May 20th, 1990
Dear Diary,
It's been a couple weeks since I moved in with Deacon and Vince. I love every second with Deacon, but it hasn't been without challenges.
Men are gross! There are always sweaty, smelly socks left lying around. Neither of them do dishes. Deacon tries to be a gentleman around me, but I hear him in the living room with Vince cussing at ball games, talking about women, burping, farting, scratching…all the lovely things men do. Don't get me started on the condition of the bathroom, or the smells in this apartment! At least Deacon tries to be a gentleman with me. Vince pretty much just lets everything fly even if I'm in the room.
Deacon drinks more than I realized. I didn't know he drank every night until I moved in. Sometimes enough to pass out. It scares me when he's that drunk. I feel like I need to keep checking for breathing. Most of the time it's just a couple beers after work, but it bothers me that he does it every night.
I haven't said anything about any of it. I owe Deacon everything. He's taking care of me. He refuses to let me work until I'm done with high school. He's working as many hours as they'll give him at the Bluebird to support the 3 of us. Vince hasn't been able to get a job. I don't really think he's tried, but again I don't say anything. I'm the newbie here.
Overall, I'm happy. Deacon is so sweet, warm, and caring. He has his bad days. I hate those moody, brooding funks he sometimes gets into. He's impossible in those times. I just stay out of his way, and try not to upset him until it passes. I'm sure he's just overly tired from all the hours he's working.
I'd love to ask Deacon to prom, but I know it's not his thing. He'll probably be working next weekend anyway. I should just have Megan take the dress back.
Earlier in the day…
"Where's Deke?" Vince asked as Rayna came home from school
"He had to go back to work. That Jerry guy called in sick again. He took his dinner break to pick me up from school and went back. I feel so bad. He works so much since I moved in to support all of us. He won't let me get a job until I'm done with school."
"I'm lookin, but when ya been fired 12 times…"
"When are you lookin? You're still in bed when I leave for school and on the couch in your underwear when I get home." Rayna laughed. It didn't take Vince long to get comfortable enough with her to go back to his old habits.
"You're startin to sound like Deacon!"
"Whatever Vince. I'm gonna take a nap so I can stay up later and spend some time with Deacon when he gets home. If that's for me, just take a message." Rayna said as the phone rang
"Alright, hang on. I'll ask her."
"Rayna…hey…your friend Megan said you had plans tonight. Did you forget?" Vince said handing her the phone
"Oh, crap! Yeah, with everything going on, I did. Thanks Vince." Rayna sat up to take the phone
"I'm sorry Meg! I completely forgot. I'll get ready. Give me 10 minutes."
"Goin out?" Vince asked as Rayna rushed to the bathroom with some clothes
"Can I go?"
"You really wanna go prom dress shopping with two teenage girls?" Rayna laughed
"Sure, maybe I'll meet someone. Is Megan single? She got a prom date?" Vince asked
"uuuhhhmm…yeah, she has a boyfriend. Sorry, I'm sure she'd be flattered." Rayna said sarcastically
"Damn, but can I still go?" Vince asked
"I guess if you want to that bad."
"I'm bored outta my mind. Deke's been workin doubles and late for a week."
"awe, you miss him?"
"Well, yeah, probably not as much as you but…" Vince just laughed
"So, you and Deke goin to prom?" Vince asked from the backseat of Megan's BMW
"I didn't ask him." Rayna quietly replied
Much to Rayna's surprise Vince was actually pretty fun to hang out with, and offered a lot of guy perspective about dresses. Some of it not so constructive, but he was a constant source of amusement.
"Not enough boobage." He quipped at Megan's first choice
"Too frilly, when he leans in to kiss you that'll get in the way." He advised on the second
"I like it, but maybe in a darker blue." He suggested
"Maybe with a different bra." He laughed
"This one would be perfect for you, Rayna!" Megan held up a shimmery dark blue, sleeveless
"I'm not even going. There's no point in trying it on." Rayna sadly replied
"Why don't you ask, Deke?" Vince suggested
"It's not his thing, and he's been working so much. Plus we really don't have the money. I don't have much left from daddy, He's not putting anything in my account anymore. It would be stupid and a waste of money."
"I'm buying it for you! It's more than a week away. Maybe you'll change your mind. You should at least ask Deacon." Megan offered
"You don't have to do that, Meg!"
"It's done. Get in there and try it on."
"Well…" Rayna asked as she modeled the dress
"Wow! I doubt Deke would turn down even the prom if he saw you in THAT!" Vince smiled
Rayna hung the dress on the back of the closet door when they got home. She'd meant to stay up late and see Deacon, but was exhausted after school, shopping and fell asleep doing homework on the bed.
Deacon got home around 2am after his 3rd night closing the Bluebird. Vince was watching late night comedy and drinking on the couch when he came home.
"Ray still up?" he asked as he came in
"I dunno, doin homework last I knew." Vince mumbled as Deacon quietly went into the bedroom
Rayna was sprawled on the bed, books and notes scattered around her, sound asleep. He tried a few gentle kisses. She didn't move. He sweetly removed her shoes, cleared the books, and covered her, before returning to the living room, flopping in the chair with a beer.
"Out like a light! What did you guys do tonight anyway?" Deacon asked rubbing his tired eyes
"Prom dress shopping with Ray's friend Megan."
"Wait…YOU went prom dress shoppin with two women?" Deacon laughed
"Yeah, it wasn't so bad. Hot women and pretty dresses!" Vince quipped
"I'm not sure whether to find this hilarious or be pissed." Deacon scowled
"What? It's not like I saw Rayna naked! She just showed me how a dress looked on her, and Megan tried on several."
"She aint mentioned prom to me!" Deacon snapped a little mad
"She doesn't think you'd want to go, and she feels bad cause you're workin so much."
"She buy a dress?"
"No, but her friend Megan bought one for her. Said she couldn't afford it."
"Does Ray want to go to prom?" Deacon asked after thinking for several minutes
"Yeah, I think so. What teenage girl doesn't want to go to her senior prom, Deke?"
"Do me a favor? Don't tell Ray we talked about this." Deacon asked as he got up to go to bed
"Sure man, whatever! Night!"
Rayna hadn't moved since Deacon had tucked her in. He quietly opened the closet door. The dress was hanging on the back of the door.
"She sure would be pretty in that." He thought to himself as he closed the door and got ready for bed
He wrapped his arms around her as he slid under the covers. She'd gotten so used to him, she barely stirred.
He layed awake thinking about all she'd had to give up. She was used to driving a brand new BMW, now replaced by a crappy old chevy truck. She was used to a cook and maid, now she'd pretty much become a maid trying to keep up with dirty socks, and messes living with two young men. Her unlimited cash from her father had stopped. It had only been a couple weeks, but she hadn't complained about anything.
"Love you, baby! You deserve so much better." He whispered as he kissed her head one last time before falling asleep