Alone In Love

Sharp Pain

Norma lets go of the breath she's been holding since she got out of the SUV and walked straight to the front door. Alex's hand on her lower back alleviating her anxiety.

Alex looks back at her before knocking on the wooden pale door. "Ready?"

Norma gives him a reassured look, "As ready as I'll ever be."

"As much as you can take, okay?"

Norma nods in agreement, taking a deep breath as her husband knocks delicately on the door for her because she was too fragile and shaken up to do so.

He drops his hand, intertwining his fingers with Norma's, an electric wave shocking her body at the instant touch of her husband.

Alex gently squeezes her hand as the door swings open.

The smile Emma had on her face vanished as soon as she saw the couple on the other side of her door.

"Norma," she whispers, the smile that was plastered on her face a couple of seconds ago makes another appearance.

"Hello, Emma," Norma says with a smile.

"Come on in, please."

Emma steps away, allowing them to come in, closing the door after them.

"I missed you so much," she flies over to Norma and wraps her arms around her.

Norma lets go of Alex's hand only to return her warm and welcoming hug. "I missed you too, Emma."

"Sheriff?" Emma lets go of her and turns her attention to Alex. "How are you?"

"Please, call me Alex," he says. "And I'm doing very well, how about yourself?" he asks sounding almost too nicely. An Alex that Emma's never seen before.

"I'm doing better, much better," she grins.

Their voices suddenly fade away as Norma takes a sight of her surroundings. The tall glass window leading to the back patio made it much easier for the sun rays to reflect back on their tall glasses on top of the kitchen table. The fireplace next to the hallway, surrounded with books, obviously they were Emma's. Norma looks back at the kitchen, smiling as she spots two aprons hanging next to the fridge. One that says hers and the other one his.

Norma glances back at the bike resting firmly on the wall behind Emma.

"But it still hurts?" Norma hears Alex ask for the second time now.

"Not as bad, really. I think the pain worsens when I do stuff I'm not supposed to be doing. Like bending down to pick up heavy boxes, you know, that sort of thing," Emma explains.

"It must be nice not to be carrying that tank around, huh?" Norma intrudes, taking a few steps closer to them.

"I am finally free," she chuckles. "Sometimes I find myself looking for it as soon as I wake up or when I get up from the table after having breakfast. I still have to trick my mind into not having it nor needing it."

Norma lets out a small chuckle, as she hugs herself insecurely.

"But please, sit down. Let me go get Dylan," she says, walking them towards their big brown sofa with light baby blue and yellow pillows.

Norma's heart picked up its pace almost instantly and she suddenly forgot how to breathe. Alex waited for Emma to disappear into the hallway before turning to Norma.

"Breathe," he demands with a soft smile. "It's okay and you will be fine."

She takes a deep breath and nods her head. Alex was about to say something when he was interrupted by Dylan's voice behind them.