Emma got into her car as fast as she could to head to the lake. She was pretty sure she was doing way above the speed limit but honestly she didn't really care. All she cared about was getting to Alex as fast as she possibly could. Finally she started to pull down the dirt road.
Alex and Frederick both looked over to the car pulling toward them. They watched as Emma sped up to park next to them. She quickly got out of the car.
"We have a problem. Norma ran off. She's just nervous...but I couldn't stop her. I don't know where she went. She got into her car and left."
Alex's face fell from a smile to a horrified expression just staring back at Emma.
"You have to find her, Alex. I think your the only one who will be able to talk to her." Emma explained.
Alex didn't say a word and turned around to get into his truck. He started the engine and looked over to them while he rolled the window down. "Hopefully I'll be back with Norma. Can you wait?" He asked looking to Frederick.
"I'll be here. Don't worry. Just go."
"Alex I'm sorry!" Emma apologized. She felt horrible about this.
"Don't be sorry it's not your fault."
Alex sped off not having a clue where he was going. His mind was now a total blur. He really didn't expect this to happen, she had seemed so fine and ready for this. Maybe they shouldn't have waited this long. He was scared his heart might beat out of his chest. He had to find Norma and make sure she was okay.
Norma was driving while also ignoring her phone that hadn't stopped ringing the entire time. She looked over at it taking her eyes off the road for what must be the 20th time, quickly looking back to the black pavement infront of her. What has she just done? She shouldn't have left. What was she thinking? Hurting Alex is the last thing she would ever want to do. All the sudden Norma heard a horn honking from behind her. She looked up and realized she was sitting at a light that had already turned green. She started to drive again until she saw an empty parking lot and she pulled into it, parking her car. She hadn't gotten too far from White pine bay, she was just outside the town.
She was now hysterically crying, her newly fresh make up for her wedding running down her face. She wished she knew what she was doing. She felt lost with nowhere to go. Suddenly Norma jumped at someone banging on her car window. Looking up her eyes met Alex's dark brown ones. She stared blankly back at him for what seemed like forever before opening her car door so she could get out.
"Hey." Was all Alex could say while gazing at her beautiful tear filled eyes. He wanted to grab her and wrap his arms around her but he didn't know if it was the right thing to do here at this moment.
Norma didn't respond. She just kept staring at him. Staring so deeply into his eyes.
"Are you alright?" He asked keeping his distance from her.
"I - I am so sorry Alex!" She reached out to grab him. Grabbing her and pulling her into his arms right away.
"You don't have to be sorry." He whispered softly into her ear.
"I don't know what happened. I just panicked." She told him in-between sobbing. She rested her head onto his shoulder and gripped onto his shirt tightly. He rubbed her back softly and squeezed her tight. He could feel how tense her body was.
She slightly parted from him looking down at the ground between them. She couldn't look at him now. Especially not into his eyes. "I love you Alex. I love you so much it scares me sometimes."
He placed his hand on her chin to lift her face up to look at him. Pulling her face away from him while shaking her head. She couldn't stop all the many tears that were flowing down her face.
"I need you to look at me."
He placed his hand gently to her face attempting to bring her to face him again. She closed her eyes before opening them.
"I understand if you never want to see me again..." She started until he cut her off.
He couldn't help but laugh. "That is the opposite of what I was about to say..."
Her face remained the same. Her sad eyes filling with tears again. She wanted to say something but she didn't know what.
"I love you. I want to make you my wife. If you've changed your mind you need to tell me, Norma."
"I haven't." She whimpered.
"Okay." He wiped her tears from her cheeks. "So what are we doing? Tell me what you want."
"I want you."
"You have to talk to me. Are we calling it off?" His voice was gentle yet serious. He moved a strand of hair from her eyes.
She was shaking her head no. Her body suddenly collapsed into his, his arms catching her so she didn't fall to the ground. He hated seeing her hurting like this. He gently pressed his hand onto the back of her head pushing it closer against his chest.
"I'm so sorry Alex." She whimpered."I love you." She squeezed her hands into his shirt. "I still want to be your wife." Her voice was low and breaking.
"Do you?" He questioned. He wanted to be 100% sure of what she wanted.
She pulled back from him enough to see his face and looking into his eyes. She slowly leaned her face into his just enough to graze his lips with hers. He closed his eyes at the feel of her lips slightly touching his. Her one hand still gripping on to his shirt, she brought the other one up to touch his face, slowly running her finger tips down his cheek to the corner of his lips and stopping there. Alex closed the space between them by finally kissing her. A slow lingering kiss that lasted what seemed like forever. Alex could feel her wet cheeks against his and it made him part from her gently and he reached his hands up to her face and holding it infront of him so that there noses were now touching, he opened his eyes to look at her. She had a look of sadness in her wet eyes that he couldn't stand to see.
He placed a kiss on her forehead. "What do you need from me Norma?"
Norma closed her eyes shut and let out a deep breath. Opening her eyes now and bringing her one hand around the back of his head grabbing onto his hair.
"What are you scared of?" His voice was low.
"I'm not scared of anything when I'm with you Alex." She paused a moment while breaking eye contact with him and looking over his shoulder. "Except one thing." She took another deep breath before she could finish what she was trying to say. "I am scared of losing you. I am scared you will realize that you don't love me and you don't want me and that it turns out I am not good enough for you." She told him while she was still staring passed him.
Alex could hear the pain in her voice. He couldn't believe something so precious has been through so much hurt in her life that she didn't even know how to allow herself to be happy.
"Norma," his voice was sad, "You are the most special thing that has ever come into my life. I want nothing more than to make you happy for the rest of my life. All you have to do is trust me. Give me a chance..." She tried to look away from him again but he quickly placed his hand to her chin forcing her to look at him. "I love you and I never thought I was capable of the love I feel for you." He tried his best to reassure her.
