Chapter 2: A covert operation…well sort of

"Oh my God!"

Reba tore herself from Barbra Jean's grip, flung herself off the couch, and dashed towards the door.

"Cheyenne what are you doing home so early. I thought you guys were staying at Van's parent's house until Monday. I wasn't expecting you home today," stuttered Reba.

"Yeah obviously," Cheyenne said pointing at Barbra Jean, "What is going on?"

"Cheyenne I promise I will explain everything. Until then please don't say anything to anyone, not even Van," begged Reba.

"Okay fine, but I want to know everything Mom. You have to tell me, this is so exciting!" giggled Cheyenne.

"All right, when Van and Elizabeth are asleep come down to the kitchen, I'll wait for you there. But not one word of this until then, you hear," said Reba

"Duh mom," said a smiling Cheyenne, "But I will see you later on, and make sure Barbra Jean is there."

"Fine, fine just stall Van from coming in until I can get her off the couch ok," said Reba.

"I'm on it," said Cheyenne as she ran back out the door screaming to Van.

Reba dashed over to the couch to try to wake Barbra Jean up. 'Man she sleeps like a rock', Reba thought. She shook Barbra Jean with all her might.

"Barbra Jean you have to get up, come on. Cheyenne and Van are here!" Reba said frantically.

Barbra Jean's eyes flew open.

"They're here, oh my god!" said Barbra Jean still groggy from sleep.

"Okay, calm down, we'll just go into the kitchen and act like we always do. We'll just sit at the table, have a cup of coffee, and pretend that nothing has happened. However, Cheyenne kinda walked in on us and now she wants to know everything and I told her that we would talk to her when Van and the baby are asleep," Reba said that last part a little faster, hoping Barbra Jean wouldn't hear.

"Oh my God, Cheyenne saw us! How are we supposed to explain this?" Barbra Jean asked hysterically.

"Well I told her that we would meet her in the kitchen later on tonight so we have some time to think about what we are gonna say, but right now we have to get in the kitchen because I'm not sure how much longer Cheyenne can distract Van. So hurry lets go," said Reba as she wrenched Barbra Jean off the couch and towards the kitchen.

They hurried into the kitchen and sat at the kitchen table just as the front door opened. Cheyenne poked her head inside to make sure the coast was clear, and walked inside.

"Cheyenne, what was that about?" Van asked, referring to her little door thing.

"What, oh that, I was just…uh… checking for…umm…" Cheyenne tried to think of an explanation, any excuse at all, "…I was checking for burglars, yeah burglars. You can never be too careful you know. I mean imagine if we just walked in the door and there was someone in here and they hurt you or Elizabeth. I have to protect my daughter and my husband."

"Oh Cheyenne you are such a…great wife." Said Van, who had completely fallen for Cheyenne's phony excuse. "Now all this talk of burglars and savin' people has gotten me hungry. I'm gonna go into the kitchen and make me a sandwich", said Van as he positioned Elizabeth on the floor by her dollhouse.

Van strolled to the kitchen with Cheyenne swiftly at his heels. She didn't know why she was afraid to let Van be in the kitchen alone with her Mom and BJ; he would never think that something was going on. She loved him to death, but he wasn't that sharp. "As long as I don't act any different towards Mom and BJ everything should be fine, I hope!" Cheyenne thought as she set foot into the kitchen.

She tried to act as naturally as she could. "Hey Mom, hey Barbra Jean," she said with a huge smile on her face, "How was your day."

Reba gave her a glare that obviously meant, "cut it out", and nonchalantly answered, "Oh you know, I was just sitting here reading the newspaper and Barbra Jean came over a little while ago and we were just having a cup of coffee. What are you guys doing home so soon? Weren't you enjoyin' spending time at Dan and Sue's, with all their maids that clean up after you and their chefs that cook wonderful meals and serve them to you at their fancy dining table that Sue never sits at because she's afraid she might accidentally eat something?" she chuckled.

"No. I mean they're great and all, but…uh, we really missed you, and Jake, and Barbra Jean, and Kyra." Cheyenne said coolly.

"They kicked you out again, didn't they?" Reba questioned knowingly.

"Yeah, how did you know?" asked Cheyenne, wondering how her mom always knew everything.

"Well for one thing, you said you missed Kyra," Reba stated, and Barbra Jean chuckled, "and Barbra Jean." She added sarcastically.

Barbra Jean felt offended and made a face, but then Reba gave her a quick glance to let her know that she was just keeping up appearances. Barbra Jean relaxed her face and smiled faintly, she knew that Reba couldn't act any different towards her, but wished it didn't have to be that way. She also wasn't exactly looking forward to their little chat with Cheyenne later on that evening, but she couldn't do anything about it. From the tone of Reba's voice earlier, it didn't seem like Cheyenne was angry or disgusted, just curious and even maybe excited, but that was something to worry about later. Right now, all Barbra Jean was worried about was getting through the morning.

Just when Barbra Jean and Reba thought that things couldn't get any worse this morning, well now afternoon, someone totally unexpected walked in through the back door.

"Hey everybody, I'm back," Brock said as he walked up behind Barbra Jean and twisted her around to place a quick kiss square on her lips.

Barbra Jean froze and her shocked eyes remained open. She froze in his embrace, unsure of what to do. Reluctantly, she kissed Brock back for fear he would suspect something was wrong. Reba watched the two and couldn't help but feel hurt, but she knew that Barbra Jean had to keep up her appearances just like she herself had to do earlier.

When Brock broke the kiss he placed his arms around BJ's waist, "I missed you honey," he whispered.

Barbra Jean's eyes shot over to Reba with a look that was meant to say 'I'm sorry'. Reba looked back with an understanding glance and smiled faintly.

"I missed you too hunky bear, how was the convention?" Barbra Jean asked.

"Oh it was great! The other dentists and I went to play golf after, and I think I played my best game ever!" Brock said excitedly.

"That's great Brock," Barbra Jean smiled and then walked towards the door, "Well I'd better get going. Henry is at home nappin' and I have to get dinner started."

"Yeah, I should get going too. Bye Reba, see you later kids." Brock said as he walked past Barbra Jean and out the back door.

"Bye dad, bye BJ!" Cheyenne said as she walked into the living room. "Come on Van," she yelled as she started up the stairs.

"Bye Mr.H, BJ." Van said with his mouth full, and then grabbed his sandwich to follow Cheyenne before she got mad.

"Bye kids. Bye Reba," Barbra Jean said as she looked into Reba's beautiful blue eyes.

"Goodbye Barbra Jean," Reba said in her usual callous Barbra Jean tone, but gave Barbra Jean a wink and mouthed a silent 'I love you'. BJ smiled and mouthed 'I love you' back, and then shut the door behind her.

The rest of the day flew by as normal and before Reba knew it, it was around 11:00 pm. Reba was pacing the length of her kitchen, going through all of the things that she and Barbra Jean would have to explain to Cheyenne shortly.

"Where the heck is…" Reba said rather loudly, then heard a soft knock at the kitchen door and saw the tall blonde standing there. "Barbra Jean," she finished as she opened the door, only to be crushed by the blonde's tight embrace.

"Oh Reba! I've missed you so much. I'm so sorry about earlier, I didn't want to kiss him back, but I was afraid he would get suspicious. I had to imagine it was you just to get through it. I'm sorry…" Barbra jean said hysterically, but was soon silenced by Reba's finger against her lips.

"It's okay Barbra Jean; I know that you had to do it. There is no need to be sorry, I'm just glad you're here," Reba said softly.

Barbra Jean smiled and then realized what she came here to do. "So where is Cheyenne," she asked.

"She should be down here any minute, Van usually falls asleep about this time and Elizabeth is defiantly asleep." Reba answered.

"Oh Reba I'm so nervous! How are we supposed to explain us to Cheyenne?" Barbra Jean asked anxiously, "I mean was she upset when she saw us, is she going to hate us, is she going to tell Brock?"

"Calm down Barbra Jean, don't worry about it. When Cheyenne came home and found us, she was actually very happy she said, and I quote 'This is so exciting'. So everything will be just fine," Reba replied.

"How do you do that Reba?" Barbra Jean asked.

"Do what?" inquired Reba.

"How does the sound of your voice and what you say make everything all better?" asked Barbra Jean.

"It's a gift," teased Reba, which made a smile form on BJ's face.

Just then, they heard footsteps coming downstairs. They knew it had to be Cheyenne, and they prepared themselves for all the questions they knew would ensue.

Cheyenne into the kitchen and sat down next to Barbra Jean and Reba at the kitchen table, she had an enormous grin on her face.

"Hey mom, hey BJ," Cheyenne replied in her typical bubbly tone. She didn't even give them a chance to respond. "So mom, you told me you would explain everything, so spill. Because this is so totally awesome!" giggled Cheyenne.

And so, Reba and Barbra Jean nervously divulged to Cheyenne everything that had happened since that morning. Everything from when Barbra Jean broke in through Reba's window, up to when they told each other how they felt. Cheyenne was awestruck. When Reba and BJ had finished, they looked at Cheyenne to see what her reaction would be.

"Wow! This is so great! I'm so happy for you guys", Cheyenne said.

"So you're not mad, angry, disgusted, or anything?" Reba asked curiously.

"No not at all! I'm so glad that you have finally found someone that loves you and makes you happy Mom. I know that BJ really does love you and would do anything for you, and I know that you truly do love BJ, no matter how hard you tried to hide it I always knew," Cheyenne replied sincerely.

"So you don't hate me?" Barbra Jean asked timidly.

"No of course not Barbra Jean I have always thought of you as like a mom. So I guess now you really will be." Cheyenne smiled.

"Cheyenne you don't know how much this means to us; to have your support," Reba sighed as she and Barbra Jean stood up the hug Cheyenne, "Just promise me you won't say anything to anyone, especially your Dad. Because we haven't exactly figured out how we are going to explain this to him."

"I promise, but if you need my help with anything just let me know." Cheyenne said.

"Thanks Cheyenne," said Barbra Jean.

"Well I'd better get up to bed, Van sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night and he gets all crazy if I'm not right next to him. Night," Cheyenne laughed, as she walked towards the living room.

"Good night Cheyenne," said Barbra Jean.

"Good night sweetheart," replied Reba, as she watched Cheyenne disappear up the stairs.

"Well that was way less painful than I thought it was going to be," sighed Barbra Jean.

"I told you everything was going to be okay," said Reba.

Barbra Jean smiled, "Well I should probably head home, Brock spent the night on the couch and if he wakes and realizes that I'm not home, things could get ugly." said Barbra Jean.

"Alright, make sure your careful walking home. I don't want anything bad to happen to you," said Reba, as she placed her hand to BJ's cheek and gazed into her big eyes.

"I will," answered Barbra Jean.

Reba wasn't sure where this sudden burst of courage came from, but gingerly moved her head towards Barbra Jean and tenderly kissed lips. Stunned that Reba had kissed her first, BJ wrapped her arms around Reba's slender waist and pulled her closer. Reba draped her arms around BJ's neck in response and the two were in each other's embrace for what seemed like hours, but in actuality was only about thirty seconds. When they pulled apart, they stared lovingly into each other's eyes.

"You had better get home," said Reba reluctantly, not wanting BJ to leave.

"Yeah I guess I should," said Barbra Jean as she walked toward the door.

"I love you Barbra Jean," whispered Reba.

"I love you too Reba," Barbra Jean whispered back, "Good night."

"Good night," Reba said as Barbra Jean walked out and closed the door.

Reba locked the door, and turned off the kitchen lights. She headed upstairs; she was exhausted and could not wait to sleep in her cozy bed. She slipped under her covers and closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, Barbra Jean went home to her nice big bed, but was utterly shocked when she saw that Brock had left the couch and was now on his old side of their bed. Gently she removed the pillows from her side of the bed and silently laid next to Brock, but turned her back towards him.

Tonight both women would dream of their amazing first kiss, and all of the wonderful events that took place today. However, both were highly unaware of what tomorrow would bring. Nevertheless, for now they were at peace in the land of dreams.