Alone In Love

Every Sunday Afternoon

"It's so nice to have you guys here," Emma said, pouring more wine into hers and Norma's glass.

"It's nice to be here," Norma kept her glare on Alex and Dylan, not knowing nor understanding what her men were looking for under Dylan's hood; his truck was almost brand new. She tried to be as careful as possible hiding behind the sheer curtains, not wanting to get caught as she secretly admires how perfectly the two of them bond right before her eyes. She can't make out any words or what they're talking about, but she was sure that it was a dialect that neither her or Emma will ever understand.

A few hours after their talk, after saying everything they had to say, they decided to stay. It was almost time for lunch and Norma wanted to make something special for them. At the end of the day, she felt like she needed to thank them for letting them barge in and ruin their usual Sunday barbecue with friends. Hopefully the little yelling and the crying that occurred early in the morning didn't ruin their appetite.

Norma is so in love with the sight of them conversing in front of her that she doesn't notice when Emma, handing her the glass of wine, clears her throat to get her attention.

"Sorry," Norma looked back at her with a grin still splattered all over her face. She takes the glass from Emma's hand and gets back to her staring.

"It's so strange," Emma said in almost a whisper.

"What is?" her eyes still focused on them.

"Seeing Dylan with Romero. Strange in a good way, I mean."

"It's freaking adorable," Norma stated in a low voice. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Seeing them together. Seeing them actually get along. Something Alex never got to experience with Norman. I really wish I could just stop time right now. Leave them there. Forever."

Norma's tone made Emma understand the importance and how crucial it is for a mom to see her son get along with her husband. Something she's never had before and that she is undoubtedly enjoying. It must be hard for her to always be in the middle. But she knew that seeing them interact was important to her. Something that she'd definitely remind Dylan after they leave. If it was that important to her, she knew that Dylan would not oppose to make his mom happy. Not after everything that's happened and not fairly after learning that he almost lost her.

"I'm sorry, Norma. I'm sorry you've had such a tough life."

Norma looked back at her, her eyes sparkly with clear water. Tears that will be escaping her eyes shortly. "It's not so bad now."

"What do you mean?" Emma whispered. Norma made her way to the couch. She was exhausted. Mentally and physically. Tired was an understatement.

She sighed before plopping down on the comfy couch tucking in her right leg and sitting on it. Her left arm extended as she held the glass of wine.

"It's not so bad," she repeated. "I had it really bad when Norman was younger. It got worse when I came to this crummy town. Well, White Pine Bay, I mean."

Emma sat across from her, "Yeah, I remember everything that happened after you and Norman got here. You haven't had any good breaks."

"I do now," Norma said. "I mean, despite of everything, I get to be on my own. Think on my own. I no longer have a second voice inside my head telling me what to do or to do the opposite of what I've always wanted to do. That's how it worked with Norman. I managed to live my life second guessing my every move. Putting my son's condition behind me only because I chose not to believe that he was really sick and needed help."

"You always thought you were all he ever needed," Emma had the nerve to say. Norma not taking offense to it― it was true.

"I was never able to breathe on my own, you know?" her voice sounding softer. "It sounds horrible because it seems as if I'm implying that my son was a burden but that's not what I mean," she corrected herself. "Now I'm at peace because I know that he's getting the help that he needs. It hurts like hell to not have him around and to think back on everything he did, but he's getting the help I was never able to provide him with. As much as I wanted it."