"I thought we were gonna go somewhere fun." Norma whined, fanning herself with the big stack of documents in her hand, leaning heavily on the little shelf in the middle of the bank.
"Or somewhere they have food?" She pouted sadly, like a little girl as he slipped his hand into hers, his eyes nervously scanning the wall of cashiers windows, eventually spotting the tell tale auburn locks at the furthest end.
"We can get food later, if you want?" He said distractedly, noticing too late that she had curiously followed his gaze.
Her mouth dropped open, and she glared at him.
"Alex..." She hissed, her voice low, a warning lingering there. "What are we doing here?"
"We're changing the name on your account." He replied innocently, watching as she licked her tongue over her teeth, shaking her head while she cast her gaze to the wall.
"This is petty." She muttered to him, as the people in front of them were called and the whole line shuffled up a bit. She glanced up with irritation up at the ceiling as she stepped out of the cooling reach of the air conditioning vent she had been under before. Without skipping a beat, he took the thick pack out of her hands, starting to absentmindedly fan her with it, while his eyes darted back to the booth at the other end of the bank.
"Cashier 4 please." The automated voice rang out, and Alex dropped his gaze, looking a little disappointed, as Norma glanced behind her, spotting the rotund, smiling gentleman sat behind the glass, with the number 4 lit up in LED above his head.
Glancing back to Alex, who was smiling at her with a strangely disappointed little smile, his hand still thoughtfully fanning her with the papers, she made a sudden decision, suddenly smacking the stack out of his hands, knocking the papers to the floor. He frowned in surprise at her, mistaking her action for a childish, irritated reaction to what he had been planning. He thought she might have jumped at the chance to get a little payback to the woman who had tried to seduce her husband all those months ago, and even if she hadn't, knocking stuff out of his hands seemed petty even for Norma.
"What are you, twelve?" He muttered, dropping to his knees, starting to gather the papers up, his mouth dropping open in disbelief as she subtly kicked out with the toe of her shoe, sending a couple of the papers sliding out even further from his reach.
"Are you kidding me?" He murmured under his breath. This was annoying, even by her standards.
"Oops!" She said loudly, shrugging guiltily at the man behind them. "You better go ahead."
Without showing a shred of concern for the pregnant woman leaning heavily on the railing, or any hint of helpfulness to the man gathering up papers at her feet, the man rudely sidestepped them both, eagerly taking their place at cashier 4.
Alex watched in disbelief at the man's rudeness, barely registering that the robotic automated voice had rang out again, until he glanced up to find Norma shooting him a wicked little grin.
She didn't wait for him, just turned on her heel, and started padding over to Rebecca's window with a level of grace that he knew must reasonably tough for her, pregnant as she was. He scrabbled around on the floor for another moment, catching up in time to see Rebecca gazing curiously at Norma, like she knew her face from somewhere but couldn't quite place it.
"Hi there. How can I help you today?" She trilled politely at Norma, her eyes going wide as she registered Alex skidding to a halt behind Norma, suddenly realising why this woman looked so familiar to her. She'd seen her around, and had obviously heard about the pregnancy from around town, but she hadn't quite pieced two and two together for a moment.
"Alex! Hi!" She blurted out, her smile growing wider as she looked him up and down appreciatively.
"Hello Rebecca." He nodded back formally, and Norma flicked her gaze back between them like she was mildly confused.
"Oh, do you two know each other?" She queried casually, smiling at her husband, and he managed to stop himself rolling his eyes at her little act.
"Me and Rebecca went to school together." He said, after a moment of deliberation, and, from the flash of hurt that crossed Rebecca's face, he knew the blow had landed. It was petty, he knew, but he knew she'd love it if it called her "an old friend" or anything else that would have sounded like they used to sleep together.
"Oh! Lovely!" Norma trilled, and Alex was fascinated by the way she was playing this, her nice as pie act strangely enthralling. Rebecca flashed her a tight smile, before shooting Alex a sharp look.
"How have you been?" She asked softly. "Still alive, I see?" She cast her eyes up at him sharply, and he remembered her fears that night at the carnival, trying to warn him that Norma might be a black widow, and that he was next on her list.
"Sure am." He nodded back, and then both looked to Norma, who had narrowed her eyes in confusion at their pointed exchange.
"So, what can I help you with today?" Rebecca's professional demeanour snapped back into place, smiling tightly at Norma, who opened her mouth to speak.
Alex cut her off.
"We wanna open an account for our baby." He blurted out, before Norma could speak. Her mouth dropped open for a split second, before she smiled widely at him, biting her lip at his unexpected words.
"For your baby?" Rebecca repeated slowly, her eyes darting down to Norma's stomach like she had only just really registered it, a haunted, saddened look crossing her features. Alex had always told her he didn't want children. Turns out he just didn't want HER children.
"I'm afraid that's not possible." She said coldly, a cool professional smile back on her face. "We can't open an account for a baby that hasn't been born yet."
"Oh.. right..." Norma started gently, nodding. She'd already known this, but nodded as if it was news to her, her expression soft and reasonable.
"You gotta have a social security number to open an account, and well, they don't get them till they come out." Norma nodded, secretly regretting coming here to rub Rebecca's face in their happiness. She seemed harmless, perhaps a little bitter and sad, but nothing that deserved their pettiness or their scorn.
"I'm real sorry about that." Rebecca said unconvincingly. "It's just that... if anything unfortunate happens to the baby, it would be a nightmare sorting out the paperwork. I mean, there can be all kinds of complications, right? Nothing's certain till it's here, right?" She uttered the words in a chipper, upbeat tone, a cold sneer fixed in place, and the smile fell from Norma's face. Alex was immediately glad there was a layer of bullet proof glass between his wife and his former flame, and his hand immediately reached out for Norma's, feeling her grip his hand hard in anger.
"Anything else I can do for you-" Norma cut her off.
"Yes, actually. I'd like to change the name on my account to Norma Louise Romero." She announced, snatching the crumpled handful of papers out of his hands and slapping them viciously onto the desk.
Rebecca cocked her head smugly at her, reaching forward to slowly slide the papers over.
"Sure. I can do that." She cast an appraising eye over the paperwork. "I'll need to see a form of ID."
Norma slid her driving license through the gap, and Rebecca took it, typing a few strokes into the keyboard in front of her. She turned her attention to the licence, reading over the details.
"127 pounds." Rebecca read outloud incredulously, letting her eyes rake pointedly over Norma's body, stopping on her huge stomach. Alex opened his mouth to say something, ready to spring the defence of his wife as Rebecca spitefully crossed the line, but she didn't need him, leaning in close to the little gap in the glass.
"I'm pregnant..." She said slowly, patronisingly, like Rebecca was the stupidest person alive. She let her hand glide over her stomach, her smug smile reminding Rebecca that the reason she no longer weighed 127 pounds was because she was carrying Alex's child, living the life Rebecca would never admit outloud that she wanted.
"Mm. I'd noticed." Rebecca remarked lightly, turning her attention back to the computer monitor, checking over the papers every now and again, typing in the details.
"Why did you wait so long?" She piped up suddenly, not looking up.
"Sorry?"
"To change your name? Why wait so long?"
Alex slunk his hand around Norma's waist, pulling her close, the other reaching to pat her stomach.
"We've been busy." He pointed out mildly, narrowing his eyes at his former flame, pleased when she shrank a little under his harsh glare.
"Alex!" She scolded, but her arm wound around his back, slinking under his jacket, resting low on the back of his belt.
Norma let out her best little sex kitten giggle, playfully patting his arm, drawing Rebecca's attention back to her to wink salaciously.
Rebecca blinked a few times, before numbly turning back to the screen, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. Alex felt no guilt.
"Ok, Mrs Romero." She said formally. "That's all done for you. Is there anything else I can help you with today?"
"Er yes." Alex blurted out again. "We'd like to open a joint checking account."
"You'd have to make an appointment to do that. I can't open a new account from the window." She snapped curtly, as her patience wore thin.
"I could add her as a named account user to an existing account, but your only account here at this bank is your savings account so-"
"Add her."
"What?"
"Add her. To my account." He said simply, as her grip around his waist tightened, leaning in snugly into his body. He turned to find her smiling quizzically at him.
"What's mine is yours." He muttered, and she rolled her eyes, before he swooped in to press a chaste kiss against her lips, his hands brushing tenderly over her stomach again. When he pulled back, Rebecca was staring at them open mouthed, and if he didn't know the heartless Rebecca better, he would have said her eyes looked a little shiny as she cast them down suddenly.
"Well... Lucky you!" She mumbled quietly, tapping furiously at the keys, shaking her hair out of her eyes. She quickly added Norma Louise Romero to Alex's account, giving her access to Alex's life savings, noticing them both squirming in her peripheral vision as she ran his hands up and down Norma's sides, making her giggle. Rebecca bit her lip, giving the tiniest sniffle, before fixing a polite smile on her face, sliding the papers back through the gap.
"Right. That's all done for you. Have a great day."
"Thank you for all your help, Rebecca was it?"
She nodded tightly at her, watching as they turned as one, stalking away from her. Knowing she'd still be watching, he let his hand slide down, smoothing over the curve of her bottom, and she let out a shrill little giggle, coquettishly pushing his hand away, before grasping it and pulling it firmly around her waist, leaning in against his body. He turned back just in time to see Rebecca disappear behind a dark blind, bearing the words "Sorry this position is closed." and he pressed a triumphant kiss against Norma's temple, feeling only the tiniest flash of guilt over their petty behaviour.
There was only one last person yet to tell, someone that Norma had been trying to talk to him about for weeks, months even. He shut her down every time though, putting his foot down, not even letting her finish her thought every time she mentioned it. Finally, she had had enough, and waited till a day she knew he would be working late, taking matters into her own hands. She had never waited for a man's permission to do anything, and she wasn't going to start now, deciding to take matters into her own hands.
By the time she got home that night, she was so exhausted she hadn't even noticed Alex's SUV parked ominously in the parking lot. She checked her watch. Alex shouldn't be home for another hour - There was just enough time to make dinner and pretend she'd spent the day doing nothing, just like he wanted her to. She was lost in her thoughts, troubled by the feelings of guilt for going behind his back, trying to figure out how to broach the subject, perhaps over dinner, when a familiar voice suddenly cut through her reverie.
"Where the hell have you been?" Alex asked angrily, sitting in the dark of the kitchen.
"Alex!" She gasped, reaching for the switch, flooding the room with light, gasping at his furious expression.
"Where have you been?" He repeated slowly, sounding angrier than she had ever known. She dropped her keys on the counter, leaning against it heavily, trying to pretend she didn't suddenly feel a little dizzy.
"I guess you already know where I've been." She said, as she perched her purse on the counter, taking a deep breath. There didn't seem to be any use pretending.
"I got a call from the prison, telling me my heavily pregnant wife had just signed in, refusing their advice to go home."
"How unprofessional." She muttered, rolling her eyes as she gripped the side of the counter hard, feeling a wave of pain run through her body. It was just Braxton Hicks - She'd been through this before.
"Do you know how worried I've been? Do you know how it felt to get that call?" He sounded so tortured, so broken, that she nearly apologised there and then. She opened her mouth, suddenly remembering the numerous times she'd tried to talk about it with him, only to be shut down.
She whirled round suddenly, flashing her eyes at him angrily.
"There was no need for them to call you! I'm a grown woman. I'm perfectly capable of visiting an inmate without someone feeling it necessary to call my husband to check up on me!"
"My father, Norma! Not just "an inmate"! My father!" He stood suddenly, breathing hard, his hands braced on the kitchen table.
"What gives you the right-" He started, and she started forward, ignoring the pain radiating through her abdomen to her spine.
"This is his grandchild, Alex! You don't think he had a right to know?" She wrapped a protective arm around her protruding stomach.
"I don't think it was your place to tell him, Norma!" He yelled, louder than he'd ever spoke to her before, and she narrowed her eyes to a vicious glare, taking a step back and leaning against the counter.
"Don't yell at me." She said quietly, and he gasped as he realised how he has raised his voice. He was shaking, partly from how upset he was with her, and partly with how he realised he had just spoken to her.
"I'm carrying your child." She reminded him and he lowered his gaze, dropping his head guiltily.
"I know I shouldn't have gone behind your back, but you didn't want to talk about it. I just thought he deserved to know. That's all." She explained gently, leaning back casually, wincing at the ache spreading through her torso. It was too early to be labour pains yet. She breathed slowly through it, not wanting Alex to worry.
"You're supposed to be taking it easy." He chastised, his tone completely changed, and she knew his anger had leached out of him.
"I took a cab. I napped the whole way." She smiled at him, and he raised his head finally to look at her, letting a small smile cross his face.
"You took a cab? How much did that cost me?"
"You don't wanna know." She inhaled deeply through her nose, fixing a smile on her face to cover the wave of dizziness that had just washed over her.
"What did he say?" He asked gently, casting his eyes down at his feet.
"He told me you were punching above your weight."
He smiled at his shoes, imagining his father saying just that.
"He said you were lucky to have knocked me up. Said I'm stuck with you now." She laughed quietly, apparently not at all offended by Mr Romero's assessment.
"I guess you are." He shrugged, scuffing his shoes against each other.
"He was happy for us. He said he thought you'd be a good father. Said he always thought so, and he was happy you finally settled down."
"Did he ask about me?" He breathed out, his voice small, and childlike. She cocked her head at him sadly.
"Of course... Of course he did." He glanced up, crossing over to her slowly. "I told him you were driving me crazy and I wouldn't have it any other way." He stopped right in front of her, and her hands shot out to grasp his biceps as another wave of dizziness shot through her.
"You ok?" He said suddenly, his hands automatically pressing against her belly, then sliding around her back to hold her up.
"Mmm hmm.." She murmured, her eyes closing, her face contorting as another cramp gripped her stomach, making her hang onto him harder.
"Are you sure?" He sounded worried, and her eyes shot open, trying to smile at him reassuringly.
"Yeah. It's just Braxton Hicks. Fake labour. It's too early. I had it with the boys aswell."
"Okay..." He didn't sound convinced, as he wrapped his arms around her, leaning over her stomach to press a kiss against her forehead.
"I'm sorry I went behind your back." She whispered against his chest. His hands stroked up and down her arms.
"It's ok. I'm sorry I yelled."
She nodded gently, screwing her eyes closed and pressing her face against his chest to cover the twinge that ran through her, making her feel woozy.
"Do you understand why I don't want to see him?"
She nodded against his chest. Mr Romero had been nothing but charming, but there had been an edge to their visit, a slightly hostile undertone that had made her feel uncomfortable, especially when Alex was mentioned, and she could understand why Alex wouldn't want to speak to him.
"My mother..." He started brokenly, and she leaned up kiss him gently, to cut him off.
"I know... I know." She whispered against his lips before she doubled over, letting out a small cry of pain.
"Norma..." He started helplessly, his hands flying to her face, smoothing the hair away from her suddenly sweaty brow.
"It's too early." She muttered out frantically, as her knees went weak and her shaking hands clung on hard to his arms for support.
"I feel... I feel dizzy..." She whispered, her voice slurring, and he tightened his grip around her, his mouth flapping open helplessly as she let out another ragged scream, her breaths coming short and hard.
In the silence of the kitchen, there was a sudden drip, drip, drip sound, and he looked down in horror at the three little droplets of blood that were suddenly marring the white tiled floor.
"No, no, no... It's too soon." She murmured, before her head lolled back and he managed to scoop her into his arms before she dropped, feeling more helpless than he had ever done in his life.
