Dallas, Texas
November 1978
"You forced that girl to remain silent all day? To keep it all from me? What kind of person are you?"
Jock couldn't believe Miss Ellie. Sue Ellen had been falling apart, breaking down after dinner when a reporter showed up asking for a comment about the plane crash.
He hadn't known a thing about what had happened, but it sounded like Sue Ellen had, and she'd been holding in her pain all day, under his wife's orders.
"Jock, your heart…"
"Never mind my heart. How could you keep this from me? Don't I deserve to know two of my sons are missing?"
The hurt ran deep. He was nowhere near ready to lose Bobby and JR, and he couldn't bear to see Sue Ellen break down again. His sons were strong, but they were only human. If their plane had gone down in the storm, if they were injured, if they'd landed in hostile conditions or were off course, their chances of survival were slim. He shuddered at what that could mean for their safe return.
"Jock, let's sit down and talk about this. I'll explain everything."
Miss Ellie took his arm, guiding him into the living room like a child being redirected. She hadn't yet regained his trust, and she certainly didn't have his full attention. Sue Ellen was nowhere in sight, and as much as he wanted to know what Ellie was hiding, part of him felt he should be comforting Sue Ellen instead.
"What if I never see him again?"
Sobbing into Pamela's shoulder, Sue Ellen couldn't imagine a future without JR, but she had a clear idea of the agony she'd face every day if that future became reality.
"You will. We both will."
"Don't say that. You don't know it's true."
"All right."
She hated how easily Pamela agreed, lifting her head to shoot her an icy glare, only to meet the eyes of a woman just as upset as she was.
"We'll get through this. We have to."
Touching Pam's hand, she found a strength she didn't realise she had. Yet she couldn't help but wonder what exactly she meant by her own reassuring words.
Ray was to find them, dead or alive.
Jock had blamed everyone: his wife, the pilot, the weather, the Ewing women, even his sons. But in truth, he couldn't place blame until he knew what had happened and why.
He wanted desperately to join the search himself, but he understood why he couldn't. He didn't feel unwell, but if he left now, he'd only add to his family's worries when they were already overwhelmed. He had four sons now, one less than a year old. He needed to stay at Southfork for their sake, even if it tore him apart to do so.
Three of anything. Three of anything. Daddy had always said it was a signal for rescuers if they were ever lost.
They'd been waiting a long time now, and JR was starting to doubt if rescue would ever come.
He had so much to live for and nothing to die for. John Ross was still so small; he wouldn't remember him if he died now. Sue Ellen had made great progress, but her fragile state would surely collapse if she lost him. Ewing Oil was almost his, and he didn't want to lose it, not to death, and certainly not to his little brother.
He didn't want to lose his wife either. As young and beautiful as she was, Sue Ellen wouldn't stay single for long. He had once thought it fine for John Ross to be an only child, but the idea of her giving another man a child infuriated him. If she were to have more children, he wanted them to be his, selfish as it was. He was the only man who had ever known her in marriage, and he wanted it to stay that way. She was his, John Ross was theirs, and the balance felt right; it shouldn't be disturbed.
"JR."
A hand on his arm jolted him back to the moment. Bobby was pointing, giving him the best news he'd heard in days. There was a sound, a helicopter. It wasn't close enough yet to see where it had come from, but it didn't matter. A helicopter was near, and they were going home.