She Came Between Them. (Norman Reedus & Sean Patrick Flanery)

Chapter Three

Dragging herself from the sofa she fell asleep on Claire threw water in her face to wake her up, making her and Norman a tea as he slept in the armchair. Noticing a photo of her and Sean at Disneyworld made her remember why she was sent home from work early, and why Norman was here. Sean was gone. Taking deep breaths, she gripped onto the kitchen counter to stop her crying and breaking down, she wasnt sure she had any tears left. Putting the tea for Norman down on the floor next to him she gave him a gentle nudge for him to wake up. She watched the realisation of what happened yesterday hit his face as we opened his eyes and scanned the room. "You sleep?" He asked huskily "nah" she responded bluntly.

The house phone rang, it was the 5th time that morning but Claire couldnt be bothered to answer it until now, "hello?" She said picking up the receiver "Claire darling, I just watched the news.... Im so sorry baby" it was her mother, they hadnt gotten along other the years and the last thing she wanted to do was speak to her, Claire didnt respond to her mum's comments, purely because she couldnt, everytime it hits her Sean is gone her heart snaps into another piece and Claire can feel it every time. "Shall i came over? I can come for tomorrow?" She offered "no..mum...ill. Call you back" Claire replied trying to be friendly and put the phone down. Norman walked past her as she did that and went upstairs to wash.

When officials from the military came round, Claire noticed the neighbours hovering around outside, they must know whats going down. Claire sat them down while Norman made them drinks. As Claire sat clutching tissues they explained that a simple exercise went wrong, and a helicopter containing all 4 soldiers including Sean was shot down, killing them all. "When is he coming home?" Norman asked implying his body. The officials shuffled in their seats, Claire knew by their reaction it would just be a empty coffin coming home . "Tomorrow morning" one of the officials responded. Shaking their hands they left Norman and Claire to it. "Suppose we should make arrangements?" Norman suggested, Claire shut him down "not today. I cant today" she replied numbly. Norman left without saying bye, not that it bothered her she wanted to be alone, heading upstairs she disconnected her house phone and turned her mobile off just as she saw dozens of missed calls from Lucy, Chambers, her mum and others.

Scanning her bedroom she saw so much of Sean's everywhere she looked. His cologne, his weights, his book that he had been reading for over a year, he was that slow a reader! Something snapped in Claire, grabbing a black bag from the kitchen she started frantically bagging up Sean's stuff, and chucking it down the stairs. She removed all traces of him from the bedroom, minus the bed sheets he slept on and his t shirt and jacket. "Claire? What the hell?" Norman called up the stairs as he climbed over the bags at the bottom of the stairs "what ya doing?" He asked opening the bags "clearing out!" She snapped "have to get rid of this shit" she said stomping down the stairs and handing him the bag. "Claire, you cant do this now...its too fresh" Norman explained. Pushing him out the way and throwing the bag by the front door she turned to him "Sean isnt coming back, whats the point of keeping his stuff?" With tears in her eyes Norman grabbed her arm gently "we cant do this now, you dont know what you want to keep or not you are not thinking straight." Norman tried to help her see sense "Norman, he is fucking dead! Done! Finished! I am thinking straight!" She cried yanking her arm from him.

Entering the living room with another bag she took down every photo that he was in, threw all his dvds in, before Norman stopped her "Claire! You cant just erase him" he said pulling everything she had put in the bag out. "Look just sit down! Please!" He begged. Relenting she sat down as he sat beside her "why did he have to go huh? Why my husband?" She cried as he pulled her into a hug "i dont know. I wish i did. I wish it was me instead" he whispered as they hugged eachother. "Look you wanna do this we will, but properly, you throw everything he ever owned or touched you will have nothing" Norman suggested "keep these...just keep them down for a while if its too hard" Norman added pulling the photo frames out, Claire stroked Sean's face in a photo of them on their wedding day "i dont if i can this without him" she sighed as her and Norman sat huddled on the floor emptying the bags on what they were keeping and throwing.

"I still owe him $30!" Norman joked "you have owed him that for years!" Claire laughed playfully nudging Norman as they laughed. "Remember that time he promised you a date and then turned up drunk" Norman said causing Claire to roll her eyes "and if i remember rightly you were the one that got him drunk!" She joked "spent the night listening to you two do shit karaoke!" She added laughing. "Id give anything for him to come through that door and say it was a mistake and they got it wrong. Anything" she sighed kissing his photo.

As they reminisced about fun times they lost track of time and saw it was 1am. "God, my sleep cycle is so fucked" Claire moaned, Norman looked at the clock and pulled a 'oops' face. "You want me to make up the spare room for you?" She offered. "Yea can do, ive closed the garage until after the funeral so i can help you with arrangements and stuff" Going upstairs to make up the bed for Norman she let a few tears fall as the plans her and Sean had to turn this into a nursery once he returned were over.

Leaving Norman downstairs Claire went to bed without saying a word, wrapping herself on Sean's side of the bed she tried to take in his scent as she drifted off to sleep.