Dear Readers-
I wanted to let you know that my new chapters will be posted on Sundays or Mondays, depending on how busy things get for me. I hope that you know that I have really appreciated the feedback and support that I've received from you. Thanks for continuing to read my story and letting me know that you still want to read more chapters. Keep leaving me comments and reviews. I love reading them. It keeps me writing. Please let me know if you like having the reminders of season episodes' events in the story as background in the story. Here it goes…
Now on with the story-
I don't own Reba or any of the characters in this story from Reba. They belong to the writers of the REBA TV show. I also do not owe the rights to any of the songs and lyrics that I use in this story. Those are the property of the artists involved. The characters of Kim, Sam Holliway, Jenny Miller, Nick Holliway and Josh Holliway from this story are my creation though. The story is just a year off from the way that the seasons of Reba actually aired. The story picks up from after the fifth and sixth seasons of Reba from fall 2006-spring 2008.
This chapter will consist of flashbacks that will be in regular font, instead of the italicized font. I use the italicized font to distinguish between flashbacks and regular scenes. It's not necessary here because every scene is a flashback; only author's notes will be italicized.
Previously- They stood there silently. Reba forgot about everyone else around her. She rushed up to Jack, grabbed him by the shirt, and kissed him fiercely.
Jake yelled, "Ugh, my eyes!"
Cheyenne commented, "Hey, Mom. The video camera is still recording."
Reba broke off the kiss quickly. "Oh my Lord, Jack. I really like you."
"I really like you too, Reba."
Van remarked, "Hey you two, get a room."
Reba turned around to look at Van when she heard that remark. Instead of seeing Van's face, she saw Terry's face. She looked at the camera. When she looked at Jack's face, she saw Mike's face.
"Would you excuse me for a second?"
She turned and ran inside the house with tears in her eyes.
The next scene came on. Reba let her thoughts drift to the past while watching the scene. Her thoughts went back to the time when Kim showed up on her doorstep in Houston.
"Wow, has hell frozen over? What are you doin' here, Kim?" Reba asked.
What will happen to Reba and Brock this time? Why is Kim on Reba's doorstep? Will Reba be able to stop thinking about Mike? What's happening with Brock and Reba? What happening with Jack and Reba? Who will she choose?
It's finally 2008. What happens in the year 2008? Stay tuned to find out in this chapter!
We left the story in chapter 15 in the year 2006 with a cliffhanger to introduce events in 2008. What happens between now in 2008? What happens in the present when Reba wakes up in Vegas? How did she end up in Vegas? Keep reading to find out more!
Author's note- Reminders- Barbra Jean signs Reba up for an online dating service. The family realizes that Reba has given up her own personal life and dating in order to devote herself full-time to her family. Brock seemed to get jealous when Reba seems to find "the one", but Reba is only using that as a cover to spend time alone and relax. Reba gets into a real estate partnership with Van. Reverend Parks (aka Reverend Yummy Pants) is interested in dating Reba. Barbra Jean flirts with the reverend herself. Reba takes in some Hurricane Katrina survivors. Jake and the family play a huge prank on Reba for Halloween. This renews her Halloween spirit. It's her favorite holiday.
Reba goes on a diet with Barbra Jean and Cheyenne. Cheyenne decides to devote herself to helping people more. She changes her career goal from being a dentist to being a drug and alcohol counselor. Barbra Jean's brother, Buzzard visits the family for Thanksgiving. Barbra Jean starts beating Brock up in her sleep. Reba takes care of Brock when he gets kidney stones and Barbra Jean is out of town. This leads to some uncovered feelings as they share memories. They agree to renew their friendship and trade insults less. Barbra Jean and Reba fight over parenting skills. Brock gets audited by the IRS. He owes $75,000.
He has to sell his house. He decides to move away because he feels bad about putting Reba through so much trouble again. She convinces him to stay. Reba buys Brock and Barbra Jean's house and becomes their landlord. Jack Morgan comes back to romance Reba. However, he is still married. This makes Reba "the other woman". Reba breaks up with him. Reba gets laser eye surgery. Court mandated therapy ends for the family.
Reba finds out that she has high blood pressure. Cheyenne and Van have a second wedding to renew their vows. They fight before the ceremony. Barbra Jean takes the opportunity to renew vows with Brock. This is too much for Reba to take. She passes out during the ceremony. Reba ends up in the hospital. Barbra Jean loses weight. Cheyenne gets pregnant again. Van leaves his partnership with Reba to join Steve Norris' company because it's more money for the growing family.
Kyra moves back home. Barbra Jean becomes a TV Weathergirl. Brock gets his vasectomy reversed. Reba makes a new friend in future Weathergirl, Kelly. Cheyenne and Van find out that they are having a boy. Brock tries to stay in Reba's garage so he can separate from Barbra Jean. Reba catches him in her shower. Brock actually likes that. He starts flirting with Reba. She pretends to be unaffected.
Brock and Barbra Jean decide to get divorced. Cheyenne and Van buy a house of their own. Brock is actually torn up over the split with Barbra Jean. They still are attracted to each other. The physical attraction leads to a brief reconciliation. Kyra and Reba fight over whether or not Kyra should go to college. Van accidentally sets his new house on fire. Reba decides that her crazy life is exactly the way that it should be. She tells Barbra Jean that she is her best friend. Barbra Jean gets a job in Little Rock, Arkansas, but then changes her mind.
It's finally 2008 at this point in the story. Welcome to my version of what should have been the back nine episodes of season six. This will lead into my version of season seven, if there would have been a season seven. This part of the story will introduce you to the events that occurred during the spring and summer of 2008 (the missing back nine and more).
Author's note- Spring-Summer 2008: Brock told Reba that she's his best friend. They were working to put the animosity of the divorce behind them and work towards the friendship that they had years ago in Oklahoma. Brock was making that hard when his physical presence was all over her house again as a neighbor while living with Barbra Jean and as a roommate once he moved in. Brock and Barbra Jean got separated. The lingering physical attraction and brief reconciliation between Brock and Barbra Jean began in February and was over by May. Brock begged Reba to let him stay at her house temporarily while the two worked things out. When it looked like the separation wasn't so temporary, Brock suggested that he stay and help Reba out with the bills. He encouraged her to go back to college and finish her degree so she could become a teacher just like she always wanted to. The family jumped behind that idea. Van and Cheyenne offered to rent out their house and move back in to help Reba out to make things easier while she went back to school.
Van and Cheyenne were worried about being on their own so they quickly made the offer to help Reba so they could get the sanctuary and comfort from living at Reba's house. Van managed to set their new house on fire on their first day of living there. Brock offered to remodel the basement into an apartment for Van, Cheyenne, and their two kids. Cheyenne wanted her parents' help with the new baby. John Christopher Montgomery was born in July. The name made Reba sad and happy at the same time. Van and Cheyenne picked the name without knowing that it held special meaning for Reba. They still weren't aware that Cheyenne was not Reba's firstborn child. Reba saw a resemblance in her new grandson to her own baby John from twenty-five years before.
Van and Cheyenne were busy and extremely exhausted. Cheyenne returned to college classes in the fall. Van worked long hours at the real estate office. Baby John was put in campus daycare until five o'clock when Reba or Brock picked up the baby from the daycare. Brock offered to make the attic into a bedroom for Kyra so she'd have more privacy. Kyra graduated from high school in June. She spent the summer playing gigs with her band. She was home less often. In September, mother and daughter would both be college students.
Elizabeth and Henry would be starting kindergarten by then. Kyra would be staying in the dorms. She still had a bedroom at Reba's whenever she needed. Jake was thirteen and would be starting eighth grade in the fall. He started his own lawn mowing business in the neighborhood so he could have some spending money. Elizabeth and Henry started kindergarten in the fall. Henry spent weekends with Brock at Reba's house. He stayed in the guest bedroom, which was Kyra's old bedroom. Barbra Jean was very busy with her new job as a television news reporter so Henry also stayed at Reba's house after school until his mother got off work. Brock cut back his work hours so he could be home when Elizabeth, Henry, and Jake got home from school.
Reba was pleasantly surprised that her family was finally able to sit down all together for dinner at six o'clock every night after all these years like she always wished that they could. Reba and Brock traded off cooking duties. Everyone had assigned household chores to keep things running smoothly since Reba had so much on her plate while returning to school after all these years. Reba put the family on a budget so they could make it financially while she was in school and not working. Brock wanted Reba to be able to focus on school full-time so he suggested to her that having a job, being a full-time student, and being a full-time mother would be too stressful and hard on her blood pressure. Despite the budget, Brock paid for the family to have an in-ground pool built in the backyard for the kids to enjoy during the summer.
Brock was staying in Van and Cheyenne's old bedroom. This was hard for Reba to grow accustomed to. She was comfortable in her old routine. The change and disruption of her routine was hard for Reba to handle. She was used to living as a single mother alone. Reba and Brock's bedrooms were separated by just one wall. Reba was just getting out of a bad relationship with Jack Morgan that was rekindled in February. He'd tricked her into believing that his marriage to Cheryl was over. When she found out, she was furious and broke things off with him in March. Six months after the breakup, he wouldn't leave her alone. Lori Ann suggested setting her up with a blind date so Jack could see that Reba was dating again and off limits to him. Reba agreed. She was currently anticipating her new role as a full-time college student.
Now on with our next chapter-
The next scene came on. Reba and Brock let their thoughts drift to the past while watching the scene. Their thoughts went back to the time when Kim showed up on her doorstep in Houston.
"Wow, has hell frozen over? What are you doin' here, Kim?" Reba asked.
"I came because I am offering you a gift. Your birthday is next week, right?" Kim responded
"Nice of you to remember. What is this about?" Reba commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"I'm here to give Mike back to you. He is miserable and he really needs you."
"That's very warped and generous of you, Kim. He's not a toy to hand back when you're finished playing with it. He doesn't need me. I've left messages for him and he hasn't tried to contact me even once. It's been five years, Kim. It's none of my business how he is, but if he's miserable then it must be because he's with you."
"Nice comeback. I've trying to help you. I'm willing to offer you the truth. Maybe this will help the two of you get back together. I'm sorry for the trouble that I caused the last time. I was pregnant and hormonal. It's a roller coaster ride when you're carrying a Holliway baby."
"Excuse me? Are you telling me that Mike lied to me? How will that help us get back together? Just go home and work on your marriage, please. I'm the ex. That means excuse me, but I'm not getting involved anymore."
"Wait! There have been too many lies told already. I have to fix this for the two of you. I am not married to Mike anymore. We divorced eight years ago. You are still the woman that he wants."
"Well, that's too bad. I've moved on. I've moved so far past on that I'm lapping it for the second time. Besides why does Kim Campbell, my enemy care so much about this anyway?"
"I'm Kim Holliway. Technically, I'm Kim Campbell Holliway Campbell Holliway. I'm not your enemy, Reba. I used to be your best friend. Remember when we were fourteen. You were dreaming about Mike and I said how great it would be if Mike married you and Terry married me. We were excited to think about being sisters-in-law and our kids growing up together."
"Well, that seems so ridiculous now. Why did you change your name back to Holliway? It's because you had Mike's baby, right?"
"No. I had Terry's baby."
"What?"
"I have a lot to make up for to you and Mike."
"You slept with Mike's brother? That's a new low even for a tramp like you."
"I never should have married Mike. I was miserable. I started seeing Terry again and then I couldn't stop. I didn't know that I was in love with Terry until things had gone too far."
"So you cheated on Mike with Terry?"
"Terry used to bring me up to the apartment. We snuck around until Mike caught us. After the divorce, I saw Terry on and off for awhile. After you had your near-death experience, Terry told me that he didn't want to waste anymore time. He asked me to marry him and I accepted. We didn't expect him to die so soon. He didn't even see his son."
"How could you do that to Mike? Do you know what it is like when you are in a marriage that you think is going well just to wake up one day and find out that your life is a lie? Mike was your husband and the father of your child. So you cheated on Mike in the apartment? My apartment? Are you kidding me? You really are a tramp, you know that. Did you even have the nerve to sleep with Terry in my bed? I can think of so many names to call you right now. Are you telling me that Mike caught you sleeping with Terry in our bed?"
Reba felt the fury overcome her. Before she knew it, the redhead dove towards Kim and started punching her. Kim responded by struggling to get free and trying to grab the hair of her attacker. Brock was coming into the kitchen through the back door. He heard the commotion in the living room and came running into the living room. He dashed to pull Reba off of Kim.
"You are so lucky that he pulled me off. How could you?"
"You always were a vicious little witch, Reba. I was just trying to clear the air. It's not like you haven't slept with Brock. He's married to someone else and you still want him in your bed. And yet, you tell Mike how much you miss him. Aren't you also sleeping with a doctor now, too? How many men have you slept with recently? Too many to keep track of? You're a cheating, lying witch! You aren't any more faithful to Mike than I was. I don't know why Mike still wants a slut like you. You are despicable. At least I didn't call out another man's name when I slept with Mike."
Reba lunged towards Kim again to attack her. Brock grabbed a hold of her waist to keep Reba from making contact with Kim. "Let me go, Brock. She's tellin' lies about me and I'm gonna teach her a lesson."
"Calm down, Reba. Throwing punches isn't gonna help things. Remember your blood pressure."
"I'm gonna make her shut her lyin' mouth!" Reba said to Brock. "If you want to see a slut, you should look in the mirror." Reba said to Kim.
"Great comeback. Too bad he's got a hold of you. If you want to see a real liar, then you should turn around. Brock is no angel either. He's done more to hurt you than you will ever know. You had a good man and you were too stupid to realize it."
"Knock it off, Kim." Brock warned.
"Someday you are gonna get what's coming to you, Brock. At least I'm trying to do the right thing by coming here. What have you done to fix what you've done?"
"Shut up, Kim!" Brock yelled.
Reba stood there, stunned. Brock still had his arms around her to pull her back, but she wasn't trying to attack Kim anymore. Reba looked from Kim to Brock. Kim pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.
"I'm here. We got in a fight. It's over now. You know Reba. It's easy to set her off. She likes hitting people," Kim said to the person on the other line.
"I'm about to be set off again," Reba said, through clenched teeth.
Kim handed the phone to Reba. "This call is for you."
Kim looked at Brock. "You can leave now. Take your hands off her. You let go of her a long time ago. You were never supposed to have her in the first place." she remarked.
Brock moved away from Reba, removing his arms from her waist. "You can leave now. I'm not gonna say another word. You're safe enough for now." Kim warned.
Brock walked back into the kitchen. Reba sat down on the sofa to talk on the phone.
"Hi."
"Hi, Reba. I want to let you know that her visit was not my idea. Kim has a mind of her own. She really does mean well. You two just know how to push each other's buttons."
"Fair enough. What's goin' on exactly?"
"Kim wants us to talk. I got the video. Are you still seeing that guy?"
"No, I tried to give Jack a chance three times and he's just not what I thought he was. What about you? Are you seein' anyone?"
"No. I haven't seen anyone since I saw you last. I miss you."
"You had my address, phone number, and e-mail. This is the first time that I'm hearin' from you."
"Not exactly. When was the last time that you saw Lori Ann?"
"It's been about a year since I've seen her last. We don't talk much anymore."
"When was the last time that the two of you went barhopping?"
"It's been about a year and a half. So you heard about that?"
"Are you done partying like a wild college girl?"
"Yeah. The morning after isn't much fun. Are we friends now or what?"
"I'm tryin'. I miss you."
"I miss havin' you around too. Who else is gonna reign me back in after tryin' one of Lori Ann's ideas?"
"I'm gonna let you get back to talking to Kim. Can we talk again soon?"
"I'd really like that."
The call ended. Kim was sitting on the sofa beside Reba. Reba handed the cell phone back to Kim.
"Why do we always end up fighting over that man?"
"I don't know. We're both pretty much done with him, too."
"I am, but you're not. You should've heard yourself-call it 'my apartment and our bed". That hasn't been your home for twenty-five years. You still have feelings for him. You wouldn't have attacked me if you didn't still care about Mike."
"So what? I have unresolved feelings for him. I just need to forget and move on."
"You two are the most stubborn people that I ever met. Terry and I didn't cheat in your room or in your bed. We were in the room that Terry uses next door. He really wanted you two to get back together. I really loved him. That's why I kinda lost it when I caught Mike with you. I wasn't being rational. Terry made that agreement with Mike about the baby. Mike is only helping me raise him. I'm his sister-in-law now."
Reba laughed. "That's funny. Your family is more dysfunctional than mine is."
"What's going on around here?"
"Brock is separated from his wife. He's staying here while tryin' to work things out with her. He helps me with the bills and with the kids while he's stayin' here. That's all that's goin' on 'round here. Soon he'll be back with his wife and my life will be back to normal again."
"You think it's normal to be alone? You could have so much more if you tried."
"Why are you suddenly being nice to me? We've spent years at each other's throats."
"We're not fighting over a man anymore. The man in question only wants you. He also wants us to get along for the sake of the children. He's my friend and he's hurting over all the mistakes that the two of you have made over the years that have kept you apart. He told me about the deal. You loved him and wanted to marry him. Has that changed?"
"I've loved him almost all of my life and spent the last twenty-eight years wishing that I'd gotten the chance to really be married to him for longer than twenty-four hours. It would've been great even if we only lasted a year. Living with him, even as crazy as things turned out, was one of the best times of my life."
"It's 2008. December will be here before you know it. Times almost up on your deal. Give it one more chance, Reba. Go to back home to Oklahoma and celebrate your anniversary with him. That oughta be memorable for the two of you. The two of you got married and had a child together. You share a bond. You should work things out or find closure. It's hard to watch the two of you eating your hearts out because you're too stubborn to give in. Fix it or end it once and for all."
"This is too funny. The woman who stole my husband is begging me to take him back. Are you sure that you want a 'vicious little witch' as your children's stepmother?"
Kim was about to answer the question when Barbra Jean barged into Reba's house through the front door without knocking.
"Who the h- is that?"
"Husband-stealing bimbo number one meet husband-stealing bimbo number two. This is Brock's wife, Barbra Jean. Barbra Jean, this is Kim Holliway. She's a member of our special club."
"Is this the BJ that I heard about, the mistress?"
"Yes, unfortunately. She just barges in here all the time. She must be here to see Brock."
"My god, Brock married Malibu Barbie!"
Reba laughed. "Have you looked in the mirror?"
"Hey, I resent that! I'm not a bimbo or a Barbie. I made some mistakes and I'm here to ask for your forgiveness."
"Who is this person, Reba?" Barbra Jean whispered.
"She's one of us. She belongs in our special club," Reba whispered back.
"What club is that?"
"The long line of women who have dated and bedded Brock."
"No, you're kidding me right, Reba?" Reba shook her head no in response. Barbra Jean moves closer to get a good look at Kim.
"So this is Brock's type?"
"Unfortunately. I'm the only one who was different out of all of them. Kim was the prettiest and most popular girl at McAlester High School. She was the head cheerleader and she dated the quarterback on the school's football team. She could've dated anyone she wanted."
"If Brock's type is blonde Barbie bimbos, then how in the world did he end up with you?"
"Ha, ha, very funny, Kim. It's like you always said. I had the guys under my evil spell," Reba laughed sarcastically.
"You've dated and slept with my husband? How many women are there from his past?" Barbra Jean asked.
"Too many to count," Reba answered.
"I want a word with Brock now!" Barbra Jean shouted. Reba silently pointed to the kitchen. Barbra Jean stomped into the kitchen.
Reba and Kim shared a laugh. "Now can we get back to business? Do you want your man back or not?"
"Yeah, I do. I need to stop obsessing over that man. It either becomes real or it's just a beautiful memory."
"You know you made fun of blondes, but remember you were once a blonde too. Or did you forget?"
Barbra Jean came running out of the kitchen. "I heard that. Reba used to be a blonde. I'm sorry. I've got to hear this!"
"Barbra Jean, were you listening in the kitchen?"
"No-oooo."
"Sure you weren't. Okay, here's the story. We used to be best friends."
"Like you and me."
"Not exactly. We stopped being best friends when she tried to steal my man from me."
"That's a load of baloney and you know it. You stole my man from me first. You went out with Tommy Johnson and you knew that I really liked him."
"No, I didn't. I really didn't know that you were serious about him. He asked me out on one date. It was the worst experience of my life. I paid the price for it. You didn't have to bleed it out of me."
"Reba's a man-stealer. This is a story that I've gotta hear," Brock said as he came out of the kitchen.
"Well, hello there. You still look good." Kim commented to Brock, forgetting that she'd just threatened to expose him moments before. She gave him a dazzling smile.
"Thanks. You look great yourself," Brock responded, wondering what this viper had up her sleeve. He had a smirk on his face. Reba shook her head. She could not believe just how vain he seemed to be. She'd thought that he'd changed.
"Hold it there one second there, Peaches. This is my husband. You had your turn. Now back away from my man," Barbra Jean interrupted.
Brock shot Barbra Jean a glaring look over Reba's head. He mouthed the words, "Cut it out" to Barbra Jean.
"See Brock, I told ya that you both still have feelings for each other. The shoe is now on the other foot. You're the one who's flirting and she's the one who's jealous." Reba turned to Kim.
"Wow, Kim. If we're gonna be friendly, then I'm gonna have to ask you to find some other man to flirt with. Next time, try a man who hasn't been married to me. McAlester is full of 'em."
"Actually Reba that was just an old reflex action. I'm thoroughly done with Brock," Barbra Jean commented.
"Hey, there was a story about Reba being a man-stealing blonde. That's what I wanna hear about."
Reba shot Brock a look of disgust. "You would, you mo-ron."
"Okay. Reba and I were best friends from way back. Lori Ann and Reba started fighting in the third grade and that's when we became best friends. Lori Ann and I don't get along much."
"I know what you mean. I'm Reba's best friend. I hate it when she swoops in here like she's the only best friend that Reba's ever had."
"Anyway," Reba interrupted, "she's the beauty and I'm the brains. When we teamed up, look out!"
"This story is about a boy, a very special boy. Reba was madly in love with him. He lived far away from McAlester. He came to visit his grandparents when we were fourteen years old. He was sixteen. They had such fun together. They were perfect for each other. Before he left, he gave her a kiss. It was her first real kiss. When he went back home, he wrote to her every week. He was dating other girls back home. He was honest about his life back home.
They became just friends. Then Reba heard about a party that was bein' held. The boy was comin' back for Christmas vacation that year. Reba wanted to change her image at school. I gave her a makeover. Suddenly the quiet, mousy bookworm had guys lined up at her locker to talk to her in the halls and they crowded around our lunch table. Reba flirted until she finally got an invite to the most exclusive party of the year. She found out that boy would be back here to attend the party. He obviously knew what she looked like and he was obviously keeping her in the friend category. She was determined to change that. The makeover wasn't enough.
She needed a disguise and a name. When she got ready for the party, she was wearing the right makeup, short tight-fittin' clothes, and a blonde wig. Her parents would've killed her if she'd dyed her red hair. I taught her how to walk and talk sexy. We worked on getting her to change her voice so she'd sound like a different person. She looked like she was seventeen. On the night of the party, she became a blonde bombshell. She became Sally McEntire. At the party, she circulated and flirted. She was careful not to get close to where the boy was. She danced with other boys."
"I'm telling this part. Then he finally walked up to me. I remember that he wore a Stetson hat. He was from Oklahoma, but he kept trying to act like a Texas cowboy. I acted casual as if we were strangers. He took my hand and kissed it. He introduced himself as Jack Collins. I introduced myself as Sally McEntire. He took my hand and let me to the dance floor. It got easier to get bolder with him. The punch was spiked and I drank some. It got easier and easier to pretend to be someone else. That's when things got interesting."
"My turn to tell 'em. The game had barely begun. At these parties, you didn't come with a date. You came alone. The girls wrote their names down on paper, folded it up, and put it in a hat. When it was time, the boys each drew a girl's name from the hat. When it was Jack's turn, he drew the name Sally McEntire. That's when they went into the closet. The game was Seven Minutes in Heaven. Each couple was in the closet to make out for seven minutes."
"I've played that game before, but they call it something else in Fisheye Bottom."
"Barbra Jean, let them tell the story. I'm interested in finding out what happened next."
"You're a guy, Brock. What do you think happened next?"
"But I want to hear you tell it."
"He kissed me again in the closet. Sparks were flyin'. We started makin' out until our seven minutes were over. After that, he kept dancin' with me. Then he got up to sing with some of his buddies. He actually lived in McAlester a few years before that. I started singing softly to the songs that we danced to. He liked my singing. When he was done singing with his buddies, he asked me to get up and sing with him. Our voices were a perfect fit. Later, we walked around the party and he wouldn't let go of my hand.
He just kept holding my hand in his with our fingers laced together. He said that he could fall in love with a girl like me. After that, he went back home. I got letters, but we never talked about the party. I figured that I really fooled him that night. Then he came back for Spring Break. There was another party like the one before. Kim helped me prepare again. This time was a little different. I was still the blonde bombshell, but he upped the stakes in the game. It was a game to trick each other and entice each other. This time, he fired back by using my idea against me. He was disguised.
He didn't wear the Stetson hat this time. He changed his voice and appearance. He hid his eyes behind sunglasses. This was someone that I'd known almost all my life. I'd know him anywhere, even if I couldn't see. I can tell by his voice most of the time. He has tried to trick me often enough. He tried to disguise his voice that night, but I could tell that it was him. When we slow danced, I knew for sure that it was him. He has a very distinct smell. I could smell the Stetson cologne on him that I'd bought him for Christmas. He was good though. He worked even harder to disguise himself than I did.
He lightened his hair to a sandy brown color. He wore colored contacts to change his eye color to deep blue. I got to see his eyes much later on. He came up with a different name this time. This time, he said that his name was John Smith. We are two incredibly stubborn people. Neither one of us was willing to confront the other and give away our real identities. I knew that if I'd confronted him about his disguise, I'd be giving my own disguise away. The whole thing was strange, but wonderful. Everything happened in the same way as the last party, except for the singing. He didn't want to give himself away. By this time, we'd begun singing together in the barn when he'd come by to see me.
He'd help me with my chores so we could go running off together. He also came up with something fun and spontaneous to do, but we'd never discuss the parties. We were close. I could talk to him about anything. He'd dance with me and hold my hand sometimes with our fingers intertwined, but he didn't try to kiss me. He'd leave again and I'd never know when or if I'd see him again. Then summer came. My fifteenth birthday came and went. A new boy got interested in me. He was one of the most popular boys in school. Before school ended for the summer, he'd try to talk to me. I was quiet and shy most of the time. I was nervous and I didn't know what to do.
I only wanted to date the boy that I'd fallen for, but I had no idea if he'd return or if he was actually interested in dating me. He'd never shown any interest in me that way except for during those two parties. During the summer, I wore a bikini to Lake McAlester. Kim and I went to the beach there. That boy was Tommy Johnson. He was there quite a few times. One day, he came up to us and asked me to swim with him. I looked at Kim and she told me to go. For the first time, a boy looked us and liked me better than Kim. That had never happened before. I was the brainy girl who wore glasses. Boys never looked at me like they looked at Kim. I was never jealous of the attention that she got, but she sure was jealous of me that day.
Tommy Johnson asked me out and I agreed to go because I didn't think that Kim would mind. She let me flirt and swim with him quite a bit that day. I didn't know how much she liked him. I didn't know that she was jealous until much later. As soon as Kim found out about the date, she was livid. She didn't find out until school started again in the fall. Tommy spread a rumor around school that he'd had sex with me. I got a bad reputation. Suddenly I had the guy that I'd fallen for back in my life again. His family moved to town again. He started going to school with us.
He didn't believe the rumor at all. He protected me. He threatened anyone who tried to date me because he knew that they only wanted to date me because of Tommy's lie. Boys thought that I was easy, but my guy knew the truth. Kim stopped being my friend as soon as she'd heard that I'd gone on a date with Tommy. When she heard the rumor, she believed the lie and declared war on me. She'd made it her mission to destroy me. It took her two full years to finally crush me down. If she'd known the truth, she should've been glad that she didn't go out with Tommy herself."
"What you didn't know was that I'd already gone out with him. That night when you went to the Christmas party, I went out with Tommy. We got a lot further than you did at the party. Look, I know that I didn't make it public that I'd had sex with him. I just didn't understand why you didn't talk to me about the date first. You would've any other time. What made you decide not to tell me?"
"Tommy told me not to. He said that he didn't want to give you the chance to talk me out of dating him. He said that he really liked me. He fed me some stupid lines and I trusted him. I'm sorry that I did that. I need you to understand why I could never talk about that night again."
"I'm listening."
"I need for the three of you to promise never to tell anyone what I am about to tell you. After I tell you, I never want to talk about it again. Promise?"
Kim and Barbra Jean nodded. Brock took Reba's hand into his own. He looked into her eyes and urged her to trust him with this information. "It's okay, honey. You can say whatever it is to us and we will never judge you for it. We will never tell another living soul about it," Brock responded.
Reba sighed. "If you tell Mike about this, he'll go after Tommy. I don't want Mike to get hurt or end up in jail because of this, okay."
"Reba, I promise that you can trust me with this. What is it?" Kim responded.
"The date was going well in the beginning. He took me to a nice restaurant. He complimented me. He acted like a gentleman. We went to the drive-in to see a movie after dinner. He didn't try to make a move. I thought that I was safe. During the movie, something seemed wrong and my mind was screaming at me to go home right away. I didn't know why because everything was fine. Tommy was supposed to drive me straight home after the movie, but he didn't. He stopped the car in the middle of nowhere. That's when it started.
He expected that I'd be so grateful for the date and his attentions that I'd sleep with him. He tried and I refused." Tears started falling down Reba's cheeks. "After that, he'd decided to take what he wanted no matter what. He tried forcing himself on me. I kicked, clawed, and screamed. I kneed him in the groin and got out of that car as fast as I could. I looked so bad. I was pretty banged up. I had bruises everywhere. My dress was ripped open. He broke the buttons when he ripped it off. I had to hold it closed when I ran. He still had the underwear that he ripped off me in his car. I guess that's why he thought that he'd get away with the lie. He figured that no one would believe me if I tried to tell the truth. I was lucky that an old woman was driving down the road. I ran and stopped her car. I got in her car as fast as I could. She took me home. I never talked to anyone about it ever again. I tried to go on with my life as if it had never happened."
"Kim, I'm sorry but I don't feel so good. I need to lie down for awhile. I'll be happy to visit with you again tomorrow."
"Kim, do you have a place to stay?"
"Not yet."
"Well you are gonna come and stay with me. Any friend of Reba's is a friend of mine. I live around the corner. You can see into Reba's house from our house. I can run from my house to Reba's in just 26 seconds. Isn't that great? I bet you have some great Reba stories to tell me."
Kim listened to the bubbly blonde and quietly accepted Barbra Jean's invitation. The two walked over to Barbra Jean's house right away. Reba ran upstairs to her room. She went to lie down on the bed and began to sob. Brock knocked on the door. He opened the door to check on her. "Go away, please. I just want to forget about this. This was a really bad day and I need to try to get some sleep and forget about it. I'll feel better tomorrow."
"Is this one of the reasons why you have those bad nightmares?"
"Yes. Please don't make me talk about it. Just go away. I'm sorry that I ever told you about it. I never wanted anyone to know."
"Where were your parents when this happened? Didn't they notice your clothes and your appearance when you got home? Weren't they worried?"
Reba shook her head. "They weren't home. They were gone. I just took a bath, threw my clothes in the trash, and went to bed."
"It must have been around 12-1 o'clock in the morning and they weren't home waiting up for you? I remember how protective your dad always was."
Reba scoffed and then quietly continued. "My parents were having problems. They weren't around much at the time. They never found out about it. They never even knew that I'd gone out on a date in the first place. They weren't home and I didn't call to ask permission to go. After that, I felt so bad that I just couldn't tell them that I'd put myself in that situation."
Reba had her back to him. She just looked out the window as she spoke. She spoke softly, but her tone was emotionless and detached. Brock walked over to the bed. He moved to lie down beside Reba. He wrapped his arms around her. She turned towards him and buried her face in his chest sobbing. He rubbed her back gently while holding her.
"Shh, it's gonna be okay, honey. I'm here for you. I'm gonna stay right here all night like this so you won't have any nightmares. I remember that this is the only way to keep your nightmares away when you sleep." He kissed her on the top of her head.
Reba awoke early just as the sun was rising. She was wrapped in Brock's arms. Her telephone began to ring. She answered it quickly, but still feeling very sleepy. "Hello."
"Good morning. How are you?"
Reba's tired eyes flew open. She looked over at a sleeping Brock. She spoke in a hushed tone. "Good morning to you. I've been better. Having Kim here brought up a lot of unpleasant memories for me. I had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Let me pick up the extension in the kitchen. I have to be really quiet. I've got four children and a grandchild still asleep. Hold on."
Reba crept out of bed and out of the room. She tiptoed downstairs to pick up the phone in the kitchen. "I'm back."
Brock actually woke up when Reba began to stir in his arms. He lay silently pretending to be asleep when Reba got up to answer the phone. After Reba left the room, Brock decided to listen to the conversation on Reba's bedroom phone.
What will happen to Reba and Brock this time after she woke up wrapped in his arms in her bed, which used to be their bed? Is Kim actually trying to be Reba's friend? What's going on with Brock and Barbra Jean? What would Brock be trying to hide from Reba? What information does Kim have on Brock? Will Reba be able to stop having nightmares? What's happening with the mystery caller and Reba? Will Reba try to get back together with Mike or Brock?
It's finally 2008. What happens next in the year 2008? Stay tuned to find out in the next chapter!
Thanks for the reviews so far! Please send me a review of this chapter.
If anyone has any suggestions on them I'd love to hear! Review or Send me a P.M with your suggestions!
Watch Working Class on CMT this Friday, February 4th and spread the word around. Melissa Peterman's new show is so funny! This Friday will be a special treat for Reba fans because Reba is guest starred on Working Class-8 pm Eastern/7 pm Central. Melissa Peterman is the ex-wife and Reba is the ex-husband's new girlfriend on this show. It ought to be hilarious!
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