A New Addition
Author's note: I own nothing but these thoughts in my head. Reba/Jack story. Dr. Hunky was never married. I hope everyone enjoys. All feedback, critical or not is welcome.
Reba paced back and forth in front of the bathroom sink, the rug beneath her feet becoming more worn with each tentative step.
'Three minutes', she thought to herself. 'Three minutes until I know if my life is gonna change, and drastically'.
Reba stopped to stare into the bathroom mirror.
"How could you be so stupid?" She said aloud to her reflection, chastising herself, while leaning over the sink.
Just then, the timer went off and Reba almost panicked. She swallowed hard, shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened her eyes again as she picked up the short white stick.
"Two lines! That's good, right?" She asked herself as she grabbed for the box to re-read the instructions, feeling giddy all the while. However, as her eyes came across what she was looking to find, she let out a long moan of frustration. A forboding feeling swept down and took the place of the giddy feeling she'd experienced only moments before. Tears swam in her eyes, threatening to fall, as she slid down the wall to the floor. She put her red head into her hands and let the tears cascade down her cheeks.
"How could this have happened?" She asked the beige walls of her private bathroom.
"What am I gonna tell the kids? The Kids! They'll be home any minute!" Reba jumped up, put her conflicting feelings aside and started cleaning up the bathroom, neatly storing the white stick back into the box before tucking the box into the back of her make-up drawer for later disposal. She'd have plenty of time to compile her thoughts and figure out what to tell Jack and her kids, after she made dinner.
Jake was sprawled out on the couch when Van and Cheyenne waltz through the door, Elizabeth in Van's arms.
"I'm just saying, Cheyenne..." Van trailed off as he sat Elizabeth on her feet and she went running to play with her toys.
"What Van? What were you 'just saying'?" Cheyenne asked with her hands on her hips.
"Oh, nothing!" Van scuffed, then turned and started his trek up the stairs.
"Oh, no you don't. Get back here!" Cheyenne went running up the stairs after Van, nearly tripping at the landing.
"Another day in paradise." Kyra rolled her eyes as she entered the living room from the kitchen. She plopped down in the chair next to the sofa, while picking at a muffin.
"I know, they've been fighting a lot since Cheyenne found out she was pregnant again." Jake chimed in from his perch on the sofa.
Before Kyra could fire another of her zingers, Van came running down the steps.
"Do you guys smell something burning?"
"Oh, no you don't Van. Get back here! I'm not done yelling at you yet." Cheyenne came down the steps in a huff, a little slower than usual. Her stomach was starting to show some, which was starting to slow her down.
Van rounded the corner of the kitchen, to find Reba standing at the sink staring off into space. Thick smoke was coming from the frying pan on the stove behind her. Kyra, Jake, and Cheyenne had come up behind Van to see what was going on.
"Mrs. H! Mrs. H!" Van starting yelling then ran for the fire extinguisher to put out the now blazing chicken.
"Mom!" Cheyenne walked towards Reba, than waved her hand in front of Reba's face.
"What?!" Reba jumped when Van pushed her out of the way so that he could get to the stove.
"What's going on, Mom?" Kyra asked sincerely.
"Yeah, Mrs. H, you trying to BURN THE WHOLE PLACE DOWN!" Van yelled waving the pan of white powder covered black chicken.
Reba chuckled nervously, than smoothed her shirt.
"Nothing's wrong. I just thought we'd have blackened chicken for dinner." Reba chuckled again, then started to leave the kitchen.
"Oh, no you don't mom. We need to talk." Cheyenne tried to block Reba's path.
"Not right now Cheyenne. I'm gonna go lie down." Reba pushed past Cheyenne, making her way to her bedroom.
"Why does everyone walk away from me?" Cheyenne huffed.
"You have to ask?" Van said accusingly.
"What?! What does that mean, Van?" Cheyenne was getting testy as she started to follow Van into the other room.
"Nag, nag, nag. All you do is nag!" Van could be heard yelling at a distance.
"I should be committed for moving back in here." Kyra shook her head, disgruntled, before getting up and cleaning up the burnt remains of dinner.
"Jake, how about ordering pizza?" Kyra asked with a look of disgust at the piece of burnt chicken between her thumb and forefinger, before dropping it into the trash.
"Sure, I'll be at dad's. Living here is giving me a complex." Jake replied before leaving out the back door.
Kyra smiled. She'd trained him well.
It was definitely time for a family meeting. Reba hadn't come out of her room for more than a minute in days. She refused to talk to anyone, just got something to drink and went back to bed. The laundry was piling up, the dishes were overflowing, and the kids were so tired of eating pizza that just the thought of it had them gagging.
Van, Cheyenne, Kyra, and Jake were all rounded up in the living room. Jake was kicked back on the couch, Kyra was sitting in the chair with her arms folded across her chest, while Van and Cheyenne were both pacing the floor.
"Ok, who wants to go first?" Van asked the crowd.
"I didn't think I'd ever say this, but I hate pizza!" Jake blurted.
"I think we're all tired of pizza, but there's more important things to discuss here." Cheyenne rebutted, testily.
"Yeah, anyone know what's up with mom?" Kyra asked questioningly.
"Well, she's been taking lots of bathes, which she never does, sleeping all the time, which she never does, and throwing up a lot, which she never does." Cheyenne pointed out, ticking the items off her fingers as she spoke them.
Van paced a little longer than blurted, "Mrs. H is dying!"
"What?!!" Came from the other three present.
"Well, it makes since that she's sick, and she's obviously depressed, so she must be depressed about dying." Van smiled like he'd figured out the Rubik's cube.
"Mom's not dying, she can't be dying, she'd tell us. Wouldn't she?" Cheyenne asked, now worried.
Cheyenne ran into Van's arms.
"Van, I'm scared."
"Oh, puh-leeze." Kyra rolled her eyes. "Mom's not dying."
"Mom's too young to die." Jake chimed in.
"You're never too young to die, you poor naive little boy." Van said as he ruffled Jake hair.
"I think we should call in reinforcements." Kyra suggested.
"Who? Dad? Barbra Jean?" Jake asked.
"No...Jack." Kyra said as she made her way to the phone.
"Good thinking Kyra. If anyone can get Mrs. H to come out of her own personal prison, it would be Dr. Delicious." Van hugged Cheyenne tighter.
Jack showed up later that night with Chinese take-out. Van met him at the door, nearly knocking him down while grabbing the brown food bags from his hands.
"Thank god! It's not pizza!" Van rushed to the kitchen to chow down.
Jack closed the door behind him as Kyra walked up.
"So, what's going on? You said it was urgent. It wasn't just for the Chinese food was it?"
Kyra explained what was happening and that everyone was worried about Reba.
"Don't worry, let me talk to her." Jack started up the stairs. When he made it to Reba's room he knocked softly.
"I know, you're tired of pizza. Go eat at your father's." Jack heard Reba's muffled reply.
"I'm sorry, but my father died five years ago." Jack spoke softly at the door. A few seconds later the door opened slightly and a very disheveled red head peeked out.
"What're you doing here?" Reba asked disbelievingly.
"You're kids called. They're worried about you and I promised I wouldn't leave until we know what's going on and that you're alright." Jack nudged the door slightly until Reba backed up and let him enter.
Reba made her way back to bed and covered her head with a towel.
"I have a migraine. Couldn't we do this another time," Instead of leaving, Jack sat down on the bed.
"Come here." Reba lifted up and Jack slid in behind her. She scooted down and laid her head onto his lap. He started messaging her temples until she was so relaxed he thought she'd fallen asleep.
Reba lay there soaking up the feel of his hands on her head. Jack was so easy to be with, so easy to talk to, that Reba decided then was just as good a time as any to open up to Jack and tell him the truth no matter what the consequences. She couldn't continue to lie there in her room thinking herself into a migraine.
Reba lifted up and turned to face Jack on the bed. It was now or never. She just had to blurt it out before she lost her nerve.
Jack could see the conflict going on behind Reba's eyes. He was a little uncomfortable not knowing what she was thinking, but he remained calm and reassuring in hopes that she'd get on with it before he started figeting under Reba's scrutinizing gaze.
"I'm pregnant." Reba spoke to the comforter, fingering the edge, waiting for him to get up and walk out.
Reba heard Jack clear his throat and wished he'd speak already. She was going nuts just sitting there staring at the covers, waiting for his reaction.
"A baby?" Jack finally choked out.
It was then that Reba lifted her head to glance at Jack's face. Instead of seeing rejection or fear in Jack's eyes, she saw joy. For the first time in four days Reba sighed a sigh of relief. She'd been afraid he wouldn't want the baby. After all, the last time they'd seen each other they hadn't parted on great terms. Jack had even went so far as to tell Reba when she got over her fear of men and relationships to give him a call. She hadn't called. However, he'd come when her kids called. Which meant there had to be some feeling for her. Now, there was a baby involved.
She'd gone over everything in her head a thousand times and had come to the conclusion that yes, she loved Jack and yes, she wanted this baby. She'd been so conflicted for days that she'd neglected her family, something she'd never done before. Just thinking about that now had tears coming to her eyes and streaming down her face.
"Ssh. Everything's gonna be fine." Jack pulled her to him and kissed her short yet sweetly, before pulling back and wiping the tears from Reba's cheeks with his thumbs.
"You don't understand. I've lain here for days wondering how I was gonna handle this, how you would take it, what my kids are gonna think of me, how they're gonna react." Reba's tears came more fiercely.
"Reba, I'm so totally in love with you. I've been moping around my house for two weeks praying you'd call. I was almost at the point of just showing up when Kyra called. I was ready to jump at any excuse to see you again." Jack pulled Reba to him and hugged her excruciatingly tight.
"Now, to find out we're having a baby..." Jack trailed off as Reba raised her head and kissed him passionately.
"I love you too." Reba pulled back and looked into Jack's eyes, now filling with water.
Reba turned and lie back against Jack's chest in the crook of his arm. Jack immediately linked his fingers with hers, while his other hand came to lie on Reba's stomach, her hand soon followed to lie on top of his. They were content to just lay there in silence, soaking up each other's presence and thinking about the other's words. Just as Reba was dozing off, still thinking of how to break the news to her kids, Jack spoke.
"Will you marry me?"
Reba jumped up abruptly and turned to stare at him.
"Before you reject me, hear me out." Jack stood to be on Reba's level.
"As I've already told you, I love you. I've loved you for a while now and I know it has taken time for you to adjust to this relationship and to realize that you love me too. It's been a battle, I know. You've been hurt. I realize that too, but I would never hurt you, at least not intentionally. I understand a marriage is good times and bad times. I want that with you. I understand you have kids. I love your kids and they've warmed up to me. I hope they'll warm up to me even more now that we're having a baby. I don't want to marry you because of the baby. The baby is just an added bonus, a wonderful added bonus. Please say yes."
Jack reached in his pocket and pulled out a ring box. He opened it to reveal a beautiful emerald cut diamond.
"I've had this for over a month now. I've carried it around, hoping beyond hope that we'd find this moment. Please say yes." Jack pleaded.
Tears were water-falling down Reba's cheeks as he spoke the words. When she went to speak, the words were barely audible.
"Yes, I'll marry you." Jack pulled Reba into his arms and swung her around as he kissed her passionately.
Jack came trotting down the stairs a couple of hours later. Jake had passed out on the couch. Van was munching on left over Chinese food. Kyra was strumming her guitar while Elizabeth and Cheyenne played with toy building blocks. At the sight of Jack everyone stopped and waited patiently while he made his way into the middle of the bunch. Just as he was beginning to speak Van's impatience got the better of him.
"So, I was right. Mrs. H is dying isn't she?" Van put his plate on the coffee table and walked over to wrap his family in his arms.
"No, Reba's not dying Van. However, we're gonna wait until Reba comes downstairs before we get to the heart of the matter." Jack started pacing the floor. He was very nervous about telling her kids everything. The middle one, Kyra, was really very intimidating. He hoped like hell she didn't put a hex on him, she seemed like the type. Before he could continue his thoughts, Reba emerged at the top of the steps and started her decent.
Everyone stood at attention, except for Jake. Van nudged him awake and practically pulled him up off the couch.
"Mom, you ok?" Kyra and Cheyenne said in unison.
"I'm fine. Everyone sit down. Jack and I need to talk to you about some things." Reba stood at Jack's side, drawing her strength from his support.
"I really don't know how to say this in a subtle way, so I'm just gonna be like Barbra Jean and blurt it out." Reba looked at Jack for his ok. He nodded and she continued.
"First of all, Jack and I have decided to get married." Reba stopped and waited for the reactions of her children.
"That's cool, Mrs. H! But, what will I call you now? Mrs. M?" Van asked.
"How about calling me Reba, Van. It is my name." Reba then turned toward Cheyenne.
"Well, I guess if he makes you happy mom, then I'm happy. I mean, you can't continue to sit around forever and be alone for the rest of your life while Dad's with Barbra Jean." Cheyenne hugged her mother then sat back down next to her husband on the couch. Reba turned toward Kyra.
"I don't know what to say, Mom. I don't really know the guy that well. He's not Dad and I won't call him 'Dad'."
"I hope you'll take the time to get to know Jack, Kyra. He's a wonderful man and I don't think he would expect you to call him 'Dad', just like I wouldn't expect you to call him 'Dad'. You have a father, Kyra, a father you see on a daily basis. Jack is a new addition to our family, I hope you can accept that." Reba had squatted down to Kyra's level on the chair. Reba stroked Kyra's hair as she spoke, than kissed her cheek as she stood.
"I love you, Kyra. You will always be my daughter and I will always love you no matter what. You accepted Barbra Jean, please do me a favor and accept Jack."
Kyra looked at Jack, then at Reba.
"I'll try mom. That's all I can promise."
"That's all I ask, Sweetie." Reba patted her hand than turned to Jake questioningly.
"It's cool with me, Mom, as long as I don't have to eat pizza again for a year."
Reba chuckled and walked over to hug her youngest.
"I promise. No pizza."
Just then Jack cleared his throat.
"Reba, tell them the rest." Jack squirmed as he said it.
"There's more?" Cheyenne questioned.
"Well…..We're having a baby!" Jack wrapped his arm around Reba's shoulders as she made the announcement.
"Wow, I'm gonna have a baby brother or sister! Cool!" Jake was excited.
"I'm moving back in with Dad." Kyra blurted then left the room. You could hear the back door slam just moments later.
"Congrats Mrs. H!" Van smiled and gave a thumbs up to Jack. "That's AWESOME! Our kids will be born at almost the same time. How awesome is that?"
"My point exactly. How am I gonna explain to my kids that their aunt or uncle is younger than they are? Geez mom, getting married is one thing, having a baby is another. Aren't you a little old to be having a baby, mom?" Cheyenne asked critically.
"Well, Cheyenne, apparently I'm not too old to be having a baby because I'm having one." Reba rebutted defensively.
"Where's the baby gonna sleep mom. This house is only so big." Cheyenne had stood up, readying herself for the argument.
"You and Van have been talking about moving out for a while, especially now that you're having a second child."
"What, so now you're throwing us out. Thanks a lot, mom!"
"No, I'm not throwing you out. We'll make room, Cheyenne. You have to understand, just as Kyra does, that you are always welcome here. This is your home and it always will be no matter what happens."
"Come on, Van. We need to go to our room and start thinking about the rest of our lives now that we don't have a home anymore." Cheyenne started walking towards the stairs.
"Oh, come on, Cheyenne. Quit being so dramatic." Reba yelled up the stairs after her and Van.
Jack put his arms around Reba, seeing that she was so close to tears.
"They'll come around. Give them time to get used to the idea." Jack kissed Reba's temple.
"You're right. Now I need to go talk to Kyra." Reba pulled back.
"You go. I'm gonna go home and start packing my things. I'll call you later." He kissed her passionately before walking to the door.
"There's more where that came from." He pointed out after he realized he'd left Reba motionless from his kiss.
"I can't wait." Reba said dreamily before jumping back to the present time and remembered she had a daughter to confront.
By the time Reba burst through Brock's door, she was furious with Kyra. By stroke of luck, Barbra Jean had gone home to her hometown to visit and wouldn't be back for another week.
Brock was in the kitchen grabbing a beer. He had been about to speak when he saw the look on Reba's face and decided to keep his mouth shut. 'Red' was really angry, best to stay out of her way.
Reba didn't even knock when she slammed through Kyra's door.
"How dare you act that way young lady!" Reba exploded.
"In what way? I'm fed up with this life and this family. It's all about ya'll and not about us. Whatever's convenient for you." Kyra flopped down on the bed.
"Convenient for me? Do you really think I planned this? Yeah, marrying Jack, I could understand, but definitely not the baby. This isn't a picnic for me, Kyra. I've been worried sick about what you kids might think of me, how you would take it? So much so that I haven't had a good night's sleep in four days. I've had a constant migraine worrying." Reba sat on the bed next to Kyra.
"You're doing exactly what Dad did, you're getting married because you got pregnant. You're just like Dad!"
"I'm not getting married because I'm pregnant, Kyra. Even if there weren't a baby I'd still marry Jack. I love him, Kyra. I tried like hell not to but it just happened anyway. I held back for so long, not letting myself be happy, because of you kids. I can't live like that anymore. I just hope that you will understand that you are my child and that I love you and will always love you. There will always be a place in my heart, my life, and my home for you. That will never change no matter how old you get or how things might change."
" I'm terrified here, Kyra. I'm terrified of losing you, I'm terrified of becoming a mother again. But, God has a sense of humor and now I get to go through childbirth at the same time my daughter does."
"Honey, I don't want you to move back in with your Dad, but if that's what you want, I'll support you because I know you're uncomfortable with the situation. Please, just remember, I love you, Kyra." Reba was holding Kyra's hands, looking deeply into her eyes, hoping to get through to her.
"I'm sorry, Mom. I love you too." Kyra declared as tears began to fall.
Reba was in tears too when Brock came to the door.
"Oh, geez, two blubbering women." Brock started to backtrack.
"Dad?"
"Yeah, Sweetie?"
"Mom's getting married and having a baby." Brock had been taking a swig of beer and choked as it went down.
"WHAT?!!!! REBA?! Is that true? Or is Kyra playing some kind of joke on me, trying to kill me?" Brock asked questioningly.
"It's true, Brock. Jack asked me to marry him, I said 'yes'. We're also expanding our family."
"What's a matter Brock? You look a little green around the edges." Reba hadn't seen this side of Brock since she'd found out she was pregnant with Cheyenne.
"Kyra, could you give your mother and me a minute, please?" Kyra exited the room.
"Reba, are you sure this is what you wanna do?"
"What's a matter, Brock? You finally know how it feels to be the one on the outside looking in?"
"Yeah, and I don't like it much. I see now why it took you a long time to accept Barbra Jean. I don't like this feeling much. I can't help but think it should be me and not him."
"How do you think I felt, Brock? It was bad enough you had a mistress, but when I found out she was pregnant I was crushed. I just couldn't help but think that should've been me and not her. Anyway, I hope you'll be happy for me. I've finally moved on and I hope you'll take a look at Barbra Jean when she gets home and realize that you have too. You know, there will always be a part of me that loves you, Brock. We spent 20 years together and you gave me three great kids, and they are great kids, but it's been over for a long time now. I'm really glad we're still friends though."
"Yeah, me too. I hope you're really happy with Dr. Delicious." Brock leaned in and kissed Reba's cheek.
Reba laughed.
"I wish everyone would quit calling him that."
"Goodbye, Brock." Reba made her exit. She knew she'd see him tomorrow, but saying 'goodbye' was really her finally saying goodbye to their relationship. She finally realized once and for all, that it was over, that they were never going back, that they could never be 'Brock and Reba' again.