Settling the pregnancy test down on the side of the vanity Reba started to hang her head. "How could I be so careless? How could I let this happen?" That little pink plus had the power to haunt her thoughts right up until she decided to be truthful.

Reba lead a busy life she lived her life mostly on the road she was a singer, and that was the life she had chosen just as soon as she had received her recording contract. Most musicians and artists alike found it hard living on the road as they had to leave their families in order to pursue the career they loved. This wasn't so much the case for Reba. Her husband Charlie had decided that he would quit his job and retire from the rodeo scene just to manage his young wife's new career.

As the years went by Reba had begun to become more well known for her work in the industry, and had started collecting a vast number of awards. Her success had caused management to become very busy, even to the point where Reba's husband had found that there just wasn't enough of him to go around. As a resort he got to drinking.

Charlie's drinking didn't seem to have a great deal of effect on his work, and Reba was still making all the dates she needed to, and attending all that she wanted. But it was starting to become apparent that her personal life was paying for it. Everything seemed to be on auto pilot. Reba would do a show the band would pack up, they would pile on the bus, and all go to sleep. At times when things weren't so busy the band would head out for drinks after a show, and just spend some time together.

As things got crazier Reba started to pull back. When the band went out she had an excuse as to why she couldn't go and have fun with them. She found herself in the backroom of her bus alone with the tv on too many occasions. Charlie was never there, he was always busy at the nearest pub drinking until every bar maid stopped serving him. He made a point not to go to the same bar as the band as he never believed that they should ever see their employer in that light.

Reba was becoming more and more unhappy. She only ever saw her husband after he had rolled into the backroom drunk ready for sex. Charlie was brought up on a working cattle ranch and so rising early was one thing he did without fail. There were no cattle to rise for out on the road. But his body was trained, and that was when he got the majority of his work done. Reba woke to an empty bed every morning, and this never seemed to bother her until now.

Every show she became a little less lively and her band leader Narvel started to notice.

They were doing a show in Phoenix, AZ and it was her piano player's birthday. The band had arranged a get together after the show and was surprised when Reba said that she didn't think she was feeling up to going out. This worried Narvel, he knew that Reba always made a big deal about her band members birthdays. She respected the fact that they would probably rather be at home with their families on their birthdays, but instead they were there working for her. She always aimed to ensure they felt loved on what was meant to be their special day. Narvel decided to go out with the band and then made it an early night. They had planned to party until dawn, but he knew he had better have a chat with Reba while he had a chance.

Narvel walked onto the bus, headed to the backroom, and knocked softly on her door "Reba, are you awake? I brought you some cake." He waited for a second and suddenly the door opened. She was already in her nightgown, fastening her robe around her. "Where is Charlie?" He asked curiously. "I don't know these days, my guess is at a bar somewhere getting sloshed." She fired back. A tear threatened to fall from her shiny blue eyes. Reba never talked about her personal life and relationship with her employees. She suddenly noticed what was happening and dipped her head. She wiped her eyes and pushed past sitting down at the table. "Well how was it? Are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna hand me that cake?" Acting like her chirpy self. "Oh sorry, umm here, yeah it was great. I don't think the rest of em will be back any time soon." With the fork almost to her mouth she asks "howcome you're here then, and not out partying?" "Well I needed to have a chat with you, and I didn't really want anyone else around." she stopped eating and wiped her mouth. "About?" she cautiously spoke. "Well you know that I only want what's best for you-" "Narvel spit it out, you know how impatient I am."

"Ok Reba, I'm worried about you. I've noticed you have been acting a little different lately and I know it is none of my business, and I wouldn't have brought it up, only I can see that it is starting to affect your work. And I just want you to know that whatever is going on you can tell me in confidence, and we can try and work through things together." Her head hung, as she pushed her fork around her plate. "Reba, are you okay? Talk to me.. Please.." "Narvel I-" a tear silently trickled down her cheeks. He got out from his side of the table and scooted in next to her. He pulled her into a hug, and stroked her hair. "My career is moving too fast, my husband is working too hard, he is drinking more than he ever used to, he never talks to me unless it's about work, and I can't even remember the last time he just put his arms around me and held me. He comes home drunk, demands sex and then rolls over when he's done." She burst into tears clutching Narvel's shirt and burying her head in his chest. He rubbed her back and just waited for her to finish what she had obviously been bottling up for the past few months.

When she finally got through crying and started to settle down he asked her "You want some more cake?" He felt her nod and decided he would feed it to her. He managed to get the cake on the fork and maneuver himself so that he could hold her and feed her at the same time. She looked like a worn out little child in need of someone to nurse them back to health.

When the cake was done he scooped her up and carried her to her bed. He knew that if Charlie had of walked in and caught them it would look terrible, but he didn't care. If Charlie wasn't going to treat her well then that was his loss.

Narvel placed her on the bed and went to wet a flannel to wash her face. "Stay with me?" she muttered. "I'll be back in a sec" he came back with a warm face cloth, and she shifted up the bed into a sitting position. He was going to hand her the cloth but he knew that it was taking all she had to sit up in bed so he sat down beside her and took her face in his hands while he wiped her tear stained cheeks. He had never noticed how gorgeous she was until he was wiping her face. He had never been this close to her, and suddenly his heart started to beat faster. He knew he had to get out of there before he acted upon his thoughts. He got through wiping her face and she slid back down in the bed thanking him "You're welcome, get some rest Red" he quickly closed her door and went to put the washcloth back in the bathroom. He cleared her plate and went into the bunk room to lie down.

His mind raced as he thought about what had just happened between them, how close he had been to her, and how helpless she looked. He had never seen her look so weak. That certainly wasn't the Reba he knew. The Reba he knew was strong and feisty, she could take on the world, and she damned near did every night.

Suddenly he was thrown from his thoughts. He heard the bus door slam and wondered who it was. Was the band back? Or was that Charlie? He lay silent for a moment listening. Then he heard the backroom door open and slam. It was definitely Charlie. With any luck he won't wake Reba and will just climb in on the other side of the bed. "Reba wake up... Reba get your ass up and start acting like a wife." Narvel was horrified, he didn't know what to do "Charlie, please not tonight. I'm just real worn out, and need some rest." "How dare you insult me. If I wanna have sex with my wife, then I will get what I want. Charlie flipped her on her back and threw the blankets on the floor. Narvel hear her scream "Please Charlie no, don't do this to me, I'm too tired" He fumbled with his belt buckle trying to undo his pants when Narvel walked in and asked Charlie to leave. "Charlie, how about you go spend the night in a room at the pub. I can organize it for you if you like?" "How dare you come in here. This is our private room. Who the hell do you think you are?" He pushed Narvel to the side and grabbed Reba who was now sitting on the side of the bed. She pulled away from him and ran into Narvel's arms.