EPISODE 21

"When a Child is Born"

 

Dallas Memorial Waiting Room

Katherine sat in silence for a few moments then stood to leave as she passed by him JR grabbed her arm.

“What the hell are you doing back in town?”

“Whatever I dam well please.” Katherine said.

“Well you better keep out of my way and away from my family.”JR threatened.

“I am here to make amends to my family JR, to mend bridges. What are you afraid of a untied Barnes family?”

JR laughed “A vegetable, a junky, a psycho, umm let me see when Pamela Barnes is the biggest threat I know I have nothing to worry about sugar.”

Katherine could feel the old hatred rising up inside of her as she glared at JR.

Well I have to stay in town and help run Ewing Oil, I mean someone will need to.”

“Over my dead body.” JR angrily replied.

“Now you really shouldn't say things like that to a psycho, I might just take you at your word. Katherine laughed with a manic edge.

“Hey at least you get to be with John Ross then, I heard he was a real son of a bitch so I am sure you are gone to the same place that his daddy is going.”

JR slapped Katherine's face and she immediate retaliated by scratching him back across his right cheek drawing blood. Katherine rushed out the room and ran down the corridor in pursuit of Pam.

“Pamela she yelled as she saw her at the end of the corridor. Pam stopped and let the other women catch her up.

“That bastard is going to pay for what he said about Christopher, the Ewing's will pay for what they have done to our family once and for all.”

Pamela stared into the face of the Katherine she knew all to well.

“Katherine I appreciate that you defended Chris against JR's onslaught but nothing has changed. We are not family, you are not my sister and I don't and will never forgive you or trust you. You are my dead to me so just leave me and my family alone.”

As Pamela walked away Katherine was left alone in the corridor, suddenly she punched the wall beside her and let out an animal like cry as she crumbled to the floor. After several moments like a phoenix Katherine raised from the floor. She ran her fingers through hair her and rub her face gently with the palms of her hands, the light reflected of clear blue eyes took which took an almost dead like quality as she began to walk down the corridor..

Dallas Memorial, outside the nursery

JR stood outside the viewing window of the nursery smiling sadly at his grandson. That conversation with Pam and Katherine had really shaken him up. He was angry with himself for showing so much emotion in front of that Barnes woman.

“Damn her nerve,” he thought, “Whining about that son of hers being queer.” JR sighed, “I wish you could be here son. I wish you could see your little boy. I wish I could tell you how proud I am of you and how much I love you. But I promise you, I'm gonna give this boy everything. I'm gonna do all the things with him that I should've taken the time to do with you.”

The sound of clicking heels on the tile floor jolted him from his thoughts, and he glanced up to see Sue Ellen coming toward him. “Hey Sugar,” he smiled warmly placing his arm around her shoulders.

Sue Ellen handed him the clean shirt she'd brought for him, and asked, “Which one is he?”

“The one in the middle,” JR replied. “The one that looks just like our son did as a baby. Say hello to John Ross Ewing the fourth.”

“He's beautiful,” Sue Ellen responded, trying to choke back her emotions.

JR hugged her closer, and smiled his proudest smile. “He sure is, and despite his tumultuous entry into this world, he is a healthy, robust Ewing. The doctor says that we can take him home tomorrow.”

“That's wonderful JR. How did you ever get Becky to agree to that?”

“I gave her Ewing Oil,” he replied calmly.

“You what,” she asked in disbelief, pulling out of his embrace and staring at him?

“You heard me Darlin'.”

“Oh I heard you JR,” she said, folding her arms, cocking her head to one side, and raising one eyebrow, disapprovingly. “I just don't believe you. I know you better than that. You would never give up Ewing Oil.”

JR smiled softly at her, marveling at how well she knew him. “What are you talking about? I told you the other night that I was thinking of getting out of the oil business.”

“Yeah JR, and Marilee Stone has found an older man who is in the mattress business to satisfy her longings.”

JR laughed and shook his head. “The mattress business,” he continued laughing, despite the fact that he knew she was about to lay into him about Becky.

Without cracking a smile, Sue Ellen continued, “Alright now JR. Level with me. What did you do to Becky? You just signed Ewing Oil over to her? Just like that. No underhandedness, no crooked deals? You know I don't believe that.”

“Well honey, just let me put it to you like this. She owns Ewing Oil, but she doesn't own Ewing Oil.”

“And just what is that supposed to mean?”

“It means, she owns a company named Ewing Oil, but Ewing Oil doesn't own anything, and it won't be long until I have that back as well.”

“JR, you know as well as I do that that child needs its mother. How could you take advantage of her like that?”

“Sue Ellen, it is not my fault she's a fool and an idiot. And as for this child needing a mother, there is no way he needs that crackheaded slut. You and I can give him everything he needs and more. Now come on, I'm tired and I just want to go home. We'll come back in the morning and pick him up.”

“Becky may be an addict, but so am I, and I will be damned if I am going to let my grandson grow up thinking his mother doesn't give a damn about him. I let my nephew grow up without know his real family, I'll be damned if I'm going through that again. I'm going to see Becky, so I suggest that you sit down somewhere and wait on me. And while we're discussing it, I am going to ask her to move into Southfork.”

“Over my dead body, Sue Ellen. I will not have that white trash tramp in my house.”

“If that's what it takes JR, then so be it. But, if you want to be with me, this is how things are going to be.”

JR fumed in stunned silence as Sue Ellen walked away, but a part of him couldn't help being proud at her actions.

Becky's room

Sue Ellen walked into Becky's room, and sat down on the edge of the bed, gently taking hold of her hand, and looking at her compassionately. She reached up, and wiped a strand of hair from her face.

Becky opened her eyes, and quickly slapped Sue Ellen's hand away. “Get away from me and get the hell out of here. You've got your grandson, now get the hell away from me.”

Sue Ellen continued to look at Becky with compassion. “Becky, I know what JR did, and I'm sorry. If I had known about it beforehand, I would've stopped him.”

Becky scoffed, “I'm sure that you would have. The same way that you stopped him when you gave those pictures to my mother.”

Sue Ellen lowered her head. “Nothing I can say can convince of how sorry I am for that, but I would like to make amends. My grandson needs his mother. I know that better than anyone. Having said that, I want you to come to Southfork. I want John Ross's son to have his mother. I want him to have better than I gave my son. But, that means that you get yourself clean and sober, and stay that way, and you will behave in a manner befitting a lady.”

Becky looked at Sue Ellen as if she had three heads. “You cannot be serious. Me at Southfork? What about JR? He will never let that happen.”

Sue Ellen stood to her feet, reinforcing her new role in life as the strong matriarch of her family. “Becky, I am offering you the chance to be with your child, but remember that my terms are non-negotiable. JR is a hard man Becky, and if I am going to take him on, you're going to learn some respect, and some manners, and you're going to step and fetch. When I say jump, you ask how high. Are we clear?”

“I would rather die,” Becky responded.

“Fine then,” Sue Ellen said, as she walked toward the door. “If you want your son to grow up never knowing either of his parents, and knowing that his own mother wanted an oil company more than him, then that's the decision you'll have to live with. My conscience is clear. This is your last chance Becky. Take it or leave it.” Inside, Sue Ellen was dying. She knew how much her grandson needed his mother, but she was not going to back down. She reached for the handle of the door and opened it slowly.

“Sue Ellen, wait,” Becky said urgently, as tears formed in her eyes. “I'll do whatever you want. I just want to be with my son.”

Sue Ellen turned around and smiled, “I was hoping you'd say that.

Cliff's hospital room

Katherine walked into the room and silently watched the ventilators that were keeping Cliff alive move up and down and listened to the hypnotic bleep of the machines. Katherine moved over to Cliff and stroked his face and hair tenderly.

“You poor soul,” she murmured as she continued with her caressing “I am sorry, so very sorry.”

Katherine stood up and looked out of the window for a moment, a single tear fell from her eye as she silently moved back over towards her brother and began to squeeze the tube that was feeding oxygen onto Cliff's mouth. She held on for several moments making sure her long nails had punctured the tube. Then she moved over to the life support machine and began to systematically push the buttons on the machine. Gradually it began to make a more erratic noise and the display from the heart monitor began to dance to a deadly tune. Abruptly a flat sound could be heard ring out as the monitor began to flat line and Cliff's life began to ebb away.

Fade to Black