Chapter 3: Cheyenne And Her Big Mouth
Reba Hart was nestled warmly in her comfortable bed, delicately embracing one of her pillows when she heard knocking at her bedroom door. She rose out of bed and put on her bathrobe to answer the door. When she opened the door, she saw a very tall, blonde figure standing just outside.
"Hey Barbra Jean, what are you doing here so early?" Reba asked with care. Reba noticed that Barbra Jean seemed very different. Her typical cheerful grin was absent and her usual warm, sparkling blue eyes seemed rather dark and cold. She sensed something was wrong. "Barbra Jean what's wrong honey?"
"Oh Reba I just had to come over here and tell you the most wonderful news!" Barbra Jean said excitedly, immediately perking up.
"What, what is the good news?" Reba asked cautiously, since the last time Barbra Jean had wonderful news she ended up telling her she loved her. Therefore, Reba was curious to see what it could be this time.
"Brock and I are getting back are getting back together!" Barbra Jean said elatedly.
Reba stood there, her body overcome with shock. "What do you mean you and Brock are gettin' back together?" Reba said hesitantly.
"Yeah, yeah when I got home last night he told me how much he still loved me and needed me and that he wanted to end the separation and get back together. Yeah and then we went upstairs and things got a little hot and sweaty and well you can just imagine what happened next." Barbra Jean said with a devilish smirk on her face.
"But Barbra Jean, what about everything that happened yesterday, everything you told me." Reba asked, as she felt the slow onset of tears.
"Oh Reba, come on! I only said that stuff cause I thought that Brock didn't love me anymore and that we were gonna get a divorce and I didn't want to be alone. I had a feeling that you were starting to develop feelings for me and I knew I could use that to my advantage. So I just told you that I loved you, and I do don't get me wrong I really do, and you took the bait, I knew it would be easy and you fell right for it." Barbra Jean said darkly. "But I don't need you anymore, so goodbye Reba." BJ said as she walked out of the room and went down the stairs.
Reba remained in the doorway; she was so utterly stunned at what she had just heard. She could not believe it, something was wrong it just had to be. Reba raced down the stairs to talk to Barbra Jean, to try to make sense of what had occurred. Barbra Jean had just walked out the front door, but Reba was close behind.
"Barbra Jean!" Reba shouted, as she saw Barbra Jean in the middle of the street. "Barbra Jean please just talk to me. Why would you tell me you loved me and then just take it away?"
"Reba I don't have to explain anything. I meant what I said, now leave me alone." Barbra Jean said as she tried to walk away.
Reba flung herself to the ground and latched her arms around Barbra Jean's leg. "Please Barbra Jean just talk to me. I love you so much, please don't do this!" Reba wailed.
Barbra Jean ripped her leg from Reba's grasp and took a step back. "No Reba, it's over! Good-bye!" she said as she strutted off down the street.
Reba stood up and watched the woman she loved with all her heart walk away to be with the man who broke her heart once before. The tears flowed from her eyes and streamed down her face as she started bawling. She just stared down the road where Barbra Jean had disappeared, when all of a sudden a car flew right past her and honked its horn so loudly that it scared her half to death.
In actuality it only scared her awake. Sweat was dripping from her forehead as her eyes flew open. Reba sat up and looked around her room, making sure that she was really in her bed. She sighed and flopped back down onto her pillow, thankful that it had all just been one big ol' nightmare. However, that did not mean it didn't make her think about some things that had be weighing one her mind. What if Barbra Jean really did leave her for Brock? What if everything that Barbra Jean had told her had been a lie? No that was not possible, Barbra Jean loved her, and she knew that. It was just a dream right? Just a dream.
Reba sighed, swung her legs over the side of her bed, and stood up. Still dazed from her horrific nightmare, she lethargically put on her housecoat and made her way downstairs for her morning cup of coffee.
Meanwhile, Cheyenne was pacing her bedroom floor, a war of conflictions raging through her mind. She desperately wanted to tell Van what was going on with her mom and Barbra Jean, but on the other hand, she had promised that she wouldn't say anything.
"Oh what do I do?" Cheyenne asked herself aloud, "I wanna tell him so bad."
"Tell me what?" Van asked as he walked in the room just as Cheyenne started taking. "What's goin' on Cheyenne? Are you ok?"
"Yeah Van I'm fine it's just…" she knew she had to tell him now, there was no turning back, "It's just I wanted to tell you something, but I'm not supposed to say anything."
"Cheyenne you know you can tell me anything." Van reassured her.
"I know that Van, it's just that mom told me not to say anything to anyone." Cheyenne said.
"Cheyenne, when have you ever listened to your mother? She tells you to do a lot of things that you do anyway. Like when she told you not to have sex and get pregnant. And look, we've done that! Twice!" Van joked.
"Your right. Besides what she doesn't know won't hurt her right?" Cheyenne asked.
"Right." Van stated.
"Okay. So here's the deal, Mom is in love and she's dating someone." Cheyenne said fast.
"Well that's great Cheyenne! But I don't see why you wanted to tell me so…" Van was cut off.
"It's Barbra Jean!" Cheyenne interjected.
"Oh my God!" Van exclaimed.
"Van before you get all judgmental just hear me out. They really love each other and it's about time they both found someone that really makes them happy!" Cheyenne said in defense.
"Cheyenne this is so….awesome! Elizabeth is gonna have two Grandma's!" Van shouted.
"Shhh, Van be quiet! And Barbra Jean is already Elizabeth's grandma." Cheyenne said.
"I know that Cheyenne but now they are both gonna be living here now!" Van said.
"Oh Van your right! Gee, I wonder if Barbra Jean will move in. Do you think that my mom would ask her to?" Cheyenne asked.
"I don't know Cheyenne. I'll go and ask her." Van said as her walked towards the door.
Cheyenne grabbed Van by his shirt and yanked him back towards her. "Van! You cannot say anything to mom about what I told you! I will beat the crap out of you!"
"Cheyenne I was only joking! I promise I won't say anything and just so you know I'm not afraid of you, I'm afraid of your mother!" Van said as he left the room and walked into the bathroom.
"Uugh!" Cheyenne huffed as she followed her husband. What she didn't notice was that standing right around the corner was a very shocked Kyra, who of course had been eavesdropping.
Meanwhile, Reba was downstairs having a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper.
"Wow, today turned out to be not such a bad day after all." Reba said to herself as she took a sip of her coffee.
"MOM!" Kyra yelled as she ran into the kitchen.
"Spoke to soon." Reba sighed, "What is it Kyra?"
"Mom what's going on with you and Barbra Jean?" Kyra asked inquisitively.
"What!?" Reba half asked half exclaimed.
"I heard Cheyenne telling Van that there something going on between you and Barbra Jean. Is it true?" Kyra asked ever so matter-of-factly.
"Uugh…I'm gonna kill Cheyenne. Her and her big mouth!" Reba said crossly.
"So it is true. You are dating Barbra Jean! Wow who would have thought…?" Kyra said.
"Kyra Eleanor Hart, living room now!" Reba roared as she pointed towards the living room.
"Okay okay, don't get so angry. Sheesh." Kyra replied.
Kyra turned around and walked into the living room as she was told. Reba seized the phone off it's place on the wall and punched the keys, dialing the familiar sequence of numbers. "Hello", a cheery voice answered. "Get over here please." Reba replied hastily and hung up before she received a response. She returned the phone to its base and marched into the living room, rage blazing in her eyes.
"Sit." Reba ordered, as she walked past Kyra. She continued onward and stood next to the staircase.
"Cheyenne! Van! Get down here!" Reba yelled.
Cheyenne and Van peered around the corner. Their hair was all messy and their faces flushed, clearly showing that they were fooling around.
"Umm…mom we're…uhh…kinda busy right now." Cheyenne giggled.
"Yeah Mrs. H, can this wait 'til later?" Van asked.
"Now!" Reba bellowed.
Cheyenne and Van shuddered at the tone and intensity of Reba's voice. They knew that she meant business, which most likely meant that they were in trouble for something. Not wanting to anger her mother more than she already was, Cheyenne reluctantly tugged on Van's shirt and lead him down the stairs. Reba motioned for them to sit down, and they joined Kyra on the couch.
Reba stood in front of the coffee table with her arms folded across her chest. Her irate stare directed at Cheyenne.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Cheyenne asked uneasily.
Reba's features softened as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Cheyenne, Kyra, Van. Since everyone in this room is now aware, thanks to Cheyenne, of my…umm current situation…," Reba said softly as she looked at Cheyenne, "I thought we should have a nice family discussion about it."
"Mom, what situation?" Cheyenne asks innocently.
"Yeah Mrs. H, what are you talking about?" Van adds.
"You know what I'm talking about. Kyra overheard you telling Van about me and Barbra Jean, Cheyenne." Reba told her oldest daughter.
"So it is true. You are dating Barbra Jean!" Kyra stated.
"Well…yes in a way I…" Reba was cut off.
"I can't believe you!" Kyra exploded, "You pretend to be this perfect person! This innocent victim who has been wronged by everyone! You are such a hypocrite Mom! You bashed Dad and BJ for everything they've done to you and here you are doing the same thing! With the same woman! So tell me Mom, how does it feel to be the other woman?!"
Reba's eyes were filled to the brim with tears, the color drained from her face and Kyra's face was scarlet from all her yelling. Suddenly the front door opened and BJ walked inside. Reba's head swung around and she looks at BJ as the tears flow down her now pale cheeks. Without a word, Reba turned around and raced up the stairs. At the same moment, Kyra, in a fit of rage, stomps off into the kitchen.
"What happened? What's wrong with Reba and Kyra?" Barbra Jean asks with a worried look plastered about her face.
"Barbra Jean, I think you should just go talk to my mom right now. She really needs you right now, and we'll take care of Kyra." Cheyenne stated in a sort of Reba-ish manner.
"Okay I will." Barbra Jean nodded as she hiked up the stairs.
"Wow Cheyenne! You sounded just like your mother for a second. You're becoming just like her." Van stated.
"I'm not turning into my mother you mo-ron!" Cheyenne said in defense.
"You did it again." Said Van.
"Craaap!" she said as they walked into the kitchen to deal with Kyra.