Sorry it took MONTHS to get this chapter done, work got crazy! Next chapter will be coming soon

Written by: Sara

After a moment of complete silence and blank stares from each other. Brock steps forward saying,

"In a matter of fact that was my mother, she said she promised the kids she was gonna come by this weekend, but she aint feelin' to good, so she asked if we'd drive up there. So what do you say?"

"I say that's the quickest lie I've ever heard you come up with it"

"Reba you're the one who said my mother was supposed to come down this weekend."

She squints her eyes a bit and says, "Did I?"

"Yes, you did.. Last week remember?"

Reba walks over to the calendar on the fridge and says, "Oh yeah… ha! My bad. So she cant come down huh? Are we really taking the kids and driving all the way up there?"

He reaches out and grabs her arms, "Only if that's what you want?"

"Oh, c'mon Brock, you know how I feel about your mother, I say.. We send her soup and a get well card in the mail"

"Reba…." Brock says, trying to get her to realistic.

"Your right don't send the card, she'll know I don't mean it" Reba chuckles.

"Soup Reba? It'll be spoiled by the time she gets it"

"What's your point Brock?"

"Listen, we can send her or not send her a card, we can even send her spoiled soup… But that wont solve the problem. She wants to see the kids!"

"Great! We'll just send them then.. Problem solved!"

Brock walks over to her and holds her close trying to calm her frustration.

"Reba , we're going to my mothers! I already told her. She'd be devastated if we canceled on her last minute" Brock lies.

"Fineeeeee" Reba replies letting out a sigh in agreement… "We'll go but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it" she continues, and walks out the back door, letting it slam shut behind her.

Once she was gone, Brock let out a sigh of relief mumbling to himself, "pheww I dodged a bullet that time" He sits on the chair at the kitchen table and starts contemplating what his life has come to. First things first he thought. I need to find a way to tell Barbra jean I'm leaving for the weekend. Then I need to call my mother and tell her we're coming up there instead of her coming here. What am I doing? He thought. Lies after lies, I cant lie to my wife, why am I doing this to her? Why am I with another woman? How did I even let it get this far? I love Reba, I'm sure of it. What am I doing? He asks himself again. He stood up and said, "I need to end this with Barbra jean."

All the while, Reba is at lunch with Lorianne trying to hide her problems. But being that shes Reba's best friend, Lorianne knew something was up.

"Alright Reba, you were never good at lying to me. So tell me what's brining you down?" Lorianne asks.

"What are you talking about? I'm fine" she fibs.

"Reba, you folded your napkin into a little square, rearranged the table settings, organized the sugar packets by color, and you keep looking at your phone, as if you were expecting someone to call. So turn it off and talk to me, what's going on?"

Reba takes a moment to realize that in a matter of ten minutes she had developed a mild case of O.C.D She pauses, takes a breath, and says, "My marriage is falling apart."

"Every marriage has its rough times, its just another speed bump, you guys will pull through" Lorianne says in confidence.

Reba shakes her head refusing the positive advice, and says, "I think it may be over"

"Whoa, over? You've never said anything like that before… what has Brock done now?" she questions.

"it's the both of us Lorianne, we've been having problems for awhile now, and its not working. Its like all of a sudden we find it easier to hide things from each other which only causes more problems"

"Hiding things? Do explain…."

"I've been secretive about a lot of minor things, you know." Reba nervously answers

"That's not unusual in a marriage Reba, stop overreacting!"

"…. and I think Brock is having an affair" she continues.

Lorianne spits out her water and shockingly asks, "What? You cant be serious?"

"Ya well I am!!" Reba whispers quieting the conversation, trying not to draw attention.

She continues by saying, "I'm pretty sure he is but I have no facts to back it up. I mean, if he was I'd be so angry, but I'd also understand."

"Hold it, hold it! Now back the truck up… Did you just say if Brock was sleeping around, you'd be okay with it. And he's not at fault??"

"NO! Of course Its not okay, its not acceptable, and id be furious. But all I'm saying is if god forbid he was with someone else, id understand" she hesitantly says.

"Why would you understand? If I were you I'd put him through hell and kick the bastard out. Then find the little tramp he's sneaking around with stab her, and put her in the ground!."

"Whoa there Freddy Krueger, that's just a bit to extreme.."

"Extreme? That's nothing. I was just getting warmed up. Now what's gotten into you?"

Reba sits there in silence and softly says, "I haven't exactly been the wife he first married. I've been distant, I've let myself go. It kills me to know that Brock had to go outside of our marriage to find comfort I should be providing. Its like I'm pushing him away. That's why id understand if he was. I just wish I hadn't let it get this far, then maybe we would have had a chance to save our marriage, I'm afraid its to late."

Lorianne soaks in Reba's thoughts and heartbreak and decides to tell her the brutal truth. "Reba, its not your fault for the cause of Brocks infidelity. So don't be so hard on yourself. Its clear that you both need some issues resolved as individuals before you can ever find your way back together as a married couple. So stop wondering, and ask if he's cheatin'. Then go from there." Lorianne advises.

"I can't ask him that" Reba says all hasty

"There's one way you can know if he's cheating…" she suggests

"What's that?"

"Have you and Brock been intimate lately?"

Reba taps her fingers on the table…

Lorianne asks again.. "Well have you??"

"Yes okay! Yes we have" Reba blurts out.

"Uh huh… and it wasn't the same was it?"

"No Lorianne.." she pauses for a moment than says, "it wasn't! We were at the beach and the evening was going well, the sex was amazing, but it was different. I could feel it. Something was missing. Its almost as if he was afraid to touch me. It was make-up sex… it wasn't making love. Then when we got home, we did it again, and he barely looked at me. His touch was different.. We both felt the difference. It scared us. We didn't even talk about it, we just dismissed it and went to bed."

"That's a sign Reba, but it also seems like Brock is feeling guilt. If he couldn't look at you, and he was afraid to touch you, something is eating at him."

"I don't know what to do Lorianne?" Reba pleads

"Well, do something, but I can assure you… if you tell Brock how you feel, and you be honest with him, he'll be honest with you and then maybe your marriage may still have a chance to be saved."

Reba takes a sip of her drink and doesn't say another word.

Later that evening after a mind boggling day, she gets home to a quiet house. The kids were already asleep and Brock was at work. She walks into the kitchen to find a note on the table for her.

It read, "Hey Reba, I know your not very fond of me leaving you notes, but I couldn't get through to your phone. Did you turn it off? I called my mother to confirm that we will be there this weekend, the kids are excited for this trip. Also, I was hoping it might be good for us, I know that our marriage has been a little rocky, and I thought that night on the beach would fix everything, but it hasn't. It made things more complicated and I'm sure you can agree. I want you to know that I still love you. Whatever is bothering you Reba, talk to me, don't be afraid to let me be your husband. Well, I have to work tonight, but I should be home earlier than usual. By the way, dinner is in the oven! - Brock"

Reba looked at the note again and tried to analyze it. It just didn't sound like Brock. She had a very hard time believing him, but she felt it was time for her to stop jumping to the conclusion and just accept that he's a changing man.

Just as Reba was ready to fall asleep, she felt the bed move, and she knew it was Brock. She closed her eyes, and pretend to be sleeping to avoid any conversation or seduction. He leaned over and saw that she was asleep so he just kissed her head and said, "I love you Reba" then turned over and went to bed. Reba opened her eyes and sighed. But did not reply to his comment. She still had a feeling there was another woman in his life and not knowing if its true killed her, and hearing him trying to fix things even made it harder to bare. Tears rolled down the side of her face and on to her pillow as thoughts of their past raced through her mind. Their wedding night, the times he'd carry her around when she was pregnant just so she wouldn't get tired, the nights where they stayed up late talking about growing old together, the birth of her children. Brock was her life, and she didn't want to let him slip away. Thinking back of all the happy moments in their life, and then seeing what their marriage has come too felt like someone was stabbing you in the heart. The aches and pains were unbearable, Reba laid there and cried herself to sleep.

To be continued…