Title: It's a Wonderful Life
Chapter 8: Happy Anniversary-Part Two
Time: December 2008 (after the sixth season of Reba and beyond)
No copyright infringement intended.
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Previously-
Brock is sad, watching this video. He ached for Reba because she had been watching the video recently- seven years later, alone, and six years divorced. The only bright spot was that Reba wasn't alone anymore. They had been married for two days now. He realized that it was after midnight. Today was officially December 2, 2008...
What happens next? Stay tuned to find out! Keep reading to find out more!
The answers to the questions above will be revealed as you read the story. Here is It's a Wonderful Life!
Now on with our next chapter-
Reba awoke to find her hands uncuffed. She quickly threw on her usual flannel pajamas and found Kyra making breakfast in the kitchen. "'Morning, Mom."
"I see it and I hear it, but I don't understand it. Why are you up this early, making breakfast for everybody?"
"Some flowers were delivered this morning. They're from my father."
"So I see. That doesn't explain the strangeness of your behavior, Kyra."
"Dad told me to warn him if my other father tried to make a gesture like this today. Dad said that you're off your blood pressure medication. I'm just trying to make things easier for you."
Reba raised her eyebrow up at that suggestion. "Who are you and what have you done with Kyra?"
Kyra folded her arms in a stubborn stance similar to Reba's usual one. "Ha ha, Mom. You're so funny. Dad is worried about you today."
"Well, he wasn't too worried about my state of mind last night. I can tell ya that. Why is he worried about me anyway?"
"Dad thinks that you're having a nervous breakdown, by marrying Brock and all."
"You know that I'm okay, right?"
"On normal days, yes. But this is your anniversary with my father. You two are the only divorced couple I've ever heard of that still celebrates their wedding anniversary like they are still married."
"Not today, not anymore."
"Good, 'cause I want you to be happy. Hanging onto the past wasn't good for you."
"Who's the mother and who's the daughter here? Thanks for the advice. For your information, I am gonna sit down with your father today and make sure that we don't have any instances like this again. No more romantic gestures."
"Yeah, you've got a husband for that now. Nice to see that he's where he belongs."
"What do you mean?"
"Dad is many things, but discreet is not one of them. I woke up last night as Brock was leaving the bedroom down the hall."
"Dear Lord, Kyra, I never meant for any of you kids to find out about me and your dad that way. I gave it one last try, end of story. Being with Max again was a mistake. I realize that now."
"Well, I know that Brock spent the rest of the night in your room. I'm glad. It means that I didn't have to lie to Dad. I told him that your marriage to Brock was a real one."
"Thanks, honey. Whatever happens, you have to know that I am sincerely going to do my best to make this marriage work. I'm sorry for springing it on you like I did."
"I'm fine. We're all worried about you. Please do us a favor and break up with my father once and for all. You and Mike should've been done after the divorce. It's been agony watching you drag it out for years."
Reba put her hand on Kyra's cheek. "I'm sorry, Sweetie. I didn't realize how it was affecting you. He was my first love. He's the father of two of my children. Until recently, we were getting closer again. No matter what, I'm not sorry that I loved him. He gave me so much happiness. He gave me you. But I'm going to try to be happy with Brock now. Your father is moving on with Barbra Jean. We're all gonna be okay."
Brock chose that moment to enter the kitchen. He'd been listening to their talk, afraid to interrupt. He wanted to know how Reba really felt. "Good to hear it, but you're not gonna have to try to be happy. I hope that eventually you'll be under less stress and as happy as I am. I've found that being married to you is my ultimate happiness." He pulled his wife into his arms for a surprise kiss. Reba was receptive, melting into the kiss. When it ended, Brock asked, "Where'd the flowers come from?"
"My father sent them. Max followed up on how Mom was doing this morning after Mike sent the flowers. Mike and Mom were married ten years ago today."
"So I heard."
"We're not a normal family."
"Mom, I made you something." Kyra pulled a vile out of her pocket.
Reba took the tiny bottle, eyeing it suspiciously. "What is it?"
"It's something that Nana and I made to help you. It's a potion to help you lift your blinders. Nana says that it's supposed to help you see everyone's true intentions. It's like the movie, Liar Liar when the guy has to be truthful for 24 hours. No one will be able to lie to you for 24 hours. You'll see everyone's true intentions. No more romantic fog. When you're with Mike, you'll see how he really feels."
"The kid's got a point, Reba. If Mike really wanted to be with you, then why did he set you up on a blind date with his best friend?"
"I've been a little too busy to think about that since I've met you, Brock. Everything has happened too fast for me to stop and think about anything." She looked up at the clock, and then down at her current outfit. "I'm gonna be late. I've got to shower and change. I've got inventory to do before the bar opens. Fix me a plate to take with me and get me a cup of coffee. I really need some caffeine this morning." Reba ran upstairs, leaving the vile on the kitchen counter.
Kyra picked it up. She poured her mother a cup of coffee and emptied the liquid from the vile into the coffee cup, and then she winked at Brock. "You heard the lady, coffee pronto." She handed the cup to him to take to his wife.
Brock was repeatedly frustrated with Mike's hold on Reba. He had Barbra Jean. And yet, he still kept Reba tied to him. He tried not to be angry about the flowers. After all, Reba didn't tell him that she'd got married to another man. He'd hoped that Reba would break the news to Mike that day. He thought about their wedding anniversary, their real one from his reality.
He'd celebrated that day in his own way every year. He always managed to see Reba and spent time with her every year on their anniversary since their divorce. He couldn't blame Mike for that, not when he was guilty of the same behavior himself. But he considered himself better than Mike because he didn't make any romantic gestures towards Reba until he had ended things with Barbra Jean.
Brock was standing outside the bathroom door with the coffee cup in his hand. Reba raced out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. He almost forgot about the coffee cup when he looked at her. He remembered when they'd been married before, and Reba had exited the bathroom in nothing but a towel. That led to some unbelievably passionate moments between them. He wasn't so lucky this time. He had to take things slow with her now.
They'd missed some important courtship steps in this time and things moved too fast for Reba. He had to let her set the pace. He knew what was under that towel and it was driving him crazy. He handed her the coffee cup.
"Thanks. You're a lifesaver. I might just keep you around after all." She gave him a quick peck. She drank the coffee down quickly. She got into a short floral dress, instead of her usual tight fitting work outfit for the bar. It was a good sign that Reba felt comfortable enough to change in front of him. When she was finished, she did her makeup in the mirror. Brock stood behind her. She turned around to face him. "Do you want somethin'?"
Brock wrapped his arms around her and swooped down for a kiss. He explored her mouth with exquisite tenderness.
"Wow! That was really something. I'm a lucky girl. By the way, it's my grandparents' anniversary. Mike usually throws them a party at Holliway's. I haven't heard anything about it so far, but he's been known to surprise me with a party. Call me later. I get a break around three. I'm supposed to work until 7 tonight. Maybe I'll get Barbra Jean to finish my shift for me."
"How about I bring Henry by around five? If it's not too busy, we could get a chance to sit down with him and talk to him about our new family."
Reba froze at his words. She looked into his eyes to see his genuine emotion. She realized that he really wanted their relationship to work. She had no choice, but to step into this uncharted territory. Her ex-husband was telling the kids that their mother might have a nervous breakdown. She had to show them how strong she was. Her relationship with Brock had to be a strong one. How was she going to do that? Physical attraction was not a strong foundation to start with. She introduced her kids to Brock. It was time to get to know his son. She was really scared that Max was right and she had lost her mind by jumping into this marriage. She shook off that thought. Max was being self-serving. He just wanted her back for himself.
Reba took a deep breath and looked at him. Brock ran his hand through his hair in frustration. It was always one-step forward and two steps back with Reba in any reality. He'd tried to be patient, but even that was wearing thin. The only bright spot in this marriage was that he'd managed to get his wife to let him share her bed last night. It would hopefully be an on-going arrangement. She'd promised the kids that their marriage was a real one. That meant that she was willing to make it work. Why was she so hesitant about Henry? His concerned eyes met hers. Her eyes held a bewildered expression. "What's wrong, honey?" He covered her hands with his own.
Her expression changed. Bewilderment was replaced with a masked smile. Her eyes brightened a little. "Five o'clock is fine. I'm just nervous is all."
"What do you have to be nervous about? You know Henry already. You've been a stepmother before."
"I was their nanny first before I became a stepmother to Max's children. I helped them through the loss of their mother. Having a new baby in the house bonded us as a family. This situation is totally different from that."
"Okay, let's have a baby. That would bond us together as a family."
"Brock, don't be ridiculous. That's not what I meant."
"I know that. I just think that it would be nice if that were a topic of conversation for us somewhere down the line."
"Brock, we don't even know each other very well."
"So, let's get to know each other. What do you want to know about me?"
Reba sighed again. "I don't even know your middle name."
"Good. That's a place to start. It's Enroll. And I know that yours is Nell."
"Really?" Reba exploded in a fit of giggles. "That's your middle name?"
Brock smiled. There was laughter in her eyes, and he was happy to share in that moment with her. "I'm glad that you find it so funny. You know we have some rules set up and we're not following them."
"Like what?" Her hands were on her hips.
"Rule one: No matter how much we've quarreled, we never go to bed without having kissed the other. I never got a goodnight kiss." Brock took the opportunity to press his lips on hers.
She broke off that kiss. "Hey, you got a kiss just before we went to sleep when you left me handcuffed to the bed."
"But I didn't get one before we went upstairs to bed for the night. We said that this marriage is real. We need to prove it to the kids. That means regular displays of affections." Reba nodded in understanding while Brock continued. "Rule three: We always spend our anniversary in bed. It's our two day anniversary, Red."
Reba rolled her eyes at that one. "Pervert. You'll have to take a rain check on that one. Continue."
Brock smiled. There was a relaxed atmosphere between them now. "Rule four: The children always come first. No matter what else is important. That means that you should be working on developing a relationship with Henry, just like I am with your kids."
"I will. I just don't want to see them hurt."
"Neither do I. We have to trust each other on that one. We have to work on making things good between us. Your kids are worried about you."
"I know that! Max is telling them that I'm in the middle of a nervous breakdown. If anything, I'm in the middle of a midlife crisis. That's all."
Brock put his hand over his heart. "Then I'm honored to be your midlife crisis."
Reba playfully slapped his arm. "Just go on."
"Rule five: We'll always be there for each other whenever one of us needs the other. Rule six: We can talk about anything with each other. You're having a hard time adjusting to our marriage. I know that it's a rough day for you on top of that. I want you to come to me if you need to talk. If you want to stay off your medications, then we can work on that. I want you to be open to talking to me. I'm a good listener."
Reba rolled her eyes at him. "You want me to talk to you about my conflicting feelings about you and about Mike?"
"Absolutely," he responded firmly.
"You're a glutton for punishment. You'd actually listen while I discuss my feelings for Mike and Max? Something tells me that's not a good way to start off this marriage."
"I'd say that it's perfect. We've got issues between us. Let's talk them out. I want you to feel safe with me. It's a pretty good foundation, if I do say so myself."
Reba took another deep breath. "Okay, don't say that I didn't warn you."
"Rule seven: We always kiss at bedtime and fall asleep, arm in arm every night."
"I can see where this is going. You just want to get some action, don't you?"
"Now whose mind is in the gutter. No, I just want to develop some closeness between us. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to make love with my extremely beautiful wife. But- only after she's committed to being my wife. You don't trust me like that yet."
Reba smiled again. This man was different than any guy she'd known before. "Thank you. I really appreciate that, but you're a strange husband," she teased.
"I'll take that as a compliment," he said, flashing her a smile of his own. "Rule eight: We dance together before we go to bed every night. We didn't do that last night."
"I'd have to agree that our marriage was in an entirely different place last night."
"Meaning what?"
"We went to bed in different rooms. We weren't exactly committed to this. I was still technically involved with another man."
"I don't know about you, but I've been committed to this from the get-go. You're the one who's on the fence."
Reba went to the radio on the dresser and flipped on her favorite station. The sound of Anne Murray singing Could I Have This Dance filled the room. "I'm ready to try. Would you care to dance, Mr. Hart?"
"I thought you'd never ask, Mrs. Hart." Brock jumped at the invitation, taking her into his arms. He held her tightly to him as they moved to the music.
Reba thought about his last comment. He called her Mrs. Hart. Reba supposed that she should take his name if they were going to show everyone that the marriage was real. It was strange to her. She'd been Reba McKinney for last six years. At least, Van could still call her Mrs. H. "Mrs. Hart. I'm not used to that yet."
"Give it twenty years or so. It will grow on ya. I guarantee it."
"About the last one..."
"Huh?"
"Rule nine: No talkin' about our exes in the bedroom. How am supposed to talk to you about all my feelings, if we stick to that rule?"
"Easy, we'll change it. We'll talk about exes in our room anytime, except when it's an intimate moment, okay?"
"Sounds like you've thought of everything."
"I have." He looked down at her. He took a finger and tipped her chin up to look at him. "I just want to be the husband that you deserve."
"I'm not sure that I'm the wife that you deserve."
"Don't worry about that. The fact is that you're my wife and that's enough for me."
"Should you want more in this marriage?"
"It takes time like any marriage. I feel lucky enough just to be married to you."
Reba rolled her eyes at his sappiness. "Yeah, right. Just wait until we hit a rough patch."
"I'm older and wiser now. I've learned my lesson and I'm in it for the long haul. I'll prove it to you. You just wait and see." He captured her lips in another kiss.
Reba wasn't sure what to make of this. They hardly knew each other, and he was acting as if he was already head over heels in love with her. She broke off the kiss. "I really do have to get to work now."
"I understand, but I want you to know that you're not a single mom anymore. I want to contribute. You could work less hours and go back to school."
"Honestly, Brock, how much can you contribute? Your dental practice is in Houston and you're here."
"I'll find a way to make it work, honey."
Later on, Reba and Paige were working at Holliway's. Paige had the radio on. Reba was organizing the inventory- cleaning and straightening behind the counter while Paige was cleaning tables, chairs, and the floor. They were having a grand time, laughing and dancing to the music. Reba told Paige the story of Max's midnight visit the night before and her morning with Brock.
Paige couldn't stop herself from laughing. "Heavens, Reba, you might actually go off and do something crazy fall in love with your husband!"
"Ha, ha. My situation is totally different from yours, Paige. Your husband is not a stranger to you, but mine is a stranger to me."
"All the more reason to get to know the man. If Daddy finds out, you are toast. Even Max thinks that you're having a nervous breakdown. You have to do something. I hope at least the sex was worth all this trouble."
"I wouldn't know. I can't remember."
"Have you done anything since..."
Reba shook her head. "Don't look at me like that! There hasn't been the time. He's moving in and the kids are getting used to things. We're taking things slow."
"Dinosaurs move faster than you do, when you're stubborn. You've got to give the guy a chance. That's what you've been tellin' me to do with Michael. At least, Michael and I are enjoying each other at the moment since it's legal and all."
"And you want an annulment? You're the one who's lost her mind."
"I don't want to stay married to him. I just want to have a little fun is all."
"I'll tell you what the fun will get you, the same thing it got me, John and Kyra. You watch."
"Oh, yeah. I bet that you're the one who'll end up with a little Hart in the oven."
Reba's face turned pale as all the blood rushed out of her face. "I don't even know if we used protection." She put her face in her hands.
"Reba, I was kiddin'. Calm down." Paige went over to her sister and rubbed her arm to soothe her. "It'll be okay."
That's when Mike walked out of his office and saw Reba. He rushed over to her. "Is she okay?" he asked Paige. He turned his focus to Reba. "Are you okay, Sal?" Reba wasn't responding. "You're scaring me here, babe." He turned back to Paige. "I'm could strangle Max with my bare hands. It was his lousy idea for her to get off her blood pressure meds. She doesn't look good. I'm taking her upstairs to lie down." He picked her up in his arms and went to carry her upstairs to the apartment.
Reba buried her face in his shirt, weeping. "Don't be this nice to me. I don't deserve it," she whispered.
"Of course, you do. You're just having a bad day. You are beautiful and wonderful. You deserve more than I ever gave you, Sal. You just lie down, calm down, and I'll take care of you."
Paige looked at the clock. It was four p.m. Brock would be arriving in an hour. She figured that it would give Reba enough time to tell Mike what she'd been putting off all day. Reba wasn't in any condition for physical activity, so she knew that there would be no way that she would succumb to any advances; although that would really be bad if she did since her new marriage was in such a fragile place at the moment.
Paige started biting her nails and prayed that Brock or the kids would show up early. She had a feeling that Mike and Reba upstairs alone might spell trouble...
What happens next? Stay tuned to find out in the next chapter!
Author's note: I will continue to write new chapter updates as often as possible. Thanks for being patient.
Some readers are wondering about the singing in the chapters. Mike sings to romance Reba. Reba Hart said on the show that she always wanted to be a singer so I gave her that chance in her alternate life.
If anyone has any suggestions on them I'd love to hear! Review or Send me a P.M with your suggestions! Please feel free to make any comments that you wish. I may just decide to include it in the story. If I do include one of your suggestions, then I will give you full credit.
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I thank all of you readers for your continued support. Your support really keeps me writing!
Without you, the story wouldn't be continued every week.
Characters I don't own: Reba McKinney, Brock Hart, Barbra Jean Booker, Kyra, Jake, Cheyenne Montgomery, Van Montgomery, Elizabeth Montgomery, Barbra Jean Booker, Henry Hart, Mike Holliway, Terry Holliway, Lori Ann Garner, JV McKinney, Helen McKinney, John D. Hart, Liz Hart, and any other characters from the Reba cast.
Characters I do own: Anyone not part of the Reba cast – original characters developed for this story include: Max Thornton, Cheyenne McEntire-Smith (Nana), Vince McEntire (Papa), Kenneth Smith (Gramps), Paige McKinney, Michael Davis, John McKinney Thornton, Barbara Ann Grant, Kim Campbell-Holliway, Sam Holliway, Jenny Miller, Terry Holliway, Jr., Josh Holliway, Madeline Mitchell (Maddi), Greg Brooks, Jason Holliway, and Maggie.