Chapter 9: Sleeping in the stars

This chapter was inspired by the song "Sleeping In The Stars" by Tim Mc Graw and Faith Hill. For this chapter, I really recommend listening to the song to fully appreciate it.

In the evening, Rayna and Scarlett were sitting on the couch in the living room of the lake house. All the others had already gone home, but Rayna had insisted on staying and Scarlett hadn't wanted to leave her there on her own. They had already been alone for an hour and had spent the time talking about their most precious memories with Deacon.

Rayna's phone buzzed. It was a message from Liam:

"I'm so sorry for your loss. If you need anything, just call me. Seriously. Anytime. Liam."

She thought that it was really sweet of him to write her, but she didn't want to think about him. Not on the day of Deacon's funeral. And not anytime soon.

Scarlett couldn't stop thinking about Deacon's note and the USB stick. She knew that she needed to tell Rayna about it and she knew that it wouldn't become easier, if she waited even longer. She started biting her lip.

"Rayna?" Tears were welling up in Scarlett's eyes.

"Yes, Sweetie?"

"There's something…something I really have to tell you and I hope that you're not mad that I didn't tell you right away but…" Scarlett started crying and Rayna hugged her.

"What do you mean, Honey? I don't understand."

"I just thought I needed to wait for the right time…but now I think there's no right time for this and I should have told you right away, but first you were in the hospital and then I thought maybe I ought to give you time to process everything and…"

"I don't understand." Rayna shook her head.

"Deacon left a note."

Rayna's eyes got wide and she started crying. "What did he write? Where is it, Scarlett? I need to see it!"

Scarlett got up and started rummaging around in her purse. After a few seconds, she handed Rayna a small piece of paper and a USB stick.

The note read:

If I don't make it, I want Ray to have this. I'll love her 'til I die and after that my soul will go on loving her just the same.

"Have you checked what's on it?"

"No, he wrote that it is for you, it didn't feel right."

"I need to watch this right now." She got up, rushed to the study and came back with her laptop. She turned it on and when she typed in the password, Scarlett noticed that her hands were shaking. She caressed Rayna's back. "Hey, I'm here for you, okay?"

Rayna nodded.

"But if you want to watch it alone, I get it."

"No, please stay, I can't do this alone."

In the meantime, Rayna had plugged in the USB stick. There was just one file on it; a video named Sleeping in the Stars. Rayna took a deep breath. "I don't know if I can handle this."

"It's ok, Rayna, I'm here."

"I'm so scared, Scarlett." She was fighting back tears.

"I know, it's scary, but maybe it will help you."

"Ok…you're right." She took another deep breath and double-clicked on the video.

Deacon was looking right into the camera. "Ray, if you're watching this, I guess I didn't make it." His eyes filled with tears and as Rayna and Scarlett watched this, they started crying and Scarlett put her arm around Rayna. "I'm sorry for letting you down again. But at least it's the last time. You would have deserved better. You would have deserved someone to be there for you for the rest of your life, someone to keep you safe." He started crying. "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to be this someone. I'm sorry to leave you. But believe me, I will never be gone and I'll always love you. This is for you, Ray." He picked up his guitar and started playing and singing.

"I...I..don't know what to say," Rayna sobbed. "I can't believe he wrote that for me...it's so beautiful."

"It is, thanks for sharing this moment with me Rayna."

"I'm glad that you're here with me." She kissed Scarlett on the forehead.

"I'm glad, too." Scarlett gave Rayna a faint smile.

"I don't know what too feel right now, I'm just so confused, you know?" Rayna sobbed.

Scarlett nodded.

"I feel so blessed that he made this for me, especially considering how..." Rayna started crying.

"I know what you mean. Even when he was the worst he had ever been, he thought about you and was inspired by your love, that's so sweet."

"But...but why was it not enough? Shouldn't our love have been enough to save him, Scarlett? I feel so guilty, I..."

"Don't say that."

"Maybe he could have made it, if I had gone after him that night!"

"Don't do that to yourself, Rayna! It's not your fault!"

"He gave up on himself, because he must have thought that I gave up on him...again."

"You're seeing this the wrong way, Rayna. He would have given up way earlier, if it hadn't been for you! You are the reason he managed to hold on for so long. And your love is the one thing he's still holding on to. It's in the song, Rayna. He'll always be there for you and he'll always love you."