A/N: This is the third story in a trilogy - the first two were "Living a Dream" and "Living a Nightmare." Thanks to all who read and reviewed those! It's okay if you haven't read the other two. I explain the concept of the trilogy in this chapter. Hope you like it!
Prologue
January 2008
Wiping sweat from her brow, Reba reached higher for the Christmas garland that hung from the ceiling. She knew she could get it, if she could only stand on her tip-toes a little more…"Come on," she muttered, grabbing for the tape that held the green strand in place.
She nearly screamed when she suddenly felt someone's hands around her waist and pick her up. "Ah! Adam, let me down now!"
"Sure," Adam laughed, placing her not back on the chair but on the living room floor. After nearly ten months of dating, he'd become a member of the family, celebrating all the holidays with them. It hadn't been a smooth road, but they managed to make it work. And it helped that they were both incredibly in love with each other.
Most of the time, anyway. Reba glared at him. "I can do it myself!"
"After what happened last time? Ha ha, I don't think so!" Van exclaimed from behind her. He'd been assigned the job of taking the delicate ornaments, wrapping them in newspaper and putting them cardboard boxes. He, along with Cheyenne, Elizabeth, and her baby boy, had come over to help take down Christmas decorations and take out the tree to the curb. Jake and Lori Ann were helping too. Kyra would've been there, but she'd had a tour date she needed to get to almost the day after New Year's.
Reba frowned at Van, her arms crossed. Before she could object, Adam stepped up on the chair and took down the garland himself. "Really, Reba, the last thing we need is you falling and hitting your head on the table," he agreed, folding the garland and putting it in a nearby box.
"Will you stop bringing that up? As if I need reminding," Reba retorted, smacking him on his shoulder. Ever since she'd told him about her coma, all he'd done was worry about her blood pressure. And she despised it when people fussed over her.
With a sigh she remembered the events of last year…
It all started when she'd been taking down Christmas decorations, slipped, hit her head, and fell into a coma. While unconscious, though, something strange happened – she'd been transported to the past, before the divorce. After some major confusion, her longtime ex-boyfriend Terry, who'd died some years ago, appeared and told her that he was her guardian angel. Eventually she'd worked out her issues and woke up in her own time within two weeks.
She had to admit that at first when she'd woken up, she'd thought the whole thing was a very weird dream. But then a few months later, she'd gotten into a fierce argument with Kyra. So then Terry had gotten the bright idea to bring her eighteen-year-old self back from the 1970's. It'd freaked both Reba's out at first, but then they got over it. While eighteen-year-old Reba went back to her own time, and the current Reba had talked out her problems with Kyra. She and her daughter were closer than ever now, and Kyra called home at least once a week.
For the past few months, her life had been relatively normal, except for a visit from Terry every once in a while. Kyra was on tour, becoming more famous as she went – the family had stared at the radio in disbelief when Kyra's voice came from it one day. Cheyenne had her baby, and after the whole argument about names, she did end up calling him Brock in a fit of emotional hysteria after he was born. Barbara Jean and the original Brock hadn't gone as far as renewing their vows, but were pretty stable when it came to their relationship. Meanwhile, Jake was graduating middle school next year, and Henry and Elizabeth were both in first grade.
And Reba was making wonderful progress with Adam, as well as her singing career. She wasn't famous yet, but she had a few fans who showed up at every local gig she played. Sure, the family was astonished when she declared her love for singing, but one by one they came around to support her. Of course, she wasn't totally reckless – she still kept up a thriving real estate business (she'd made sure to throw that fact in Brock's face, when he made the point that she didn't support him during his temporary stint as a pro golfer).
The best part was that Terry's visits were growing fewer and farther between. She hadn't made a wish since the last incident with her younger self. After all, why would she when her life was perfect?
"Mom!" Jake exclaimed, waving his hand in front of her face.
Snapping out her reverie, Reba realized she'd be sitting on a dining room chair, running a piece of tinsel through her fingers and staring into space. Embarrassed, she quickly stuffed the tinsel in the box closest to her. "Sorry, thinking about something. What'd you say, Jake?"
"I asked which box this goes into," Jake answered, holding up a glass figurine of a dove.
Lori Ann jumped out of her seat and took it out of the surprised boy's hands. "I'll get that. You, uh, go put away some unbreakable items."
"Okay," Jake shrugged, going off to take down more ornaments.
Chuckling, Reba said, "Thanks, Lori Ann. I was trying to figure out the best way to tell him to put it down and back away. It goes in that box over there."
As Lori Ann was wrapping the statue in newspaper, she sat down next to Reba on another dining room chair. "So, what were you thinking about?"
"Well…last year," Reba answered with a glance at Adam to make sure he wasn't within earshot. She needn't have worried. He was arguing with Van over the best way to get the Christmas tree out of the house. Every few minutes Cheyenne yelled at them to quiet down so they didn't wake the sleeping baby.
Smiling at the comedic picture, Reba continued, "You know, since Adam mentioned my coma it brought back…other memories."
Lori Ann rolled her eyes. "Reba, you have to tell him."
"Why?" Reba whined. "Who says I have to tell him I'm a freak? Samantha Stephens waited until after her and Darrin were married, and she was a witch!"
"Now Reba, you know you're wrong when you start using television characters as your main defense," Lori Ann chided.
Reba didn't respond right away, knowing that Lori Ann was right. With a sidelong glance at Adam, she sighed. "He won't believe me. He'll think I'm insane, dump me, then make sure I'm taken away by men in white coats."
"You're exaggerating…probably…" Lori Ann trailed off, wincing when Reba narrowed her eyes at her. "Look, just do it already and get it over with. Worse comes to worse, he thinks you're a loon and dumps you."
Glaring at Lori Ann, Reba retorted, "Thanks, I feel so much better now."
Lori Ann gave her a weak smile. "You know what I mean."
"Anyway, I don't see why I have to tell him. It's not a big part of my life, and if something weird happens I'll…just tell him he's dreaming. That always works, right?" Reba asked, not quite making eye contact with Lori Ann and anxiously tapping her fingers on her knee.
Smirking, Lori Ann replied, "Come on, Reba. You know better than that. Is that what you'd tell one of your kids if they came up to you with the same problem?"
"Since when do you give good advice?" Reba huffed, putting her chin in her hand. She stared at Adam, who was now being forced to play dolls with a persistent Elizabeth. He deserves to know the truth about me…even if it does make him think I'm a nutcase. "Fine, I'll tell him."
"Good," Lori Ann said, patting Reba on her shoulder. They looked up as Adam walked over to them. "And here comes the poor, unsuspecting …"
"Shut up," Reba muttered, elbowing the blond in the stomach.
When Lori Ann went to sit next to Cheyenne, Adam sat in the seat she'd left. "Hey honey," he said, kissing Reba on the cheek. "I'm so sorry to cut this short, but I just got a call from work. One of my cases is now in custody of Houston law enforcement."
"You better hurry then," Reba said.
Kissing her again, Adam assured her, "I promise I'll be back tomorrow to take out the tree."
"Most likely it'll be here, but Brock said he might come over to take it…" Reba trailed off and sighed. "…it'll be here." As he got up to go, she clutched his arm. "Hey, um…"
"What?" Adam asked, curious.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Reba smiled. "Nothing, it's not important."
"Alright, see you later," Adam replied, saying good-bye to the others as he went out the front door.
Reba put her head in her hands. She'd been about to say there was something she needed to tell him, and could they have dinner soon to talk about it. But she just couldn't do it. I'm such a dang chicken.
"Mom, are you okay?" Cheyenne asked from the couch, turning to look at her mother with concern.
Getting out of her seat, Reba sat on the couch next to her daughter. "No. I have to tell Adam, and I don't think I can do it."
"You still have to," Lori Ann insisted with narrowed eyes.
Van wrinkled his brow in confusion. "Tell him what?"
"You know, my little secret," Reba answered. When Van and Cheyenne still looked bewildered, she explained, "That I have a very active guardian angel? Hello, do we not remember the Nell incident?"
"Oh…" they both said in unison.
As her eyes widened in realization, Cheyenne's gaze fell on the Christmas star that was still on top of the tree. "Hey, you said that all those things happened because you wished on that star, right?"
Jake glared at his mother. "Yeah. I still can't believe you won't let me wish for a car."
"First of all, it only works for me…I think," Reba retorted. "And secondly, you're thirteen. What are you gonna do with a car?"
Jake shrugged. "Van can use it until I'm sixteen."
"Aw, man!" Van exclaimed. "Come on, please Mrs. H?"
Shaking her head, Reba insisted, "No. No one is making a wish on that star…"
"Are you sure?" Cheyenne asked. "Because I was about to suggest that you just wish that Adam knew, or that he'd be okay when you told him…"
Reba shook her head again, getting off the couch and pointing an accusing finger at the star. "No! No one makes any wishes, period! That thing is dangerous!"
"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?" Jake asked hopefully. When Reba only gave him a stern look, he shivered. "Okay, fine. I'm going up to my room."
When he was gone, Reba turned to Van. "As a matter of fact, you come here and help me put it away. The sooner the better."
"Hey, Mrs. H, if that thing is so dangerous how come you don't destroy it?" Van asked as he reached for the star.
Reba hesitated before giving him a sheepish grin. "Because I'm afraid to."
The next day, Barbara Jean came over with Henry. She rang the doorbell, then waited. After a few minutes, she knocked. Still no answer. Funny, Reba said she'd be here… She tried the doorknob, and when the door swung open, she peeked in. "Reba?"
"Reba, you here?" Barbara Jean called, walking further and further into the living room, Henry following at her side. Finally she yelled at the top of her lungs. "Reba!"
After a moment she heard Reba's voice from upstairs. "I'll be right down, Barbara Jean! I'm just…doing something, be down in a minute."
"Okay," Barbara Jean called back, curious as to what Reba was doing that she couldn't tell her. "Sorry I couldn't make it to help with the decorations yesterday," Barbara Jean yelled. She and the family went to see her family for the holidays. It'd been a long trip, and she was glad to be home. "We'd thought we'd be home in time, but you know Brock when it comes to directions…"
"It's alright, there's still some decorations you can help with. I'll be down in a second," Reba replied, clearly not in the mood to have a conversation with their voices at this level.
Turning on the television for Henry, Barbara Jean leaned against the back of the couch to look at the mess of boxes and remaining decorations. Truthfully, she would've much rather been here not just instead of yesterday, but the whole trip. It'd been awful having to see her family with Brock at her side, pretending everything was perfect between them. When actually, it hadn't been perfect for a long time.
At first, when they reunited after the divorce, it'd been great. It was like new love. They were enjoying each other's company again, doing the stuff they used to do when they were dating (well, not exactly – it'd been much better not having to sneak around behind Reba's back). They went out to dinner, went dancing, went out as a family…
Then they started to fall into their old habits. He'd start acting distant and self-centered, always walking around in a bad mood. She tried to get him to open up about what was bothering him, and he would pull away, as usual. It was almost a year since their reconciliation, and they were right back where they started.
Sometimes she thought she deserved it. Sometimes she honestly thought well, this is what you get for stealing another woman's husband. She knew it'd been years, and Reba was over it, but still…she'd wrecked so many marriages in the past, it was only fair that she wouldn't be able to find true love.
At least Reba was with Adam now. It burned Barbara Jean's conscience to see her best friend go through a handful of dead-end relationships, while she was happily married…for the most part. She hoped that time was over – it would break her heart if Reba and Adam didn't work out. She really liked Adam, since he was a good guy, and it was obvious he made Reba happy. With a smile Barbara Jean thought of how upbeat Reba had been ever since she'd found Adam. In fact, it was almost like the Reba she'd known for the past seven years was a completely different person.
Almost. Lately, Barbara Jean noticed Reba tensing up every time Adam was around. She'd tried to get Reba to open up about what was bothering her, but the redhead just wouldn't talk. Yet Reba continued to be very distant and nervous whenever Adam was over.
I hope nothing's wrong, Barbara Jean thought. I'd be a shame if Reba broke up with him after a ten-month relationship.
Then she saw it. She'd been looking around the room for the past few minutes, amazed at the amount of boxes. Her gaze had fallen on a pointed edge sticking out of a box. She reached down and took it out, curious to see what it was. It was the Christmas star that had been on top of the tree.
Delighted, Barbara Jean turned it over in her hands. She'd always been one to believe that wishes made on a Christmas tree star actually came true…
One little wish can't hurt.
Bur what could she wish for? She did want her and Brock to stay together…but she wanted Reba to find her true love ..wait, that's it!
Holding the star with both hands, she said, "I wish that Reba and I each find our true love."
There, nothing can go wrong with that wish, Barbara Jean thought, still holding the star. She looked up as Cheyenne came through the kitchen door, holding the carrier baby Brock was sleeping in. "Hey, Barbara Jean," she greeted, putting the carrier down on the floor next to Henry. "Where's Mom?"
"Upstairs," Barbara Jean answered, pointing to the staircase with the star in her hand.
Cheyenne's eyes widened, as if surprised. "B-Barbara Jean, um…w-what were you doing with that star?"
Thinking nothing of it, Barbara Jean put the star back in the box. "Oh, I know this is going to sound silly, but I always believed that if you wished on a Christmas star it comes true…"
"Oh my God," Cheyenne whispered, but Barbara Jean could still hear it. "Barbara Jean…what…exactly…did you wish?"
Barbara Jean raised an eyebrow at Cheyenne's odd behavior over a little wish, but said nothing about it. "Um…that Reba and I each find our true love…"
"Oh God!" Cheyenne wailed again, then made a mad dash for the stairs. "Mom! Mom! I have to tell you something! Now!"
Staring at the girl's retreating back, Barbara Jean put a hand on her hip. Now what the heck was that about?