"What happened?" Tandy asked Rayna, sitting at a table of the hotel lounge in Louisiana. She swirled her wine in her glass before putting it to her lips to take a sip. Bucky had called Tandy to fill her in on everything that happened in Oklahoma. She knew her sister needed her so she had Bucky book her a flight out for the next tour destination. Rayna shook her head, setting her drink down on the table. "Daddy was right, Teddy was right, you were right. There's never going to be a happily ever after." Tandy took Rayna's hand in hers. "Sweetie, have you talked to him?" Rayna frowned. "Only when I have to onstage." Tandy sighed. "You can't avoid him, that's not going to solve anything." Rayna saw Deacon getting off the elevator and walking towards them. She started to squirm in her seat and Tandy noticed. "I asked Deacon to join us so you two could get everything out in the open." Rayna threw her hands in the air. "Tandy you said you weren't going to pry." Tandy crossed her arms. "This isn't me prying, this is me-" she paused. "Helping." Rayna rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm out of here." She stood up but Tandy grabbed her arm. "Stop, you're being ridiculous. He's coming." Rayna sighed and sat back down when Deacon approached the table.
"Hi." He said. "Hi." Rayna said matching his tone. Rayna started fidgeting with her hair and Deacon awkwardly put his hands in his pocket. Tandy watched and waited for them to interact with each other but neither one of them did. Tandy cleared her throat. "Deacon have a seat." Tandy offered. Rayna tapped her fingers against her glass, staring into it. Deacon rubbed his facial hair with his hand, staring at the ground. Tandy looked back and forth at both of them, neither making eye contact with her or each other.
"Well this is fun." Tandy piped up. She clasped her hands together and leaned forward across the table, ready to start engaging in conversation. She took a deep breath at the lack of conversation going on at the table then she smiled to herself as if she had a brilliant idea. "Hey, why don't we start by talking about the tour?" Tandy waited for one of them to talk but they both remained silent. Rayna briefly looked up at her sister. Tandy nodded her head towards Deacon, encouraging her to speak to him. Rayna shook her head and fidgeted with her fingernails, as if the nail polish was suddenly so interesting to her. Tandy smacked her lips together, getting frustrated. She sighed.
"Okay, how about dinner? Is anyone hungry?" Neither spoke. Tandy slammed her fists down on the table. "How about the fact that ya'll are parents and you're acting like children right now?" They both jumped. Deacon looked over at Rayna, briefly making eye contact with her and then she quickly fixed her eyes on her shoes. Deacon threw his hands in the air, looking at Tandy. "She doesn't even want to look at me because she doesn't trust me." Rayna quickly looked up and got defensive. "You act like you haven't given me a reason not to trust you!" Deacon got defensive right back. "Well it's kind of hard to talk to someone who accuses you of cheating and drinking." Rayna shakes her finger at him as if she is disciplining a child. "I gave you plenty of opportunity to tell me what was going on and you didn't." Deacon ran his hand through his hair. "I was going to talk to you after the show but then I find out that I have a new room number." Rayna smirks sarcastically at him. "Okay, well it's after the show, so talk."
Deacon opened his mouth to speak but he just sighed. Rayna crossed her arms. "Apparently you don't trust me either, otherwise you would've told me what you're so hell bent on keeping from me." Tandy scratched her forehead. "Come on ya'll let's calm down, take a deep breath." Tandy chimed in. Rayna rolled her eyes as she stood up. "I'm going to back to my room." Deacon closed his eyes and sighed again. "Rayna." He pleaded. Rayna turned to him with tears in her eyes. "All we ever do is hurt each other time after time." Deacon stood and gently grabbed her arm. He looked deep into her eyes. "Baby, that's not true." Rayna found herself getting caught up in the moment staring into his pleading eyes but she stopped herself, she shook her head and walked to the elevator.
Tandy threw her hands in the air. "What is wrong with you? Go after her!" Deacon shook his head. Tandy reached across the table for his wrist, she shook it and made him look at her. "What the hell is going on here Deacon?" His eyes stung with tears he held back. "I lost the love of my life again." Tandy cocked her head. "You haven't lost her yet." Deacon nodded. "She doesn't trust me, Tandy. I lost her trust and I lost her." Tandy swirled her wine again. "But why? Why doesn't she trust you?" Deacon buried his face in his hands. "Melanie from wardrobe walked in with my jacket and I froze, I didn't know what to do. Then Rayna starting going off asking me if I was hiding booze or pills. I heard her talking to Bucky, she thought I was cheating on her with Melanie." Tandy raised her eyebrows. "And?" He sat back. "And?" He repeated. "It's not true right?" Tandy sipped her wine. "Of course not. Rayna means everything to me."
"Then why did you freeze up when Melanie walked in?" Deacon sighed. "Inside my jacket, I had an engagement ring." Tandy sat up straight and gasped. "You were going to propose?" Deacon nodded. "I had reservations at the restaurant she was going to take me to the night before but we got sidetracked by the press. I had everything planned." Tandy frowned. "Oh I am so sorry but you have to tell her this. She thinks you're lying and all you're doing is trying to surprise her." Deacon shook his head. "I don't think it matters anymore. She already called everything off." Tandy threw her hands in the air. "Listen to me, Rayna has got a weak spot for you. She wants you just as much as you want her. Now go win her back Romeo." Deacon scratched his chin. Tandy swore. "You know, you two were made for each other, you're both stubborn. I'll go talk to her." Tandy stood up and started to walk over towards the elevators.
When Rayna got up to her room, her phone rang. She checked the called i.d. and it was Maddie. "Hey Honey." She tried her best to sound cheerful. "Hi Mom." Hearing her daughter's voice made her miss being home with her girls. "How are you my sweet girl?"
"I'd be better if you and Deacon were home. You're going to be home for my birthday right?" Rayna silently sighed, hearing his name made her sad. "Of course."
"I really want to have a pool party and a sleepover."
"Okay well, we'll talk about that."
"Can I say hi to Deacon?" Rayna looked around for an excuse. She didn't want to lie to her daughter. "Ya know what babe, he's downstairs right now but I'll tell him you called." Maddie sighed, sounding disappointed. "Alright I love you."
"I love you too. Bye." Rayna set her phone down next to her. She laid her head back on the couch, wiping the tears from her eyes.
There was a knock on Rayna's door. She decided to ignore it, but pretty soon the person on the other side of the door was knocking repeadedly, nonstop. Rayna swore as she got up to answer the door. "Alright, enough!" She hollered at Tandy who was on the other side of the door, with her hand over her mouth, trying to hide her smile. "You have to forgive Deacon." Tandy brust. Rayna rolled her eyes, holding the door open. "Come on, don't you have your own room and you own romantic life to worry about?" Rayna tried to shut the door but Tandy held it open with her hand. Rayna put her hand on her hip. Tandy marched passed her and closed the door. "You need to talk to him now!" Rayna threw her hair over her shoulder. "No, I'm mad at him! He's hiding something, remember?" Tandy quickly shook her head. "No he's not! You have to trust him!" Rayna crossed her arms. "And why should I?" "He told me everything." Rayna raised her eyebrows. "What?" Tandy grabbed Rayna's hands. "Sweetie, he's not hiding anything from you." Rayna looked at her sister confused. Tandy continued speaking. "If you don't trust him, then you should trust me." Rayna laughed. "Why is that?" Tandy smiled at Rayna. "Because I'm your sister."
Tandy spotted Rayna's cell phone lying on the couch. She walked over and picked it up. "Hey, give me that." Rayna reached for her phone but Tandy walked to the other side of the room. Rayna walked after her. "Tandy, what are you doing?" Tandy smiled. "Texting Deacon to tell him it's okay to come up." Rayna's eye grew wide. "What? No! I do not want him here." Rayna's phone buzzed. Rayna reached for it but Tandy held it away from her reach. "Too late, he's on his way up." Rayna ran her hand threw her hair. "How is this going to be any different than what we've already discussed downstairs?" Tandy shrugged. "You two will figure it out." She started to walk towards the door. Rayna shook her head. "Oh no, you're not leaving." Tandy put her hand on her hip. "I have to, otherwise I'd be prying." Tandy smiled, continuing to walk over to the door. "Very funny." Tandy turned to face Rayna before she opened the door. "I love you." Rayna sighed. "I will make you pay for this." Tandy smirked. "No you'll thank me tomorrow after you have the best make up sex ever." Rayna smiled even though she tried not to. "I have to go. Have fun babe!" She left and Rayna suddenly felt sick, not knowing how this was going to go.
