DALLASTALK
presents
STARRING:
(in alphabetical order)
PATRICK DUFFY (BOBBY)
LINDA
GRAY (SUE ELLEN)
SUSAN HOWARD (DONNA)
STEVE KANALY (RAY)
KEN KERCHEVAL (CLIFF)
VICTORIA
PRINCIPAL (PAM)
TED SHACKELFORD (GARY)
CHARLENE
TILTON (LUCY)
JOAN VAN
ARK (VAL)
CO-STARRING:
OMRI KATZ (JOHN ROSS)
CHRISTOPHER DEMETRAL (CHRIS)
DEBORAH KELLNER (BECKIE)
DAVID MARSHALL GRANT (WILL)
SCARLETT JOHANSSON (MAGGIE)
JENSEN ACKLES (BOBBY)
RANDOLPH POWELL (ALAN)
LOIS CHILES (HOLLY)
LEIGH McCLOSKEY (MITCH)
SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY:
JESSICA LANGE (BARBARA)
and
HALLE BERRY
as
DEBBI PORTER
In the middle of the night,
a gray Mercedes was parking at a plain, near the point where the accident had
happened. Lucy ran out of the car to the place where his brother Bobby was
laying, and Will, put on his knees by his side, was doing mouth-to-mouth to
him.
- Don´t worry Lucy – Will
calmed her down, as he was taking his pulse. – He´s breathing again and not
seriously damaged. Have you called an ambulance?
- Yes, I´ve called at
Braddock Hospital, the closest. – An upset Lucy smiled at her friend and put
her hand on his arm, as a way of thanking...
Suddenly Bobby opened his
eyes and looked at his sister...
- Lucy...What happened?
- We´ve crashed into you on
our way back to Southfork. -
Answer me one question: Have you had any alcohol drink Bobby? - Well...who the hell are you? –
the teenager asked, slightly abruptly.
Lucy advanced him and said:
- He´s Will, Pamela´s
cousin. We´ve been together at the Oil Barons´ Ball. Bobby kept on looking at Will and, suddenly, he blushed up. He took
Lucy apart and told her:
- Your brother will get
into trouble if they find out he had been drinking. His injuries are not bad,
maybe we should take him to the ranch and call your doctor. - No – she said right away,
looking serious – I´ll be responsible for everything: he´s my brother and I was
inside the car too. After all, it´s too late and the road hadn´t the best
lightning...
Will agreed and looked at the
hurt boy again, who tried to get up. Lucy ran to him. Will kept on staring at
him as he was feeling strange...
The ambulance´s siren could be
heard from far away, driving from the Braddock Hospital. Will walked to the car
and took his black vest...In its pocket, he found the bow tie he had thrown
away from himself before to make artificial respiration to Bobby...
In Dallas, the Ewings and Sue
Ellen had just arrived at Longview Club, the place where most attendants to the
Barons´ Ball used to go after the dinner and the award gala.
Gary, Val and Sue Ellen looked
radiant, maybe because they were the only ones in the group who hadn´t had
alcohol at the party. They were determined to have fun dancing, chatting with
their friends and family, and didn´t want anything to spoil that special night.
- Well, cell phones turned off,
post-poned business talks and dazzling women by my side... -
It´s a nice compliment Gary – said Sue Ellen – God knows that every Dallas man
thinks the best way to show his love for a woman is letting his dealings and
pay attention to her... - I guess that´s a compliment
for them as much as for us the women – added Val.
- Ah, by the way – Sue Ellen
reminded – my secretary told me that you had called for an appointment. We´ll
meet next Monday but, if you like, you may give me something in advance now...
Val looked at the crowd in
the place and smiled.
- No, we´d better talk it
all on Monday... - All right – Sue Ellen smiled
and looked back to Pam and Bobby, coming after them.
- Any problem darling? –
said Gary.
- Not at all. Just
something...Sue Ellen had to know.
Meanwhile, at Southfork
Ranch, the party was over all of sudden when Lucy called on there with her cell
phone, before the ambulance drove off. The young men and women still talking cheerfully
left home, and only remained at the Krebbses´ Christopher, Maggie and Betsy.
- Oh my, I can´t believe it
– said Maggie, with tears in her eyes.
- Don´t worry, I´m sure
it´ll be some scratching only. My brother is so lucky that he always overcomes
all his problems...though he´s been close this time – said Betsy trying to calm
her down...
A dejected Chris had walked
by one of the windows and looked at John Ross´s motorbike, parked near the main
entrance.
- It´s my fault. If I
hadn´t left the key in, sure they wouldn´t have had the accident.
Beth came close to him,
plucking up courage. Somehow she knew that she had to slap him twice for what
he had said...
...But she didn´t.
- Listen Chris. It´s
pointless for you to feel guilty for what´s happened. It had no serious
consequence and, what´s more, the only responsible for it is Bobby: I found him
here having a bourbon...
- You mean he´d been
drinking and even so, he took my motorbike?
- Right – she said looking at
Beth, who was sitting at the couch. – By now let´s keep it between us, o.k.? Do
not blame yourself: this is our home, we didn´t have a reason to take security
measures as we were in family... Chris thanked her and kissed her
cheek. Maggie noticed the gesture. Seconds later, he asked her cousins to get
closer... - Please take me to the
hospital... - It´s not necessary, besides we
won´t be allowed to see him until tomorrow, Maggie...- said Chris.
- She´s not saying it for
Bobby...look, she´s trembling... Chris
and Beth looked at each other, and he nodded. Something was wrong with their
cousin.
At the hospital, Will and
Lucy were sitting at the waiting room. Bobby had been moved to the Emergency
Room. Suddenly Will looked at Lucy, and asked:
- I know it isn´t the right
time but, you know it, don´t you?
- Know what, that Bobby
will be alright or you, being gay?
Will smiled, slightly
blushed up again.
- Although we hadn´t talked
about it until now, I had the feeling that you were the only one in the family
acting as if you had assumed it.
- Honey, you´ve been
missing for a long time...I almost wed one a homosexual young man more than
twenty years ago, and since I´m on the “Art business” – she said ironically –
I´ve met many more gays than heterosexuals. Why do you think I haven´t
re-married?
- I never make guesses about
people´s private life, and when I get close with someone, things always happen
naturally...or they just don´t, and we become friends... - Like us, you mean... – Lucy used
a magazine laid on the table as a fan – You´re so different from the rest of my
family or friends, yes you are, and I wouldn´t have cared if you had tried to
seduce me. But believe me, sweetheart: I´m not the easy girl I used to be...
At this moment, Lucy and Will
laughed off and one of the nurses pointed them the “Please keep silent” sign.
Minutes later, another nurse
walked in:
- Miss Lucy Ewing?
- Yes I am – she said, as they
both got up.
- The doctor will come out to
talk to you in a minute, though you have nothing to worry about. Anyway I think
they have just brought someone else from your family, from Southfork.
- What´s his name?
The nurse checked out the income
form and read the name:
- Margaret Krebbs.
A surprised Lucy looked at Will
.
- Something´s happened to
Maggie...
At Longview Club, Sue Ellen and
Pam were talking in front of a fruit drink adorned with little umbrella.
- I had never been in this club
before – said Pam.
- It was opened a couple of
years ago, as I´ve been told. It belongs to our former friend Dora Mae, who had
to bear so many fights of the Ewings at Oil Barons´ Club... - I had no idea... – Pam reached
out for Bob, who had received an urgent phone call from the ranch...
- Pam, what´s wrong? – the woman
decided to take a chance – Since you knew that Holly was at the Ball, you´ve
been acting...so to say...very possessively to Bobby...
Pam pretended to be surprised.
- I don´t know what you´re
talking about... – Pam remembered that she was in front of one of the persons
who knew her better, and stared at her – Well, I do know, but you´re wrong...
Sue Ellen raised her
eyebrows...looking skeptic. - It´s o.k., but I´ve seen Holly
Harwood around, and she has come around to talk with Bobby in private and...
- Pamela... – Sue Ellen sweetly
smiled at her – You won´t tell me you´re jealous, will you? You perfectly know
that you have the best husband of the whole Texas State and that we the rest of
women are who are really jealous...
Pam sighed, pensive...
- I´ve been thinking over about
taking the job at the magazine, lately. I gotta have to travel often and, so
far, I hadn´t realized what it means... Sue Ellen nodded: at last she
understood it.
- You mean, you are not jealous
but afraid of leaving Southfork...and the peace and quiet you get from your
family and husband...
- Something like that. Next week
I´ve got to attend the Paris Fashion Week, and I really want to, I know the
city and I can speak French...
- So, Pam, what´s the problem?
- It´s so simple: I am afraid.
Afraid of waking up one day at the hotel and not to find Bobby in the
shower...Handing the cell phone and not being able to call Chris and say good
morning to him...
- Pam, listen up: I always was
the “Ewing wife” who depended on her
social position and her husband. Remember all the nonsense I did when I
was with J.R., especially re-marrying him...Just because I felt insecure, as if
I wasn´t worth at all...on my own. I know the car accident took you away from
your family and caused you damage inside, harder to cure than those outside.
Think that you just have to enjoy today and value what we got. Don´t be like
that old Sue Ellen, Pam...I had nothing to offer, but you do. In the meantime Bob and Val were
dancing, until someone came from her behind: it was Holly Harwood.
- Hello, Valene. Would you allow
me to steal your brother-in-law for one dance? -
All right, as long as you remember you´re a happily married man... Bob couldn´t help laughing about
Val´s comment. But Holly did not.
- My God, what have I done to
the Dallas women! They have welcomed me as coldly as was James Bond in
“Moonraker”...
- Well, I guess you must be the
only available pretty woman who doesn´t rely on them, yet. That almost equals
being the “enemy”. Holly laughed out loudly. - I always loved that delightful
sense of humor of yours. Sue Ellen...seemed to be still bitter to me... - She must have her reasons... - Oh mine Bobby! If almost
twenty years have passed by since then. You´ve got to forgive and forget.
That´s what I did with myself, after years of therapy though. I couldn´t forget
that I was partly guilty of Ray´s cousin death... - Well, if you stay in Dallas,
maybe we could meet again once in awhile. Why don´t you come at our next
barbecue...Besides, who knows if Sue Ellen, Gary or Ray will find out they´re
working with a company called Thompson someday... Holly smiled slyly and,
suddenly, Ray interrupted them. Time to get back home: Bobby and Maggie were at
the Braddock Hospital.
(Fade
out)
Not long after that, Gary
and Val came with Pam directly from the club. Beth calmed them down about the
accident, though they weren´t so sure about Maggie´s condition, since she was
under observation.
A few minutes later, walked
in Ray and Donna. They went to talk with the nurse who had checked the young
woman into the hospital for that night, and found out that Maggie had suffered
an increase of sugar in her blood, worsened by the guilt about what had
happened to Bobby.
At Southfork Manor, Will
was saying goodbye to Lucy:
- Well, Lucy, I hope we´ll
be as good friends as we´ve been ´til now.
- You bet your best
billiard stick we will...oh, by the way, you owe me a billiard game. In case
you had forgotten the infamous 1978 barbecue, you told that billiard was the
most important thing to you...
- That´s a proof of how
high my I.Q. was then. Well, I hope your brother will soon be alright, and your
cousin Maggie too...
- Sure they will...We´re
all Ewings. – said the tired young woman as she smiled and kissed her friend´s
cheek.
Next Monday a very self-assured
Gary Ewing walked into the Westfork Industries offices. He asked if Alan Beam
had arrived and told his secretary to call him at his office. One minute
afterwards, appeared Alan:
- Good morning Gary. What a
party last Saturday´s...Hope your son is o.k. now.
- Sure, just was some scratches
when he crashed as driving his motorbike...Changing of subject, Alan, I want
you to call back Mr. Richard Channing – Alan´s face enlightened – and hint him
that we can surpass any offer to get the oleoduct deal...
Alan felt like a winner: that
was what he had foreseen Gary was going to say that morning. Before going back
to his office, he added:
- Gary, I thought I could
join the business as an active partner of the company. I´ve got some savings
I´d kept for something like this...
- You wanna join the
company as an investor...That´s always welcome, Alan. Though you must know that
our politics prevents our lawyers to invest on the company, due to conflict of
interests...
Gary offered his right hand
to shook Alan´s, who suddenly looked somewhat surprised.
- You can call Channing and
tell him that Westfork from Texas is intent on winning California...
At Ewing Oil, a slightly
nervous Sue Ellen was welcoming her ex-sister-in-law Valene:
- Hi Val. Make yourself
comfortable... – she said, showing the big couches in one of the corners of the
office, adorned with feisty bouquets of flowers.
- You must be surprised to
have me here...
- Oh no. You´re a part of
the Ewing family, God knows what we both went through due to my ex-husband...
- Yeah, but I´m not here to
talk to you about J.R., but your sister: Kristin.
- About Kristin? I didn´t
know you got to meet her. -
Bobby has always been very discreet about the...delicate subjects. -
I missed something. I´m sorry Val.
- I read what happened to
Kristin in Dallas, how she died in the Southfork pool. Just wanted to tell you
that, by late 1980, not long after J.R. was shot, Kristin made us a call at our
home in Knots Landing, in California. - Sue Ellen wide-opened her eyes and paid
real attention on her.
- She´d been arrested for
cocaine possession and, in jail, she remembered that we were the only Ewings
she had near. We went for her and stayed with us for a few days...and the last
day, before leaving, she confessed that she was pregnant...
Sue Ellen´s face looked
gloomier and gloomier.
- She said that she wasn´t
sure of wanting the baby, but she couldn´t return to Dallas...She was feeling
lost, helpless, as if she were looking for a father for her baby. And she tried
with one of our neighbors, Kenny. But I already told you what I came to tell
you. Then she left and we didn´t know about her until her death was in the
papers. Sue Ellen got up and looked
through the window, towards the skyscrapers standing in front of the Ewing
Building.
- So...that is what
happened...since she left and up until she met Farraday...she thought that he
could play daddy for her son, but he turned out to be a con artist who got her
into the drug underworld...The rest, you know already.
- But, did she leave Dallas
only ´cause she was pregnant?
Sue Ellen looked up at the
woman´s eyes.
- No. Kristin left Dallas
because she had shot J.R. and, what´s more, she was carrying a baby, possibly
his.
Val was speechless and she
leaned down in her couch.
At the same time, at SMU in
Dallas, John Ross made a terrible discovery: he had failed two of the most
important final exams. He would have those pending subjects for next year and
he could not inherit his father´s fortune until then, as stipulated. He
immediately got into his car with “Ewing 8” plate and drove to his cousin
Christopher´s.
At the Braddock Hospital, Ray
and Donna were picking up their daughter Maggie, who had suffered a slight
diabetic crisis, aggravated by the Saturday night emotions.
- Sorry dad. I could´ve helped
it. It´s my fault. - What do you mean sweetie? It´s
logical that strain raised your sugar levels.
- If you mean Bobby and
Will´s accident, that ain´t your fault too. Christopher oughta have watched
over his motorbike and, above all, Bobby oughtn´t have drunk.
Suddenly the three of them
found a small group of reporters handing big microphones who began to ask them
about Saturday´s accident. Donna tried to play down the importance of it and
made Ray and Maggie head the park lot, ahead of her.
- Is true that the two
drivers had surpassed the blood alcohol limit and Bobby Ewing had stolen the
motorbike?
- Stop it! – Donna said–
You won´t stop until you take a casual minor accident to the front page...
- Is true that the Ewings
are going to suit Mr. Willard Monahan for driving intoxicated?
- For God´s sake, please
let me go...and go anywhere else to get the dirt you need...
Cliff Barnes´s TV Station,
WKB, was also reporting about the incident. Debbi Porter was listening to the
noon news when she had a great idea. He asked her secretary to call John Ross
Ewing III.
He was at Chris´s home when
he received the call.
- Wow, miss Porter, I´m
glad to hear your voice again...
- I wanted to tell you that
we came to an agreement so we can include you and Ewing Oil at the Special Show
you were so interested in...
- Perfect. When and where?
- Tomorrow we´ll send you a
cameraman and a reporter to your office at Ewing Oil. Then we will record a
complete interview to be previously aired before the live show...
- Are you gonna make the
interview yourself...? – Debbi shut up, pensive.
- Yes, I´ll go myself,
though I will have very little time for it. I hope you appreciate it, John
Ross.
- Sure I will, miss Porter.
Debbi hang up and picked
her mobile phone from the table. She dialed another mobile number and a female
voice answered:
- May I talk to Mr. Barnes,
please?
(Fade
out)
The next morning, at
Southfork Manor, the family was finishing their breakfast, and Lucy offered to
drive Pam to town. Pam had been almost three months at charge of the magazine
edited by Sue Ellen´s publishing company, and she had devoted herself to her
new job, above all after knowing that she had passed through a phase as a
woman.
Ewing 8 car, belonging to John
Ross, crossed with Lucy´s. It was Christopher, who came to talk with her father
Bob.
- You know that you can talk to
me of anything, anytime... Father and son walked to the
stables. Chris still kept his horse there, and her motorbike as well.
- I wanna ask you something that
only you can answer. – Bob raised her eyebrows. – You are the only family
member who ever could work with Uncle J.R. at Ewing Oil. I know he had a
reputation of being a tough guy with no scruples, and screwed a lot of people
to get his own way...
Bob was wondering if he had been
underestimated his son, since he was giving a rather precise definition of his
late brother J.R.
- Tell me what you wanna know,
Chris.
- Not an easy question,
just wanna know...how can you know if something is ethical or not, although you
only ease someone else the means...What does really matter, each person´s
principles or being able to helping someone who needs ya?
The mature man, whose hair was
whiter every day, put his hand over his son´s shoulder and told him what he
thought:
- That´s the million dollar
question...for whomever that knows the right answer. I can tell you that I
fought with J.R. to make every deal in Ewing Oil transparent, and the harder I
had to get, the further this took me from my family, especially Pam. It´s a
personal choice to affect the course of your life. Do you have to follow your
principles and keep your sense of ethics, or just devote yourself to make
money, close deals at any cost and care about yourself? Your uncle was very
clear-minded, and me too, I think. You should find out what really matters for
you: family or business, and to act consistently. All of your life, there´ll be
moments when you´ll gotta think a lot of these principles over but, basically,
whatever you do in the next years will mark you for the rest of your life, not
the mistakes you may have made so far...
- And about the accident, I
could have prevented it if I had taken the keys out... -
That makes no sense, especially because you ain´t gonna change anything
thinking that way. It had nothing to do with you and, besides, Bobby is only a
bit scratched...Keep it in mind, you live in Dallas or anywhere else: we are
here to help ya whenever you need us, both Pam and Ray, Lucy or myself...and
now, let´s see how my horse Banjo is, they told me his condition is rather
delicate...
Bob and Chris kept on walking
towards the Southfork stables...
That evening, Gary and Val
gathered the twins.
- You´ll see, now they´ll send
you to a military academy and me to a Swiss boarding school. They need a shock,
something to get them confused, and make´m think it all over again – Beth
whispered.
- Are you hinting that this is
the best time for me to get out of the closet?
- They´re just three words: I´m
a homosexual.
- And then you could add three
more...
At that moment, Val and
Gary came into the living-room.They had been talking in private and the time
for the family meeting had finally arrived.
- Bobby wanted to tell ya
something very important... – Beth advanced to them.
Bobby´s look could have
kill her. But their parents made them sit down...
- Dad,
I...I... –
Bobby stammered.
- Listen to your father,
kids – asked Val.
- Bobby, Betsy, I am
alcoholic. I´ve been one since I was your age.
Bobby and Betsy looked at
each other and then looked at Val.
- I´ve ruined so many
things in my life with booze that I just gotta confess it clearly, honestly.
Don´t be so silly to make the same mistake I made.
- But if I didn´t...
- Bobby, the blood analyses
from the hospital revealed you´d been drinking, and not lemonade... – explained
Val.
- Your mama and I were
separated for a long long time because of the same reason and the time we
wasted, is gone forever. Take as an example and build up a future, instead of
raising one wall after another...
Val held her kids and then
reached for Gary to hold them too. Once they were at the door, Beth turned
around and said to them:
- By the way, Bobby is
homosexual...Meet ya at dinner time...
A satisfied Beth smiled and
the two walked out, letting their parents perplexed, without knowing where to
look at...
- Hi, my name is Betty
Lewis and Mr. Barnes is sending me to interview Mr. Ewing.
Debbi Porter looked at the
blond woman all over. She was forty-something but still quite attractive,
despite of her green eyes´ coldness.
- There must be some
misunderstanding ´cause I´m going to make the interview personally...
- You please call him and
confirm this... Debbi remembered she had read
that Cliff´s wife, Afton, was going to have surgery done that week and softened
the situation.
- Look, Betty, I will go to
Ewing Oil and you, if you like, may take charge of the report edition, but,
following our story closely...
- I can´t really wait for,
John Ross Ewing is so hunky...
- Aren´t you mistaking him
for his brother James?
- Oh...I´m afraid so. But
still he is a Ewing, and getting to know him will help my career.
- I see you just don´t get
me: you won´t be less than 5 miles away of John Ross Ewing III. Am I clear
enough?
At the Westfork Offices,
Alan was faxing to California a pre-agreement contract with Richard Channing´s
company to associate with him at the oleoduct´s construction. Alan had signed
himself as new partner of Westfork, but he had also faked Gary´s signature, since
he hadn´t found him all the day long, not even by cell phone.
But he had his word that
they were “intent on winning California” and, for him, that was the last sign.
This way, Channing would transfer his million dollar immediately and another
million into an account on his name in Switzerland.
His plan was working out
fine. In fact he didn´t care about which Ewing would get more hurt, all of them
were part of the same clan who had manipulated him years before, included Lucy.
Very soon, Phase 2 of his
vengeance would follow, thanks to the very ungenerous collaboration of his wife
Betty.
That night, Bobby was
waiting in bed for his wife to end his shower.
- Pam, didn´t you tell me
you had to travel for that job at Sue Ellen´s magazine?
- Yeah – she said, as she
was drying her hair – wait a minute, I´m thru right away.
Pamela put a blue
nightdress on and got into bed with her husband.
- Actually I wanted to talk
to you about it. My first travel will be the day past tomorrow: I´m going at
the Paris Wedding Fashion Week, accompanied by two of the boys of the stuff.
Bobby suddenly looked pale
and repeated “Paris...”
- Yep, and after that,
Milan and Barcelona. It´s the worst side of this job, just when we had returned
to Southfork and everything seemed to be back to normal...
- Why doesn´t Sue Ellen go,
if she is the owner?
- Partly, because I also am
a co-owner of the company, and it was a part of the initial agreement.
- But, if next week we´ll
hold the Ewing Annual Barbecue...
- Shut up silly boy, I´ll be
back by then. Besides Donna and Val are working on it already. Now let´s sleep,
I´m exhausted...
Bobby kept on listening
“Paris” as an echo that made him return to the past and see images he thought
he had forgotten: his previous wife April, murdered twelve years before...the
investigation following her disappearance, and that horrible woman, Hillary
Taylor, responsible for the terrorist attack...How would he be able to let
Pamela get onto an airplane and fly to Paris?
Lucy and Will were saying goodbye
at the Southfork porche when an unidentified car drove through the ranch´s
entrance. It was a lush green Porsche.
Lucy looked at the man driving
it and smiled when she recognized him.
- Wait a minute, don´t leave
yet, I´m gonna introduce ya someone very important to me...
The
car parked behind Will´s new Mercedes and the driver got out: he was a man in
his early forties, wearing a beard. His name was Mitch Cooper. Lucy jumped onto
him to hold him tight. Soon she brought him to Will and introduced each other.
One minute later Will got into his Mercedes and drove away.
- So, Mitch...Suppose you´re
bringing good news for us... – said Lucy, who looked more serious now.
-
Actually not. The Houston specialist who´s been treating Afton got to remove
the tumor in her throat...but the cancer has expanded to the lungs and part of
her right lung is going to be removed too. Afton is in the operating room as we
speak...
(Fade out)
Lucy and Mitch sat down by the Southfork pool, as
they had iced tea and kept each other up to date. - I was really surprised when
you called me some weeks ago, making so many questions about medicines. - Yeah, in fact all of us
thought it was rather odd that Clayton Farlow showed up one day, married with a
woman younger than he is... -
And do you think she has bad intentions, maybe going after his fortune? - We wanna cover ourselves up,
so we investigated the medicines he was having then... -
...So I found this: Vioxx. Patients with arthritis and severe pain usually take
it. But this current year, the alarm sounded: patients who take Vioxx have a
high risk to suffer circulatory and heart disorders. It can affect especially
the heart coronary arteries...I´ve checked it out with a specialist from an
Atlanta hospital... - Clayton went through two heart crisis, a heart attack more than
twenty years ago, and then another attack which ended in surgery back in 1987.
What do you think that might happen to somebody with this record if he abuses
Vioxx? - Honestly, Lucy, I think he
might die in a few months... Lucy closed her eyes and Mitch
held her hand to cheer her up.
At Gary and Val´s, the couple had sat down in the sofa, holding each
other. -
Who´s gonna be the first to speak of the subject? -
Your confession, you mean, or the fact of Bobby being gay? – said Val. -
You know well. They´re just 16, do you think you can know what you want in life
at that age? - Maybe didn´t
you know what you wanted when you were 16, Gary? We were already married and
had a baby daughter... - Does it make a difference...?
Being homosexual, I mean...? - Both of us went through big
trouble with parental acceptance. Even from our families by marriage. Bobby and
Beth are living in a much more stable environment. If we handle the issue
naturally, without giving much thought to it, everybody will soon get used to
the idea... - My daddy never got used to my
poetry writing... - Maybe Bobby will like it
too...Let´s be their friends, instead of keeping the family tradition of the
Ewings and the Clemments. It´s really important... Someone knocked on the door. It
was Bobby, who came in shyly. Gary and Val smiled at him and
seemed to be wanting to hear what he had to say: -
Dad, I wanna thank you for being so honest about... - ...My alcoholism. I owed it to
you both. I wish you had been so honest to us regarding... -
Do you think that having a sister like Betsy, you can be honest? She knew that
I was determined to explain it to you and, even so, she let it go just like
that. She is a big-mouth... - You must forgive her, darling.
Your daddy and I are happy about you telling us that, and we hope we can help
you to solve any problem you can ever find... -
You know, son: safe sex, honest relationships, not to drive drunk... - And the healthiest possible
food... Bobby
closed his eyes and put his hands under his cheeks. Sincerely, he hoped cure
not to be worse than illness, so to say...Because, after all, would his parents
be prepared to have a gay son?
At that moment, WKB was airing its special show
devoted to young executives with several generations of tradition. As he had
agreed with Debbi, John Ross would only appear on one single report inserted
into the show, to be aired after the first publicity break. John Ross was reunited with his
mother at his office in Ewing Oil. They were going to watch that report which
was supposedly a good ad campaign for Ewing Oil. After the last commercials,
the cap came in again and the host introduced the report devoted to Ewing
Oil... Not very far away from there, Debbi Porter was also following the live
show from her office´s private TV set.
“John Ross Ewing III. The heir to an oil-based empire
that started over 70 years ago. It all began with Digger Barnes and Jock Ewing,
and then continued with Jock´s son, late John Ross Ewing II, also known as
J.R.”
It was then when a few clips from the movie Sue Ellen
produced about her life at Southfork were inserted in. They featured J.R.
calling Sue Ellen names and she ended up leaving him. At Ewing Oil, the woman
felt humiliated. The off voice went on. “Despite of living in a household full
of violence and going through their parents´ double divorce, John Ross Ewing
III made it and followed his own way. First, at the Braddock High, where his
father had studied, and then at SMU, where he has recently got a degree in
Business Management.”
Sue Ellen´s look changed. Suddenly, she had
discovered that her son had already passed his final exams at college and could
join the company as its President. But the report continued: “During the time
he was running Ewing Oil, J.R. Ewing almost led his company to bankrupt in
several occasions: he invested on Asian oil fields after mortgaging her
mother´s ranch, he ruined his friends as he sold out these oil fields when he
knew they were going to be nationalized, thereafter he became a suspect of
dealing with embargoed Cuba, and, eventually, the Government took Ewing Oil
away from him when his involvement with a dangerous terrorist was proved. The
company was run with different names until Bobby Ewing made the choice of
selling it out, after his wife April´s tragic killing at a Paris OPEP
convention.”
Debbi pressed her intercom and asked her secretary to
get her Betty Lewis. A few moments later, she told her that her cell phone was
turned off. Debbi was beginning to think what she could do to stop that
disaster.
“John Ross´s mother, who was committed into a detox
sanitarium due to her severe alcoholism, overcame her problems through a
years-long therapy and, eventually, was able to help her son when he was
dragged by a similar addiction after his father´s death. The boy was a chemical
drug user and had developed a strong allergy to alcohol due to his mother´s
habit. During the tragic torrent week over the Dallas and Braddock areas in
1994, John Ross almost died when the family ranch Southfork began to sink,
since he was lying unconscious, presumably because of illegal drug abuse.”
At that
moment, Sue Ellen stood up impulsively and turned the TV set off with the
remote control. - But what is this, son? A sort
of bad-taste joke? Did they have to come here to interview you so they could
air that trash? I´ll tell Kelly to call the network´s director...we´re gonna
suit them. - Take it easy mama...We gotta think that Cliff
Barnes might be behind all this. It´s his network, right? -
Cliff´s wife is about to die in some Houston op room and I seriously doubt that
Cliff is backing this... - You are right: I´m not backing
this. Mother and son turned around and
right there was Cliff Barnes, dressed in a black suit.
Meanwhile, a
fancy silvered Volkswagen was driving into the Southfork main entrance. Once
stopped in front of the house, got out of it a beautiful brunette in her
fifties, smartly dressed. Bob and Pam had heard the car coming and were waiting
for her at the porche. After them came Lucy, who was intent on talking with her
in private as soon as possible. - Hello kids...It´s so nice to
be home again...Anything new Lucy since the last time I was here? Lucy answered her with
complicity, letting her guess that there was plenty of news. - So come with me to my room, darling, and tell me
about them. Pam and Bob carried her bags.
She stopped pensive. - What´s wrong Pam? – he asked. - Nothing, I just didn´t know
that Barbara and Lucy were so close...
Not far away
from there, at the town of Dallas, Will Monahan received an unexpected visit:
the convalescent Bobby Ewing, who had an arm and a leg in bandages. - Don´t worry: this time I´ve
called a cab – said Bobby, as trying to break ice. Will reacted to the appearance
of the handsome young man and let him in. -
You´ll be comfortable here – he said, pointing at the sofa, as he made the
gesture to help him. Bobby nodded to let him to. - It´s a surprise you came here.
Neither you nor your family had been here, hadn´t you? - No,
and it´s really great... – Bobby looked all over the room, noticing the
exquisite decoration, the simple furniture and the pleasant atmosphere – Do you
live here alone Will? - Yes, at least until I find
someone to share it with...How do you feel? - Much better, the doctor says
that the wounds will be healed in a couple of weeks...Besides, you were at the
hospital all the time, right? At that instant, their eyes
crossed and Will felt impressed by the boy´s blue eyes and his strong
constitution; he was in good shape and not too tall. That was his type of men. - Sure you have your own workout
room...- Bobby hinted. - Yes I do, wanna take a
look at it? It´s not a big gym, but since I spent all day at the bank, even at
lunchtime, I don´t have time to work out until I come home... Suddenly Will had the impression
that the boy was about to fall down. He held his arm to help him to walk... -
At Southfork, we also have a room full of workout machines, but my sister
doesn´t care about get in shape, she thinks she´ll always look as thin as she
is now... Will and Bobby came into the
gym: there were several bodybuilding machines and an aerostatic bicycle. Bobby
sat down on one of the mattresses. Will put on his knees by his side. -
Actually I´ve come to apologize about wrecking my cousin´s bike onto your car.
I brought you a check from my father to pay all the repairs. He´s also asked me
to tell you that he´s sorry he can´t come himself...Right now he´s too busy
with his business as usual... Will kept on looking and
smiling, feeling something stronger and stronger to that boy. Bobby himself
started to talk without looking at him: - When I came to after the
accident and I saw you, don´t know, I suddenly stopped being scared, I felt
like you were keeping everything controlled and...the way you were drying my
swear and cleaning my blood, made me feel very quiet and relaxed... - Well, Bobby, I must confess
that my mama always wanted me to be a doctor when I was a kid, though I finally
chose Finances...but that didn´t prevent me from enrolling on lot of First Aid
courses... -
Maybe you saved my life... – Bobby stared at his eyes. Will was speechless and
astonished. At last they kissed, and Bobby let himself fall onto the ground...
The next
morning, John Ross had a meeting with the Rector of SMY, the College he had
been attending until then. - Mr. Ewing, I am really sorry
about your final exams... - I am really sorry about the
unlucky way you choose your professors... - What do you mean? – the man
carefully asked. John Ross took a portfolio out
of his suitcase and gave it to the man. He slowly read the first page, and
quickly passed the next ones. - I do not understand. How has
be been able to keep it hidden so long... -
It would be a scandal for such an important university if this were known by
everybody...I´d love to help you to work this out... - Help me...how? -
That professor has stopped me from passing the last course. The dossier proves
his ethics and decency. It belongs to you and you can do anything you want to,
whenever you...change my note in those two last exams and get me the highest
qualifications. - Are you blackmailing me John
Ross? I was the Rector already when you Uncle Bobby got his degree. I was a
teacher myself when your father J.R. was studying here... - Then you know what my father
and grandfather used to say: get the friends close...and enemies still closer.
I have the feeling that you and I are going to get along. Tomorrow I want my
qualifications corrected...and, of course, I hope to meet you at the graduation. John Ross picked back the
portfolio and put it into his suitcase: “Remember: quid pro quo. One thing for
the other....” This suitcase will be waiting for you tomorrow... The young man walked out of the
office very self-assured and, as he was passing through the university
corridors, he smiled and said: “I made it dad. I almost made it...”
END OF EPISODE 10
Guest Stars:
KEHLY GRAY (Kelly)
LAURA JOHNSON (Betty)
"EWING
EMPIRE" is a web-based Fan-Fiction written and edited by PAM´S TWIN SISTER
and TONI DÍAZ. The main characters of this net super soap were created by DAVID
JACOBS for the shows "DALLAS" and "KNOTS LANDING".
This episode is affectionately dedicated to Javi, for his generous collaboration
as university consultant.
Coming next, Episode 11:
“Barbecue 2001”