A defeated Norma stood behind the motel desk. She wiped her burning tear as it caressed her soft cheeks. The sun burned on her blonde hair and the heat felt good. The words burned in her ears, "Poor little Norma. Poor little Norma. Poor little Norma." Normans voice taunted her and rang through her brain rattling it like a cage and Norma was a slave trapped in that cage. She was trapped in Norman's cage, he was hurting her, taunting her, and making her feel her weakest.
She pictured her sons face looking at her with so much hurt and fear, he held that gun up to her like he disgusted her existence and hated what she had done to him. Her son actually believed that she had hurt him in such a haunting way. He was all she had for a long time and she loved him from the deepest depths that a human soul could love from, and he was going to kill her.
Norma knew having flashbacks of last night was torturous, she knew it was toxic and she needed to stop. She tried to get out of bed and do some things in the motel to keep things off her mind, but she couldn't focus. She couldn't see Norman right now and he was refusing to see her anyways. She had spent most of the morning crying in her sons bed. She tried to stop thinking, but the pain felt good in a way. All Norma's life all she knew was pure pain and hurt, she was used to it now and she needed to release it all. Tear after tear shot out of her eyes like a machine gun with no mercy for the weak. She felt weak and defeated, she felt powerless against her will.
She could stand no more and bent down on both knees feeling the floor smash her legs without sympathy for her pain, the floor was hard and rough. She knelt there, hands resting on the desktop and her chin on her hands. She felt her blood heat up as she began to sweat, her stomach twisted and she inhaled deeply with a whale. "Poor little Norma is broken." Normans voice taunted once more ringing in her ears causing an uproar of pain.
She let go of the desktop and let her head and hands slap in her lap. Norman's taunting voice was right, poor little Norma is broken and it is his doing. Her one true love that never hurt her in such a way just did, she never thought her baby's pure love would hurt her and torture her. Her worst fear came true, her son broke her and hurt her. Now her son felt resentment towards her for actions she never committed. She was being prosecuted for loving him unconditionally.
A flashback hit again, Alex coming down the basement stairs to save her. Norma remembered the relief and sudden safeness that Alex's presence brought to her. He swept her from the fear in that moment and for a split-second her heart warmed and she almost smiled, but then she remembered the look of betrayal on Norman's face when he saw the sheriff. Norma remembered running out and begging Norman to sign the papers for Pine View, she then remembered the look on her babies face as he starred through the SUV window as Alex quickly drove off. In that moment when the SUV sped off she felt like a mother having her baby ripped from her arms and out of her heart.
A gravel sound halted her torturous memories of the previous night, Norma smacked back into reality quickly. She had a knack for pretending and holding back feelings, but she knew today would be a struggle. It was early morning after the horrible night she had, Norma hadn't gotten even an hour of sound sleep. She was tired and emotionally drained. She stood up, slouching as she wiped her tears and sucked up the snot. She played with her hair and went over quickly to look out the window of the motel office, it was Alex.
"Oh great. Just fantastic." Norma whispered, she didn't want him to see her like this. She didn't want to talk about what happened out loud. She didn't want to see anyone at all. Norma faked a smile and opened the office door as Alex met her there.
"Uh, Hi Norma." He gave a slight smile knowing how upset she must feel after what just happened the night before. He put his hand behind his head and scratched his dark short hair.
"Hi Alex." Norma said warmly, although she didn't want to talk about what happened, Alex gave a presence of safety and she loved it.
"How are you doing?" He studied her tired broken face. She looked distraught.
"I'm fine. I-I'll be fine." She said in a rush trying to blurt it out before she felt the hurt of those false words. The words were like hot burning fire blowing from her mouth and her tongue spit them out quickly to avoid the after-burn.
"I'm sorry any of this had to happen to you. I am glad you called me when you did." He paused starring at her in her teary electric blue eyes. Noticing her pain and worry he began to speak again, "I know you don't want to talk about last night, but I have to take a statement, Pine View requested this." He nodded at Norma.
"Alex, is this really necessary. I mean, can't we just tell Pine View it is an emergency. I don't need them thinking Norman is unstable or anything." She said rolling back on the balls of her heels, she ran her hand through her angelic locks, Alex starred in awe of her beauty even in a time like this. Even with all the rough things Norma had just encountered she still looked unbelievably stunning.
"This is very important Norma. He is getting the help he needs." He assured her with his stark nod. He had a strong dominate voice.
"I know, I know. Your right, do you want to go up to the house for some tea? We will talk there." She gestured with another fake smile, Alex saw right through her at this point. He knew after three years of knowing this woman when she was broken.
"Uh, yeah. Sure." He said growing a bit nervous to be in Norma's home alone with her again. He remembered the last time that happened she cleaned his wound. That was the first time Alex began to look at Norma differently, he had always found her attractive, but after that encounter he found her sexy and irresistible. After that encounter feelings began to grow for her and he started thinking more about the two of them being together. He couldn't believe he was actually going to marrying this striking beauty.
They both sat at the kitchen table sipping tea. They sat in the same chairs they sat in when Norma cleaned Alex's wound, she remembered and smiled, but she hid her smile with her cup as she took a sip. She then ran her thumb over her plump lips, a nervous habit she had formed. Alex watched her thumb graze her soft pink lips.
"So what happened?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Um, I don't hardly know." She said with her eyes staring down at her hot cup, she watched the steam roll out of the mug, so free. She wished to be free just like that steam, light as a feather, just floating up into the atmosphere. No problems or stress, just free floating steam. "I was making dinner; Norman was acting weird. We sat down to have dinner and he was staring at me. I told him to stop acting like that and from there things escalated. He got very angry and was accusing me of killing these women, like Blair Watson and Bradley Martin because of jealously." She shrugged and winced a little at the memories of last night, thinking about it again for the millionth time wasn't any easier than when it happened. "ummm, and then he said there was only one way to fix things, I got scared and ran upstairs to get the gun, but it was gone. Norman had the gone and pointed it at me, I begged him not to hurt me, I tried to get the gun." She inhaled deeply holding herself together and continued starring at the steam rolling out of the mug. Alex starred at her face and her hands gripping the mug tightly. "He shoved me against the stair railing, I ran to Dylan's room and locked myself in. That's when I called you." She breathed in again and paused for a few seconds. "I-I was so scared Alex." She whispered these words softly starring into that steam wanting to drift away with it. She touched her cheek and caught the tear that was falling. "After a while of waiting I went downstairs quietly, I looked for him. Before heading to the basement I grabbed some sharp gardening scissors. I went to the basement and he turned on the light, he still had the gun. He was going to shoot us both." She felt the twisting in the pit of her stomach again, "To be scared of my own son, the person in this world I love the most. An- And he's broken and I can't fix him and no-now I'm broken too." She couldn't hold it together anymore her tears flung out of her face on long ropes of sorrow that trailed down her cheeks. Alex reached over and held her hand on her mug, Norma looked up and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you for coming for me." She looked up and smiled starring into his eyes. Alex was patient and gentle with her now.
"Norma…you're not broken." He tried to assure her and comfort her.
"I told Norman that we could have peace now." She stopped sobbing and sat back up in her chair, she scooted it back away from Alex and wiped her tears with her tired hands.
"Yeah, Pine View will help him Norma." He assured her with a calming deep voice.
"Yeah, yeah, it will." She let a faint smile appear on her face.
They sat in silence for a minute and then Alex looked at her again, "Did you call them and ask when you can see him?"
"Yeah, they said not until he is evaluated. Plus, Norman is refusing to see me right now anyways." She frowned.
"Hey, it is all going to be okay now." Alex held her shoulder softly, Norma grabbed his hand and put her cheek on it smiling.
"I know." She said faintly. "Thanks for stopping by Alex."
Alex got up and headed for the door, Norma followed behind with soft steps.
"Okay, well thanks for talking to me. Call me if you need anything, I mean absolutely anything Norma. You don't hesitate to call me, okay?" He looked at her as he spoke with a stern voice.
"Yeah. Yes, of course. I will." She shrugged off his stern voice and smiled.
"Okay, I will stop by later tonight to check on you again."
"Thank you Alex, I mean really, thank you." She hugged him and smelled his fresh musky scent. He hugged back tightly and buried his nose in her neck for a moment smelling her naturally sweet fragrance.
"Anything you need." He softly said this as they let go of each other's bodies. The heat still residing on Norma and Alex's flesh from each other's warmness.