Rayna called Tandy. "Hey, can I come over?"
"Sure, babe. Everything ok?"
"No. Um, I just need to talk."
"Well, come on. I'll open a bottle of wine."
Rayna quickly called Teddy to tell him she was going to Tandy's to "make up" and then she sped out of the parking lot.
Tandy met her at the door with a glass of wine and they kissed. Rayna followed her sister into the den and they sat on the couch. Rayna took a big swallow from her glass and Tandy's eyes widened. "Whoa, girl, what's going on?"
"Deacon."
Tandy looked shocked. "What do you mean, 'Deacon'?"
"The other night, when I told Teddy I was here, I went to The Bluebird to see Deacon play. He sang something he had written for me that really knocked the wind out of me."
"I'll bet."
Rayna took another big swallow. "But not only that, Watty was there and he badgered me into recording it. And all that did was create this big old mess with Deacon." She leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes. "After rehearsal today, Deacon came to talk and we ended up kissing."
"Oh. Wow." Rayna peered at Tandy. "How do you feel about that?"
"Guilty. Mad. Confused." She looked away. "I still love him, Tandy. I've never stopped loving him. And I don't know what to do about that."
Tandy inhaled sharply. "Babe, you're married. You have children. You need to get over this."
Rayna shook her head. "I know all of that. But I can't stop loving him. I don't know what to do."
Tandy looked at her sternly. "You're going to go home to your husband" – she emphasized the word 'husband' – "and be happy you have a good marriage and family. And you're going to remember the mess Deacon Claybourne made out of your life."
"My head hears all that, but my heart says something else."
Tandy shook her head. "Rayna, think about how we grew up. Because Mom couldn't be happy, we all suffered. Don't do that to your family."
"I don't know, Tandy. Maybe if she hadn't stayed with Daddy and just done something else, it would have all worked out."
"Rayna, she did do something else, she had an affair! How did that help?"
Rayna looked startled. "Mom had an affair?"
"Yes," Tandy sighed. "That's why Daddy was so angry all the time."
"I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were a little girl, sweetheart. You wouldn't have understood then. But that's not the answer." She grabbed Rayna's hand. "Don't do that to Teddy and the girls. You need to figure out a way to get over this thing with Deacon."
"I know. I just wish this hadn't happened. It just opened up all the old feelings."
"The other reason you don't want to let this go any further is Maddie."
Rayna frowned. "I get that, but you know how I feel about that."
"Rayna, you have to keep doing what you've been doing all these years. You have to not say a word. That won't help anyone, including Deacon."
Rayna sighed. "I know." But she looked sad.
Tandy squeezed her hand. "Babe, I know you loved Deacon. I know how hard it was for you to let him go. But you and your girls have a good life. I don't want you to forget that."
Rayna smiled ruefully. "I won't, Tandy." She reached in and hugged her sister. "Thanks for talking to me and helping me clear out the fog."
When she got back in her car later, she wrote out a text, then sat for several minutes tapping the side of her phone, trying to decide what to do. Tears formed in her eyes as she tried to reconcile her head with her heart. And then she decided, hit send, and backed out of Tandy's driveway.
#
Deacon was close to the edge. It was hard to be so close to Rayna and back away. He loved her so much it hurt. After he left Sound Check, he drove to Tootsie's and sat outside, debating going in. He finally picked up his phone and called Coleman, asking him to join him at a meeting.
At the meeting, he talked about how hard it was to walk away from the thing that meant the most to him. He talked about how close he was to going into Tootsie's and getting a drink. No one knew he was talking about Rayna. He never talked about her here.
But Coleman knew. And after the meeting they had coffee and Coleman tried to talk him away from the ledge that was Rayna Jaymes. By the time he got home he felt better and more in control but he knew that would be tested the next day at rehearsal. If Rayna didn't cancel.
He was cleaning up his kitchen when he heard the knock on his front door. He looked at the clock. 10:15. A little late for company and he frowned.
He opened the door and was surprised to see Rayna.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey," he responded.
She looked like she wasn't sure what to say at first. Then, "Deacon, I need you. I love you." He paused for only a second and then he reached for her, kissing her long and hard and deep, right there on his porch. And then he pulled her inside, shutting the door behind her.
And here we go. I know this changes where things are on the show, but this is where the story led me. Hope you like where I'm headed.