Her Eyes

Chapter 73: SO EASY ON THE EYES

Alex woke up in a bit of a fog; the emotions from the night seemed to block out everything else. The feeling of Norma wrapped tightly in his arms calmed him. And though he could feel himself becoming too comfortable with her…he didn't mind.

"Where are you going?" she mumbled as he climbed out of the bed and away from her reach.

"The shower. We got a long drive ahead of us." He smiled, watching her false discontent. He could remember the moment he knew he loved her. It seemed like forever ago that he stood at the docks pretending to make a deal with some no good piece of shit that had threatened to kill her—her and her son. Taking Norman to the sanitarium wasn't going to be easy. Alex didn't like being a part of these types of family situations. He didn't like that Norman blamed him for the growing distance between him and his mother. But Norman needed help, and Norma deserved to be able to relax…if just for a little while.

"I'll be in there in a minute," she muttered back. And he laughed probably for the first time in weeks.

He wasn't at all surprised when she rushed out the door after their time together. It was sad how easy it was to forget the world around them when they were together. But it was best not to upset Norman, especially when they were dragging him against his will to yet another treatment center.

He seemed fine as he made his way down the long series of steps, his mother gently guiding him to the car. That was, of course, until he made eye contact with the former sheriff. Alex watched as the boy eyed his mother. "You're taking me there again, aren't you, mother?"

She sighed, her hand instinctively coming up to brush the strands of hair from his eyes. "This isn't going to be like last time. This place isn't like Pine View. Alex says they are very nice and they know what they're doing. And you're going to stay there until you get better. There's no coming home early this time." The pain was obvious in her eyes. The separation from her son killed her. In some way it seemed like a betrayal. Though she must have known it was the best thing for him. "It's all going to be all right, I promise." Despite the skepticism in the boy's face, he climbed into the car. Norma glanced at Alex, giving him an approving nod before getting into the car herself.

Alex followed after them without another thought. "How's Dylan doing?" he asked, adjusting the seat to accommodate his height. They decided to take Norma's car. The sheriff's SUV seemed a little too threatening for a simple trip to the sanitarium. And Alex wanted Norman to be as comfortable as possible—even the littlest things could set him off these days.

"He's been with Emma these past few days," Norma muttered with a sigh. "He just sold the farm. I think he's planning on moving away from us."

Alex smiled softly, reaching over to grab the hand that lay in her lap. "He probably just needs some space. He's growing up. He can't live with his mother forever."

Norma rolled her eyes, teasingly escaping his grasp. "That's what you think."

It was hard not to be mad—not to blame Norman for what had happened to Sally. Norman was just as much a victim as anybody else, though Alex had a hard time believing that. "I think you're really gonna like this place," Alex told the boy. "It's not as glamorous as Pine View, but in a lot of ways that's kind of a good thing." Alex glanced back at the motionless Norman, sitting with his arms crossed watching as the trees whipped by in the distance.

They settled into silence a little while after that. There was nothing to say to each other. They all knew how this was going to end—the feeling was evident. Alex could sense the demise Norman would most likely place upon him for this, but he couldn't help the overwhelming desire to save Norma from destruction. He'd be damned if he let another woman die a lonely death.

They stopped at a diner off the freeway for lunch. Alex could sense the argument that was about to ensue. Norman didn't seem too happy to be forced into spending more time with the former sheriff than he had to, childishly refusing to leave the car after his mother had opened the door for him.

Alex sighed as he watched the boy argue with his mother. It was strange to think that there was ever a time that Norman willing looked to him for help. He smiled thinking about the time he'd opened up to Norman over a cup of cocoa—but that all seemed so distant now. So much had changed since the death of Jimmy Brennan. So many people had died since…

"He's not going to come in with us," Norma told Alex, slamming the car door shut and pushing past him to enter the diner.

Alex glanced at the boy, deciding it was best not to argue with her. The sound of classic rock filled him as he followed her into the diner and slipped into the booth. He watched as she sat down, observing the exhaustion on her face. "I know it's tough. I'm sorry," he told her. "If there's anything you need just ask."

She huffed, shrugging off her jacket. "Alex, please. You've done more than enough for us. I mean, you're driving an hour and a half to a sanitarium for a kid who's not your son. Did you have to work today?"

"I called in." He watched as she rolled her eyes, smiling at her exasperation. "I'm not the sheriff anymore. They've got somebody else to take care of them now."

"The new sheriff just died," Norma reminded him, glancing out the window to check on her son. The sadness never seemed to leave her eyes. It lived as a shadow within her, always lurking in the depths of her darkness.

"They already got a replacement," he informed her, following her gaze. "Some woman for Texas or something. Think her name's Jane Greene."

Norma shot him a surprised looked. "A woman?" He glanced back at her, confused by her astonishment—a part of him upset that she could be happy with a new sheriff. "What? This is big," she beamed. He couldn't help but smile back at her. But the smile had dropped from her face only seconds later. "Is she pretty?"

"Norma," Alex sighed, knowing exactly where she was going with this. "I haven't even met her. Besides I hear she's a redhead and that's not really my thing."

He enjoyed watching her blush, the embarrassment in her face becoming more apparent as the waitress came to take their order. "So what is your thing?" she asked shyly, after the waitress had returned behind the counter.

Alex chuckled. "I think you already know what my thing is."

She smiled at him, her eyes searching the diner. She was the most beautiful woman alive. He often wondered what he did to be blessed with this woman. After a while she began to hum to the tune playing on the radio. It wasn't a song he recognized, but the sound of her voice drew him in—drowning out everything else.

Their food came some time after that. Norma glanced at Alex between bites. "I know I've probably said it a million times but I really appreciate what you've done for us. I'm glad you're coming with us," she reiterated. "I don't think I could handle taking him there by myself."

Alex gazed back at her, swallowing before the smile crept across his face. "You're welcome."

She took another bite, the sadness seeping back into her eyes. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably as she caught his gaze. She was an open book to him. He knew every part of her—every broken piece waiting to be put back together. "I'm a little worried they won't take Norman," she admitted quietly. "I don't have any insurance. I'm in a hole with my business—"

"They'll take him," Alex assured her.

"You don't know that," she nearly shouted, her frustration rising to the surface.

"I'll take care of it."

Her eyes never left his. Her breathing becoming rough as the tears began to well in her eyes. "Alex."

His heart ached for her. He wanted nothing more than to vanquish the demons that live deep within her soul. He reached out and grabbed her hand from across the table, running his thumbs along the tops of her fingers. "Let me take care of you."

Something in her eased despite the hesitation on her face. They both became increasingly aware of the pair of eyes watching them from afar. Norma pulled back, sinking into her seat—her eyes dropping to the food that lay half-eaten in front of her. "Okay."

I'm back! I'm sorry I haven't updated in months. I've been busy with school and performing in shows. But I am ready to continue with this story. I have some plans of where I want it to go. I am also sorry this isn't a very long chapter. I wanted it to be longer but I also wanted to get it out to you guys ASAP. So I'll probably update tomorrow as well to make up for my prolonged absence.