'Cause The Heart Won't Lie – 04
"Okay, okay, they're back!" told Van, when he saw Brock's car pull into the driveway, to his wife who was anxiously pacing in the living room. They bounced to the sofa and pretended that they weren't waiting. Few minutes later, Barbra Jean came in but no sign of Brock.
"Hey guys, I'm back now. Where's henry?" she announced.
"He's playing with Elizabeth upstairs. Where's dad? I thought mom said she's setting you two up for a romantic dinner."
"Well, I don't want to have dinner your dad, so I left your mom there."
Cheyenne was taken aback, "You left mom there in the restaurant with dad? Oh my God, Van we better go help dad before mom kills him!"
"Don't bother, they got along just fine." Barbra Jean flopped down on the chair. "I went back, thinking the same thing you did. But when I got there, they were having a nice dinner. So I decided to leave them."
"Barbra Jean..." Cheyenne felt sympathy for her stepmother. "You think mom and dad they still love each other?"
"I know he still loves her," said Barbra Jean with a long sigh.
"And I think she still loves him too." Van put his two cents. The two blonds turned their heads sharply at him, silently demanding him to explain. "Remember when Mr. H got kidney stones? Mrs. H told me that she would be sad when he had to go back, and haven't you two noticed, these past couple of weeks Mrs. H. has been doing his laundry, cooking him dinner, playing Pictionary with him along with Jake and Elizabeth. Even though she keeps complaining that he bugged her, she would drop everything and be there when he called."
"Van…" Cheyenne motioned him to stop talking since Barbra Jean's facial expression was becoming more and more distraught as he continued.
"That's alright Cheyenne. I noticed that too." Barbra Jean sobbed.
"Barbra Jean I'm sure mom doesn't want to do anything to hurt you. I mean she's the one who set up the romantic dinner for you and dad because she wants you two to get back together. And you're the one who left her there. She probably just felt bad for dad." Cheyenne consoled.
"I know. I know Reba wouldn't do what I did to her. Even though she'd never admit it, but I'm her best friend. And she wouldn't stab me on my back. But since she's my best friend, I do want to see her happy." Barbra Jean sighed and wiped her tears.
"Barbra Jean... Are you leaving?" Cheyenne worried watching Barbra Jean walked to the front door with determination in her eyes.
"Yes, I have a divorce application to mail out."
Meanwhile Brock and Reba had just finished their dinner they were on their way back home. They were having good time exchanging conversation about work and the kids. Brock decided he didn't want the evening to end; he took the long way home.
"Where are we going?" Reba perked up realizing that was the opposite direction home.
"Nowhere special, just driving around," he replied. Reba glanced at him with silent question. "It's just that we're having a good time like when we were friends, I told you before that I miss our friendship. And so far tonight we are friends again. I don't want to go home to remind us that those times have passed.
"You're right. I miss that too," Reba admitted softly, looking at her own fingernails.
Glancing over at his ex-wife, Brock started the new topic, "Hey, do you remember back when we were in college, Sherri-Lynn the librarian and Bruno the custodian?"
Reba thought for a few seconds and she started to laugh. "Oh yeah we all talked about that romance at the sorority."
"Well, she was only try to get a hold of his 'handle'." Brock commented with a chuckle.
"Lori-Ann even dared me to sneak a peak behind the bookshelf."
"And did you?"
"Of course, I did. I was curious. I didn't see anything though." Reba replied.
"What are you implying about Bruno?" Brock asked laughingly.
"No, I didn't mean that! I mean I didn't want to get too close because I didn't want them to catch me catching them going at it." They both laughed at the incident. They continued their conversation as Brock was taking his time driving along the road with no particular destination in mind.
Later Brock arrived at Reba's house. Still giggling, Reba opened the front door to her house. Brock followed her in. Reba then spotted Cheyenne standing with her arms folded, waiting. "Hey Cheyenne, what's up?"
"Where have you been?" Cheyenne asked with the serious tone.
"Just dinner." Reba replied casually.
"Do you know what time is it, ma? It's eleven o'clock. Seriously, where have you two been? Were you on some kind of a date?"
"No!" Reba and Brock denied in unison.
"What's the deal with you two?" Cheyenne continued to give them a third degree.
"Look Cheyenne," spoke Brock sitting his daughter down on the sofa. Reba sat down on the chair knowing this would be a long conversation. "There's nothing between your mother and me. We went out for a nice drive after dinner. We had a long talk. And we agreed that our marriage might have fallen apart, but we're still friends."
"And we'd like to keep it that way." Reba added. "So, you don't have to worry about us getting back together. Because that would not happen. We're happier being just friends."
Cheyenne looked at both of them confusedly. "What about Barbra Jean?"
"She's Henry's mom. And Henry's your half brother. So no matter what happens between her and Brock, she's still part of our family. And she's welcome here anytime she wants." Reba explained.
"You really mean that?" Brock asked surprisingly.
"Well, no. But since when can I stop her from coming into my house?" Reba smirked. "Anyway, I'm gonna go to bed. It's late and I have an open house tomorrow. But I must say, I really have fun tonight."
"Me too, maybe we should do that again sometime." Brock agreed. Cheyenne still wasn't sure if she understood what was going on. But Reba had already gone to bed and Brock was waiting for Cheyenne to leave the living room so he could get ready to sleep. She sighed and decided to leave him. She had observed them, but Reba and Brock did not appear to be anything more than just close friends, though sometimes, very close.
"Hey Barbra Jean, Kyra said you want to talk to me," Reba said entering Barbra Jean's kitchen.
"I receive the divorce papers today." The blond said motioning to the white envelope on the table.
"Oh, are you gonna be alright?" Reba sat next to Barbra Jean and put her arm behind Barbra Jean's shoulder.
"I'll be fine. I've been waiting for that for a few months now. To tell you the truth, I'm a little bit relieved."
"Oh, Barbra Jean, you don't have to pretend. I know when I divorced Brock I made it look easy. But I admit, it wasn't easy and I cried myself to sleep for so many nights. So c'mon, let it out. Don't have to hold it in," said Reba petting Barbra Jean's shoulder.
"Of course it's harder on you because you were dumped. But I dump Brock, it's different." Barbra Jean said emotionless.
"And why the heck do you want me here?" Reba rolled her eyes, annoyed.
"I'm worried about Brock. When he divorced you, he too pretended that everything was fine, but he was depressed. That was when he dumped you, I don't know how badly he would grieve being dumped. He could be like you were when your were dumped."
"Would you quit saying that?" Reba was truly annoyed being reminded about how she was left. "And if you worry about him that much, why don't you go and comfort him?"
"Reba, I can't. It'll be weird. Remember, I'm the ex." Barbra Jean refused.
Rolling her eyes again, Reba asked, "And who the heck do you think - oh forget it."
"Anyway, just keep an eye on him okay? Don't let him drink too much. And if he sobs at night just hold him and pat his back, tell him to be strong and everything will be alright," instructed Barbra Jean.
Smirking, Reba got up and left Barbra Jean's kitchen, "Yeah right, like I would do that, but I'll see what I can do."
"Reba," Barbra Jean called before Reba left. Reba returned her attention to the blond. "Will you get back together with Brock?"
"No," Reba replied immediately, "Brock and I are better of being friends. We enjoy our friendship and we plan to keep it that way." She determined.
Walking back to her house, Reba still pondered Barbra Jean's last question and she repeated her decision in her head. Yes, they were best friends. And the past couple of months were good. They got along just fine. They talked, they laughed, they had dinner together, and sometimes he would pick her up from her office for lunch. Everything was doing fine they way they were. 'Don't ruin it, Reba!' She told herself repeatedly.
Reba waited in the living room, Brock wasn't home yet. He probably didn't know about the divorce being final. She promised Barbra Jean that she would comfort him, and that she would do. She didn't need to wait long as Brock came in with Jake, twirling the soccer ball on the tip of his finger.
"Hey Jake, how's your game?"
"It was good. The other team score two goals for us today." He announced happily making Reba snicker. "Anyway, I'm starving. Dad bought me a burger, I'm gonna go have it now." He showed Reba the bag walking to the kitchen. Reba waited until her son disappeared before starting conversation with Brock.
"Barbra Jean got her divorce papers."
"I know, I got mine too." He replied sitting next to his first ex.
"And?" Reba was expected for some sadness from him but she got nothing.
"And what? Barbra Jean and I are legally divorced." He replied casually.
"Am I the only one who was sad when she received the divorce paper?" Reba exclaimed annoyingly. "I mean you're okay about it, Barbra Jean was cool with it, but when I got mine it was like my world collapsed at my feet."
"Oh? You seemed to do just fine as I recall. You even set yourself up for a date with Parker."
"I only went because Lori-Ann set me up, but I was crushed. I only have to pretend to be fine because I don't want any sympathy from anyone. Not from my best friend, not from my kids, not from my ex or his mistress!" cried Reba.
"There, there" Brock pressed her head on his chest. "Everything's gonna be alright."
"It hurts being dumped." She sobbed on his shoulder. She then shot her eyes up realizing she wasn't the one who recently got a divorce paper. She bounced out of his embrace. "So you sure you'll be okay?" She questioned, a little embarrassed that she let her weakness show.
"I always think you're adorable when you don't try to be a tough gal." Brock kicked himself for accidentally thinking aloud. They were friends, and they planed to keep it that way. 'Don't ruin it, Brock!' He told himself repeatedly.