Part 8
Beth knocked on her brother's hotel room door a couple of hours later, after he and Debra hadn't shown up for their meeting. After a few minutes it was finally opened by Debra, who looked as though she'd spent the last few hours crying her eyes out, her face was all blotchy and her nose and eyes were red.
"Deb, what's wrong?" she asked concerned for her sister-in-laws welfare.
Debra hugged her and mumbled something inaudible.
"What?"
"I said that you're brother is a complete and utter bastard" she repeated sniffling.
"I know" Abbie replied, "He always has been. So what did he do now?"
Debra walked over to the window and stared out of it, "He called me a slut."
"He did what?"
Debra didn't look at her, but Abbie noticed the tears running down her sister-in-law's face. Finally she began to speak, but her voice was barely a whisper.
"We were talking about you... and he said you were hidin' something in your room and the next thing I know..."
Debra dissolved into tears and Abbie rushed over to her. "Deb, it's okay" she said trying to comfort her, "I'll set Steve straight." {on a lot of things - like how to treat the only woman in the world who would put up with him.}
Ten minutes later, after leaving Debra upstairs crying into her pillow Abbie headed off in search of her old, but not wiser brother. As she suspected she found him in the hotel florists trying to buy flowers to make it up to Debra, she marched in and pulled him out of the shop.
"What the hell..."
"For once in your life, shut your big mouth" Abbie told him. "We need to talk."
Steve nodded, knowing that Abbie must somehow know about the fight he and Debra had, had. "Okay" he agreed.
He followed her back upstairs and into her room.
When they arrived at her room and went inside Steve started straight away.
"If Triple H is buggin' ya, I'll..."
"Shut up Stevie" Abbie told him in a voice he had heard only once before, when she'd told him she was moving to New York.
Steve sat down and waited for her to get whatever was there off her chest.
Abbie paced the floor in front of him, "First off, we're talking about how you should treat your wife."
"What?"
Abbie ignored him, "You know that you can call me anything you want, but Debra... She is like the only woman on the whole planet who would put up with you and all your crap. So instead of insulting her you should be down on your knees thanking God for sending her your way and then begging her to forgive your sorry ass."
"You're right" Steve agreed and then got up to leave.
"Hey, I haven't finished" Abbie protested.
"Tough" Steve said exiting the room, "I have to go and beg my wife to forgive my sorry ass."
By the time Abbie had recovered from her shock and made it to the hallway he had already stepped into the lift and was on his way to Debra.
"Damn" Abbie muttered, knowing that she'd have to wait a few hours or more to talk to Steve about her relationship with Hunter.
Debra heard the door open and knew Steve had finally returned. "Go away" she yelled, "I don't want you, your stupid flowers or some crappy verse you copied."
"Good, 'cause I didn't bring ya any" Steve replied.
Debra looked up at him in shock and immediately regretted it. She didn't know what had possessed her to fall in love with such an asshole, it would've been so much simpler to have married some doctor and settled down in the suburbs. But oh no, she had to fall for the Texas Rattlesnake. It just proved that her mama had been right, she always did everything the hard way.
"Why didn't you?" she asked curiously. It was the first time he hadn't tried to win her back over.
Steve looked at her, really looked at her and saw the damage that he had caused. Her face was blotchy, her nose and eyes red from the tears and her voice hoarse.
"Because you deserve better than that" Steve said quietly. "I should've realised that a hell of a long time ago and not after being yelled at by my baby sister." When she didn't speak he continued, "I know I'm a giant jackass and I don't deserve you or your love, but you're my light, my love and my heart. I couldn't stand it if anything happened to ya."
"Oh Steve..."
"Let me finish please" he said. Then went on, "I know I don't say the words a lot and I probably never will, but I do love ya."
"I love you too" Debra told him.
Steve looked into her eyes, "Forgive me?"
"Always."
He opened his arms and Debra went into them, "Don't expect me to all sappy and crap ever again, though."
"I won't."
He leaned down and kissed her and not another word was exchanged for a long time.
