"Why don't I just stay over tonight? The baby's been quiet. Tonight could be the night. Maybe she'll make an early appearance." Teddy smiled and rubbed Rayna's belly as he leaned in for a kiss
"It's almost midnight. You have an early day. You don't have to stay. The baby's not coming tonight, Teddy. I still have almost a month to go."
"Speaking of a month…you know we still need to reschedule the wedding. I know you said you don't want to make a big deal out of it, but how about a little mountain chapel in Pigeon Forge. We'll take your sister, dad, Watty, Bucky…10 people tops this weekend and just do a private ceremony? What do you think?" Teddy asked. He'd been so patient and understanding when she'd told him she didn't want to do the country club wedding just days before the big event.
They'd managed to keep it quiet and out of the tabloids. News had broke of the country club wedding being off, but Rayna and Teddy had gone away the same weekend to avoid the media. Rayna's PR team had refused comment. Somehow the story had evolved to Rayna's dislike of the country club life, which was true, but had gone on to say they'd simply eloped privately at an undisclosed location. As far as anyone knew they were already married. Only their closest friends and family knew there had been no wedding and Teddy was most likely not the baby's father.
"That's sounds nice, but what's the rush? We can always get married after she's born?" Rayna suggested
Teddy sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, pulling his shoes on. Rayna sensed he was getting a bit irritated with her. She'd managed to keep him at a distance, but she wasn't sure how much longer he'd been patient, but it seemed to be waning tonight.
"Rayna, I love you and I love that baby girl. If you want me to play the part of daddy here, I need you to make a commitment to me. Marry me this weekend? I want to be married when Maddie is born. I don't think that's too much to ask considering the circumstances here."
"You're right. I've expected you to just bend and go along with whatever I've asked, and you have. You're an amazing man, and I couldn't think of a better father for Maddie. OK, this weekend it is!" Rayna tried to smile, but her heart just wasn't into a weekend wedding.
"Really?" Teddy's face lit up. He kissed her with such passion she almost forgot who she was kissing. Passion hadn't really ever been Teddy's strong suit. Their sex life had been lackluster at best, but Rayna had also been pregnant the entire time.
"Yeah, I already have the dress. We just need the chapel. Let's do it." She couldn't refuse. He was so happy and she knew he'd be a wonderful father and husband. There really was no reason to keep him waiting any longer. It wasn't fair to Teddy.
"You've made me a very happy man. I'll make the chapel arrangements and call you with the information tomorrow, OK?" he smiled and planted another deep kiss on her lips before getting up to leave.
Teddy had been gone less than 5 minutes when Rayna's cell phone rang on the bed side table. She glanced at the display.
"Coleman at this hour?" she quickly picked up
"Cole, what's wrong? It's after midnight."
"I'm sorry to bother you so late. Is Teddy with you?"
"uuhhh…No, he just left. Why?" she asked concern growing
"It's Deacon. I think you need to talk to him, tonight!" Cole insisted
"Why? What's going on? Is he drinking?"
"Not yet, but he's pretty upset. He knows about the baby, Rayna. It was one thing when he didn't know, but I can't flat out lie to him knowing the baby is his. You don't have to come with me if you don't want to, but I needed to tell you I'm not gonna lie to him anymore."
"How did he find out?"
"I'm not sure. He's at the cabin. Said memories just came to him. I'm heading up there now. I can pick you up if you wanna tell him about the baby yourself?"
"uuhhhh.I…I dunno, Cole …I thought we agreed staying away from him was the best thing I could do?"
"It was, but you're having a baby with him. He knows. Do you really think he'll just walk away without a fight now?"
"I honestly have no idea what he'll do, or how he'll react Cole. He's so volatile when he's mad, or drinking."
"Well, there's not much you can do now, but tell him the truth. He's a good guy. He doesn't want to disappoint you again. I still feel like he'd be better off on his own and away from you until he's had some serious sobriety time under his belt, but it is what it is. He knows about the baby. You're just gonna have to deal with that now, and so is he."
****silence*******
"Rayna?"
"I'll go with you. You're right. He deserves the truth, and he deserves to hear it from me. I'll be ready in 10 minutes."
Rayna was quiet on the drive to the cabin. She had no idea what she was going to say to Deacon after 8 months of blowing him off. She knew he'd be angry, but hoped he wouldn't start drinking again before they got there. Secretly she'd hoped he would figure it out and realize the baby was his, but now that he had she wasn't so sure."
"Stay here. Let me go in first to see how he is." Cole told Rayna as he put the car in park, leaving the engine running for heat on the chilly February night
"Hey, Deke! How you doin?" Cole asked as he slid the porch door open
Deacon was still sitting on the couch, staring into the fireplace. He had Rayna's pills in his hand. He was calmer than Cole expected, but clearly upset.
"Guess I know now why she's been avoiding me." Deacon flatly said without looking away from the flames
"How do you feel about being a father?" Cole asked
"Most people get 9 months to get used to the idea. I'm gettin, what, a few weeks, tops? I don't even know exactly when she's due. Hell, for all I know she's already had it, or in labor now!"
"…and what if she doesn't want you in the child's life? Are you gonna be OK with that?"
"I dunno, Cole. I'm not even 100% sure it's mine, but I know we slept together in June and she's due in March. You do the math!"
"I know I've been telling you to stay away from her, but under the circumstances I think you two need to talk."
"Talk? …and how the hell am I supposed to get her to talk to me? She's avoided me for 8 goddamn months, Cole! Before I left for rehab, everytime I tried to get near her, she had some of her fuckin security people keep me away." Deacon was getting angry
"Calm down. I'm pretty sure she's ready to talk to you." Cole squeezed Deacon shoulder reassuringly
"What? …How do you….? Wait…How did you even know how to get here? I've never told you where this cabin was." Deacon asked confused
"Deacon, look…our meeting up in AA a few weeks ago wasn't by chance. I have a bit of a confession, and I hope you'll understand it was because she does still care about you."
"What?" Deacon only stared in confusion as Cole struggled for the right words
"I've known Rayna since she was a kid. I've done business with her father and sister for years."
"So…what, she sent you to check up on me? See if I'm still the fuck up I was 8 damn months ago? IS THAT IT?" Deacon was losing his temper
"No, she just wanted you to have someone to lean on, someone to talk to. I am an alcoholic, but I've been sober for years. I've sponsored a lot of folks since my own recovery. She knew that, and thought I might be able to help you too."
"If she cares so goddamnn much, why the hell doesn't she just talk to me herself? If this is my baby she's pregnant with, why didn't she just tell me?"
"You'll have to ask her all of that, Deke. Do you think you can calm down enough to see her?"
"Tonight?" Deacon asked
"She's in the car, but…." Before Cole could stop him, Deacon had pushed past him, was out the door, down the steps, and opening the driver's side door of Cole's BMW
Deacon slipped into the driver's seat, locked the doors, and had the car in reverse before Cole ever got off the porch.
"Deacon! What are you doing?" Rayna asked as Deacon shifted into drive and headed down the gravel road away from the cabin, leaving Cole yelling from the porch
"You realize this is grand theft auto?" Rayna asked after a few minutes of silence
"Yeah, well…add it to my list of fuck ups, Ray!" Deacon retorted as he pulled to the side of the gravel road a few miles from the cabin
"Deacon…I know you're hurt and angry, and you have every right to be, but let me explain."
"So the baby is mine?"
"Yeah, Maddie is yours." Rayna looked away suddenly ashamed for keeping his baby a secret from him all these months
"Maddie?" he asked swallowing a lump in his throat
"Yeah, it's a little girl, Deacon. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. Here's the latest sonogram picture." Rayna pulled a black and white image from her purse, handing it to him.
He stared at the skeleton looking image for several minutes as Rayna pointed out things.
"See, it's a girl. It's hard to tell, but looks like she has a head full of dark hair, like you. She's perfect. You can see all her little fingers and toes. She hiccups after I eat. She already loves the sound of her daddy singing. I've been playing your album. I wanted her to know your voice." Rayna admitted with tears in her eyes
Deacon was calmer. Looking at his baby girl had completely disarmed him.
"You should have told me, Ray. Look…I know I was a damn mess. Hell, I am a damn mess, but …" he trailed off his voice cracking
"You're right. I should have told you, but it's not about US anymore, Deacon. It's about Maddie, and what's best for her. I need to protect her."
"From me?" he asked sadly
"Yeah."
"I get it. I can't say I blame you. So, this Teddy guy you married…Is he a good father, husband?" Deacon asked looking away from Rayna's gaze
"He's a wonderful man. He loves Maddie already like she's his own." Rayna didn't want to lie to him anymore. She was honest even though it hurt both of them
"Were you ever gonna tell me about her, Ray?"
"I wanted to, Deacon. I really did, but she needs a father that can provide a safe, loving home, and a future without doubts. She needs stability and you can't give us that." Rayna sadly admitted with tears stinging her eyes, unable to face Deacon
"So this Teddy, your husband, can give you that? He's willing to raise my baby as his own?" Deacon asked sadly
"Yeah, he's willing to do that. We're getting married this weekend."
"…but…I thought you were already married?" Deacon asked confused
"I called off our first ceremony. The country club just wasn't what I wanted for my wedding, and I had a lot of doubts too. I wasn't sure…"
"Because of me?" he asked with a glimmer of hope
"You're a big part of it, Yeah. The guilt over not telling you about Maddie. The fact that, I'll always love you, Deacon. It's just not enough anymore. I have Maddie to think about now."
"So what do you want from me, Ray? Are you gonna let me be part of Maddie's life?"
"I think it would be best if she knows Teddy as her father, Deacon. I'm not saying you can't see her, but maybe as an uncle, or friend?"
"She's my daughter, Rayna! I have a right to see her, to know her, to watch my little girl grow up. Please don't take that away from me! I've already missed most of your pregnancy. I haven't been to any doctor's appointments, or heard her heartbeat. Hell, Rayna…I've never even felt her kick. Don't take anymore away from me, Please?" he begged
"Deacon, please…you aren't capable of being the father she needs. If you love her, and me, the best thing you can do is let us go."
"I'm sober, Rayna! I've been sober over 8 months. Yeah, I've wanted to drink, until tonight. My little girl needs me. She's the reason I'll never take another drink again. Give me the chance to be her daddy? I swear you won't regret it, Rayna. I want this. I want this more than I've ever wanted anything in this world. Don't take my little girl away from me. Please, Rayna. Please give me a chance."
"Deacon…I love you. I do, but there's not room for another mistake here. There's an innocent baby involved, and you've failed at sobriety 4 other times. Why should I believe this time's any different?"
"Let me prove it, Rayna? I can be the husband and father you need me to be. Maddie changes everything. I can stay sober for her and you. Just give me a chance, baby?" he was pleading. Rayna could feel her resolve slipping away as he tearfully begged for another chance.
She'd never been able to resist Deacon Claybourne for long. The only reason she'd made it 8 months was because she'd stayed away from him, but now he was right here, begging for another chance not only with her, but as a father to their baby.
"Look..you don't have to answer me now. Take some time. Think about it, Ray."
"Deacon…I….I can't do this with you again. I can't … take the risk. Not when Maddie's involved. Please just let us go." Rayna begged hoping he'd just relent
"I'll never let go, Rayna! I'm her father, and nothing can change that."
"Deacon, if you love her you need to do what's best for her."
"…and what is that, Rayna? Huh? Lying to her about who her daddy is? I may never be father of the year, but I can love that little girl more than Teddy. She's my baby. I've made some horrible mistakes. I've put you through hell, and god I am sorry!" he was crying now
"Deacon…." He was wearing her down. She was having doubts about marrying Teddy.
"I love you, Ray. Don't marry Teddy. PLEASE, Rayna! Give me ONE more chance? That's all I need. I won't let you or Maddie down this time. I promise, baby. C'mon, Rayna. We love each other. We're having a baby together."
"I love you, Deacon. I do…hurting you is the last thing in this world I wanna do, but I need some time. I'm so confused and …can you please just give me some time."
"Take all the time you need, Ray. In the meantime though…I wanna be part of Maddie's life ..as her daddy. I don't want Teddy playing that part, OK?"
"We should get back to the cabin. Cole is probably furious by now." Rayna suggested trying to change the subject
"Yeah, I guess takin his $90, 000 BMW wasn't the best idea huh?" Deacon smiled. His smile could still melt Rayna. Her resolve was almost completely broken. She knew the more time she spent with him the less likely she was to deny him anything he asked
Coleman was sitting on the steps fuming as Deacon pulled up to the cabin.
"Where the hell have you been for an hour and half?" he barked as Deacon got out
"We just needed to talk, alone. Sorry, Cole." Deacon smirked
"No harm done. Are you two good?" Cole calmed down
"Yeah, we talked. Rayna's gonna take some time to think about things, but we're good."
"You ready to head back to Nashville, Rayna?" Cole asked
"ahhhh..give me a second, Cole?" Deacon asked as he went around to the passenger side, kneeling next to the open car door
"I meant everything I said, Ray. I love you both and I'm gonna prove to you I can be the husband and father you need me to be." He had his hands on Rayna's baby bump. Maddie suddenly kicked
"I think she approves of her daddy. Now I just need to convince mama, right Maddie?" Deacon bent to kiss Rayna's belly. "Daddy loves you." He whispered to his unborn daughter as he felt her kick a few more times. His face was so lit up. Rayna had never seen Deacon so happy as he rubbed her belly and cooed to their baby.
As he moved to stand up, Rayna caught the collar of his denim shirt and pulled him to her for a deep kiss, unable to resist after his sweet exchange with Maddie.
"I do love you, Deacon. I just need a little time, that's all." She smiled as he leaned in for another kiss.
"I've missed you, baby. We'll talk soon. Take care of my little girl." He whispered in her ear before closing the car door.