November 23,
The day outside was beautiful, the sun glistened on the snow that had begun piling up before being melted away and the morning dew dripped from buildings and the cool exterior of cars. The motel read BATES MOTEL and outside was a parked Porsche with license plates reading that of many numbers and a different state then the one it was currently residing in.
Above from the motel stood a two-story house, a very old wooden house with snow on the roof above from the door, the snow was melting from the suns heat and left pools of water that slowly evaporated from the heat. On the outside of the house the grass was neatly filled with white spots of snow that were slowly becoming water and plants that had small icicles that were beginning to turn smaller and smaller from the penetration from the large orange sun.
"Good Morning, Mother." Norman approached his mother from behind as Norma stood in her blue robe making breakfast and Norman gave her a hug from behind and she smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Good Morning, Norman. Did you sleep, okay?" She asked as she made him a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. He went to the fridge and pulled out a gallon of orange juice and poured it in a short glass.
"Yes, I did. How are you feeling? After-…everything that happened?" He said stuttering to pry into the reason into his moms state several days before when he found her in the motel room passed out and unable to move. She stood quiet as she moved from the stove to the shelf and the sound of a clinking pan and plates could be heard before she sat down from Norman with a plate of her own.
"Yeah, I'm good." She said with pursed lips as she sank her teeth into some eggs making no eye contact with Norman as he shifted in his seat uncomfortably. His mom wasn't telling him the whole the truth and it made him uneasy, he felt his hand sweat and he balled it into a fist. Juno waddled into the kitchen and pawed at Norman's leg and snapped him from his thoughts as he pet her.
"Good Morning, Juno. How did you sleep?" He asked her as Norma looked over at the short scruffy dog who leaned into his touch.
That dog seemed so drawn to Norman, they'd do everything together, they'd sleep together, they'd work together, they'd walk together, they ate together, and sometimes while he bathed she sat waiting for him and handing him a towel. From what Dylan told her when he walked in on Norman bathing to shave.
"Good Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Bates." Dylan said jokingly, going to the fridge to grab a carton of milk which he drank straight from the carton and Norma grimaced at him.
"Dylan, get a glass." She scolded him with a look as he ignored her and went to make himself some toast which he spread jelly over and leaned over the counter eating his bread.
"So," Norma began after a long silence of them eating. "My brother is coming over today to spend Thanksgiving with us." She said and Norman dropped his fork on his plate making a loud noise and Dylan stopped his chewing as they both stood still.
"But, mother you said he's dangerous." Norman said leaning over to her and she shook her head and threw her napkin on her plate as she cleaned her teeth with her tongue.
"I did, but we've reached an agreement and I told him that he can spend Thanksgiving with us and after that to leave and not come back." She said as Dylan stood quiet about what his Mom had told him about her brother, Caleb, he looked at the back of Normans head. His brother had always been sensitive since they were kids, he was always quiet and would always stay with his mother and never made any friends.
"Okay, so we're all going to welcome him and have a nice dinner, okay?" She looked to both her sons and they looked at her with unsure glances, but Dylan shrugged and Norman appeared to be having a harder time accepting it. He had always been a bit jealous of people who tried to get close to his mom because he didn't want anyone to take her away from him. He turned his head from her and back to his empty plate and clasped his hand on the table into a fist.
"Okay, mother." He said after a long silence, she was satisfied with Normans answer and looked to Dylan as they both held a knowing gaze.
"Okay, Norma." He said putting the milk carton back in the fridge. Norman set his plate and glass in the sink and began washing it.
Norma just sat at the table in deep thought about her brother's visit, she didn't know when he would be arriving, but she had told him that he could only spend today with her and her sons and that after that to never come crawling back to her. She understood after receiving a phone call saying her mother died that there wasn't anyone left in this world for them, but Norma had created a new life with her sons who she called her family now, but Caleb he just could never let her go.
She sighed as she rested her forehead onto her fists and she heard Norman leave the kitchen and head out the door when she heard Dylan clear his throat.
"This is going to be a strange day." He said to his mother who watched her son lean on the counter. She didn't say anything.
"I don't know if I can sit through dinner knowing what I know and not want to confront him." He heard her breath hitch as she shook her head.
"Dylan, my brother is…very damaged. We both are. So, I want today to be about something happy and not to be about the past even though it is still something that I will never forget, but after today he won't come back ever again." She said as Dylan looked at his mother's expressions from sincere to nostalgic as she placed her hands by her plate picking it up and going to the sink to stand by her eldest son.
"Lets just have a happy Thanksgiving, okay?" She said with a tired smile as her son let out a heavy sigh and made a small smile.
"Okay, Mom." He said and she gave him a small hug which he reciprocated.
"Also, can you go into town and pick up some supplies for me, there some wood near the far end of the Motel that is really damaged and needs to be replaced. I called someone to install it for me, but they're not going to be able to do it until after Thanksgiving week and the wood is falling apart and snow has flooded the walls inside one of the rooms. It's a mess." She said going back to normal and Dylan noticed his mom's quick change in mood, he gave her a look that she hadn't noticed as she washed her dish and cup and set them to dry going passed Dylan.
"I can fix it, I'll bring over one of the guys down where I work." He said as Norma scrunched her eyebrows together in distaste and put a hand on her hip as she stopped her movements and turned to him.
"One of your weed friends?" He rolled his eyes as he swayed.
"Does it matter? We'll fix it. Don't worry we won't plant weed in the walls and make the motel stink of marijuana." He said sarcastically as Norma cocked her head and shot him a look.
"Don't say that. I just don't like you doing that." She said solemnly.
"It's just for now, Norma. Anyway, I'll bring down Gunner and we'll patch up the wood on the far end of the motel." He said getting ready to leave.
"What kind of name is Gunner?" He heard her say from the kitchen as he grabbed his black leather jacket and a short scarf before grabbing his car keys.
"A stupid one." He said as he closed the door behind him and went to his truck where he found Norman in the office staring at the wall.
"Norman, relax…he hasn't done anything. It's just a visit." Norman heard his mother say as she sat at one of the desk dressed in the light blue dress he liked her to wear, he loved when his mom dressed in blue it was his favorite color.
"No, it's not. There's something you're not telling me?" He said as his breathing began to grow rapidly and his pulse increased. He heard her chuckle.
"Norman, I've told you already everything. Nothing is going to happen, we'll just eat and be a happy family." She said sarcastically as he stared at the picture on the wall of a boat and his pupils dilated.
"No! We're not a family! He has no part in our lives." Norman snapped as he turned to face his mother who looked calm, but held a sly smile.
"So, what do you want me to do? Make him go away?" She questioned Norman who walked closer to his mom where she sat still. He stopped in the middle of the room.
"What do you mean go away?" He asked as his mother's expression turned sinister and she smiled at him when Dylan walked in.
"Who are you talking to, Norman?" He asked as he saw his brother facing the chair where Emma usually sat, he heard his brother talking and sounding very upset.
"No one, I was just thinking that um-." He saw his mother wink at him and he gave her a weird look as he heard his brother once more.
"Are you feeling alright, Norman?" He asked as Norman looked from his mother to Dylan.
"I'm fine. I'm just planning to meet someone in town and I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to say to them." Norman said with a calm smile as he placed his hands in his pockets calmly and Dylan just stared at him before nodding and going back to his car.
"That's my boy." His mother said as she clung to his arm and he rested his head on her hers.
The town held many decorations and even turkeys roamed around as festivities were underway, people were bustling about getting ready for the night where they would indulge in cheer with family and friends on a day chosen to be thankful for.
A man walked into town nervously as he had parked his car outside of a shop and went to look for a gift to give to his sister, this was the last day he could spend with her and then after he would never be able to see her again. Her blue eyes and her glow, he could imagine her opening the door and smiling at with innocence and a halo around her.
"Hi, I'm looking for a gift for my sister. What would you recommend for a beautiful woman?" He asked the clerk in the small gift store with many interesting trinkets, he didn't know what to get her.
"For a beautiful woman? Well, tell me more about her and I'll see what I can come up with." The clerk told him with a polite smile as he looked around the store and his eyes fell on blue, it was a color that always complimented her.
"She dresses very vintage, like 50's dress wear and she looks good in blue." He said as the clerk clapped their hands together.
"I know just the thing, follow me." He followed after her as outside the store stood a young teenage boy with a calm look on his face as he walked in the store.
"Hello, I'm here to pick up my order." He said as he took out his wallet and placed down his receipt card.
"Ah, to Norma Bates?" The owner said with a rosy smile as a blonde man turned around to the name and looked at the tall teenage boy with brown hair, he was dressed in a black coat and jeans. He couldn't see his face, but approached the teenage boy who grabbed the box that was neatly wrapped and had a sticker on it with a TO and FROM on it.
"You know Norma Bates?" He asked holding a trinket in his hand and record, the teenage boy turned to meet him, his eyes were a calm blue green and he looked similar to Norma.
"Yes, she's my mother. Who are you?" Norman answered the man as he looked at him in question, he was an older man with dirty blonde short hair and red eyes, he was dressed a bit thin for the weather in Oregon.
"I'm her brother, Caleb," Normans breath hitched as he shook Caleb's hand, he stood still for a second as he could hear Caleb talking, but not make out the words.
"Her brother?" Norman questioned innocently as his expression went back to being calm and Caleb smiled.
"Yeah, I've been on the road for a while and I thought I'd stop to see Norma, it's been a long time and we haven't seen eachother in years." Caleb said as the owner handed Norman another box which he signed off on quickly.
"Why is that?" Norman asked innocently as he noticed Caleb's change in expression as his smile fell slightly.
"You know things that happen in the past are like they happened yesterday, so, but I've come back to make things right. I'll be going over tonight." He said as Norman nodded in response, he looked down to the items in Caleb's hand before meeting Caleb's eyes.
"I'll look forward to it." Norman said as he left the store with the two boxes that were neatly wrapped, he felt the inside of him boil with anger.
Caleb watched the boy leave and went to the owner to cash out his items, he thought Norman to be a very polite kid, he looked more like his father than Norma, he had his eyes, hair, but some parts of him looked like her and he seemed similar to her in the things he said. He hadn't had the chance to see Dylan yet, that's who he was mainly focused on, that's what drew him to Oregon when he'd met with Dylan's father in bar saying how his son ain't his son.
He walked out into the cold air and walked back to his van, he drove around town and pulled into the hardware store and parked beside a black truck.
"This is going to take us a couple of days to do, Dylan." Gunner commented as he held several wood planks in his arms, they were going down the aisles when they ran into a man with blonde hair.
"Hey are you planning on using that in this weather?" He asked them as Gunner shot a look at Dylan of I told you so and Dylan ignored him.
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, that wood is going to get all messed up with the weather up here, you use cedar it'll be able to withstand the moist temperature in this state." He said pointing to some planks above them that were stacked on eachother, Dylan looked to the paper in his hand Norma had wrote for him.
"Alright." Dylan said as Gunner placed the other wood back with the other ones and grabbed the cedar wood.
"What is it, you guys are building?" The man asked as Dylan held a basket, with nails, saws, and other tools, he shifted on one leg.
"Were repairing some dead wood on a motel, it's flooding one of the rooms interior wall and ruining the base." Dylan said as the man nodded.
"I can help you, I used to work on construction back in Indiana, I have some tools in my car if you want to save some money." The man said and Dylan looked him up and down and nodded.
"Sure." Dylan said.
The police station was calm on Thanksgiving, for the morning that is, but the officers were celebrating in their own way with the breakroom filled with sweets and some drinks. The officers were laughing and just kicking back as they went about their duties until it would be time to go home and be with their families.
"It's a very rare type of drug, it has no taste or smell, but it inflicts its victim with an aphrodisiac effect making them have an erection for several hours which can be painful due to its lasting duration no matter if it is released. It also effects vison and memory. Side effects can be nausea, vomiting, fever, cold sweats, sweating, headaches, dizziness, memory loss, and rashes." The medical doctor had told him several days ago, when the results came back and the Sheriff had nodded in response, but now he sat at his desk with the file on the young woman they had found in the tidal flats.
"Also, I found some strain of another drug similar to the same one you ingested that was in your spit." He remembered the medical doctor saying as he went to open the file and read it.
The toxicology report came back with only alcohol having been in her system and different D.N.A. samples inside her that were from different men, but none leading to the time of death. She had been strangled from behind from some type of elastic wire they identified as Christmas type of lights which explained the reddish burns around her collar bone and chest.
He had not heard back from Bob since he had called him several days ago, but he was going to have to go back up to the club to interrogate him which was going to be a daunting task. For now, Bob was staying quiet and not doing anything suspicious. He recognized the girl as being one Bob's regulars and he knew his friend wouldn't have killed her. He's killed lots of people, but he would have to have had a reason to kill her and dump her body in such a way. It wasn't like him to leave a body where people could find it and he couldn't go and ask for his input because currently Bob was in Europe.
He sighed and rubbed his face when his door opened to reveal a worried looking Norman who went to take a seat. He didn't talk much to Norman, he was a quiet kid who kept to himself and Norma always seemed to guard him like if she were holding a secret she wanted no one to find out, but here he stood in front of him.
"Sheriff Romero." He heard Norman say as he looked to him in response and leaned forward in chair putting the file away.
"Yes, Norman. What can I do for you?" He said as he felt a tugging feeling in his gut, there was something about the teenage boy that always made Romero feel uneasy.
"I believe there's a man who may try to hurt my mom." He said as Romero stared at him calmly through his dark lashes as his heart began to slowly pound against his chest and legs felt light.
"What?" Romero questioned as Norman nodded.
"I believe my mother's brother may try and harm her." Norman said as Romero relaxed when Norman said brother, he had met Caleb at the front door, but he had noticed as well that Norma did not seem happy to see him and figured out she was the one who beat him. Caleb had mentioned something happened between them and that she'd never forgiven him, but he seemed sincere about being reunited with his sister again.
"Norman, I'm sure your mother is fine. I met with him in town, he's just passing through, I understand where you're coming from. Sometimes it can be difficult when a new man enters your life and it feels like he's trying to get in between you and your mom, but it's not like that." Romero said as he noticed Norman look uneasy, he was sliding his hands up and down his legs nervously as he rested them on his knees.
"No, he's dangerous and he's probably forcing her to let him come over today, maybe against her will even." Norman said with eyes that were full of fear and anger as he began talking faster and Romero let out a click of his tongue.
"Okay, if it makes you feel any better…Norma invited me to join you guys for Thanksgiving Dinner which I declined because it's not very appropriate of me to intrude on you, but if it will set your mind at ease I'll come over tonight to make sure nothing happens." Romero said as he noticed Norman relax, he seemed to lean into his chair and looking to his hands for answers.
"Yeah, that sounds good, but don't tell my mother. She'll be upset with me if she finds out I told you. I'm doing this for her own good." Norman said as he felt his mother's eyes on him as she sat beside him with a red lip.
"Alright, I'll be over tonight. It's going to be okay." Romero said as he stood up and patted Normans back heartily as he guided the young teen out of his office who looked more at ease then when he walked in. He decided to hold onto the deal they made to not mention anything to Norma and he went back to work.
Dylan arrived at the motel a few hours later with Caleb following behind, Caleb looked a bit hesitant as he recognized the motel and the house above it.
"You work here?" He asked Dylan who helped Gunner unload the cedar from the truck.
"Nah, I live here with my mom." Dylan said as he held his back to Caleb and reached in the backseat for bags of other materials and tools they would need to fix the inside of the rooms and the outer walls and such. Behind him, Caleb was glued to the ground as he stared at Dylan, he had waited for this moment for a long time and he stared really hard at Dylan.
"You gonna help or not man?" Gunner said bumping him slightly as he walked around to the back of the motel to where the wood was chipping and falling apart due to the moist weather that was eating away at it and flooding the inside wall which they would have to replace.
"Yeah." Caleb responded as he unhooked his hands from his pockets and went inside his van where he grabbed two metal boxes filled with tools and electric grills. Dylan brought the hand saw and they set up the sight in the back of the motel near the most damage, they began by tearing out the wood and pounded on it with large hammers.
Up the stairs leading towards the wooden house was a woman inside who bustled about preparing large plates of food, she went about cooking the last of what was needed and went into the main dining room which she never used, only for special occasions. She set the table with a white table cloth and set the most beautiful plates she owner with forks, spoons, and knives neatly tucked in where they needed to be. She grabbed some long candles and stacked them on the beautiful silver candled holders at the table with a fresh bouquet of flowers.
She heard music playing in the living room where she had placed a record down from the collection of records the previous owner had left. There was a lot of old music, but really good hits Norma remembered when growing up, she swayed to the music as she bustled about the house cleaning. She looked for Juno who she couldn't find anywhere and assumed she'd gone with Norman into town.
She turned off the oven and fire, she took off her apron and put on her tan coat and went down to the motel where she attended the desk and read over the recent surveys of guests. Her eyes glossed over a name, Annika Johnson, she checked in four days ago, and was supposed to be checking out today, she looked outside and noticed the sports car. She opened up the log book and noticed Normans handwriting and the time she had checked in, she had checked in when she left for the party that night four days ago.
"Annika Johnson." She said out loud as she went to knock on the room and got no response until someone patted her on the shoulder and she turned to see a beautiful tall young woman with long blonde wavy hair and pretty blue eyes. She looked like a model.
"Hi, are you looking for me?" She asked Norma who looked to her than to the room and straighten her jacket out.
"Yeah, are you Annika Johnson." Norma asked as the girls smile widened and she nodded.
"Yes, I am."
"Oh, I was just wondering. Your scheduled to check out today, so I was just checking on you. I hadn't been here when you arrived. My son must have checked you in." Norma said as they shook hands.
"Your son, Norman?" She asked as Norma smiled.
"Yeah, I see you've met him." Annika seemed taken back as she recognized Norma, but she had no idea she was the mother of Norman, he had explained how much he loved his mother, but little did he know what his mom did or done. Annika was tasked with the job from Bob Paris to find the prostitute from Room 4, but it was apparent that there was a guest unaccounted for.
"Listen, I don't how to tell you this, but um, by any chance was there a guest in Room 11. I checked it yesterday, but the person was gone." Annika said as she didn't want to jump to conclusions, Norma indeed matched the description as the woman she had brought to the motel. She noticed Norma tighten up and look to Room 11, she bit her tongue.
"Room 11? Was there someone in there?" She asked Annika.
"Actually, there wasn't, but I brought someone home with me who was in no state to drive and I left my key somewhere else. So I looked for a key and found Room 11's. I'm sorry, I'll cover whatever they may have done." Annika said as Norma seemed glued on the spot and was going to ask Annika about where she'd found Norma when there was a loud sound.
*BANG* *CRASH* *CRACKLE*
Norma snapped her attention to the sound and walked down the hall and turned the corner near the ice box and found Dylan, the weed kid, and her brother Caleb.
"Norma." Caleb said as Dylan set the hammer down and Gunner kicked the dead wood out of the way as Dylan looked to Caleb who was looking at Norma who stood still for a moment. It always made her uneasy to be around her brother, but she soon regained her composure and realized Dylan had no idea that the man he was working with was her brother.
"You know my mom?" Dylan looked to Caleb with a questioning stare.
"I more than know her, I'm her brother." Caleb said looking from Norma to Dylan who dropped the hammer onto the gravel and Norma saw her son go into shock.
"What?"
Norma watched her son begin to ball his fists and get really upset, she'd never seen him like that and when she saw him ready to approach Caleb who hadn't noticed.
"Dylan." She shot him a look and he stopped.
"So, this is Dylan." Caleb said looking from Norma back to Dylan who gave him an indifferent look, he felt uneasy and didn't want to be anywhere near Caleb knowing what he'd done. Norman was already off the deep end, who knows what he'd do if he found Caleb at the house, he had to tell his mom about Norman and his relapse this morning.
"Hey, mom, can I talk to you for sec?" Dylan said leaving Caleb and Gunner and pulling her to the side and going back to the OFFICE when they ran into Annika who was waiting for Norma.
"I'm so sorry Annika, I'll ask Norman if he saw anyone leave that room." Norma said leaving Dylan and walking ahead.
"It's fine. Here's my card. Call me." Annika said giving Norma a knowing look and Norma stared at the card before putting it in her pocket.
"Who was that?" Dylan asked as he pulled up to her and Norma shook her head as she watched Annika get in her car and drive away. She had so many questions and so much on her mind, she had Caleb, and then Dylan, and Norma had gone off somewhere and she just hoped he was okay.
"Norma." She heard Dylan call her, she rubbed her forehead.
"It was no one, now what did you want to talk about?" Norma asked him and he took her into the OFFICE and closed the door behind them.
"It's Norman. Before I left to the hardware store I found him in here staring at the wall," Dylan said as he pointed to the picture of the boat on the wall and standing where Norman stood earlier. Norma waved her hand.
"He was probably just looking at the picture. He's easily drawn to things like that, Dylan." Norma said avoiding Dylans desperate look as he walked back to Norma.
"He was standing there for at least 15 minutes Norma, that's not normal and I came in here to check on him and heard him talking to himself." Dylan said as Norma just made a noise with her mouth.
"How is that strange? I talk to myself all the time and maybe he was just lost in thought." Norma said making excuses for her youngest son, he hadn't had an episode since they were in Arizona and he had murdered his father without even realizing and she swore for as long as she lived she wouldn't tell him, ever.
"Norma, he was talking to you, he thought he was. He thinks he's you. He was saying that you were going to make Caleb go away and he asked you what you meant by that. He's not right, Norma." Dylan said as Norma was alarmed at this, she had been in the house when he came down to the motel, she had no idea what was wrong with her son, but he had been getting better and she'd figure there was nothing wrong.
"Dylan, he's just upset about Caleb being here. Once, Caleb leaves I'm sure he'll go back to being himself." Norma said getting up as Dylan pressed on.
"So, are we just going to forget this happened?"
"Yes! Dylan. We are going to forget about it and move on!" She raised her voice as she went to the door and slammed it behind her where she found Norman approaching her as she walked up the stairs.
"Oh, dear, mother I didn't want you to see the gifts I got for you and Dylan for Christmas. I wanted it to be a surprise." He said with a small smile holding the two small boxes under his arm. Norma looked to her son flustered and hugged him tightly and he looked confused as he could feel his mother shake slightly.
"Are you alright, Mother?" Norman asked her from where his face rested on her shoulder and he could hear her voice quiver. She held her son tightly before pulling apart and kissing him on his cheek leaving a little lipstick stain.
"I'm fine. Everything's fine." She said as she held onto his free arm and they walked up to the house.
It was night now, all the people of the town stood with their families or respectable areas of pleasure and cheer. The town was lit up beautifully with warm lights and outside of town stood the BATES MOTEL and above from it was a house with warm lights appearing outward that let any passerby know that someone was home.
Norman and Dylan sat in the living room with Caleb, they had been chatting and Norman seemed calm from what Dylan had noticed unlike earlier that day when he noticed his brother had a hostile side to him. Dylan didn't feel exactly comfortable being around Caleb and he had noticed Caleb seem more interested in getting to know him than Norman.
"So how old are you guys?" He said looking from Norman to Caleb.
"18." Norman said.
"24" Dylan answered.
"Wow, you guys are really big. I remember seeing you guys when you were kids." Caleb said as Norman caught onto this.
"You've met us before?" Norman asked and Dylan noticed his brother tense up.
"No, I went to see Norma a while back, but she had told me to leave. I seen you two though, outside playing." He said with a smile as he rubbed his hands together nervously and Dylan sat apart from his brother on the couch as Caleb sat in front of them on a sofa chair.
"Hey, Norman, let's go drink a beer." Dylan said as Norman shot his brother a strange look. He grabbed his brother by the arm.
"You want one?" He asked Caleb who shook his head.
"No, I'm alright."
He and Norman went into the kitchen where they smelled the most delicious of scents and found their mother bustling about, they had tried to help her, but she kicked them out so they were seated in the living room awkwardly.
"Norma." Dylan said as his mom looked at the both of them.
"You two are behaving, right?" She asked giving them both looks as they shrugged.
"Were doing okay." Dylan answered for Norman who stood next to him awkwardly and Dylan grabbed two bottles of beer and went out the back door with Norman when Norma turned around fixing up a dish.
"Listen, I know you want to tear his head off and murder him, but we need to listen to Norma. He's going to be here only for today and then tomorrow we won't ever see him. So, you need to fuckin relax." Dylan said opening the bottling and taking a huge gulp before opening the other one and shoving it in Normans hand which he held quickly, afraid it might fall.
"I'm not happy either with him here." Dylan admitted as Norman stared at the bottle and Dylan clinked his with Normans.
"It'll make you feel better." Dylan said as Norman downed the contents and coughed afterward and Dylan remembered him doing the same when Norman had told him about Keith Summers.
"I told Sheriff Romero." Norman said as Dylan looked to him.
"You what?"
"He's dangerous, Dylan. What if he's making Norma do things against her will or will try to hurt her? You heard her at the hospital." Norman said with watery eyes, he was a guilty drunk and Dylan felt a smile creeping to his face, but just stared at his brother.
"She just does things that don't make sense, sometimes." Norman said as a few tears fell from his eyes.
*DING* *DONG*
They both looked at eachother and Dylan shook his head.
"You didn't?" He said.
They both arose and went to the side of the house to see Sheriff Romero standing there dressed in normal clothes, he was wearing a nice dress jacket and some black jeans with black dress shoes. In his hand was a pie.
"He said mom invited him, but he declined her offer and when I went to see him, he said that he'd come over tonight to make sure nothing would happen." Norman said as Dylan watched Norma open the door for Romero with a wide smile and her face lit up as she let him in.
"Norman I know how to shoot a gun. If something would happen, I would be there to stop it." Dylan said turning his brother to face him.
"I'm sorry, Dylan. I-I just, you and mom, seemed so relaxed by the whole thing I didn't know what to do." Norman said as more tears fell from his eyes and out from under the house came the dog, Juno.
"Juno!" Norman said picking up the dirty dog. She'd been missing since the morning and Norman had been looking for her and found her coming out from the under the house.
"How did she get in there?" Dylan said as Norman shrugged.
"I don't know, but I'm glad she's okay." Norman said hugging the pup tightly and it whined in response.
Inside the small entrance before entering the house Norma and Alex stood, Norma was dressed in a blue dress with a belt tied around her waist, it gave a view of her collarbone and neck which Alex notice was clear, there wasn't a trace of he'd noticed a yesterday.
He'd come over to see how she was feeling after Norman and Dylan told him they couldn't find her several days before, before Norman admitted she was in a motel room, the same he had stayed in and that she was sick. He had come to see her a few days later and spoke with her, he felt a closeness between them in the moment they'd shared on the couch. He held her and she allowed him to, she didn't push him away and she didn't lie to him, but looked at him and trusted every word he told her and when he held he found her neck with red bruising and teeth marks and he felt sick to himself. He had left right after, but she had taken no notice to his sudden departure.
Now, he stood once again in front of her, he held no feelings for her, but with each moment he spent around her, he felt himself begin to fall. With each touch and smile he felt himself begin to fall deeper. He knew she had been sleeping with Zach Shelby and other people, but he had never cared because he was also sleeping with other people and why did it matter?
She was just a widow motel owner with two sons. She was just another civilian in town and nothing more, but from the very moment he met her, he knew she would be trouble and that he would never get away. Every moment he spent with her, he tried never to get close to her because he saw no reason to get close to people. After, his mother died he had lost himself, he had joined the Marines and learned to never fall for anyone, to never feel and being Sheriff in White Pine Bay it was not safe to be sentimental towards anything or anyone.
"Alex, I didn't think you were gonna come." He heard he say as he met her innocent blue eyes, she looked beautiful even with the dirty apron she had tied around her waist. He felt himself smile, a real smile as she gave him a hug and she seemed really happy at him being here.
"I didn't think I was either." He lied to her, he wasn't going to come, he had told himself not to get anymore closer to Norma Bates, but then her son came to him in desperation and there was something not right about her youngest son. He didn't want anything to happen between her son and Caleb, but now his attention was back to Caleb because Norma personally seemed afraid of him when he showed up on her doorstep.
He had decided to come to make sure nothing would happen. Not for Norman, but for his own self-interest and he felt himself fall once more when she held his hand and guide him in the house with her bright smile and her blonde curls bouncing with each stride.
"Where are your sons?" Romero asked as she looked around for them
"I don't know, they went out back." Norma answered as Romero looked to the living room where Caleb sat awkwardly and Romero guessed her sons weren't very comfortable around Caleb and had took the first chance to slip out for some air.
"Sit, here, I'll go get them, I'm almost done, so just wait a little bit longer." She said as she Alex down on the couch where Dylan and Norman sat at before they left.
"You remember, Caleb, right Alex?" Norma said motioning towards Caleb who stood up and shook hands with Romero.
"I ran into him in town." Alex said as Norma shot him a look which he ignored and took Caleb's hand in greeting.
"Yeah, it's nice to see you again. Your advice worked. She did come around." Caleb said with a smile as he looked to Norma who was staring at Alex in question.
"Your brother was unsure of whether you would forgive him and I told him you would come around, eventually." Alex said with a friendly smile as Norma looked to the ground and Alex noticed her shift in attitude before she looked to Caleb.
"Yeah, I guess I did." She said with a small smile and Caleb's smile widened.
"Now you two just wait here, I'll go find Dylan and Norman." She said as she went back in the kitchen, her heels clinking with every movement.
"I didn't know you were going to be here." Caleb said as he relaxed into the chair with Alex's familiar presence that didn't seem sour like with the boys who obviously didn't like him.
"I didn't think I was either, to tell you the truth." Alex chuckled as he leaned into the couch and adjusted his tie.
"So how do you know Norma?" Caleb asked as Alex shifted in his seat.
"You guys together?" Caleb asked slightly irked by the idea even though Norma had two children from two different men.
"No, we met due to certain circumstances. Trouble seems to call to Norma and through that I've gotten to know her really well." Alex said remembering when they first met outside of the motel where she had been cutting up the rugs and disposing of Keith Summers right under his nose. She lied to him, she had been lying and he could just feel it in those moments of first contact that she would cause him trouble.
"It sure does." Caleb agreed with a snort as Dylan and Norman walked back in and sat on the couch with Alex and Alex noticed neither of them wanted to sit beside Caleb, Norman stood in the middle and Dylan stood on the left side while Alex stood in the right side. He also noticed how calm they looked and the smell of light alcohol on their breaths.
"Hey, Romero." Dylan said from his side of the couch as Alex leaned forward and waved and his eyes fell on Norman who smiled at him.
"So, what was it like growing up with Norma Bates?" Alex questioned to make conversation as the two boys seemed to be making things really awkward by staying quiet, but then they looked to Alex with a look like why did you just ask that. Dylan looked a bit interested to hear what Caleb had to say because his mom was a natural liar, she lied to him about almost everything, but when she told him about her brother she seemed to be very sincere and truthful, but to hear another person was something else.
"Well, uh, we were very close." Caleb said.
"What happened?" Norman said as the mood went sour fast.
"I'm gonna put on a record." Dylan said getting up to go to the record player where he picked a disk and music began playing. Alex shifted in his seat uncomfortably and shot Norman a swift look and he mouthed a sorry.
"Dinner's ready!" Norma shouted coming into the living room with a bright smile as she saw all 4 of them with depressed looks. Dylan was in the corner standing beside the record player looking at it for answers, Caleb was rubbing his hands nervously as he looked to his shoes, Alex was rubbing his chin, and Norman looked as if someone had taken Juno away from him.
"What the hell is the matter with all of you? Dinner is ready." She said putting her hands on her hips as they all turned their attention on her, Alex was the first one to get up and walked past Norma to the dining room.
"Good timing." She heard Alex say as Norman followed after him and he gave Norma a sorry look.
Dinner went a lot smoother than when waiting for Norma, they had all sat down at the table, Dylan and Norman sat on the right side of the table, near the wall, Norman sat by Norma and Dylan sat near Caleb which wasn't too happy about, but kept his cool. Alex sat on the left side of the table by Norma, he kept a curt smile as Norma had lifted her glass. There was a lot of food and it looked very delicious, she was always cooking something every time Alex would come to see her, either cooking or cleaning.
"I just want to say, that I'm happy to have all of you here with me, it's been a long time since I've had this many people at one table." She said as she looked to her brother, she remembered the holidays that would celebrate alone, she closed lowered her eyes with a nostalgic smile and Alex stared at her.
"So, um, I'm thankful for all of you being here." She said with a chuckle and everyone else followed suit. The table was full of men and only Norma was there, she wondered about Emma and how she was celebrating with her father, but no mother. She passed around plates as everyone took a piece of food from each and stacked their plates. The sound of forks moving against the glass plates could be heard.
"Were thankful for you too, Norma Bates." Alex said in a whisper and she gave him a small smile in between them eating.
Later, that night the men went outside to drink beer and Norma was in the kitchen cleaning the dishes, the men had asked if they could help, but she'd push them outside. Norman returned later saying he was feeling sick from the beer and was going to lie down in his for a while and she gave him a kiss on his forehead.
Alex was in the kitchen helping Norma even though she told him not to, he was drying the plates for her and putting them away.
"I'm glad you came, Alex. I didn't want you spending Thanksgiving eating T.V. dinners and watching Cheaper By the Dozen or something." Norma said as Alex smirked as he chuckled and shook his head.
"That's funny. I usually do that." He said as she turned to him.
"Really?"
"Not Cheaper by the Dozen, but I watch the Nation Lampoon Vacation." He admitted as Norma let out a cute laugh with curious eyes as she scrubbed the plate in her hand.
"Are you serious?" She asked as she was in shock at what he had just admitted to her and she didn't know if it was the wine or what, but it was unlike him to ever be truthful. He was always trying to be tough and stoic.
"Yes, Norma I am." He answered as he grabbed the plate from her hand and placed it in the cabinet. They had finished cleaning and sat at the small table in the kitchen to eat desert which was chocolate cake with cool whip and strawberries. They were talking casually and laughing at different things when a song began to play and Norma stopped to hear it.
"You know this song?" She asked Alex who looked around trying to hear the slow melody begin to play and she grabbed his hand and led him into the living room.
You may not be an angel…
It began and Alex looked at the record twirling around and he stood very close to Norma and they had drunken at least 3 glasses of wine now and were red in the face. Norma was grinning ear to ear as she held his hand before grabbing the other one and leading him on in a swaying movement. He turned away shyly with a shy smile as he held onto her waist and they swayed, her hands rested over his arms that held onto her and they swayed back and forth.
"What has gotten into you, Norma?" He joked as she shook her head and leaned in close to him wrapping her arms under his, she stared up at him from her chest.
"I'm just happy to have a family, I've never had one before…I've always dreamt of having a beautiful house where friends come and go. I feel so happy to be spending it with people I love." She said as she layed her head over his chest.
The human little faults you do have…
Alex stared down at her.
Just make me love you more…
He didn't say anything, but held her close and they swayed to the music, little moments like these were becoming more frequent and more intimate. Alex was beginning to fall more and more, but now he found no reason to stop himself, at least not in this moment where there didn't seem a problem in the world. Not a single one.
The only thing he could think of was the woman he held in his arms, the woman who caused him so much trouble, but he would always respond on command like a loyal dog. He felt the heat she radiated and he rested his chin on her head softly as they continued to sway.
"You had sex with my mother?" Dylan started as he and Caleb stood out in the back with beer, they had been posted back there with Norman. After, Norman left Dylan decided to confront Caleb, to hear what he had to say.
"It wasn't like that." He started as Dylan shifted and he glared at Caleb in the dark, there was a small light outside.
"Are you calling my mother a liar?" He questioned him as Caleb shook his head and turned away from Dylan.
"You raped my mother, against her will when you guys were kids." Dylan said as Caleb took a seat on the cooler shaking his head.
"I…came back to ask for forgiveness." He said pathetically.
"Why? Why did you do it?" Dylan began to raise his voice and Caleb looked up to meet his eyes that were full of anger.
"I was young…I didn't know…"
"You were older than her, you knew exactly what you were doing." Dylan said raising his voice.
"It just happened and after it did she wanted it to stop and I couldn't let that happen…I just loved her so much-." Dylan kicked Caleb from the cooler knocking him down on the grass, Caleb slowly turned around from the grass with a bloody lip.
"She's your sister!" Dylan said as he stood over Caleb who tried to pick himself up from the grass, but kept falling and held himself up with his elbow.
"You can't help who you love." Caleb said and Dylan kicked him again and punched him in the face. He was so upset with Caleb, he couldn't understand how his mother could let him into the house and pretend nothing was wrong. How she could stand being in the same room as the monster who had raped her and had a sick fantasy about his feelings for her.
"She never told you, but I'm your father, Dylan. That's why I came back." Caleb coughed out as he spit some blood on the ground.
"So, what you're my Dad and Uncle?" Dylan laughed as he picked Caleb up from the ground.
"How does that sound? Just listen to yourself." Dylan shouted as cold air blew out of his mouth due to the chilly air and the small amount of snow that was falling. Caleb looked into his eyes huffing.
"I just wanted to be with her…it's been just me and her from the beginning." Caleb said as he started to sob.
"Norma is all I have left in this world." Caleb said as Dylan knocked him to the floor. He heard the wooden door slam open and saw Romero come out with a concerned look as he looked at Caleb on the floor who was sobbing and bleeding through his nose and had a busted lip.
"What the hell are you doing?" Romero asked Dylan calmly who just stared down at Caleb with clenched fists that were red from making impact with hard bone, his nose was red from the cold air and he blew out puffs of smoke.
"This isn't something that can be fixed." Dylan said as Romero just looked at him waiting for him to explain why he had beat up his uncle.
"You come here and pretend that nothing happened, but she told me about how you would force her against her will." Dylan said as Romero stood still and looked at Caleb who layed on the snowy grass crying.
"It wasn't…I never meant to hurt her." Caleb said trying to get up as Romero watched him and Dylan from the door way as he slowly stepped down the stairs.
"Dylan." Romero started as Dylan kept glaring at Caleb who was slowly trying to get up.
"No, he deserves it. You slept with your sister." Dylan said as Romero stood completely still, he felt a rising sickness in his gut, he felt his blood become hot.
"I'm not you son, either." Dylan said walking past Caleb who was on his knees and passing Romero who didn't even try stopping him. He just stood still, he was looking at Caleb with strange eyes.
"I never meant to hurt her. I love Norma." Caleb said as Romero clasped his hands tightly before releasing them as he tried to make a quick decision.
"I think you should go." Alex said after a long silence and Caleb looked up at him as he arose.
"There's a gift I left for her, it's under where I was sitting. Please give it to her." Caleb said as he swayed slightly before regaining his balance and slowly walking passed Alex and going down the stairs before looking back at the house one last time.
Alex stood outside for a while, he took a seat on a small bench and put his head in his hands as he went back in the house and upstairs to where he put Norma to bed since she'd fell asleep from the wine. He watched her sleeping peacefully and he set the gifts down Caleb had left under his seat. He looked at Norma one last time before leaving.
"I have her name." A young girls voice said into her cellphone which she clung to her ear.
"Oh really?" She heard the man over the phone say.
"Yeah, she wasn't an escort. Her name is Norma Bates." The girl said as the man over the phone stood quiet.
"Thank you, that will be all."
Long chapter.
So the chapters are slowly getting crazier, in this one we get to see Norman black out and talk to mother in the OFFICE, that was cool to write.
Also, its sort of a twist because Dylan is the one who is more hostile towards Caleb than Norman.
Were not done with crazy just yet, things will start to get even more crazier later. I put some Normero, it's building up guys, believe me. The chapters to come; it's on its way. The ship is going to full sail. LOL
Honestly, I don't even know how my idea for this story is going to fall into place because the idea I actually have which made me start writing this is the total opposite of everything's that's been happening. Like, I don't know how yall are gonna take it. Your gonna be like really? Or maybe like oh sweet it's like that?
Fuck it.
That's why writing the summary and title have been difficult because I can't write it without spoiling what is actually going to happen. Although, I did edit the summary, but the title holds significance so I won't be changing it.
Your reviews are very sweet. I appreciate them. Thanks. For those of you who are to shy to review, don't worry I'll keep writing.
Next Chapter: The Winter Light's Festival