Reba stood in front of the full length mirror in her dressing room, Narvel behind her.
"You know that eventually we have to talk about what's going on between us, right?" Narvel was staring at the dress she was wearing, trying to maintain his composure while he spoke to her.
"No, I'll just keep on kissing you when I find you irresistable and no one will have to say anything." She giggled a little, but Narvel's face was serious. "I know we have to talk about it, but before the show is not a good time. Besides, I'm having dinner with my husband tonight."
She walked out of the dressing room, leaving a slightly hurt Narvel behind. Did that mean he meant nothing to her? Was she still in love with Charlie? Had they mended the problems Reba told him they were having?
***
Standing before her audience, Reba belted Sweet Dreams for all she was worth. It meant something, under the hot stage lights, singing about dreaming of a man you shouldn't. Because that's what she had been doing last night, and every night before that for weeks.
***
She smiled at Charlie as she stepped off the bus. Maybe this thing with Narvel was silly. Reba didn't want her marriage to be over. Maybe they could work it out. She had been reminded lately of how lovely the beginning of a romance could be... and it reminded her of what she had once had with Charlie.
"Hey you. Miss me?" She was being flirty, he realized, as he kissed her lightly.
"Cattle sure did. Nobody else sings to 'em in the morning." Charlie smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I take it you're not as angry as you were when you left?"
"Well... you didn't do what you said you were going to, did you?" She looked into his eyes, aware that she would be able to tell if he was lying.
"No darlin', I didn't. I realized after you left that I do love you, even if we don't always agree... even if we do have problems." She smiled and let him lead her to the passenger door of his truck, hoping they could get through dinner without bickering.
***
Narvel watched from a bus window as Charlie kissed the woman he loved. He watched her smile at him, watched his arms encircle her waist... wondered what he had said after the kiss that had made her giggle that way. He thought about everything, sitting in that same spot for hours, until Reba and Charlie climbed on the bus, a cloud of perfume and beer and giggles, moving so fast towards the stateroom that they never saw him.
***
Reba had her back to Charlie, taking the pins out of her hair before they headed to bed for the night.
"Hurry up, honey. And don't change into your nightgown, I'll just take it off of you."
She smiled a little. "I'm trying, Charlie."
He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the side of her neck. "I miss you so much when you're on tour. Think this could maybe be the last one?"
She looked at herself in the mirror, wide eyed. "You want me to quit the music business?"
"I just think it's time you came home and acted like my wife for once. Cooked me dinner, had my babies, fell asleep with me everynight." His arms tightened around her.
"You want me to quit the business to be your maid and your baby machine?" She started pulling away from him, but he held her even closer.
"Reba. It's time you stop this nonsense. You proved you can do it, now you need to be done. I want to be proud of who I married, not ashamed to say I have no idea where she is or who she's with or what she's doing half the time."
