Norma pulled into the motel parking lot viciously and withdrew the key from the ignition. Turning to Norman, she decided there wasn't going to be a perfect time to let him know about her plans with the Pineview Institute.
"Now that I've got enough funds to do it, I think it would be best that you have the opportunity to get the help you need." She awaited his response, knowing that he would hardly have a calm and collected reaction to her revelation. But he was strangely calm, and unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Living with you is a nightmare, mother. Send me off, do what you need to do. I don't need you hovering over me anymore. I know that I'm hurting people, but I'm only agreeing to go because I can't do this anymore. You're smothering me. As long as I'm with you, you're going to shelter me from everything that's good for me. So I blame you, for all of this. Ship me away, fine. I'm sick of you thinking you can protect me from everything, because you can't!" He spat, opening the car door and slamming it shut with all this force.
Norma got out of the car and hollered after him, "Norman, you're being very immature!" But she stood breathlessly watching him march awkwardly up the stairs towards the house. There was no use chasing him. It irked her that in some sense, he was completely right. All she had ever done was try and shade him from the realities he needed to face. He was the sheltered one. Dylan, on the other hand, had seen so much that went on behind the scenes of the town. Norma had never put as much restriction on Dylan, but it was because she thought he didn't need it. And ironically, with all the exposure of such terrible things, Dylan had changed for the better. He was planting legally, and was even involved with Emma. In reality, Dylan had the life that everyone in the Bates circle wanted at the moment: a life that wasn't completely falling apart.
The days following the fight, the angst and frustration between her and Norman had built up so greatly, she knew it was time to send him to Pineview. Planning under his nose, despite him knowing of her intentions, she was still cautious. They're relationship was tarnishing, and she was tired of living in the fear that he would lash out. Once the final arrangements were made, she told him. To her surprise, he didn't question her. Norman silently packed his bags, and they ventured up to Pineview the same day.
The car ride was filled with only the sound of the faded AM radio. Neither of them spoke, as the situation was a mix of disbelief and denial. Pulling into the front of the Institute, Norma broke the silence.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
Norman nodded and smiled tightly. Grabbing his bags, they made their way to the front desk. While Norma signed him in, Norman examined the room. Admittedly, it was a stunning building, but he felt out of place. Many of the people in the recreation room were older, with physically deteriorating health. He found it very unlikely that there would be very many younger patients.
Norma turned back from the front desk with a younger looking woman, with a plastered smile that made him feel more alienated than ever before. "Norman, this is Alison Goldstein. She's going to show you around and introduce you," she choked. Norman let down his bags and felt tears materialize, as he knew the separation was inevitable.
He pulled Norma in for a hug. The tension over the past couple weeks evaporated, and both began to sob. Alison eventually had to tear them apart, knowing that the longer they stayed together, the more difficult the parting would become. Norma felt powerless, and knew she had to leave. She couldn't bring herself to properly say goodbye, because that would mean accepting that he wasn't coming home. Norma quickly turned on her heels, and walked out of the building without giving him another look.
At home, she found herself moping around the house, studying every corner, remembering so many times they had sat on the couch, played the piano, ate dinner. The house now felt unoccupied and discontent. Dylan was due home any day now with Emma. They had gone off on a road trip, and hadn't gotten a call from either of them in days. But she suspected they wanted time away, time not totally under the control of Norma.
In the middle of her reminiscence, the doorbell rang. She scurried to the door, opening it in the hopes that it would be him. Alex Romero was standing at the door with a box in his hands, weakly smiling at her.
"Alex!" She gushed, throwing her arms around him. This kind of greeting was new for them, and Alex stifled a laugh at her animation.
"Hi, I'm guessing Norman is out of the house."
"He's at Pineview. I dropped him off this morning. Come in." She opened the door wider. Alex handed her the box and headed for the living room. Norma looked at the box. He had bought her expensive chocolates, a very anti-Alex move, or so she had thought. It turned her on that under her grasp, he turned to mush. She smiled to herself and then walked over to the couch where he sat. She sat right up against him and pointed at the box of chocolates.
"Why'd you do this? This wasn't necessary," she insisted, but grinning in gratitude. Alex took her hand which was resting on her thigh, and brought it to is, grazing his thumb over the back of her hand. He then tentatively pulled her hand up to his mouth, and brushed the tips of her fingers so they made hasty contact with his lips. She let her hand rest there for a moment, and then placed her hand on his stiff shoulder. Setting down the box beside her, and inched closer to him. They just stared in awe of one another for a few seconds, and Norma's hand trailed down from his shoulder and slid down to the center of his chest. Through his plaid shirt, she could feel the escalation of his heartbeat. Her own heart raced at her own effect on him. Alex brought his hands down to sides of her waist, steadily holding her in place.
Unsure of whether to continue, she chose to keep going. Norma leaned in and rested her head at the crook of his neck. She felt him swallow heavily as she did so. Without giving anymore thought, she began to lightly kiss his neck. This made him groan in such a soft register, she almost missed it. It was her allowance to continue. She placed tiny kisses down his neck, including his vein popping out that was pulsing under the strain. Norma felt free and uninhibited, but Alex seemed restrained and composed. She stopped to look up at him.
"Are you okay? Should I stop?" She asked, frowning with concern. Alex shook his head and shut his eyes briefly.
"No, no. Please don't," was all he could manage to answer without his voice cracking in pleasure. His words caused Norma to breathe in sharply and continue. He was obviously enjoying it as much as she was, and it was more obvious to her than ever before. Norma took the other side of his neck, and rubbed his back simultaneously. Alex's body was warming up, she could tell just by feeling his skin through his shirt. She let go of her cautious demeanor, and let herself do what she wanted.
Norma seductively made her way onto his lap, straddling him so that he was right in between her. Everything she did was effortless, and it still made Alex weak and powerless against her. He lay his head on the couch, and gazed up at her with incredulity.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, and slowly began to rub up against him. Alex's immediate reaction was to resist, but he forced himself to let go. He brought his hand up to rub his forehead.
"Oh my god," he whispered hoarsely. Norma bit her lip and continued without hesitation. As she did, she smiled wickedly as the evidence of his appreciation became more and more noticeable. She looked down to see, and when she focused her gaze back at him, she saw his neck was becoming increasingly flushed.
"I'm sure that I want this. It's only a question of when," Alex divulged, placing each of his hands on her thighs.
