loose cannon ◄ BATES MOTEL

4: PEACHES

Trigger Warning: Mentions of substance abuse, depictions of violence and sexual assault/attempted rape.

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CHAPTER FOUR
Peaches
or
The Most Heartbreaking Night of Norma Louise Bates' Entire Life (Ever)

NORMA BATES HAD LED A RELATIVELY UNHAPPY LIFE.
She had been unlucky in that sense. Three beautiful children were given to her, and two out of the three of them hated her. A small voice in the back of her head told her that Norman did, too. Every man that she had ever known had hurt her, in one way or another. She had endured her father's abuse, harassment from her brother, John's leaving and Sam's alcohol infused fits of rage. She was a survivor, in every definition of the word. But nothing had hurt more than the night that her daughter left.

It had started out as a typical night in the Bates household. Dylan and Norman arrived home from school around the same time that Olivia did from work. She had managed to graduate high school a semester early. Stellar grades and enough credits allowed her to focus on her job at the library, and start saving up money for herself.

The kitchen smelled like herbs and spices. Norma was cooking. Dylan had come home long enough only to throw his backpack on his bed, and say that he was going out with friends and wouldn't be home for dinner. Norman was in his room reading, and Sam was sitting in his recliner in the living room, watching a baseball game. Four empty cans of beer sat next to him. Another one sat on his lap, nearly gone.

Olivia came in through the door stemming off of the kitchen into the garage, took her jacket off and hung it on the coat rack near the door. "What smells good?"

Norma looked up from the stove and greeted her daughter with a smile. "Chicken Parmesan. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour."

The younger blonde nodded and elected to go to the living room, where the book she had been reading this morning was still waiting for her. "Hi, Sam," she greeted the man in a less than chipper tone. He simply ignored her and turned up the volume on the television. She rolled her eyes, plopped on the couch, and lost herself in the pages of Tess of the d'Urbervilles.

Half an hour later as promised, the table was set and the food was hot. Norma smiled contently, proud of the beautiful meal that she had made. Olivia watched her mother's smile falter slightly as Sam grabbed a plate, piled food on it, and went back to the living room to resume the game.

Dinner was silent until Norman decided to make conversation with his mother. Olivia watched her mother and brother lose themselves in discussion across from her. Norma was laughing at something that her son had just said. Olivia looked down at her plate. She didn't feel like talking.

After everything was put away, Norma had gone to the store for some last minute groceries and brought Norman with. Dylan was still out, leaving Olivia and Sam by themselves. Olivia had gone back to reading and Sam let her be, until the game ended. His team lost. He was pissed off.

"Figure now that you're leaving, you're not really my daughter anymore, huh?"

Olivia narrowed her eyes and peered over the top of her book. "I've never been your daughter, Sam. We've just been stuck with each other."

He chuckled once (a chuckle that could have instead passed as a scoff) and took another sip of his beer, emptying the can. He absentmindedly threw it on the floor next to him. "Smart-ass. You got that from your mother. Never liked that about her."

He was pissed off, and he was drunk. He was obviously looking for an argument, and Olivia was in no mood to deprive him of that. The personal insults she could handle. When he talked badly about her mother was when she really got annoyed.