Chapter 41

After her break down in Sears, which everyone they knew in town seemed to find out about, Vic and Reba went home to finally start the painting of the baby's room. Reba didn't paint too much because she couldn't stand very long but Vic thought she looked so adorable in her painting jean overalls with her hair in a messy pony tail. She supervised Vic and opened the windows of the room when the fumes became too much, when that happened though she usually left the room. She knew staying in the room too long could damage her and/or the baby.

And how her friends found out about her break down in Sears she didn't know. Someone she knew must have been there, some old busy body from her church. There were soon rumors spreading around that Reba had a drinking problem and that she drank while she was pregnant. This of course made Vic angry, not only because the rumors were cruel and untrue but because they were causing Reba even more stress. He was proud that she tried to ignore it by working on the baby's room once the paint was dry but he could tell they were still getting to her sometimes.

"How's it going?" Vic asked as he walked into the baby's room after getting home from work.

Reba smiled and turned around. She was just finishing putting away some clothes she had just bought that day when she had gone shopping with Barbara Jean and Cheyenne. She only bought a few clothes that could be worn for a boy or a girl because they had no idea what they were having yet. "It's going great. I kind of wish I would have found out the sex of the baby, then we could really decorate this room and buy tons of baby clothes."

Vic chuckled and walked in, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting them on her stomach. "I think it will be all right. You should be going into labor anytime now."

Reba rolled her eyes and sighed, leaning against his strong chest. "I doubt it. I am almost two weeks over due. I mean, is that even possible?"

"Well honey, the baby isn't ready yet."

Reba sighed and placed her hands over his. "I guess so."

"You went shopping again today, huh?" he asked looking over the new baby toys.

Reba smiled shyly and nodded. "I couldn't help it."

Vic chuckled and rested his chin on her shoulder, kissing her cheek. "I know what you're going through. I am excited too. This is my first baby. This is your fourth though."

"It's still exciting for me. I can't wait to give birth. I am sick of being fat." Reba said frustrated

Vic smiled and turned her around. "That's a good thing. It's the baby growing."

Reba chuckled and sat herself down in the rocking chair next to the window. "I know but I hate to think of how hard it's going to lose the thirty pounds of baby weight I gained."

"You still looked hot." He said smiling and walking around to look over the new things she had purchased.

Reba blushed and rubbed her stomach shyly. "I am not."

Vic paused and smiled at her. "Of course you are. Why do you think it's so hard for me to keep my hands off you?"

Reba rolled her eyes. "Because you're a man and that's all men think about."

Vic frowned. "That's not all we think about." He said picking up some weird contraption he saw sitting on the shelf.

"It's all you could think about when you first came back from Italy."

Vic smiled and leaned against the wall next to the door. "That's because we always got interrupted anytime we tried anything…what the heck is this?" he asked confused as he held up the contraption he had been looking on with a confused look on his face.

Reba chuckled. "You really have never been around baby's that much. It's a breast pump."

"Oh." He said setting it down. "Do you really you need that?" he asked smirking. "Because I could…"

Reba glared at him. "Shut up."

Vic held up his hands in defeat and set the breast pump back on the shelf. "Okay, sorry." He said with a chuckle. "What do you want for dinner tonight?" Vic had begun more frequently to make dinner for the family because Reba said the kitchen was too hot for her to cook in and she couldn't stand to be on her feet for too long.

Reba shrugged and struggled to her feet. Vic immediately went to her aid. "I don't care."

Vic nodded. "Okay, I'll make salmon then." Reba made a face. "Unless you want something different sweetheart." He said smiling. She did this every time. She says she didn't care but of course she never meant it and she ended up giving her opinion anyway.

"I was kind of hoping for chicken." She said with a smile.

Vic chuckled and led Reba out of the room, turning the light off in the process. "Chicken it is."

Reba spent waiting for dinner to be ready on the couch, watching television with her son, who kept giving her strange looks every few minutes. She was quite annoyed by this. She hated being stared at lately because of this big stomach she had to carry around with her and she had to wonder what was it with people who felt they had a right to touch her stomach. It seemed every time she ran into someone she knew they felt the need to touch her stomach. Just because she was pregnant it didn't give people the right to put their hands on her.

Reba noticed for about the millionth time that evening her son had glanced at her strangely and turned back to the TV. Reba rolled her eyes and sighed. "Jake, what is wrong with you?"

He gave her a look and shrugged. "Nothing, why do you always assume something is wrong with me, jeez."

Reba glared at her son. "Look, I know that you're entering your teenage years but there is no reason for you to be so snappy with me young man. Now you tell me what is wrong with you?"

"Its weird." He said shyly.

Reba raised an eyebrow. "What's weird?" Jake shrugged and lifted a lazy hand, pointing to her over large stomach. Reba chuckled. "Me, bring pregnant?" Jake nodded. "I thought you were all okay with this? We talked about this when Vic and I decided to get married."

"I know it's just…"

Reba couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Just what? I thought you liked Vic. I thought you were all excited about the prospect of getting a new brother or sister."

"I do like Vic but…"

"But what?" Reba asked a bit annoyed that her son was bringing this up now, just when she could go into labor at anytime. "I know it's a little weird by the fact that I come home after a night out and I believe I'm married and then to find out a few short months later that I'm pregnant is a little weird but…"

"Mom…" Jake said, interrupting her from going on and on, which she did a lot lately if she was set off. Jake, even though he was young, understood that his mom was nuts only because of his younger sibling but he had learned to calm his mother down and avoid her tyrants whenever possible. "It's just weird because of the fact that I know where baby's come from."

Reba rolled her eyes. "Oh jeez, I am going to see if dinner is ready." She said trying to get up. She had gotten all worked up only for something as pointless as that. "Umm, Jake…" Reba said rocking back and forth, "Can you help me up."

Jake looked at his mother like she was crazy. "There is no way I can help you up. I am not that strong mom."

Reba stopped rocking and frowned. "Are you saying I'm fat?"

Jake knew well enough to just avoid the question. "I'm going to get Vic." He immediately shot up and ran to the kitchen.

Reba sat there frowning as she stared at her huge stomach and that was how Vic found her. "Am I fat?" she asked when she heard footsteps. She didn't care whose they were. She just needed to know.

Vic sighed and sat down in front of her. They had gone over this so many times but she asked this question all the time, no matter how many times he reassured her that she was not fat. "Honey, I know your hormones are driving you crazy and I know that you feel fat but you're not. Now let's go into the kitchen, dinner is ready."

Reba, despite her smile, still didn't feel very attractive. She felt huge and she was so tired of being pregnant. She just wanted to go into labor already. "Fine, help me up I'm starving. I've been smelling that chicken for nearly half an hour. It's driving me nuts." Vic chuckled and helped his wife to her feet and into the kitchen.

It was just Jake, Vic, and Reba at the table that evening. Kyra was rehearsing with her band and she told Reba that they would grab something to eat afterwards. She would be home later that evening. Reba loaded her plate with chicken, rice, and broccoli. It was normal for Reba to be able to out eat Vic and Jake at the table lately.

"Maybe the kid can't get out." Jake suddenly said through a mouthful of chicken.

Reba raised an eyebrow at him. "How do you figure?" He was about to respond but Reba cringed when he opened his mouth. "Don't talk with your mouth full."

"Sorry." He mumbled as he swallowed what little food he had in his mouth. "I just meant what if the baby can't get out. I mean, you've been eating so much, maybe he or she hasn't been able to keep up and there is a blockage or something."

Reba shook her head and rolled her eyes at her son. She hoped that wasn't a serious statement. "Jake, the baby will come when it decides; it has nothing to do with how much I eat."

Vic just chuckled and he turned to his wife. "What do you have planned for tomorrow?"

"To give birth." She said with a smile. Vic rolled his eyes. "I am going with Barbara Jean and Cheyenne again, were going shopping. I swear Barbara Jean has bought every pink thing known to man."

Vic smiled. "She is just excited." He said defending her. "You have bought every gender neutral color thing known to man." He said teasingly. Reba just poked at her chicken, ignoring his teasing. "So…" Vic said changing the subject. "What is the agenda you two have tomorrow?"

Reba raised her head to look at him with a glare. "What? You want to know exactly where I will be every minute of the day tomorrow, you don't trust me? Do you think I am meeting someone else?"

Vic kicked his own butt again. "No, I don't need to worry about that. I was only curious."

"Why wouldn't you need to worry?" Reba asked accusingly. "Is it because I am so fat no man would ever find me attractive?"

Vic earned a glare from both Jake and Reba. Jake only glared at him because Vic had started one of her tyrants. She was so sensitive lately. "No, any man would find you attractive, you're very hot…"

"Please don't use the word hot when describing my mother." Jake said with a cringe.

Vic glared at Jake to give him a silent shut up. "So you think I'm a tramp then, where every man would want me because I must be easy because I'm pregnant!" Reba yelled.

"No, I was just curious about your day tomorrow. You're very hot and no one would ever think you're a tramp."

Reba sighed and smiled in content. "Okay." She said cheerfully and she turned back to her meal.

"That was close." Jake said.

"What?" Reba asked with a glare.

Jake shrugged. "I was afraid you two would get a divorce or something over this, the way mom was yelling."

Reba rolled her eyes and Vic chuckled. He turned to Reba and took her hand. "I love your mother. That's never going to happen."

"That's good." Jake said with a sigh of relief. "If that happened Vic would have to move out and then Mom would have to cook again." Vic dropped his fork and laughed as Reba picked up a piece of broccoli and threw it at her son.

The next morning Reba awoke alone because Vic had an early house to show. She groaned as she sat up. She smiled and shook her head when she opened her eyes and saw something obstructing her vision. She chuckled and took the sticky note from her forehead. Her husband was such a goof ball sometimes. She smiled when she read the note. 'Have a wonderful day. I will have my cell phone with me just in case anything happens. I love you, Vic.'

That small note had lifted her spirits in a matter of moments and she suddenly felt quite refreshed. She got up off the bed, with a little struggle, and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. She was so happy she had taken a shower right before she went to sleep. She could barely lift her toothbrush to brush her teeth; she would never be able to take a shower without Vic's help like she had been getting lately. It was hard for her to stand in the shower very long. She couldn't wait for all this to be over but she knew that once the baby was born she would get no sleep.

Reba brushed her hair out, which also made her tired. Maybe she should go back to short hair. She looked at herself in the mirror for a moment and shook her head. She liked it better longer. Reba put her hair into a simple pony tail and just waved off the make-up. Whatever energy she had left she needed to save for getting dressed.

She picked out a pair of stretchy maternity jeans and a very stylish black babydoll turtle neck sweater. She had no choice but to wear her black slippers, for her feet were still a bit swollen. She slipped into her outfit and shoes just in time to go downstairs and find Cheyenne and Barbara Jean walking through the door.

"Ooo, mom…" Cheyenne gushed as she helped her mother down the stairs one step at a time. "That sweater is so cute. Can I have it when I have another baby?"

Reba stared at her daughter when she reached the bottom of the stairs. "Didn't you just have a baby?"

Cheyenne nodded. "I know but Van and I always talked about four children, two of each." She said with a giggle.

Reba rolled her eyes and grabbed her coat from the coat rack. "You two are nuts."

Cheyenne frowned. "You're having four children."

Reba shrugged. "But it will seem like one because my other three can basically take care of themselves, well, some of them."

Cheyenne nodded. "I know. Jake still needs his mommy."

"I was talking about you." Reba said as she walked out the door.

Cheyenne pouted. "I resent that."

"Brock and I haven't discussed how many children we want but I want five." Barbara Jean said proudly as she shut the door behind her.

Reba looked at Barbara Jean in shock as they waddled to the car. "Do you really think Brock will want eight children?"

"I said five." Barbara Jean scoffed.

Reba shook her head as Cheyenne helped them both one by one into the car. "Are you forgetting he already has three children with me? Then he has one with you, soon to be two."

"You don't know Brock like I do." Barbara Jean said. Cheyenne and Reba rolled their eyes as Cheyenne started the car. "He will want five children just as much as I do."

"You're right Barbara Jean…" Reba said with a sarcastic smile. "I don't know Brock at all. I've only known the man for thirty years, been married to him for twenty. I really wouldn't know him at all."

"Let's change the subject." Cheyenne said sensing that there was a fight about to break out. She eased away from the curb and drove toward the direction of the mall.

Barbara Jean grinned and leaned forward toward the front seat of the car. "So how many children are you planning on having with Vic?"

Cheyenne giggled and Reba gave a look of shock to Barbara Jean. "Mom can't have anymore children after this Barbara Jean. She is too old."

Reba turned to her daughter a little hurt. "Who says I'm too old?"

Cheyenne stopped smiling. "You mean you want more children after this baby?"

Reba looked away shyly and shrugged. "Vic mentioned it but with my health and the fact that I'm going to be forty…" She stopped mid-sentence and thought a moment to rephrase. "The fact that I'm maturing in age, isn't a good thing either. I am happy that I'm pregnant now but if I hadn't gotten pregnant by accident I wouldn't have had more children."

"Have you told Vic this?" Cheyenne asked curiously as she turned down the street the mall was on.

Reba shook her head. "No, I just laughed it off and told him that we should have this baby first, before we talk about having more. The truth is…I don't know if I want anymore. He did bring up good points about monitoring my blood pressure like we have been through this one and if I haven't gone through menopause I should still be able to have children but...I just…" Reba sighed. "I don't know if I want anymore."

Cheyenne gave her mom a quick sympathetic look as she pulled into the mall parking lot. "You need to talk with Vic about this Mom, if he was serious; you need to voice your concerns."

Reba nodded and smiled as they pulled into a parking spot outside Macy's. "I know. Now let's talk about something pleasant but first…" Reba said shifting her feet to the ground as she opened the door, "Cheyenne honey…you need to help me up." Reba said giggling. Cheyenne and Barbara Jean giggled as Cheyenne struggled to help them both up and out of the car.

All three girls immediately went to Macy's baby department and despite Cheyenne not being pregnant anymore and that her baby was almost five months old, she was still in the mode of wanting to buy baby stuff every time she went to the mall.

"This is so cute." Barbara Jean squealed as she held up an adorable ballerina outfit.

Reba smiled. "Don't have one of those?"

Barbara Jean nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah but I have it in pink, this is yellow and it's so cute. I have to get it."

Reba shook her head and then stopped suddenly. "Oh." She said clutching onto her stomach.

Cheyenne and Barbara Jean glanced at her and their eyes widened when they saw her bent slightly with her hand on her stomach. Cheyenne rushed to her side. "What's wrong mom? Are you okay? Are you in labor?"

Reba chuckled and shook her head, straightening up. "No, sorry, I just got the suddenly feeling of a breath of fresh air. It was quite strange." She said smiling.

Cheyenne breathed and then smacked her mother across the arm. "Don't do that. I thought something was wrong."

Reba rubbed her arm and walked away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. It surprised me, that's all." Reba turned her back to her daughter and looked over some strollers.

"Need a stroller?" Barbara Jean asked smiling.

Reba shook her head. "Nope, we have everything we need but baby clothes. Since we don't know what were having yet I have been careful to buy clothes that could be worn by a boy or a girl." Reba suddenly held her stomach and cringed. "Crap, I need to use the bathroom. I'll be back." Reba disappeared around the corner where the restroom was just down the hall.

Cheyenne and Barbara Jean continued to browse as Reba went to the bathroom. Cheyenne smiled as she looked over a cute little white teddy bear. "Isn't this cute?" Cheyenne said holding up the bear to Barbara Jean. She smiled and nodded but then her smile faded as her focus moved to something or someone behind Cheyenne. "What's wrong?" Cheyenne asked as she turned her head to look behind her to see her mother coming back from around the corner.

Reba was bent over, clutching her stomach, looking quite panicked. "Umm…guys…"

Cheyenne immediately came to her mother's side. "Mom, are you okay? Is it the baby?"

Reba nodded and bent over, breathing heavily. "My water broke!"

End of Chapter