The day began as hectically as one would expect for the Ewings that were busily finalizing the plans that would allow for them to venture to Africa for three weeks.
After what seemed like months upon months, Project Guinea was finally moving forward and the opening ceremony was to occur in less than a week.
Sue Ellen Ewing briskly and gracefully descended the stairs, as quickly as her heels would allow. Once she reached the first floor, she took a moment to stop at a hallway table where her eyes fell upon a photograph of herself, John Ross, and J.R.
Sue Ellen picked up the picture and ran her fingers across the glass. J.R. casually strode up behind her, unbeknownst to Sue Ellen. “John Ross, you always wanted your parents back together…and I always loved your daddy deep inside. I…I just couldn't let myself love him on the outside.”
J.R. touched her shoulder gently, startling Sue Ellen and she dropped the picture. A quick-reacting J.R. managed to grab it before it hit the floor. “And I always loved you too Sue Ellen.”
Sue Ellen didn't know why, but tears welled up inside her eyes. The old Sue Ellen would have attempted to hide them from J.R., or perhaps even explain them away, but that part of her was gone. “I'm sorry.”
J.R. smiled at her. “Don't be sorry Honey. It's good to see this side of you…it's honest.”
“There's so much stress. So much to do. Our flight leaves in a couple of days. It's almost like I can't slow down enough to enjoy us.”
J.R. pulled the love of his life against his chest. “It'll all fall in place. Remember why we're doing this.”
“For John Ross.”
J.R. nodded and pulled a tissue out of his pocket, which he used to gently dab the tears off Sue Ellen's cheeks. “For John Ross, for our grandchildren, for everyone down the line. Project Guinea is gonna launch Ewing Oil into the next level of the oil business.”
“I know, I'm glad we are going to be a part of it. I just hope Donna will back off and not cause us any trouble.” Sue Ellen pulled away from J.R. and glanced into the hallway mirror to make sure her face was presentable. She turned back around to see that J.R. was making a phone call. “Who are you calling?” she asked.
“Yeah, Sly, cancel our appointments for the day. I've got somethin' more important to tend to here at Southfork.”
“J.R…”
He flipped the cell phone shut and stuck it back into his suit pocket. “It can wait. Project Guinea will still be there tomorrow.”
“But there's so much we need to do before we leave.”
“And none of it more important than stoppin' to enjoy us.”
Sue Ellen's face broke out into a smile. This was the J.R. Ewing that she had married the first time. And this was the J.R. Ewing she was going to marry again. “That means a lot to me.”
“Let's take this day to reflect back on everything we've done right in the past…and everything we've done wrong as well. That way, we know exactly where we're goin' heading into this marriage.”
An hour later…
Sue Ellen's laughter rang throughout the otherwise lonely Southfork. She and J.R., as luck would have it, were the only Ewings home that day. She took a sip of her iced tea and set the glass back on the coffee table.
“Remember the trip to Hawaii?”
“How could I forget!” Sue Ellen exclaimed. “Poor John Ross was kidnapped by a terrorist and we had to play Super-Mom and Super-Dad and go save him.”
“And you thought I had been shot,” J.R. added in.
“Yes, I did. But now that I think about it, I don't know why I was the least bit worried. How many times have you been shot before and survived?”
They both broke into laughter. “Well, that wasn't the most memorable part of the whole trip…”
Sue Ellen walked inside the building, looking for J.R. He was talking to several of the officers. When he saw her, he excused himself and walked over to her. "Sue Ellen…"
Sue Ellen put her arms around J.R. and kissed him. J.R. was astonished, but he didn't resist. "J.R., when I heard that gunshot, I thought I had lost you or our son. When John Ross came out, I knew it hadn't been him-but I thought you might have been shot or maybe even killed. There is something I should tell you-something I should have told you back in 1996 when I came back to Dallas for your funeral. I felt this same feeling back then when I found out that I had lost you. There is so much you don't know about the time I was living in England with Don Lockwood. You don't know how I missed you, or how much I longed to be living at Southfork with you. You and me at Southfork with our son-happy. No Mandy Winger, no Kimberly Cryder. Just you being faithful to me..."
J.R. stood silent…still in shock. "Sue Ellen. I've tried to change in the last few years. Your leaving made me realize what my womanizing ways had done not only to me-but to you as well. I didn't think I'd ever behold the moment where you'd be saying all of that to me."
"Mr. and Mrs. Ewing, we need to get off this island as soon as possible. Another storm is coming through and it's going to be worse than the first one."
"All right. J.R. looked at Sue Ellen and they had a silent agreement to finish their conversation later.
“I meant every word of it,” Sue Ellen said, breaking into J.R.'s thoughts. “But I didn't mean for it to come out. I was just so emotional that day, thinking that I had lost John Ross or you-or both.”
“It's a shame it took us so many years after that happened to get to the point we're at now. I remember another trip that proved interesting though…”
As J.R. led Sue Ellen into the restaurant, she couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic. J.R. was acting a bit like when they got remarried all those years ago. The thought of that scared her. She didn't want to be falling for this man a third time. He had been too much of a danger to her before, he had hurt her too many times. She didn't need to be hurt anymore. She had the business career she had always wanted, and she and her son were slowly rebuilding their relationship. Things with Jack remained confused for her and she knew that made her vulnerable right now.
She finally made a decision; she just had to put all thoughts about everything out of her head for a few hours. She was simply having dinner with J.R. to celebrate their business success, and she didn't want anything to ruin that.
She must have been deeper in thought than she realized, because when the waiter asked to take their drink order, she didn't even look up.
“Are ya sleepin', darlin'? J.R. asked.
“Sorry, just distracted. What did you say?”
“I asked if you were ready to order,” the waiter answered her.
“No, I'm afraid I need a few more minutes,” she said.
The waiter turned and walked away. J.R. decided to make sure that Sue Ellen was all right.
“What's got you on a different planet, Sue Ellen?”
“Sorry, J.R. I guess it's just a little jet lag.”
“I know you…it's something else.”
Sue Ellen thought for just a moment before responding. “It's just John Ross.”
“What made you think about him?” J.R. asked calmly.
“Well, I'm glad to hear he and Melissa are back together, but,” she said, “I'm worried about him.”
“He's a big boy, honey, he's takin' care of himself.”
“I guess you're right, J.R. It's just that I don't want my little boy to grow up so fast.”
“I miss the time that I had with him when he was younger,” J.R. admitted, “but I guess it's all part of how people grow and change, Sue Ellen.”
“We've done a lot of that over the years, haven't we?”
“We sure have,” J.R. smiled, “you more than me, I think.”
“If that's a compliment, J.R., I'll accept it. Thank you.”
“Sure, honey.”
The waiter returned, eager to earn a good tip tonight. “Are you ready to order?”
Sue Ellen answered first, “I'll have a club soda,” she said.
The waiter turned to J.R., “And you, sir?”
“I'll have a bourbon and-no, I'll have an iced tea.”
“Yes, sir. I'll be right back.”
Sue Ellen smiled broadly at J.R. She chuckled as she asked him, “What was that for, J.R.?”
“What are you talkin' about, Sue Ellen?”
“J.R. gone soft on hard liquor,” she teased. “Jack Daniels will be out of business any day now.”
“Now, now, Sue Ellen, I'm just showing you that I've grown up too.”
Sue Ellen smiled for two reasons. One, she had had a good jab at J.R., but two, she was glad to see that after all these years, the man still did have a compassionate side. Despite not wanting to admit it, she was glad to see J.R. finally respecting her decision not to drink anymore.
The two of them continued to enjoy their dinner. When they left the restaurant and headed back to the hotel, both of them were eager to get back to Dallas. The nine-hour plane ride to Alaska had been a lot, and both were looking forward to returning to the luxuries that Southfork provided.
They were scheduled to leave the next morning. As they both went to their separate rooms and packed their bags, each smiled just a bit more as they reflected on the evening they had spent together...
“I didn't want to go back to my room alone that night.”
“Neither did I,” Sue Ellen confessed.
J.R. settled back into the plush comfort of the couch and pulled Sue Ellen closer to him. “Luck wasn't on our side that night, or maybe it was, depending on how you look at it.”
“Well, I'll tell you,” J.R. Ewing griped, “the fact that they only had one room left in this whole infernal hotel doesn't say a whole lot for their service record.”
“Give 'em a break, J.R.,” Sue Ellen called from the bathroom, “there's a major storm out there..”
“Well, but still, we're Ewings. You'd think we'd carry enough weight to get separate rooms.”
“The Ewing name doesn't have the same amount of clout when you're outside of the Texas border,” Sue Ellen countered, “you of all people should know that…especially here in Arkansas.”
“Well, it should.”
Sue Ellen walked into the main part of the suite, and sat on the chair near the mirror. “We can't complain too much, J.R. They did get us a suite.”
“Well, as long as this place doesn't have vermin like Haleyville did.”
Sue Ellen bristled at the mention of Cally's hometown. While she liked Cally, memories of the time J.R. was married to her still upset Sue Ellen. It was during that time that Sue Ellen tried to get on with her life. But after she had married Don and things went sour, Sue Ellen had nowhere to turn. J.R. had moved on with his life, but Don had argued, maybe correctly, that she had never completely moved on with her life. After all, he did tell her later that while her movie project was captivating, she had to realize that it was just a revenge tactic against J.R.
“Must we talk about your past in this state, J.R.?”
“Well, what else do you suggest we talk about, Sue Ellen? The World Series?”
“I've never taken you for a baseball fan, J.R.”
“Well, football's the only real sport,” J.R. said, “but baseball is at least tolerable.”
“It's just that you know how I feel about Cally and everything you put her and Justin through,” Sue Ellen said, returning to her original subject.
“I've got a past in just about every state of the union. After all these years, I've visited the entire state of Texas and most of the country. What I've done is bound to follow me around.”
“And you're never one to keep quiet about anything, now are you?”
“What are you getting at now,” J.R. asked, slowly getting angry.
“You were always so eager to throw everything in my face, weren't you?”
“I gotta confess, darlin' you've lost me here, I'm not sure what you're talking about,” J.R. said, continuing to be confused.
“It doesn't matter what it is, J.R., does it? Whether it was my relationships with people like Don or Nick or my successes or failures in the oil business, or my drinking you always had to play for the upper hand, didn't you? You could never let me feel like I had won.”
“What brought out this side of you, Sue Ellen?”
“I just get so angry at you sometimes.”
“I usually have a line of people stretching out to the curb that are mad at me. You always lead the pack,” J.R. argued.
“I didn't want it to be that way, J.R., but you never left me any choice. Being here in Arkansas made me realize that. When you went and married Cally, did you even consider how I would feel, even for a second?”
“Of course I did.”
“Somehow, I doubt that,” Sue Ellen fumed.
“Look, Sue Ellen. You and I were divorced. I didn't think I had to explain myself…or my personal life to you.”
“You didn't have to explain it, but you could have considered my feelings.”
“I know that Cally's a painful subject for you, so why did you bring it up?”
“Well, it's about time, don't you think,” she said. “How many times did you tell people that you were still in love with me even after you were with Cally? How many times?”
“You know, Sue Ellen,” J.R. said, “if you want to act like a raving lunatic, that's fine, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to it. I'll go beg for another room.”
J.R. turned to head for the door, and got it open just a sliver. Sue Ellen ran over and slammed the door, almost slamming J.R.'s finger in it.
“Watch it...”
“You know, J.R. It's about time you listen to me instead of blowing me off.”
J.R. decided to try a different tact. “I'll listen, if you just calm down.”
“I've never wanted to admit it, J.R. But when you were with Cally, I thought I had lost you forever. A part of me. And then when you “died,” John Ross and I both felt that way.”
“I never meant for that business deal to hurt my family that badly,” J.R. confessed.
“And then you came back to life. And you and I talked at Southfork about where our lives were. I thought I was able to trust you again. And then you went and started being with Anita.”
“I didn't know my laundry list was packed in your briefcase,” J.R. commented.
“I'm just trying to make a point here,” Sue Ellen said.
“Well, please do it soon, I'm exhausted.”
“I'm getting there. Two years ago, when you almost died in that fire on the Oil Baron, I felt like I had lost you again. When you talked the other night about how you've grown up, I agree with that, J.R. You have changed. But there are things about you that remain the same.”
“People aren't ever perfect Sue Ellen.”
“I know. It's just that I like the new you, J.R. The one who tries to be considerate and won't order alcohol in front of me. I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose you again.”
“I'm not goin' anywhere...” “How can I be so sure? You've left me too many times before.”
“I can promise you, Sue Ellen…I'm not going anywhere.”
Sue Ellen now stood, looking exhausted. J.R. put his hands on her shoulders, causing her to look up into his eyes.
“You've been a great mother to John Ross, no matter what I've said before. You've changed too, Sue Ellen, and you've become one hell of a woman. I never meant to hurt you; you should know that. I guess I've just been a stupid man, doing stupid things. Maybe you'll be able to forgive me sometime. I'd like that at least.”
“It wouldn't be that hard, J.R. They say it's easy to forgive the ones you love.”
Sue Ellen stared deeply into J.R.'s eyes for a moment, and saw an expression of honesty in them. As J.R. looked in her eyes, he could see that same vulnerability she had had for all those years, combined with the new strength she had found within herself.
He couldn't resist. J.R. leaned down and kissed Sue Ellen.
Sue Ellen's thoughts were a mix of confusion as she reacted to the kiss. For a moment, she thought of pulling away, but then she relented, being completely caught up in the moment. She let J.R. Ewing kiss her, and she didn't think again of pulling away.
“Yep, lucky indeed,” J.R. murmured to himself.
Sue Ellen smiled and playfully punched him in the shoulder. “I'm glad all of your memories are so warm and fuzzy because I remember a time not so long ago that you tried your hardest to sweet talk me into agreeing to the Project Guinea deal.”
J.R. glanced down at his watch. It was only twelve-thirty and he'd managed to get everyone out of the office in order to put his surprise for Sue Ellen into motion. Everything was set up in her office and now he was eagerly anticipating her return from lunch.
After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator doors parted and Sue Ellen walked into the lobby while shaking water off her umbrella. She looked up and her eyes once again met J.R.'s. “J.R…” she said in passing.
J.R. grinned. Her cold reaction was to be expected. After all, she'd finally succumbed to him and a woman of Sue Ellen's strength would be forced to try and build up another wall after the previous one had crumbled.
J.R. followed her as she swung open the door to her office and then she stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh my God…” she said in disbelief. There were roses and other flowers of all sorts scattered around the room. Every surface was covered with them. Taken aback, Sue Ellen walked into the room and the sweet rose smell permeated her senses. She walked up to one, pulled it out of a vase, and then she lifted it to her nose and took a whiff. After clutching it in her hand for a while, she turned to J.R. “Did you do this?” she whispered.
J.R. nodded and smiled. “Do you like it?”
Sue Ellen turned back around and surveyed the room once again, then she turned back to J.R. and looked down at the red rose she held in her hand. She moved her hand up the stem and then she felt a sharp pain in her finger. When she looked down, she saw a small drop of her own blood and a lone thorn that the florist had forgotten to remove. Sue Ellen put her throbbing finger in her mouth until the pain subsided somewhat and then she looked into J.R.'s eyes. “Now I know exactly what they mean by every rose has its thorn.”
J.R. let out a small chuckle, thinking that she was making a joke. “Sorry bout that.”
Sue Ellen smiled. “And your are no exception…as a matter of fact, you're full of them! Did you honestly think that you could win me over with inflated, paper-thin tricks like this? Is nothing sacred to you J.R.? Or would you just not stop at anything to take this company where you want it?”
“What do you mean Sue Ellen? You're not making much sense.”
“Trying to win me over to your side on this African oil deal! I know how gung-ho you are about that and the fact that you'd use my feelings for you-“ Sue Ellen's voice trailed off and she could have slapped herself at that moment. Did she actually say that? A sick feeling crept through her stomach when she realized she had. She'd just confessed to J.R., of all people, that she still did have some feelings for him.
“You still have feelings for me?” J.R. was shocked. He always suspected she did, but to hear her say it…
“I…I…” DAMN IT! More weakness showing through. That was just a confirmation of what she just said. “Get out of my office J.R.,” she said, growing defensive.
“Not until you answer my question.”
“I'm giving you ten seconds to get out and ten minutes to have your damned flowers out of my office!”
“Sue Ellen…just talk to me…”
“One…two…three…four…five…”
“I'm not leaving until you tell me the truth.”
“…six…seven…eight…nine…”
“Sue Ellen…”
“Ten.”
“I now you have feelings for me Sue Ellen. You just said it yourself, in the heat of the moment. What we had all those years ago can't easily be forgotten. I understand completely.”
“I have forgotten.” Sue Ellen picked up a vase of roses and hurled it at J.R. The vase hit the wall next to him and shattered, spilling water and roses onto the carpet. After seeing that it missed, she picked up a basket of daffodils and threw it. J.R. threw up both his arms in defense, but it struck him across the chest and the daffodils scattered across the room.
J.R. laughed. “Just like the old days! A good ol' lover's spat. Hell…we had some good ones, didn't we Sue Ellen? Remember that wine stain on the wall next to the stairs?”
Sue Ellen grabbed another vase and launched it in his direction. J.R. side-stepped and it went sailing out into the lobby. “Get the hell out J.R.!”
“What about that kiss earlier today? Tell me you didn't feel something there…you sure didn't try to pull away.” J.R. dodged a bouquet of gladiolus and it too went sailing into the lobby.
“That kiss didn't mean anything…I was vulnerable and you took advantage of me!” Sue Ellen picked up a porcelain pot that was planted with an African violet. She heaved it at J.R. and it broke at his feet, sending potting soil flying all over his shoes. “And you can forget ever getting in on that African deal! Especially after this stunt! Because anything that Ewing Oil gets into requires both of our signatures on paper and the only way that's going to happen is if you take my dead, lifeless hand in yours and make me sign it!”
J.R. grinned. “I just love a challenge Sue Ellen. You ought to know that.”
“Who would have known you liked a challenge? With all of the 'easy' women you'd had over the years. Let's see…Afton…Holly…Mandy…Kristin…”
“And none were easier than you Sue Ellen.”
Sue Ellen glared at him. “I was young and I was a fool. But there will be ice in hell before I ever make that mistake again.” Sue Ellen set down a vase that she was about to throw. “You know…tonight after the so-called 'kiss', I had seriously considered quitting…maybe selling my half of the company to some old rival of yours. Like maybe Jeremy Wendell…or McKay…maybe even Cliff. But then I realized that life is so much more enjoyable when I can be a permanent thorn in your side. And then…I will always be here to keep you in check, a lot like Bobby used to be, but I think the best part of all is the fact that with me around, you will constantly be reminded of what you will never have again.”
J.R.'s face was red from laughter and he had to take a moment to get his breath before he could speak. “You were always the spitfire Sue Ellen. I think that's what I love most about you. Life with you is always exciting.”
“Looking back now, I do have to say the flowers were nice-whatever your motives may have been.”
J.R. chuckled. “Even though we haven't been married, we've still managed to make a lot of nice memories together over the past few years, now haven't we?”
“Now, how 'bout this one? “Cause to me, it's the best one of all…”
“It's been a long time since we've danced to Roy Orbison,” Sue Ellen said, after recognizing the song.
“Yeah...the last time was at our wedding...the second one...when they played our wedding song, remember? Only the Lonely?”
“Of course I remember,” she said as they continued to dance, J.R. pulling her closer, ever so subtly. “I asked them to play it a second time because I didn't want to let go of you...didn't want the moment to end...”
“We've had some good times, Sue Ellen,” J.R. said. “A lot of good times. We could be like that again.”
“Stop...” she said meekly. “Just stop it, J.R.” She didn't pull away from his embrace...
J.R. pressed on. “I've been thinking a lot about what Mama had to say, and maybe she's right...I've led a hard life- we both have, and you never know, our time could be coming soon. That's been on my mind a lot lately. A lot.”
“There've been a lot of women in my life, but none of them could ever hold a candle to what I felt...what I feel, for you...not Cally, not Vanessa, no one.”
Sue Ellen closed her eyes and held J.R. tighter. “I've never felt about anyone else the way I felt about you, either,” she confessed. “But how can I ever trust you again after the way you hurt me? What's to say you won't hurt me again?”
“I can't afford to lose you again, Sue Ellen. Honest to God, I need you in my life, and there's nothing, not a god damn thing that I would ever do to jeopardize that.”
“But you've said that before,” she insisted. “So many times J.R., and I just don't know if I can risk it...but God, I'd love to try...”
J.R. pulled her even closer, as he noticed that the other guests were beginning to notice them. He flashed a smile at John Ross, who was watching intently.
“We were made to be together, Sue Ellen,” he insisted. “And if you can look me in the eyes and tell me you don't think we belong together, I will never bother you again.”
She didn't look up at him...Don't look into his eyes... she thought, forcing herself to keep her head on his shoulder.
“You can't do it, can you?” He asked.
“Maybe we could try it out for a while, and see how it goes...”
“No, we don't have time for a test run,” he insisted. “I'm not gonna take no for an answer, just...do you love me?” He asked.
“Yes...” she said softly. “Yes, J.R., I've always loved you...”
He reached into his pocket and produced a small jewelry box, which he quickly opened, revealing a beautiful diamond ring. “Sue Ellen Ewing, will you be my wife?” He asked, as he looked powerfully into her eyes.
He sat looking at her for what seemed like an eternity, and as the song winded down she finally tilted her head up, looked into his eyes and opened her mouth to speak. She had her answer.
“J.R., you've told me so much that I have always wanted to hear, but I keep asking myself how I know that you aren't just telling me what you know I want to hear.”
“Sue Ellen.”
“Don't, I'm not finished. Call me crazy J.R., but for some reason I feel like you are being sincere. I think you have changed. My request is this…”
“Go on.”
“This is our first marriage. That's the way I want to look at it because in a way, this is our first. The first marriage between the new Sue Ellen and the new J.R. The Sue Ellen that's not weak…that's not ever going to depend on alcohol again. The Sue Ellen that needs her man but also knows that he needs her just as much as she needs him.”
“And the J.R. that puts his wife before everything else in his life,” J.R. added in. “The J.R. Ewing that won't ever cheat again.”
Sue Ellen smiled and didn't try to stop the tears that freely gushed from her eyes. “So your name is J.R. Ewing? It's a pleasure to meet you.”
“No, I can assure you, the pleasure's all mine, Miss Sheppard.” J.R. took off his white Stetson. “Now, pardon me for being a fast-mover, but would you do me the honor of being my wife?”
J.R.'s handsome face looked much the same as it had thirty years ago, but Sue Ellen's tears prevented her from taking in every detail. “Yes J.R. I will marry you.”
J.R. quickly slipped the ring onto her finger and leaned forward to kiss the soon-to-be Mrs. Ewing.
“Well, I'm sorry if I interrupted something.”
J.R. and Sue Ellen were both snapped back to reality and were stunned to realize that it was after five o' clock. Their day of reminiscing had flown by.
“Howdy Momma.”
Miss Ellie smiled. She was glad to see that J.R. and Sue Ellen had grown so close again and she knew that this time, things would be different between them. Ellie was immensely proud of her son and very happy for both of them. “So Sue Ellen, shouldn't we be planning a wedding?”
That was a little Christmas present to those of you who still check the site. We appreciate your undying support. There is still much RTS story to be told and I can promise you that we will eventually tell it. This was just a way to bridge the gap between then and now, so to speak. Most of this episode was flashbacks, but if you remember, we originally never saw Sue Ellen's answer to J.R.'s proposal. Now we have.
Special thanks goes out to Jane for going through the old episodes and picking out every J.R./Sue Ellen scene. Sorry that I couldn't use all of them but I ran out of time and just used the ones that focused more on the progression of their relationship.
Stay tuned to the site for further news and if you have any comments or questions, e-mail us
