Ch. 1 "Count the Sheep"

Brock was lying in his bed trying to get to sleep, but for some reason he just couldn't keep Reba off his mind. Actually ever since he and Barbara Jean divorced a few months ago he couldn't think about anything other than Reba. Disturbed by these thoughts he decided to roll over and look at the time, it was only 12:30 am. Brock squeezed his eyes shut hoping that maybe he would be able to dose off if he counted sheep, Reba always told him that counting sheep was the best way to fall asleep, why not give it a try. So he started counting, "One, two, three sheep...I wonder what Reba is thinking about...four, five, six sheep...does she ever think of us...seven, eight...THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" He finally quit counting and decided that he would never fall asleep just lying here, he had to do one thing in order to clear his mind, no matter how much he didn't want to, he had to go see Reba.

"Court mandated therapy...the family that sold their kids at the flea market didn't get court mandated therapy...It's time you move back home and handle this mid-life crisis the way other men do. So buy a red corvette, take up bungee jumping, pierce something, whatever it takes I don't care." "Reba, Barbara Jean and I are getting married." "WHAT! Oh no. You are not stupid enough to throw away a twenty year marriage over a dental hygienist with two first names." "We should discuss this later." "No, we are gonna discuss it right now!" "Reba, I have to marry her." "Oh please, have to? The only reason you'd have to marry her her is if you'd gone off and...OH MY GOD!" (Imagine this next part as background noise repeating itself and echoing) "Court mandated therapy...court mandated... pierce something...twenty year marriage...twenty year... year...do whatever it takes...whatever it takes"

Brock had just walked through Reba's kitchen and was headed over to the couch when he heard a scream coming from upstairs. Not knowing who was screaming, he bolted upstairs to find that it was coming from Reba's room. He ran down the hall and burst through her bedroom door where he saw Reba sitting on her bed crying and shaking. Clearly she had been overwhelmed by a nightmare. Brock was in shock, He had never seen Reba like this before.

"Brock is that you?"

Her weak voice brought him back to reality. "Oh what? Ya it's me."

"What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep so I thought I would come down here and try to sleep on your couch instead. I'm glad I did, are you ok?"

"Ya I am now, but I have this awful nightmare that wakes me up every night."

Brock felt really sorry for her and all he wanted to do was sit down next to her and comfort her, but he decided it would be better not to. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, but can you stay with me for a little while?"

Part of Reba was hoping he would say no and go away, but the other part wanted him to climb into bed so she could never let go. What was she saying? She never had thoughts like that...maybe it was just because of the nightmare. Reba felt his warm body crawl into her bed and that made her melt, she had missed having someone to lay next to, someone to have late night conversations with, and someone to cuddle with. She rested her head on his chest and he started stroking her hair to help her fall asleep. It took all his willpower to not sniff her beautiful, soft, red hair.

"Reba?"

"Ya Brock?"

"Don't forget to count sheep."

Taking a moment to realize what he said, she smiled and with that was asleep in his arms.