EPISODE 20
"Starting Over"
A Back Road in Texas
Ellie sat deep in thought; they were about thirty minutes from Amanda's final resting place. Ellie wasn't sure quite how she was feeling. A myriad of emotions filled her thoughts, empathy for Amanda, loss for Jock and Clayton, and going to see another of her peers' resting place made her just feel very old.
Mavis who had been nodding in the back began to stir. Ellie smiled at her friend through the front mirror and then looking over at Tom who was concentrating on the road ahead while humming along to some tune on the radio, Ellie was struck with the oddity of life's rich tapestry. She thought back to the events that had brought the three of them to this place in time.
“So, are you going to climb out of there and get something to eat with us or do you plan on hiding there the rest of your life,” Ellie asked, as she lifted the blanket revealing their stowaway?
“How, how did you know I was here,” the startled boy asked as he climbed out of the back of the jeep?
“I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday young man,” Ellie replied. “Now come inside. We'll all get something to eat and then decide what to do with you.”
“I don't need you to decide what to do with me lady. I can take care of my self,” the boy smarted back.
Ellie grabbed him by his ear and pulled him into the restaurant. “You listen to me young man. I'll have no more of your insolence. Obviously you have some fascination with us. Call it curiosity or perhaps you'd like to try to rob us, but I think you will find you have tangled with the two gamiest women in Texas. So, I'd suggest that you sit down, have a nice breakfast with us, and keep your mouth shut. Do you understand?”
“I got it lady. Now let go of me,” he protested, wiggling free of her grip.
“Also, show some respect. My name is not lady. You can call me ma'am or Miss Ellie. This is my friend, Mavis. What's your name?”
“Thomas Jamison.”
“Well, Thomas,” Ellie replied as they perused the menu, “order whatever you like.”
“Yes ma'am.”
The waitress came a few minutes later, and Ellie and Mavis marveled at the young man's order. While they waited for the food to be delivered, Mavis asked, “So Thomas, how old are you?”
“Seventeen.”
“Where are your parents,” she continued her questioning?
“They're both dead. They were killed in an automobile accident when I was ten. The county sent me to an orphanage, but I ran away a couple of years ago. I've been living off my wits ever since.”
“May I ask a question now,” Thomas replied?
“Certainly,” Ellie replied.
“ What are two ladies like you doin' traveling the open road all alone?”
Ellie laughed, “You mean what are two old ladies doing out by themselves? Believe it or not, life does not end because you reach a certain age, and I have never been very good at just sittin' around doin' nothing. However to answer your question, we are on a quest. A quest to heal some old wounds and discover something about someone I met briefly a very long time ago.”
“Who,” he asked naturally?
“My first husband's ex-wife.”
As the waitress delivered the food, Ellie and Mavis exchanged glances. “Thomas, why don't you accompany us on the rest of our journey. It looks like you have no real plans and if you plan to travel with us you might as well be at the front wheel relieving the burden on us two old women
“I don't want no charity la..I mean ma'am.”
“I'm not talking about charity. I'm talking about joining us on our journey and then seeing where that leads us….
Ellie caught Thomas's eye and they smiled.
“So have you thought more about what we were speaking about?” Ellie said.
“Me coming back to Dallas with you? I don't know I'm not sure Miss Ellie.”
“Well like I said to you, if you're willing to work hard and accept some responsibility, I can help you, there is work on the ranch and the local high school isn't far.”
“School!”
“An education is important if you want to make something of yourself and make your parents proud of you Thomas.”
“I don't know, I mean you seem to be good people but I have been duped before, I've had people say they were gonna help me before and they just lied. And as for school..”
“Well, you've got a few days to get to know us before you have to make a decision,” Mavis replied, “but I can assure you that Ellie Ewing Farlow is a woman of her word.”
The Krebb's Ranch
Hearing the doorbell, Donna looked up from the picture of Ray. She laid it upside down on the table and walked quickly toward the door. “Bobby,” she said in astonishment. “What are you doing here?”
“Thought I'd stop by and see how you're doing. May I come in?”
“Of course you can Bobby,” Donna said giving him a warm hug. “I've got some coffee brewing in the kitchen. Have a seat and I'll bring some in.”
Bobby walked into the living room and waited for Donna. He looked around the room as he sat down. It had been a long time since he'd been in Ray's house. Spying a magazine on the table, he picked it up and began aimlessly flipping through it.
Lucas wandered down the stairs with his bag almost ready for his day back at high school. He proceeded into the living room and spied Bobby.
Bobby looked up from the magazine as Lucas entered the room, “Hi, Lucas,” Bobby smiled. “How're you?”
Lucas glared suspiciously at Bobby's sudden friendliness. “Fine,” he said, picking up the remote and switching on the TV. He flipped the channel several times before landing on one of the college football games on ESPN. He and Bobby sat in awkward silence watching the game.
“Looks like Michigan is gonna have a pretty good year this season,” Bobby said.
“I guess,” Lucas replied, switching the channel quickly.
Donna entered the room carrying a tray containing the pot of coffee and two cups. “Lucas,” Donna said, “would you mind if Bobby and I talked for a while?”
“No, Donna. I don't mind. It's kinda stuffy in here anyway. Besides, I need to get to the bus as it looks like Margaret has left with out me,” he said switching off the TV.
Do you need wheels Lucas?” Bobby said.
Lucas ignored Bobby's questions and left the room.
Bobby sighed and then spoke after several seconds. “So,” he asked standing and taking the tray, “how's he doin since…?”
“You mean since Ray left? Oh, he's taking it okay I guess. He's a lot like Ray always was. He keeps everything bottled up inside. Besides, I think I'm probably the last person he'd confide in,” she replied.
“Not quite the last, I think,” Bobby replied.
Donna just looked at him and sighed, “How did our lives get so screwed up?”
“Believe me,” he responded thinking of Christopher, “I wish I knew.”
Bobby was silent again for several seconds.
“Bobby is you okay? Bobby?”
“Sorry Donna. I was just thinking,” he said taking the cup of coffee.
“About?”
“Nothing,” he replied, sipping the coffee. “I came to see how you're doing?”
“Bobby James Ewing, you were never a good liar. What's bothering you?”
“You've got your own problems. You don't need mine.”
“Bobby, we have always been able to talk to one another. Please talk to me now.”
Bobby sighed, “Well it's Christopher,”
“What is it, son? You know you can always talk to me,” Bobby replied.
“I think you'd better sit down first.”
Bobby looked guardedly at Christopher, but moved back toward the sofa and sat down. “Go ahead.”
“There really is no easy way to say this Dad, except to just come right out and say it.” He took another deep breath. “Dad, I'm gay.”
Bobby sat stunned for a few seconds. “What did you just say,” he asked, disbelieving his ears.
“You heard me right, Dad. I'm gay.”
“He just told me he was gay and I didn't react very well.”
“I see,” Donna said raising her eyebrows. “I'm sorry, Bobby. I really don't know what to say. What did you say to him?”
“You mean gay as in you like men instead of women,” Bobby asked slowly, still in disbelief.
“Yes Dad,” Chris said becoming annoyed.
Bobby sat in silence. “Where the hell as all this come from son. I don't believe this! Did your mother convince you of this? There is no way any son of mine could be..
“Gay” Christopher shouted.
“Okay, there has to be something we can do. You can see a psychiatrist. This is just a phase, son. We can get through this.” Bobby smiled sympathetically
“Dad,” Chris said “Jesus this isn't cancer or some plague, you don't have to feel sorry for me and I'm not going to be cured. This is not a goddamned phase. I am gay. No one convinced me. I've known my whole life I was different from other guys, but until the whole thing with Becky and John Ross, I wouldn't admit it to myself.”
“This is unbelievable,” Bobby yelled back. “This is un-by god-believable. What are people gonna say? Do you know what kind of problems this is going to cause?”
“I don't care what anybody says Dad and I know the problems I am gonna have to face, but they are my problems, not yours,” Chris answered back, continuing to yell.
“That's not true. I'm the one that's gonna have to bear the brunt of this with the family.”
“I don't give a flying fuck about the family, Dad. I am who I am. They can like it or lump it. And that includes you,” he yelled storming out to his car.
Bobby chased after him, “Fine, then don't bother coming back here ever!”
“I really don't remember too well. It's kind of a blur, but I know I told him not to ever come home again.”
“And now how do you feel?”
“I hate the fact that he's gay, and I feel like it's my fault. I feel like I didn't love him enough or something, but he's still my son.”
“What are you going to do,” Donna asked?
“I don't know,” he sighed again, “but I didn't come here to talk about my problems. I came here to see how you're coping with Ray's disappearance. I thought maybe you might need someone with some experience in this area to talk to.”
“There's really nothing to talk about Bobby. Ray made his decision without discussing it with me, and I have no intention of trying to find him. If he wants to be an idiotic, stubborn, stupid assed man, that is his choice. As far as I'm concerned, he and his selfishness have no place in any of our lives,” Donna replied.
Bobby grasped her hand and smiled in agreement, knowing that inside she was actually dying a little more each day.
Katherine's House
“Good morning Becky. Did you sleep well,” Katherine asked?
“Not really,” Becky replied. “I can't seem to get very comfortable these days. I'm so ready to have this baby. Besides, I can't get that conversation with Sue Ellen out of my mind.”
“Well,” Katherine replied sitting down beside Becky and lightly touching her forearm, “ I don't know Sue Ellen very well, but from what I do know she's a very genuine and compassionate woman. She'd have to be something to have put up with JR all those years,” she said disgustedly.
“That's what's bothering me,” Becky replied. “John Ross loved her more than anything. He would've gone to the ends of the earth for her, and she does seem to really care, but…”
“But what,” Katherine asked, genuinely concerned?
“But I just don't know if I can trust her. She says she can handle JR, but I'm not so certain.”
“There is one thing I know for certain Becky. JR Ewing is a despicable being. I call him a being because I don't think he's human. He's just some type of machine. All he knows is what he wants and he will stop at nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, to get what he wants, period. He doesn't care who gets hurt, not you, not Sue Ellen, not anyone.”
“I know,” Becky said despondently, “and right now, I have the thing he wants most in the world.”
Katherine squeezed Becky's hand tighter. “So,” she said, “how can we keep him from getting what he wants in this case?”
“I have no idea,” Becky replied. “I've been racking my brain for months and I can't come up with anything. It looks like I'm gonna have to give in and move to Southfork.” Becky sighed disgustedly. “I'd rather eat dirt.”
Katherine laughed at Becky's comment, helping them both relieve some of their tension and frustration. After a few minutes of laughing, Katherine said, “Perhaps I know exactly how to stop JR Ewing.”
“How,” Becky asked, raising her eyebrows?
Katherine smiled, “Tell me, what has he offered you? I know he's tried to pay you off. He thinks everyone can be bought.”
“He offered me ten million dollars,” Becky replied.
“I see,” Katherine replied. “I can't believe that's all he thinks his only grandchild is worth. Surely it's worth more than that to him. Don't you think?”
“I guess, but how much more?”
“Not how much, Becky my dear, but what else is it worth?”
“Aunt Katherine, pardon my French, but what the hell are you talking about?”
“What is the one thing that is most important to JR Ewing? The one thing that has always been first and foremost in his life?”
“Aunt Katherine, I'm not in the mood to play a freakin' guessing game. Just tell me.”
Smiling evilly, Katherine said, “Ewing Oil.”
“What,” Becky asked, still not quite understanding Katherine's meaning?
“Give him a choice, the baby or Ewing Oil. Tell him he can have the baby, but he has to sign over Ewing Oil. He'd never do that in a million years. JR Ewing would never give up Ewing Oil, not for Sue Ellen, not for John Ross, and not for this baby. That is one thing of which you can be positively certain beyond any shadow of a doubt.”
“And if he says yes then what?”
“Well that is up too you but I know what I would do.”
Becky looked questioning at her aunt.
“He will stop at nothing to get that baby. You might as well give it to him and get Ewing Oil off him in the process. Get him where it really hurts.”
“But the baby.”
“The baby will end up at SouthFork the same way John Ross always did, not matter how hard Sue Ellen tried to keep him away. Imagine what we could do with control of Ewing Oil. You could finally repay all the Ewing's for what they've done to our family all these years.”
