Home 05: Feels Like Home

"I know this is a huge step for you. I know you've lived here your whole life, but you'll love Nashville, baby. Our house is beautiful and there's a good school just a mile away. We can go to the theater and take the kids to museums. It's going to be a good life."

"I can't," Tara repeated. "I'm so sorry. I can't." She gulped, trying to pull air into her lungs, but the sobs only came harder. "I love you, but my children are my whole life. I can't risk it."

"Sydney said we would win."

"She can't know that, and I can't take the chance that I will lose my children." She laid her trembling hand on Rae's cheek as she sobbed.

Tears started flowing down Rae's face as the impact of Tara's words hit her. "I bought us a house," she stated, her voice weak.

Tara was crying so hard that she couldn't answer. She wrapped her arms around Rae's shoulders and clung to her lover.

"Is this it, then?" Rae asked, not wanting to hear the answer. "I can't . . . I can't keep living the way we are, now. I love you too much to not have you with me."

"I'm sorry," Tara repeated. "I'm sorry."

Fury grabbed Rae. She pushed away from Tara. "I bought a house for you," she reiterated. "Jamie called and wanted to come home. Jamie, who I spent seven years of my life with. I never wanted to hurt Jamie, but because of you, I did." Rae began grabbing her belongings and throwing them into her duffel bag. She angrily buttoned her shirt and jerked on her jeans. "I turned Erin McAllister down. I had her in my arms and I turned her down. She slapped me and told me to go fuck myself and to get the hell off her tour. It may cost me my job, but I turned her down because I'm in love with you and thought you were in love with me."

"I do love you," Tara insisted, her voice raw.

Rae stopped on her way out the door, her gaze a mixture of fire and ice that wounded Tara deeply, and then slammed the door behind her. Tara, sobbing and heartbroken, collapsed onto the cold floor.