Trapped

Chapter Six: Pineview

They walk into the building and sign in before going to look for Freddie. Vera can barely contain her excitement as she practically skips down the hallway, her hand still in Nestor's.
"Tell me what it was like." he says, looking at her.
"What?" she asks.
"Life without me and Freddie."
Her expression becomes dark and he immediately regrets asking the question.
"You don't have to answer. It was a dumb question-"
"It was the worst thing i've ever experienced. It was dark. Like I had no one-"
"But Renn-"
"He didn't call or text. I broke up with him. He doesn't care about me." she says sadly.
"I'm sorry." Nestor says, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
"The only time I was happy was when Max took me to the beach and played music for me."
"Did you dance?" Nestor asks. Vera nods and Nestor sighs.
"I wish I could've seen." he says.
"Why do you want to see me dance so badly?" she asks.
"Because you're beautiful even when you're sleeping. I can't imagine what you would look like dancing." he says, not meaning to express his feelings.
"You think I'm beautiful?" she asks, smiling up at him. Nestor blushes and smirks as he shakes his head.
"No, I mean-"
"You just said it. You can't take it back." Vera says teasingly.
"Alright, fine. Don't get a big head, babe." he warns her. Before they can say anything else, Freddie comes into view.
"Don't call him Freddie." Nestor whispers quickly, reminding her where she is.
"Norman!" she calls out. Freddie turns to her and smiles, getting up from his seat to hug her.
"Hello mother." he says, hugging her tightly.
"What're you doing here?" he asks as he pulls away. He glances at Nestor with confusion.
"Mother, why is sheriff Romero here?" he asks.
"Freddie, it's me." she whispers. He slowly smiles as he looks between them. Nestor nods and Freddie hugs her again.
"You're here." he whispers. She laughs and pulls away, brushing his hair away from his face.
"I've missed you." she says.
"Do you want to come home?" she asks, pointing toward the door. He looks at Nestor and then back at her with a smile.
"I think I would like to stay here for another week. I'm really getting in touch with my psycho side." he says happily. Vera laughs and hugs him again.
"I've missed you, Freddie." she says. He kisses her cheek and releases her halfway.
"Visiting time is over. All visitors please make your way to the exit." a voice says over the intercom.
"You sure you want to stay?" Vera asks. Freddie nods and waves. And with that, Vera and Nestor make their way out of the building. They walk in silence back to the car and then drive back to the house.
"Alright. I'll swing by in the morning." Nestor says, parking the car in front of the large house. Vera looks up at the house and then back at Nestor.
"You're just gonna leave me here by myself?" she asks.
"Well I mean we've never slept in the same house together. I just thought-"
"You thought you could get away from the ghosts that live in there and leave me alone with them. Nice try smarty pants. Let's go." she says, slapping his thigh. He laughs and shuts the car off before getting out.
"You sure you're not just scared of being alone in such a big house? Maybe you need a big strong man to run to?" he asks as he meets her in the front of the car.
"Well that and I missed you." she says, finally giving in as she takes his large bicep in her hands. He laughs and glances up at the stairs.
"You good with the stairs or do you need to be carried again?" he asks teasingly.
"Light as a feather, right?" she asks with a smile. He laughs and leads her up toward the house. They go inside and stare at the house for a moment.
"So what were you doing with Norma before I so rudely entered her body?" Vera asks with a smirk.
"Oh, come on, V. Don't give me that look." he says, shaking his head as he walks upstairs toward the bedrooms.
"Come on. Were you in love with her?" she asks in a teasing manner.
"Yes actually. We got married." he says, entering Norma's room where he has been sleeping.
"Ha ha. Very funny. But really. Were you about to do her?" she asks.
"Vera-"
"Oh you were. Oh you were gonna bang her. Wouldn't that have been weird though? I mean she is me. She is we, I mean...I am her. I don't know what i'm sayin anymore. I'm tired." she says, plopping down on the bed.
"V, I wasn't joking. We did get married." Nestor says, grabbing her left hand and holding it up to her next to his left hand.
"Oh my-"
She stares at the rings in awe as she sits up. She smacks his arm and then his chest.
"What did you do?" she asks, hitting him again.
"What the hell did you do? Norma and Alex? And you two were gonna- oh my god!" Vera says with shock.
"Listen I didn't even know it was going to happen. She proposed to me." Nestor says defensively.
"Did you...did you want to do her?" Vera asks. Nestor blushes, wondering whether to lie or not.
"I-"
"You did. Was it because it was her? Or because she is me?" Vera asks.
"I don't know. I was confused and she kept kissing me and I missed you and-"
Vera begins to laugh. Nestor stops his words from coming out and stares at her with shock.
"Okay this is not funny." he says as she laughs more. "This is so not funny, V."
But even he can't help but chuckle at the circumstances.
"I came in...and you were...we both were...naked." she says in between laughs. Nestor can't contain his laughter.
"Could you imagine...if we were...when you came?" he asks with laughter.
"Quite literally came." Vera says, her laughs calming down along with Nestor's.
"That would've been weird." Vera says. She sighs and lays back down in the bed, fingering the fabric of her dress.
"Tired?" he asks, grabbing the blanket from the end of the bed.
"Yes." she says. He pulls the blanket up her body, kissing her forehead. He lingers above her for a moment, both of their eyes closed.
"Goodnight." he says, walking away. Vera wants to ask him to stay but her mouth is frozen shut. So instead, she just watches him leave and tries to ignore the emptiness that replaced his presence.