The Mistake [Norman Reedus] Book One {{COMPLETED}}

Chapter 25

After we finished packing our huge bags, me and Norman made our way downstairs to the kitchen.

"I'm hungry." Norman commented, leaning onto the counter.  I scooted into the high chair that stood at the bar in Sean's huge kitchen.  

I pursed my lips together and nodded flatly as I flopped my chin into my hands.  I felt like a liar, and I couldn't do anything about it.  I couldn't believe I was doing this to the innocent Norman who risked his life to save mine.  I mean, I risked mine to save his, but mine wasn't really that noteworthy since the man was threatening my life as well if I didn't go.  So I went to save both of us.

Norman didn't seem to notice my depressing, confused looks that I kept having to pull myself away from making them.  I wouldn't realize I was furrowing my eyebrows, or staring blankly at the ground while fiddling with my bracelet, and when I did notice I would quickly snap my expressions back to normal.

He set a pack of bread, some lettuce, a tomato, some mayonnaise, and some ham on the counter along with two large plates.

"What do you want on it?" He asked, turning halfway around and pointing to the selection.

"Whatever." I said shrugging.

Norman paused, looking slightly to the right as if suspecting something, but he quickly snapped out of it and turned back to the plates.

My eyes were still puffy from my meltdown over Hannah, and I could hear the blood pounding in my ears as I flopped my head lazily onto my arms.  I was so weak, hungry, tired, and lost on what to do.  I didn't know if I should just not go home at all, or if I should but with Norman.   Everything going on was overwhelming and was flying by so fast that I didn't have time to recover from anything.  All the pain just sat inside of me like a dead weight.

By the time Norman finished the sandwiches, I was completely out of it.  My eyes had shut and I had been so deeply consumed in thought that I had fallen asleep right there on the counter.

"Grace," Norman poked me, laughing.

I lifted my head, adjusting my eyes with a few heavy blinks, and looked at the plates.  Norman had finished half of his sandwich already and hadn't realized I was asleep.

"I was taking to myself for the past few minutes." He laughed, taking another bite.

I smiled and took a small bite of my own, swallowing it.  My throat was so dry from crying, the bread stuck to my throat and I had to gulp a big sip of water to get down even that small nibble.

"Sorry." I said, my voice hoarse.

He shook his head smirking as we both finished up our meal in silence.  

In the end, the lunch was very filling, and I felt like myself again; except for the fact that I was still struggling with how to resolve my current situation.

"Hey guys, I'm out.  I gotta be somewhere." Sean jumped into the room, unhooking his coat from a rack of clothing, and pulled it on while he walked towards us.  "I'll see you after your trip." He pointed to Norman as they locked hands and bumped shoulders.  "And you!  Be safe.  I'll wish you luck." He reassured me, hugging my shoulders and kissing me playfully on the cheek.  I giggled and waved as he walked out the door.

Norman rolled his eyes and took our plates to the sink.

"We should go." I said at a whisper as I stood up.  Norman agreed and we carried our stuff out to the limo that had pulled up not long after Sean left.

We got in the back and I pulled a blanket on to hide my trembling hands.  They were cold but I was mostly afraid and anxious about what I would have to tell him when we got there.  He sat across from me and kept making weird faces when the driver hit a bump, or his favorite part came on in the song that was playing.  I would laugh, but it would turn into a frown after as my brain kept finding it's way to my home.  To my Aunt.  To my mom.

"Bye Norman!" Sherry cheered as she stopped at the front of the airport and put the limousine in park.  

I threw the blanket off and followed Norman out onto the cold pavement.  Norman slipped his sunglasses on, and pulled his hood on halfway as we walked to the trunk and pulled our three large bags out.  We waved to Sherry and stood on the sidewalk, side by side.

"Hey, check it out." Norman smiled, nudging my arm and gesturing to the area next to us.  "That's where you punched me." He said in an annoyed tone, only joking.  I laughed, and then remembered that's where I found out it was him.  That's also where I got arrested.  Whoops.

"We should go in.  I mean, with security and stuff." I said, picking my suitcase lever up and pulling it into the airport.

It took around thirty minutes to get through all the metal detectors since Norman had to skip the metal detector and get a thorough hand check-up.  The reason was because he had a metal implant around his eye (Or so I'm told) from when he got in a car accident.

We sat in the waiting seats and I bounced my leg up and down as I cracked my knuckles.  Norman noticed my anxiety and gripped my hand without even looking down at me.  He only thought I was worried to see my mother for the first time in many years.

"We'll be alright." He said as the buzzer rang out, making me jump.  We stood up, hand in hand, and gathered our bags.  We made our way to the growing line under the sign that said "Montana-Flight 7".  We fell in line, and Norman gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as my back muscles tensed.

 The line shrunk rapidly, and in a matter of minutes, I found ourselves standing at the front of the line before the ticket man.

I turned to Norman, ready to tell him, but more nervous than ever.

"OK, listen," I began, taking his other hand in my other.  "I only have one ticket." I said.  Norman's face turned to stone and his hands slowly pulled from mine.

"No, no, ah no," His voice began so I could barely hear it.  

I quickly kept talking, "But listen, it'll be alright!  Like you said!  OK?  I'm doing this for us." I said, trying to keep his attention. His voice got louder and he backed away from me, pacing slowly.  He threw his hands onto his head, and squatted down.  His head hung as he slid his hands to the back of his neck as he tried to process what I was saying.

"Norman, listen.  My mother! All she's gonna do is kick you out of the house!  If she finds out that you came to protect me, she'll kill me!  I'm doing this so we don't get hurt!" I pleaded, my voice getting weak as he stood back up swiftly and seemed to be towering above me.

"I can't let you go there alone!" He yelled, pushing his hands forward.  He cussed under his breathe, his face looking sadder and more worried than mine ever did, and all I could think of doing was walking away.  Trying to make it better never seemed to work for me.  I never knew what to say.

"GRACE!  I NEED TO KEEP YOU SAFE!" Norman called, grabbing my wrist tightly.

"I'm sorry!" I yelled back, pulling my wrist free and standing there.

"Tickets?" The man behind me urged, noticing the growing line.

"Why didn't you tell me?  You could've told me!  What, you didn't trust me?!" He said, his voice full of rage as his loud, fierce tone echoed around the big room.

The only thing I did was pull him into a weak hug that lasted only a couple seconds before I turned around and walked off.  Handing the man the ticket, I wiped a tear from my eye and made my way down the tunnel to the plane.  And not once did I look back at Norman.