CHAPTER TWO

Turning the car off she looked at the flashing cell phone on the passenger seat. 4 messages. Picking it up she already knew who had called. Checking her voice mail she listened to the first one. Ray, I'm guessing you know it's me…. because you're not picking up. I waited at the studio for you but you didn't show. Call me when you get this. It's Deacon if you haven't already figured it out. Throwing her phone back on the passenger seat she slammed the steering wheel. It was already 8:15pm and any kind of nerve she'd gathered to get herself into that Country Club was gone. By reflex she picked up the phone and dialled.

"Hello?" said a deep voice on the other end of the line.

"Deacon?" she hesitantly asked.

"Speaking."

"Hey…it's.."

"Rayna?" Deacon replied.

"Yeah." She said nervously as she hopped out of the car.

"I just wanted to call and tell you I wasn't ignoring you. You know how planning a tour goes…never enough time in a day... especially a tour as last minute as this, it's crazy." She laughed nervously leaning against the driver door.

"Yeah I do. We've had quite a few rehearsals on our end. Working with the Revel Kings ain't so bad though."

Nodding she began to walk towards the Country Club entrance.

"I waited today." He stated.

"I know you did."

"Look Ray, you're the one who wanted to write. I said no, remember? But you said you wanted to make it work."
"I know. It's just I…" She answered without thinking, stopping herself mid sentence. Deacon took the silence as a cue to change the subject.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"Some stupid dinner I agreed to."

Deacon laughed. This made her mad.

"Don't be laughing at me. I hate these things. You know I hate them. Why the hell I agreed to this I have no idea. What's worse is this whole thing is Daddy's idea." She shook her head in shame, intentionally slowing her walk as she neared the entrance doors.

"What time did it start?"

"I was supposed to be inside..." she moved the phone away from her ear to check the time. "20 minutes ago."

"Well, I'm guessing waiting around at the studio tonight is a lost cause then."

"I think that would be correct...besid…" She answered.

Deacon laughed again.

"Listen, hey stop. Listen, you know writing together may not be the best idea right now...with tour prep, I have the girls to look after…. and especially after…right?" She stated more than asked.

Deacon fell silent on the other end.

Spinning around, holding the phone away from her, Rayna ran her free hand over her face.

"We just can't. Not after the Bluebird. Not now." she concluded.

"It's just writing Rayna." He responded dryly.

"It's never just..."

"You'd better go." He cut her off mid sentence.

"I'd better go." She replied, thrown by his abrupt interruption.

"Bye Rayna." Then the phone went dead.

"Bye Deacon." She countered, glaring at her phone.

Shoving the phone in her pocket she stormed through the entrance doors. Fuelled by her anger she was half surprised at how happy she was to be in the one place she hated the most. Spotting her sister, Father and husband she waved.

"I'm so sorry I was late. Last minute changes to scheduling for the tour were harder to organise than I'd thought. Arena venues are ridiculous." She awkwardly sat trying to figure out how much trouble she was in for being late.

"It's about time…nice of you to join us Rayna." Lamar exclaimed as he took a sip from his cup before returning to a discussion he seemed to have been having with her sister.

"I've already ordered for you." Teddy whispered.

"Thanks."

"Don't thank me yet. The night isn't over yet."

Staring at him she wondered what that had meant. She had after all accompanied him to a dinner that she clearly didn't want to be at. The evening started off well, she drifted in and out of small talk, always finding herself thinking how mad she had been at Deacon for hanging up on her. But was it his fault? She couldn't blame him because she had told him that writing was out of the question, knowing full well that would hurt him. Ripped from her reveries, she realised that everyone was staring at her.

"Well are you Rayna?" Tandie asked again.

"Sorry, am I what?" Rayna responded a little dazed.

"She doesn't have to answer that." Teddy interfered, squeezing his fists as he shifted uneasily in his seat.

"Answer what? Someone tell me what is going on!" Rayna pleaded, clearly unaware of what was actually going on.

"Will you be returning for the Election Night? You have put time aside in that schedule of yours to be here to support your husband." Lamar smiled too gladly as he watched Rayna squirm in her seat.

"What's the question in there Daddy?" she asked sweetly, leaning her elbows on the table.

No one answered her.

"It seems like you want a specific answer. What do you want me to say?" Rayna snapped.

"How about showing your husband some support, your family some support."

"How dare you..." Rayna shook her head.

"You have time for arena tours, meanwhile you're unable to give a straight answer as to whether you can stand by Teddy's side on Election Night…or any other day for that matter." Lamar quipped.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rayna exclaimed.

Teddy raised a hand, attempting to step in to referee this escalating conversation. Telling Teddy to be quiet, she stared at Lamar waiting for an answer.

"If you are honest with yourself, you know that when I say that you and Teddy rarely connect anymore, you will know that I am right… After all, Teddy told me himself." Lamar smiled; leaning back into his seat waiting to hear what comeback she would have to this observation. Furious, Rayna nearly knocked her drink off the table, now focused on her husband.

"You said that?!"

"Rayna…I told him in confidence, that you and I have had better days, his conclusion was purely his own." Teddy glared across the table at his Father-in-law.

"You." Rayna gripped the table.

"...have gone too far. First you accuse me of not supporting my family and now you take pleasure in analysing what happens in our bed…"

Rayna gestured to Teddy. She could feel tears beginning to burn her eyes.

"You're getting far too emotional." Lamar mockingly soothed.

Tandy interjected "Rayna, just forget it ok."

Teddy ran his hands over his face, now embarrassed and angry that a supposed friendly dinner had gone so terribly wrong. Rayna had had enough. Pushing her chair backwards she spoke angrily, only loud enough for her table to hear.

"You know what? Thanks for dinner Daddy, thanks. I didn't come tonight to hear this. I came to support my husband. I will not sit here and have you pull apart every word and every thing I do. I don't appreciate it..."

"Rayna, don't d..." Teddy offered his hand as comfort but she ignored him.

"And I'll have you know that I know that you lied about our lack of connection." She motioned to Teddy "…because the sex is incredible."

She stormed out; intent on leaving the shock of that last statement to hang in the air, regardless of the fact that it had been completely false. As she walked to her car, tears began to fall. By the time she was in the driver's seat she was dialling Deacon's number asking him to meet her at the studio.