Unexpected

Epilogue

It had been two years since they split up. The whole world changed for them both. After the split and the paparazzi leaked everything to the world, Scott Gimple changed his mind about everything. He never killed Daryl off like he was supposed to because the initial threat of leaked footage went away. True Norman was thrilled, but it was the kind of thrilled that didn't heal the initial wound. He wished that Daryl would have just died like planned because then he could move on from the memory of loving Beth and loving Emily. People don't understand that Norman loved them both in a way he couldn't have her. He loved her in the way that people love their God(s). You know you love them, you want to be perfect in their eyes and join them in their sanctuary- but at the end of the day all your sins and modern addiction catch up to you, to the point where you stop trying to live up to their standards.

Mingus took the break up pretty hard. When he found out about Emily, he refused to take her calls or accept her apologies. He in his own way lost the love of his life. The love of a mother who understood him. He loves his biological mother, but she doesn't understand him the way Emily had. Emily was young and fresh and liberating. She had an old soul that could mother him- but a young body that kept up with everything he embodied. It hurt him knowing that his last time seeing her, was full of pure pain.

Out of everyone in this story who felt dooped and shat on- it was Emily. She royally fucked things up, but she wishes her motives weren't so, well, open. She wishes she never cheated and hurt her two favorite men- but Norman was right. She wasn't happy living a cautious life with an older man. She felt like he was some old guy she needed to take care of and give him his medicine. She loves Norman to pieces and would die for him, but she knows in her heart that he was right. She would never have been happy being married to him for the rest of her life. You may wonder why then? Why would she marry him and get his hopes up?

Pain. After Beth's death, Emily was in so much pain that Norman's comfort and presence numbed it. When they lost the baby that was more pain she endured and Norman was once more some gauze on her wound. And when he got hurt and was hospitalized, she knew she was his morphine. She couldn't hurt him and she married him in hopes that she would start believing the lie she made, but no matter how hard she tried- she just couldn't love Norman in any way other than her best friend.

Getting off his motorcycle, camera crew filming and Norman surveying the small Nebraskan town, he sets off with his buddies and heads into a restaurant. As the camera's roll Norman boasts about a time when he tried to flip his dirt bike and ended up landing face down in the dirt with a broken nose and leg. Turning around, a small blonde girl runs face first into his leg and lands on her butt. Bending over to pick her up, Norman smiles, but soon becomes paralyzed as he looks into blue sapphires that seem so captivating and familiar.

"Norah..." He looks up at the mother's face and feels his whole world collapse. "Norman..."

"Emily." They both smile and stand there, the small child between them. Turning to the camera Norman smiles and introduces Emily and then Norah and asks for the cameras to be shut off. Going to a seat, Norman sits down and Norah sits on her mother's lap. "Well you are cutie Miss Kinney."

"Cianci..." Emily corrects and Norman looks at Emily's hand and notices a wedding band on it. "I kept my last name...but ya know..."

"Well I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the wedding."

"You were shooting TWD it's fine. How's the new show?"

"It's good. Really good." He nods his head and she knows this whole thing is killing him.

"We'll have to get dinner some time." She smiles and takes his hand on the table. "I worry about my best friend."

"Haha, no need to worry about me. I'm doing great. Daryl is gonna live forever and we're doing another Boondocks Saints- I'm fine."

"I mean yer health silly. I see yer smoking again."

"Uhh...yeah, oh well. You only live once right."

"Just please...keep in touch. Okay." She stands up as Giovanni comes over and picks up Norah.

"Hey, nice to see you again." Norman says and Giovanni kind of cringes, but sticks his hand out anyway. "You got a beautiful family Gio...a real beautiful family."

Giovanni miss his head, and they leave. From outside the restaurant,Emily and Norman just stare at each other- forever memorizing each other, forever comforting each other, and forever loving each other.

It's funny how you always love someone even when they're gone.