"Mom, do we really have to do this," Maddie grumbled as they walked across the parking lot towards the girls' private school. Around them, other parents and kids were doing the same thing.
"Yes," Rayna said firmly. "It's parent-teacher night and that is important. Don't you want us to meet your teachers and your friends?"
The last few weeks had definitely been an adjustment. Daphne, as much as she loved Deacon, was damn determined to make up for the loss of her mom's attention while they were on tour. Maddie wasn't used to having him in the role of "not always cool dad", and she definitely had been pushing boundaries. It was a two steps forward one step back process, but they were getting it…..sort of. At least she thought they were.
"Yes!" Daphne cheered.
"Not if it's going to be on the front page of the paper tomorrow," Maddie said pointedly.
"Come on, now," Deacon said good-naturedly. "It won't be that bad. You gotta show me how this whole parent-night thing works. This is my first one."
"And besides," Rayna added. "The photographers have let up a lot on us, let's not jinx ourselves. There probably won't even be any there."
Maddie sighed, and dragged her feet even more the closer they got to school and stood outside.
"Dad said he'll be here in 15 minutes," Daphne said, looking down at her phone.
"Okay, we'll just wait…." Rayna's voice trailed off as she noticed them. There were two. Two men with large cameras standing by the front door of the school. She assumed they weren't here on official PTA business. Damn. Can't they just give it a rest? "Um…why don't we go inside and wait for Teddy," she said quickly. "Instead of standing out here in the cold."
Deacon saw the photographers too, and he saw Rayna automatically go to the other side of Daphne. It might have looked like she was just putting herself between the photographers and the girls, but he saw what it really was. She positioned herself so they weren't walking in next to each other as the flashbulbs went off.
He watched with a heavy sigh as she slid off her ring and slipped it into her purse.
She saw him watching. I'm sorry, her eyes said.
He just shook it off, and looked the other way, determined not to let it ruin the night. But he wondered if this would ever end.
################################
Deacon kept up a good show in front of the girls, letting Daphne enthusiastically drag him around the school, and Maddie reluctantly introduce her friends to them, shooting Rayna an amused look when they overheard one of the girls saying "your parents are so cool. My dad is a dentist. So lame." But she could tell he was bothered by the earlier situation with the photographers.
After take-out pizza and bidding the girls goodnight as they went up to their bedrooms, Rayna sank onto the sofa, tired and happy, but was surprised to see him putting on his jacket. "Where you going?"
"I think I'm gonna go on back to my house for the night," he said quietly.
They'd fallen into the routine of staying at her house when she had the girls, and staying at his house when the girls were with Teddy.
"Okay." She said, troubled. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I just….need a little time to think, that's all. You know….quiet and all. Maybe do a little writing. It's been so crazy the last couple weeks I haven't had much time. Should run through a few things for the Opry show tomorrow anyway."
"You sure that's all?" She stood up and walked over to him, and took his hand in hers.
"Yep." He said, avoiding her eyes. After a second, he pulled his hand back.
Clearly that was not all.
Rayna sighed. "Is this about them taking pictures of us earlier?"
"I don't think you have much to worry about," he said, unable to hide a little bit of resentment in his voice. "Because you were about five feet away from me the whole time we were in that school. Pretty sure Teddy had more to say to me than you did. At least while people were watching."
Rayna frowned. "Don't be like that. I told you. I'm just trying to protect all of us, Deacon. I didn't do a very good job of that last time."
Deacon ran his finger through his hair and paced the length of the kitchen. "Let's be honest," he said. "You're trying to protect yourself, Ray. Are you worried about another scandal, is that it? Cuz this isn't the same thing. I'm not some big hat cowboy with my face on the barbecue sauce bottle. I don't want to waltz you all over the newspapers. It would be nice to be able to put my arm around you in public. What's so wrong with that?"
"Nothing," she said insisted. "Absolutely nothing is wrong with that."
"Then why are you acting like it's 15 years ago and I'm still nothing but the guy with the guitar standing behind you?"
Her eyes flashed and her voice rose. "You really wanna do this right now? Pick a fight with me over two photographers?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "You're the one whose so damn determined that nobody finds out, Rayna. I just want to know why. It's been weeks. There is no more Luke scandal, and you're still makin excuses."
"I told you, that's not it at all!" They were full blown yelling at each other now.
She hated it. It wasn't like the two of them hadn't had a large number of heated arguments over the years over different issues, but two opinionated people who had a tendency to spout off in the heat of the moment did not make for easy resolution.
"Well then what is it?" Deacon said. "Just gonna keep being our little secret like two years ago? Just in case it doesn't work out?"
She stood there staring at him, at a loss for words.
And it took a hell of a lot to get Rayna at a loss for words.
He knew he'd hit the nail on the head, at least partially.
"Listen," he said tiredly. "I'm trying to be understanding, but its getting old, Rayna. In a hurry." With a shake of his head, looking pretty disgusted, he stalked out of her kitchen, slamming the door behind him.
##########################################
When Rayna went upstairs to say goodnight to the girls a little while later, she was surprised to see Daphne asleep on Maddie's bed, and Maddie's face streaked with tears.
"What in the world?" She asked softly, sitting down next to her on the bed. "What's the matter, sweetheart?"
"We heard you and Deacon arguing in the kitchen," Maddie said quietly. "Are you gonna break up again?"
That nearly broke Rayna's heart, thinking of the two of them sitting up here worrying. "Oh honey," she said, reaching over to brush her hair off her face. "That was just a little…argument. It happens sometimes, you know? We're both still figuring this out, Maddie. It's not always going to be perfect, but we're trying real hard. I'm sure we'll talk it over tomorrow and everything will be fine."
"Then why did Deacon go back to his house? I mean, he's been staying here with us…."
"He just needed a night of peace and quiet, I think," Rayna said gently. "He's not used to dealing with three powerful women so many hours a day."
Maddie's face cracked a half smile.
"What were you arguing about? It wasn't Luke, was it?"
"Well…no," she said. "But it's complicated…."
"I know," Maddie rolled her eyes. "A grown up issue."
"You know what," Rayna said with a sigh. "I guess I've been trying so hard to keep our lives private that I did too good of a job."
"What do you mean, Mom?"
"It's nothing," Rayna said, patting her knee. "Don't you worry about it, okay? I'll fix it somehow."
"Promise?"
"I promise," she swore to her daughter.
"You better," Daphne murmured sleepily from her place next to Maddie on the bed, raising her head. "I like Deacon better when he's not sad."
"Me too," she said with a smile. "You know what I bet would make him real happy?"
She reached for her phone on the nightstand. "Let's send him a goodnight picture of his favorite girls."
############################
"Isn't this fun?" Rayna said, as she and the girls took their places in the front row on Saturday night for Deacon's show.
She hadn't seen him since their argument last night, just giving him time to cool off, but it was weighing heavily on her mind. How the hell do I get us past this? Then she'd get mad at him all over again five minutes later. Why do men have to be such stubborn idiots?
Maddie was completely starry-eyed, just as she was every time they came to the Opry. "This is so exciting, Mom. I can't wait to play on that stage soon."
The way she said "soon", and not "some day", would strike fear in the heart of any mother trying to protect her kids from the industry.
"Some day," Rayna corrected with a small smile. "You have a lot of growing up to do first."
She'd barely been two years older than Maddie when she met Deacon, and the first time she'd played the Opry a few years later, it had been with him behind her on the stage. Funny how time got away from you when you weren't looking. In some ways it seemed like just yesterday that she'd been standing in the wings pacing anxiously to make her debut. Not even old enough to legally drink and standing on the edge of the best stage in the world.
In the back of her mind it was still clear as day.
"Stop playing with your hair," Deacon said impatiently, not even looking up from where he was sitting on a stool finishing up the tuning on his guitar. "It looks fine."
"Easy for you to say," she retorted. "You're a guy. All you have to do is throw on a flannel shirt and run a hand through your hair and everyone thinks it's the It look."
He stopped tuning and looked up at her, amused. Stood up, put the guitar down, and took a few steps towards her. Took her face in his hands and kissed her. "Stop. Worrying." He said. "As soon as you start singin, nobody's gonna care what your hair or your clothes look like. Trust me."
His words could always melt her to mush, and calm her butterflies. "You shouldn't kiss me here," she said worriedly. "People might see."
Nobody knew about the thing they had going on. Well, they weren't supposed to know. She didn't even know what it was, this "thing" of theirs that had been going on for months now. . All she knew was nobody else had ever made her feel like he did.
He was unperturbed by her worries. "Who cares. One day I'm gonna stand on that stage and kiss you in front of the whole world, Ray."
She laughed. "Oh and why would you wanna do that? You want everyone to know I'm off limits?"
"Nope," his eyes crinkled into a smile. "Just be tellin em I love you. In case they didn't already know."
Well, if she hadn't been quite sure she loved Deacon Claybourne before, she sure as hell was sure of it now.
"When does Deacon come on?" Daphne asked impatiently, bringing her out of her thoughts and back to the present. "And why does your face look all funny like that?"
"Well, you know how it goes," she said patiently, unable to hide her smile. "He's the last one tonight."
"That's cuz he's the most important, right?"
"Yes he is."
As the other artists before him took the stage, as she realized she knew exactly how to fix everything.
Halfway through the list of performers, Maddie realized her mom's seat was empty.
################################
Rayna left the girls in the front row to watch from the side of the stage as they introduced Deacon. She could never have felt a more prouder moment. He had come so far and worked so hard. He deserved to stand in that circle just as much as anyone, and as him being front and center. Not being anyone's backup.
She thought again about his words from the night before. And from all those years ago. How many times had she stood on this stage with him behind her. He always had her back, even all those years she was married to Teddy.
Now it was her turn to have his.
When Deacon took five before his last song to address the audience, she turned to the man running the soundboard. "Can you get me a mic?"
"Sure thing, Ms. Jaymes."
When she walked out on the stage, the crowd went wild.
Deacon turned and saw her walking towards him, and his eyes lit up.
"What are you doing?" He said, for their ears only.
She was wearing a little smile, and her eyes were shining. "Telling the world that I love you." She said, for their ears only. "But I think they already knew that." Then she kissed him, on that stage, in that circle, in front of the Opry. In front of the world.
He looked stunned. Happy. Kinda like he was trying not to shed a tear.
The crowd went absolutely crazy. Every single person in the place was on their feet for a standing ovation.
Rayna could see it was taking a second for him to get his bearings back.
"I was thinking it might be fun to end the night with a surprise duet," she suggested to the crowd, and they cheered again. "Deacon, what do you think?"
His eyes were mischevious. "Well, darlin, what did you have in mind?
"Oh I don't know, something old and borrowed?" She said coyly.
He looked at the crowd. "Next thing you know she's gonna want to add something
new and something blue."
Cheers erupted, and Rayna's laughter rang out.
"Well, what do you think?" She said. "It's been awhile since we sang together, think we still remember how?"
"Oh, I think we can figure it out, huh?"
They conversed with the band for a few minutes, and then the two of them launched into "Postcard from Mexico" to the absolute delight of the excited crowd.
It was the first time they'd been onstage singing together in two years.
And yet it felt to Rayna like not even a day had passed.
This is where I'm supposed to be, she thought as he slipped his hand into hers and they took a bow together. With him next to me, not behind me. This really is our life that's good.
########################################
After the hubbub of the show had died down and they were alone in Deacon's dressing room, Rayna could finally breathe a little easier that things really were fine.
"That was great," Deacon kept saying. "That was just amazing, Ray."
"You were amazing," she said. "And I hope that little surprise didn't steal any of your glory, but I thought it was the perfect way to tell the world we're together."
"It was," he sank down onto the sofa and pulled her onto his lap. "Perfect. Amazing. Everything, just…I can't even find the words."
"I can find some," she said quietly, leaning her head against his chest. "I'm so sorry, Deacon. I didn't realize how much all of this keeping quiet was hurting you. Us."
"I'm sorry too," he said. "You know I'm not good at talking about….stuff. And I guess I've been feeling like you're still holding back a little," he said slowly. "And not just because of the press garbage."
"I'm not trying to," she whispered. "I'm just…."
"Scared."
"Yes." She finally said it out loud. "Scared. I'm scared it's going to stop working."
She had clung to Luke like a life raft for all those months because she was scared. Afraid to jump on that ship with Deacon. Afraid to know if they'd drown or swim. Choosing the safe man over the right man. She'd been so wrong. He was the safe man. And the right one.
"Listen," he said, taking her hands in his. "There's no rule that says you can't be. It's not like I don't think about that stuff once in awhile too."
She closed her eyes and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "How do you know?"
His eyes crinkled into that smile. "Cuz I love you, Ray and you love me. That's the one thing that's never stopped working, even if we pretended it did for a long time. And it won't. We work, you and me."
She laughed softly. "We do, don't we."
He leaned forward and pulled her to him and kissed her hard. "Come on. Let's go find our girls and go home."
#########################################
The sun was shining through the windows.
Deacon rolled over, but her spot was empty.
Rayna came out of the bathroom in just a robe, fresh from a shower, toweling her hair. "Come on, babe. Time to get going," she said. "I was thinking it would be fun to take the girls out for brunch."
"That'd be nice," he said, leaning against the pillows. Just watching her. Loving her.
"Yeah," she smiled. "I think it would."
#######################################
She was anxious, walking into the restaurant, he could tell. But it was different.
There was pointing. Lots of smiles. And not one single camera flash in their faces, besides a few people with cell phones at a distance.
Once Rayna figured this out, she relaxed considerably. Even the girls noticed.
"Hey, they're actually leaving us alone!" Daphne exclaimed.
"This isn't so bad at all." She said with a smile, her arm laced through his. And ring on her finger where it belonged.
Deacon lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. "It sure isn't."
He could see what Rayna couldn't. They were giving them their respect. They were giving her their respect. Because she had demanded it and earned it.
Just one more thing that made him love her even more.
"Mom, look!" Maddie picked up the morning newspaper as the waitress led them to a table. "You guys made the paper."
Rayna groaned. "I don't even want to look. Please, before breakfast even. Let's not ruin it."
Deacon took it from Maddie and scanned it over. "It's not so bad, Ray," he said. "Not so bad at all. And Ryker wrote it. Hell he might be one of the only reviewers I've ever liked."
She read it over. Most of the article, thankfully, was a review of the show, and 3 paragraphs for Deacon's set. She was relieved to see that, because she hadn't wanted at all singing with him to take away from attention of that.
When she got to the last paragraph, she read
The best surprise of the night was an appearance by the Opry's reigning Queen of Country Rayna Jaymes singing a duet with Mr. Claybourne. It was like a flashback in time, but then again we've all thought for years that those two belonged to each other. It's a shame it took them so long to figure out what the rest of us knew all along. Please don't ask questions. Don't call them Deyna or Jaymesbourne, or any of that stuff, Ms. Jaymes says. Just call them happy and that'll be downright perfect.
And it just about was.