Rayna had been sobbing tears of joy since the renewal ceremony. Deacon held her hand on Mason as he drove to the cabin early on New Year's Day. She finally calmed down and was only sniffling in the seat next to her husband.
"You OK?" He asked as she finally quit bawling enough to talk.
"I'm better than OK, Deacon. I thought I couldn't love you anymore than the day we got married the first time, but it just keeps getting stronger." She started to tear up again as he gently kissed her ring finger, which now held 3 rings.
She looked at the new ring he'd given her a couple hours earlier. It wasn't overly extravagant. It was a thick gold band with a tiny diamond, a tiny opal, and a tiny sapphire embedded into the band. From a distance it simply looked like a gold wedding band, but the tiny stones symbolized so much.
She nestled herself deep into the heated seat as Mason continued his kicking assault on her kidneys.
"I'm sorry this one's so tough on you, Ray." Deacon whispered as he felt Mason moving under his hand and Rayna winced in pain.
"Sorry enough to make sure this doesn't happen again?" she asked smiling
"What?" he asked not sure where she was going
"I think our family is complete with Mason. We have a boy and a girl, and an extra blessing with Scarlett. I think permanent birth control is a serious consideration now." She squeezed his hand
"OK, if you're sure, Ray? You or me?" he asked
"Why don't we check into all the options after Mason is born, and see what seems best?" she smiled at Deacon reassuringly as she saw the concern in his face.
"You OK, babe?" She asked seeing his continued concern and he was suddenly quiet as he drove
"Yeah…I just…." He trailed off in thought
"Worried about the boys?" Rayna laughed and slid her hand up his inner thigh to lighten his mood
"Careful. I'll pull over right here if that hand gets any closer to the boys." He laughed as Rayna teased him with gentle strokes over his blue dress pants.
"OK, I'll stop teasing you. I don't think I can handle car sex. My back is in knots and there's not enough room for all three of us between the seat and steering wheel." She laughed and pulled her hand away.
"You're gonna pay for teasing me later." He smirked as he pulled onto the dirt access road leading to the cabin.
Deacon slowed as the huge ruts in the road violently shook the Escalade and Rayna winced holding Mason. Deacon applied the brakes and came to a complete stop as he surveyed the situation.
"We didn't have the road grater out this summer, did we?" he looked over at Rayna
"I didn't even think about it, babe. After your accident I had the cabin cleaned and locked up. I hadn't thought about this place at all until you mentioned coming up here just yesterday."
"I was too busy worrying about you and your recovery. I'm sorry. I kinda dropped the ball on yearly maintenance issues here." She sadly apologized to Deacon for neglecting the cabin
"It's OK, sweetie. I guess I gave you an awful lot to deal with. I haven't helped with any of this kinda crap since the accident. I'm better mentally and physically now. I'm sorry for dumping so much on you this past year." He squeezed her hand before shifting the car into drive and slowly moving forward trying not to jostle and already uncomfortable Rayna.
"We're gonna have to do something about this road, Ray. This sucks!" Deacon cursed under his breath as he struggled to slowly and carefully drive over the deep ruts.
"It's never been this bad before." Rayna said grabbing a pillow from the backseat to put under Mason.
"Are you sure you're OK? Am I going slow enough?" Deacon asked as he stopped again to help Rayna get the pillow under Mason.
"You're doing great, babe. So sorry I neglected this place. I guess the emergency vehicles, and tow trucks really did a number on this road. I hadn't even considered it, but you said the road was pure mud that night when I called you. Now it's a bunch of deep frozen ruts." She squeezed his hand as they approached the sharp curve at the half way point.
Deacon tensed and pulled his hand away tightening his grip on the wheel. He stopped and put the Escalade in park.
"It was right here, wasn't it?" he asked about the accident that took Vince's life. He glanced into the backseat at the urn. He planned to sprinkle some of Vince's ashes in the river.
"He loved it here. Fishing on the riverbank was the one thing other than drinking and women that he really seemed to enjoy." Deacon said remembering Vince as tears filled his eyes
"I can't believe he's really gone, Ray." Deacon said as he cried
Deacon really hadn't grieved Vince's death. Once out of the coma everything was so much about his recovery, doctor's appointments, and therapy. Then Rayna told him she was pregnant. It had been a crazy year. Both Rayna and Deacon were anxious to forget 1998 and really start over hopeful for a much better 1999.
"It's OK, Deacon. I didn't consider how hard it might be for you to come back up here. You spent almost a month here with Vince before the accident. I'm glad you had that time with him." She rubbed Deacon's back and ran her fingers through his dark hair as he stared into the dark.
Deacon flipped the brights on. The spot directly in front of them was clearly the place the suburban had landed on its roof. The trees had been cut by emergency workers for better access to the flipped vehicle. There were ruts and huge drag marks where they had dragged Deacon's old truck from the woods back to the road for removal and towing.
It was the first time Rayna had seen the spot too. She realized how far the suburban had really been thrown from the roadway. The accident report from that night said the police believed the suburban flipped end over end at least 3 times before landing on its top. Neither man had been wearing a seat belt. She knew now why Deacon's handsome face had been so bruised and batter in those first few days at the hospital, and squeezed his hand tight, thankful he'd survived.
"Are you OK, Deacon?" she asked as he continued to just stare seemingly deep in thought.
"Yeah, yeah…I just didn't think I'd feel so emotional seeing this spot. Guess now we both have raging pregnancy hormones. Maybe we'll both cry all night." He laughed and squeezed her hand before putting the car back in drive to move on.
They came to the security gate. Deacon couldn't remember the code as he leaned out and reached for the control box. He'd done it a million times, but the number escaped him tonight.
"What's the code, baby?" he asked
"Deacon, you seriously don't know it?"
"NO, RAYNA! I DON'T." He said irritated about something else he'd forgotten. His memory was much better, but certain random things he should seemingly know still escaped him at times. It frustrated the hell out of him. There was no rhyme or reason. He'd just suddenly not know something. The doctor said it was perfectly normal after a head injury and might never improve.
"It's 1990, the year we met." She softly reminded him
The gate slowly creaked and protested after almost 9 months with no use. It painstakingly opened in slow motion, stopping dead about half way open. Deacon entered the code again. Nothing, no movement.
"SHIT, the back up battery is dead." He cussed in frustration
"Now what?" asked Rayna almost in tears as another hormonal shift hit her
"It's OK, Ray. I'll just get out and do it the old fashioned way." He laughed as he climbed out and struggled to push the gate open all the way.
"You OK with leaving it open? It's rusty. I don't wanna fight with it to get it closed tonight." He asked as he climbed back in the car
"I doubt anyone's coming down this road. I think we're safe." She smiled laying a hand on his leg
"It'll probably close once the generator kicks in and it has power again." He said as they neared the dark cabin.
It was always so pretty here with the moon coming off the water. There was a light dusting of undisturbed snow covering the area as they neared the open area around the cabin.
Rayna had forgotten about Vince's car still being stuck on the access road inside the gate. Erica had told her in a note she left after cleaning the cabin that it was stuck in the mud, and she hadn't been able to free it.
"I'm sorry, Deacon. I should have taken care of everything up here. It just slipped my mind. I was so focused on you last year." She said as Deacon stopped by Vince's little Honda still stuck in now solid ruts.
"We're gonna have to get a wrecker or tractor to pull that out now, Ray. It's encased in solid, frozen mud 8 inches deep at least." He sighed looking at the car sunken into the ground up to the door bottoms.
After a rough ride on the neglected road they'd finally made it. Deacon smiled as he came around and scooped Rayna into his arms. He carried her over the threshold just like he had the night they moved into the cabin. It had been their first home together as a married couple. Maddie's first year of life had been spent here, before they bought the house in Nashville.
Deacon gently put Rayna down under the "Eternity" sign she'd hung the day they moved in. He pulled her close for a passionate kiss and held her tight for several minutes.
"Feels just like the first time." She started crying again as she whispered in his ear and gently kissed his cheek.
"I was 6 months pregnant with Maddie last time you carried me over that threshold."
"…and now you're 9 months with Mason, and we're starting over tonight, Ray. New Year. New baby. New unbroken vows. I love you, Ray." He gently kissed her with only the moonlight reflecting off the river setting a romantic glow in the room as they held each other tight.
"I'll get the groceries, and bags outta the car." Deacon finally broke the embrace
Two trips later Deacon had the groceries on the kitchen island ready to be put away, and their suitcases by the bedroom door. He put Vince on the fireplace mantle.
Rayna was chilled. It was a cold night. Barely 20 degrees outside, and not much warmer inside the neglected cabin, as she stood, coat still on rubbing her shoulders for warmth.
Everything had been covered in white sheets and plastic. There was a layer of dust on everything as Deacon pulled the sheet from the couch near the fireplace.
"Sit down and cover up with the throw from the couch, baby. I'll start a fire, and get the generator going. Gotta warm you up." He smiled and slowly moved her to the couch. He kneeled in front of her on the couch and kissed her a few times. He ran his hands over Mason.
"How's my boy?" he asked as he lovingly bent to kiss the bump.
"He's quiet now. I think he likes it here. He's peaceful." Rayna said rubbing her hands over Deacon's as she pulled him to her for a passionate make out session on the couch.
"Hold that thought. As much as I'd like to warm you up THAT way, we really need some heat in here. I'll start a fire first to keep you and Mason warm, while I start the generator." He said as he stepped outside for some firewood from the stash just off the porch, which had also been neglected and was running low.
"We're almost outta wood, Ray. Do you still have the number for the guy that sells wood?"
"Yeah, babe. It's in my cell. Do we have enough for tonight?"
"I think so, and the furnace will be on once I get the generator going. We'll be fine tonight." He smiled as he built a fire. He was handsome in the firelight.
10 minutes later Deacon had a roaring fire going. The flames made for an even more romantic glow. Rayna loved the smell of a real wood burning fire. Their fireplace at home was nice, but it was electric start with gas and just wasn't the same.
She loved their quiet time at home too, but somehow pushing a button to start a fire and then flopping on the couch in front of the tv, after a hard day with Deacon wasn't as romantic as it always was here.
There was just something totally sexy and romantic about watching Deacon build a real fire, and then make love to her in front of the fire place like he'd done so many times before. Rayna still couldn't get enough of him. She was ready to curl up together for the night in front of the fire. She couldn't wait to be safe and warm in his arms alone all night. No kids, no work, just the two of them for the next couple days.
"Do you have the shed and generator keys?" Deacon asked pulling her from her daydream about making love in front of the fire.
"Front pocket of my purse." She pointed to her purse near the groceries on the island.
"I'll be right back." He planted a quick peck on her lips as he went out in the cold
10 minutes passed…20 minutes passed….Finally after 30 minutes Rayna got worried.
Deacon hadn't come back in, and the power hadn't come on. She hated to move from under the comfy throw all warm in front of the fire, but she was worried about Deacon out in the cold generator shed.
She shivered as she stepped out on the crispy porch as the wind howled around the corners of the cabin. The river was so pretty with ice and snow on it, but she preferred the view from behind the glass, in front of the fire with coffee in hand at this time of the year.
She could hear Deacon cussing like a sailor before she even got close to the shed. The generator was silent and not running.
"COME ON. START. GODDAMMIT!" he was ranting as he tried unsuccessfully to get the thing running.
She knew he was pissed. The long tirade of obscenities continued as she neared the dark open shed doors.
Deacon let go of the key and yelled "FUCK" as she stepped into the ice cold metal shed.
His hands were shaky, and fumbling. She knew he was having a hard time holding the key in place. The generator had been cranky in the past, but with his fine motor skills not what they used to be he was having a harder time than usual with it. The fact that it was only 20 degrees wasn't helping much either. The engine was cold, and hadn't been started in almost 9 months.
"Not going so well out here, huh?" she tried to rub his back, but he was mad and not in the mood for soothing
"Goddamn thing won't start. I've tried everything." He sniped as he leaned against the casing, looking at the generator in frustration trying to figure out what to do next.
"Your hands are so shaky, babe. Let me help?"
"Go back inside, Rayna. It's freezing out here. You're practically 9 months pregnant. You shouldn't be out here in the cold."
"Well, I'm not leaving you out here alone. Your hands are shaking."
"I'M FINE, RAY!"
"Deacon. Come on. Don't be so stubborn." She tried to lighten his suddenly sour mood
"I'm guessing the yearly maintenance on the generator wasn't done either?" he turned and looked at her in frustration
"No. I'm sorry, babe. I told Erica to just shut it off last year when she finished cleaning the cabin. It hasn't been touched since."
"It's not your fault, Ray. I always took care of all this crap. I should have thought about all of this yesterday before dragging you up here. Just random shit I don't seem to remember or process anymore."
Rayna felt so bad for Deacon. She knew his pride was hurt. His memory just wasn't quite right anymore. She knew he hated to ask her for help especially with things he'd always taken care of, but both of them had completely neglected the cabin since the accident.
"I'm sorry, baby. I wanted tonight to be so perfect for you." He turned and sighed as he looked at the stubborn generator again.
"We'll try it a few more times. If it doesn't start, maybe we should just go home?" he said sadly
"Your hands are so shaky. Let me try." She said as she held his hands and kissed his cheek trying not to hurt his pride too much.
"I haven't done this since we lived here. I just hold the primer till the light goes out, and then turn the key, right?" she asked
"Yeah." He said watching her closely
Rayna didn't have any luck either. Deacon tried using starting fluid. That didn't help. The battery started to give out as Rayna held the key in the start position.
"That's enough, Ray. It's not gonna start. You wanna just go home?" he sighed in frustration looking helplessly at her with wounded male pride.
"No, I think you can keep me warm tonight. We have the fire. We'll get some sleep and decide what to do when we get up." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply and passionately for several seconds.
"You warmer now?" he whispered as he led her back to the cabin arm in arm.
"Sit in front of the fire, baby. You need to warm up. Thank you for trying to help." He smiled and disappeared into the bedroom coming back with the queen sized mattress from their bed, making another trip for flannel sheets and blankets.
Deacon moved furniture and made up the bed in front of the fire.
"How about that? Can't have my pregnant wife on the cold floor, and it's too damn cold to sleep in the bedroom."
"I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be tonight, Deacon."
"5 star hotel maybe?" he sarcastically replied as he moved the perishable groceries outside to the porch, leaving the bottled water near the sliding door to get cold, but not frozen.
He came back with Rayna's tub of salted caramel ice cream and her jar of pickles.
"Does Mason want his usual late night snack?" he laughed as he sat Rayna's favorite pregnancy staples on the table in front of her.
"You're too good to me, babe. If I had known ice cream and pickles were in those bags you'd have been on your own with that damn generator." She laughed as she opened the ice cream.
"You'd have left me all alone out there in the cold for a tub of ice cream and a jar of pickles? I'm hurt, Ray." He stole her bite of ice cream from the spoon just before she was about to pop it in her mouth and took the tub away as he gently lowered her to the makeshift love nest in front of the fire.
"I really wanted that bite of salted caramel, Deacon!" she said irritated that he'd taken her ice cream tub away and stolen the bite from her spoon.
"Really, how bad?" He grabbed the tub and spoon and took another bite keeping it away from her teasing her as he took another bite.
"What exactly would you be willing to do for it?" he smirked holding a spoon full just far enough from her lips for temptation.
"You know you're playing with fire getting between a pregnant woman and her ice cream." She reached for the spoon, but he pulled it away and ate it himself again.
"Deacon, pleeeeaassee…." She whined like Maddie
"I told you you'd pay for teasing me on the way up here in the car." He smirked and finally fed her a little bite.
"Oh you're just cruel to withhold my ice cream and pickles." She whined more.
"There's one pickle I won't withhold." He laughed as he fed her more ice cream and took another bite himself.
"This one?" Rayna laughed unzipping his navy dress pants and unbuttoning his crisp white dress shirt as she dotted kisses down his chest, down his abs, and slowly took him in her mouth teasing him before moving back up towards his chest so slowly he about spilled the ice cream.
"I'm gonna need another bite if you want me to continue." She laughed as Deacon quickly fed her more ice cream.
"I think the pickle needs a little more attention, Ray." He smirked withholding the ice cream again, as he propped himself on a pillow and watched Rayna slowly dot kisses back down his chest, abs, and slowly take him in her mouth again.
She stayed a little longer this time before moving back up to his lips for a steamy make out session. He couldn't take it anymore and sat the ice cream tub on the table. He slowly and gently slipped inside Rayna and made sweet love to her for almost an hour in front of the cracking fire careful of the baby inside her.
Afterwards he just held her watching the fire as she drifted in and out of sleep with her head on his bare chest. Mason was calm. He seemed to like the warmth of the fire and Deacon so close against Rayna. She sleepily asked for more ice cream looking up at Deacon.
"We just about finished this tub." He smiled down at her as he fed her the last bite.
"I guess a 7-11 run is out, huh?" she asked and pouted about the end of the salted caramel and being to far from anywhere to get more at this hour. At home he'd run out at 3am just weeks ago for ice cream as one of her craving rages set in.
"Yeah, but luckily YOU have an amazing husband that knows you and that son of mine are capable of putting away at least 3 tubs in a sitting. There's a whole grocery bag full of tubs on the porch." He smiled and kissed Rayna on the nose as her eyes welled with tears.
"I do have the most amazing husband. I love you so much, Deacon." She started crying…another hormone shift touched at how sweet Deacon could be, and just something small like ice cream made her heart explode with love for him.
"Who's gonna go get it? It's probably down to 10 degrees out there and we're both naked." He laughed as Rayna pouted under the covers.
"OK, I'll go, but only because I love you so damn much, Ray." Deacon said slipping on his underwear only, as he darted out quickly in the cold, and rushed back in under the covers, his skin already cold after just a few seconds away from the warmth of their fireside bed.
He playfully pressed the tub between Rayna's swollen breasts to make her pay for sending him out to the porch in his underwear.
"Oh Jesus, Deacon, that's cold!" she shrieked about the frozen solid tub between her boobs.
"How the hell do you think I feel, Ray? I just ran out there in my damn tidy whities." He laughed and pressed his cold body against her to get warm again.
Mason clearly didn't like the cold and began moving again. Deacon reached for the ice cream after it'd had a few minutes by the fire to soften. It was pretty solid after being on the porch.
They talked and shared the ice cream as Rayna kept her head on Deacon's bare chest. It was so warm and cozy under the covers, by the crackling fire as they both drifted into a restful sleep cuddled together.
Rayna awoke to the afternoon sun streaming in bouncing off the ice and snow in the river. She smelled bacon and eggs cooking. Sitting up she saw Deacon in the kitchen making a big breakfast. The cabin lights were on and Deacon had a radio volume low on in the kitchen. She quickly threw on some sweat pants and a shirt and snuck over to wrap herself around him at the stove. He turned in her arms.
"Good afternoon." He said leaning in for the days first kiss as she held him tight.
"Still feeling clingy?" he laughed as he hugged her tighter
"I just can't seem to get close enough to you." She smiled in his arms as he turned to tend breakfast again.
"You hungry?"
"Starving."
"Sit down. I'll bring you a plate. Almost ready." He said as he turned off the burners and made up plates for both of them.
"What time is it?" she asked as he served her breakfast
"Almost 1pm" he smiled watching her eye his coffee
"I'd kill for a cup of coffee, right now." She pouted watching him drink it, knowing it isn't good for the baby.
"How about a coffee kiss." He leaned across the breakfast bar for a morning make out session.
"I need a little more." She said pulling him back to her deepening the kisses
"What time did we finally go to sleep?" she asked
"It was almost 5am."
"..and it's 1 now? I slept for 8 hours?" she smiled
"You did. You've been out cold. Mason hasn't moved as far as I could tell either. You were so peaceful. I couldn't wake you. You needed the rest, Ray. Tomorrow we'll have Mason."
"What did you do about the generator? The heat and lights are on. It's nice and cozy in here." She asked as she dug into breakfast
"I took your truck back to the shed and jumped it. I should've tried that last night. Didn't think about it till this morning. Coma brain, I guess." He laughed. It was nice to see him joke about it and not get so flustered. Rayna knew his mental awareness or lack of at times bothered him.
"Damn thing started right up. I guess the battery was just too weak in the cold last night. Seems to be running fine today. I checked the security gate. It closed as soon as the generator kicked in." He smiled happy they didn't need to leave yet. Rayna knew Deacon loved the cabin.
"I'm glad you got it going, honey. I wanted one more night here with you before tomorrow." She squeezed his hands across the table
"Me too, Ray."
"Think I'm gonna do some ice fishing with Vince today. I'm gonna spread some of his ashes by the water. He can always be fishing that way." Deacon said with tears in his eyes
"He'd like that." She said wiping a tear from Deacon's cheek
"I'm gonna straighten up around here. That whole nesting thing has me now. I feel this need to clean and organize like crazy." Rayna laughed because cleaning is not her thing and she only gets this way at the end of a pregnancy.
"The place isn't too bad, Ray. Just dust. Erica did a nice job last year. Vince and I didn't clean much that month we were both living here. I hope you paid Erica well. If not…we owe her more!" he laughed as he kissed Rayna and started to clean up.
"Go fishing, baby. I'll take care of this mess. After tomorrow you'll have a new little Vince to fish with." Rayna said rubbing Mason.
"Might explain why he's been such a little shit during this pregnancy. He's Vince reincarnated." Deacon laughed as he rubbed Mason.
"Trouble maker from day one. Just like Vince. Let's just hope he's not THAT much like him. He'll put us both in an early grave if he gets in half the trouble Vince did."
"Maddie was so calm during pregnancy, and look at her now? I'm hoping that means Mason will be the easy one, and he's getting it out of his system now." She said as Deacon rubbed her belly.
"Scarlett's the easy one. I think we only get one good one." Deacon joked
"They're all good, Deacon. Some are just a little more spirited than others. Maddie has a lot of spirit, but she seems to calm down when she feels loved. She's been an angel since spending the day with you. You need to make sure she knows you love her even when she's not so angelic. She loves you, Deacon. It kills her to disappoint you."
"I know, Ray. I promised her we'd do more daddy/daughter days. I've missed being alone with her, and she has too. I mean, I'm glad you haven't toured for more than a year. I hate it when you're gone for months at a time, but Maddie and I have a special bond because of all the time I had with her alone."
Deacon spent the rest of the afternoon fishing. Rayna cleaned, dusted and put a pot roast in the crock pot for dinner. She made mashed potatoes and gravy. The cabin smelled wonderful as Deacon came in from the cold to have dinner.
The bed was all made up in front of the fireplace.
"I thought you'd probably want me to move the mattress back to the bedroom. Why'd you make the bed?" he asked curious
"I kinda like it there. I wanna sleep out here, in front of the fire, in your arms again." Rayna smiled and kissed his cold lips
"OK, sweetheart. Whatever you want. This couple days is about you and resting. The place looks great. Dinner smells great too. Can't wait to dig in."
"Oh, I found your music bag in the bedroom. Those songs are amazing, Deacon. Sad, but I know you were in a lot of emotional pain when you wrote them. Belcort's gonna love them."
"Thanks, Ray. Are you OK with me releasing them? They're about us, and a pretty painful time in our marriage."
"Yeah, maybe you can write some happier songs now to go along with them?"
"I have a few ideas." He smiled as disappeared down the hall to shower before dinner.
After dinner Deacon was scribbling lyrics on a notepad as Rayna cleaned up the kitchen.
"Whatcha writin?" she asked wrapping her arms around Deacon from behind
"It's about Vince. I kinda wrote it in my head while I was fishing today. Needed to get it down before the coma brain loses it."
"Can I play it for you?"
"I'd love that, Deacon. I miss you singing and performing so much. I'm so happy you're trying to get back to music. It's been way too long."
Deacon surprised Rayna when he grabbed an old guitar he kept at the cabin and sat down. He cursed and fumbled for a little while, but he kept trying, and eventually found the few chords to play Vince's song.
"Drink A Beer" Luke Bryan
When I got the news today
I didn't know what to say.
So I just hung up the phone.
I took a walk to clear my head,
This is where the walking led
Can't believe you're really gone
Don't feel like going home
So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
Watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Funny how the good ones go
Too soon, but the good Lord knows
The reasons why, I guess
Sometimes the greater plan
Is kinda hard to understand
Right now it don't make sense
I can't make it all make sense
So I'm gonna sit right here
On the edge of this pier
Watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
So long my friend
Until we meet again
I'll remember you
And all the times that we used to...
... sit right here on the edge of this pier
And watch the sunset disappear
And drink a beer
Drink a beer,
Drink a beer.
Yeah
The both had tears in their eyes when he finished.
"I love it, Deacon. Vince would too. …and you can play guitar. When did you know you could?"
"It just kinda came back. Seems like a lot of things that I couldn't remember, or didn't want to remember are flooding back now. I just gotta get my fingers to cooperate. Still hard to get my fingers to do what my brain tells them to." He said sadly
"You will, Deacon. The doctor said be patient, but persistent. Keep trying and eventually everything will come back. This could have been so much worse. I know you get frustrated with all the little things that this accident took from you, but you were really very lucky, Deacon. You could have lost your entire memory, and not remembered anything including me and the kids. Your "damnesia" as Maddie calls it really wasn't that bad."
"I know, Ray. I haven't thanked you nearly enough for taking care of me. You could have just left me in a nursing home, but you took me home, and put up with my moody ass, and made me work at getting better even when I fought you. Thank you for helping me get my life back."
"I'd do it all again, Deacon. Let's go to bed. I'm feeling clingy. I need to hold you tight."
"I'll be right there, baby." He said as he turned off lights, built the fire back up, and grabbed a tub of ice cream to share.
After a couple hours of ice cream and sweet gentle love making in front of the fire, Rayna drifted off to sleep in Deacon's arms. She was in a deep sleep when she woke to Deacon screaming and thrashing around in his sleep. His thrashing was so violent she got up and away from him afraid he'd hurt the baby. He seemed to be awake, but she didn't think he was. His eyes were open, but he wouldn't respond to her.
"Deacon….Deacon…." she kept saying his name, but he didn't respond
She wanted to hold him, and tell him it was OK, but she worried he'd hurt Mason if he started thrashing again.
"Deacon, baby..please talk to me. You're scaring the hell out of me!" she watched as he calmed down his eyes open, but no response.
He hadn't moved for a few minutes. She curled up next to him again, fear gripping her. Praying he wouldn't hurt her or Mason. He was just like he was in the hospital the day he seemingly woke up, but had only a blank stare and really didn't seem to be there.
"DEACON! Come on, Deacon. Pllleeeeaasssee, Deacon, wake up. What's wrong?" she was sobbing on his chest
She wasn't sure what to do. They were an hour from Nashville. Deacon wouldn't wake up or respond to her. She was in panic mode. She tried to sit him up.
"Come on, baby. Just walk to the car for me…PLEASE, DEACON?"
She struggled to sit him up. She was straining to get him up when she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and the familiar whoosh of her water breaking.
"NOOOOO….NOT NOW! DEACON, PLEASE….MASON'S COMING! I NEED YOU!"
She felt light headed. She knew she might pass out soon. She dialed 911, and then called Tandy to stay on the line with her while she waited.
Her head felt so fuzzy…
"Rayna? Rayna?...helps coming…hang in there." Tandy helplessly pleaded over the phone and hour away unable to do anything but wait.
Rayna heard sirens in the distance. She had extreme pain in her lower abdomen, and then everything went dark as she collapsed against Deacon's chest
