John Ross sits on the edge of the bed, "I don't know how Mateo does it. I couldn't hurt his family, though I know he'd hurt mine."
"You're a better person."
"But if it stops him? Because if I don't stop him he could potentially give control of global oil prices to the Russians, especially with their influence in Venezuela. I can't ignore that. How many people around the world wound suffer because of it."
"What about Sebastian?"
"He'll be fine. He'll stand up to him. I'm not worried."
"Yes you are." She holds her husband.
In the morning the family gathers for breakfast by the pool. A security guard approaches and says to Pamala, "Sorry to interrupt. Your sisters at the gate."
John Ross yells, "What the hell! How she have the nerve to show her face around here?"
"Not that sister Mr. Ewing. April Barnes."
"Who?"
"My father's daughter with Michelle Stevens."
"You have another sister and never told me about her?"
"My dad didn't even know about her until I was away at school. And she was April Stevens, not Barnes. She pretty much hated him I guess, but he put her through school and set her up. She must be about thirty now I guess."
A limousine rolls up behind the house.
"I don't know why, but she hates the Ewings too, I'm told."
John Ross huffs, "Oh of course. Why not. Join the crowd."
Lucy chuckles, "This should be pleasant."
Chris and Emily give each other knowing looks.
In his study John Ross meets with Chris and Mateo. "So what do you know about Cliff Barnes's daughter, April?"
Mateo says, "Her mother left Dallas with a bunch of your father's money and never told Cliff. JR of course wouldn't let it go and after a couple of schemes she was dead broke. That's when she told Cliff about his daughter. He never had much to do with her but he did pay for school. He also set her up with a company, Barnes and Associates. It's an investment company she's ran since an undergrad. She's worth maybe a billion dollars. Very diverse. She knows a thing or two."
"I'm waiting for the lead balloon."
"She's on my list of people meeting with Wendell and Sergei Vaino."
"There you have it," Chris says, "And your people let her on the ranch."
Mateo says, "They took the necessary precautions."
Out by the pool Pamela, Lucy and Emily meet with April. "Well since I was in town on business I thought I would visit my long lost sister."
"I'm long lost," Pamela laughs.
"I heard from the Dallas grapevine, you're retired."
"Just spending more time at home with my family."
"No one but Chris works around here," Lucy chuckles.
"Must be nice."
"Certainly isn't bad. Emily and I does what we can with the foundation. We're trying to get Pamela to join us."
"And John Ross?"
"My husband conducts his weekly meetings but that's about it. Births a calf now and again, but he's more concerned about family too. Our son and I have had some health scares. He's worked on a few projects with the foundation. You aren't married?"
"No. But I find myself too busy to settle down. Been offered a few business proposals. Speaking of such, I know your father Emily. I've joined him in investing in a refinery down in Houston. I like to maintain an extremely diverse portfolio."
"I suppose so."
The girls walk to April's car and Lucy says, "You should bring David with you to the house Friday for cocktails. Before we all head out to the Cattleman's Ball we'll have a group over."
April tries to look puzzled. "David?"
"David Wendell. You are going with Emily's father. There is something you should know about is Ewings. My uncle, JR, taught us all how to be nosey. Not much happens in our town with out us knowing."
Emily shrugs. "Don't look at me. I didn't know you were going with him."
"Me neither," Pamela adds.
Cars pull up to South Fork and guest fill the house.
John Ross watches from the bottom of the stairs as Pamela walks down in a beautiful dress leaving him stunned and speechless. She smirks as she steps past him. Her dress covers her breasts entirely, though the curvature appears as if nothing has happened. She wears her grandmother's emeralds. "Do they look really?" She says with a weakness to her voice.
"You look amazing."
"Why do I even ask. Are you ever going to just tell me the truth?"
He takes her in his arms, his hand in her rear and pulls her into him. "Let's go up stairs."
She laughs pulling away, "I just got dressed."
"I want to show you the truth Mrs. Ewing."
"John Ross ."
He takes her hand and leads her back up stairs.
Lucy introduces Mitch to David Wendell and April Barnes as Emily and Chris approach. April says to Chris, "I've heard a lot about you. You run the EO Corporation. An environmentalist and an engineering in charge of an oil giant. But they say you get the job done. You also hear you drive a Tesla."
"I do. Wonderful car. Ewing has also heavily invested in electric companies and solar power. Energy is energy. And the cleaner we make it, the better. You own a chain of car dealers on the west coast, I hear."
"Oh now you are digging deep to find out about me. Everyone knows about you, but me, I'm hardly a footnote."
"I don't know about that. We are cousins."
"I suppose we are. And David here sits on your board of directors."
"Yes he does. Quiet most of the time. We haven't always got along so well."
"No, I hear not. Well he is family. Right Emily?"
"Oh yes. Yes he is."
David says, "Speaking of family, where is my grandson?"
Chris answers, "He's with the other kids in the playroom."
"I see. Well, I should see him, since I am here."
Lucy takes his arm and pulls him away, "Oh another time. Now let me introduce you to Francois Mainard, the painter. He's an old friend of mine.
Out of earshot Chris says to Emily, "I detest that termite."
"Yes I know," Emily says and walks away.
Out by the barn Mateo approaches Emily, "What brings out out here?"
"Peace a quite. A bit overwhelming in there."
"I suppose it is."
Checking him out in his Tux, she says, "Why are you out here?"
"Same reason I suppose."
Emily pets and then cuddles her horse.
Chris walks with April out onto the front porch. "A beautiful evening," he says.
"It is. A beautiful ranch."
"Yes I suppose it is. And you."
"What about me? You have a beautiful body". His hand runs along her side.
"Thank you. You're not cut too bad yourself."
"Well darlin' if you stick around, and are lucky enough, you just might find out." He swats her butt and walks back in the house.
What's that he asks, hearing a couple of old family friends talking. The one answers, "Oh hey Chris. I was just saying I heard Sergei Vaino bought the old Lee Ranch from Jordan Lee's 101 year old widow. They finally put her in a home I hear."
"You don't say. They should have offered it up to family first. Including Bo's boy."
"That's true. That's very true."
John Ross and Pamela walk down the stairs and Chris approaches. "You hear Sergei Vaino bought the old Lee Ranch."
"No I hadn't. Something happen to Mrs. Lee?"
"They put her in a home."
"That was sudden. I'll talk to Mateo. See what we can find out."
"Mateo should have already given us a heads up. I'd say he's laying down on the job."
"There was no reason to keep an eye on Mrs. Lee. And he is watching Vaino. I'll look into. We'll discuss it."
"I wonder if he'll be at the Cattleman's ball now that he's in the ranching business."
"God help us."
The Ewings arrive in one limousine. Reports try to speak to them as they walk from the car to the hotel door. John Ross and Pamela smile and nod but walk through.
Chris stops with Emily to answer some questions about the oil industry and confirm EO is preparing to drill off the coast of California. He takes a question on his cousin Senator Bo Ewing voting to approve expansion of off shore oil. "Of course he did. It's what's best for the country. The EO Corporation got no benefit from it. But you know that the environment is in safe hands with us. Look how we handled South Fork oil. We didn't go there until the technology was in place to do it right. We're not the Wendell's. Oh sorry sweetheart."
"No it's fine," Emily says. "My family has a horrible environmental record. My father and my grandfather. And their political involvement was always self serving. I'm proud the Ewing name doesn't carry such baggage."
"Mrs. Ewing you've been a pioneer regarding mental health in this country. We heard the Ewing Foundation sponsoring an awareness campaign. Care to speak to that?"
"Yes. Thank you . . ."
Lucy stops with Mitch and confirms she's working on a substantial art donation.
Inside John Ross says to Pamela, "This is why I prefer the Oil Barron's Ball. None of this silly media attention."
Out of the next limousine steps David Wendell with April. "Howdy. Yes sure I'll take a few questions. This is April Barnes, Cliff Barnes's youngest daughter. She's agreed to accompany me to night. My wife's in Europe and in way of being an old family friend. Cliff and I go way back. Back to those halcyon days when my father and hers were involved with the old West Star Company. Long before your days I suppose."
The outdoor pool area of a Texas report clamors with scantly clad young guests of Sebastian's. His party is massive and wild with liquor flowing and the music pounding as it a night club. His hands all over beautiful bodies in bikinis he laughs saying he bought the hotel.
