Undivided Attention

Summary: Even after moving out, life still revolved around Cheyenne. Kyra wants to know why.

A/N: So I've been marathoning my old favorite show and this popped into my head during Season 3. I wish they'd focused more on fixing Reba and Kyra's relationship. They do address it, but they don't heal the major issue of Kyra feeling neglected.

"How does she do this?"

Kyra stormed through the back entrance to her old house, slamming the kitchen door behind her. A day of rolling nickels turned into yet another Cheyenne-fest. The whole reason she moved out was to avoid this very situation. As it turned out she went through everything for no reason, that her older sister would ruin her day no matter which house she lived in. To be clear, it's not like she enjoyed rolling coins, but her father and Barbra Jean had given her their undivided attention, something she almost never experienced before.

Then her darling sister dropped by and they all rushed off, not even asking if she'd watch Henry. They just assumed. Kyra wouldn't have moved out if she'd known things would be exactly the same.

She began pacing the kitchen, well aware her mother stood at the fridge taking out ingredients for dinner. "Okay, I'll bite," Reba joked. "Who is 'she' and what does she 'do' to make you so mad? If it's Barbra Jean, I've got a bunch of those myself."

"It's not Barbra Jean," Kyra retorted, in no mood to kid around. "It's my so-called 'sister.' Though if you told me she was adopted, I'd believe you. Actually I'd believe it more if I was adopted."

Reba chuckled. "Really? I think we all look like we're related. Except maybe for Jake, I don't know where that dark hair came from."

"Mom, please stop with the jokes."

The anguish in Kyra's voice made Reba look up from the vegetables she'd been chopping. "What did Cheyenne do to you? Last time I checked she was upstairs figuring out how to become a dentist."

"She should try getting a brain transplant. That's the only way Cheyenne can be a doctor," Kyra scoffed.

Reba shook her head. "I know it sounds crazy, but if she's determined enough, she just might make it. Give your sister some credit."

"Why bother when everyone else does?" Kyra snapped. "Don't you get it? My day was going perfectly fine until Princess Cheyenne burst in with her latest drama. I moved out so I wouldn't have to deal with that anymore, but it looks like it doesn't matter where I live. For the rest of my life, Cheyenne will be there, making everything about her."

Reba stayed quiet during Kyra's rant, but she stopped preparing dinner and walked around the counter. "So that's the reason you moved out?"

"Well yeah! I said it enough times!"

"I know, I know," Reba assured her. "It's just…I guess I was so upset, I didn't really listen to that part. I convinced myself it must have been me and how we always fight over the rules. But you need to realize there's nothing I can do about Cheyenne and Van. They clearly need help!"

Kyra glared at her. "I'm beginning to realize it's not just you. Everyone in this family revolves around Princess Cheyenne. Whenever she has a problem, you all drop whatever you're doing to talk about it."

"We do that for you too!" Reba insisted. "So what happened, were you, your dad and Barbra Jean doing something you wanted to do when Cheyenne burst in?"

Embarrassed that they'd only been rolling coins, Kyra kept her answer vague. "Kind of, I mean, we were all hanging out, just me and them. Then Cheyenne walked in and they jumped at the chance to help her pick a career. They even left just to see how you'd react and left me to watch Henry."

"I can't believe they'd just leave you there." Reba paused and gave her a sideways glance. "You waited until they got home to leave the house, didn't you?"

Kyra rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mom, I wouldn't punish Henry because his parents are flakes. Though…okay, technically Barbra Jean asked if I wanted to go, but look at my options. I'd rather babysit than hear Cheyenne go on about her latest oh-so-tough life decision. And really, why would she run to Dad and Barbra Jean for help picking her major? Any idiot besides my sister knows you do your research before you get to college."

Reba crossed her arms, her head tilted as she stared at Kyra. "You know, I think you hit on something. The reason Cheyenne gets so much attention when she has a problem. Yes, her issues tend to take priority because of the baby, but I think there's more to it than that."

"You're admitting it?" Kyra asked, surprised. Her mother always insisted she treated her kids equally.

"For the record, it's not because we love her more than you," Reba answered, seeing through Kyra's reaction. "We love all of you exactly the same. Our reactions are different sometimes because, as you've pointed out, you and Cheyenne are very different. She…she needs more help with things. She has a baby and a husband, but she still wants her parents to solve her problems. You're so independent that you almost never ask for our opinions on anything."

"So Cheyenne gets more attention because she's an idiot?"

Her mother narrowed her eyes in a warning glance. "Don't call your sister that. I meant that you're better at solving your problems without our help. And, maybe, that's where your father and I are partially at fault." Reba hesitated, the conclusion dawning on her while Kyra stared in disbelief. "We always rescued Cheyenne whenever she had any problem, big or small. We never encouraged her to go outside her comfort zone. I can't really deny it after what happened today…"

"Mom, you're switching to 'Cheyenne mode' again," Kyra interrupted. The last thing she wanted to hear was another speech about how her sister was even more wonderful than people thought.

"Right, sorry," Reba replied. "My point is we failed Cheyenne by indulging her all those years. Even now I constantly have to bail her out of trouble because she's incapable of doing it without me. She'd be much better off if I let her fall on her face, but I can't since she has Elizabeth. This often means spending more time on her problems when you're the one who deserves the spotlight. Your life hasn't been fair at all these last few years, and I'm so sorry about that. But unfortunately it'll be like this for a while until Cheyenne finally grows up."

"So, forever then," Kyra scoffed, even though it felt great to finally receive an apology. Her mother never apologized for anything. Too often arguments were dismissed simply because Reba refused to explain or analyze her actions. "I guess if I want attention," Kyra added. "I'll have to start running to you or Dad whenever I have a problem. Instead of doing the normal thing and talking to my friends about it."

Reba put a comforting arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Unfortunately this family isn't normal. You can ask your friends for advice, but who do you think will talk to Cheyenne about babies and marital issues? She might be immature, but these days Cheyenne has more in common with her parents than her classmates."

Kyra had to admit she never considered that angle. Her prom queen sister – who literally won the title while pregnant – always went to the mall with at least two or three bimbos hanging on her every word. But that was in high school. How often did college student Cheyenne get to see her old friends, or go out with new ones? She studied, went to class, took care of the baby and spent time with Van. Who else could she turn to besides her parents?

And how sad was that?

While she still needed to be noticed, Kyra felt some of the jealousy and anger melt away. Her sister would never be perfect, and she'd always hog the spotlight, but maybe she just couldn't help herself. "Yeah, I guess her social life stinks these days, what with the baby and the husband and all."

Reba nodded and hugged Kyra before returning to dinner preparations. "And you know what I just realized? You had a problem, you came over and we talked about it. The very same thing you accused Cheyenne of doing just to torture you." Reba smirked as Kyra's eyes widened in realization. "Man, I'm on a roll. Got anything else you need to vent about? Has Barbra Jean done anything ridiculous today? What am I saying, of course she has."

Kyra immediately thought of her stepmother playing around with the coin wrappers, but she decided against sharing. "Nah, just the usual. I better get home. Thanks, Mom." She paused at the back door, one aspect of the afternoon's incident still bugging her. "Okay, I feel bad for Cheyenne, but she's really going to become a dentist?"

"Hey, today she learned it's dentistry, not dentisting. She's making progress already."