Bates

23

   Norma's footsteps were shaky as the doctor guided her to Alex's room.

   "He's might be in a little pain, but he's out of the woods now. He seems to be pretty calm, aside from insisting that he see you."

   She nodded.

   "He seems to think that someone is looking for you. You know anything about that?"

   "Does it matter?"

   "I guess not. Here we are," he had barely opened the door before she darted in, reaching for her husband.

   He was sitting up in the bed, looking as stoic as usual until he saw her. At first, his expression appeared to harden, yet his eyes were misty and filled with love. "Norma--"

   "Oh, Alex-- what happened?"

   "Hey, it's alright...I'm fine, it's just-- you're married to a pirate now instead of a unicorn. Hope that's okay."

   Her distressed glare was the sort of response he expected.

   Alex launched into explaining how he got off work early and saw someone at the motel. He briefly described the altercation, telling her in as few words as possible that he was beat up pretty bad, but he actually felt okay. He described the situation of finding money (although he left out where he found it) and hiding it. He warned her of the man with the thick-rimmed glasses that busted his tail in an attempt to find it, but assured her that it wasn't at the motel.

   "Did you give it to him?"

   "I-- didn't really get the chance, but I'd imagine he figured out where it was and has it now. I'm sorry, I know you would've wanted to put it into the house..."

   She scoffed. "Alex, I'm not worried about that. I almost lost you--" she sounded almost angry now, but he didn't let it bother him. Heck, she deserved to be a little angry.

   But then she hugged him, and although his body was sore, he took in the feeling of his skin against hers with great satisfaction and pride. He started coughing when she finally pulled away, and she seemed startled, but he urged for her to speak to him by asking questions about the boys.

   "Are you okay?"

   "I'm alright. We were here because the boys got into a little fight, and Norman passed out..."

   His brow furrowed. "Did Dylan put him in a chokehold or something?"

   She slapped his good arm playfully. "Goodness, no. He just-- passed out, right there in the floor. The tests were inconclusive, though, so I guess he just got too worked up," she glanced away from him for a moment. "It's bothering me, Alex. I've never seen Norman that way before, and I just can't believe he would ever get so angry. I mean, Emma told me that they got into a bit of an argument a week ago, but he didn't seem to remember when I asked him about it."

   "Maybe he just wanted to forget it, Norma."

   Norma shrugged. "I guess."

   He noticed that the longer she spoke to him, the less she started to actually look at him. Is she really that disturbed by the lack of eye? he thought, until she piped up again with: "Alex, Honey-- we're going to have a baby," it came out as more of a sigh than a statement, and his brain was slow to process.

   "What?"

   "I'm pregnant, Alex."

   He gawked at her, then started to laugh.

   "I don't get what's so funny," she mused, smiling back at him.

   "How long has it been?" he managed through the laughter.

   "Two months, give or take-- I found out a couple weeks ago," she admitted.

   "And you didn't tell me?"

   "Well," she started, speaking in a quiet tone, "you're the first husband I had that's ever really cared."

   "I'm sorry. Do the boys know?"

   "Yeah, they know. There was no way I was carrying Norman out to the car myself, and I kinda just spilled the beans on him before anyone. He's taking it better than I thought he would. They both are."

   "That's great."

   She fought the urge to lay down beside him. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner..."

   "It's okay. I'm just..." he let out a chuckle of disbelief. "I'm gonna be a father."

~                                                                                                                                                                                                  ~

   A light brown van pulled into the motel.

   A man hopped out with as many dents and scratches as the hood of that brown van. He was looking for a woman and a place to stay.

   He paused, staring up at the blue Bates Motel sign. He sighed. This was strange, even for Norma, but at least she was making a life for herself.

   The short, stocky man ran a hand through his sandy-blonde hair. Oh, how he longed for a shower. Still, that wouldn't come until he mustered up the courage to deal with business. He steadied himself against the van, then started to walk inside.

   He paused a foot away from the door. Past the lettering, he could see her short blonde hair bouncing as she moved from task-to-task. He started to walk in, yet he stopped himself. He knocked, thinking it would be better, perhaps, so as not to scare her. Her head shot up from behind the desk, and she squinted. Shock and confusion and unbelief appeared on her pretty face.

   She strode to the door and locked it.

   He cursed himself under his breath. His gaze shot towards her massive, forboding house.

   He climbed the steps to her house.

   "What are you doing?"

   He turned. The thickness of her voice indicated to him that she was crying. He expected that, but hated it all the more. "I came to talk. And-- I need a place to stay."

   "I have no words for you," she hissed, her chest heaving with every breath. "Get off of my property. Don't you ever show your face here again!" it came out as a squalling scream, and he jerked away from her reflexively, remembering the screams she uttered the day he violated her trust.

   "I wouldn't be here long, I just...I need to apologize, Norma--"

   The door of the house slammed shut behind a lanky, blue-eyed teenager that was almost certainly Norma's. "Mother, is everything alright?"