A/N: Thoughts are in Italics. (:
The flashbacks from her honeymoon night's dream ran through Reba's head the next few weeks as she walked into her office. Visions of Brock being flung to the pavement after being hit by the truck were vivid in her mind. They made her sick just to know her own brain was thinking it up, but she couldn't figure out how to get rid of the horrible images. She had read somewhere once that dreams just reflected what a person was worrying about.
That's ridiculous. I'm not worried about Brock dying.
Just as she walked through the office doors, her phone went off. Checking the caller ID as she flicked the light-switch on, she noticed it was Ford. She answered it as she continued getting the place ready for the work day.
"Hello?"
"Hey, I just wanted to remind you about that banquet later. I forgot to run it by you before you left this morning."
"I remember."
"Okay. Just making sure."
"Thanks. Are you coming in later?"
"Not today. I think I'll work from my office here at the house."
"Alright. I'll see you when I get home, then."
She felt a bit down because he wasn't coming in later. He had been working from home more and more since they got married. She thought it might be fun for them to ride to work together and come home together every once in awhile, but Ford apparently didn't think so. Granted, she had never really asked him, but she figured he should bring it up.
Whatever. Let him work from home. Let him be there all by himself while I'm here.
And she instantly became pissed off.
Thinking back, she remembered that she had forgotten to take her medication that morning, making her menopause symptoms go through the roof. She sighed at the thought as she flopped down at her desk, head in her hands and ready to rip her jacket off. The hot flashes were really getting to her.
xXx
Seeing her again after so long, Brock found that Reba preyed upon his mind more often that he'd like. The last time he had talked to her was at her wedding, and that was two weeks ago. After twelve years, he was a hundred and ten percent sure he had moved on as much as he could. He had gotten rid of most of the flashbacks in his head, gave his wedding band back to Reba for her to do with it as she pleased, and all in all, he had stopped thinking of her as his wife.
For the first seven years after the divorce, he had talked to her everyday and spent a lot of time at her house with the kids and he had even stayed for dinner numerous times. He had never wanted her this bad, though. It was like she was the forbidden fruit on the tree in the garden. He could look and admire, but oh, if he was to touch, it would come back to haunt him.
It was confusing, though. Was what he felt love or lust? If only he had the balls to go talk to her, he might could figure it out.
But it was inappropriate now that she was married. Come to think of it, any talk of things like that to her would have been inappropriate no matter what her marital status was.
Trying to stop thinking of such ridiculous and far-fetched fantasies, Brock took a deep breath and tried to focus on getting some filing done. It was four o'clock on a Monday afternoon and he knew he'd be at the office until at least six. Ari sure wouldn't be thrilled about that.
A moment later, as Brock was just getting his filing really going, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
The door swung open and in walked Shayla, his dental hygienist.
"You're still here?" She asked.
"Yeah..." Brock said, slowly, raising an eyebrow her way.
"You have the benefit banquet at seven, you know that, right? You told me to remind you because you had to go pick up your suit."
Brock dropped the files onto his desk and sighed, rolling his neck. "Dammit. I forgot." He grabbed his keys and said, "Could you please file those? I have to go."
He rushed out of the building, knowing it wasn't right to ask Shayla to stay late when she hadn't gone home on time since she began working for him, but if Ari was to get ready in time, she would have to be told hours ahead of time. And she didn't even have her dress.
xXx
Reba's new home with Ford was a spacious one. An open floor plan, enormous backyard big enough for Ford's two dogs (which Reba was not fond of), and a huge master bedroom sometimes got overwhelming. One thing she didn't have to worry about, however, was the fear of the place not feeling home-y. She was so scared that his house would feel foreign to her and she would feel like she didn't belong, but it didn't feel like that at all. He had assured her that what was his was now hers and she shouldn't feel like she had to ask to use whatever was in the beautiful yellow house on Shoreline Street.
"You 'bout ready, baby?"
Staring in front of her full-length mirror, Reba gazed at the dress she wore. It was black with a fitted skirt and a rather plunging neckline.
"Are you sure this is okay for the banquet?" She asked, turning to the side a bit.
Ford walked into the bedroom from the adjoining bathroom, straightening his tie. "You look fine."
"Just fine?"
He smiled and rolled his eyes. "You look beautiful. You could wear a brown paper sack and look gorgeous."
"Newlywed talk..."
"Bull. You're beautiful and I would tell you so even if we weren't married."
He placed his watch on his wrist as Reba sighed, slipping her shoes on. "We're not going to stay for the whole thing, are we?"
"Probably. Why?"
"I just didn't want to spend the whole night in this uncomfortable dress, eating gross catered food, and talking to people I have to pretend to like. I'd rather spend the night with you."
Ford shrugged. "You know I'd rather stay home. Preferably with you and in that bed, but this is for my job. If I don't show up, do you know how bad that would look?"
Reba stood up from the small bench at the foot of their bed. "We've hardly spent any time together. Both of us have been working our tails off."
Ford stepped towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist and dipping her, grinning at her gasp and sudden firm grip on his arm. "Then we should do something about that." He gave her a quick peck on the lips before pulling her upright once more.
Her cheeks were red and flushed as she said, "What do you suggest?"
"We'll have a date night. Just the two of us."
She became excited, already planning the night in her head. It would be perfect. The last time her and Ford had had any kind of date night was a few months before the wedding. In between all the preparations and work, there was simply no time.
"When can we do it?"
"Oh, we can do it right now."
"Not that. Our date night, silly."
"I'll have to check my schedule. You check yours, okay?"
She nodded as the two left their bedroom, ready to head to the banquet. She felt happy that Ford had realized how much he had been working and had made an attempt to spend a nice night with her. It showed her that he was paying attention to her feelings. Something she hadn't had happen in years.
However, the fact that the last words he said on the matter were 'check your schedule', made the whole thing feel impersonal. He was her husband, not a client or her boss. He was already supposed to know her schedule. They were supposed to be that close.
xXx
"What's this thing for, again?"
Brock resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he and Ari walked in the doors of The Holiday Inn.
"It's a benefit banquet," He explained for the tenth time. "For kids who aren't in financially stable homes and able to go to college."
"So you make it to where they can go to college?"
"No, we raise money to buy school supplies to donate."
The two walked towards the open doors on the lobby floor that was decorated with balloons. There would be all kinds of doctors and lawyers in that room with their fake smiles and phony sincerity. He didn't mind going to the banquet, really. In fact, he thought it was a nice cause. He just didn't want to have to put up with the people who were only there for the free food and to pose for pictures for the newspaper.
"Wait, wait, wait."
Brock stopped walking and turned to Ari. "What?"
"How do I look?"
He looked at her pink cocktail dress and shrugged. "You look good."
"Good?"
"You look great? Fantastic? Wonderful? What are you looking for, here?"
She rolled her eyes and started walking into the room. "You never compliment me. I always have to ask you to."
She really was an attractive woman. She wasn't skanky or trashy or anything. She was very classy, Brock thought. That's one of the things that he first noticed about her. She wasn't like all the other girls her age. Her only problem was she had an attitude on her, which came with a pesky possessiveness quality.
"Fine. You look amazing!" He called after her before rolling his eyes as well, following her into the room.
Inside, there were several tables set up with extravagant centerpieces. There was a live band and they had the lights dimmed. Brock guessed that because there were also candles on the tables to match the tablecloths. People were milling about, waiting for the mayor to get up and speak on the small, raised stage. He knew a few people as his eyes searched the room, but no one he had a strong relationship or friendship with. Just acquaintances.
He headed for the long tables at the back of the room where the food and alcohol was. After eyeing the fruit cut into star shapes and little round things that looked like glorified pizza bites, he finally just got some of the punch from the punch bowl. He hoped there was some kind of booze in it. If he was going to survive the next three hours without shoving a pizza bite in his eye, he'd need it.
As he drank the punch, he searched the room for Ari. He hadn't seen her since they arrived, but knew she'd start a conversation with almost anyone. She could be chatting up a storm in the ladies room for all he knew. He figured he'd just walk around the room to see if there was anyone worth talking to.
He sure didn't have to wait long, however. Up near the ice sculpture at the front of the room, he spotted a familiar face. Or a familiar back, rather. He didn't even need to see her face to know it was Reba. He could tell it was her from behind with her hair up.
She never wears her hair up...
As he watched her, he noticed Ford's arm around her waist protectively. There were several men they were talking to and her husband seemed to be unconsciously protecting her. She held a glass of wine in her right hand, Ford held a Corona in his left. Every few moments, a smile would appear on her face and she would laugh at whatever conversation she was engaged in.
The longer he watched, the longer he found it harder to turn away. Soon enough, the men they were talking to were pulled away by their wives or girlfriends and Reba and Ford found their way to an empty table where they sat down side by side. Ford slid his arm around her shoulders and whispered something in her ear. She giggled and slapped gently at his chest.
That's when he turned and walked away. He had to or he was sure he was going to go slug the guy. Sure, they were divorced, but that didn't mean his jealousy issue had gone away. He wondered if he would ever get over seeing her with a Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome other than himself.
xXx
Ford always found the most inappropriate times to whisper inappropriate things to her. At banquets, in church, you name it, he's there. She figured he thought it was cute. And it was. She didn't mind it at all. It was part of his charm and truthfully, she was itching to let him do what he told her he would.
She giggled, slapping his chest and looking into his brown eyes, wanting to run her hands through his dark, chestnut brown hair.
"You're gonna get me all riled up," She whispered back.
"Isn't that the point?" He nuzzled her neck, growling as he nipped at her collarbone.
She shoved him away. "Not when we can't do anything about it right now." She tried to keep from grinning. If she grinned, she knew he'd convince her to slip into the bathroom for a quick rendezvous.
"You just wait until I get you home."
She rolled her eyes, pretending to be irritated with him. He just ignored her and kept up with his whispering and daring kisses that weren't on her lips.
She tried not to laugh, as he was tickling her neck, so she looked up towards the ceiling and then straight ahead again. Almost immediately, she saw a familiar person walking towards the back of the room. She knew it was Brock instantly. She tried not to gasp, but it couldn't be restrained.
Ford lifted his head and stared at her. "What?"
She just kept right on looking. He had startled her with his presence. Why was he even here? She didn't know dentists came to these kinds of benefits.
"What?" Ford asked again, turning his head to look at what she was gazing at.
As soon as he did, Brock turned around and his eyes locked with Reba's.
You guys, please don't kill me. I have had such a bad case of writer's block. It's been really bad. I actually forgot where I wanted to go with this story... (I remembered two days ago. Haha.) But writer's block is now gone and I have another scene planned out so all I have to do is type it. Should be up within the next few days. In the mean time, I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. I'm not fond of it, but maybe you all are. I hope so! Please review! ((: