Love by Love – 02

Brock and Reba were staring at each other. The last time Reba saw him was at her wedding. Lori-Ann was her maid of Honor; Brock went with her since they were already married. Cheyenne was two years old then. After Reba married Terry, her friendship with Lori-Ann was still strong, but they didn't have too many chances to see each other much. They communicated via the phone and letters. Lori-Ann told her that they moved from an apartment to a house and told Reba to come to visit when she had some time. However, before she had chance to come by, Lori-Ann told her that Brock cheated on her and they got divorced.

"You two know each other?" Barbra Jean broke the silence.

"We went to college together and she's my ex-wife's best friend"

"Wow, it sure is a small world!"

"Yeah, too small!" Reba showed that she wasn't pleased to be living next door to Brock for some reason. Reba glanced at Barbra Jean.

Knowing exactly what was on her mind, Brock defended himself. "I didn't cheat on Lori-Ann!"

"So she's not that hygienist Lori-Ann was telling me about?"

"Well… Yeah, she is. But-"

"I rest my case" Reba picked up her box and went into her house.

"Wait a minute! You can't judge me by just listening to Lori-Ann," stated Brock firmly. Barbra Jean confusedly looked at them. "Don't you want to hear my side of the story?"

Without making an unnecessary stop, Reba simply said no and went on her business. Brock didn't make another attempt to try and explain. He went back to his house. Barbra Jean looked at each of them rather confused. She followed Brock back home trying to ask what they were talking about. Brock chose not to answer.

Brock dated Barbra jean a few months after he and Lori-Ann divorced. He admitted, he liked Barbra Jean, but he didn't love her enough to propose. As a matter of fact, he had never told Lori-Ann he loved her. Well, he loved her as a mother of his child. They were a young college kids when they were dating. And they were on the verge of braking up when Lori-Ann told him she was pregnant. They got married right after graduation. Brock continued his education at dental college. He worked his butt off trying to graduate and taking care of his family. He loved Cheyenne, he told her all the time. But the "L" word never escaped his mouth when talking to his wife. Brock never said he loved Barbra Jean either. But there was one woman he had his feelings for. He didn't approach her because she already had a boyfriend. She later broke up with her boyfriend, he though he had a chance, but Lori-Ann became pregnant. He lost hope. Brock had a vague memory that he told her he loved her, and he kissed her the night before his wedding with Lori-Ann. But he wasn't sure if he did it, because he was too drunk to remember. Maybe it was just his subconsciousness that told him to go ahead and tell her he loved her, but maybe he never did. Because she never had any reaction or any awkwardness when they met again.

Reba was busy getting settled in the new home. She finally convinced her daughter Kyra to give this house a chance, if she still didn't like it in a few weeks they would move to a small condominium instead.

"Mom..." called Kyra when Reba was tucking her in.

"Yes honey?"

"Do you think dad knows where we move to?" The little four-year-old's question almost brought Reba into tears. But she forced out a smile.

"Don't worry honey. He and Santa Claus know where we are." Kyra giggled when Reba kissed her cheek. Reba read her a bedtime story and sang her a lullaby. "Good night sweetheart." Reba kissed her forehead. She was about to leave the room, when Kyra called her.

"Mom..."

"Yes?"

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too honey." Reba smiled turning off the light.

"Mom..."

"Hmm?"

"It's okay if you cry."

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Reba had to control her voice not to shake when she said 'Good night, honey. Sleep tight.' Reba silently let the tears fall. It was over half a year now that Terry had passed. Reba saw that coming. He was sick. Lung cancer had taken his life. Terry was a sweet husband. He loved Reba with all his heart. He used to smoke a pack a day ever since he was a teenager. But when he met Reba, learning that she was allergic to smoke, he quit. But he still worked in a smoke-filled bar every night. By the time doctor diagnosed him with lung cancer, they gave him one year to live. But he didn't make it. He hung on for six months and now he was gone. Kyra was told to be prepared. Reba was prepared, but she still grieved sometime when she really needed someone to lean on. Reba let out a heavy sigh. She went to her room and changed to a bath robe. Maybe a nice warm bath would relax her. Reba searched the cabinet. She had a jar of bath salts, she put it somewhere when she unpacked her belongings. Once found, she filled the tub with luke warm water and sprinkled some bath salts in it.

The neighbor's light went on just before Reba removed her robe. She immediately remembered that their windows were aligned. Oh good it was a woman.

"Barbra Jean?" Reba mumbled. "Does that mean-? Dang it!" She got her answer when Brock stepped in the bathroom wearing just a towel. "Oh gross!" grumbled Reba looking for something to cover her window. "I have neighbors living next door on both sides of my house, why the heck does my window have to face his?" She murmured. Brock saw her covering her window with a beach towel. He chuckled. Barbra Jean broke the blinds and he was going to replace it soon, but he just changed his mind. Driving her crazy was his hobby since college. He wasn't about to quit now, especially since it could be to his advantage.

Reba made sure every corner of the window was covered before taking her robe off and slipped into a nice warm bath. She tried to relax. She still had a lot to do tomorrow. She had to do two loads of laundry, hire a pool keeper to clean the pool, grocery shopping... just to name a few. She also had to look for a preschool for Kyra. Reba quickly realized that Brock and Lori-Ann had a daughter together and he had the custody to the kid. Maybe he could tell her which preschool Cheyenne went to. Thinking about Brock she thought back when they were in college. They didn't really get along. They only talked to each other for Lori-Ann's sake. However, he always drove her insane. He annoyed her intentionally.

Reba was dating Parker at the time. They were an overachieving couple. Parker Raynold was sweet, funny, a perfect ten... well minus one: bad kisser. He was popular amongst the girls. He was the president of the tennis club, head of the fraternity. And he had a butt like two firm melons. Reba dated him for five months and she just couldn't feel the spark when they kissed. She broke up with him. They were graduating anyway, so they went on their separate ways. Reba was going back to Lubbock, Parker continued on higher education. Lori-Ann and Brock were getting married.

Reba was asked to be maid of honor. That night, she was at Lori-Ann's house preparing for her best friend's big day. Brock went to the bachelor party with a bunch of his friends. He came to Lori-Ann's house three sheets in the wind.

"Brock, what the heck are you doing here? You're not suppose to see your fiancee after midnight until the wedding!" Reba yelled at him when she found him behind the door. Lori-Ann had to stay in her room, they weren't allow to see each other.

"I'm not here to see her... I'm here to see you." Brock noted.

"All right, what's up?" Reba closed the front door and led him to the patio chairs. "Lord, how much did you drink?" Reba complained when she could smell strong alcohol from his breath.

"There's something I have to tell you before I get married tomorrow."

"Okay, I'm listening." Reba was stunned and taken by surprise when Brock pressed his lips on hers. He kissed her passionately. Reba struggled for a few seconds before her body gave in. Then she realized he was her best friend's fiance and they were getting married in less than 24 hours! Reba pushed him of. "Are you insane?" She wiped her mouth angrily.

"I love you, Reba. I love you." Those were his last words before he passed out. Reba was shocked. She couldn't believe what she just heard. She gathered her thoughts back together and called his best man, telling him that Brock was drunk and was at Lori-Ann's house. His friends came to pick him up and they teased him for not able to wait for less than a day to see his future wife. Reba never told anyone about that incident. She kept it to herself. She thought that he was marrying Lori-Anne and she was going far away from him. No one need to know about the incident. He didn't even remember what he did and what he said. She was willing to live and die with that secret. But now, she would see him everyday... It's a small world after all... Too small.