Afton Cooper groaned when the doorbell rang, interrupting her favorite soap opera. She stood up, then realized that she was supposed to be wheelchair-bound, so she sat back down, then rolled over to the door and opened it.

"Roy?"

Roy Ralston smiled. "Hello Afton. Ugh, I take it you're not doing so well."

"Why are you here? I figured you'd be off working on the little television show with your new little tramp."

"Mandy Winger was in a car accident two days ago."

"I see," said Afton. "Come in." He entered the house and she shut the door. "What does this have to do with me?"

"We need you back Afton."

Afton laughed. "You expect me to come running back after you fired me like that?"

"We had no choice. You didn't show up for TWO weeks and totally screwed up our production schedule. But, obviously I'm not harboring any hard feelings about that, or I wouldn't be here."

"I don't think I'm much up to hosting Dallas Dish. Look at me, I'm in a wheelchair for crying out loud."

"I think that might help soften up the show a little bit. I mean, how many talk shows do you know of that have someone in a wheelchair hosting them?"

Afton wasn't impressed. "What kind of pay are we talking about here? Hopefully, better than the last peanuts you were paying me."

"I'm sure we can work out something that you'll be happy with."

Afton liked the sound of that. "Hmm. When would I start taping?"

"Next week," said Roy.

"I suppose I could."

"Great! I'll work out the details and get the contracts in order, then I'll give you a call."

"Yeah, okay."

"See you later Afton," Roy said.

"Bye." Afton watched him leave and then she got up to fix herself a drink.

The Oil Baron's Club

Valene Ewing looked around nervously as she entered the crowded Oil Baron's Club. It was packed with suit-clad businessmen who were there on their lunch-breaks. Val definitely felt out of place. Finally, she spotted whom she was there to meet and waved to him, fighting her way through the crowd to a corner table.

John Ross Ewing stood up and pulled her chair out for her, then pushed it back in before taking his seat.

“Thank you John Ross,” blushed Val. “One thing about J.R., he did raise a well-mannered son.”

John Ross smiled, trying to avoid talk of his father. Though he was ashamed to think so, John Ross lately hadn't been that proud of him. “Was the Oil Baron's Club okay?” John Ross asked.

“Well, it's definitely…” Val paused, trying to think of the word. “Classy.”

“I have to admit, you would have been one of the last people I expected to call me to arrange a lunch date,” said John Ross. “It did leave me wondering. What's this all about?”

Cassie approached the table and interrupted them by asking what they'd like to drink.

“I'll take iced tea,” Val said politely.

“Scotch on the rocks here,” John Ross said. When Cassie left, John Ross repeated his question. “Why did you want to meet me again?”

Val wasn't quite sure how to approach the subject, but she began by apologizing. “John Ross, I'm sorry if I interrupted your busy day with this…”

He laughed. “Busy? No, not my day. Lucy's in charge of my end of things over at Ewing Oil. I had just stopped in at the office to check on her, but she wasn't there.”

A smile spread across Val's face. “Then maybe what I have to ask will come as a welcomed idea.”

“Okay, the suspense is killing me. What is it?”

“Well, I…”

“Here are your drinks,” Cassie said, putting them on the table. “Are you two ready for your meal?”

“No thanks,” John Ross answered, slightly irritated.

“Okay, if you need anything else, just let me know.” Cassie smiled at them and left the table.

John Ross and Val both laughed at the number of interruptions. Val began to talk. “As you know, Gary has embarked on this construction venture of his.”

“Yeah, I'm familiar with it. What does that have to do with me?”

“Gary needs a partner to help him with the project. That's where you fit in.”

“But I don't know the first thing about construction," John Ross reasoned. He took a swallow of his scotch.

“You do have a degree in business administration, as well as an almost unlimited supply of money. See, Gary knows a LOT about construction and the processes, but it's his management that he needs some help on. And he's kind of in a tight for money. That's where you come in.”

“So you want me to loan Gary money?”

“No no!” Val said. “You're not loaning him anything. You'd make a huge amount of money off this deal in the long run and he needs you as an equal partner. I hear you've got a good bit of business sense. You're just what Gary needs.”

John Ross thought for a second about how his dad was always trying to get the best of Gary. If he could help Gary out… “Say no more. I think that's a great idea. Plus, I think if I don't get out of Southfork for a while, I'll go crazy.”

Val was amazed at how all this was working. She honestly hadn't expected John Ross to agree to this. “You have no idea how much this means to me and Gary. And don't worry about losing any money…Gary's had some projected profit reports done up and the profit we're going to reap from all of this is astronomical!”

John Ross lifted up his glass and proposed a toast. “To partnership and profit.”

Val clinked her glass with his and they both drank a long swallow.

Donna's Campaign HQ

Cliff had just hung up the phone, booking another speaking engagement for Donna. So far, his short tenure as her campaign manager had been extremely successful---he was increasing her presence in the media and with speaking engagements. He was anxious to see her status in the upcoming poll to be taken----after all, the election was coming up. Working for Donna was an escape for Cliff---it got him away from the office, and Sue Ellen, and even from Afton. Everything was just a big jumbled mess.

Cliff turned to Todd, who was sitting next to him, mailing things. “How many of those are you sending out?”

“Five Hundred,” Todd replied. Then, sarcastically, he added, “If I lick another envelope I'm going to throw up.”

“You have a sense of humor like your mother, did you know that?” Cliff still couldn't get over how much Todd reminded him of April.

Now Todd really wanted to throw up. Why did everyone always compare him to his mother? He never even met the woman for God's sakes. He just politely smiled.

Todd's eyes quickly saw Ray striding across the main floor, heading towards Donna's office. “Uh-Oh, this oughta be good,” he said to Cliff, nodding towards Ray.

Cliff looked over at Ray. Donna had filled him in earlier that she and Ray had separated—she felt that he should know, as her campaign manager. Cliff hoped that this wasn't going to be a scene in the making. “Should we stop him?”

“None of our business,” Todd replied. Secretly, he wished he was a fly on the wall of Donna's office. He bet it was going to be a good rumble.

Donna didn't even see Ray coming before he walked in. Rather, stormed in. “Ray? What's going on? Is everything OK?” Donna's immediate first thoughts were something had happened to Margaret or Lucas.

“We're not right, that's what. We need to sit down and talk this thing out, and I'm not leaving until we do.”

Donna's eyes bulged with fury. “We've had this discussion. There's nothing else to say.” She made her way towards the door to make sure that it was closed all the day.

“You were too angry….you weren't listening to me.”

Donna had just closed the blinds to the windows that looked out on the main floor of her headquarters. "Listening? Seems like's that's all I did---and it gave me good reason to be angry!”

Ray started to plead. “Donna, this is stupid. We love each other so much….”

His ex-fiancée quickly cut him off. “Uh-uh. I loved you; you didn't give a damn about me. Hence, you go and sleep with that waitress or whatever she was.”

“I tried to explain it to you…”

She cut him off again. “Explanations don't cut it! You betrayed me. You promised you would never do that, not again…” Donna's eyes were starting to well up with tears.

Ray tried to hold her, but she pulled away. “Donna, what can I do to make you believe that I love you? I don't know what I can say.” His eyes were like a lost puppy.

Donna quickly turned around. “Don't say anything,” she commanded. “Get out.” Her voice was harsh and did not leave any room open for protest.

Ray remained for one minute, giving his former wife a lingering gaze. “I love you,” he said, before exiting, leaving Donna Dowling to cry alone.

Ewing Oil

J.R. knew she was home. Justin would be home from school now—they probably just walked through the door. Cally picked up on the third ring.

“Hello?” she was praying it was Kurt, with more news. She still didn't know how she was going to bail him out. Maybe if she sold her car….

“Well Cally, nice to hear your voice,” J.R.'s voice was filled with mock kindness.

On the other end of the line, Cally's hand started to shake. She took the receiver in her other hand to steady herself. “What do you want?”

“To see my boy,” J.R. replied matter-of-factly.

“You're not going too. You're not a part of his life.”

“Well I am from here on in, honey.”

Was that an idle threat, Cally wondered? Of course it wasn't---J.R. didn't make idle threats.

Her silence prompted J.R. to continue. “I want him to come stay with me for the weekend, at Southfork. He can meet Momma and John Ross. He'll have fun.”

“Over my dead body.”

“Now don't go making any promises you can't fulfill darlin'” J.R. said. “He's coming with me this weekend, less you want that artist friend of yours to sit in the big house for a while. What's his name, Kurt?”

How did J.R. know about Kurt? “What are you talking about?”

“I know you're a country girl, but you're not that dumb Cally. You know what I'm talking about. You don't let Justin come to Dallas this weekend, he's never going to get out of jail---I'll make damn sure of that.” And Cally knew he would. J.R. had pull in Dallas.

“Too late—I'm already bailing him out.” Cally thought a lie might be a good counter.

J.R. was not fazed. “With what honey, your two cents? You've got no money.”

Once again, Cally was silent. A million things were rushing through her mind. Should she run, again? J.R. would probably find her, and she didn't want to leave Kurt. He was depending on her.

“I'm not giving into you J.R.” Cally stated.

“Oh, I think you will. See, I've struck up a little deal with the police. Minute you step foot onto Southfork with my boy, I bail that friend of yours out. I know you Cally---you're too damn loyal to say no.”

He was right. She was trapped between a rock and a hard place---if she said no, Kurt would be in jail, possibly forever. Saying yes would get him out, but meant that J.R. would get near Justin. He could tell him the truth. How would Justin react? More importantly, what was J.R. up too? Was he going to try for custody again?

J.R. was growing impatient at Cally's indecisiveness. “I'm waiting. You know I make good on my promises.”

What else could she do? Kurt was depending on her, and this was a way to get him out. J.R. would always find some other way to get Justin to Dallas. Cally had no choice.

“Alright,” she said. “But I want confirmation he's out the second I get there. If he's not, I'm taking Justin and we're leaving town right away and I'll make sure you never find us again.”

“A likely story, but you've got yourself a deal.” He was grinning on the other end of the line. Everything was going perfectly.

“You better not pull anything this weekend J.R. Don't you dare tell him the truth.” Cally's voice was a mixture of fear and determination.

“What? That I'm his daddy? Why the hell not?”

“Because he hardly knows you! What do you think that's going to do to him. You're a bastard, but are you that cold towards your own son? It could really hurt him---confuse him.”

Cally hoped she got him on that point. J.R.'s weak spot was his children. She knew he would never intentionally harm Justin. On his end of the line, J.R. was surprised at the validity of Cally's point. He didn't want to confuse Justin---hell, it might make him scared.

“You got a point.”

“I'm right,” Cally said adamantly.

J.R. was a little bit surprised. This was not the same timid woman he met eleven years ago in dinky little Haleyville, despite her still present Southern drawl. “I'll call you later with the flight arrangements.”

Before he could hang up, Cally leveled one more threat. “You better not be lyin', J.R. Get Kurt out, or you're never going to see Justin again. You know I can be just as dirty as you if I need to be.”

With that, she hung up the phone, a bit relieved, but pessimistic about the future. She bought herself some time: Kurt would get out, and Justin wouldn't learn the truth---for now. But what about the future? She had to start thinking, fast.

Back in Dallas, J.R. reclined back in his chair and smiled. He didn't want to hurt his boy, and telling Justin that he's his daddy might just do that, especially since J.R. was a practical stranger. But J.R. was determined not to be a stranger. After all, he and Justin would be spending a lot of time together, and THEN he'd tell the truth. Justin would come to Southfork, and live with his daddy, and be a part of Ewing Oil.

And his mama would live far, far away.

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