"Ray….RAYNA?" Deacon yelled as she slammed the van door in the driveway and stormed into the house.
Neither had said another word on the 15 minute drive home since Rayna's statement that she was done apologizing about the Luke and the affair.
Deacon carried a sleeping Mason into the house, taking him upstairs to his nursery. He closed the nursery room door, hoping the baby would sleep for a couple hours.
Rayna had gone to their bedroom and slammed the door. Deacon heard the jets in the tub. He hoped she'd soak away some stress and be a little more tolerable after her bath.
"Nice of everyone to just up and ditch me all day!" Beverly sniped as Deacon came down the stairs
"We didn't know you were even coming. You've been MIA for a damn year and a half. What the hell'd you expect us to do, drop everything and entertain your ass?" Deacon asked as he sat in his recliner across from Beverly on the couch.
"What time does Scarlett get out of school? Can I borrow one of your cars and pick her up? I think she needs some alone time with her mama, without you and Rayna to coddle her, and keep her away from me like you did last night." Beverly clearly irritated about Scarlett's closeness to Deacon and Rayna sniped
Deacon didn't answer as he sat contemplating how to deliver the blow that Beverly wouldn't be seeing Scarlett, and needed to leave their home.
"Well…how about the vet? I'd love to drive that." Beverly sneered
"No way in hell Rayna would let you drive that, Bev."
"Yeah, I saw the bow and card on the car. Queen Rayna gets a corvette, and I get carnations for Mother's Day! Nice, Deke!" Beverly's jealousy and resentment of Rayna was oozing from her lips.
"Ya think maybe that has something to do with the fact that Rayna's been a mother to her kids and yours, and you've been off with Lester ignoring your kid." Deacon snapped
"I'm here now, DEACON! Speaking of MY kid, why is she calling you and Rayna mom and dad? Letting you take her was obviously a mistake! You've turned her into a whining, sniveling BRAT! She wouldn't even hug me last night."
"She was having an asthma attack, BEVERLY! Don't you get that? SHE COULDN'T BREATHE!"
"She's FINE, DEACON! It's all drama and part of her act for attention. She needs discipline and needs to learn some respect. You and Rayna do nothing but baby her and indulge her every whim. Of course she's gonna play up the sick act as long as you let her."
"IT'S NOT A DAMN ACT, BEVERLY! THE KID HAS SEVERE ASTHMA! SHE'S SEEN THE BEST DOCTORS! WE HAD IT PRETTY WELL UNDER CONTROL UNTIL YOU SHOWED UP. WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HER BEFORE WE TOOK HER? SHE'S TERRIFIED OF YOU!"
"OF ME? I HARDLY THINK SO, DEACON! SHE JUST DOESN'T WANT TO GO WITH ME BECAUSE YOU'VE TURNED HER INTO A MATERIALISTIC LITTLE DIVA JUST LIKE RAYNA AND MADDIE! I LOOKED AROUND HERE TODAY. EVERY DAMN TOY SHE COULD IMAGINE. NICE LITTLE KIDDIE CADILLCS TO MATCH RAYNA'S. INGROUND POOL IN THE BACKYARD! CLOSET FULL OF CLOTHES, DRESSES, SHOES. WHEN I ASKED YOU TO TAKE HER I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO TURN HER INTO A SPOILED ROTTEN BRAT, DEACON!"
"YA DONE?" Deacon yelled getting more pissed by the second listening to Beverly's tirade
"NO, I'M LEAVING, AND I'M TAKING SCARLETT WITH ME. THIS ISN'T HOW I WANT HER RAISED!"
"YOU'RE LEAVIN ALRIGHT, BUT YOU'RE NOT TAKIN SCARLETT NOW OR EVER!" Deacon shot back
"I NEVER GAVE UP CUSTODY, DEACON! SHE'S MY DAUGHTER, AND YOU CAN'T KEEP HER AWAY FROM ME!"
"I'VE GOT A COURT ORDER THAT SAYS I CAN! GO GET YOUR DAMN BAG! I'M TAKING YOU TO A HOTEL. YOU'RE NOT WELCOME HERE ANYMORE. WE'LL SEE YOU IN COURT." Deacon yelled throwing the court order in front of Beverly on the coffee table.
"THIS ISN'T OVER, DEACON! SOME BROTHER! I NEEDED HELP, AND NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO TAKE SCARLETT AWAY FROM ME?"
"GET YOUR BAG! I'LL BE IN THE TRUCK! I'M DONE TALKIN!"
Beverly stomped up the stairs to get her suitcase. She slammed the bedroom door, waking Mason. Deacon climbed the stairs to get him as he began to scream in the nursery.
"Dammit." He mumbled as he tried unsuccessfully to rock the baby back to sleep.
"Can you get out, and take him, please?" Deacon asked Rayna as he disturbed her bath with a fussy Mason, who clearly was not happy to be awaken from his nap. He now had a fussy wife, clearly not happy to be disturbed from her bath.
"I'll get rid of Bev, and pick up the girls. You want me to get something for dinner?" he asked handing Rayna her bathrobe, and then Mason.
"Whatever the girls want is fine." She replied taking Mason to the kitchen for a bottle, barely looking at Deacon.
"Fine." He replied as he opened the garage door where Beverly was already waiting in the truck.
Beverly continued her tirade as Deacon drove her to a Super 8. He ignored her, not bothering to respond. He was feeling mentally and emotionally drained after a long day of stress, which clearly wasn't over with an unhappy wife at home.
He picked up the girls, and Chinese for dinner at Maddie's request. Maddie bounded into the kitchen full of energy with the bags of Chinese for dinner. Scarlett lingered in the truck.
"It's OK, sweetie. She's gone." Deacon said as he gently kissed her forehead and carried her into the kitchen
"…and I get to stay?" Scarlett asked sniffling and clinging to his neck as he tried to put her down in a kitchen table chair
"Yeah, you get to stay. This is your home. You're not going anywhere." He said as Scarlett finally relaxed and let go of his neck
"Deacon!" Rayna hissed from across the kitchen motioning him out to the deck away from the girls
"What, Rayna?" he sniped back as soon as the sliding door was closed and the girls were out of earshot
"You shouldn't tell her that. What if Beverly fights this? You heard what the lawyer said. Beverly could get visitation or custody before this is over."
"Beverly is never touching her again!" Deacon snapped
"…and what are you gonna do if she wins? She'll have a court order. We'll have no choice, but to give her back, Deacon!" Rayna said voice cracking thinking about it and what it would do to Scarlett.
"C'mere, can we just not think about that right now? Please, Ray? It's been a hell of a day. I don't wanna fight about Beverly, or Luke, or the damn tours, or the damn song…." He sighed exasperated after a long stressful day.
"C'mere, please?" he asked again as Rayna finally let him take her in his arms and just hold her
"I got you sweet and sour chicken. Can we just have a quiet family dinner, and a drama free night?"
"OK, you're right, babe. Scarlett needs a quiet night, and after today so do we. Thank you for not losing your temper with Jeff today. I wanted to deck him. I was surprised you didn't." Rayna said as she wrapped her arms around Deacon
"I wanted to, but what would that have accomplished. He'd just take it out on you, and I don't want that."
"Nice to have the bed to ourselves tonight." Deacon said as he slipped under the sheets and pulled Rayna close, kissing the back of her neck.
All 3 kids had been cooperative and easily went to sleep. The girls were both out before Deacon finished Kiss the Girl. Mason had barely finished his bottle before falling asleep in Deacon's arms. He was sleeping through the night now and in his nursery upstairs.
She was still awake, but pretended to be asleep. She still had times when she felt uninterested and unattached to Deacon. As the tour got closer and his apprehension about her going on tour with Luke grew it was becoming a problem again. Deacon didn't want to discuss Luke at all, but the tension was still there. Rayna was feeling like things would never really feel right again.
She knew she'd hurt Deacon in the worst way possible and the fact that they were even still together was a miracle. Deacon admitted to his mistakes and took responsibility for pushing her to Luke, but he still seemed to blame her entirely especially when he was mad or upset about anything. His snide comments hurt. When she asked him if he was ready to relive all their marriage issues through a custody battle he'd said he already was reliving it.
Every snide comment just made her feel further and more detached from Deacon. She couldn't really talk to him about it. Every time Luke came up he'd say he didn't want to talk about Luke Wheeler. Deacon knew she was awake, but he didn't push it. He was tired. He whispered "I love you, Ray" and kissed her neck a few more times before rolling to his own side and drifting off to sleep.
The nanny interview process began early the next morning. Deacon returned from taking the girls to school. Rayna was talking to an older woman in the living room as Mason toddled around in his walker.
"So you'd need every other weekend off?" Rayna asked as Deacon entered the room
"Yes, sorry, but my daughter has my grandkids those weekends and she has to work. I watch them for her. If I could bring them here and watch all the kids it might work?" the woman suggested
"How many kids and ages?" asked Deacon as he sat down next too Rayna
"6 months to 9 years and there are 5 kids." She replied as Deacon nodded no to Rayna
"I'm sorry. This is my husband, Deacon." Rayna said as Deacon reached for the woman's hand
"…and this is Gina Roland, our first interview today." She told Deacon
"Nice to meet you Gina, but Rayna and I will be gone for days at a time especially weekends. I really wouldn't feel comfortable with 8 kids to one adult with a pool in the backyard. Sorry, but I think we need to keep interviewing, Ray."
"Next…" Rayna sighed as Gina left and they waited for the next interview
"OK, so you're engaged and you'd want your fiancé to move in here with you, should you get the job?" asked Rayna to candidate #2 Jane Chris
"Yes, we'd like to get out of his mom's basement. It would be pointless to rent a place if I'm gonna be living here most of the time."
"I hadn't considered a couple, but I guess it's not a deal breaker." Rayna said looking at Deacon
"We'd need to interview your fiancé and go through everything with him. When could he meet with us? We'll also need an application and his social security number for the background check." Said Deacon
"…but I'd be the one taking the job. Why would Bryan need to go through everything with you?"
"If he's going to be living in our home, with our children, while we're away we need to check him out too." Said Rayna
"He just got out of jail. I don't think he'll agree to a background check."
"Thanks for your time, but I think we'll pass. Good luck to you." Deacon said ending the interview
"3rd times a charm, right?" Deacon smiled as Jane slammed the front door
"I weeded through so many applications. These are the best. So far not impressed in person." Rayna sighed as Deacon answered the door
"I'd really rather take the children to may place when you're both away." An older woman explained to Deacon and Rayna
"Well, I guess we could come to your place and check things out, but we'd really feel better if the kids remain here. It's a secured neighborhood with armed guards at the entrances. We have an alarm system. We have to take certain precautions being in the public eye." Rayna explained
"So, you'd want me to live here possibly for weeks at a time?" asked the woman
"I'm gone a week at the most. I'm usually home for 3 weeks between touring." Answered Deacon
"…but during the 3 weeks home I work Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. I'd need your help, but you could have Sunday through Tuesday afternoon off when I'm not touring, and mornings I could be with the kids." Deacon tried to reassure her it wouldn't be 24/7 all the time.
"I'm just not sure this is for me. I kinda want a 9-5 and home nights." The woman said
"Sorry, that's not us." Rayna said ending that interview
"#4" Deacon said getting up for the doorbell
"Rayna this is Lauren Mills." Deacon said as he led a young, attractive, blonde girl into the living room with his hand on her back
"I just love both of you and all of your music. You're amazing together. I was at Deacon's Orpheum show last week. It was sooo amazing to get Rayna Jaymes too." The young girl gushed
"Oh, so you're a Deacon fan?" Rayna asked
"Yeah, my mama use to play his first album all the time when I was like 12. I about fainted just now when he answered the door. I had no idea this job was you guys."
"Well, thanks for coming to the show last week." Deacon actually blushed a little. For the first time EVER Rayna felt a little pang of jealousy. Deacon had never paid much attention to other women, much less react with blushing.
"What's your availability? You're the one that said you were taking classes when we spoke on the phone, correct?" Rayna asked
"Yes, but I'll be done for the summer next week. I can schedule next semester around your schedules or even take everything online if I could have an internet connection here."
"I don't see why that would be a problem. The Claybournes could use some technology maybe a computer for the girls too." Deacon agreed next to Rayna
"So, you'd be available pretty much 24/7 with varying weeks?" Rayna asked almost hoping for a conflict
"Yep, no problems. I'd love to spend the summer with your kids by the pool." Lauren responded as Rayna thought "Great, she'll be in a bikini in front of Deacon all summer."
"What are your hobbies, interests?" Rayna asked and regretted it almost immediately
"I came to Nashville hoping to make it big in country music. I love to write and perform at small bars around town. Been tryin to get a Bluebird gig, but seems ya gotta know someone." She smiled a wide pretty, perfect teeth, sparkling eyes smile that Rayna was sure went Deacon's direction
"Well, now you know someone. I'll see what I can do, Lauren." Deacon seemed a bit taken with Lauren
"So your application says you've been waitressing since you got here last year?" Rayna asked
"Yeah, but I'm not very good at it." Lauren laughed
"I know someone else who wasn't very good at it back in the Bluebird days." Deacon playfully poked Rayna
"I wasn't THAT bad!" Rayna snapped back
"Uh huh…her first night, I was bartending. I had to fix just about every damn order and beg customers not to leave." Deacon laughed
"…and you still drove me home that night." Rayna reminded him of the night they officially met
"I'm a sucker for helpless women." Deacon laughed again watching Lauren
"Back to the nanny subject…what's your child care experience?" Rayna asked hoping for a reason to say no to Lauren
"I took lots of child care classes in high school, and I worked for my mama at her home day care for 3 years before coming to Nashville last year. We had 15-20 kids most days. Ages 6 months to 5 years. I'm certified in CPR, and have a commercial child care license in Iowa." Lauren responded with nothing Rayna could even begin to tear apart.
"Could you give us a minute, Lauren?" Deacon asked as he pulled Rayna into the home studio and closed the soundproof door
"She's perfect! I say we hire her on the spot." Deacon said as soon as the door was closed
"I haven't called in her background check, or …."
"Rayna, don't let this one get away." He interrupted her
"We'll go ahead and hire her now. Run the damn check while I show her around the house."
"I dunno, Deacon. It's awfully quick."
"RAYNA! Come on. Have a little faith. She seems like a good kid. Give her a chance." Deacon seemed to be a one man cheering section for Lauren.
"Look, neither of us leaves for a few weeks. We have some time to get her acquainted with the kids while we're here. Let's see how she does a night at a time. What's the problem?"
Rayna couldn't come up with a single valid reason not to give Lauren a chance. She couldn't very well admit to Deacon that for the first time ever she was jealous as hell about another woman.
"OK, we'll give her a chance." Rayna agreed
Lauren had a laughing, smiling Mason in her arms as Deacon and Rayna exited the home studio.
"I'm sorry. He started crying when you left the room. I couldn't resist picking him up. He's adorable. He looks so much like his daddy." Lauren apologized looking at Deacon
"No, no problem. I think he likes his new nanny." Deacon smiled at Lauren
"You mean….? You're hiring me? REALLY?" Lauren was all smiles
"Rayna's gonna check your references and run the background check. I'll show you around the house." Deacon said as Rayna disappeared into the office hoping something would come up in the back ground check, but it didn't. The girl was a saint.
"We'll start upstairs and work our way down." Deacon said leading Lauren upstairs with his hand on her back again. Lauren still had Mason in her arms.
"This is the nanny suite. We'll decorate however you want. Pick the colors and bedding. We'll take care of it. I never liked this putrid pink the last nanny wanted, but we agreed to whatever she wanted too." Deacon explained his disdain for the mostly mauve Maria had wanted.
"It is pretty hideous." Lauren agreed
"We'll fix it." Deacon smiled
"This is the nursery. Mason just started sleeping up here all night, every night. He's good for 7 to 9 hours solid most nights now unless someone wakes him, and then he's pretty crabby."
"I don't believe that. He's so happy." Lauren tickled Mason making him squeal in her arms
"He has a dark side. Like his old man." Deacon smiled at how well Mason was taking to Lauren
"I'm not sure I believe you have a dark side either." Lauren was really getting on Deacon's good side
"Next is the kids shared bathroom."
"The girls share this room. We had planned to separate them, but it's been crazy. We haven't had a chance to finish the remodel, and now that we need a full time nanny, we're short a room unless we combine the office and home studio downstairs to make another bedroom."
"This is our bedroom and the office Rayna and I share. These are the only 2 rooms that are off limits."
"You've seen the living room, foyer…"
"This is the home studio. Rayna and I work at home sometimes. It's normally been a private room too, but I don't see why we can't let you try it out sometime."
"Very nice. So it's all soundproof?" Lauren asked looking at the cushioned walls
"Yep, you can scream and beat on drums till your ears bleed. No one can hear it. We fight in here when we don't want the kids to hear us." Deacon joked making Lauren laugh
"You two seem so in love. I can't believe you fight about anything."
"Haha….well you're in for quite a surprise then. We have our days." Deacon laughed again
"Kitchen, pantry, basement steps…the basement isn't finished. It's just the furnace, water heater and storage."
"This is a separate door that leads out to the pool. There are alarms on every access point to the pool including the electric cover. Any get opened and it sets an alarm off. It's always armed unless we're out there with the kids."
"4 car garage. We do provide a car for transporting the kids. We let the last nanny pretty much have the car all the time even when she wasn't working."
"I'm guessing it's not the vet?" Lauren joked as Deacon led her to the garage
"I don't even get to drive that much. It's Rayna's. We might be able to sneak it out while she's on tour." Deacon joked
"This is the nanny mobile. Not glamorous, but with 3 kids a van seemed like the most logical. It's yours as long as you're employed with us. I'll get you a set of keys. We take care of all maintenance, fuel."
"I think that's about it for the grand tour. Let's go see where Rayna is with the checks and we need you to sign a few things." Deacon was all smiles as he led Lauren into the office
"OK, everything is great. We need you to sign a few things. These are for payroll and tax forms. This is a non-disclosure agreement. Have you seen one of these before?" asked Rayna
"No, but I've heard about them." Lauren said handing Mason to Deacon so she could fill out the forms
"Basically it says that you won't disclose anything to anyone about our lives, our address, the kids, anything you hear while in our home. We do our best to maintain privacy and we try to shield the kids from tabloids and other negative media. We had an issues with our last nanny and tabloids. We'd appreciate it If you don't bring anything like that into the house." Rayna explained as Deacon played with a still very happy Mason
"OK, I guess that's it. When can you start?" asked Deacon
"uuhhhh well, I have classes Thursday and Friday, and then I'm done with school for the summer. I can start now if you'd like." Lauren agreed
"Great, I need to pick up the girls before my opry gig tonight. You can come, meet them and the teachers and learn where the school is for pick ups and drop offs."
"Do you plan to move in here? …or will you be keeping your own place too?" asked Rayna
"Well, I'm single and I date so I think I'll keep my small studio apartment, but for the most part I'll live here if that's OK?"
"Great, super! Do you need help moving anything?" Rayna asked
"Just clothes, and personal items. I have a few guitars. I'll leave the furniture at the apartment."
"OK, I'll get one of my assistants to help you and bring a truck."
"You don't have to do that, Ray. I'll do it. I have a few hours now before I need to be at the opry. We'll take the truck, get some boxes, pick up the girls and be back by 5:30ish" Deacon said as he handed Mason to Rayna
"Well, OK, then…" Rayna fumed as Deacon pulled out of the garage with Lauren in the truck. He didn't even try to kiss Rayna goodbye. She knew things were a little tense between them right now, but he rarely left without a kiss.