Prologue
Many years ago, Reba married her boyfriend Terry Holliway. Terry ran the local bar, while Reba sold real estate in Lubbock. Together they had a daughter named Kyra. When Terry died, Reba had earned the reputation of a very successful real estate agent in Lubbock. Reba was forced to run both her business and Terry's bar. She was about to lose her mind, when she realized she had bitten off more than she could chew.
A headhunter approached Reba with the offer she couldn't refuse: a good salary and full benefits for Reba to work for her firm. It didn't take her long to decide. Dolly Majors had offered Reba a great opportunity. She sold the bar to Terry's brother, Mike. Reba decided to sell her house and move herself and four-year old Kyra to Houston, hoping to start a brand new life with her daughter.
Love by Love - 01
Reba examined the house she bought. It was a three bedroom, two-storey house with a pool in the backyard, in the wealthiest neighborhood she could afford. Reba bought this house that had been foreclosed by the bank. It was dirt-cheap. She walked up the stairs to her bedroom. A very spacious bedroom. Her only complaint about this house was her bathroom window. It was directly aligned with the neighbor's. But it was a minor flaw that could be fixed with one thick drape. Overall, the house was just perfect.
"Kyra honey, it's gonna take a lot longer to move in if you keep repacking all the boxes."
"I'm gonna go back to our old house. I hate this one," said Kyra throwing stuff that Reba put on the counter back into the box.
"Oh, but sweetheart, a new family's already moved into our old house. And they already have a cute little girl." Picking her up sitting her on the counter, Reba tried to reason with the four-year-old.
"Not as cute as me" Kyra crossed her arms unsatisfied.
"Of course not." Reba smiled at her daughter "Why don't you like the house? What's wrong with it, honey?"
"It's too big"
"Well, why do you think I bought it?" Reba grinned
"Because it's cheap?"
"That too. Are you sure you wanna move out, honey?"
"Yes," determined the little girl
"Well good for you! You know, it's about time you struck out on your own."
"You're really gonna let me leave?"
"Sure! Why not get a jump-start on earning a living? Have you thought about career? Maybe you can get a job singing that alphabet song. Why don't you think about it while you go pack?" Reba picked her up from the counter and put her down on her feet.
" I will." Kyra ran to her room.
"I know you will. Go to it girl!" Reba yelled after her daughter. With a tiring smile, she murmured "I love that little girl, but part of me wants to see her come down with a suitcase packed." She sighed and continued to unpack. It wasn't easy to do everything all by herself. Maybe Kyra was right, this house could be too big for the two of them. At first Reba wanted to buy this house and flip it, but then she started to think of her daughter. This was a wealthy community, giving her daughter the chance to go to a better school and grow up in a good neighborhood. She also wanted her daughter to have space to run around, and space to ride a bike. Not just trapped in a little two-bedroom condominium. She sighed. She wished Terry was here.
Reba was snapped out of her own thoughts by the sound of someone knocking at her door.
"Knock knock!"
Reba went and opened the door. She greeted with a visitor. "Hi there"
"Hello neighbor, my name is Barbra Jean. I live just next-door. I would have rung your doorbell, but you don't have one, so..." pretending to ring doorbell, she chanted. "Bing bong, bing bong... Bing bong, bing bong…" Reba smiled awkwardly "Well here you go," Barbra Jean handed her a basket she prepared. "Happy housewarming. It's 12 different kinds of barbecue sauces. The salesman said that these would make a dead cat taste good. Not to imply that you eat dead cats."
'She's a heapin' bushel of crazy,' thought Reba forcing out a smile. Nevertheless, she started to like this crazy neighbor. "Well, I got a lot of unpacking left to do, and uh, well, thanks for the dead cats sauce."
"Oh do you need any help? I heard you're only here with your daughter. Where's your husband?"
"Lubbock Cemetery"
"Isn't he moving in with you?" Barbra Jean questioned naively
"He would be if he was still alive."
"Oh you poor thing." Barbra Jean brought her hands to her heart looking at Reba sympathetically. "Come here you!" She pulled Reba into a bone-crushing hug.
"Easy there gentle Ben, I'm breakable," said Reba breathlessly.
"Sorry, I'm touchy-freely. I still don't know your name"
"It's Reba, Reba Holliway."
"Well, Reba, welcome to the neighborhood. I live literally next door; if you need anything, just let me know. I have a feeling we're gonna be great friends."
"Who is it mom?" Kyra came back to the kitchen dragging an open suitcase with one hand and a teddy bear in another.
"It's our neighbor, sweetie. Her name is Barbra Jean."
"Aww... you're so adorable." Barbra Jean pulled little Kyra into a tight hug.
"You're hurting me," noted the girl coldly.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Walking out of the door, she stated, "Anywho, I should get going. Hunky bear should be back from work soon."
Reba closed the door behind her with a smirked "Crazy neighbor" Reba shook her head. She gave her attention to Kyra, who still gripping on the luggage. "So?"
"I can't put Teddy in my bag."
"Why don't you keep trying in your bedroom? I still have a lot of unpacking to do." Kyra pouted dragging her luggage back to her bedroom. Reba sighed seeing a trail of Kyra's clothes along the way.
Meanwhile at the house next door,
"Honey, I'm home!" Brock Hart came back from his dental practice. His daughter Cheyenne ran to his arms.
"Daddy, did you buy me the lip gloss?"
"No honey, but I have a pack of dental floss for you."
Cheyenne let out a frustrated sigh. She didn't take the floss. Brock watched his eight-year-old go back to play with her Barbie Doll and though of his ex-wife: Lori-Ann. They were divorced for two years now. Lori-Ann caught him kissing his dental hygienist. He didn't mean to. The woman kissed him first, yet he was accused of cheating on Lori-Ann.
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman!"
"Brock, nobody would be stupid enough to believe that line. Plus, it would be more convincing if you're not wearing her lipstick when you say that." Brock quickly wiped his mouth. "You know what, Brock, I've had enough. Men are pigs and I want a divorce."
"Men are pigs? Please don't let me start how you keep flirting with them!" They ended up going to the court. Brock won custody over Cheyenne since they had more evidence that Lori-Ann was really a flirt. Well, one piece of evidence was the judge himself, she was flirting with him during the session. Brock looked back to how he and Lori-Ann met. They went to college together. He was a football star, and Lori-Ann was very popular. Maybe not as much of an overachiever as her redhead friend, but she was hot and willing. They got married after their graduation, mainly because he knocked her up. They had Cheyenne. The marriage was always on a shaky ground. They were both surprised that the marriage lasted six years. Well, they both moved on. The latest he heard was that she got married to a rich man. Brock eventually wound up with the hygienist that he was accused of cheating with.
"Hey honey, having a bad day today?"
"Yeah, three kids bit my fingers today. Someone's moving in next door?" Questioned Brock seeing a moving van pull away and a few boxes on the lawn.
"Yes. Poor woman, her husband died and she's all alone."
Brock automatically assumed that she was an old widow. He lost his interest of getting to know the neighbor.
"What's for dinner?"
"What? Don't you think we should help her move some furniture? Didn't I tell you she's all alone?"
"But Barbra Jean... I'm tired..." He whined. His girlfriend always made everyone's business her business. Barbra Jean ignored his complaint. She dragged him to the next door. Reba was carrying a box and didn't see where she was going. She bumped into him. Good thing it was just her clothing, so nothing was damaged.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see where I'm going." Reba mumbled picking up the clothes that scattered on the lawn back in the box. She sighed, more laundry to do. Brock helped pick up a few pieces. "Thanks." Reba looked at him and her eyes widened. Brock had the same reaction. They pointed at each other and shouted in unison.
"You!"
