~ Mine ~

Respect

"So, Brandon, how are the Brussel Sprouts?" Reba nervously inquired as she looked across the table at her eldest son. He coughed in surprise as he quickly stopped pushing his Brussel Sprouts around his plate with his fork and looked over at his step-mother.

"Sprouty." He said with a half sarcastic grin. Reba just wearily smiled back at him, swallowing the lump in her throat silently. Out of all the kids, Brandon seemed to be taking the divorce the hardest. It wasn't like he'd stop being there for her, or like he blamed her for what had happened, but instead, like the pent up anger he had stewed up for his father caused an uneasy feeling for the both of them. It was no secret that out of all her step-children, Brandon was the one that Reba was closest too. He had lived with Reba and Narvel the longest, been there from day one to help with Shelby, and had found a habit in confiding in her during his roughest high school years.

"So you go to Vegas in two days right?" Chassidy asked before picking up her ice tea and taking a small sip. She was eager to know why her step-mother had called her and her siblings over for a private dinner, but she knew with Reba, it was something that had to be wormed out of her.

"We do, we're actually heading out late tomorrow," Reba replied with a grin. She could do small talk, right?

"Add any dates for next year?" Shawna inquired with her sister; she was seated on the other side of the table next to Brandon.

"Yeah..."

"Only for the last half of the year though," Reba replied nervously, eyeing Shelby who sat next to her. After telling him about the big news she also informed him about how high-risk her pregnancy was and how her work had been severely limited.

"Why was that again Ma?" Shelby questioned as he smoothed over his potatoes with his fork. He couldn't dance around this any longer and he certainly wasn't going to help his mother lie to his siblings, no matter how desperate she looked. Sending dangers his way Reba took in a sharp breath, quickly rising from her spot at the table.

"I'm going to get the desert." She said earnestly as she headed for the kitchen before any of her children had a chance to protest. Looking around the table at his sibling's for a moment, Shelby gathered himself, rising from the table as well.

"I'll go help her." He said softly, watching as none of his siblings protested. Once he was safely out of earshot Shawna leaned closer onto the table towards Chassidy and pointed to their step-mothers plate.

"She's hardly eaten a thing, and it's not because she made it." She probed in confusion.

"I noticed that too."

"Did you see how jumpy she was?" Chassidy asked with a raise of her eyebrows, looking over at her brother who had said nothing, she cleared her throat, gaining his attention.

"Whatever it is, it's serious," Brandon stated as he shared a glance with his wide-eyed sisters. He'd been examining his step-mother's behavior all night. He knew her and he knew this behavior.

"Thanks for the back up in there Shelbs." Reba muttered a little bitterly as she cut into the moist decadent chocolate cake topped with extra chocolate sauce; a family tradition.

"I told you I had your back but you kind of need to tell them the news first." He retaliated in a frustrated tone. He knew how nervous she was about this but the longer she kept it bottled up the harder it got to explain.

"I don't have a problem with keeping this from dad until you're ready, but those are your children in there, and they've earned the right to know." He said stepping away from the island where the desert was placed and causing her to look up.

"Okay." She said softly nodding her head in understating. It was time.

"Help me with this." She said motioning to the large cake and pile of plates in front of her. If she was going to pull the band-aid off, she was at least going to do it while they were stuffing their faces full of cake.

"Wow Hallie's chocolate cake, this really is important," Chassidy remarked as she watched as Shelby and Reba carried in the desert. Glancing back at his mother Shelby just slightly nodded back at his sister. After Reba made sure each of her children had a slice of the family's favorite cake in front of them she breathed in deeply.

"Okay, so there is something I've been meaning to tell you." She began softly, picking up her white silverware napkin and dabbing the corner of her mouth, forgetting the fact that she'd hardly eaten a thing the entire night. Her stomach did flip-flops as she watched as three sets of eyes stared eagerly back at her. They all gathered that whatever it was Reba was about to tell them, Shelby already knew, because instead of listening in intently, he shoved another generous piece of cake into his mouth. He was definitely his mother's son.

"You see..."

"When people are emotional and stupid and there's an empty house, things happen and..." She trailed off briefly trying desperately to find the words she was looking for.

"Did you shoot dad?" Chassidy inquired, cutting her off for the moment.

"It has been three of four days since we've seen or heard from him." Shawna finished her sisters thought with a playful glance.

"No."

"I wish," Reba muttered back half-jokingly as she folded her hands and brought them up to her mouth. Closing her eyes for a moment she swallowed hard once more.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out, looking down at her plate of cake. There she said it.

"Very funny, now what is it that you really have to tell us?" Chassidy laughed back as she looked over at Reba two seats away.

"I'm not joking," Reba said softly, looking seriously back at Chassidy.

"No."

"You can't be!"

"Reba?!" Chassidy called out in disbelief, causing Reba to close her eyes in remorse. Great, they were angry at her.

"Please tell me you didn't let him do this to you?" Shawna pleaded, her own eyes growing misty. Wait, do this to her, had she just heard that right? Looking up at the both of them she just shrugged. She had.

"Does he know?" Brandon said breaking his silence, causing a few tears to spring to Reba's eyes. Again, not what she had expected to hear.

"No." She breathed out as she bit the inside of her cheek in worry.

"Good," Brandon replied.

"He doesn't deserve too." He continued, his eyes locking with hers and just like that the weight she'd been carrying for the last few weeks had lifted. There was no doubt they had questions and there was no doubt that deep down they were probably a little angry at her for her carelessness but in that moment Reba realized something; they had her back, no matter what.