Norma became obsessed with googling risks and complications associated with pregnancies when you were over forty, leading to Alex banning her from the internet and devoting his time to smoothing out that little worried frown in any way he could. Regardless, she made him promise that they weren't going to tell people until they were sure everything was ok, and Norman seemed more than happy to have a secret to keep from Dylan, if it meant he had something he could bond with his mother over.
Norma was happy to have Emma back, and often found herself starting to tell her, before stopping herself, mid-sentence, her paranoia holding her back. She was healthier every day, and it took some getting used to to see her without that tube in her nose, breathing normally, being able to do all the things she hadn't been able to do before. Dylan too seemed happier than ever, still slightly awkward in Norma's presence, as he always had been, but Emma seemed to have brought him out of his shell and they all had dinner together several times a week, like the happy family Norma had always wanted. They had adjusted to Alex's presence in their lives like he had always been there, not questioning this seemingly abrupt relationship change at all.
If Dylan and Emma thought it was strange that Alex and Norman seemed to do almost everything around the house and motel that was more strenuous than answering the phone, they didn't let on, Emma privately just thinking that Norma had them incredibly well trained, smiling as Alex jumped to take a roast chicken out of Norma's hands like it weighed a ton.
"Erm, me and Alex are going somewhere this afternoon." Norma said brightly, one particularly sunny spring day, and Emma jumped back from where she'd been standing much too close to Dylan in the back office. Her and Dylan helped out occasionally, when Norma and Norman were busy, and they had come in this afternoon, while Norman had cryptically declared he had something important to do, and Alex had pulled up to take Norma out somewhere. Emma frowned, checking her watch. It was three in the afternoon. What kind of date were they going on at three in the afternoon?
"Ok. When will you be back?" She asked lightly, settling down at the computer, glancing up to find them biting their lips to keep from smiling at each other.
"Erm, about an hour, maybe?" Norma said, looking at Alex who nodded back. An hour. What kind of date took an hour?
"Ok." Emma smiled, narrowing her eyes curiously at them, watching as Alex wrapped a protective arm around Norma's waist, leading her out towards his car, whispering something in her ear that made her smile. "Have fun!" She shouted after them.
Dylan was stapling together invoices in the office behind her, adjusting to the work he'd been avoiding since his mother bought the motel, looking slightly out of place still, as Emma spun round on her chair, fixing him with a mischievous grin.
"I think your mom and Sheriff Romero are off somewhere to have sex." She said casually, watching as Dylan screwed up his nose in disgust, not looking up from his task.
"Ugh." He sighed, glancing up to see their car pull away.
"They have a whole house right there." He jerked his head up towards the house, and she giggled.
"Maybe they ran out of places in the house?" She mused thoughtfully, tapping her pen against her lip, watching as his nose wrinkled again.
"Ugh. Gross." He dropped the stapler, a sudden thought occurring to him. "The coffee table..." He whispered in horror, earning a childish giggle from Emma.
"Oh definitely the coffee table."
Dylan sighed as if exhausted by the whole concept.
"Jesus."
"Well, I think it's romantic..." Emma started, resting her head on her hands, sighing wistfully.
"Yeah well, it's not your mom..."
She giggled, sliding off her chair and flicking over the "open" sign to "closed", smirking dangerously at him. He raised his eyebrows at her, as if completely innocent to her intentions.
"What are you doing?" He asked mildly, as she stalked over to him, dramatically sweeping all the invoices off the desk, watching with slight horror as they fluttered to the floor.
"You heard Norma. We have an hour..."
Nearly two hours later, Emma looked up as she heard a car pulling in. She cast an appraising eye down at herself, noticing she'd missed a button on her shirt, hastily doing it up before glancing back at Dylan. He was a vision of calm, as always, not even looking up as he continued his task, the invoices collected up and re-catalogued as if nothing had happened. She acted casual, pretending not to listen as she heard Norma get out of the car, crossing round to say goodbye to Alex.
"You sure you don't want me to walk you in?" He asked sweetly, and Emma smiled at the computer screen.
"No, no. I'm fine. Thanks for coming with me." Norma's voice sounded strange, tight, even at a distance.
Alex laughed lightly.
"Anytime. I'm going to have to tell work soon though. I've had more days off in the last four months than in the last fifteen years!"
There was a tense silence, and Emma chanced a glance up at the parking lot, seeing Norma leaning in through the window of Alex's car. She could only see the back of her head but she could tell her posture was tense.
"I'm sorry." She could barely make out the words, they were so quiet. Alex laughed again, sounding happier than she'd ever heard him, apparently oblivious to Norma's discomfort.
"Don't apologise." He said lightly, like she was being ridiculous. "Any time, Mrs Romero."
Emma cast a glance over her shoulder at Dylan who finally looked up, hearing snippets of his mother's conversation, smiling at Alex's nickname for Norma. There was a pause, where Norma didn't correct him in that playful way she always did, and Emma frowned, worry setting in.
Alex's tone lowered, and Emma leaned forwards, trying to act casual as he asked something of Norma quietly, something that sounded like "Can we tell people now?" but Emma couldn't be sure.
"Soon." Norma replied tightly, before Emma looked up again, blushing as she saw Alex pull Norma in through his open window for a searing kiss, his hands tangling in her hair.
After an exchange of "Love you"s and "Bye"s, Emma suddenly busied herself with typing nothing at all on the computer screen, doing a double take as Norma entered the office, like she had no idea she was there.
"Oh, Norma. Hi!" She said, in mock surprise, taking in Norma's appearance with an appraising glance. She was deathly pale, leaning against the door frame, taking deep breaths through a fixed smile. If they'd gone off somewhere to have sex, it had either been very good or very bad.
"Hi Emma." She smiled at her, though it didn't quite meet her eyes, cocking her head to look past Emma, nodding her head at Dylan.
"You ok, Norma?" Emma was out of her chair in a heartbeat, crossing over to where Norma was leaning heavily against the doorframe, taking shaky breaths like she was going to cry.
"Yeah. I'm... I'm fine. I just..." She puffed out a breath, jerking her head to the glaring sunshine accusingly. "Phew! It's so hot today!"
It was definitely an unseasonably warm day, the mild spring weather suddenly replaced with a bright, hot day that Oregon dwellers were unprepared for, but it wasn't really hot enough to be acting the way Norma was acting. Emma reached for her elbow, flinching as Norma's clammy hand immediately clamped gratefully over hers, clinging to her for dear life.
"Have you eaten today?" Emma asked, her eyes darting around Norma's deathly white face, taking in the sheen of sweat that broke out on her forehead. Over Emma's shoulder, she saw Dylan rise out of his chair, worry setting in as he watched his girlfriend supporting his mother.
"Er... Yeah, yeah. I had toast at breakfast." She said, dazed, shocked when Emma gasped.
"Pfft! It's nearly five, Norma!" Emma chastised, shooting a helpless look at Dylan over her shoulder. "I'm going to go make you a sandwich."
She expected her to fight or argue, like she usually would, so Emma was surprised when Norma just nodded mildly, taking another deep breath.
"Thank you." She said gratefully, nodding, as Emma swept past her, taking off towards the house at a jog.
Emma had only been gone for ten seconds, before Dylan took a hesitant step forwards, not really knowing what to say now they were alone. They had been carefully rebuilding their relationship, but they were still rarely alone, and the silence seemed uncomfortable now. Not that Norma seemed to notice, staring at the floor, hanging on hard to the door frame, taking slow deep breaths.
"You ok, Norma?" He asked gently, watching as she glanced up at him, her bottom lip trembling, her eyes shining with unshed tears now that Emma was gone.
"I..." She started, before her head lolled, her knees giving way under her, sinking to the floor in slow motion.
"Mom?!" Dylan yelled, his tone panicked as he lunged forward, reaching Norma just as she hit the floor. Her body flopped like a rag doll, and he crouched next to her, his hands awkwardly reaching for her shoulders, giving her a little shake.
"Mom?" He whispered, watching as her eyelids fluttered, as if she were trying to open her eyes.
"You never call me mom." She breathed out, her voice slurred, her eyes still closed.
He scooped an arm under her shoulders, pulling her up against his knees, seeing her eyes blink open for a second, glancing down at herself and then up at him with sheer terror on her face. The fear on her face made him sad, patting her arm in what he hoped was a comforting fashion.
"It's ok, mom." He used the word again, the word feeling unnatural on his tongue, but knowing she liked it. "You just fainted. You're gonna be fine." He kept his tone low and soothing, like he was talking to a wounded animal, not understanding the way her eyes widened in panic at his words, her breaths panting out in short, sharp, shallow breaths.
"No, no." She whispered out, her voice quiet and shrill, swallowing hard as her eyes began to blink frantically, her breathing quick and panicked. "Dylan... I need you to..." Her voice faded out, and her eyes flickered closed for a second before flying open again, desperately trying to remain conscious as a fresh sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead.
"Take me to hospital-" She murmured, and he wasn't sure he'd heard her right, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at her.
He leaned in close, trying to keep her calm, knowing she was the type to make a drama out of everything. Her eyes rolled back in her head, her body going limp in his arms again as she breathed out the words: "I'm pregnant..."
Dylan and Emma didn't know that Norma remembered alot of what happened next. She was in and out of consciousness, too weak to move or speak, but the memory of their slightly ridiculous panicked reaction would stay with her forever. Dylan had scooped her up, cradling her against his chest as if they shared physical contact all the time, screaming for Emma, who came running down from the house, peanut butter-covered knife in hand.
"Get the car, get the car!"
"Dylan, what's hap-"
"Norma's pregnant! She fainted. Get the car!"
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Is she- Oh my god, Dylan, what if- Oh my god!"
"Emma, stop it. She's gonna be fine. Just drive!"
"Is she bleeding? Have you checked?"
"No, I have not checked, Emma!"
"Well, you should check!"
"No! I am not checking. Oh jesus. Do you have Alex's number?"
"Mmm. Don't call Alex..." Norma had murmured, flopping helplessly against Dylan's lap, her eyes flicking open for a second to see Emma glancing back desperately from the driver's seat, her eyes wide and panicked. "He'll only worry."
That was the last thing she remembered, before she woke in the hospital room, Alex's hand holding hers, Dylan holding a sobbing Emma against his chest in the corner of the room.
"Why is Emma crying?" She had spoken warily, her mind flicking to the worst, as they all jumped at the sound of her voice.
"Jesus Christ!" Alex exclaimed, reaching over to pull her in for a hug, while Norma narrowed her eyes at Emma's tearstreaked face, her expression darkening, trying to prepare herself for the worst. Emma skipped across the room in two steps, shoving Alex away dramatically, leaning across Norma to hug her delicately.
"I'm just so happy for you!" She whispered tearfully, and Norma let a wide grin spread across her face, watching as Alex and Dylan rolled their eyes at each other, guessing that Emma had been like this for some time.
