. . . . .
Making Changes
Chapter Three
. . . . .
Tomorrow would begin day one of his stay at the Wiggins house and Onceler couldn't believe he already had to face some kind of existential crisis. Well maybe it wasn't that serious but he sometimes he experienced these moments where he felt like he couldn't mentally put himself in place of the bright eyed musician who set out to make something of himself without thinking of the cost.
As the family were downstairs setting up a place for him to sleep Onceler was encouraged to wash up and well... Relax for just a moment. How he was to do so with someone else's bath he couldn't comprehend. That awkwardness might have contributed to him preparing his bath like his own execution. He would make a few rounds to the door as if making sure it was locked. What do you know, it was locked every time. After staring at the steam rising in the tub for several moments when he was meant to be tragically examining his face for a just a sign of his past self he actually managed to get himself out of his clothes. He had been told to drop them in the basket and they would be washed in the morning, but again it just sounded weird after spending years doing it himself. There were rare natural openings in the ground where rain would collect and after a good downpour that was how Onceler took care of hygienic needs.
Having given up on finding a trace of younger and uncorrupted Onceler he sank in the water firmly telling himself he wasn't going to like it. He'd just dip and get out...okay? But seconds breezed past and Onceler had to let go of the soap he'd been reaching toward for at much longer. When his eyes shut was a mystery to him.
Just to be clear: he wasn't lingering because he liked it or anything.
The sound of a slamming door jolted him out of a trance but thankfully it wasn't the bathroom's. He knew he hadn't dozed off because the water was still heated. He heard somewhat muffled voices ensue and could logically connect it to the family. Whatever they were talking about wasn't his business so he didn't lean closer to the wall and eavesdrop.
There he said it. Now he could do the opposite and let his conscience remind him of that when trying to fall asleep because it always did around that time.
"Did you take the hinges off, Helen?" Norma sounded like she was trying not to laugh. "Me and Ted almost jumped through the ceiling; we were so startled."
Helen made an exasperated sound. "I believe I've told you about the door needing to be replaced. But that's...not important. I do need some help."
"The air vent is dirty again? Alright, let a pro handle this..."
"I'm not lifting you into an air vent again, Mom!"
While Norma went from enthusiastic to disappointed like the flip of a switch Helen took a moment to arrange her words by the sound of it.
"I was trying to find extra blankets for our guest but look at this. All we have left are the ones...Dad used when he came in late from work. Or more like I threw them over him, always knowing he wouldn't make it back to bed."
"Helen, you're not...?"
"I'm not. I know it's a month too early to be thinking of that."
"But if you want to talk about it any time, remember, I told you it's okay."
"And you can see I've never needed to talk about it, and what I really need help with is moving some of these boxes to get there."
"Well..."
"What?"
In Onceler's panic of hearing more than he needed to, he accidentally made a noise like crashing ocean waves moving away from the wall. They definitely heard him. He didn't dare move at all as he just heard footsteps obviously moving farther into whichever room was for storage. He decided it was best not to get comfortable after all, quickly get out of here and just end the day. The rest of the bath was a blur excluding a knock on the door that gave him a scare as he was drying off. No voice after that, just footsteps walking away. He waited several moments before cracking the door to see a pile of folded clothes.
The clothes were semi thick, solid red pjs that looked made for an above average weight man. They would be quite warm with the extra material yet he also couldn't help his mind mending an image of Helen's...father? Abandon line of thinking. Jump ship. Get out.
Whoever left the pajamas were just going through motions to make their guest comfortable.
If he did not tell himself he would be offending them by not accepting the offer or that he always felt better out of that suit he doubted he would have chosen them over the suit.
. . . . .
The family only had three bedrooms so obviously Onceler would be spending the night on the couch. They must have already been getting ready to turn in because he came downstairs to a mostly dark living room with just a dim standing lamp letting him get a glimpse of the arrangement of a thicker pillow than he would have thought he deserved and large older blanket that almost looked homemade and for his own sanity he didn't believe it was.
He was glad to not have run into anyone. It wasn't that he didn't find some fun in sharing a meal with others and finally having a glimpse of what a wholesome family might look like. But he knew Helen was just being polite. He knew Ted would make it hard for Helen to throw him to the curb as he rightfully belonged. Then there was Norma... He just didn't know what to make of her.
It should have hit him when he was alone earlier. Although the awkwardness of using someone's bath might have blocked it with stress. Regardless his mind simply couldn't resist making him think back to Norma's story just when he lied down to rest. It was better than most thoughts he had before giving in to sleep but not much to be fair.
He, Norma, and Mabelle especially were never anything but people who sometimes talked when by chance were in the same place. There were at least two occasions Norma invited him to some gatherings but would quickly disappear as a social butterfly mingling with anyone with a pulse. Onceler assumed he was to find a random person and strike up conversation but too many of these people who either worked with her or took the college or unemployment routes knew him as "that annoying guitar guy". So he would find a corner and claim it for another thirty minutes or so before fleeing. The last time this happened Mabelle approached before he could leave.
He wondered if Mabelle knew she had dodged a bullet. Like... That was before his theneed business would boom so it was as if she innocently bent down to tie her shoe and the bullet flew over her head. He wished Norma hadn't reminded him of her now.
It probably sounded like denial, but she really wasn't a girlfriend. Not even a friend. Norma described mentioned she had tried to get them together but if so she was a stealth master. Of course, right as he thought that...
"You'll burn a hole in the floor staring like that!" A familiar voice teased him.
Onceler had enough startled jolts for one night but couldn't fight a small one as he realized Norma materialized behind the couch, reaching up on her tiptoes to rest her arms on the back. He had a feeling of dread descend as he saw the white side of a small photograph collection. It was too soon to see precious family memories, he thought. Instead of saying it...
"I thought you must have already gone to bed. So I was going to-" He didn't even get to finish his lame sentence when she shook her head and cut in.
"The night's young, but we aren't." Norma explained, holding out the photos. "Normally by this time I'd raid the fridge for any desserts Helen didn't think to tell me about. But I felt nostalgic, talking about Mabelle earlier... I know you two weren't close but I can read your face: you're haunted by not knowing what happened to her."
"How would you-" Onceler bit his tongue on what she might use to prove her point, instantly calming his voice as he forced an indifferent face. "I am haunted but it's not from her or anyone for that matter."
Norma gave him a thoughtful look and he didn't know why he was stressed to not be able to read it why. Onceler ended up being desperate to prove he wasn't transparent forcing his expression though he felt his lips twitch not being able to support it.
"Humor me, Onceler?" She finally asked with an unusually sweet tone that could easily be the last thing someone hears before a traumatic event and fluttering her eyelashes. So he was given a jolt again but this time it was different.
Onceler slammed a palm to his mouth so he wouldn't say anything to suggest it but that was confirmation how slow he was not realizing he'd seen this woman in the past. When he heard that tone of voice it was like she was suddenly twenty again just with brown hair and either dressed for work or one of the many just because festivals Theneedville used to put together.
His silence was where he went wrong. Norma gave a smug smile before spinning on her heel and coming around to seat herself on the other end of the couch. Onceler clumsily gathered up the blanket to put around his shoulders he didn't want to admit was done shyly knowing by this point she would speak of his state of dress somehow. It was so clear in her eyes.
The photos were offered to him after making a barrier out of the blanket. Norma didn't try to lean close and view the photos herself, saving them both some level of discomfort. Onceler thought as if this woman knew anything about that although maybe it was too soon to be sure.
Thankfully it was only four photos. Onceler decided to breeze through pretending these were the times he missed in his self isolation. As if he had friends before. As if he cared about anything else but fortune and his mother's acknowledgment of the very same thing.
Photo one showed the familiar shopping area he would initially go to cool off from confrontations with the Lorax before realizing it was the best place to show off theneed. He saw Norma and Mabelle shoving Onceler into the picture, him caught off guard as it was just supposed to be those two goofing around on their day off and maybe also getting carried away by the new camera technology that was more or less the norm elsewhere but rural The- Greenville.
Photo two showed one of those aforementioned parties. Onceler couldn't find himself but there was a group of people holding up Norma as she seemed to be crowd surfing while a slightly cut off Mabelle in the corner having gone ghostly pale as she tried to reach for her friend.
Photo three was candid. If Onceler had to guess only Mabelle would have taken that since he was somewhat far away hanging outside in the outskirts of town leaning down to give food to some of the birds and squirrels. It seemed like almost everything else but himself was blurry so that strengthened his theory it was her. Besides when he peeked above the photo he saw Norma shrug as if to say "in your dreams".
Photo four was, again, staged at one of the ponds the rowdier crowd flocked to. There was no Onceler or Norma in the people in the background either passing around drinks or mingling, no, just Mabelle front and center posing a little bashfully in a flattering one piece swimsuit with quite an open space in the middle of her...
"That's my favorite." Norma commented shamelessly, pointing to it. "You can tell she was a little shy but knew if she looked nice she didn't have to be afraid to let the world know. We spent a good three hours looking for the perfect swimsuit, but I love the vivid pink against her complexion and off the shoulder design."
"Was she..." He really didn't want to ask, but the words sputtered as he picked his jaw off the floor. "Did she always look like that? I mean, on top?"
Norma slammed her palms on her knees, sighing exasperatedly. "I wish I'd known what a lost cause you two were; you didn't even notice her curves!"
"She was always buttoning her cardigan as high as it could go!"
"Why do men have to be like this?"
Onceler was left a total wreck with about seven unrelated comments fighting to come out of his mouth first and his mind had still been completely rattled by that Mabelle picture. Norma knew it. She looked smug just a bit, leaning over to take the photos as if her work was done.
"Now if I'm not mistaken, I can hear the key lime pie begging to be let out of its frozen prison." Norma said abruptly rising to her feet while Onceler, just collapsed against the pillow making sure she didn't have a glimpse of his face. "As a guest in our house, you're allowed some if you desire."
Norma leaned her ear closer to try to hear his muffled groan in response. Upon receiving the message she sighed again. "Have a good night's sleep, Onceler." There was no way to tell if she was sincere or joking before she made her way into the kitchen.
