Chapter One
Norma rose from the bed and checked, again, to make sure that the door to the motel room was firmly locked. She took a walk around the bed, picked up her sleeping infant and readjusted her slightly, then went back to check the door again.
Her elder brother (by one year and four months, to be exact) sat back on his chair, one leg crossed over the other, rubbing at his ear as he waited.
Eventually, as patience was not known for being a strong point of Caleb's, he inquired, "Norma. Sit down and just tell me. Why did you want to talk to me?"
Norma nearly collapsed on the bed. She had brought him here, actually locked him in a room with her, and was sure that no one else was home, unless you counted a honeymooning couple and an elderly man who were current guests in Cabin 3 and 4, respectively.
This was Cabin 9. Even though she knew Alex and Norman were out (another attempt at stepfather-stepson bonding that was likely to fall flat), and Dylan and Emma hadn't been by in a few weeks, the chance of being overheard was causing her to clam up. Or even the chance of simply being heard, of telling anyone at all.
She looked down and moved the sleeping baby on to her lap. If she busied herself there, she could act like she wasn't really telling anyone at all. And so she did, beginning with playing with each perfect finger and each perfect toe. It hadn't been so long since Dylan and Norman had been this little, she mused. Now they were old enough to have children of their own.
"I went in for some tests. To make sure everything was okay after I had Iris. And they found… something wrong. They must have missed it before."
She let herself look up for a moment, to meet her brother's widening blue eyes.
"Wrong? Like… like what?"
Norma took one of her hands and mashed it into her chin.
"Like, cervical cancer wrong." She briefly wondered if her brother actually knew what a cervix was, but figured he would get the gist.
"Norma Louise…" Caleb began. He rose from his spot and moved to sit next to her on the bed. "When did you find out?"
"Three days ago. I… You're the first person I told. I can't… I don't know if I can tell Alex. He's strong, but he's so strong that I don't know if he bends or just breaks. I can't tell Norman – he would fall apart. And Dylan already has a sick wife to worry about."
"Why me, then?"
Norma let out a sigh.
"I know that you know how to keep a secret," she said eventually.
Caleb still looked stunned, like he'd found himself standing in a tornado in a split second. He paused, then slowly put an arm over her shoulder.
"Do you know what your… options are?"
Norma nodded, slowly.
"There are… treatments. But it's all expensive. I don't even know what the hell is covered under Alex's insurance. I'm already up to my ears in debt for all the treatments I've tried for Norman – I'm supposed to get reimbursed for some of it but his Medicaid is tied up again – and this motel is still costing more than it's bringing in most months. I don't know what the hell I'm going to do, and I can't be laid out with chemo and take care of Norman at the same time."
Caleb paused to consider that, then asked, "What about Alex?"
"Sheriff is a pretty full-time job." Norma let out a low snort. "Lots of criminals, especially around here. He's barely ever home, and when he is home, Norman completely ignores him."
"What I meant was… are you going to tell Alex?"
"Like I told you… I… What am I supposed to tell him?"
Caleb slowly pulled her in, a little closer.
"He's your husband. People who love each other… They're there for each other, when bad things happen. He won't be mad that this is happening, but if you don't tell him… It'll blindside him."
Norma let out a breath.
"I…" She didn't know what to say after that. His advice made sense, of course, but as much as she knew Caleb could keep a secret, she'd had to survive for years keeping so many of her own. About her parents, first, and then about Caleb, about Dylan, about what Norman had did to Sam… What Norman continued to do. Maybe some part of her was determined to keep this secret, too.
"Norma… You have to tell him. I don't know Alex well, but I know he loves you. You two are married… He's going to want to help."
Norma didn't know what to say, and she was pretty sure that if she said anything at all, the tears that had been poking behind her eyes would flow out. She didn't know if it was a kind of nostalgia or just a proximity decision, but she leaned her head on to Caleb's shoulder and let it sit there. It was like being eleven again, letting herself naively believe for a few seconds that her big brother had some answers and could protect her.
She let herself wonder at what point she had stopped being afraid of Caleb and started being afraid of Norman.
Caleb had been silent for a long while when Norma spoke up, "If you start singing 'Lean On Me', I'll start crying and won't be able to stop."
He gave her a gentle squeeze.
"Good to know."
It was hard for Norma to remember just how long they stayed like that, until Iris awoke and began crying. Norma rose off the bed with the baby in hand.
"I should make sure everything's okay at the front desk… Might be someone who needs to check in."
She unlocked the door and pulled it back, allowing Caleb to walk ahead of her.
"Everything's going to be all right," he told her, reaching out to give her a hug. He patted Iris on the head. "Goodbye."
Norman could feel the heat rising on his neck. He bit his lip, and wanted to punch something.
It was bad enough that she had brought the Sheriff into their house.
But to have Caleb back, under his nose, in his motel?
She must not know who she was dealing with.
