Reba Hart had just been startled by her ex-husband storming into her living room. The red head's eyes were wide as she stared at Brock as she felt like she could fall over at any moment in time due to a heart attack. It amazed her how Brock hardly ever knocked even though she was the one that got the house during the divorce. Looking up at her ex-husband who was still standing next to the front door, she waited for him to break the silence.
"Reba! Barbra Jean just served me with divorce papers?" The blonde man that she had once been married to told her, and he seemed in a panic. Reba wasn't quite sure why Brock was upset over it because he knew that she was going to send him divorce papers, he just didn't know when they were going to show up. There was a small part of Reba that was happy that they were getting in divorce; that was the part that was still hung up over Brock and there was nothing she could do about it. Reba tried to make those feelings go away but she hadn't been successful. It had been seven years since her divorce with Brock and there was a part of her that wasn't over him and she had no idea what to do.
"Brock, I don't quite understand why you're so freaked out over it. You knew that she was going to serve you with divorce papers. Plus I would think that getting out of a marriage with a complete whack job would be exciting." Reba said once she calmed down a little bit. She couldn't help but laugh. Barbra Jean was a complete whack job and Reba was never able to understand why Brock left her to be with Barbra Jean. She was convinced that it was because of how young she was, and because she was taller than Reba. In all honesty Reba knew that it was because Reba hadn't made Brock feel the way that she used to during their last few years of marriage.
Brock sighed softly and walked over to the couch where Reba was sitting. "Reba, believe it or not I don't think I'm ready to be divorced from Barbra Jean. Sure, she's not always the brightest but she's one of the best people I've ever met. Reba, listen to me. I've already messed things up with you. I can't mess things up again by getting a divorce with Barbra Jean. Reba, please help me!" He said as he sat next to Reba on the yellow couch.
Reba sighed softly. She didn't want to help him win his mistress back. That was the last thing that she wanted to do. The first thing she wanted to do was declare the love that she still had for Brock and beg that they work something out between them, but she knew that it was too late for that to happen. Even if it was right after Christmas. This was a type of miracle that didn't happen and it didn't matter how much Reba wanted it to. Wait; she gave him divorce papers during the Christmas holiday, Reba thought to herself thinking about how odd that was, but when she reminded herself that they were talking about Barbra Jean she reminded herself that it wasn't as odd as she originally thought. "Brock I am not going to help you and your mistress patch things up. That's all I've been doing since you all had your marriage problems about four years ago and I'm tired of it. If you want someone to help you with your marriage then go back to counseling."
"Barbra Jean refuses to go back to counseling Reba. She said that the counseling isn't helping at all. If anything it is making things worse because it's making her realize how free she could be if we weren't together. I really think she's done with our marriage Reba." Brock said as he looked over at Reba. Reba felt like she couldn't concentrate on what Brock said, but instead she was focusing on the fact that he was so close to her and she could press her lips to his quickly if she wanted to. It was too late for that though. It didn't seem like he was going to give up his marriage with Barbra Jean as easily as Reba thought he would.
"Brock, listen. What if there is a reason that Barbra Jean is filing a divorce? What if the reason isn't fully because she feels like she lost herself, but instead it's the fact that the two of you have grown apart. You know that I feel like every marriage that can be saved should, but you all have already tried to save your marriage multiple times Brock. What if it's no longer a nice and healthy marriage?" Reba could see the disappointment in Brock's face when she said this, but she didn't have the strength to lie to him anymore; about anything.
Brock looked at Reba shocked to hear her say that there was a good idea that his marriage with Barbra Jean was over. "Reba-" Brock began to say until she cut him off.
"No Brock! I'm not going to help you get back together with her. Do you want to know why? I won't help because I'm still not over you! You bring her over here every day and it tortures me! To see that you've moved on and are happy with someone else is like a slap in the face." Reba stopped talking and Brock could see that she was shocked to hear herself say this. "I've dreamed about us becoming us again, becoming a family again, and even though it may sound selfish I'm done destroying my chances by helping the two of you. Through everything that has happened to us the one thing that I wanted to happen was for you to take me in your arms and tell me that you love me and want to be with me as well, but I can see how hard you are fighting for Barbra Jean and now I know that there's not a chance for me." Reba said as she started walking up the stairs so she could go to her bedroom, the one place she felt safe. She then turned around as she stood on the third step from the bottom and looked at Brock. "Have you ever considered that maybe the reason you and Barbra Jean haven't been working out is because time agrees with me? That's why every time something goes wrong in your life you come running back to me." She then turned away from her ex-husband and started walking up the steps again until she felt something on her wrist.
Brock turned Reba around as he was not the one standing on the third step from the bottom and she was on the fourth. "Reba I'm so sorry."
"No, Brock. I'm strong enough to let you be free and not chase after you, but I'm not strong enough to help you get back with your mistress when I want to be with you more than anything." Reba said as Brock stepped up on the fourth step with her and brushed her red bangs out of her face.
"Reba, I'm still not over you either. Being with Barbra Jean was supposed to help me get over you, but the only way I found happiness was coming over here all the time to see your beautiful face." Brock said as he wrapped his right arm around Reba's waist and looked at her beautiful blue eyes. Reba hadn't realized that they had been discussing this whole ordeal for hours until her clock started to make noise, meaning that it was now midnight. Without saying a word Brock bent down and pressed his lips softly to hers and smiled. "Happy New Year beautiful." He said as Reba smiled slightly.
Staying married to Barbra Jean was supposed to help Brock with demolishing the feelings he had for Reba, but knowing that she felt the same Brock realized that time really didn't disagree. They were supposed to be together, and it felt good to have her back in his arms. When Brock pressed his lips against Reba's it made her feel like she had just been turned into jelly, but she knew that there was a reason she was not over him and this was the reason. He was not over her and being with him was the one thing that was missing from her life. Now, seven years after the divorce, Reba finally felt whole being in Brock's arms again. This was the perfect way to start a new year.