It was relatively early in the morning, and both Alex and Norma were awake and sitting in the living room. They sat on the sofa, Norma's legs sprawled across Alex's lap as she read through a bunch of the leaflets they'd picked up for mental institutions. "I don't like these ones." she said, throwing them his way for a second opinion. "They look too much like hospitals...or prisons." She pulled a face. "I don't want that for him, you know? He isn't a criminal, it shouldn't feel like he's being locked up. I want somewhere that's more homely...comfortable, you know?"
"Like Pineview?" He said, leaning up to he could point at the leaflet in her hand. "I can tell that's the one you want him in Norma, what's the problem?"
"Uhm, possibly that it's gonna cost me 20 thousand dollars per month at a minimum? Yeah, that's not gonna happen. Plus the woman went on about insurance and doctors...all of that shit. This whole thing is supposed to relieve me of my stress, not pile even more. No, I can't Alex. I can't do it." she shook her head.
"Norma, listen to me...alright? You've got this far. You've been through all of this and you've come past it, you've jumped over every hurdle. Are you really gonna stop at this last one after all the effort you've made to get this far?"
"Oh come on, I haven't jumped over any hurdles. I've tripped and fallen over every damn one and landed on my ass." she shook her head, rubbing her forehead.
"But you got back up and carried on didn't you?"
"Are we seriously speaking in metaphors right now? We sound ridiculous. Just cut to the chase, i've had a shitty life...and somehow i've survived through it. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but I have. And you're telling me that i've come too far to give up--" she scoffed. "You're totally overestimating me right now. I'm not as strong as you wish I could be. I know it'd be a lot easier for you if I was. If I wasn't so weak."
"I gave up everything for you, Norma. Do you honestly think i'd do that if I didn't think you had a shot at being happy? The last thing you are is weak. Look, I can understand that this is hard for you...I can. But you have to do this, okay? You have to. All your life you've done everything to benefit Norman, you've always put him before yourself. In this situation, you're doing what's best for the both of you...and for everyone else in that matter. You can do this."
"And you're not alone." said a soft voice coming from behind them.
"Nope." another voice spoke, and the both of them came around to perch on the edge of the coffee table in front of the sofa. Dylan and Emma.
"What's going on here?" Norma seemed slightly confused. Had Dylan and Emma been eavesdropping the whole time?
"We went to Pineview the other day, all three of us." Dylan spoke up first. "We got in touch with a good doctor, he'll need to have a meeting with Norman to talk to him and assess him. He'll talk with Pineview about Norman's condition and they'll be able to see how much everything is going to cost. Your insurance will help you, and so will we."
"Nope. No! I am not taking any money from you. This is my responsibility, Norman is my son." she argued, shaking her head.
"We're a family, Norma. Family don't let family take care of things like this alone.." Emma said, holding Norma's hand. "All of us care about you, but we care about Norman too, and we want to help him just as much as you do."
"I don't want your charity. I don't make enough money, that's my fault...I should work harder." Norma shrugged.
"Mom, I don't know why you're making an argument of it. We aren't offering to help you, we're helping you...that's the end of it." Dylan said strictly.
