Saying Goodbye… And Love is eternal
Norma made her way to the outside of the town. Trying once again to talk to the Once-ler. She needed to talk to him more than ever. Maybe now that Thneed Inc. had gone out of business he would listen to her. She refused to give up. How can you give up on the one you love? She finally made it to the top of a hill before the soon to be named 'Street of the lifted Lorax', and looked up from the ground. And she looked at the waste land for the first time. It was devastating. Anyone would have been heartbroken at the sight. What was once the most beautiful Truffula Valley- was now a dark and desolate land of nothing. The smell was unbearable and the air was filthy. Her eyes began to water as she choked slightly from the polluted atmosphere. There was no life in sight. She looked down from the empty mountains and smogulous dark sky to see the remnants of Once-ler's big empty factory, and the Once-ler himself hammering something in front of what was once his office. She made her way down the hill.
Once-ler was on the ground hammering a large sign to put at the beginning of the road. He was wearing a white button down shirt with a green silk vest over top of it, as he would normally wear under his green suit., working in his old green gardening gloves. Norma walked up behind him a good 7 to ten feet away. He continued his work undisturbed. She looked at him for a moment before quietly asking, "What happened to all the trees?" "They're gone." Once-ler responded sternly, still not turning around. "What's happened to them?" At this Once-ler stopped hammering for a moment, then continued. Norma looked at him sadly and puzzled. She wondered if he had something to do with this. She looked at her feet, and then at the dead ground. She knew this was bigger than she and the Once-ler were. "Once-ler I need to talk to you." Once-ler continued working and still did not turn around to see Norma. She worked up the courage to say what she needed to say… But she changed her mind about what she was going to tell him. He didn't need anymore burdens with himself in her opinion. "I— I worry about you… I really do. And I want to help you. That's the only wish I have. Just to help you… but I know there's something going on, that I can't touch, because it's not my place…" Once-ler stopped working, stood up and walked onto his porch. He placed his hand on the post to the hand rail and leaned on it. He still didn't turn around. "Once-ler… I love you. I've always loved you… and I always will, too. All I want is for you to be ok…" The Once-ler remained silent. Norma continued. "But I think- for that to happen, I need to let you move on." She took off the engagement ring he gave her years ago that she never returned. She kept it because it gave her faith that one day they would be back together. Once-ler's left hand moved from the post to the railing. He stood there motionless and silent. "I believe this is yours…" she said bravely and placed the ring on the rail beside his gloved hand. Norma wanted to weep but she was strong and held it in. She finally continued, "I'll always be there for you. If you ever need me. But from now on I'm going to leave you alone. You don't need me around in whatever it is your going through. But I will always be there when you need me. And If you ever wanna talk to me, just come find me…" With that she turned around, wrapped herself in her pink sweater and started to walk back towards Thneed ville with tearing eyes and a heartbreaking face. She heard the door shut as Once-ler walked inside his new Lerkim, and there she began to cry as she walked on. After she had started to walk away Once-ler quietly opened the door and walked back onto the porch. His face was covered in tears pouring down his face as he had been silently crying to himself the entire time she spoke. He gently took the ring on the railing in his green gloved hand and looked at it then looked up to watch her make her way back up the hill. He leaned against the post weeping to himself while watching his true love walk away from him. He watched her until she was no longer in sight and his gaze turned down toward his glove holding her ring. He closed his fist, holding it tightly. He thought of how horrible he was and how he'd treated her, his heart filled with sorrow over her. He truly believed she was better off without him, and he deserved to be alone.
—
Old Once-ler sat on the couch in the Wiggins home, with Norma. The two were finally back together and she felt no malice toward him. In fact she put everything far from her mind, all forgiven and forgotten. She was just happy to have him back in her life. They talked about their first dates, their old experiences as a couple and laughed with each other over a plate of cookies.
Norma wrapped her arms around him and whole-heartedly and she reminded him for the thousandth time that day how much she loved him. Old Once-ler hugged her back and said he would be with her for the rest of his life. Norma smiled warmly and laid her head on his shoulder. The two calmly sat like this for a moment. "Thank you for coming back." she said in all sincerity with her loving voice. "I had always planned to…" He quietly told her. "Once the environment was fixed and balanced, all I wanted was to come and fix things with you…" "I would've welcomed you back with open arms, Once-ler." She replied and smiled warmly. He looked at her smiling the way he used to when they first became friends. "You're so wonderful… I can't believe you would still love me like that…" "I told you, you're my soul mate. I can't help but love you. And, truthfully- I didn't want to not love you." she said in her adorable mannerisms as she held his green-gloved hand. "…I used to pray you'd find someone better. Who would treat you like I should've treated you…." His eyes left her gaze and he turned his head toward the floor. She looked at him with shining eyes and smiled. "How could I do better than the best?" she replied and kissed his cheek. His eyes still turned down. His facial expression didn't lighten. Old Once-ler turned toward her and looked at her with glossy eyes and a woeful expression. "Norma, why did you keep coming after me? After how I treated you…" "Because when the one you love is in trouble, you fight for them. No matter what. And I was never gonna give up on you. It didn't matter what you did or said. You're my one true love. And when it's your soul mate- that feeling never goes away. I would've done anything for you. I'll always be there for you." She she placed her hand behind his head and stroked his hair the way she always did. Once-ler looked at her with tears welling up in his eyes, "I love you so much." He took her hand and she smiled back at him. "I love you too." she said. And he immediately kissed her lovingly.