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Chapter 8
Gary returned to the ranch, determined to do whatever it took to get Gibson the hell off of his property! When he pulled up he saw his car, and Ben, standing against it, reading the paper! Gary parked his own car, got out and walked up to him.
“You have some nerve! Get off of my property!”
Ben folded up the paper.
“I’m waiting for Val. Lucy is helping her pack.” he answered calmly.
Gary’s eyes widened!
“Pack? Val is pregnant! She isn’t going anywhere!”
“We’re going on a trip together as expectant parents…”
“Shut up!” Gary interrupted. “I talked to Abby and she told me what the two of you were up to. You put your hands on my daughter. Consider yourself fortunate to still be breathing.”
“Gary, I did not try and rape Lucy. Lucy hates me. And she hates Abby and she wants her parents back together. And if she has to hurt people to do it, she’ll do it. She’s done it.”
Gary folded his arms.
“I’m supposed to believe that coming from you? Sue Ellen has had a hard time of it with those lies you’ve been writing under a false name.”
“I don’t think they’re lies.”
Gary’s eyes widened!
“Excuse me?”
“That’s right. I don’t. I think something happened between Sue Ellen and yourself, when you returned to Southfork, years ago, and tried to make a go of it with Val and Lucy. You ran off and left Val to fend off J.R.. You also left Sue Ellen pregnant and alone. You’re good at that, you know? Impregnating vulnerable women and then just leaving them!”
Gary punched Ben! Ben went sprawling backwards onto a patch of grass but managed not to completely fall to the ground. That allowed him to recover and rush Gary, knocking them both onto the front hood of Ben’s car!
Val and Lucy came running out to try and stop them, along with two ranch workmen! But Lucy tripped, fell and landed on her head! She had been behind Val and Val heard her squeak and stopped to turn around!
“LUCY!” Val screamed and Gary and Ben stopped fighting to run over to them! Val lifted Lucy’s head into her lap and saw blood! She stared up at the two men with a look of horror in her eyes, as one of the workmen ran into the house to call for an ambulance.
****
When Lucy awoke she saw Val, who was sitting by her bedside. Gary had been looking out of a window and turned when she whispered ‘Mama’.
“Oh baby,” Val said softly, “you’re going to be alright now. Everything is going to be alright.”
“Yes. It is.” Gary said firmly. Lucy was trying to get her bearings and read into what they were saying.
“I remember I tripped on something when you were fighting with Ben.” she said, as she tried to sit up. But Val came out of her chair and pushed her back down onto the bed.
“Just rest, honey.”
“Mama, I feel fine. I hit my head and now I’m okay, right?”
Val looked at Gary. Gary looked at Val.
“What’s going on? Something else is wrong, isn’t it?” Lucy asked, panicking slightly. That’s all it could be. She had not died and yet her parents looked as if she had!
“Lucy,” Val said, “the doctor says you’re pregnant. Six weeks pregnant.”
Lucy’s eyes widened and she sat up again, shocked!
“Pregnant? I…uh…” Lucy trailed off, knowing that six weeks ago, she had had a ‘reunion’ of sorts with Mitch down in Atlanta! The two of them had thought that they could make a go of things—again. But she found the life of a doctor’s wife to be stifling, boring and more well suited to someone like Sue Ellen than herself. And Mitch could not understand her ‘preoccupation’ with her parents lives. Her parents, that he reminded her, that she barely knew.
And then there was Harris. Lucy had returned to Dallas to make a brief appearance at the Ewing barbecue and Harris cajoled her in the hayloft. She had been slightly drunk, and deeply unhappy about Mitch and her parents. Harris could be the father as well. But since she preferred to think that the baby was Mitch’s, she decided it was and blocked any sex she had had with Harris Ryland, out of her mind.
“Lucy,” Val began, “is Mitch the father? Is that why he’s here?”
“That might have been it, at first.” Lucy said now looking at Gary. “But I think he has begun something with Abby. She as much as told me on the same night Matthew shoved her down the stairs.”
Gary did not react. Or at least his face did not seem to register any emotion related to the fact that his wife was cheating on him with his son-in-law.
Val did react! She slowly stood up!
“Mitch and Abby?!” she asked in a sharp tone before looking at Gary. “Did you know about this?”
Gary cleared his throat.
“I suspected something when I called around looking for her, that same day that Matthew did what he did to her. Her secretary at Lotus Point said she had left with Mitch. When I confronted her about it, she claimed she had been at Olivia’s high school. I didn’t believe her but so much was happening, I didn’t have the time to dwell on it. You were coming to stay and I wanted to make sure Abby understood that.” he said.
“Well this can’t go on!” Val almost wailed. She could not believe that Abby had come between her and Gary AND Mitch and Lucy!
“Mama, I will talk to Mitch. He’s an honorable man. We love each other but somehow, we have never been able to make it work. Maybe now we can.” Lucy said. This changed things. She couldn’t continue her scheming with a baby on the way. And she had to pry Mitch away from Abby, though she hoped that the month long coma Abby had been in, had cooled things off.
“I’m going to talk to Mitch.” Gary said in a no-nonsense tone. “He’s going to understand that you and this child are the only things he needs to focus on right now. Not Abby.”
Meanwhile, Ben, who had insisted on coming to the hospital as well, closed Lucy’s door and stood out in the hallway thinking about what he had overheard. Mitch Cooper was the father of this child but not Harris Ryland? Everyone seemed to think that the two of them were engaged…or something! Lucy had just went to Dallas to see him, hadn’t she?
Ben began to wonder just how involved Harris Ryland was in Lucy’s schemes. Was it possible he knew where Matthew Blaisdel was? Maybe Harris or his mother?
He had planned to be here at the hospital for Val. But she was not ready to hear him out or accept the truth about Lucy. And she wouldn’t be with Lucy expecting a child. No, he would have to leave for Dallas himself, right now, to get the answers he sought to not only clear his name, but to bring Val back to him.
He would, of course, have to pack another bag, since Lucy had burned his.
****
Over at the rehab center, it had only taken Abby one physical therapy session, before she was walking like she had never fallen down stairs! A nurse pushed her in a wheelchair back to her room, where none other than Charles was waiting!
“Sir, who are you?” the nurse asked sharply. But Abby smoothed things over.
“He’s an old friend, Katie. Thank you though. I’ll call you if I need anything.” she said sweetly and she and Charles waited until Nurse Katie left the room before speaking.
“You look marvelous, Abby. More than marvelous.” Charles noted. Abby ignored the compliment and got out of her chair, shoving it aside and walking up to him.
“I know that. I also know that you never came to visit me once. Why is that? Were you busy romancing Lucy for her Ewing ties?”
“Now, now, Abby. Don’t be like that. If the truth be told, I did try and visit—twice. Your young doctor, the one that also happens to be Lucy’s ex husband, blocked me from seeing you. Even comatose, you have fans.”
“Why are you here?” Abby asked, sitting in a chair. Charles noted the magazines she had on her bed and picked one up. One that had the late Krystle Carrington in it.
“Now she was a woman.” he noted quietly. Abby got up and walked over to him. She too stared at the picture of Krystle.
“She had to have been to have caused Matthew Blaisdel so much mental anguish.”
Charles set the magazine down again and locked eyes on Abby.
“It kills me that I didn’t insist you leave with that night! Your own husband was unable to protect you. Or he didn’t want to, I don’t know.”
“Yes well Gary is always preoccupied. I’ve learned to live with that. Now tell me why you’re really here, Charles?” Abby asked again.
Charles ran a cursory glance over her before speaking.
“Did you know that Alexis Barnes is a relative of mine?”
Abby now eyed him with interest!
“No! What is she to you? Like a cousin?”
“A second one actually. And Alexis has information on Lucy. Information that ties her and Blaisdel together. News you can take to your husband and get her out of your lives for good.”
“And you get what?” Abby asked.
“Lucy. She’ll need a place to land once her parents wash their hands of her. And I need Ewing money for my company.”
There was something about the coldness in his voice that bothered Abby.
“I’m just curious—was Lucy the first heiress you decided to romance for their money? Or did you have me in mind before her?”
“Now, Abby…”
“It doesn’t matter, Charles. And the answer to your proposal is no. I have my own plans for Lucy and I don’t need any help. But good luck to you.”
Charles said nothing but picked up the magazines Abby had been looking at earlier.
“I met Krystle Carrington on several occasions. She was quite a woman. Quite real. When you spoke to her she really listened. And cared. Whatever you are up to with these magazines, just know that there will only be one Krystle.”
“I will keep that in mind. You keep in mind that I might just tell Lucy to be on the look out for you. You have a nice day, okay?” Abby said in a chirpy tone before climbing back into bed. Charles sighed and left her room, unable to believe that things had went that badly.
But he wasn’t down for the count. Now it was time to go to Lucy and tell her that Abby knew about Blaisdel and her, and offer to help her keep Abby at bay.
****
DALLAS-
Muriel Gillis beamed as she stood in Harris Ryland’s office. Her supervisor, James Monahan was beside her and Harris was looking at James in a way she couldn’t quite comprehend. Harris then looked at her.
“Miss Gillis, congratulations, you will be working closely with me here at Ryland Transportation . Could you excuse Mr. Monahan and myself?” Harris said in a cheerful sounding drawl.
“Oh of course! And thank you, Mr. Ryland! I look forward to working with you!” she gushed. She then smiled at James before leaving the office. Harris waited until the door closed before addressing James.
“You’re fired.”
“Okay now, Mr. Ryland, I know this isn’t what you were expecting…”
“I told you what I wanted done. You didn’t do it and now you’re fired.” Harris told him before the door opened again and Judith walked in. She smiled at James.
“James, it is good to see you. You know I miss that cousin of yours. He was the best governor this state ever had.”
James smiled.
“Well thank you, Mrs. Ryland. I’ll give him your regards. I’ll leave the two of you alone.” James said. He was not going to pack up his stuff because he still thought he could make Harris see his side of things, eventually. He walked out and closed the door behind him.
“I could tell something was going on when I walked in.” Judith said, eyeing the office decor. “This place could use an update.”
“James will no longer be with us. He went against my orders and he’s out there packing up his stuff.”
“Harris, Donna Krebbs is crippled down in Florida. Cliff Barnes will probably swoop back in here and become Governor again. You are not going to fire his cousin.”
“Mother…”
“Harris,” Judith interrupted, “forget James. I came here to tell you I’m proud of you! Why in the living hell didn’t you let me in on your scheme?”
Harris had NO idea what in the hell is mother was talking about!
“Scheme?”
“That friend of Lucy’s? The one you were seeing? I didn’t realize she had red hair?”
“She doesn’t.”
“She just left here, didn’t she?”
“That wasn’t her.” Harris said in a surly tone.
“Oh. Well she looks something like that, right? Actually, it doesn’t matter. I want you to call things off with Lucy and get yourself married to this Ann girl, right away!”
Harris could barely breathe! His mother WANTED him to marry Annie! His Annie? Hell yes he’d do it but…
“Mother, I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Judith’s face fell.
“You were actually seeing that girl because you liked her?”
“Mother, what is this all about?”
Judith moved closer to him.
“When I realized that there could be ‘trouble’ between Lucy and yourself, I had Ann Smith’s background looked into. Did you know that her mother listed Garrison Southworth as Ann’s father on her birth certificate?”
Harris’s mind was spinning!
“He was Ellie Ewing’s brother, right?”
“Honey, he was more than her brother! He was the heir to Southfork until he disappeared and they had him declared legally dead. He then returned, announced he was dying, then died. Supposedly without any heirs. Harris, is this is true, then your Miss Smith, is the true owner of Southfork. Where is the precious dear? Is she around? I’d love to introduce myself to her.” Judith grinned.
What Judith did not realize that she herself was in for a big surprise. Her new ‘driver’, who was waiting for her in the limo she had arrived in, was none other than Matthew Blaisdel…along with a fake beard! And when the time was right he planned to use the matriarch to get himself out of the trouble he was in in Florida—and now California.
Gary returned to the ranch, determined to do whatever it took to get Gibson the hell off of his property! When he pulled up he saw his car, and Ben, standing against it, reading the paper! Gary parked his own car, got out and walked up to him.
“You have some nerve! Get off of my property!”
Ben folded up the paper.
“I’m waiting for Val. Lucy is helping her pack.” he answered calmly.
Gary’s eyes widened!
“Pack? Val is pregnant! She isn’t going anywhere!”
“We’re going on a trip together as expectant parents…”
“Shut up!” Gary interrupted. “I talked to Abby and she told me what the two of you were up to. You put your hands on my daughter. Consider yourself fortunate to still be breathing.”
“Gary, I did not try and rape Lucy. Lucy hates me. And she hates Abby and she wants her parents back together. And if she has to hurt people to do it, she’ll do it. She’s done it.”
Gary folded his arms.
“I’m supposed to believe that coming from you? Sue Ellen has had a hard time of it with those lies you’ve been writing under a false name.”
“I don’t think they’re lies.”
Gary’s eyes widened!
“Excuse me?”
“That’s right. I don’t. I think something happened between Sue Ellen and yourself, when you returned to Southfork, years ago, and tried to make a go of it with Val and Lucy. You ran off and left Val to fend off J.R.. You also left Sue Ellen pregnant and alone. You’re good at that, you know? Impregnating vulnerable women and then just leaving them!”
Gary punched Ben! Ben went sprawling backwards onto a patch of grass but managed not to completely fall to the ground. That allowed him to recover and rush Gary, knocking them both onto the front hood of Ben’s car!
Val and Lucy came running out to try and stop them, along with two ranch workmen! But Lucy tripped, fell and landed on her head! She had been behind Val and Val heard her squeak and stopped to turn around!
“LUCY!” Val screamed and Gary and Ben stopped fighting to run over to them! Val lifted Lucy’s head into her lap and saw blood! She stared up at the two men with a look of horror in her eyes, as one of the workmen ran into the house to call for an ambulance.
****
When Lucy awoke she saw Val, who was sitting by her bedside. Gary had been looking out of a window and turned when she whispered ‘Mama’.
“Oh baby,” Val said softly, “you’re going to be alright now. Everything is going to be alright.”
“Yes. It is.” Gary said firmly. Lucy was trying to get her bearings and read into what they were saying.
“I remember I tripped on something when you were fighting with Ben.” she said, as she tried to sit up. But Val came out of her chair and pushed her back down onto the bed.
“Just rest, honey.”
“Mama, I feel fine. I hit my head and now I’m okay, right?”
Val looked at Gary. Gary looked at Val.
“What’s going on? Something else is wrong, isn’t it?” Lucy asked, panicking slightly. That’s all it could be. She had not died and yet her parents looked as if she had!
“Lucy,” Val said, “the doctor says you’re pregnant. Six weeks pregnant.”
Lucy’s eyes widened and she sat up again, shocked!
“Pregnant? I…uh…” Lucy trailed off, knowing that six weeks ago, she had had a ‘reunion’ of sorts with Mitch down in Atlanta! The two of them had thought that they could make a go of things—again. But she found the life of a doctor’s wife to be stifling, boring and more well suited to someone like Sue Ellen than herself. And Mitch could not understand her ‘preoccupation’ with her parents lives. Her parents, that he reminded her, that she barely knew.
And then there was Harris. Lucy had returned to Dallas to make a brief appearance at the Ewing barbecue and Harris cajoled her in the hayloft. She had been slightly drunk, and deeply unhappy about Mitch and her parents. Harris could be the father as well. But since she preferred to think that the baby was Mitch’s, she decided it was and blocked any sex she had had with Harris Ryland, out of her mind.
“Lucy,” Val began, “is Mitch the father? Is that why he’s here?”
“That might have been it, at first.” Lucy said now looking at Gary. “But I think he has begun something with Abby. She as much as told me on the same night Matthew shoved her down the stairs.”
Gary did not react. Or at least his face did not seem to register any emotion related to the fact that his wife was cheating on him with his son-in-law.
Val did react! She slowly stood up!
“Mitch and Abby?!” she asked in a sharp tone before looking at Gary. “Did you know about this?”
Gary cleared his throat.
“I suspected something when I called around looking for her, that same day that Matthew did what he did to her. Her secretary at Lotus Point said she had left with Mitch. When I confronted her about it, she claimed she had been at Olivia’s high school. I didn’t believe her but so much was happening, I didn’t have the time to dwell on it. You were coming to stay and I wanted to make sure Abby understood that.” he said.
“Well this can’t go on!” Val almost wailed. She could not believe that Abby had come between her and Gary AND Mitch and Lucy!
“Mama, I will talk to Mitch. He’s an honorable man. We love each other but somehow, we have never been able to make it work. Maybe now we can.” Lucy said. This changed things. She couldn’t continue her scheming with a baby on the way. And she had to pry Mitch away from Abby, though she hoped that the month long coma Abby had been in, had cooled things off.
“I’m going to talk to Mitch.” Gary said in a no-nonsense tone. “He’s going to understand that you and this child are the only things he needs to focus on right now. Not Abby.”
Meanwhile, Ben, who had insisted on coming to the hospital as well, closed Lucy’s door and stood out in the hallway thinking about what he had overheard. Mitch Cooper was the father of this child but not Harris Ryland? Everyone seemed to think that the two of them were engaged…or something! Lucy had just went to Dallas to see him, hadn’t she?
Ben began to wonder just how involved Harris Ryland was in Lucy’s schemes. Was it possible he knew where Matthew Blaisdel was? Maybe Harris or his mother?
He had planned to be here at the hospital for Val. But she was not ready to hear him out or accept the truth about Lucy. And she wouldn’t be with Lucy expecting a child. No, he would have to leave for Dallas himself, right now, to get the answers he sought to not only clear his name, but to bring Val back to him.
He would, of course, have to pack another bag, since Lucy had burned his.
****
Over at the rehab center, it had only taken Abby one physical therapy session, before she was walking like she had never fallen down stairs! A nurse pushed her in a wheelchair back to her room, where none other than Charles was waiting!
“Sir, who are you?” the nurse asked sharply. But Abby smoothed things over.
“He’s an old friend, Katie. Thank you though. I’ll call you if I need anything.” she said sweetly and she and Charles waited until Nurse Katie left the room before speaking.
“You look marvelous, Abby. More than marvelous.” Charles noted. Abby ignored the compliment and got out of her chair, shoving it aside and walking up to him.
“I know that. I also know that you never came to visit me once. Why is that? Were you busy romancing Lucy for her Ewing ties?”
“Now, now, Abby. Don’t be like that. If the truth be told, I did try and visit—twice. Your young doctor, the one that also happens to be Lucy’s ex husband, blocked me from seeing you. Even comatose, you have fans.”
“Why are you here?” Abby asked, sitting in a chair. Charles noted the magazines she had on her bed and picked one up. One that had the late Krystle Carrington in it.
“Now she was a woman.” he noted quietly. Abby got up and walked over to him. She too stared at the picture of Krystle.
“She had to have been to have caused Matthew Blaisdel so much mental anguish.”
Charles set the magazine down again and locked eyes on Abby.
“It kills me that I didn’t insist you leave with that night! Your own husband was unable to protect you. Or he didn’t want to, I don’t know.”
“Yes well Gary is always preoccupied. I’ve learned to live with that. Now tell me why you’re really here, Charles?” Abby asked again.
Charles ran a cursory glance over her before speaking.
“Did you know that Alexis Barnes is a relative of mine?”
Abby now eyed him with interest!
“No! What is she to you? Like a cousin?”
“A second one actually. And Alexis has information on Lucy. Information that ties her and Blaisdel together. News you can take to your husband and get her out of your lives for good.”
“And you get what?” Abby asked.
“Lucy. She’ll need a place to land once her parents wash their hands of her. And I need Ewing money for my company.”
There was something about the coldness in his voice that bothered Abby.
“I’m just curious—was Lucy the first heiress you decided to romance for their money? Or did you have me in mind before her?”
“Now, Abby…”
“It doesn’t matter, Charles. And the answer to your proposal is no. I have my own plans for Lucy and I don’t need any help. But good luck to you.”
Charles said nothing but picked up the magazines Abby had been looking at earlier.
“I met Krystle Carrington on several occasions. She was quite a woman. Quite real. When you spoke to her she really listened. And cared. Whatever you are up to with these magazines, just know that there will only be one Krystle.”
“I will keep that in mind. You keep in mind that I might just tell Lucy to be on the look out for you. You have a nice day, okay?” Abby said in a chirpy tone before climbing back into bed. Charles sighed and left her room, unable to believe that things had went that badly.
But he wasn’t down for the count. Now it was time to go to Lucy and tell her that Abby knew about Blaisdel and her, and offer to help her keep Abby at bay.
****
DALLAS-
Muriel Gillis beamed as she stood in Harris Ryland’s office. Her supervisor, James Monahan was beside her and Harris was looking at James in a way she couldn’t quite comprehend. Harris then looked at her.
“Miss Gillis, congratulations, you will be working closely with me here at Ryland Transportation . Could you excuse Mr. Monahan and myself?” Harris said in a cheerful sounding drawl.
“Oh of course! And thank you, Mr. Ryland! I look forward to working with you!” she gushed. She then smiled at James before leaving the office. Harris waited until the door closed before addressing James.
“You’re fired.”
“Okay now, Mr. Ryland, I know this isn’t what you were expecting…”
“I told you what I wanted done. You didn’t do it and now you’re fired.” Harris told him before the door opened again and Judith walked in. She smiled at James.
“James, it is good to see you. You know I miss that cousin of yours. He was the best governor this state ever had.”
James smiled.
“Well thank you, Mrs. Ryland. I’ll give him your regards. I’ll leave the two of you alone.” James said. He was not going to pack up his stuff because he still thought he could make Harris see his side of things, eventually. He walked out and closed the door behind him.
“I could tell something was going on when I walked in.” Judith said, eyeing the office decor. “This place could use an update.”
“James will no longer be with us. He went against my orders and he’s out there packing up his stuff.”
“Harris, Donna Krebbs is crippled down in Florida. Cliff Barnes will probably swoop back in here and become Governor again. You are not going to fire his cousin.”
“Mother…”
“Harris,” Judith interrupted, “forget James. I came here to tell you I’m proud of you! Why in the living hell didn’t you let me in on your scheme?”
Harris had NO idea what in the hell is mother was talking about!
“Scheme?”
“That friend of Lucy’s? The one you were seeing? I didn’t realize she had red hair?”
“She doesn’t.”
“She just left here, didn’t she?”
“That wasn’t her.” Harris said in a surly tone.
“Oh. Well she looks something like that, right? Actually, it doesn’t matter. I want you to call things off with Lucy and get yourself married to this Ann girl, right away!”
Harris could barely breathe! His mother WANTED him to marry Annie! His Annie? Hell yes he’d do it but…
“Mother, I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Judith’s face fell.
“You were actually seeing that girl because you liked her?”
“Mother, what is this all about?”
Judith moved closer to him.
“When I realized that there could be ‘trouble’ between Lucy and yourself, I had Ann Smith’s background looked into. Did you know that her mother listed Garrison Southworth as Ann’s father on her birth certificate?”
Harris’s mind was spinning!
“He was Ellie Ewing’s brother, right?”
“Honey, he was more than her brother! He was the heir to Southfork until he disappeared and they had him declared legally dead. He then returned, announced he was dying, then died. Supposedly without any heirs. Harris, is this is true, then your Miss Smith, is the true owner of Southfork. Where is the precious dear? Is she around? I’d love to introduce myself to her.” Judith grinned.
What Judith did not realize that she herself was in for a big surprise. Her new ‘driver’, who was waiting for her in the limo she had arrived in, was none other than Matthew Blaisdel…along with a fake beard! And when the time was right he planned to use the matriarch to get himself out of the trouble he was in in Florida—and now California.
