Road Trip To The Destiny - 08
"Lock up for me when you leave." Reba didn't even stop or slow down, she had her back at them as she was walking up the stairs. She didn't see Brock's facial expression. She added another layer of concrete to the wall she built. She continued her way to her bedroom, the memory of Jack's wife dropping by on her doorstep accusing her of stealing her husband flashed before her eyes. She hoped Brock would not put her in that situation. She never wanted to be the other woman. If he could work things out with Barbra Jean, that would be even better, since she was completely over him now. What she didn't know, was that his eyes were following her, telling himself in his head 'Things will be different, I promise', and he followed Barbra Jean home.
"Reba" Barbra Jean barged in to her living room as Reba was cleaning up. She hadn't been home for two weeks and dust was everywhere.
"Hey Barbra Jean. How are things between you and Brock?" Reba questioned, just to make conversation more than really seeking an answer.
"Reba, are we still best friends?" Barbra Jean shot the question out.
"I believe so. Why do you ask?" Reba couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Which she shouldn't be, she didn't do anything wrong.
"Then answer me this question. Did you sleep with my husband?" Her question made Reba drop the duster in anger.
"I'm going to let you off with this question once, Barbra Jean. You're implying that I'm some type of woman, which I'm not. No, I didn't sleep with your husband. Cheating and adultery is not my cup of tea," said Reba firmly looked straight in Barbra Jean's eyes. Barbra Jean broke eye contact first.
"Do you still love him?" She asked Reba in a low voice, sitting down on the couch, preparing to hear the answer.
"As a father of my children." Reba avoided answering yes or no, because neither 'yes' nor 'no' was the right answer.
"I'm losing him Reba, he doesn't love me anymore." Barbra Jean let the tears fall. "How did you deal with this Reba? How could you deal with your husband, if he was telling you that he was in love with someone else?" Reba sat next to her friend, and handed her a box of tissues.
"It's not something you can do out of practice. Believe me, I was in complete shock too when he told me he was leaving me for you."
"You know that he's leaving me because he's trying to go back to you, don't you?"
"Barbra Jean, I have no part of that decision."
"I don't believe you! He wouldn't leave me if you didn't give him hopes. He said just before he went to Oklahoma with you that he wanted us to work things out."
"Barbra Jean, leave Reba out of this!" Brock was in the kitchen when he heard Barbra Jean shouting at Reba. He stepped in. "You're the one who confronted me if I still love her, and I said I do. I tried to make our marriage work, to make it worth leaving the woman I love for twenty odd years. I tried my best to suppress my feelings for her for the past six years, now you made me realize, I'm still deeply in love with her. That's why I can't lie to you or to myself any longer."
"But Brock, I need you."
"And you'll always have me. You can call me anytime to change a light bulb, to fix the sink, or even to make a darn toast. We can still be friends, but I just... can't be your husband anymore." Barbra Jean burst out in tears running out back to her house. Reba hadn't let out a word. She was glancing at Brock.
"You just couldn't make at least one marriage work, could you? Your marriage still has a chance. She loves you. Work it out!" Reba tried to chase him out.
"Does it really have a chance when I'm in love with someone else? Would you want a loveless marriage? Don't you think it's fair if I let her go, so she could be with someone that truly loves her?"
"Look Brock, I'm going to tell you what I told Jack before. I-"
"I know Reba, you will not be the other woman. I left last night and stayed at a motel as soon as I found out that Barbra Jean didn't submit the divorce application. And I would not be anywhere close to you until my divorce with Barbra Jean is final. And I will not invading your personal life." Brock left the living room after his statement. Although Reba kept saying she didn't want to be the other woman, but Brock leaving Barbra Jean with the intention of trying to get back with her was still a fact that she could not deny. Brock had left Reba alone as he promised. Reba saw Barbra Jean every so often only because Barbra Jean did not have anyone else to turn to. She turned to Reba for support; she asked Reba how to deal with a broken heart. All Reba could do to help, was just listen to Barbra Jean and tell her to be strong. She found out from Barbra Jean that she still hadn't signed the papers. She broke down in tears before she could pack up the strength to sign it.
"Hey Jake, you're up early." Reba was surprised to see Jake was up and having breakfast. She also saw a plate with a poach egg, two strips of bacon and two slices of grapefruit. Then it dawned on her. "Please tell me you learned to poach an egg."
"No mom, I still don't know how to poach an egg, or to fry bacon." Jake answered finishing up his breakfast, hoping to escape before the storm came in.
"Good morning, darling." Too late, the storm arrived. Jake ran to the living room leaving just his stunned mom and cheerful dad in the kitchen. "Here's your morning paper. I didn't brew the coffee, but I'll do it now, so you can have it fresh."
"What the heck are you doing here so early?" Reba took the paper from his hand and watched him turned on the coffee pot. Everything was prepared. It looked like he was just waiting for her to get up. He walked to the toaster and put two slices of bread in it before he answered her question.
"What do you mean here early? I slept in your living room."
"You what?"
"You said I could. The motel's getting expensive you know."
"But..."
"I'm sorry if I scared you. I came here late and I didn't want to wake you." Reba was still shocked, she hadn't seen him a few days, he only came to talk to Jake, dropping him off at his football practice. "Barbra Jean finally signed the papers, we went to mail it out yesterday. She's taking the job offer in Little Rock. She would be leaving in two weeks. Once I get the divorce papers, then I'll follow up with my New Year's Resolution."
"Yeah, yeah. After you get me a glass of orange juice, you can go find yourself an apartment." Brock stood up and cut a few oranges in half and started to make juice. Reba glanced at him. "There's a carton of orange juice in the fridge you know?"
"But you like freshly squeezed orange juice."
"I do, but it's time consuming. So the store bought one will do just fine." But that didn't stop him. He brought the freshly squeezed juice to her a short while later. Barbra Jean came in as Reba took the juice from his hand.
"Reba, can I please talk to you?"
"If it's about you and Brock, then no. I don't want anything to do with this."
"Yes and no. I just want to let you know, that you're still my best friend, no matter what. I guess it served me right for doing this to you first." Barbra Jean wiped the tears from her eyes. "But I'm here to actually ask you a favor, both of you."
"Okay, what do you want?"
"Can you please wait until I'm gone before you start dating?"
"Barbra Jean..."
"I'm not as strong as you are, Reba. I can't help but feeling jealous at the thought of my... soon to be ex husband dating someone he loves, all those years he was married to me."
"Who says I'm dating him?"
"You're not?" Barbra Jean was confused
"She never agreed that she would date me," told Brock to his soon to be ex-wife.
"But I thought..."
"No Barbra Jean, like I told you before, Reba's not a part of this. I don't even think she loves me anymore." Brock looked at Reba who was enjoying her orange juice and remaining emotionless. "But I'll try to make her fall in love with me again." Barbra Jean gave Reba a small smile, trying to be cheerful.
"Good luck to you Brock." She felt her heart break in two. Reba must have felt the same thing when she talked about her problem with Brock before. She left Reba's kitchen, trying to be strong. If Reba could hold her head up high, Barbra Jean should be able to do so as well. Reba felt pity for Barbra Jean; she knew exactly how Barbra Jean was feeling right now. She had been there. Reba looked at Brock and she determined that she would not give in easily. Brock had a run for his money if he wanted to win her back. However, Barbra Jean wasn't as strong as Reba. She recently received the final divorce document and she broke down in the middle of a live broadcast during her time on television. She was weeping how her husband left her for her best friend. The next thing Reba knew, her face was on the local TV station's gossip news programs, saying that she was a home wrecker.