Title: Surrender to Love
Chapter 1: After all this time
Time: June 2003
No copyright infringement intended.
Summary-
Breba story-AU
Kyra McKinney and Samantha Hart meet at camp for the first time. When they discover they're twins, they scheme to reunite their divorced parents. Brock Hart suddenly enters his ex-wife's new life. But, will the stubborn Reba McKinney give in to his advances? What will Reba's boyfriend, Mike Holliway and their daughter, Cheyenne have to say about that?
What happens next? Stay tuned to find out! Keep reading to find out more!
The answers to the questions above will be revealed as you read the story. Here is "Surrender to Love!"
Now on with our next chapter-
A redheaded mother and daughter traveled down Interstate 40 past the state line separating Oklahoma and Arkansas. The journey had taken almost three hours so far. They had another three hours before they reached their destination. The daughter was nervous about the trip, twisting a red curl around her finger several times. They were headed to Ferncliff Camp near Lake Desoto in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was her first time far away from home.
"Mom, I don't know if I want to go to camp this year," Kyra began.
"Kyra, this is going to be a fabulous experience for you. I wish that I had been sent away to camp when I was your age," Reba remarked.
"I know that you had to spend every summer with your mother when you were a kid and you didn't bond with her at all. But I want to be at home with you, honest!"
"This camp was recommended to me by a friend of mine, whose daughter has been going there. She has a good time. And you will, too."
"So, what's her name?"
"Brandy. And she's fourteen. She'll be a very good influence on you."
"Maybe this won't be so bad after all."
They arrived at the camp at four o'clock in the afternoon. Reba felt a twinge of sadness at separating from her young daughter for six weeks. She hugged Kyra goodbye in the car. Then Kyra got out and walked to the main hall to register on her own. Reba was involved in her own thoughts when she was startled by a knock on her car window. An attractive man with blue eyes and light brown hair smiled at her.
"I'm so glad you made it," he said.
"I don't know why I let you talk me into this, Mike. She's only thirteen years old," Reba responded.
"Brandy started going away to camp when she was ten. Kyra will be just fine. I will keep a firm eye on the girls."
"But she's my baby, the only kid I've got left. I know that I'm being overprotected, but I've got a right to be."
"She's the only kid you've got because of the choices you made yourself. You could have so much more if you tried. Come on. Let's take a walk and see her adjust for yourself." Reed suggested. He led Reba to a pathway leading to the cabins, where Brandy and Kyra were walking towards their cabin, immersed in laughter and conversation. Mike put his arm around Reba as they walked their daughters from a distance.
"Amazing, isn't it? They're like instant friends, aren't they?" Reba remarked.
"Almost like sisters," Mike responded.
"It's funny that I'm here having this moment with you now. I never expected us to be friends again after the divorce. Somehow, I always pictured myself taking the girls to camp with their father."
"Have you spoken to Kyra about him?"
"No. I don't want to be reminded of him at all. It didn't work out and that's the end of it. I never want to hear his name again ever."
A man with dark blond hair and his daughter were approaching the cabin area from the other side on a different pathway that led to the clearing. He handed the suitcases to her and turned to say goodbye. "Well, you're here. I guess it's time for your old man to say goodbye," Brock said.
"Dad, you're not that old. I'll miss you," Samantha responded.
"Grandpa JV says that this is a wonderful camp for girls. I'm sure that you'll have a great time here."
"Yeah, but what if I'm the only girl here who doesn't have a mother?"
"I wouldn't worry about that if I were you. Just go have fun, okay?" Brock gave his daughter a big hug. "I haven't been such a bad parent, have I?"
"No, but I miss not having a mother sometimes."
"You just go on and join the other girls. I'm heading home now. I'll write you a lot of letters. You try not to be homesick and you'll be home in six weeks again. I love you."
"I love you, too. Bye, Daddy."
Brock watched Samantha walk away toward her cabin. He felt a little sad because he realized that he and Samantha were only half of a family. They were not supposed to be alone. It wasn't supposed to be this way. She needs her mother. I wish that we hadn't screwed things up between us.
He saw a couple in the distance. The man had his arm around the woman. The sun was shining down on her long auburn locks. He heard the gentle laughter in the distance and was reminded of his ex-wife, not that it mattered because their daughter reminded him of her mother every day.
Reba turned to Mike to say goodbye. "Well, I'm going to get a bite to eat and drive back."
"Don't leave yet. I can cook you dinner and then you can stay the night. You've got a long drive ahead of you," Mike persuaded.
She shook her head. "No, I should go now. It's kind of you to offer, but I'd rather go home. I'll talk to you tonight online."
"You still don't trust me, do you?"
"I avoid temptation. Besides, I like being friends with you. Anything else wouldn't be right at this point. Don't forget you're my favorite ex-husband."
"I've missed having you in my life. You're so good for me."
"I should go. Don't forget we have a date online tonight." Reba turned and walked back to her 1997 Toyota Camry., carrying herself confidently, aware of the appreciative glance.
Reba had been driving for almost three hours. Yawning, she decided to stop driving and stretch her legs. Her stomach grumbled. Still three more hours away from home, I can't drive another mile. She stopped to eat at a diner off Highway 82. Sitting down in a comfortable booth, she began to feel the tension of the day ease away.
Ironically, Brock had been driving all day from Houston to Little Rock to get Samantha to the camp and decided to stop in Texarkana. He walked into the diner to eat. He noticed the woman with red hair like the one that distracted him back at the camp. She was sitting at a booth with her back facing him, but he still decided to introduce himself.
"Hi. Are you eating alone tonight?" Brock asked her from behind.
Reba's body stiffened at the sound of his voice. "Yes, I'd prefer to be left alone. Is it just your style to pick up lonely women anywhere?" Reba responded.
Brock was momentarily speechless in his surprise. He stared at Reba with rounded eyes. "You changed your hair."
"Not really. I stopped coloring it and let it grow long," she explained.
"It looks good. I honestly didn't know that it was you when I spoke to you."
"I could tell. You're exactly the same. You'll never change, you hound dog."
"What are you more annoyed about- that I approached you or that I approached you because I thought you were someone else?"
Reba bristled under his scrutiny, irritated with his mocking tone. She spoke with quiet, but desperate firmness. "That's not important. Let's end this conversation now before we turn it into a fight. We can go back to our normal lives and never see each other again."
He flashed his most charming smile. "At least, have dinner with me. You owe me that, Reba."
Her blood boiled. "I don't owe you anything. I just want to go back to my life and never see you again."
"Never seeing me again isn't a reason to disappear from the lives of people who love you. Don't you care?"
"Of course, I care! I don't get along with my family, so I stay away from the conflict."
"Your father would give anything to be a part of your life again."
"The fact that you know that only proves my point. I've made a mess out of my life and I am a disappointment to him. But you have remained friends. How much objectivity does he have if he is friends with my ex-husband?"
"That's not how I see it. Since we can't agree, let's talk about something else," Brock responded, taking a seat at Reba's booth.
"How are Barbra Jean and the kids?"
"Fine. How's life been treating you?"
"My life is going great. I am independent and I have learned how to survive on my own. How are you doing?"
"I manage to survive day to day. My life didn't turn out the way I thought it was going to be." Brock looked into Reba's eyes. He held the connection for a couple of minutes before she looked down into her menu.
When the food arrived, they ate their meal in silence. She ate quickly in order to finish and leave before she had to endure any more of this torture. "I have to go now. I'm tired and I'm expected somewhere else soon. You look good. Have a nice life," Reba said in retreat.
Before Brock could say anything, Reba had left the diner and drove away.
Reba checked into Room 230 at the local Knights Inn. She began to settle in. She took off the clothes that clung to her and felt so binding all day long until only her long comfy T-shirt remained. She sat down on the bed with her laptop computer, ready to meet Mike online.
Meanwhile, Brock stopped at the Knights Inn to get a room for the night. He noticed a familiar car in the parking lot. That's Reba's car. She's here somewhere. He went into the office to register. "I'd like a room for the night."
"Is this just for one person?" the clerk asked.
"Yes."
"Standard, queen, or king, sir?"
"Whatever you have available will be fine. I'm looking for a friend who was supposed to check in here tonight. Her name is Reba McKinney. She's in her thirties, average height, and long red hair."
"She checked in a few minutes ago. She's in Room 230. Room 232 is available next door to hers, if you'd like that one."
"That will be perfect. Thank you," Brock responded with a smile.
Reba was online looking for Mike, but he wasn't at his computer yet. She was reading some email when she heard a knock at the door. She looked down at her phone. What a time for it to stop working. She instantly imagined some emergency at the camp and regretted being online. She jumped up to answer the door. Forgetting that Mike didn't know where she was, Reba opened it without a second thought. Brock stood there smiling. His eyes roamed over her figure. His expression was hungry and lustful. Reba noticed how Brock was watching her intently.
"Do you always answer the door to strangers when you're half naked?" he asked.
"I am not half naked. I am perfectly decent. Why do you care? We're not married anymore, remember? What are you doing here? Are you following me?" Reba fired back.
"I could ask you the same questions. But I know that it's best to answer you instead of getting into a fight. I am traveling back home from doing some business. I got too tired to keep on driving so I stopped to get something to eat and a place to rest my head. Now for my questions, why are you here?"
"I'm coming back from taking Kyra to a friend's home to visit. I have been traveling for several hours and I got too tired to keep on driving. I've still got a few more hours to go."
"Sounds like a long way to go just so that Kyra could visit a friend."
"Well, she's visiting out of state. I've been seeing someone. Kyra is friends with his daughter. So, she's spending some time with them at his house."
"I know that it's none of my business, but how did you meet this guy?"
"If you must know, I met him on the Internet. He's a great guy and I like him a lot." Brock did not get a chance to comment further because Reba's cell phone started ringing. What in the world? Crazy phone. "That must be Kyra. She's probably worried why I'm not home yet. The only reason I answered the door was because I thought that maybe there was an emergency and no one could contact me by phone."
"Can I come in? I promise not to start a fight."
"Sure. It's hot out there and we're just wasting the air conditioning like this. I've got to call Kyra back so she'll know that I'm okay."
Brock stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. Reba turned off her computer and picked up the motel phone to dial the familiar number.
Kyra picked up the receiver immediately after it rang. "Hello?"
"Hi, Kyra. It's Mom."
"Mom, where are you? I called our house, but you weren't there."
"I got hungry and tired, so I stopped and got a motel room. I'm in Texarkana, and I'm driving home first thing in the morning."
Kyra's voice picked up a more cheerful tone. "That's okay. This place is great! I'm glad you brought me here. I met Brandy Holliway. She is so cool. We played softball today. We have a team and I'm the pitcher. Tomorrow, we start swimming. But first, they're going to make us take a test. They have races sometimes and the best swimmer gets a trophy when camp is over."
"That sounds great. You're a terrific swimmer. If you work hard, I know you'll get that trophy. So, when is your first softball game?"
"Tomorrow. I can't wait to stomp the other team into the ground."
"I'm glad that you're having so much fun. I miss you. Is Brandy's dad right there?"
"Yeah, I'll call you again soon. I miss you, too."
"That's why I got the calling card. I'll send a letter in the mail to you in a couple of days. I'll tell Janel that you said hi on Monday."
"Okay, tell her that I'll write to her. Here's Mr. Holliway. Bye."
"Bye, sweetie."
Silence and pause before another voice was heard. "Hi, where are you?" Mike asked.
"At a motel."
"You should've stayed the night here instead."
"You know why I couldn't. No temptation and no sleeping together until after the ring-a-ding."
"No, I don't. I promised to give you time and space. I agreed to take things slow. I wouldn't pressure you into anything more."
"I just don't have relationships that often. I live by a certain set of rules when it comes to raising my daughter. We've got to set an example for our teenage daughters." She paused. "I can hear you grinning."
"I just like the way you said 'our daughters'."
"I knew you would. Once upon a time, they were our daughters. Look, you're very attractive. I like you. I haven't had any ring-a-ding in a really long time. Under those circumstances, things could happen. If you remember correctly, that's how things used to be until..."
"I'm just happy that you've got feelings for me. It's about time!"
"I can picture you doing a victory dance. Why don't you meet me online and we'll talk about it."
"What about now?"
"Not in front of the girls. We've said too much already. Just find a place to be alone and we'll talk."
"I'll be waiting. Bye."
Reba hung up the phone and sat down on the bed. Brock sat down next to her. He wanted to touch her and comfort her, but he didn't know how to do it without looking like he was trying to make a move on her. "Relationships are tough, aren't they?"
"Sometimes. My problem is that it's barely been a few hours and I miss Kyra already."
"I've been afraid to ask you. Can you tell me about Kyra? What is she like?"
"She's very athletic. Her favorite sports are softball and swimming. She has a horse, but she only rides for enjoyment. I've never encouraged her to compete as a rider. She loves animals. She has a dog and a rabbit. She has red hair like mine, but her eyes are green. Her best friend's name is Janel. She is kind and generous. We spend a lot of time together. My house is the gathering spot for most of Kyra's friends. She is very outgoing and popular. Reba's voice was tender and sentimental.
"Do you have a close relationship with her? I mean, compared to your mother?"
"It's good. You know how my mother was when I was growing up. I've always wanted to be a better mother. It's a good feeling. I am so grateful to have her in my life."
He smiled. "I feel the same way about Samantha. She and I are very close. I've found out that becoming a father again was a real blessing. I get to have the kind of relationship with her that I didn't get to have before with Jake and Henry. Not everything about our relationship was bad. We do have two beautiful daughters from it."
She shook off feelings bubbling up inside of her. "So, tell me about Samantha."
"She's the opposite of Kyra, but I would expect nothing less from twins. She's very feminine. She skates, roller blading and ice skating. She was a Girl Scout. She doesn't like sports much but she tries. She sews, and I've taught her how to cook. She has several close friends, but she is especially close to JV and Helen. Your grandmother says that she is just like you. She has your flaming red hair and green eyes, just like Kyra. She is quiet and shy most of the time. She loves to ride horses and competes frequently. She gets that from me obviously."
Reba playfully elbowed him.
He continued. "I spend as much time with her as possible. I only go into the office when she is in school. During the summer, she visits with Helen while I'm at work."
"What about Maxine?"
"She comes to visit occasionally. Maxine likes to spend all of her time socially with her rich friends. You know that."
"You should go now. I need to be online. I've got someone waiting for me."
"I'll go back to my room then. If you want to talk, I'm right next door. We've left a lot of things unsaid." Brock got up and walked out.
Reba heard the thunder coming from an approaching storm outside, but that couldn't compare with her own inner turmoil. She shook off these feelings and got back online with her laptop.
Reba got off of the computer. There was a knock at the adjoining door. She walked over to the door without opening it. "What do you want?"
"If you'd open it, you'd find out."
To be continued ...
What happens next? Stay tuned to find out!
Keep those reviews coming in to read more!
I hope you like my new story. Just so you're not confused. Helen is Reba's stepmom and Maxine is Reba's mother. I will reveal how Reba's marriages ended in another chapter. I will also reveal who Brandy's mother is in another chapter.
If anyone has any suggestions on my stories, then I'd love to hear them! Review or Send me a P.M with your suggestions! Please feel free to make any comments that you wish. I may just decide to include it in the story. If I do include one of your suggestions, then I will give you full credit.
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I thank all of you readers for your continued support. Your support really keeps me writing!
Without you, the story won't be continued.
Characters I don't own: Reba McKinney, Brock Hart, Barbra Jean Booker-Hart, Kyra, Jake Hart, Cheyenne, Van, Dr. Jack Morgan, Henry Hart, Mike Holliway, Terry Holliway, Mrs. Hodge, Lori Ann Garner, JV McKinney, Helen McKinney, and any other characters from the Reba cast.
Characters I do own: Anyone not part of the Reba cast – original characters developed for this story include: Samantha Hart, Brandy Holliway, Lindsay Douglas, Maxine Douglas, and Janel Morgan.