The final touches were being made to the Cattleman's Club. Ray supposed he should be proud of his work, but all he could think of was Donna. It was pointless. She was never going to believe him. He was alone—again. And what killed Ray was that it was his own damn fault. HE was the one to blame.

He poured himself another drink. Jenna Evans slipped in quietly from the backroom. “How're you doing?” she asked.

“Lousy,” Ray replied before taking a long sip of his scotch.

“Anything I can do?”

“Just keep working. That's good enough for me.” He didn't even look up when he spoke to her.

Jenna was livid. They needed to get everything out in the open. “Ray, we need to talk. I'm not going to keep working here if there is going to be all this awkwardness and tension. I can't stand that you won't forgive me. I'm sorry! I've tried to..”

Ray cut her off. “You're forgiven.”

That one caught Jenna by surprise. “Huh?”

“You're forgiven. No use burning bridges. You're good help, and I like you.” He raised his glass in a cheers position.

“Do you really mean that?”

“Wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.”

“Ray! This makes me so happy!” She went to hug him, and continued mumbling on and on, but Ray drowned her out. He didn't particularly like her that much anymore, but what the hell? Donna was gone. He needed a friend.

The Clifford Group

“Come in.” Sue Ellen's response was automatic when she heard the door knocking. When she saw Jack entering her office, she realized that she should have asked who it was.

“There you are!” He said, grateful to see her. He walked over to her and gave her a hug. Sue Ellen was not receptive. Jack tried to brush it off. “Where were you? Everyone was worried sick.”

Sue Ellen tried to remain cold, but was finding it hard. There was something about him---some charisma to him. His concern was genuine. It touched Sue Ellen.

No. She was not going to get involved with anyone, not again.

“I was thinking. Not getting married does that to you.”

“Sometimes getting married does that to you. Case in point: Abby.” Jack gave a grin, hoping to cheer her up. She didn't smile.

“So what's going on? Business emergency?” It was clear to Jack that Sue Ellen was trying to steer the conversation away from anything personal.

“No, I just wanted to talk.”

“Well, I'm awful busy.”

Jack was fed up. No more beating around the bush. “We need to talk about what happened between us.”

“As far as I'm concerned, nothing happened between us.” Sue Ellen's response was cold and swift. Jack looked crushed. She wanted to console him, but she couldn't. She wasn't going to put herself in a position to get hurt again.

“What do you mean nothing? You liked it just as much as I did!” Jack was getting angry now.

“How dare you presume to know how I felt?”

“Based on the way that you kissed ME, I'm making an educated guess that you damn well enjoyed it!”

Sue Ellen stood up in fury. “You were the one that kissed me!”

“Ha! So you DO admit that something happened.”

Sue Ellen didn't respond, just sat back down. “Is that all?”

“Sue Ellen, what the hell is wrong with you? That kiss meant something to me. I'm guessing it meant something to you too.”

She was trying her best not to run over and kiss him again. Why was she doing this? Shouldn't she let herself have a chance at happiness? “That's the same thing you said with Cliff,” the rational side of Sue Ellen thought.

“I don't want to talk about this now.”

“Well we're gonna, and you're going to listen to me.” Jack started to pace. “I've been attracted to you, like crazy, ever since I came back to Dallas, and I'm going to guess that you've felt the same way. So I kissed you. Maybe it was stupid, but you know what? I did it, and I'm not ashamed. And I know you felt something, so quit trying to deny it. What's your deal anyway?”

“My deal is sitting right in front of me,” Sue Ellen pointed to a stack of paperwork. “Now get out, because I have work to do.” She hated to be so cold, but she felt she had no other choice.

Jack gave her a look that suggested a vulnerability encased within steel. “When you get your head on straight, let me know. Just don't expect me to hang around babe.”

Jack stormed out, and Sue Ellen buried her head in her hands. She wanted to be with him, so badly. But she couldn't. God, she wanted a drink.

Neil's Apartment

Lucy Ewing smiled at Neil as he opened the door, then she put her arms around her fiancé. “Good morning Honey,” she said.

“Morning Lucy,” Neil said, picking her up. He took her over to the bed and they both fell onto it.

“Neil!” screamed Lucy. “We've got entirely too much to do to be having fun!”

He playfully nibbled Lucy's neck, and then pulled away. “Of course there's time.”

Lucy sat up. “I'm going to look around for a dress today. It has to be perfect.”

“But we're not getting married until December!”

“I know, but this thing is going to be planned out to the tee. Hey, why don't you come with me? We'll go ahead and get you fitted for a tux and get that over with. Then, that just leaves a million other things…”

“Whoa, whoa.” Neil put his finger over Lucy's mouth. “Slow down there Speedy Ewing. Let me go get a shower and then we'll talk about this.”

“Okay, but hurry up!”

“I was hoping maybe you'd join me,” Neil said.

“No way. If I join you, it'll be next July before we get this wedding planned. Now go…make it fast.”

Neil belted Lucy with a pillow, then went into the bathroom, shutting the door. Lucy rolled over onto her side and came face to face with a picture of Neil, Kimberly, and Tiffany. She picked it up and frowned.

Thinking about Tiffany, Lucy put down the picture and went into Tiffany's bedroom. To her surprise, Tiffany was awake and sitting at her desk by the window. In front of her was a brown teddy bear.

Lucy listened as Tiffany talked to the bear, which she called Mr. Buttons.

“You know what I want for Christmas this year Mr. Buttons?” she asked. “I want my Mommy and Daddy to get married so we can all be a family again.” Tiffany paused. “What's that Mr. Buttons?” She pulled the bear close to her, as if she was listening to something he was saying. “Oh! Of course I like Aunt Lucy. She is so cool! But I don't want her and Daddy to get married, 'cause then Daddy can't marry Mommy because you're not s'posed to marry two people.”

Lucy turned away and leaned against the wall. Her perfect day had suddenly taken a turn for the worse—much worse. She had done selfish things before...but that had been the old Lucy doing those. She remembered her childhood without her mother and father. Could Lucy really do that to Tiffany? Could she deny Tiffany the chance to be a family with her parents?

Donna's Campaign HQ

Cliff looked around to make sure that no one was watching him. Todd had left, and Donna was busy talking to some interns. He picked up the phone and quickly dialed.

"Joe? Hey, it's Cliff. Listen, remember how you found that team that drilled on the Alaska project?…….Yeah, I have a job for those guys, if they're free…..OK, I'll just have to find another foreman, but can you get the crew? They were great…..Yeah, it's for here in Dallas…." He made sure no one was eavesdropping. "Yes, we have oil to drill in Dallas…..Where? Oh, Southfork."

Credits Roll

As you've now seen, we did this week's episode in a different format, but we're not sure that this is the BEST format for all of you. Had you rather have one long page or several shorter pages? Let us know in the opinion poll.