Untold Secrets

Chapter Eight

The dancing couldn't last forever. Though the sun had risen just for them, the clouds seemed jealous and decided to roll in to watch the dance of loved ones.
"Looks like it's going to rain." Alex says, watching the three continue to dance without a care in the world. Norma stops when he says this and looks up at the dark sky, wondering when the sun went into hiding.
"Should we go?" she asks sadly, turning to Alex.
"It's probably a good idea. We don't want to get caught in any storms." he tells her. Just as the words leave his mouth, a water droplet falls from the sky, landing right on his forehead and sliding down his cheek.
After that, another one falls, followed by another and another. Norma quickly grabs Norman while Alex grabs Dylan. They begin running through the pouring rain, back to the car. Once both boys are safely fastened into the car, they get in, everyone shivering from the cold outside.
"Boys, take off your wet coats and grab your blankets, okay?" Norma instructs to the young boys in the back seat. Alex starts the car and begins driving again.
"How much longer do you think it'll be, Alex?" Norma asks.
"I want to get as far away as possible so that Sam doesn't find us. So a day maybe?" he says with uncertainty.
"Okay." she says simply before resting her head against the glass. She glances over at Alex's hand which is resting on the center console. She wasn't sure where she stood with him. They had run away together, finally.
But what did this mean for them?
Was he expecting to be a father figure to her boys? Was he expecting a relationship with Norma?
She didn't think she would mind either of those things. She would love for the boys to grow up under Alex's caring eyes and gentle hands. And she would love to be with Alex in a romantic way...eventually.
She just wasn't sure if she was ready right now. A lot had gone on and it was all a bit overwhelming.
"What's on your mind, square?" Alex asks, jokingly using the term of endearment that she always used to use on him.
"Nothing. Just...thinking." she says, feeling embarrassed for thinking about such things.
"About what?" he asks, glancing in his rear view mirror at the boys who are fast asleep once again.
"Alex...what are we?" she asks.
"What...are we?" he asks with confusion.
"Yeah. Are we...are we friends? Are we...I don't know." she says, turning to him fully, as much as her seatbelt allows her to.
"I...I would say we are friends." he says slowly before glancing over at her.
"Did you want to be something more?" he asks nervously.
"I-I-I don't know. I mean maybe. Eventually. But right now...I went from relationship to relationship. I haven't been single since some time in high school. I went straight from John to Sam and I think right now...right now I think I should focus on my boys." she says honestly.
Alex smiles and nods, glancing back once again at her beautiful boys.
"I think that's a good idea." he agrees. They sit in silence while the day slowly turns to night, the rain continuously pounding at the windshield. Norma slipped in and out of consciousness, her head resting against the cold glass of the window.
"When are we gonna stop?" Dylan asks, trying to push himself up and out of his car seat.
"You gotta pee, buddy?" Alex asks, looking at the young boy in the rear view mirror. He nods, holding his crotch and crossing his legs. Alex nods and pulls into the nearest gas station parking lot.
"I'll pump gas while you take the boys in." Alex tells Norma, helping her get the boys out of the car.
"Okay." she agrees, grabbing Norman's hand.
"Dylan no running!" she calls out to him as he runs into the gas station.
When they come back out of the convenience store, their hands are filled with drinks and snacks for the rest of the car ride.
"I got you candy!" Norman squeals as he jumps up and down in front of Alex with a bag of skittles. Alex smiles and kneels down in front of Norman.
"Skittles? How did you know these are my favorite?" Alex asks with mock excitement. Norman giggles madly and hands him the candy.
"I did it, mommy!" he says, turning to Norma.
"Good job, buddy. Now get in the car." Norma says, helping him into his car seat.
"Alex, really, how much further?" Norma asks with exhaustion.
"There's a motel just up the street." Alex tells her, gesturing up the road.
"H-How did you know that?" Norma asks.
"Look around, Norma. Seem familiar?" Alex asks.
Norma looks around, trying to figure out where they are. She glances across the street at a diner and gasps as her surroundings become all too familiar.
"Alex...why are we here?" she asks, turning to him.
"I didn't know I was driving here until...well until we had already arrived." he tells her honestly.
"I'm....i'm just not sure it's a good idea. Being here." she says as they get into the car.
"We don't have to stay for long. Just long enough to get some rest and maybe plan where we want to go." he says as they begin driving to the motel. Norma gasps as they pull onto the gravel lot in front of the SeaFairer Motel.
"The house is beautiful." she says in awe.
"This is the Summers' motel. You remember Keith and Maggie?" Alex asks as they step out.
"Maggie, yes. Keith, not so much." Norma says as she gets Norman while Alex unbuckles Dylan. They walk into the motel office and find Maggie sitting behind the desk looking quite old and quite ill.
"Hello, welco-" Maggie stops when she looks up and sees Norma and Alex.
"Alex Romero and Norma Calhoun." she says with disbelief.
"Maggie, hey." Norma says with shock.
"You look...wow." Norma tries.
"Yeah. Aging is a bitch. But you two...hey you guys look great!" Maggie says, walking around the desk to greet them.
"And you guys have kids! I always knew you would end up together." Maggie says, looking at Norman and Dylan.
"Oh, we aren't-"
"We're not together." Norma says over Alex.
"These are my kids. It's a long story. But we would like a room." Norma says to her. Maggie's face falls.
"I'm really sorry but all of our rooms are booked for the month." she tells them sadly. Norma looks to Alex with desperation, thinking they would have to live in a car.
"But if you guys wouldn't mind, I have some spare rooms up at the house." Maggie offers.
"You do?" Norma asks with surprise.
"What about Keith and your parents?" Alex asks.
"My parents passed away a few years back and Keith is...doing some business. He won't be around much." she tells them. Alex narrows his eyes with suspicion, knowing something feels off.
"That's great! That would be great. Thank you, Maggie." Norma says with a smile as she picks up Norman and settles him on her waist.
"I'll get you up there and settled now then." Maggie says, walking out of the office. They follow her up to the victorian house.
"This house is beautiful, Maggie. So unique." Norma says with awe, her blue eyes scanning the entire house.
"Thank you. It gets a little creepy being here by yourself, though." she tells them as she unlocks the door.
"I have this room up here. It has one bed and it's pretty small but it looks like the boys could fit comfortably." Maggie says, showing them the room at the top of the stairs. Dylan runs inside and hops onto the bed with a giggle. Norman starts squirming in Norma's arms, making her set him down on the floor. As soon as his feet make contact with the dusty wooden floor, he runs into the room and slowly climbs into the bed next to Dylan.
"And your room is this way." Maggie says, leading them around the corner of the hall.
"Your room will be right here." she says, stopping at the large room near the front of the house.
"Isn't this your room?" Norma asks as they walk inside.
"I sleep in the room by the bathroom. And Keith's room is down in the basement." she tells them.
"We...we're sharing this room?" Alex asks with nervousness.
"Yeah its all I have left. I'll go make us some dinner. Get settled and then come on down." Maggie tells them with a smile before leaving.
Norma watches Maggie walk out before reluctantly turning to Alex.
"I-I can sleep on the couch. Or the floor-"
"Alex, don't be ridiculous. It's fine. It'll be like the sleepovers we had when we were kids." Norma says, trying to sound casual enough to hide the nervousness.
"Right. Okay. Like when we were kids." Alex says, reassuring himself.
"I'm gonna go down and help Maggie with dinner. Will you help the boys unpack?" Norma asks.
"Yeah. I'll be down in a bit."
When she arrived in the kitchen, she found Maggie cutting vegetables at the kitchen table. She looked up when she heard Norma walk in and smiles.
"Need help?" Norma asks.
"Sure. Thanks." Maggie says, handing her the knife. She walks over to the stove while Norma continues to cut for her.
"It's so crazy seeing you two again." Maggie tells her. Norma smiles and nods.
"Yeah. Strange."
"You guys haven't changed a bit. Still joined at the hip." Maggie continues. Norma's smile falters.
"We've changed. A lot actually." Norma says sadly. They have changed. But Norma wasn't sure if that change was good.
"Your boys are awfully cute."
Norma smiles widely as she thinks of her two munchkins.
"Who's the father?" she asks.
"John Massett." Norma answers almost too quickly.
"John? From high school?" Maggie asks with surprise. Norma nods as she cuts open a tomato.
"So you're Norma Massett then, huh?" Maggie asks. Norma cringes as she realizes she will have to explain it all.
"Bates, actually. It's a long story." she tells Maggie.
"I have time." Maggie says eagerly, dropping her spoon and walking over to sit in front of Norma. She was always one for gossip. Norma smiles and sets down her knife to tell the story.
"Uh, well...shortly after John and I had gotten married, he was abusive. Few years into the relationship, I found a guy, Sam Bates. I had an affair with him and...one day, John found out. He was angry. He beat me and pinned me to the ground and began to choke me. I'm not sure how I made him stop.
"But as soon as he let go, I was running out the door with Dylan. I married Sam and...and then the cycle started again. Alex moved in next door to me with his wife. He found out Sam was hurting me and he helped me get out of there." Norma says, remembering it all like it was just yesterday.
"He saved you." Maggie says in a dreamy voice.
"You forgot the part where our spouses were cheating on us with each other." Alex says, walking in.
Maggie gasps with shock.
"No!" she says with disbelief. Norma nods, glancing over at Alex.
"Well, it's good you two left. White Pine Bay just wasn't the same without you." Maggie says, standing up to go back to the stove.
"Dinner smells good, ladies." Alex tells them.
"Thank you." Maggie says.
"It will be done soon. Go wash up." Norma instructs him.
"Yes ma'am." he says with a playful tone before leaving.
Things went this way for a while. It was like they were living in a dream, playing house and relaxing. Maggie and Norma had become even closer than they were in high school. The sleeping situation between Norma and Alex had become less and less awkward with each passing night. Norma learned that Alex had night terrors because of his time in the war but they never got too bad.
He did wake up screaming once, though.
"Maggie, do you know of any jobs available?" Norma asks one night after dinner.
"I thought Alex got the interview at the station." Maggie says with confusion.
"He did. But I was thinking for myself. You know Alex and I will have to go our separate ways eventually." Norma says as she scrubs a dirty dinner plate.
"I think that new men's club is hiring." Maggie offers.
"Thanks Maggie, but I think I'm too old to be a stripper." Norma says with a smile.
"But you've still got the body for it. Doesn't she, Alex?" Maggie asks as Alex walks into the kitchen.
"What?" he asks, not having heard any of the conversation.
"Nothing." Norma says, giving Maggie a look.
"I think the diner in town is hiring." Maggie tells her with a laugh.
"The diner. Perfect." Norma says, feeling pleased.
"Coming to bed?" Alex asks, already dressed in sweats and a t shirt.
"Yeah. Goodnight, Maggie." Norma says, drying her hands.
"Goodnight, you two." Maggie says to them both as they walk up stairs. 
"It's kind of hot tonight. Do you mind if I turn on the fan?" Norma asks as Alex crawls into bed.
"No that's fine." he tells her. She flicks the switch and slides into bed next to him, flicking off the lamp.
Her blue eyes stare at the revolving fan above her, letting the motion and sound lull her to sleep.
The next time her eyes flashed open, Alex's dark eyes were staring blankly back at her as his hands were clamped around her neck. Her body thrashes underneath him as he hovers over her. Her nails claw at his neck, his arms, his hands, trying to get him to release her but he doesn't budge.
She blindly reaches over to the desk beside her, knocking the lamp off of the table as she searches for a weapon to free herself from him. The door to their room swings open and Maggie gasps at the sight.
"Norma! Alex! Stop!" Maggie shouts, shoving him as hard as she can.
Alex seems to be awoken from the dream while Norma gasps in as much air as she can and falls off of the bed, onto the ground. Her throat burns as well as her chest as she violently coughs.
Norma scrambles to her feet and runs to the bathroom, locking herself in while Maggie still stands in shock, watching Alex look around with confusion. He looks down at his hands as if his own body had betrayed him, which it had.
"What...What...What..." Alex whispers, breathing heavily.
Norma's cries are muffled by her hands as she stares at her reflection in the mirror. She had never been so scared. She had flashes from when Sam and John had both beaten her. She was brought back to the times that she thought she would never return to.
She manages to calm herself down enough to stop crying. She slowly removes her hands from her mouth, her eyes going to the large red mark on her neck which is already bruising.
"Norma?" Alex calls out to her as he knocks on the door. Norma looks to the door, not knowing whether or not to open it. She knew if he saw her neck, he would hate himself.
"Norma, please. I-I'm so sorry. I can't...I can't imagine what you must think of me. If you...If you want me to leave, I will, okay?" he says through the door. Norma takes a deep breath, her lungs burning at the movement, and opens the door.
He looks at her neck and for the first time in Norma's life, she watches tears form in his eyes.
"Norma, I am so sorry." he whispers, looking up into her blue eyes.
"I don't know what happened. I can't...I can't remember anything." he says, shaking his head and looking at the ground.
"I'm sorry." he sobs.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." he continues.
"Look at me." Norma says in a cracked voice.
"I'm sorry. I..I-"
"Look at me, Alex." she says again, in a stronger voice. He slowly looks up, tears running down his cheeks.
"I am fine." she tells him.
"I am okay. I am fine. You were asleep. It's okay." she tells him, wrapping her arms around him. He buries his face into her shoulder, clinging to her like Norman does when he gets a scraped knee.
"I'm sorry." he whispers again.
"It's okay. It's okay. You were asleep." she tells him again. Norma looks up to see Maggie watching from the doorway of their room, an unreadable expression on her face.
"It's okay. I'm okay. You were asleep. It's okay."