Chapter 6

Reba had fallen asleep that night waiting for Vic to call. He always called at ten o'clock on the dot, no matter what. She supposed he had gotten distracted by his mother. He hadn't seen her in almost four months. He needed to spend some time with her. Reba only wished they could get along better. She wasn't as bad as Liz was, well she hadn't really spent time with the woman yet, but she didn't seem as bad as Liz. Reba knew she had to get along with his mother to make this work. She didn't want her relationship with her future mother-in-law to be like hers with Liz, although her relationship with Liz now was a good one. They learned to appreciate each other as mothers and they talked regularly on the phone, of course she wasn't sure if this relationship would have occurred if she and Brock hadn't gotten a divorce. Maybe there was something she could do to get off on the right foot with Vic's mother, like learn her first name. (This is a side note of the Grandma Liz thing. I know in the show one of the grandmothers died and I am assuming it was grandma Liz but for the sake of the story lets just pretend that neither of the grandmothers are dead.)

Reba was awoken the next morning to her cell phone ringing. She groaned and reached over on her night stand, wondering who in the world was calling her this early on a Sunday morning. "Hello." She grumbled into the phone.

Vic's voice penetrated her ears. "I am so, so sorry. I know I was supposed to call you at ten last night but it was my mother, she insisted on staying up and catching up. By the time we were done talking it was one am and I didn't…"

Reba interrupted him with a chuckle. "It's ok honey." She heard Vic sigh in relief. "But…" she said with a small laugh. "You're going to have to make it up to me."

Reba knew Vic was smiling on the other end of the line. "Make it up to you, huh?"

Reba giggled. "Yup."

"All right, let's start now."

Reba was confused. "What are you talking about?"

She heard him smiling. "Open your bedroom door."

Reba rolled her eyes. She got up out of bed and opened the door. Her smile went huge when she saw Vic behind the door, holding a tray in one hand and his cell phone in the other. Reba smiled and stepped aside to let him in. Vic shut his cell phone but bent down to pick something up. Reba shut the door after him. "It's so great see yo…" She turned and smiled when she saw a dozen roses in her face. She took them and smiled. "Thank you."

Vic gave his charming smile. "Your welcome, now go relax, I will serve you this morning." Reba laughed and set the roses on the nightstand as she crawled into bed.

Reba happily sat in her bed, propped up by some pillows. Vic sat on the edge of the bed and placed the tray in Reba's lap. "Thank you so much." She said picking up her fork and cutting into her homemade cinnamon waffle. She closed her eyes and moaned as she tasted the savory sweet cinnamon. Reba opened her eyes and saw Vic smiling at her. "What?" she asked after swallowing her small bite.

Vic smiled. "You are the only woman I know that could make eating a waffle look sexy."

Reba blushed and giggled as she continued to eat. "So…" Reba said as she took a sip of her freshly squeezed orange juice, "About the wedding, when did you want to start planning?"

Vic perked up and smiled. "You really want to start planning?"

Reba nodded as she took her last bite. She set the tray aside and smiled. "I think we should. Why not? What are we waiting for?"

Vic's grin grew bigger and he pulled her into a deep kiss. Reba smiled against his lips and scooted down so he could ease himself over her. Vic broke the kiss and caressed her cheek. "I love you."

Reba gave him a small sweet smile. "I love you too."

Their lips were about to connect again when Vic's ring tone rang throughout the room. Reba groaned as Vic pulled away to answer it. "Hello…mom…I am at Reba's….I'll be back soon don't worry…I know…goodbye." Vic shut his phone and then turned back to Reba. "Now where were we?"

Reba smiled and brought him back down to her. Their lips connected again only to be interrupted once more by Vic's cell phone. "Don't answer it." Reba said as he pulled away once again.

Vic shook his head. "It could be someone important." Reba sighed and laid there as he answered the phone. She rolled her eyes when she heard him answer. "Yes mom…ok…I love you too…goodbye now."

Vic smiled as his lips touched her neck. Vic kissed her and when she didn't respond he leaned up looking at her. She gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry honey but two calls from your mother really ruined the moment." Vic sighed and sat up. Reba followed his example. "I'm sorry honey." She said softly.

Vic shrugged. "We probably would have been interrupted anyway. Every time I touch you someone comes in the room or something happens."

Reba chuckled and took his hand. "It will happen, eventually."

Vic gave out a frustrated breath. "I sure hope so."

Reba laughed and then remembered something she needed to know. "What is your mother's name?" she asked curiously.

Vic chuckled. "Right, sorry, I forgot you don't know it yet, Lexi Smith." Reba nodded and then reached for his cell phone and turned it on. "Who are you calling?"

Reba smiled as she searched through his numbers. "Your mother." Vic's eyes widen and he quickly grabbed the phone away. "Hey!" she said trying to take it back.

Vic shook his head and kept the phone out of her reach. Reba smirked and ran her hands up his strong chest, caressing it with her nails. She gave him a playful look and continued to rub his chest. Vic gulped but stayed strong. He shook his head and pushed her hands away. "It's not going to work."

Reba pouted and moved her hands away. "I only want to call your mother."

Vic shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea." He said, still keeping his phone at a safe distance.

Reba sighed. "I just feel that we should get to know each other. I thought if we went out to lunch it might break the ice. We need to get along honey."

Vic sighed and then proceeded to hand over his cell phone. "As long as you know what you're getting yourself into."

Reba smiled at his concern and began to search for his home number. Reba rolled her eyes when she put the cell phone up to her ear and saw the look of uneasiness on Vic's face. "Relax." She stated before turning all of her attention back to the death defying phone call she was making. After the first ring Reba suddenly felt the urge to hang up. Maybe it would be best to do this gradually. Maybe having lunch together alone, with no witnesses, was not the best idea in the world. Maybe she should just invite Lexi over to her house…no…that would be too fast, like she was trying to hard.

Reba guessed she must have waited too long to decide whether to hang up or not because the next thing she knew she heard Lexi's cheery voice on the other line. "Hello Vic, honey. Please tell me you left that woman's house and you're coming home."

Reba didn't like the way Lexi said woman. "Lexi, Mrs. Smith, its Reba."

"Oh." She heard the woman say with so much distain in her voice. "What is it you need?" she asked sounding annoyed that she had to talk with her future daughter-in-law. Reba cleared her throat but before Reba could talk she was interrupted by Lexi once more. "You need to do something about that throat honey."

If Reba hadn't known any better she would say Lexi was concerned but the tone in Lexi's voice told her she could care less. "Umm…I certainly will."

Reba paused and apparently she was not quick enough to continue because Lexi interrupted once more. "What was it you called me for? Was it to just run up my son's phone bill with nothing but silence?"

Reba tried to form words but was having some trouble. "Well, umm…"

She heard Lexi sigh in frustration. "If you're just going to waste my time…"

Reba quickly spoke up. "No, please don't hang up. I just wanted to invite you to lunch."

"What if I had plans?"

Reba looked down at her hands. "Well…if you had plans already we can eat another time." Reba glared at Vic who was holding in laughter. She smacked him and waited for Lexi to answer.

"I think my son and I have plans for today."

Reba put her hand to the phone and whispered to Vic, "Do you have plans with your mother today?"

Vic rolled his eyes and asked for the phone. Reba gladly handed it over. "Mom…yes I'm still here…no, look I have a business lunch with dad today so you should go with Reba…no mom I am not trying to get rid of you. You two need to spend some time together, get to know each other better, ok. Here's Reba."

Vic tried to hand the phone back but Reba shook her head. Reba changed her mind now. The only place she wanted to go with this woman now is to the airport to drop her off. Reba glared as he thrust the phone into her hand. Reba glared and put the phone up to her ear. "Mrs. Smith?"

She heard a long exasperated sigh on the other end. "I suppose we can go to lunch since my son is busy but I need to pick the restaurant and you have to pick me up since Victor will be taking his car."

Reba was a little bit happier. "That sounds fine. I'll pick you up at one o'clock."

"Yeah, yeah."

Reba heard a click and she knew Lexi had hung up. Reba shut Vic's cell phone and sighed. Vic continued on smiling. Reba didn't like his smile. "You think it's funny the way she talks to me?"

Vic shook his head but continued to hold back any laughter that might escape. Reba glared and suddenly Vic found himself pinned down by his arms. "Who's laughing now?" Reba said laughing.

Vic smiled. He admits that Reba was quite strong but not strong enough to hold him down. He took complete control and rolled her one her back. "You were the one who wanted to invite my mother to lunch."

Reba made a face. "I admit it is my fault but the more I think about it the more I realize I made a mistake and maybe you should come with us."

Vic continued to keep a firm hold on her and shook his head. "You said it yourself that you two need some time alone together, to get too know each other. Now that I have thought about it I think it's a wonderful idea. Besides, I do have a lunch meeting with my father at one o'clock. I'll ride with you to pick up my mother and then you can drop me off on your way to lunch."

Reba sighed and relaxed under his weight. "I guess you're right."

Vic nodded. "I'm always right and it's about time you realized that." Vic said in a kidding tone of voice.

Reba rolled her eyes and smiled. "Whatever." Reba tried moving to get up but Vic wouldn't let her move. "Vic, let me up."

Vic smiled and shook his head. "I kind of like you this way. You have no control."

Reba laughed and wiggled beneath him trying to get up. "Come on."

Vic shrugged. "Ok." He acted like he was letting her up but the minute she moved he held her back down firm.

"Vi…" She was cut off by him bringing her into a fiery lip lock.

Reba was in shock at first at the sudden feel of his lips on hers but then she accepted them happily by hopelessly kissing him back. Reba grinned as his hands moved to her sides. They both thought something was finally going to happen when her bedroom door burst open, "Mrs. H…ahhh!" The door was quickly shut.

Reba sighed and the mood was lost once again. Vic got up and helped Reba up in the process. "Their doing this on purpose, I know it." Reba said firmly. Vic chuckled and guided Reba out the door.

They walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to find Van and Cheyenne with Elizabeth. Reba immediately walked over to Van who was trying to avoid her gaze and she smacked him in the head. He turned and glared at her. "Knock next time!" she yelled.

Vic chuckled and walked to where Reba was standing. He placed a hand on the small of her back and smiled. "I think I'm going to go back to my apartment. I'll just bring my mother here and then we can all go together." Reba nodded and Vic kissed her cheek.

Vic started to leave but Van approached him. He had his serious face on. "Can I talk to you…?" He glanced over at Reba and Cheyenne, "Outside."

Vic glanced at Reba, giving her a questioning look but she just gave him a shrug. Van and Vic went outside and Reba turned to her daughter. "What is that about?"

Cheyenne rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He had come down after he was supposed to go get you and he mumbled something about unlocked doors and having to have a talk with Vic."

Reba rolled her eyes and went to pour herself a cup of coffee. Why didn't Van knock? She could have locked her door. Why didn't she think of that? She sat next to Elizabeth and smiled at her grandchild who was eating cheerios. Cheyenne sat down across from her mother and smiled at her daughter. "Why don't you go watch cartoons in the living room sweetie."

Elizabeth smiled, "Ok." She said softly. She picked up her bowl and quickly left the room.

Reba gave her daughter a confusing look. "What did you do that for? She didn't have to leave." Cheyenne just kept on smiling and moved into her daughter's empty seat. Reba backed up a little. Cheyenne was freaking her out. "What?"

Cheyenne's smile grew. "Come on Mom. I want details."

Reba stared at her daughter with confusion and then realized what Cheyenne was referring to. Reba shook her head. "You are my child Cheyenne. I told you that once before that this was none of your business. Besides…" Reba said standing up and walking over to the coffee pot to refill her mug, "There really is nothing to tell you."

Cheyenne rolled her eyes as her mother sat back down. "Please mom, every time someone walks in on you two…"

Reba interrupted her. "Yeah, you guys always interrupt us, we never get very far."

Cheyenne's eyes widen. "Oh." She said suddenly realizing it. "So you two never…"

"Nope." Reba said sipping her coffee.

Cheyenne was shocked. "Wow, I can't you believe you held off from that." Cheyenne said referring to Vic.

Reba rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding?" Cheyenne looked to her mother. "Of course I haven't. It's just every time we get anywhere you or Kyra or Jake or Van or Barbara Jean or his mother walks in."

Cheyenne smiled and patted her mom's arm. "I'm sorry mom." Cheyenne then realized what her mom said and perked up. "You met his mother?" Reba nodded and put her head in her hands. Cheyenne cringed. "Oh no, what happened?"

Reba looked up and gave her daughter a frown. "The woman hates me."

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you." Cheyenne said trying to make her mother feel better.

"She called me a tramp!" Reba yelled.

Cheyenne's eyes widened. "What?"

Reba nodded. "Yeah, well, she didn't really tell me but told Vic. She doesn't approve of us because of the way we met. She doesn't like that we got drunk and thought we were married." Reba sighed and got up to put her coffee cup in the sink. "All I know is she is slowly putting your Grandma Liz to shame."

Reba spent a generous part of her morning looking for an outfit that didn't make her look like she was trying to hard but she didn't want to look like a bum either. She had decided on jeans and a nice blouse. She only hoped his mother didn't want to go anywhere expensive, she wouldn't be able to get in without proper clothing. Reba was extremely nervous about having lunch alone with his mother. Her stomach was doing a series of flip flops. She only wanted to get along with Lexi. She only hoped Lexi would change her mind about her once she got to know Reba. One could only hope.

Reba walked downstairs to find her daughter in the living room. "Hey Kyra." Reba said as she flopped down on the couch next to Kyra and she nervously starting tapping her foot.

"So…" Kyra said looking up from the notebook she was writing in, "Cheyenne said you met Vic's mom."

Reba nodded. "Now I have to go to lunch with her, alone. Why did I call her?" Reba groaned.

Kyra gave her mother a sympathetic look. "I am sure everything will go well Mom. Grandma Liz didn't like you at first and she likes you now." Reba nodded, agreeing with her. "Of course you did divorce her son."

Reba glared at her daughter. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"You will be fine mom. Everyone likes you, it's a curse you have."

Reba chuckled. "I sure hope you right but…I can't shake the feeling that it's not going to go right." Kyra patted her mom's back in sympathy. Reba jumped out of her skin when the door bell rang. She looked at Kyra and sighed. "Pray for my safety." Kyra couldn't help but laugh a bit.

Reba walked to her door and opened it to find only Vic. She smiled. "Hi." Reba looked behind him and wondered where Lexi was. "Where is your mom?"

"Waiting in the car." He said sadly. "She says the sooner we leave the sooner she can get this horrid lunch over with."

Reba pouted and looked to the car where Lexi was trying to look impatient. "Well…" Reba said grabbing her purse off the rack behind the door. "We must not keep her highness waiting."

"Reba…" Vic said warningly as they stepped out the door.

Reba sighed. "I'm sorry. I will try and be pleasant."

Vic smiled and kissed the side of her head. "That's all I ask."

Reba smiled when she got into the back of the car because Lexi was in the front seat, which of course Reba did not mind because she was his mother. "Hello Mrs. Smith, how are you this morning?"

Reba saw the woman's sneer in the side mirror's on the car. "I would be a lot better if I didn't have to wake up and find my son missing this morning. I was frantic."

"Mother…" Vic said warningly.

Lexi glared at her son and this shocked Reba because this was the first time she had seen her give Vic any type of disapproving look. She heard Lexi sigh and then turned giving Reba a fake smile. "I can't wait for us to get alone together and talk mother-in-law to daughter-in-law. This is going to be so much fun." Reba raised an eyebrow at the fake enthusiasm the woman was giving her. She didn't know what this woman's game plan was but she was for sure she wasn't going to like it.

Vic pulled up to a restaurant and got out of the door. Reba got out as well to wish him a goodbye and good luck with his business lunch. It was this time she first notice the handsome black suit he was in. "You look handsome." She said straightening his tie. "You kind of look like a form of James Bond or something, all that's missing is the…" She chuckled when he pulled out sunglasses and slipped them on.

He put one hand in the inside of his coat and looked around the parking lot with a jerking of his head. "Mariano…" He looked around again. "Victor Mariano."

Reba laughed and took the glasses off. "I wouldn't wear them in your business lunch and don't do that impression."

Vic gave a playful frown. "Why not, it's my show stopper?"

Reba just shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you." She said sweetly.

Vic wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "I love you too." He was just about to kiss her when they heard a loud honk beside them. They had forgotten about his mother. Vic sighed and kissed her cheek gently. "I will take a cab home so I will call you later tonight ok. Just give the car to my mother when you get to your house later. She knows her way back."

Reba nodded and smiled as he walked away and into the restaurant. Reba watched as he disappeared from view and then she got into the car to face Lexi. She smiled and turned to the woman. "Where did you want to go for lunch?"

Lexi glared at her future daughter-in-law. "I don't know what kind of woman participates in such public displays of affection. In my day we didn't do that."

Reba shook her head and counted to ten as she tried to calm herself down. She turned on the car and figured she would pick the place if Lexi wasn't going to say anything about where she wanted to go but everywhere Reba went Lexi had some excuse as to why they couldn't eat there. They were too expensive, too cheap, too small, too tall, or too narrow. She had an excuse for everything. Finally Reba couldn't take it anymore and she pulled into a small deli that she and Vic had been to many times when he was trying to romance her.

"We can't eat here." Lexi sneered.

Reba sighed and put the car into park. "And why not?" she asked annoyed.

Lexi glared at Reba. "I don't do deli."

Reba glared back and shrugged. "Well, today you will because I am not about to drive around and waste gas waiting for you to decide what you want to eat." Reba got out of the car and slammed the door. She didn't even look back to see if Lexi would join her. She just walked up to the door and into the deli.

Reba had tried to be nice to the woman but she wasn't going to go out of her way to make her like her. She had done that with Liz and it didn't help any. Maybe if she was just as mean she would see how cruel she was actually being. Reba didn't understand why the woman hated her. Sure, Reba understood that she was marrying Lexi's son and that was a hard thing to imagine, her baby boy gaining another woman in his life. Reba didn't know how she was going to take Jake getting married. Other than Reba taking Vic away, she didn't know what she did. It's not like she would never see her son again.

Reba sighed as she picked at her sandwich she was served. She had chosen a corn beef sandwich with pickles and loads of honey mustard. She took a sip from her water and smiled when she saw Lexi entering the deli. She looked around and stomped over to where Reba was sitting. Reba gave her a sweet smile. "Nice of you to join me, now maybe we can have a nice lunch together."

Lexi sat down and glared at her. "I just came in to tell you something. I only came to lunch with you to discuss a matter with you."

Reba sighed and set down her glass. She crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair, waiting for the woman to continue. "What is it?"

"I have discussed this same matter with my son but he will not budge. I feel it's only fit to come to you because after all I think you will say yes once you see my proposition."

Reba rolled her eyes out of annoyance. "What is it already? What is it that you need to talk to me about that Vic already said no to?"

"I want to know how much money it will take for you to leave my son." Reba's eyes widened.

End of Chapter