"Everything alright?" Luke inquired, as Rayna joined him on Tootsie's stage.
"I don't know. I guess…I…he just gets so damn moody. I never know what kind of reaction I'm gonna get lately."
"Deacon? If you wanna talk, we can get outta here right after Postcards." Luke seemed genuinely concerned.
An hour later Rayna and Luke were walking along the riverfront in downtown Nashville. It was 5am, and the sun was starting to come up over the Cumberland river. Rayna was quiet, and seemed deep in thought.
"It's none of my business, but seemed like kind of a heated conversation in the alley there?" Luke pressed.
"Yeah, it was ugly." Admitted Rayna.
"Where is Deacon anyway? He's usually at the Bluebird on Thur nights."
"His friend Vince's mom passed away a few days ago. He went down to Natchez, Mississippi."
"Oh, you mean that guy that lived with you and Deacon, worked a little at the Bluebird a few months back?"
"That's Vince." Rayna said with enough vehemence in her voice to catch Luke's interest.
"You didn't want to go? Did you two not get along?"
"We got along OK. Vince means well. He just has some issues, and I'm probably not his favorite person." Rayna admitted.
"How could anybody not like you?" Luke joked.
"I pretty much made Deacon kick him out of the apartment. I'm sure I'm the evil girlfriend taking Deacon away from him."
"So that's why you didn't go?" Luke pressed a little more.
"Actually, no. I wanted to go. Deacon completely flipped out about it, said I wasn't going, end of story, and never really said why."
"Kind of an odd reaction, isn't it?" Luke asked.
"Lately with Deacon…I…just never know what to expect." Admitted Rayna.
"He can be the sweetest, gentlest, most loving guy one minute, and then pissed at the world for I have no idea what the next."
"He's only been out of rehab a couple months. We're learning to deal with each other, with him sober now for the first time in our relationship."
"…and How's that going?"
"Good…. for the most part." Rayna hesitated.
"You don't sound too sure about that, Rayna."
"It's hard. He has rough days, where it takes 3 AA meeting to get him through a day."
"Wow, I had no idea." Said Luke.
"I'm doing my best to support him, and have faith that he can stay sober this time. He needs to know that I trust him, and believe in him."
"…and do you?"
"He's been so good. Completely open about where he is, what he's doing."
"…but do you truly believe he's got this beat? You seem pretty unsure, Rayna."
"I'm scared to death. I check up on him all the time. Check his wallet, phone, pockets, truck, bank statements, mail…"
"Does he know you're doing all of that?"
"I didn't think so, but he caught me red handed with his phone at 2am the other night. I thought he'd freak out, but he didn't. He was so sweet. Said he understood, and didn't blame me. Made me feel like an awful person."
"Killed you with kindness, huh?
"Yeah, pretty much." Rayna admitted.
"Oh you're not awful. You're just concerned, and tryin to look out for him. I'm sure he appreciates it."
"…but what about you, though, Rayna? Who's taking care of you? It's not all about Deacon. You need to feel good about things too, take care of yourself."
"I know, Luke, but right now it's so much about getting him through this rough patch."
"Doesn't give him the right to talk to you the way he was on the phone tonight, Rayna."
"After all, you wanted to go with him. It was his choice to leave you here in Nashville."
"I know. There's more to it, Luke. He hasn't told me much about his past. I suspect he didn't have much of a home life as a kid."
"He was pretty adamant about me not going to his home town with him. He has a mom and sister there, but apparently he's not ready for me to meet them."
"…and you don't think that's weird after 2 yrs together?"
"I do. It hurt when he said he didn't want me to go, but he's battling his demons. I'm just trying to be there for him, not upset him. I love him so much, Luke."
"Well, if you ever need to talk. I'm here." Luke sweetly offered.
"It's almost 7am. Don't you have to be back at the Bluebird by 2pm?"
"Yeah, I do. Thanks for listening, Luke. I don't have a lot of close friends, and Deacon is a hot button subject with my sister."
"Anytime, Rayna" Luke squeezed her hand, and smiled as they walked back toward his car.