Chapter Eight
It seemed like another normal day for the Hart family today. Barbara Jean was five months along, Jake was practicing to beat up a little girl, Van was sneaking in a little extra time to sit in his car rather than work, Cheyenne was looking at a Gucci catalog and having fantasies, Reba was working and planning to yell at Van, and Brock was trying to find a way to propose to Reba.
He wanted it to be something private. His first plan had been to take her for a walk on the beach, but it was the wrong tide for that. He thought about flowers, but couldn't decide what he would do with them. Set them on the table? But he wanted to put Reba there if they were in the kitchen.
He had a ring picked out and in his pocket. Diamonds 3.5 cm wide were set halfway around a silver band (A.N. - Can you tell I'm online looking at Tiffany's catalog?) He couldn't wait to see how it looked on her.
Finally, after struggling with nerves and romantic-block for over an hour, he decided to talk to Van. He just hoped he wouldn't see Reba while there, or he might just lose control and yell it.
He went around the back of the house and opened the door to their office. "Van, I have a question about Re-"
To his surprise, he saw the lovely red-head that he was in love with look up and smile. "Hi, Brock! Need something?" she smiled and got up, expecting him to come over and at least hug her, but he just stood there, frozen.
"Uh, did you say you need Van? He claimed to be working but he's sitting with Rhonda," Reba rolled her eyes, laughing a little.
Brock nodded, said, "Thanks – I gotta go…" and he left, slamming the door.
Reba stayed standing, confused. What was he so worked up about? Sighing she sat down to finish her paper work. He had been acting odd lately, ever since Paul had last come around and they'd called the police on him. Brock now knew for sure that Reba could stand up for himself, so what was his problem? It drove her nuts that he was keeping something from her that was so hard on him!
Out in front of the garage, Van was singing a song to Rhonda.
"You make my life so sweet…your are so lovely on the street…I'm so glad that we did meet…your so…oh. Hi, Mr. H," he murmured, embarrassed.
"Hey Van, look I've got a problem."
"Well, sit on down with me and Rhonda and get it off your chest," Van offered, gesturing to the passenger seat. Brock opened the door and sat.
"I'm trying to find a way to…buckle down and propose to Reba," Brock confessed, shutting the door.
"Really?" Van asked, excited. "This'll be great – how you gonna do it?"
"That's the problem, I don't know! I was hoping you might have an idea," Brock sighed.
"Oh…well, I find the easiest way is to get her pregnant," Van shrugged. "In my experience, anyway."
"Van!"
"Okay, um…have you thought about asking her while on a date?"
"No, I want it to be more private," Brock said, shaking his head.
"But isn't that what your proposal was like the first time? Maybe you should shake things up a bit – prove how much you really want her by making it public."
Brock nodded. "That's a good point, Van, you know it always seemed like I wasn't public about our relationship."
"That didn't stop you from flirting with each other 24/7," Van pointed out, rolling his eyes.
"Wait – she flirted with me a ton more than I flirted with her!" Brock laughed.
"Yeah right, okay Mr. H, back to this whole proposing deal. I think you should take her out on a date then pop the question. Make it somewhat private, but not secretive."
"Well I'll think about it…but I'll make it a little more surprising than that," Brock agreed. "Thanks for the help, Van." With that he got out of the car.
"Oh, Mr. H!" Van called. "Could you hand me that rag and disinfectant spray in the glove box?"
Brock rolled his eyes but obliged his son-in-law. Van began spraying the seat up and down with the spray, wiping it down.
"There you go Rhonda, nice and clean!" Brock heard Van say as he walked into the house.
"Hey, Dad!" Cheyenne smiled from the couch as she read a magazine. "Mom's out in the garage working."
"I know – hey, Cheyenne," Brock began suddenly, struck by a sudden idea. He sat down with his daughter. "I'm trying to think of a way to propose to your Mom."
Cheyenne's eyes grew huge, she dropped her magazine and started jumping up and down, still sitting. "OH MY GOSH SERIOUSLY?"
"Yeah, I'm really gonna do it, but I'm not really sure how I should. I have the ring and everything, I've been carrying it around all week."
"Can I see it?" Cheyenne begged.
Brock looked over both shoulders and said, "Okay, but Shh!" he whispered and slowly pulled it out.
Cheyenne gasped and whispered, "Oh, it's so, so, so beautiful, Dad! She'll love it!"
"Thanks, I hope so," Brock said, putting the ring-box back into his pocket. "But how do I give it to her?"
Cheyenne thought for a minute. It wasn't what she was best at, but she had a very romantic mind. Then her eyes lit up. "Date! Take her on a date and propose!"
"That's what I'm planning to do…it's as far as I've gotten. I need some spice to add over it!" Brock insisted.
Cheyenne took this the wrong way. Clearing her throat she lowered her eyes modestly and murmured, "Dad…do you need someone to go to Victoria's Secret with you? If you want I can tell you her sizes and you can go alone…"
"Oh, c'mon! I already know her sizes!" Brock rolled his eyes.
"You do?" Cheyenne wasn't sure whether to be impressed or disgusted.
"Cheyenne – back to the problem at hand. I need to make this proposal special!" Brock begged.
"Okay, okay. Um…I think you should take her for a boat ride on the river," Cheyenne decided.
"Hey, that's a great idea!" Brock said excitedly. "But…do you think she'll get suspicious?"
"N-oh…uh, she probably will," Cheyenne admitted. Then she gasped. "But not if everyone comes! Look, you leave us on the shore \ and take her out to run the boat out of gas before it's time to go – it's pretty much the last time you can take it out this year, anyway," Cheyenne pointed out.
"Good thinking, thanks, Cheyenne!" Brock beamed. "That's just what I'll do – I'll see if she wants to go this Saturday."
Everyone but Reba knew exactly what was going to happen on Saturday. When it came, everyone was trying to make everything perfect. Jake and Van had washed the boat (A.N. – Yes we are going to pretend that Brock has a boat ), Kyra had threatened her band into changing the practice time, and Barbara Jean was bringing her body pillow. She was rather big now.
At the river, things were going well. Brock was extremely nervous but staying calm enough on the outside to fool Reba. He kept putting his hand in his pocket to make sure the ring was there, though.
Soon Jake asked to go tubing. It was his third time that day. The ring had almost flown out in a weak moment the last time.
"Sure – go ahead and get it ready, I'll be right there," Brock said, thinking fast. "Uh, Van," he muttered. "Hold this while I'm out there." He slipped him the box behind the picnic basket.
Van tucked the box in his shirt pocket. Before long Elizabeth came up and yelled, "TAG!" hitting him in the shoulder. He laughed and quickly got up to chase her.
As Cheyenne watched with amusement, she saw the tiny box fall. She frowned and got up to retrieve it. Recognizing it at once, she tried without luck to put it in her mini-shorts pockets. After a moment of blonde-thoughts processing, she stuck the box between her bikini-cups, underneath her tank top.
But after five minutes of no Van, the box started to cause problems. Extremely uncomfortable, Cheyenne whisepered, "Kyra!"
Kyra looked up from her book. "What?" she whispered.
After casting a glance at her mom and step-mom, who were having a conversation about how the second child is always an easier pregnancy than labor, Cheyenne put her hand down her shirt.
"EW! Cheyenne, why would you stuff in a swim suit?" Kyra yelled, shielding her eyes.
Reba glanced over at them . "Cheyenne, are you stuffing Kleenex again?" she accused. Barbara Jean snickered.
"NO!" once they had looked away, Cheyenne glared at Kyra and pulled out the box. "This is Mom's ring – Dad gave it to Van and Van dropped it and it can't stay in my shirt much longer or I'll get dents!"
"Am I suppose to touch it now?" Kyra complained, staring at the box as though it were a rat with a highly contagious disease.
"Kyra!" Cheyenne begged.
"All right, fine!" she took it and slipped it beneath the towel she was leaning on.
"Thanks – look, here's Dad!" Cheyenne cheered.
Sure enough, Brock was pulling up to the dock with the boat. Jake, his hair a haystack, stepped out and hurried to his mother.
"Mom, the inner tube's popped, so Dad says would you like to go for a spin in the boat with him to run out the gas?" he recited.
"Sure – may as well," Reba stood and hurried her way over to the dock.
Brock tried to control his nerves as he watched her walk toward him. She looked amazing right now, dressed in green spaghetti-straps and white capris. Her hair was falling around her shoulders, curly and wind-blown.
"Hey!" she smiled and climbed into the boat, giving him a tight hug. He returned it then started up the boat again.
On shore, everyone exchanged an excited glance and squealed in excitement. Then Cheyenne gasped.
"Oh, no! Kyra – Dad doesn't have the ring!"
"Crap – this is horrible! Jake – go make them stop!"
"NO!" Barbara Jean objected. "That would make it obvious – are you sure he doesn't have it?"
"I have it right here, see!" Kyra exclaimed, taking out the box and opening it.
To everyone's horror, however, nothing was there.
Out on the river, Brock had driven them way out of eyeshot. From the shore, you would have seen only a small white block on the water.
Reba, who was sitting next to him, asked, "What made you want to go out on the river today, Brock?"
Brock took a deep breath, but before he could answer, the boat stopped.
"Uh-oh…" he breathed.
"We're out of gas?" Reba guessed. He nodded.
"Got a cell phone handy?" Brock asked.
"Yeah…but while we're out here.." Reba smiled slyly and pulled him close for a kiss.
Brock couldn't resist. He put his hand behind Rebas neck and lower back to bring her in closer. She could kiss like absolutely no one in the world.
But he knew what needed to be done now. Slowly pulling away, he said, "Wait."
Reba pooched her lips into a pout. "Why?"
Brocks jaw almost dropped. He'd just slipped his hand into his pocket expecting to find a ring box, but instead he felt nothing. It hit him – he'd given it to Van!
But something was there…what was it? The ring! It must have fallen and into his pocket!
Slipping down onto one knee he looked a surprised Reba in the eyes. They started to tear over as she noticed the gesture.
"This is why?" she managed.
He held up the ring. "Before you get mad, look at the shiny ring…" he persuaded, holding it up. Reba's eyes grew larger as she stared at it, aghast, and she covered her mouth.
"Marry me?"
Reba just nodded, tearing her eyes away from the ring and looking into his eyes. Then she moved her hand behind his neck and lowered herself next to him on her knees, bringing him in for another passionate kiss.
A.N. – So, what do ya think? I'm not really sure what to put in the last chapter, so if you have unanswered questions I could answer them there. Message/ Review please!