*** This is an extremely short chapter. Actually, it's just half of 24. The other half will be ready tomorrow, hopefully as well as the next chapter to W&L! :) I just wanted to give y'all a preview since I've been so awful about updating. Thanks for hanging with me! ***
Chapter 24
"Thanks for the ride, Reba. Are you sure you're okay?" Barbara Jean asked as she hopped out o the car.
"Yes, I'm fine." I responded with a pale face and shaking hands. "Please hurry inside, we need to get home." I couldn't handle the anxiety anymore. I needed to get the kids somewhere safe as soon as I could. For all I knew, John could have been waiting on his motorcycle in the trees, and following us as we speak.
"Okay, if you say so Reba. Thanks again. Love you!" Barbara Jean said, slamming the door and running inside. I pulled off quickly as Jake slid off his seatbelt and began crawling to sit in the now empty passenger seat. I didn't see him coming, and jumped when his arm brushed mine.
"What are you doing?" I yelled.
"Mom, I told you I wanted to sit up front when BJ left and you said it was okay!" He said, climbing up into the seat and buckling up.
"I don't care, don't unbuckle while the car is moving! Do you hear me?"
"Geez mom, calm down. You pulled off so quick he didn't even have a chance while it wasn't moving." Kyra said. I turned around quickly pointing a finger at her.
"You're not a part of this!"
"What's gotten into you?" She asked defensively. I sighed loudly and turned around, tightening my grip on the steering wheel.
"I'm just ready to get home." I finally said under my breath. The rest of the ride was silent.
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As soon as we got inside, I made sure all of the doors and windows were locked. The kids looked at me like I was crazy, but I ignored them. After scanning the house twice, I finally slipped on a robe and sat down with a cup of warm tea at the kitchen table. Cheyenne was coming around the corner right as I was taking my last sip.
"Are you sure you're okay, ma?" She asked, coming to sit by me. I immediately put on a fake carefree face.
"Yes, I'm okay baby. Just a long night."
"So, did anything happen with you and dad?" So, that's why she came down here. I rolled my eyes.
"Nothing that I want to talk to you about." She gasped.
"Mom! What did y'all do?" Suddenly, she put her hands on her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. "Nevermind, I don't want to know!" I laughed at her.
"Nothing like that! We just danced and..." I trailed off, and she lifted an eyebrow. "Mommy and daddy stuff." I said with a smirk as I got up to put my cup in the sink. Cheyenne giggled.
"You guys are too cute." She said beaming. "So, things are going good?"
"Yeah, I really think so." I said smiling. "I'm having a lot more fun with him than I thought I would. Things are just...easy. You know? It's not pressuring or anything. We just have fun."
"I'm so glad, mom. You deserve that."
Just then, Jake came around the corner in his pajamas. "Mom, dad's on the phone!" He said, holding my cell in his hand.
"Why did you have my phone?"
"Me and Van were changing your ringtone." He said with a straight face. I looked at him suspiciously before answering. "Hello?"
Cheyenne tapped my shoulder, and told me she would be upstairs. I kissed her on the cheek and told her goodnight.
Brock and I ended up talking for what seemed like forever. I debated on whether or not to tell him about John tonight, but eventually decided not to. He didn't need to worry about that just yet.
After awhile, I started for my bedroom, trying to keep my voice down in the hall. I shut the door softly behind me, and then sunk into my bed, listening to him talk about possibly doing something tomorrow.
"Well, I picked what we did last time, so you can pick this time." I said, holding my hand above my face and inspecting my fingernails.
"You wouldn't like anything I'd want to do." I knew he was probably right. One of our problems was that we were never open to what each other wanted to do. I decided I was ready to change that.
"I'm sure I would. What do you have in mind?"
"Really Reba, it's fine. You come up with something." I knew there was just a handful of things that Brock really loved to do. I decided the most obvious.
"How about golfing?" The phone was quiet on the other end for a second. "Brock?"
"Are you serious?" He asked, disbelieving. I laughed.
"Yes! I'm going to be more open-minded this time around. I think it would be fun! Do you want to?"
"Remember what happened last time you went golfing with me?" Brock asked. Visions of flying golf clubs and speeding golf carts came to my head. I couldn't help but giggle. "Reba, that wasn't funny! You almost got me kicked out!" That made me laugh even harder. "Did you know that now that have rules when it comes to driving the carts?" He asked, finally laughing himself.
"Well, Brock, that's my favorite part. I'm sacrificing, so can you. The only way I'll go it is if I can drive it."
"Oh Lord..." Brock said.
"It's up to you."
After a second, he finally responded. "Okay, fine."
"Yay! What time do you want to go?"
"Does 4 sound good? That way it will be cooling off some."
"Sounds good to me!" We spent a few minutes going over what I should wear and other details before finally calling it a night.
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow." I said, almost in a dreamy voice.
"Can't wait. Sweetdreams, Reba."
"Sweetdreams, darlin'." I said with a smile before hanging up.
I felt a little more secure after talking to Brock. He had a way of taking my mind off of things. By the time I finally curled up and starting drifting off to sleep, John hadn't even crossed my mind.