Brock remained frozen downstairs for a moment then quickly followed Reba upstairs. He had a million and one questions running through his mind and he wanted answers. As he quickly walked down the hallway he peeked into each of his other children's rooms. They all seemed to be intact, except of Cheyenne's of course since she went to college. He walked to his former bedroom. He slowly looked inside. What he saw made his heart melt.
Reba was holding a small bundle of pink blankets in her arms rocking back and forth in the rocking chair in the corner of the room. As Brock's eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the room he could see s single tear run down Reba's face. Reba was mumbling something but he could barely hear her. Brock listened as best he could and a simple smile spread across his face.
"Do you know who's downstairs right now? Your daddy is, that's who. Only he doesn't know yet that he's your daddy." Dakota looked at Reba. "Don't worry I'll tell him one day. I just don't know how too. Do you have any ideas?" Dakota looked away from Reba. "Yeah, that's what I thought."
Dakota became fascinated with something and won't break eye contact with it.
"Whatcha looking at baby girl?" Reba followed Dakota's eyes and was shocked to see Brock standing the doorway. Brock walked across the room and stared at Reba. His smile had disappeared and he had a very serious look on his face.
"Who's her father Reba?" Brock asked in a hushed tone.
Reba could barely breathe let alone talk. She had imagined this situation a million times but it never happened like this. "You are," Reba said when her voice came back to her.
"What's her name Reba?" Brock now had a smile on his face.
"Dakota Marie." Reba was relieved and overjoyed that the more she talked with Brock the easier it became. Brock's smile faltered a tad.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Brock asked slightly above a whisper. Reba looked down at Dakota and played with her blanket.
"I was scared and proud. We had just filed for divorce when I found out I was pregnant. I didn't want you coming home because you felt like you had to. I wanted you to come home because you wanted to. Because you loved us, and me."
Brock nodded his head. "But I do love you, Reba. Barbara Jean tricked me into a relationship with her. What a minute, it's only been eight months since we filed for divorce. Reba, what happened?"
Reba stood up and walked over to the bassinet and rocked Dakota. "They were born earlier."
"They? Reba what happened? Please tell me the whole story." Brock begged walking up behind her. Reba hadn't even noticed she had slipped and said they until Brock repeated it.
Reba sighed. She supposed now was better than never to tell him. "She was a twin. Everything in the pregnancy was going great until that day. I had more pain than ever so Eli- I- I went to the hospital."
Reba glanced down at Dakota. The small infant was almost asleep. "When I got there, the doctor said I had to deliver the twins early. One of them was in danger."
Reba looked down and saw Dakota was asleep. She gently placed the baby back in the bassinet. "The doctor delivered them both but the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. They gave him a month, Brock, a month. Thirty days to improve in anyway. He was so small and helpless. There wasn't anything I could do. He died Brock. Our baby died." Reba had tears streaming down her face as she struggled to say those words. It still hurt to talk about Darren. Brock walked over and wrapped his arms around her. He wanted to be as close as possible to her. Reba's first instinct was to fight him. She wanted to yell and scream and let out all the pain she's kept bottled up inside her. But she also didn't want to be alone. Brock had tears in his own eyes when realization over took him.
Brock gently comforted Reba. "It wasn't your fault, Reba. Things like this happen sometimes for reasons we don't understand. You're a wonderful mother who has a beautiful baby girl to take care of now." he whispered. Brock was about to pull away from the embrace when Reba wrapped her arms around him. She pulled him closer to her and buried her head in his neck.
"Don't leave me Brock," she whispered barely audible between sobs. "Not yet."
Brock pulled her closer and whispered back. "I wouldn't dream of it." He placed a gentle kiss on her temple. Reba pulled back a little and look into his eyes. She leaned in a kissed Brock passionately and Brock pulled away.
"Reba we shouldn't do this right now. We should wait. Let's go downstairs and we can just talk." Reba nodded her head in agreement and followed Brock downstairs.
