-- 03 --
"Loved, with a 'D', it's past tense." Reba corrected him.
"Reba, I've done you wrong, haven't I?"
"Brock... I told you so many times, yes you have. But it's the past; no one can do anything about that now, can they? Go to sleep. Remember daddy usually wakes up before the crack of dawn. Oh, and you and I have to go shopping tomorrow."
"For what?"
"Christmas gift. I got the gifts for mom and dad. I'll put your name in them and maybe get a new card. But I didn't get one for you. And I'm sure you didn't get one for me. Oh wait, maybe you don't have to go. Maybe daddy could use some help cutting a Christmas tree. I'll get something for myself and act surprised when I open it," said Reba, making plans for tomorrow. It was the day before Christmas. The mall would be packed.
"I want to go with you. I want to get you something."
"Fine, I'm going to sleep now. Good night." She turned over to her side and drifted off to sleep. Brock waited until he felt she was asleep before falling asleep himself. In the morning Helene was surprised to see them, wondering when they got there. Reba helped her mom prepare breakfast, made sure she didn't put something on the stove and forgot about it. Liza also nearby, kept an eye on her mom. Helene grew frustrated sometimes that someone seemed to always follow her. But she eventually got used to it. Brock came in the kitchen helping set up the table. And taking care of his 'pregnant wife', Helene was happy once again to be a grandma.
"If she didn't bring it up, you don't have to!" Reba gritted.
"Well, I like seeing her happy." And Brock played the role of loving husband so well; He called her honey, squeezed a glass of orange juice for her, and lovingly talked to her at the breakfast table. Reba had to ask 'Where were you when we were married?' He just wanted to do what he should have done when they were married. After breakfast, JV went with one of the neighbors to get a Christmas tree, Helene and Liza decorated the house while Brock and Reba went shopping. This would be the first time in six years she had to shop for him as a husband. She almost forgot their traditions before the kids were born. However, whatever it was, her mom would make up a new one anyway.
"Okay, we should go our separate ways to get gifts. Anything in particular do you want?" Asked Reba thinking in her head for something to get him.
"Surprise me, you're always good at picking gifts."
"I usually plan ahead, I know what I'd get before I even start shopping. Unlike you who walk around and get the first gift you think I might like." Brock had a guilty look on his face "I shouldn't complain, I like them. Anyway, you'll probably be done before I am, wait at the food court and I'll give you a call when I'm done." They went their separate ways. Reba was right, he usually didn't plan ahead for her gift, he would walk into a mall and he would buy the first thing he saw and thought it would be a good gift, sometime he saw something better later and he would tell himself 'next year'. But Reba would hunt through so many stores for one particular item she wanted him to have. However, this time would be different. Brock had thought of something he wanted her to have. And Reba, as she walked around looking for different gift set, she tried to think what did he like when they were together. Reba was surprised she was done before Brock. She waited for him at the food court, wondering what he would give her. He came to the food court with a big plastic bag from a superstore. Yeah, she should have known, he probably got a prepared gift basket that didn't require thinking. Brock tried to peak to see what Reba got him, but he couldn't find it.
"What did you get for me?" Asked Brock curiously.
"Gift certificate"
"Oh that's so impersonal." Brock disapproved
"What you got for me then?"
"You'll have to wait and find out."
"Fine!" Reba tried to peak, but Brock hid it from her.
"Just a day before Christmas, you just got to wait till tomorrow to find out." When they arrived, the house was already decorated with Christmas lights. The tree was set ready to be trimmed
"Oops..." Reba accidentally dropped a bag of some personal stuff she bought; Brock helped her pick them up.
"Oh look whose under the mistletoes," Liza giggly pointed out. Helene turned her head to look at them. Liza thought they were husband and wife, at first she thought Reba said Brock was her ex, then Brock said she said something else. And they way there were together, Liza believed Brock more than her own ears. No one corrected her, since she was always with Helene.
"Who hung them up here?" Reba was surprised, "Don't you usually hang them on the doorway to the kitchen?"
"You did, you hung the mistletoe by the door, so you could kiss when you were dating him." This must be one of those made up memories her mom had. "Well, now you two married what are you waiting for?"
"It's bad luck to ignore the mistletoes," commented Liza with a little chuckled. Reba sighed and peck his lips quickly.
"Is that what you called a kiss? No wonder why I never have a grandchild. Kiss like you mean it!"
"Not when you two are staring!" So Helene and Liza looked away, Reba took this opportunity to give him a peck and quickly walked away, ignoring the spark she felt. Brock followed her to the bedroom a while later. Reba was in the middle of conversation with the kids, Brock wanted to talk to them too. Once he was done, he called Barbra Jean to find out how Henry was doing. Reba could feel the tension built up in the conversation.
"Things are so bad between you two huh?"
"I signed the paper before I came here." Brock finally told his ex wife.
"You did what?"
"We bought that 'file your own divorce kit' from a book store since the last time we talked divorce. We filled in all the information, but we didn't sign it. Before I came here with you, I decided that I'm going to let her go. She has a whole life ahead of her, as she pointed out, her adventure has barely started while mine's coming to the end. It's not fair for her. So now it's up to her if she wants to file it or not." Brock confessed. "I really wished as least one of my marriages would work out, but looked like I blew this one too."
"Come here" Reba brought him into a hug. She knew Brock had tried; he was no longer a moron he used to be. He tried to work things out with Barbra Jean for the past three years, but Barbra Jean had changed. She became more self-centered, just like Brock once was. Brock finally walked a mile in her shoes. The only difference was, he gave up, but Reba never did. Until the situation changed and forced her to let go. "Now get out, I have to wrap your gift." Reba tried to release the tension that started to build. They were hugging, in a bedroom. That couldn't be good.
"Yeah... I got to wrap your gift too."
"Well, why don't you wrap my gift here and I'll do it at my parent's room." with that she grabbed her purse and some wrapping papers and disappeared into her parent's room. Brock looked at his ex-wife until she was out of his sight. He missed her, he really did. He didn't expect her to take him back after all he had done to her. But he was glad he still got her friendship. Once they done wrapping their gifts, they took them down to put under the tree. Her parents let her and Brock trim the tree because they said they were too old for that now. So as Helene sat by the rocking chair having a conversation about Christmases of the past. Liza went home to spend the time with her family on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, she would return on 26th. Reba and Brock was trimming the tree. Brock lined the lights and Reba took out all the decoration stuff out and have hooked them all with a little hooks.
"Here, this is for you" She gave her a tray of ornaments to hang on the tree, and she had a tray for herself. As they were walking around, they bump into each other, accidentally working on the same branch; they laughed. JV looked at them and sighed, too bad their love life had come to an end.
"Okay, now let see..." Brock walked around the tree to examine the job they did. "Pretty good."
"Of course, I did most of it."
"Well you keep removing the ornament I hung."
"They were out of places."
"Honey, there's no specific place for the ornaments."
"Yes there is."
"You're so controlling."
"You're so out of control!"
"Stop it you two!" Helene broke the fight, "why do you have to fight, who cares who did what? It turned out nice and you both had fun, that's all that matter. Now apologize to each other or you both are grounded!"
"Sorry..." Reba apologized first
"That's okay, it turned out nice because you did it."
"A little hug wouldn't kill" Sure it wouldn't Brock was ready for that. He placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him and kissed on the side of her head.
"Shall we go eat? I'm hungry." JV had a second thought about if what he asked the two kids to do was right, he didn't want his little carrot top to hurt again. By bringing them closer only to be parted later, couldn't be good for any of them. Being a man, he could tell, Brock still loved his daughter, but he had to live with the choice he made. Being a father, he knew Reba still cared for him, but she couldn't do anything but held back.
Reba had prepared some pot roast for Christmas Eve dinner. That was the first time since Cheyenne was born that they had dinner just the four of them like when her and Brock fist got married. They shared a few stories, they laughed. Helene made up some of her memories. They learned to play along. She was happy. After dinner they left the cookies out for Santa with a glass of milk. They gathered by the Christmas tree singing Christmas carol. All the lights in the house turned off, left just the ones on the tree. One thing Helene still remembered: her Christmas stories. The stories always put Reba to sleep. Back when she was young, she would rested her head on her mom's lap, and listen to the story until she fell asleep and her dad would carry her up to her room. After she got married, she would lean against Brock and fall asleep listening to her mom's stories. When she started to yawn, she impulsively leaned against her ex. When she realized what she did, she'd sit up straight. But by the time Helene finished her stories Reba was completely out.
"Our little carrot top, she never changed." JV commented. They started this tradition when Reba was young and tried to stay up to meet Santa, Helene would tell her the stories until she fell asleep. And the tradition still held in the family after she grew up.
"No, she's still the same ol' Reba." Brock lovingly stared at the sleeping beauty "I'll take care of her JV"
"Son, I'm sorry I put you both through this."
"What? Just to carry his wife to bed? I'm sure Brock wouldn't even think of it as a trouble." Helene remarked. Brock grinned
"Helene's right. She's no trouble." Brock tucked her in for the night and he slept on the floor next to her bed as he promised JV.
Christmas morning arrived, the family gathered by the tree: opening gifts and sipping eggnogs. Reba got presents for her parent and gave them as from Brock and from her. They signed the cards together. She also got stockings for her daddy on her mother's behalf, but Helene didn't forget JV's stocking, but she forgot Brock's, so Reba gave them to Brock. They exchanged gifts. Reba got a big heavy box from her ex. Brock got a small box from Reba. He opened it and found a bottle of man's cologne.
"Would you be all over me if I use this?"
"I might." Reba answered with a little wink. She opened her gift and found a jewelry box. "Thank you"
"Take it out of the box, and look inside." Reba was a little confused by his demand, but she did what he told. She gasped when she saw what hidden in the jewelry box.
"Brock..."
