I know what you may be thinking, and no, I haven't given up on my long story! I just got bored one day waiting for Reba to come on, so I just decided to jot down this little idea I got from the new episode, "The Break Up" when Van mentioned something about not having anymore "girl talks" with Reba on the way to work. There really is no real point to this story, I just find Van and Reba's relationship really cute and I wanted to explore it further. Anyway, here we go!
The bass of the guitar blaring through the radio pounded heavily in Reba's chest as she drove down the busy highway with Van by her side. It was early Monday morning and the two were headed off to their office early to get a jump start on all the work they had to complete that day. They left their home a half an hour earlier than usual and yet, much to Reba's chagrin, the traffic wasn't any lighter.
I thought the carpool lane was designed to get you to work faster, she thought with annoyance as she drummed her fingernails on the steering wheel and stared at the long line of stationary cars in front of her. Beside her, Van seemed totally oblivious to the horrid traffic and was perfectly content just making elaborate air guitar moves to the tune the radio was playing.
"I love this song," he shouted at the top of his lungs to be heard over the music he insisted on blasting at maximum volume. Reba winced at the lethal combination of the music and Van's voice and put a finger to her ringing ears. Once being a singer herself, she was used to the blaring of loud music about her and therefore had a high tolerance for it; but at the moment, it was way too early and the traffic was moving way too slow for her to have any kind of patience for cacophony that day. So she glanced over at Van and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Van, could you turn it down please," she shouted as loud as she could.
"What," Van cried in return, cupping his ear with his hand to signal that he couldn't hear her.
"I said could you please turn you're…"
"What, what," he shouted before she could finish her sentence. This sparked her temper and she immediately abandoned all thoughts of being polite.
"Turn it do-…oh for heaven's sake!" She reached over and twisted the volume knob violently until only a slight humming sound could be heard from the radio.
"Aw, come on Mrs. H., I really liked that song," Van protested.
"Yeah, I could tell," she replied sarcastically as she threw him a look of annoyance. "Van, its way too early to be blasting that kind of noise…."
"Noise," Van cried indignantly. "Noise?! That was not noise; that was art!"
"Art," Reba scoffed. "Horse feathers! If you call that art, I would hate to see what you consider noise!"
"Aw, come on, Mrs. H., that's low! I don't make fun of that stupid country music you like so much!"
"Yes you do! All the time," she shot back.
"When?!"
"You did it just now! You called it stupid!"
"Well what do you call a bunch of people whining about love all the time?!"
"They're not whining, Van," she replied incredulously.
"Ha," he scoffed in return. "Face it, Mrs. H., country music is nothing but whining set to music. Whines with rhymes, if you will!" He concluded by crossing his arms in front of him all-knowingly and assuming a triumphant smile. Reba shot him a dirty look.
"It is not whining Van, they're just telling stories! People who sing country music send messages that we can all relate to."
"My music sends messages too," he argued, prompting a look of disbelief from Reba.
"Oh really?! And what kind of message would that be?"
"The message to rock," Van cried out in reply as he made a rock symbol with his hand and began play air guitar to the tune in his own head. Reba couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"Alright, I give up! Agree to disagree," she consented.
"Deal," Van agreed with a nod. A brief moment of silence followed until Van took a long glance over at Reba.
"So, what are weall dressed up for today," he asked slyly, causing Reba to shoot him a confused look.
"What are you talking about?" Van gestured down to Reba's organic embroidered sweater and batik floral skirt with his eyes and raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"This is not a 'dress up' outfit," she protested.
"Oh come on, Mrs. H., you sometimes dress more casually to church!" A mischievous smile spread across his face. "Does it have anything to do with the fact that we're teaming up to show a house with that James guy today?"
"What James guy," she inquired innocently.
"You know, that good looking new realtor that just started last month. James…James Worthing, something or other…"
"James Warner," Reba supplied quickly, assuming a guilty look a second later when she realized she had just given herself away. She mentally kicked herself as she saw Van smile victoriously.
"Aha," he cried out. "You did notice him! I knew it!"
"So what if I did notice him once…or twice…what's so wrong with that?!"
"Mrs. H. is in love," he replied in a sing song voice. Reba smiled bashfully.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far…"
"You should totally ask him out, Mrs. H.," Van encouraged. "You guys would make a great couple! Plus, I think he likes you."
"Now how can you tell that," Reba responded doubtfully.
"Because he's always lurking around your desk…"
"My desk is next to the copier, he has no choice but to lurk," she pointed out.
"Okay, well how come he only asks you where things are; or for help with his sales and stuff?!"
"Because he knows I've been there the longest," she retorted, shooting down another one of Van's theories. He paused to think for a second and then snapped his fingers when another idea hit him.
"Well then how come I saw him let three elevators go by just so he could ride down with you?!" Reba's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"He did that," she asked incredulously, flattery coloring her cheeks.
"Go for it, Mrs. H.! You got nothing to lose." He paused when he saw her roll her eyes. "Or if you want, I could find out if he's interested first…"
"Van, this isn't high school," she cried out with exasperation.
"Aw come on, let me do it, Mrs. H.! I promise I'll be subtle!"
"Subtle is not part of your vocabulary, Van." Van furrowed his eyebrows with confusion.
"Then how come I just said it?"
"No, I meant…oh never mind!" She shook her head in exasperation and gazed over into Van's pleading eyes.
"Pleeeeease, Mom," he begged with a puppy dog look on his face. Reba just gave him an annoyed stare in return. She knew he only called her 'mom' when he really wanted something and was trying to butter her up, but despite that it seemed to work every time. So Reba sighed with frustration and surrendered.
"Okay fine," she consented, causing him to pump his fist in the air with victory. "But you have to be very subtle! And not that fake subtle where you're not subtle at all!"
"I will be Mrs. H., don't you worry," he agreed enthusiastically. "I have a feeling his answer with be yes anyway!"
"I don't know Van, I've been turned down plenty of times before…" she responded warily.
"Don't worry Mrs. H., if he sees what I see, he's gonna love you." Reba could tell he just let that compliment slip out unintentionally, for his cheeks went a bit rosier with embarrassment, but she couldn't have been more touched.
"You're such a sweet kid, Van," she told him as she gave him a sincere smile and patted him on the knee.
"Yeah, I am," he replied with a smug smile, but she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was touched as well. All of a sudden, Van leaned in towards the radio and a huge smile spread across his face.
"Mrs. H., they're about to play the song!"
"Again," Reba cried out quizzically.
"Yeah," Van replied as he kept his ear to the speaker. "Come on, Mrs. H., let's do it!"
"No Van, it's too early and I'm getting a headache…"
"Come on," he prodded. "You have to! It's our song! Please?! Just once more and I won't ask you to do it again!"
"We both know that's a lie…"
"Please, Mrs. H.," he began to whine, "pretty please with sugar on top and ice cream in the middle and frosting in the…"
"Alright, alright," she consented to cease the whining. "Just promise me it'll be our secret!"
"Deal," he cried as he cranked up the volume. Just as he did, the intro to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" began to play and Van began bobbing his head enthusiastically to the beat.
"Listen baby," he began to sing in a raspy, overzealous fashion. "Ain't no mountain high, ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough, baby!" Reba laughed as she watched him make exuberant gestures and pretend to sing his heart out. When it was her turn, she joined in and soon Van's crazy antics had her singing at the top of her lungs and dancing along with him. It wasn't long before her frustrations completely melted away and she found herself having a blast being goofy with her son-in-law. She barely even noticed when the traffic started flowing again and they were finally able to make their way to work.
When they finally did arrive at the office, they were giggling and having a marvelous time with each other. That was what Reba loved most about Van, his power to help her forget all the things chaotic in her life. Sure he was the cause of a good number of those problems, but there were also many a times when he encouraged her or gave her an extra push when she needed it or just plain lifted her spirits.
He claimed time and time again how she had saved his life, but there were moments where he kind of saved her life too, and she loved him greatly for it. Even with all the craziness that came with adding him to the family, Reba wouldn't have traded it for anything, and as the years passed the title of "son-in-law" just seemed to slip away, and she genuinely began to think of him as her son.
See, I told you it didn't have any point! Ha ha! Well anyway, I hope it at least entertained you a bit and reviews will be greatly appreciated! Until we meet again!