Rayna slid her blouse over her head. "How did it get so late?"
Deacon pulled a boot up over his left foot. "Guess we just lost track of time." He looked over and smiled at Rayna. "But it was a good time."
"Stop!" she said, swatting at him. "How's my hair?"
Deacon stood up and moved over to her. "Gorgeous as always...I mean, except for this bunch in the back that's, well, kind of sticking up."
Rayna began pulling her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth it down. "Any better?"
Deacon stood, examining her. "Not perfect, but I think okay. You ready to go out there?"
Rayna shook her head. "I have to admit, I'm a little embarrassed. You think she'll figure it out?"
Deacon shrugged and reached his hand out to her. "Hey, remember, we used to make stuff up all the time, when we were first gettin' together."
Rayna laughed. "And as I recall, we fooled no one. What did Vince say about when we would come out of the back of the bus?"
A slow smile crept across his face. "Somethin' about pheromones, I think. You think Daphne knows about those?"
Rayna leaned in and kissed him. "If she knows what they are, I sure hope she doesn't know what they smell like."
Rayna pushed open the door and started walking down the hall. "So, as I was saying, I'm trying to work out the chorus on that last song and then I'm thinking I'd like to get back into the studio-I need to rework part of the list and I'd like to get a single out before too long…"
She stopped at the end of the hall. "Daphne! Oh good, you're home. Deacon just dropped by to talk about…"
"A chorus," Daphne responded. "You were practically yelling that as you walked down the hall. Is Deacon going deaf as well?"
Rayna shot her a look, but Deacon started laughing.
"Anyway, you want some dinner?" Rayna asked as she crossed past her daughter and opened the refrigerator. "I can make some spaghetti or we can order in or…"
"They fed us at the meeting," Daphne replied. "Actually, I should be going upstairs to work on my homework. I mean, unless you need me to help you with your chorus, too."
Rayna turned back toward the kitchen island where Daphne sat, Deacon standing next to her. "That sounds great, honey. Well, again, Deacon, it was lovely you were able to come by and help and…"
"I'm headed on my way home," Deacon said as he slid his coat back on and hitched his messenger bag over his shoulder. "Good to see you, Daphne."
He crossed over and gave Rayna a quick kiss and whispered in her ear, "Let me know when you need me to come back and help with that chorus. I've got a great idea for a bridge."
Rayna smiled and nodded. "See you later, babe."
Deacon waved and headed for the door.
"You didn't need to make him leave," Daphne said after the door closed. "I mean, now that...well, I think you're allowed to have unsupervised time together."
"What do you know about unsupervised time, anyway?" Rayna replied. "And where is your sister?"
"She said something about going to Chloe's," Daphne responded. "I think she has a group project or something. Look at your phone, she probably texted you."
Rayna picked up her phone and sure enough there was a text. Maddie was at Chloe's and Chloe's mom would bring her home by 10 pm.
"Okay, I'm headed up," Daphne said as she pulled her backpack over her shoulder and headed toward the steps. "Don't forget to eat something."
"Got, honey," Rayna replied as Daphne left.
She stood there for a minute, then picked up her phone again. No need for you to run off, she texted Deacon. Daphne went to her room and Maddie won't be home until 10. Want to come back?
Better head home he responded. Haven't quite gotten as much sleep as I need these days, but tomorrow?
Definitely she replied. I'm clearing my day for you.
She set the phone down and took a seat on one of the kitchen stools. The reality of the day suddenly washed over her. Deacon was back in her life, but he was sick. Really, really sick. He'd been positive for her, but being in the doctor's office had made it all seem so real.
Deacon had cancer. He needed a liver transplant. He might die.
Without being able to control it, for the first time since the cabin, she put her head in her hands and let herself cry.
Colt pulled his jeep up to the gate in front of Maddie's house.
"Better just let me out here," Maddie said as she reached for her backpack.
"Are you going to tell her that you've been coming over?" Colt asked as he put the car into park.
Maddie shrugged. "There's like a lot of stuff going on right now. I'll tell them soon."
"Something I can help with?" Colt asked. "You know you can tell me anything."
Maddie shook her head. "I'm not really supposed to talk about it."
Colt reached over and took her hand. "I can tell something's been on your mind, the last couple of days. I mean, aren't you supposed to be happy that your mom and dad are back together? You told me it was everything you always wanted."
Maddie looked away from him, out the window. "Yeah, I know, I thought it would be, but…" her voice was flat, without emotion.
"Just tell me," Colt asked again. "It can just stay between us."
Maddie looked at him, tears running from her eyes. "It's my dad. He's...he's really sick. He...he might die, Colt."
Colt was quiet. "Geez, Maddie...I'm sorry. Is this...is this why you've been so, I don't know…" he said, stumbling over his words.
Maddie started crying harder. "I can't...I can't…"
Colt pulled her close to him. "I'm sorry," he said, then repeated himself over and over, trying to comfort her.
They sat that way for about fifteen minutes until she was able to stop crying. She brushed the tears from her face and looked up at the house. "I better go in there before my mom calls Chloe and figures out I wasn't there."
Colt nodded, not sure what else to say. "See you tomorrow?" he asked.
Maddie opened the door and got out of the Jeep. "See you tomorrow. And thank you."
He sat as she opened the side gate and started walking up to the house, then put the Jeep into gear and headed back to his dad's ranch.
Maddie walked up to the kitchen door and looked in. Her mom was sitting at the kitchen counter. She wiped her face again and opened the door.
"Hey, Mom," she called as she walked into the room, trying to make her voice bright.
Rayna looked over at her and smiled. "How was Chloe? Making good progress on your project?"
Maddie nodded her head and smiled."Yeah, it's going great. I...I should go up and finish my homework, though."
"Come give me a hug," Rayna said, holding her arms out.
Maddie crossed to her and slipped into her mom's arms. Her mom didn't say anything, but Maddie could tell she'd been crying. Hard. She wanted to say something, but it felt like if she said something to her mom, if they started talking about it, about Deacon dying, she'd never be able to stop crying again.
"Okay, honey, go finish up your homework," her mom said as she let Maddie slip from her arms. "You doing, okay?"
Maddie nodded, not trusting her voice to say anything. "Good night, Mom," she finally let out.
"Night, honey," Rayna said as Maddie headed upstairs.
"How's Colt?"
Maddie looked up to see her younger sister standing in her doorway. Daphne walked into the room and sat down on Maddie's bed where she had her computer open.
"What do you mean?" Maddie said.
"I know you weren't at Chloe's house tonight," Daphne explained. "Her sister is in my class and she's going on my field trip."
Maddie closed the lid of her computer and looked at her sister. "Don't tell Mom or Deacon. I just...I don't want to have to explain this, too."
"I can keep a secret," Daphne said. "But you did miss something here while you were gone."
"What?" Maddie asked.
Daphne leaned forward. "I think I caught them."
Maddie scrunched up her face in confusion. "Caught who? Doing what?"
"Mom and Deacon," Daphne whispered. "When I got home. She said they were working on a chorus for a song, but Deacon...he didn't have his guitar and Mom...well, her hair was really messed up."
Maddie shook her head. "Maybe we should give them some private time...I mean…it's like they've been waiting their whole lives for this time and…" She started to cry again.
Daphne slid closer, taking Maddie in her arms. "It'll be okay, Maddie."
Maddie tucked her face against her sister's shoulder. "No, it won't. It's not going to be okay."
When Rayna came upstairs, the hall was dark and quiet. She looked in Daphne's room and was surprised to see her bed empty. She crossed the hall and gently pushed the door open to Maddie's room.
They were both asleep in Maddie's bed. She smiled. The girls shared a room before they built this house and for the the first year, Daphne had come in and slept with her older sister every night.
She walked over to the edge of bed and pulled the duvet up around Maddie's shoulder. She leaned down and kissed each of them gently on the forehead. She watched them sleep for a few minutes, then headed toward her room.
She knew they were hurting. It had been a confusing time with the cancellation of her wedding, the things happening with Teddy and now Deacon's illness. She had to stay strong for them, be that calming presence that they needed.
As she walked into her dressing room, her phone buzzed. She pulled it from her pocket and looked down at it.
Love you, babe.
She smiled and tapped a quick response. Love you, too, babe. Forever.
Now they just needed to make sure that forever lasted a little bit longer.
Deacon looked down at his phone. It was taking everything in his body not to get back in his truck and drive back over to her house. Now that he'd let himself open up to her, he craved Rayna with every inch of his being.
But he also felt like it was selfish. And it was unfair.
Why would this happen to him now? When everything in his life was finally going to work out? He rolled on his side, lying there for what felt like hours, unable to sleep, then sat up.
He could hear his dad's voice in his head. The voice telling him he'd never be anything but a drunk like him.
He heard Beverly telling him no, that she wouldn't save him.
He heard Teddy telling him he wasn't a father.
The voices were interrupted by the sound of front door opening. Scarlett must have just gotten home.
But there was a light tapping on the door to his bedroom and then it swung open.
"You got room in there for two?" Rayna asked as she slipped in the door.
Deacon laid back down on his side and patted the bed next time him. Rayna slid off her boots and jeans and slid into bed next to him, pressing her back into his chest and arms.
"I couldn't sleep," she said. "I missed you, too much."
He leaned in and kissed her hair. "I want you in my bed every night, babe."
And then, with his arms around her, they slept.