~ Mine ~

I Wish That I Could Tell You

"Psst, hey can you do me a favor?" Reba whispered nervously as she looked over her shoulder at Barbara and Janine, who were laughing together by a slot machine. Catching the attention of a young waiter, throwing his rag over his shoulder, he walked over in her direction.

"Can you put water in one of those fancy alcoholic drinking glass thingy's?" She said trying to describe the cocktail glass she was lazily gesturing towards in the back of the casino bar.

"Like just plain old regular non-alcoholic water?" The bartender questioned in clarification, squinting as he looked her up and down, noticing her tight fitting navy blouse and loose vibrant red waves. He knew he recognized her from somewhere. He thought about her thick drawl and that's when it clicked, he squealed softly to himself when he'd made the full realization.

"Would that be a problem?" She asked again shyly, she had to do something to get Janine off of her back.

"I'm sorry what?" The bartender asked again blinking at her, not really paying attention to what she'd just asked.

"The water in the fancy glass, can that be done?" She inquired again, shuffling through her pocket for the loose cash she'd remembered to bring with her earlier.

"Pardon me, I'm sorry, I'm just talking to Reba McEntire." He giggled in apology as he leaned in closer to her as if he were telling her a secret. Blushing a bit at his excitement, Reba cleared her throat in a smile, so he was a fan huh?

"Right, so is there any way you can do Reba McEntire that favor?" She smiled with an eyebrow raise, as she laid two twenties on the bar table. Eyeing the money the boy nodded in confusion. There was no way she thought the water cost forty dollars, even if this was Vegas, and besides, he was a fan, he was fully prepared to give her whatever for free.

"While you're helping me out here I need you to do me one more tincey wincey favor." She said answering his silent question about the money.

"You see her?" Reba asked pointing in Janine's direction. She was sipping a blue cocktail and leaning over Barbara's back giving her "pointers" on her next move. The waiter looked over in that direction and nodded back at Reba in understanding.

"You don't tell anyone about my water in the glass trick and you keep her liquored and happy."

"And I'll have two Vegas tickets with your name on them." She added with a sly grin. The waiter winked back at her, signaling that he understood perfectly before he went to the other side of the bar to retrieve her glass.

"There you are!" Janine giggled, giving Reba a kiss on the cheek, before wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

"Barbara refuses to take my advice and so naturally she's loosing." She said cheekily, sticking her tongue out in Barbara's direction, who just laughed back at her friend's antics.

"What's this?" She inquired, looking at Reba's drink, leaning forward as if she were about to take a sip.

"Ahh, I wouldn't, its coconut." Reba quickly muttered, pulling the "cocktail" out of Janine's reach.

"Are you trying to poison me?" Janine exclaimed, causing Barbara to snicker in the background. Everyone knew that Janine HATED coconut.

"You were the one who leaned in," Reba noted in her defense.

"Here try this one then." Janine encouraged, shrugging off Reba's comment, and sticking her cocktail under Reba's nose, which immediately crinkled from the contact, it took every ounce of willpower she had not to gag. How many five hundred alcohols were in that drink?

"I have the coconut poison remember?" She declined with a playful push. Eyeing Reba up and down Janine's face suddenly turned very serious, which instantly made the hairs on the back of Reba's neck stand on end.

"Nellie what's wrong?" She asked in a hushed tone.

"You've been jumpier then Ronnie on cleaning day since we got here." She continued, setting her drink down on the mini table behind them. Stepping closer to Reba, she lay her hand on her forehead, immediately causing Reba to jump back in surprise.

"Shelby gave me the flu." She blurted out before she had the time to stop herself. All her blood immediately went to her cheeks as if lying had a physical effect on her.

"And you didn't think to tell anyone?" Barbara piped in wordily. She had been looking a bit sluggish.

"I didn't want to cause any worry with the show being tomorrow." She muttered softly. That part was at least true.

"Come on, we're taking you to your room and nursing you back to full health." Janine insisted already pulling Reba towards the exit, Barbara at their heels.

"You don't need this either." She eagerly added reaching for the drink that was still in Reba's hand, the red dye the bartender had added for effect, beginning to set slightly at the bottom of the glass.

"No!" She exclaimed startled, quickly laughing off her awkward outburst.

"It'll help me sleep." She finished taking another generous sip. Lemony, she thought to herself as she tasted the chilled water.

"Fine, then we are getting me another," Janine announced before Reba could protest, yanking Reba's arm towards the bar once more.