"Mama!?" Jake Hart yelled, tugging on his Mother's cream sweater, desperately trying to get her attention.
"What was that honey?" Reba asked, being pulled from her thoughts.
"I said, can I help with dinner." Jake Hart wined, wrapping his arms around his mothers thighs.
"Sure, Jakey. I'm sorry, honey. I was just thinking." Reba confessed, feeling guilty that she hadn't been paying attention to Jake.
"It's okay, Mom." Jake said, clinging onto her.
Reba smiled down at her little boy and ruffled his hair. She sensed that Jake was needing something from her. Maybe more attention? Was she not being an attentive mother? Could her kids sense she was off? Did they know her and Brock were in a bad place? She didn't know. Reba scooped him up in her arms and kissed his cheek. "You're my boy, Jakey." She mused, squeezing him. He wrapped his arms around her neck. "I love you Mama." She smiled.
Xxx
"Mom, where's Dad?" Cheyenne asked, looking up at the clock from the dinner table.
"I'm not sure" Reba said softly, cutting into the meatloaf she had prepared.
"Mommy, I don't like meatloaf." Kyra wined, seeing what was for dinner.
Reba sighed. "I know, honey. But your Daddy wanted to have it this week" she said, tucking a strand of Kyra's red hair behind her ear.
"And he isn't even here" Cheyenne scoffed, taking a bit of the meal on her plate.
"I'm sure he'll be here soon." Reba said, nodding her head to confirm.
"Yeah. He will be." Jake stated matter of factly. "He said he was going to build my airplane set with me."
Reba sighed, looking up at the clock. 6:45.
"Yeah, well don't count on it." Kyra stated, playing with her food.
"Kyra! cut it out!" Reba scolded, taking the silverware from her youngest daughter. Kyra rolled her eyes, folded her arms, and sat back against her chair.
"You can pout in your room, not here at the table." Reba said, pointing her fork towards the door.
Kyra huffed and stomped out of the kitchen.
"Mom?" Jake asked.
"Yes?"
"I like your meatloaf."
Reba smiled, patting his little hand, "Thank you, honey."
"Should we call Dad?" Cheyenne asked again, worried.
Reba shook her head. "No, honey. I'm sure he just got caught up at work." She said with a gentle smile.
"He's never this late…" Cheyenne said.
Reba sighed, "I know."
Flashback:
Reba Hart groans hearing the phone ring, just as she got seated with her newborn baby.
"Hello?" She asked, clicking on the receiver.
"Hey honey. You doing okay?" Her husband, Brock, asked on the other end.
"Doing the same as I was 15 minutes ago." She sarcastically said, adjusting the weight of the baby in her arms, holding the receiver to her ear with her shoulder.
"I know. I just am worried. And I miss my girls." Brock sheepishly said.
Reba chuckled, "Honey, we are fine. We will see you at 4:30." Reba said, looking down at her sleeping infant.
"Yeah-about that, I cancelled my afternoon appointments…" Brock said, scratching the back of his head nervously.
"You what!?" Reba yelled from the other end of the line.
"I just wanna see you guys. I can't focus, I promise next week I'll be back on my game" Brock said, making an excuse to come home to be with his wife and baby, yet again.
"Brock, we need your income to support our family." Reba said, disappointed.
"I know. I know. I just won't get these days, with her being this little, back." He said, sighing.
end flashback
"Daddy!" Jake shouted, pulling Reba from her thoughts.
"Hey buddy" Brock replied, walking into the kitchen, closing the door behind him.
"Where have you been!? Jake questioned, running over to him.
"Working, pal" Brock replied, scooping the boy up in his arms.
"This late, Daddy?" Cheyenne questioned, taking her plate to the sink.
"Yeah, sorry honey." Brock said, quickly kissing the back of her head as he walked past her to the fridge.
Reba sat still and quiet at the table. Slowly finishing her meatloaf.
"Dad! Are you ready to build my airplane!?" Jake asked, as his father sat him down.
"Jakey, let your Daddy get settled." Reba said, carrying the empty dinner plates to the sink.
Jake frowned, and walked away.
"Daddy, Mom made meatloaf!" Cheyenne said, trying to lighten the mood.
"Oh, nice." He replied, removing his shoes.
Cheyenne furrowed her eyebrows before handing Reba her dinner plate.
"I'm gonna finish my homework" she said, pecking Reba on the cheek. "Thanks for dinner, Ma". Reba nodded, looking down into the sudsy water.
Brock sighed sitting down at the table, running his hands down his face.
"Where were you?" Reba asked, breaking the silence.
Brock turned to face her, "work." He replied.
"You know, Brock, I am getting sick and tired of all your lies." She yelled throwing the towel against the kitchen's island.
Brock sighed.
"I made dinner, fed our children, parented our children, made excuses for you for our children" she yelled, emphasizing the word our. "For you to just come strolling in here and lie to my face?" She laughed. "You've got to be kidding me." She said resting her hands against the kitchen island, leaning forward into the heated conversation.
"For God's Sake, Reba. You act like I am leaving you home alone with three babies. The kids are grown!" He yelled, standing up.
"Brock, Jake waited all evening for you to build that stupid set with him that you promised you would!" She yelled, pointing to the box that rested against the kitchen wall, on the floor.
"Don't do that, Reba." He said bitterly.
She bit her lip and smirked.
"Don't accuse me of being a bad father." He stated, angrily. She held her hands up, in defense.
"Can you for once just STOP NAGGING AT ME!?!?" He yelled at her.
"Well maybe if you were a better husband and father, I wouldn't have to!" She yelled back.
"Mommy?-" Jake questioned, peeking his head around the entryway to the kitchen.
"Oh, honey-" Reba said, rushing over to him. She knelt down to him and pulled him into his arms. He cried into her.
"It's okay." She said, she said sushing him, rubbing small rymic circular motions on his back. She lifted the small boy off the floor, and held him in her embrace. She looked over at Brock and shot him a nasty glare before taking Jake out of the kitchen.
Brock scuffed, "Great."
Reba carried Jake upstairs. His cries had been soothed into a soft sniffle now; however, she still held him and rubbed his back. Reba went into his room and sat him down on his bed. Jake rubbed his eyes with his tiny fist before looking up at her with his big brown eyes.
"I'm sorry you heard Daddy and me." Reba said, sitting down next to him.
"It scared me." Jake said softly, nestling up against Reba.
"I know, baby. It won't happen again." She said, pulling him close.
"What won't?" Cheyenne questioned, from the doorway.
"Nothing, Cheyenne. What did I tell you about barging into other's conversations?!" Reba scolded her.
Cheyenne rolled her eyes, "Well I know somethings up." Before walking away.
"Is something up, Mama?" Jake questioned, repeating his eldest sister.
"No, honey. Nothing is up. Now, let's get you changed for bed. Kindergartners need a good nights rest!" She said, kissing the top of his head. Jake smiled and sat up while Reba grabbed his pajamas. She helped him into the clothing and guided him to the bathroom to brush his teeth and pee before bed. When he was finished, she kissed him softly and tucked him into bed.
"Goodnight my love" she whispered, pulling the door shut.
"Girls!" Reba harshly whispered, walking into their room, unannounced.
"Mom!" They both jumped in unison.
"Get to bed, I'm not going to drag you out in the morning."
They both let out dissatisfied noises and quickly laid back in their beds. Reba kissed them both on the forehead. "Goodnight, Daddy will be in soon." She said.
Xxx
"Brock-" Reba started, seeing him on the couch, as she walked down the stairs.
"Hm" he barely mustered, his eyes glued on the Tv.
"Go tuck the kids in." She said, annoyed.
"I will."
"Brock-"
"Reba! I said I will!" He shouted, slamming the remote against the coffee table.
"Can't I have five minutes of ME time?" He asked, pointing to himself.
Reba laughed, "you can't be serious".
"Oh, I am." He said, turning to walk up the stairs.
"Yeah, Brock, cause I get any time for myself. Slaving around after three children, four if you count yourself." She yelled after him.
Brock Hart walked into his daughter's shared room. "Goodnight girls" he said, kissing them both on the forehead. "Night Dad" Cheyenne said, "Night Daddy", said Kyra.
"Daddy?" A small voice asked, stopping him in his tracks.
"Yes, honey?"
"Are you and Momma gonna get divorced?" Kyra questioned, sitting up in bed.
Kyra's question caught Brock off guard. "No-no. Honey. No. Why would you think that?" Brock asked, stuttering over his own words.
"Cassidy said her parents fought a lot before they got divorced." She innocently said, looking helplessly down into her lap.
"And that's all you do." Cheyenne scoffed, propping herself up on the back of her forearms.
Brock shook his head, unsure of what to say.
"No, guys. Your mom and I, we're just, we're good. You don't need to worry."
"Now get some sleep, little girl." He said, kissing Kyra's forehead, and then Cheyenne.
Brock headed to Jake's room, expecting him to be sleeping.
"Daddy?" He asked.
"Yeah buddy?"
"Is mommy ok?" Jake asked, snuggling into his matted brown bear.
"Yeah, pal." Brock said, setting on the edge of his bed, patting his back.
"I'm sorry you saw that." Brock said, tucking Jake in.
"I love you" Brock said, kissing his forehead.
"Dad, we were supposed to build my Lego set tonight." Jake said, disappointed.
"Tomorrow, pal." Brock said, standing up, heading for the door.
Xxx
"Where are you going?" Brock asked, watching Reba take her pillow from the bed.
"I'm sleeping on the couch." She stated, grabbing a spare blanket from the trunk.
"Reba. Come on." Brock stated.
"I'm not sleeping next to a liar. Especially when that liar is my husband." She stated, her eyes not daring to look his way.
"I'm not lying, Reba. I was at work." Brock said.
"I'm sure you were at work, but doing what? You didn't call, gave no heads up, I had to sit through a winey dinner of meatloaf that you wanted!" She yelled.
"You're overreacting." He scoffed.
"No, I'm not. I'm not asking for much from you, and you are doing absolutely nothing for our family." She stated coldly.
"Yeah, right. Cause being the breadwinner of the family while my wife stays at home all day is doing nothing." He laughed.
She glared at him.
"It was you who wanted me to be a stay at home mom and your housewife!" She yelled, heading for the door.
"You know what, Brock?" She asked turning as she grabbed the knob.
"I want couples therapy." She said, walking out the door and clicking it closed behind her.
Brock shock his head. He knew she was catching on to him. He felt horrible for sneaking around behind her back. He knew it wasn't right, but he couldn't help himself. His marriage was in a difficult position, he turned to his dental hygienist, Barbara Jean. The couple hired her a few months back as an extra hand for Brock. Brock thought having extra help at work would cut back on stress on the office, cutting back his anger at home. The only problem was this created a whole new problem in his marriage. He was vulnerable. He would confide in Barbara Jean about his marital problems, and before long, he felt comfort from her.
"Whatever, Reba." He sighed, clicking off the nightstand lamp.