Author's Notes: Sorry for disappearing, I had some lack of motivation issues and writer's block. Please let me know how I'm doing by leaving a review! Your thoughts and ideas help motivate me!
I used another song in this chapter. "Speechless" by Dan + Shay
I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 23: I'll Follow You Anywhere
Norma has been sitting in her car for the last 10 minutes, staring.
A smile forms on her lips as she continues to solely focus on the man leaning against one of the many picturesque buildings downtown. Even with the sea of people blanketing the streets of the usually quaint town, the attractive man stands out in a crowd.
Suddenly the Sheriff shifts his glance toward her direction, which causes Norma to quickly slouch low in the driver's seat and attempt to hide herself behind the steering wheel. She shakes her head, cursing to herself in the realization of how silly she is behaving. A grown adult, hiding in her car like a teenage girl who is spying on her boyfriend.
With a sigh, Norma slowly raises her head to above the wheel and realizes in the darkened area serves as a natural camouflage. A wave of embarrassment hits her as she tightens her grip on the steering wheel to adjust her posture in the driver's seat, catching another glimpse of her love.
A glimpse that takes her breath away.
The side of his face is now illuminated with the various shining fairy lights scattered amongst the rooftops downtown, highlighting his obvious sullen expression. While taking in his appearance, the Sheriff seems almost broken. Suddenly, her soul aches as if she's experiencing his agony in addition to her own.
In an odd way though, his discomfort brings her a bit of relief. He misses her.
In an instant, Norma experiences a heavy sense of guilt. She never meant to cause him pain but judging from his facial expression, her actions have done exactly that.
Realizing the opportunity for fixing this relationship is slipping away, Norma takes a deep breath and begins to mentally encourage herself to gain the courage to mend what she has ripped apart. Ultimately, Norma knows she is the person to blame for both of their unhappiness and the only who can bring them back together again.
Norma squeezes her eyes shut and recites a pep-talk inside her head which quickly becomes vocal for extra motivation. "Don't let him go," she mumbles within the quiet vehicle.
With a slow exhale, Norma repeats her words one last time out loud before whipping the car door and confidently stepping outside. When she stands fully from her seat and shuts the door, Norma shakes the nerves from her fingers and then assertively moves in the Sheriff's direction.
With every step Norma takes, her movements move slower and slower. The breath in her lungs becomes shallower and more labored due to the fear of rejection creeping into her mind. However, this time she's determined to not let her nerves win this battle of wills.
As she nears the area where the Sheriff currently stands, Norma pauses. Her position is now within only inches away from the man she loves. With a shaky hand reaches in front of her slowly to touch him on the shoulder blade, but retracts her hand quickly. Norma then squeezes her eyes briefly once again and takes a deep inhale with a drawn-out exhale before taking one last step forward.
With a surge of confidence Norma cautiously slips her hand within his, carefully intertwining her fingers with his. Her heart drops in chest when the Sheriff doesn't instantly curl his fingers around hers, but rather his hand remains still.
Norma's bottom lip trembles and her eyes sting with tears while waiting for any sort of response from Alex. Whether it be good or bad, she needs some sort of reaction to this gesture. The time seems to pace so slowly that it feels like hours before she feels the sensation of his larger hand encompassing her dainty one.
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Romero suddenly feels a chill run up his spine, but he already knows the cause. He smirks to himself knowing it is Norma looming. He doesn't have to look behind him to feel her presence. The hint of her perfume in the air, the sound of her delicate footsteps on the pavement and his innate sense to always feel her when she is near are all a dead giveaway to who is approaching him.
In his head the Sheriff chuckles, did Norma really not realize his acute sense of awareness? In the field of law enforcement the skill of being aware of all surroundings is the key to survival. His senses have only improved with each passing day as a deputy.
His smirk fades when he detects Norma pull her touch away, but takes comfort in knowing she does not step away from him. His heart races wondering what will happen next, hoping she will overcome her own insecurities and take another step closer.
Romero almost gives up hope when time continues to pass with no movement, but his mind is put at ease when he feels her touch against the palm of her hand. He resists with every fiber of his being, the instinct to immediately clasp his fingers around hers. He can't make things so easy for Norma, not after all of the heartache he's experienced from his one-sided love of Ms. Bates. He's not sure his heart can take another hit.
In the end he can't fight his heart's need to be near hers.
No words are spoken for several moments, most likely both willing the other to utter the first words to each other in weeks. The Sheriff is too stubborn to be the first one, but apparently so is Norma.
They continue to remain silent and unmoving, until Norma also wraps her other arm around his bicep to nuzzle herself closer into his side. No amount of space separates them now, which triggers Alex to glance downward. His breath hitches when he notices her glistening blue eyes staring back at him. She's obviously been near tears by the way her eyes shine under the brightened fairy lights surrounding them.
Alex turns away, but still senses her continued stare. All of a sudden his arm is released, while his other hand remains tangled with Norma's. Without warning there are graceful fingers under his jaw, forcefully yet somehow still gentle, moving his head. Norma's chin is tipped upward while she shifts his downward to once again connect their gaze.
"I'm sorry Alex," Norma speaks carefully with a slight wobble to her words out of nervousness. "I truly don't deserve you," she almost whispers as she drops her hand from his chin and slides her hand down to his chest. She briefly hides her face into his jacket before uttering more. "I've been such a fool to think I could just ignore my feelings for you. I can't Alex and even if I could, I don't want to. You are the person my heart has waiting for," Norma says sincerely with a sniffle and a tear rolling down her cheek.
With every moment of silence that passes after her heartfelt spoken words, Norma's confidence in a rekindling of this relationship diminishes.
The Sheriff is rendered speechless by her sincere declaration. All of this time he thought he was alone in the relationship, that he meant something to her but not enough. Now hearing from her that his love is not only enough, but needed.
Nagging thoughts plague his mind, creating questions and doubt. Can he forget all of the hurt he's felt? Can he simply drop all of the walls he's built around himself? Is he still enough? He can't be sure.
Though in hearing how honest Norma was in her announcement, Romero too feels the courage to be truthful in how he feels. Maybe this couldn't be fixed within minutes just by a few muttered words, but it could be a start.
He doesn't want her to slip away.
"I don't deserve you." Norma whispers again while squeezing his fingers impossibly tight within hers, almost as if she loosens her grip even a little he would drift away. This constricted touch represents her need for him.
She can't let go.
Romero clears his throat in an attempt to remove the impending quake in his voice but before he can reply, a familiar weakened tone interrupts.
"Do you think you could love me again?" Her question can barely be heard, though with the quiver in her speech he can detect Norma's no so subtle panic.
With a furrowed brow the Sheriff lowers his chin, immediately meeting her hopeful stare. The expression on her face hurts him, absolutely destroys him. Suddenly, he drops his hand from within hers, even though Norma desperately reaches for his fingers again. The grip of her other hand holds his jacket terribly tight in response to ensure he doesn't walk away, fearing the worst due to his physical response.
When the hand previously holding hers all of a sudden reaches around her shoulders, Norma easily melts into his side. She continues to connect their gaze, sighing in relief in noticing a small smile gradually creep onto his lips.
The Sheriff leans down and places a gentle kiss to her forehead, cuddling her closer. Feeling her body relax against his, Romero's face remains close and finally whispers his response. "I don't think I can." He says, purposely stalling before finishing his statement. Maybe it could be considered cruel or torture for him to wait for his final answer, but he may be secretly salty about the situation.
In noting Norma's immediate distress, the Sheriff instantly feels guilty and reaches out with his free hand to place the knuckle of his index finger under her chin. He guides his own lips impossibly close to hers, "I've never stopped loving you Norma." He smirks and continues his declaration, "you are not easily forgotten."
In hearing those words, Norma giggles and then surges forward the mere inches separating their lips to finally touch. It's a sweetened kiss, considered almost innocent if any passerby were to see them. However with their current huddled position, they're sufficiently hidden in the shadows. After the kiss, they slowly pull apart both with a satisfied smile and a pleasant sigh in happiness.
Even though music plays in the background the couple remains snuggled in their quiet bubble, basking in the realization of how they simply fit together. Though a nagging thought lingers in the Sheriff's head, an idea he's been pushing away because there's nothing he wants more than to forget about every negative circumstance when it comes to this relationship.
To silence the pesky thought, Romero turns his focus to the musical distraction previously in backdrop but now forcefully is brought to the foreground of his attention. As the next song being covered by a local band barely begins, the Sheriff instantly recognizes the melody.
It's a familiar song, one he can never turn off when he hears it. A song he always seems to increase the volume of while driving in his SUV or sitting in his office. A song he finds himself unconsciously singing along to with a smile.
A song that reminds him of Norma.
"Could I have this dance?" He asks softly, while unwrapping his arm from around her shoulders to reach for her hand. Norma gladly fits the palm of her hand in his as he leads her to the street, dodging the crowds of fellow festival attendees. ("Speechless" – Dan + Shay)
While the Sheriff guides her in front of him, he secures her right hand in his left and then rests his right arm at the small of his back. As if by instinct, Norma steps into the dancing frame he's created for them and relaxes her left hand on his bicep.
You say you'll be down in five
The smell of your perfume is floating down the stairs
You're fixing up your hair like you do
I know that I'll be a mess
The second that I see you
You won't be surprised
It happens every time
It's nothing new
Automatically Romero begins to hum along to the beat while they slowly move their feet.
It's always on a night like tonight
I think that you can read my mind
'Cause when you look at me with those eyes
The Sheriff takes charge of the dance, carefully lifting his arm for Norma to unhurriedly twirl underneath before resuming their original dancing movements. Norma can't hold in the tiny giggle she unexpectedly exudes or the excitement she radiates with every move in her partner's arms.
I'm speechless
Staring at you, standing there in that dress
What it's doing to me, ain't a secret
'Cause watching you is all that I can do
And I'm speechless
You already know that you're my weakness
After all this time I'm just as nervous
Every time you walk into the room
I'm speechless
A deepened voice singing softly along to the words of the song surprises her, causing her to immediately look up and become entranced on how his lips move. He angles her dainty figure closer to his stronger one, close enough for him to whisper the remaining verses in her ear.
It started when you said hello
Just did something to me
And I've been in a daze
Ever since the day that we meet
You take the breath out of my lungs
Can't even fight it
And all of the words out of my mouth without even trying
And I'm speechless
Norma slides her left hand from his bicep to rest her palm on his shoulder at the same time the Sheriff applies pressure to the curve of her back, allowing her to nestle into his torso.
Staring at you, standing there in that dress
What it's doing to me, ain't a secret
'Cause watching you is all that I can do
And I'm speechless
You already know that you're my weakness
After all this time I'm just as nervous
Every time you walk into the room
I'm speechless, yeah baby
"I want to tell Norman about us."
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"Where do we go from here?" Dylan asks cautiously, daring to look at the young woman in his arms who is staring back at him.
"Hmm." Emma pauses, tapping her index finger playfully on her chin as if she's deciding and unsure.
Truthfully Emma had already made up her mind when she took a tentative step toward the man, sitting on the table top of a picnic bench focusing on the still waters. He looked destroyed, mourning a relationship he still desperately wanted to be a part of. The scene brought tears to her eyes, easily affecting her as much as him if not more.
A teasing smirk sneaks onto to her lips. "I know you said you would follow me anywhere," she pauses.
"It's not even a question." Dylan replies, without hesitation or uncertainty.
"How about tonight, I follow you." She captures the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth, patiently waiting for Dylan's response.
With a widened smile, Dylan leans down to kiss the side of her temple. "I would love that." He then loosens his hold around her and steps off the table top using the bench seat below. Once his shoe hits the grass, Dylan stands in front of her with an extended hand.
Emma happily takes his waiting hand and laces their fingers together as she steps close to him. "I forgot to ask you, is there a reason you're dressed like you're drunk at a funeral?" She giggles.
He raises a brow, squeezing her delicate fingers within his larger grip. "That bad, huh?" Dylan grins before lifting their clasped hands to kiss her knuckles. I'll just say this looked a little better yesterday. But, I'm more than ready to get out of this monkey suit. Maybe you can help me with that?"
"Wow, that is probably the worst pick up line," Emma rolls her eyes and then covers up another giggle with her free hand.
"I tried." He shrugs his shoulders with a chuckle as he leisurely leads the way back to their vehicles, one parked in front of the other.
During their small stroll, Dylan turns more serious when they reach his truck. "I'm dressed like this for a reason, Emma. I expanded my business yesterday and where I'm expanding this is to Washington. The area I'm looking at is only a few miles outside Seattle, near your university." He searches Emma's face for a response, worried that maybe he moved too quickly when he can't decipher her reaction to his news.
It's a whole minute before her hand slips out of his and a pair of slim arms wrap around his neck excitedly, bouncing up and down on her tip toes. Soon after Emma drops to her heals and moves her hands from around his neck to his face, gently resting her palms on his cheeks. Emma holds his focus with a curious look on her face. "You really are following me?" She questions in a whisper with a tear sliding down her cheekbone.
"I told you, I'd follow you anywhere."
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Dylan leans the back side of his body against the truck with arms tightly secured around Emma's waist. The pair stares at the crowded streets of downtown White Pine Bay, busy with happy festival goers. Though one couple attending the festivities especially keeps their attention.
While resting his chin on the young woman's shoulder, Dylan watches on with anticipation as he observes his mother slowly creep in the shadows toward the love of her life. Her hesitation is clear, as well as her nervousness.
Silently, he cheers her on from the sideline.
Emma stiffens in his embrace, watching with eagerness the real-life romantic movie playing in front of them. The young couple simultaneously hold their breaths in witnessing Norma's sudden rush of courage, making the first move.
After many moments of held breath, Dylan sighs in relief immediately prompting Emma to do the same when they notice the Sheriff reciprocate her grasp.
As time ticks away with no real movement from the older couple, Emma starts to feel like an intruder in this scene. She shifts her body around in his hold to connect their stare. "Maybe it's time we go to the cabin," she smiles up at him.
"Yeah of course, let's go. We have plans ourselves." He winks while flashing a mischievous grin, feeling a chill when Emma steps out of his hold. Dylan glances over her shoulder one last time, getting a final image of the Sheriff holding his mother in a manner similar to how he had secured Emma in his throughout the evening.
The sight leads to a brightened smile, until suddenly it drops from his face entirely. Emma is abruptly moved to the side when he notices a mysterious figure in the darkness rushing toward the older couple, but Dylan recognizes the form.
Without warning, Dylan runs in the same direction leaving a confused Emma behind.
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I have a couple more chapters planned, including perhaps an epilogue. I'm hoping not to take nearly this long for the next chapter. Thank you for reading!