what she wanted from him, a sympathetic smile and a nod, confirming that if she wanted to rest, he was more than happy to spend time with his mama and the baby.
Rest might help her feel… not better, just something.