"Ba?" Shawna whispered as she entered the dark bedroom, creeping over to her step-mother's king sized bed.
"Hmm?" Reba groaned lightly in response, turning her head slowly in Shawna's direction.
"Feeling any better?" Shawna sympathetically questioned as she knelt down beside her, brushing her hair out of her eyes. Shaking her head no, Reba closed her eyes once more, too tired to keep them open any longer. Shawna had been with her since seven o'clock that morning, right after receiving a call from Brandon, who had been extremely worried about the fact that Reba had been ill all of the day prior.
"I made a house call, so Dr. Saura should be here real soon." She whispered back, trying not to talk too loud, in fear of making Reba's migraine any worse. Along with vomiting any and everything her body could force out of her system, Reba had complained of an agonizing headache, causing Shawna to try a remedy of both cold and hot washcloths; nothing had worked.
"I hate seeing you like this..." She whispered sadly as she resumed to lightly mess with the red hair that was sprawled out on the pillow Reba was resting on.
Pausing, she continued to watch in silence as Reba's chest steadily rose and fell to the rhythm of her breathing, the dim moonlight pouring in from the window behind her, casting a small shadow on her face. In the near forty years that Shawna had known Reba, she had maybe seen her like this once or twice before. Waiting a moment longer before getting up and heading back out the bedroom door, Shawna quietly crept down the staircase towards the front room, checking to see if the doctor had arrived.
"Thank you so much for coming." She greeted in appreciation, thirty minutes later, as she opened the door swiftly, immediately inviting the doctor in.
"Certainly." Ezra sincerely replied, with a small nod. Motioning for him to follow her, Shawna urgently led him up to the third floor where Reba's bedroom was located. Once making it to the third floor, Ezra continued to follow closely behind Shawna, pulling his briefcase closer to him, in order to make sure and not accidentally bump any of the decorative tables in the long hallway.
"When did you say the vomiting began?" Ezra questioned quickly as they made their way to what appeared to be the front door of Reba's bedroom.
"She's said that her morning sickness had been off and on for the last couple of weeks but last night was when it became this severe."
"She's maybe eaten three crackers and had less than half a glass of water in the last twenty-six hours," Shawna informed carefully as she slowly began to turn the knob of the dark room, entering quietly. Making his way through the room behind Shawna, Ezra set his briefcase down on the table, near the far end of the bed that Reba was on.
"If you don't mind pulling the cover's back a bit, I'll need to check the baby's heartbeat as well as hers," Ezra instructed in a whisper as he quickly began to piece together his travel monitor. Walking over to the other side of the bed, where Reba was still peacefully sleeping, he quickly went to check her heartbeat and blood pressure, as well as the baby's. Standing out of his way and to the left, Shawna carefully watched behind as he gently examined Reba.
Clearing his throat a while later as he turned around, he gently pulled the comforter back all the way over Reba and walked a few steps over to where Shawna was standing.
"Just by her blood pressure and heart rate, I can already tell that it's extreme dehydration that has caused her condition to escalate." He informed quietly, causing Shawna to sigh a bit in relief. Thank god it wasn't anything far worse.
"I'd like for her to come back in on Sunday."
"Even though the baby's heartbeat is steady it's still a little slower than I want it to be." He explained seriously, causing Shawna's relief to be short lived.
"It's nothing serious is it?" She worriedly probed, peering behind him at a still sleeping Reba.
"Not at the moment no."
"However we don't want to neglect it and let it escalate even further; she'll be coming in more for precaution." He reassured with a soft smile.
"I'm going to retrieve the IV from my car and set her up with some fluids, hopefully by morning she'll be in much better health." He added once more before turning to head back out the door and out to his car. Once he had carefully placed the IV in her arm and had set the stand sturdily next to her bed, still amazingly without waking her, he brushed her hair lightly out of her eyes before turning around, ready to gather his things.
"You brushed her cheek." Shawna abruptly thought aloud, startling him, and causing him to stop in his tracks, not realizing that she had followed back in behind him.
"I uh-"
"I was just-"
"Sorry." He stuttered awkwardly not really sure what to say, he hadn't meant anything by it, he had just noticed her long bangs continually falling back into her closed eyes. Swallowing, Shawna blinked a moment, before shaking her head softly.
"I didn't mean to startle you; I'm just not used to seeing other men care for her like that." She explained shyly. Even if she was a grown woman, it was weird to see another man, other than her father, so personally close to her step-mother. Besides she had actually found his gesture quite sweet.
"Well, she certainly deserves to be cared about." He added before quickly attending to his leftover equipment, putting it away, and heading out for the night.
"Daddy!"
"Mommy look!" A little redhead exclaimed as she excitedly pointed towards a small group of ponies with red styrofoam balls attached carefully to their noses. Jumping up and down, she squealed a bit before running closer to get a better glance at the 'reindeer.'
"Honey not so fast," Narvel called out, laughing a bit as he turned to Reba.
"Thank you again for letting me tag along."
"Reminds me of when Shelby was three and we took him down to Colorado for Christmas." Narvel mused, taking a moment to remember the fond memory he had shared with his wife and son.
"We did have lots of good times together, didn't we?" Reba questioned back with a soft grin. Still walking closely behind their daughter, they stopped once they met the end of the line to meet Santa Clause, watching as the young redhead eagerly extended her hand out for the ponies to eat the few carrots; an "elf" had given her.
Creasing Reba's back, Narvel stood there grinning as Reba's head slowly leaned against his shoulder. Christmas truly was a magical time of year.
"Alright Mitten, it's time to put some food in that belly." Reba insisted as she grasped her young daughter's hand. Smiling a bit at his daughter's nickname, Narvel nodded his head in agreement.
"All of that reindeer petting must have you starved." He added, giving his daughter's nose a small poke as they led her towards the parking lot of the Tennessee mall.
"What made you decide to spend Christmas in Nashville this year?" Narvel questioned softly, as they all walked hand and hand to the car, Narvel and Reba on either side of the little girl.
"All of her brothers and sisters are here and we always spend it in Oklahoma."
"It was time for a change," Reba said softly, taking her eyes off her daughter to look back up at her ex-husband. For the last three years, since her daughter had been born, Reba had spent Christmas in Oklahoma, as far away from Narvel and their old traditions as possible.
"Well, I'm glad." He said sincerely just as they'd arrived in front of the white SUV. Opening the door, behind the passenger seat, Narvel quickly went to pick his daughter up, grunting loudly in the process, as if to pretend that she weighted oh so much.
"Daddy." The little girl mused in a giggle, as he lifted her into the seat, rubbing his nose up against hers, only causing her to giggle more.
"Can you stop growing please?"
"That's all I want for Christmas," Narvel mumbled to his daughter in laughter, her big blues eyes staring widely back at him. He took a long moment to look at her, noting every little feature that made up this perfect little being. He noticed that her eyes were as big and as blue as her mother's, sometimes when she was sad or upset; they were so blue they almost turned gray. He also noticed how long her wavy red hair had gotten and how it was just as vibrant as he had remembered Reba's to be when they had first met; so rich in that red color. Lastly, he smiled taking in all the features that made up her sweet little face. It was riddled in freckles, starting at the bridge of her nose, and covering up both sides of her tiny cheeks. His favorite part, however, if you could even have one that is, was her right dimple. Just like Reba, she only had one, but when she smiled, there was no doubt in the world that it was there.
"Shall we get going then?" Reba asked softly, grabbing his arm a bit, and suddenly bringing him out of his thoughts.
"Of course." He replied back, still in a small haze, buckling up the last piece of his daughter's car seat before ducking underneath the door and closing it behind him.
"Nice tree," Reba mumbled lightly, as she waved her hand, which was still grasping her daughter's tiny one, towards the tree in the corner of the Nolensville home.
"Thank you," Narvel replied, as he quickly turned around, to get a glimpse of the tree behind him. This year had been the first year he had opted into getting a real tree again; making sure that he had time to decorate it with his little girl.
"Are you sure you're okay with her spending Christmas Eve here?" Narvel questioned skeptically as he motioned for his daughter to take off her large white furry coat.
"I'm sure."
"I'll be back at seven in the morning to get her," Reba said sincerely, as she bent down to her daughter's level to say her goodbyes.
"You promise you'll be good?" She questioned softly, their noses touching as she stared into her daughters identical big blue eyes.
"I promise." The small voice said, smiling her wide little grin.
"I'll miss you, baby," Reba added again, before closing her eyes and planting a small kiss on her daughter's nose, giving her one last hug, she quickly stood up before she got any more emotional and changed her mind.
"You two have fun," Reba called out as she led herself out down the hallway and into the cool Tennessee night.
"Hola!" Chassidy called out loudly as she watched her step-mother enter her brothers Hendersonville mansion, quickly shedding her long black coat.
"How does it feel to be childless?" Chassidy questioned as she made her way towards Reba, bringing her into an excited side hug.
"Not as relieving as I thought it would be," Reba mumbled sadly as she let her daughter lead her into her son's full kitchen.
"Mommy made it." Kelly teased in a bit of a laugh as she watched Chassidy guide Reba into the kitchen, smiling when she saw her mother-in-law's face.
"It's one-night red, she'll be fine." She chuckled in reassurance, noting her still sad facial expression.
"Besides your grandchildren are here, mingle with them," Brandon added with a small chuckle as he came up beside them, bringing Reba into a light hug.
"We're glad you could make it." He sweetly added, giving her a small peck on the side of the head.
"Where's my older daughter?" Reba questioned as she took another look around the room, still not noticing Shawna.
"Upstairs, wrapping tonight's white elephant presents," Chassidy responded taking a small sip of her wine, before sloshing some of it around in the white crystal Santa Clause glass, that was eerily smiling back at Reba.
"I'm gonna go say hi then." She said as she smiled back at everyone, exiting the kitchen and heading for the stairs.
"Excuse me?" Reba exclaimed almost three hours later as she stood in the kitchen next to her daughters, eating one of the many cookies her grandchildren had decorated earlier that night.
"He didn't tell you?" Chassidy questioned in shock, sharing a glance with her sister before looking back at Reba.
"Does it look like he told me?" Reba replied back bitterly, pushing away from the island counter, and making her way to the front door.
"Where are you going?!" Shawna called out nervously, following right at her heels.
"To get my daughter." Reba barked, grabbing her coat from Brandon and Kelly's front coat closet.
"I'm right here!"Chassidy exclaimed nervously in a joking manor, as she held up her arms, in hope to stop Reba from leaving. All she got in return, however, was the door slamming in their faces.
"Shit..."
"Narvel Wayne." Reba practically screamed as she banged her fist against the front door of the house she'd been at a couple hours before. The neighboring houses beside her were covered in glowing Christmas lights, one even playing a faint rendition of "Silent Night."
"What are you doing here?" Narvel questioned in genuine confusion when he finally opened his front door, wearing a bright ugly Santa sweater, as he was met with Reba's flustered glare.
"Where's my daughter?" She barked as she pushed passed him and walked straight into the house, heading right for the living room. Her heart sank as soon as she met the right entrance, there sat her little girl, in Laura's lap happily assembling a kit of elf dolls, as the candles on the glass coffee table danced beside them.
"Reba," Narvel called softly, stopping right behind her. Turning around quickly, her face covered in angry tears she moved down the hallway, making sure her daughter hadn't seen her.
"I thought you two broke up." She angrily questioned her red face just inches from his.
"We had."
"We just."
"I missed and we thought."
"You thought wrong." She snarled back.
"I don't give a rats ass if you missed screwing her, my daughter will NOT be a part of some fantasy you have." She continued, making sure that her voice was low enough just the two of them could hear. Frozen from fear, Narvel just stood there as she continued to quietly yell at him, his ears heightening a bit when he heard her curse. She had to be livid.
"You're low," Reba added referring to the fact that he had neglected to mention that he would be inviting his ex-girlfriend and her ex-friend to his evening alone with his daughter. She had trusted him for the first time in years and this was how he repaid her.
Walking back over to the living room before Narvel had a chance to respond, Reba's presence quickly caught both her daughter and Laura's attention.
"Sweetie grab your things I forgot that Bubba was having a party and River really wanted you to come over and play." Reba mused as she walked further into the living room, extending her arm out, waiting for her daughter to run over and grab it.
"I don't want to." The little girl replied with a pout as she turned around in Laura's lap and hugged her tightly. Taking a short breath as she tried to level her breathing and keep her temper at bay, Reba sighed softly.
"S, I'm not going to argue with you."
"You can see Daddy alone some other time, we're going to Bubba's." She instructed, waiting for her daughter to let go of Laura and obey.
"Don't make me come over there." She warned once more when her daughter made no notion to leave Laura's lap. Whining a bit in reluctance the little one sighed sadly, scooting off of Laura's lap. Reba watched as her daughter went to pick up the few toys that were sprawled out over the floor, noticing the small "S" necklace that was suddenly around her daughter's neck.
"What's that?" Reba questioned, her tone growing angry once more.
"A gift." Narvel quickly replied, standing awkwardly in the living room entrance, the glass of eggnog that he had been holding earlier, nowhere to be found.
"I thought she might like it," Laura added with a small shrug, still sitting on the floor. She hadn't made any notion of helping the little redhead retrieve the toys in fear of angering Reba any further. Biting her lip in further annoyance, as she kept from crying, Reba just ignored Laura's comment. Not that Laura would have had any clue but one of the gifts she had spent months searching for had been a tiny "S" pendant she had hoped to give her daughter on Christmas morning. It would have been the little girl's first piece of jewelry and she had wanted it to be really special. Of course, all of that was ruined now. She could tell by the ashamed look on Laura's face that she hadn't meant any harm by it but Reba was far too angry at this point to be any sort of reasonable.
"Mommy I really don't wanna go." The little girl pouted when all of her toys had been gathered, a few tears brimming the corner of her eyes. Swallowing the lump in her throat Reba's heart sank even more at her words. How was it possible that her worst nightmare was coming true on Christmas Eve.
"Mommy please."
"Please Mommy."
"Please, Reba wake up," Chassidy called out frantically as she shook a whimpering Reba awake, sighing in relief when Reba's eyes flew open. Moving to sit forward, Chassidy quickly pushed her back down, in fear of her ripping her IV out of her arm.
"Are you okay?" Chassidy questioned in worry as she watched Reba take a moment to level her breathing, a slick layer of sweat covering her heaving chest.
"I think so." She answered back not quite sure of her own words as she watched Chassidy travel to the other side of the bed and tug at her left arm.
"What on God's green earth is that?" Reba exclaimed as she felt Chassidy lightly pull at the piece of tape that was keeping the IV in place, wincing a bit when a few hairs were tugged away with it.
"You don't remember the doctor coming in last night to check on you?" Chassidy questioned in concern as she carefully pulled the needle out of Reba's arm and setting the contents on the table next to her.
"No..."
"Also what are you doing back in Tennessee?!" Reba exclaimed suddenly as she remembered slowly that her daughter and their family have moved to Texas during the earlier part of the year.
"I came back for the weekend to help Mom and Dan move remember?" She explained as she pulled back Reba's covers and went back to the other side of the bed, helping an unsteady Reba to her feet. Subconsciously rubbing her round tummy, Reba took a second to try and remember the events from the days prior. She had remembered Shawna being here and she had remembered being really sick, but nothing about Chassidy and certainly not her doctor. Did they even still do house calls?
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"The doctor said to stay hydrated and eat nothing but natural foods, he'll explain further in your appointment later today." Chassidy continued to inform as she tugged on Reba's arm and tried to guide her out of her room and down to the kitchen.
"I have an appointment today?" Reba questioned back again also in great confusion, as she let Chassidy pull her out of the room.
"Yes."
You made sure to put peanut butter in there right?" Reba instructed as she watched her daughter prepare her morning shake for her, with nothing but natural fruit ingredients inside.
"Of course I did."
"How could I have forgotten from the last three times you told me?" Chassidy mumbled back a bit in exacerbation as she watched Reba struggle to get comfortable in her island chair. Turning back around and pressing blend Chassidy watched carefully as the clumpy mixture soon turned very fine and deep red. Hitting the bottom once more to make sure that it was good and mixed, she opened the lid and poured a generous amount into two tall glasses.
"So have you thought further on what you might name my sister?"
"Especially with none of my suggestions seeming fit to you," Chassidy added with a hint of sarcasm as she set the drink down in front of Reba, handing her a purple straw as well.
"Ha ha." Reba laughed dryly, before picking up the straw and taking a big gulp of the smoothie.
"This is really good." She added, setting the drink back down on the counter.
"You know how you can thank me?"
"Re-thinking the name Madeline." Chassidy purposed with a sly grin as she too set her glass down.
"I like it, I do but I just don't think she's a Madeline," Reba stated flatly. She'd been having serious trouble on trying to come up with a name for her little girl, even asking her grandchildren for help.
"What did Savannah suggest again?" Chassidy inquired, pulling on of the tall brown table chairs over to the island and sitting down.
"Monroe, Meredith, and Chapin."
"And Jadyn liked Addison and Aria right?" Chassidy remembered aloud, trying to think of some other possibilities that might work.
"What did Mama Jac suggest?" Chassidy probed once more. Sighing in frustration, Reba just shrugged her shoulders.
"Does it matter?"
"It's not as if I'll ever find the perfect name." She pouted, looking back down at the counter.
"Not with that attitude you won't."
"Now come on be serious for two seconds." Chassidy insisted, causing Reba to look back up.
"I guess I sort of liked Ava."
"That one's not half bad." Chassidy encouraged, raising her eyebrows as she waited for her step-mother to list off more.
"And Eve."
"Okay..." Chassidy said shrugging off that suggestion, noting that it was very similar to the one she had just suggested.
"As well as?..."
"That's all I got," Reba said shrugging again before jumping up as her eyes suddenly grew wide.
"I also really liked Chelsea." She mused back, pretty pleased with herself for remembering the last one. Suppressing a laugh, Chassidy looked down at the counter while shaking her head in amusement.
"Yeah, so did your daughter..."
"When she named YOUR granddaughter that." She said rolling her eyes a bit in worry. Was her step-mother already beginning to loose it?
"Oh."
"Yeah..." Reba replied, her mouth making a small O as she quickly remembered her oldest granddaughter, and that sure enough her name was Chelsea.
"What about Celeste?" Chassidy suggested, earning a small pause from Reba.
"Maybe." She noted softly.
"For a middle name." She added quickly, subconsciously remembering that her daughter's first name had to start with an S.
"Why maybe?" Chassidy questioned curiously, still staring back at Reba.
"Because her first name has to start with an S." She stated confidently.
"An S huh?"
"I guess that's a start."
