John Ross sat in the office that was going to be used for the company he was going to be running with his ex and his cousin. He sat by the window and just stared out.  He couldn’t believe he lost the love of his life and the new relationship he had been building with his cousin. He heard voices behind him but didn’t bother turning around. He knew the voices belonged to Christopher and Elena. He did something for Christopher.

        “John Ross,” Elena said.

        “Didn’t expect me here?” John Ross said.

        “It’s not that,” Elena said.

        “Chris, I got info for you,” John Ross said.

        “What is it,” Christopher said.

        “I had my pi do some checking, on your wife,” John Ross said standing up and facing them.

        “And?” Christopher said.

        “Her real name is Pamela Rebecca Barnes,” John Ross said. Christopher looked at him.

        “Barnes?” Christopher said.

        “Her dad is your uncle,” John Ross said.

        “Oh my god, she’s been working for him the whole time, he offered me money for the energy patent, but the whole time behind the scenes, he was using his daughter to steal it from me, I can’t believe this,” Christopher said.

        “So Tommy wasn’t her brother,” Elena said.

        “He was her lover, but I did some checking, the babies are still yours, Chris,” John Ross said.

        “Thanks for the info, John Ross,” Christopher said.

        “You’re welcome,” John Ross said. He sat back down.

        “You did this for me,” Christopher said.

        “I wanted to do something right, I’m tired of trying to make my father proud of me, I’m tired of trying to please him, I’m doing things my way and doing what is right, no more tricks, takeovers, from now on, I’m going to be honest and trustworthy, I’m going to be better than my dad, I’m going to be what my dad could never be, a good honest man,” John Ross said.

        “I know you can be,” Elena said.

That night, John Ross sat in the living room of his penthouse apartment. The phone rang.

        “Yeah, Mom,” John Ross said.

        “John Ross, come to Southfork,” Sue Ellen said.

        “All right,” John Ross said. He got up and grabbed his keys and wallet and went to the ranch. He got out and walked into the house and saw Sue Ellen, Ann, Bobby, Elena, and Christopher.

        “What’s going on,” John Ross said.

        “Have a seat, John Ross,” Bobby said. He sat down.

        “I haven’t done something wrong, have I?” John Ross asked. Sue Ellen sat beside her son.

        “Honey, it’s your father,” Sue Ellen said.

        “What has he done now,” John Ross said.

        “He’s gone, John Ross,” Bobby said.

        “Gone?” John Ross said.

        “John Ross, there was a plane crash, he was coming back from Vegas, and the plane was taking off and crashed at the end of the runway, there were no survivors and they made a positive id, he’s gone,” Bobby said.  John Ross sat there. He held his head in his hands. Sue Ellen wrapped her arms around her son.

        “I can’t believe this,” John Ross said.

        “I know, honey,” Sue Ellen said.

        “I don’t know how to feel, he wasn’t much of a father to me, Uncle Bobby was more like a father to me than my own,” John Ross said.

        “I’m here, John Ross,” Bobby said.

        “I know, I just need some air,” John Ross said. He went outside and leaned against his car.

        “John Ross,” Elena said.

        “How much more do I have to lose,” John Ross said.

        “What,” Elena said.

        “First I lose you, and now my father, I almost lost my uncle, it’s like my life has no meaning, my life only meant something when I was with you, but I had to be stubborn and pigheaded and I lost you to my cousin, how could I be so stupid, why did I go after the ranch, why did I think that I had to measure up to my father, who didn’t care about me, all he wanted was the ranch, he used me to get it, he cut me out of my own deal because he was selfish,” John Ross said.

        “Yes, he was, but he still was your father,” Elena said.

        “What kind of father throws his own son under the bus, they backed him into a corner and he gave me up like I was nothing to him, I wouldn’t have lost you if he had been the kind of father who would do anything for his son, but he was too bullheaded and stubborn, all he cared about was himself,” John Ross said.

        “He loved you,” Elena said.

        “Where was it, then, if he loved me, he would have took the blame instead of throwing me to the wolves,” John Ross said. Christopher came out.

        “Your mom is worried about you,” Christopher said.

        “I’m fine, I just needed air,” John Ross said.

        “I think it’s time to stop this,” Christopher said.

        “What,” Elena said.

        “Us, Elena, you belong with John Ross, we had our chance, I blew it, it’s just not the same anymore,” Christopher said.

        “No, you guys would be married if it wasn’t for Tommy and Rebecca/Pamela,” John Ross said.

        “Like I said, I believed in her, I fell for her, and now I got her pregnant, I’m tired of fighting, I need to concentrate on being a father, so I want you two to work things out,” Christopher said. He went inside. John Ross looked at Elena and leaned against his car.

        “I’m tired of fighting it, too, I forgive you, John Ross, let’s have a fresh start and no more lies,” Elena said.

Two weeks later, they were engaged again. They sat in Sue Ellen’s office.

        “I am so glad you two are together and engaged, I can’t wait to have you as my daughter-in-law, Bobby and Ann want to have a party tomorrow night for you two,” Sue Ellen said.

        “So soon,” Elena said.

        “Well, they both are happy for you,” Sue Ellen said.

The next night, they were headed to Southfork. They pulled in and John Ross got out and went and opened her door and helped her out and held her hand as they walked in. They saw Sue Ellen, Bobby, Ann, Carmen, and Christopher sitting at the island in the kitchen.

        “There they are!” Ann said coming to hug them.

        “Have a seat, you two,” Bobby said.

        “We weren’t sure about coming,” John Ross said.

        “You are family, John Ross,” Bobby said.

        “The party was my idea, my way of saying congratulations,” Christopher said. The doorbell rang. Ann went and opened the door and saw Emma standing there.

        “Emma!” Ann said.

        “Can I stay here with you, please, I can’t stand one more minute in that house with those two vultures, I found out the truth, they lied to me and they lied to you, they kept me from you and lied about it, made me think you didn’t want me, all along, they kept me from you, my mother,” Emma said. Ann pulled her in.

        “I’m glad you are here,” Ann said. Emma went with her and saw everyone.

        “Hi,” Emma said.

        “Ann?” Bobby said.

        “Emma, this is Bobby, my husband, his son, Christopher, his nephew, John Ross, John Ross’s fiancée, Elena, John Ross’s mother, Sue Ellen, and Elena’s mother, Carmen, everyone, this is my daughter, Emma,” Ann said. She shook their hands.  Carmen and Elena took Emma to talk while Ann explained the story to Bobby, John Ross, Christopher, and Sue Ellen.

        “You never told us you had a daughter,” Sue Ellen said.

        “She never said anything because of Harris, he turned Emma against Ann,” Bobby said.

        “Him and his mother,” Ann said.

        “The important thing is that she believes you and is away from them,” Sue Ellen said. Carmen and Elena came back with Emma.

        “I will make up one of the guest rooms for Emma,” Carmen said. Bobby nodded.

        “Thank you, Carmen,” Bobby said. Carmen went upstairs.

        “I hope it’s okay that I’m here,” Emma said.

        “It is, Emma, you are family,” Bobby said. The doorbell rang. John Ross went to the door and opened it and saw Drew.

        “Drew,” John Ross said.

        “Hey John Ross,” Drew said. They shook hands. John Ross brought him into the kitchen.

        “Drew!” Elena said hugging her brother.

        “Hey sis!” Drew said.

        “What brings you here?” Elena said.

        “I heard my sis is engaged, I missed you and Mama,” Drew said. Carmen came downstairs and saw Drew.

        “Hi Mama,” Drew said.

        “Drew!” Carmen said hugging him.

        “Welcome home, Drew,” Bobby said as he shook Drew’s hand.  

        “Drew, this is my daughter, Emma,” Ann said.

        “Hi,” Emma said. Drew shook her hand and they smiled at each other.

Two weeks later, they were dating with approval from Ann and Carmen.   Ann, Carmen, Elena, and Sue Ellen were sitting on the patio planning the wedding. Sue Ellen looked up and saw Pamela standing there.

        “What are you doing here?” Sue Ellen said.

        “Looking for Christopher, he asked me to meet him here,” Pamela said.

        “He’s with Bobby and John Ross, checking the cattle,” Ann said. Emma and Drew came out of the house.

        “I don’t believe we have met, I’m Pamela,” Pamela said.

        “Emma, Ann’s daughter, this is Drew, Elena’s brother,” Emma said.

        “Pamela is Christopher’s soon to be ex wife, and mother of his unborn twins,” Sue Ellen said.

        “Wife, I cancelled the annulment for the sake of the babies,” Christopher said.

        “What,” Sue Ellen said.

        “After everything she’s done, she can’t be trusted, Christopher, she’s Cliff’s daughter, the man who has been after your family for years, this could be another way of bringing down the family,” Elena said.

        “You aren’t family, Elena, this doesn’t concern you,” Christopher said.

        “Oh but it does, Christopher, because I will be family after my wedding to John Ross so don’t you dare say I’m not family, I am engaged to John Ross so technically I am family, why the sudden change of attitude, huh, we all have been getting along great and now you are acting like a jackass,” Elena said.

        “She has a point, Christopher,” Bobby said as he and John Ross came up to them. John Ross stood with Elena.

        “I have to agree with Elena, your family owes her,” Pamela said. She handed Elena an envelope.

        “Courtesy of my father,” Pamela said. Elena read the papers and looked at John Ross and Bobby.

        “Are these real,” Elena said.

        “Yes, he wouldn’t have had them if it wasn’t real,” Pamela said. Elena looked at John Ross. He took the papers and read them. He looked at Bobby.

        “John Ross,” Bobby said. John Ross handed him the papers. Bobby read them.

        “What is going on,” Sue Ellen said.

        “JR swindled land away from Elena’s father, JR bought land at the same time as her father did, her father’s land had oil, JR’s did not so he fixed it so he would have the land with the oil and gave the non profit land to her father,” John Ross said.

        “What,” Drew said.

        “Of all the things JR had done, that is the worse, I’m bound to do the right thing, that land is to go back to where it belongs, Drew, you are his son, the land is yours,” Bobby said.

        “But it won’t bring our father back,” Drew said.

        “I know, but it is rightfully Ramos land, we can’t undo what JR did, we didn’t know what he did, if I had known what my brother had done, I would have done something right then,” Bobby said. Elena looked at her brother and her mother.

        “We know, Bobby, thank you, for the land,” Elena said.

        “Thank you,” Drew said.