Love by Love – 44
After dropping Elizabeth off at the daycare near her office, Reba went to a coffee shop, bought a latte and was literally humming a tune walking into the office.
"Good morning, Tracy. Hey Joe, Hi Dolly." Reba greeted every one she walked by with a soft grin spread on her face.
"Boy, you sure are in a good mood. Aren't you usually like 'Grr... I hate Mondays!'?" Commented Tracy, one of her co-workers.
"I'm telling you girls, a few dozes of love juice would put you on cloud nine." Dolly instructed teasingly.
"Dolly!" Reba exclaimed, blushing.
"That's it! I'm finding myself a man!" Tracy determined.
"Stay away from mine!" Reba warned laughingly. She was still being teased every now and then about how jealous she was when she was pregnant with Elizabeth. Even though she wasn't 'that' jealous anymore, they still poked fun of her.
"Alright, enough teasing, back to work people." Dolly shooed her employees back to work. She then turned to Reba and gave her a list of the houses to show. It must be one of her lucky days since Reba managed to sell two condos to two single men. One of them was trying to hit on her, but Reba firmly stated that she was happily married, very happily married. He still bought the place anyway. "My, my, Reba. You sold two places and it's not even noon! I think Brock deserves a good reward!" Dolly commented when Reba came back to the office to prepare her paperwork.
"What's that got to do with him? Shouldn't I be the one who gets a raise?"
"Well that's between you and Brock, but I'm sure if you're good to him you'll get a big one."
"I mean a raise in salary!" Reba gritted through her teeth turning extremely red not from anger but embarrassment.
"Oh that? We'll look into it. But first, how about we talk partnership?"
"Are you pairing me up with someone?" Reba asked with confusion. I took her a few moments before it registered to her what Dolly was talking about. "Are you serious?"
"Yes. I've been thinking about this for a while now that Steve Norris seems to over take a lot of business in real estate. Beside great a attitude, you are my best employee. And with your contribution, I'm sure we can whip that Steve Norris' butt!" Reba was so thrilled about the offer. She couldn't wait to tell Brock about it! Reba picked Elizabeth up from her daycare and went to get a bottle of champagne. It was the time to celebrate.
"Honey, I'm hmm..." Brock's present announcement was cut off by Reba's lips crashing on his. "Ohhh boy, I know I was good last night, but I didn't know I was 'that' good." Brock spoke breathlessly.
Elizabeth was giggling somewhere nearby. "Daddy was good." She commented innocently making Reba turned pink a little.
"I'm glad you're home. I have some good news to tell you." Ignoring his suggestiveness, Reba spoke excitedly.
"Are we having another kid? Oow..." He cried when Reba hit him.
"We've already got four!" Reba piped up.
"We have four, daddy." Elizabeth meaninglessly repeated Reba's sentence. She had done that a lot lately. She just wanted to be a part of conversation with the adults. Reba thought she was like a little sponge and they had to watch out what they were saying around her. The two adults laughed amusingly.
"I don't mind having another one like this." Brock picked the girl up and pressed his nose adoringly on her cheek. "Anyway, what were you about to tell me?" He looked at Reba paying attention to what she had to say.
"I'll... tell you later." Reba decided to hold off on the excitement when she realized that being Dolly's partner could mean less time with her family. She would consult him when they had time to sit down and talk. "So Elizabeth, what do you want to have for dinner today?"
The little girl thought hard, Brock chuckled and whispered in her ear, and she repeated "Meat loft!"
Snickering, Reba questioned her little two year old in her husband's arms trying to take her seriously. "Meat loft, huh? What else?"
The girl turned to her dad looking for answer; Brock chuckled and whispered "A cup of proper coffee in a copper coffee cup"
"A cup of paper coffee… cup" She made her parents laugh and she enjoyed it, so she tried to repeat the sentence again.
Reba decided, if the new position meant taking her time away from her family, she would have to turn down the offer. But she would talk to Brock first and see what he thought of it. They enjoyed their little dinner just the three of them, Elizabeth got Mac & Cheese and some steamed vegetable for dinner and Brock got his meatloaf. Reba grinned watching Elizabeth grab a baby corn by her hand and tried to chew it.
"Our little girl would be three year old soon. Have you thought of what we'll get her for her birthday?" Questioned Reba putting a soft stem of Broccoli on the girl's plate.
"How about a pony? Girls love ponies," suggested Brock
"You serious?" Reba glared at him.
"Why not? You had a pony when you were young."
"I grew up on a ranch. My pony wasn't just a friend, it was a source of transportation!" She argued.
"Well, she's too young for a car."
Reba intensely glared at him. Then, her eyes lit up. "Although… If I take Dolly's offer, we might be able to afford a pony." She slowly geared toward the information she was dying to share with Brock.
"Oh, what is it?"
"She wants me to be her partner!" Reba exclaimed excitedly. She told Brock about Dolly's suggestion and waiting to see his reaction.
"That's great, honey! Congratulations!" Brock stood up and gave her a hug plus a little loving peck on her lips.
"So you really think I should go for it?"
"You got my support." He promised.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Reba kissed him again and again. "But we still won't get a pony though."
"Fine, we'll just give her a tricycle."
"That's more like it." Reba smiled and pecked his lips one more time.
Dolly announced her partnership with Reba to her employees the next day. Once all the legal papers were signed, Dolly planned a formal party for the company under the new name of 'Majors & Hart Real Estate LLP.
"Honey, are you ready?" Brock poked his head in their room to check on Reba. They had to go to the party soon and his wife was not ready yet.
"I'm almost done!" She yelled from the walk-in closet. 'That was the fifth time she said that', Brock thought. "Brock, can you help me zip up?"
"Sure." He went into the room and walked straight to her closet. Reba turned her back at him. Brock gently zipped up the back of her dress. He then took a few minutes to admire her beauty. "You look gorgeous." He complimented Reba in her beautiful form-fitting floor length bright blue satin finish evening gown. He spun her around to admire the front part of the dress. The spaghetti straps dress embroidered with crystals at her bust. The middle section contoured her figured perfectly to advertise her curves and cleavage. The flare skirt began from her hip down to the floor. There was a split in front of her left leg up to her thigh, revealing her beautiful long legs when she walked. Brock sighed proudly.
"Thanks." Reba mumbled blowing him a kiss.
"But I think it's missing something though." Reba looked at him, puzzled. Brock smiled and opened his hand. In his palm, was a pair of diamond earrings she had always wanted. Reba threw him a hug and thanked him with passionate kisses. "Are you ready to go?" He asked after earth shattering kisses. They better leave now or he might do something and cause them to miss the party. Giggling, knowing exactly what was in his mind, Reba nodded and checked herself in a mirror one last time.
"Alright, Barbra Jean, we'll be back hopefully before midnight. Please tuck Elizabeth in for us, and oh yeah, don't worry if she starts talking to herself or appeared to be having a conversation with someone. She has a 'friend' and no there's no ghost in this house."
"I know I know, you told me that already."
"Yet, you freak out every time Elizabeth mumbles something to herself. And yes you can call your boyfriend but don't make out on my couch!"
Rolling her eyes, Barbra Jean said boringly, "I don't do that... anymore...."
"Alright, shall we go?" Brock panned his hand to his side, suggesting Reba to move.
Reba and Barbra Jean looked at him and started to laugh. "Are you sure that color of lipstick suits your tux?" Barbra Jean quipped.
Snickering, Reba grabbed a piece of tissue and helped him clean up. "All clean. And I'll try not to leave my lip-prints all over you again."
"I honestly don't mind having your lip-prints all over me. As long as it's 'all over'" Brock suggested mischievously.
"Oh will you two just go, or get a room?" Barbra Jean pushed them out of the house to their waiting limo.
At the party, Reba was the center of attention since this party was to celebrate her and Dolly's partnership. Brock smiled watching her being dragged by Dolly to introduce her to a few people. He was happy for her success. He saw a few guys try to hit on her, but Reba politely told them she was with someone. He couldn't blame them though. Reba looked younger and more vibrant as time had no affect on her beauty at all, if it had, it made her looked even better as years went by. Brock's smile started to fade. He had the most beautiful lady in this room to call his wife. She was successful enough to partner with one of the most successful business woman in town: Dolly is just a chesty version of Donald Trump in the business world. She was that successful. Reba could have been with any rich or handsome man in this room, having them wrapped around her finger. However, Brock thought he had nothing compared to her. Maybe he wasn't good enough for her anymore, maybe he was the one holding her back. The more she shone the more he felt inferior to her. Reba was laughing away with her acquaintances, she had no idea her husband was about to take a step away from her...