Nora and Alice had just gotten home from school, they were in their room doing homework.
"Mama still hasn't talked to papa.." Nora says sadly.
"Maybe she will when he gets home. She didn't this morning but Papa will be home soon."
"What if they divorce?" Nora says sadly.
Just as Alice was going to respond they hear the front door shut. It was Alex. The twins run and hide outside of their parents' bedroom.
"What are you doing?" Alex asks Norma, who was sitting on the floor putting clothes in a bag.
"Im leaving.." she says quietly as she stuffs the last thing in the bag.
"What do you mean you're leaving Norma?" Alex says in a frustrated tone. Norma doesn't speak she just moves to her bed side, "Norma."
She looks up at him and the tears in her eyes made his heart ache. Her blue glacier eyes melting down her face. The tears roll off her chin down onto her shirt, "I'm sorry. I can't be the wife you need me to be." Her voice breaks "I can't keep ignoring this feeling deep inside of me that you'll never except my son."
—————
"Son? Like in the sky?"
"No like we have a brother." Nora looks back to her parents.
———————
"Norma that's Absurd! Why?"
"Because Alex... I can't do it anymore." Norma walks past Alex and he grabs her arm lightly. This sends Norma into a panic.
"Let me go!" She stares him in the eyes.
Alex releases his grip on he realizing what he just did. He wasn't that man that gets mad and harms a woman.
"I'm sorry but Norma please don't leave."
Norma zips up her bag then looks at her husband, "I'm sorry I can't be who you want me to be." The blonde walks over to her husband, grabs his chin, and kisses him. Her lips were soft as they pressed against his. Before Alex knew it she was walking away to the girls' room.
————-
"But mama I don't wanna leave papa!" Alice says with the saddest expression.
Alex comes around the corner, "She can stay."
Norma's head snapped, "No!"
"Please mama!" Alice runs to Alex, practically hanging on for dear life.
"Let her go mama. She wants papa. We don't want him to be lonely." Nora walks to her sister and hugs her tight.
"Bye sissy," she walks to Alice.
Norma sighs knowing she just lost the argument.
Alex was starring at his wife. He wanted to say so much but knew he didn't want to do it in front of the girls.
"Girls go in the other room. I'll get Nora a bag in a minute." Norma grabs her bag and purse, moving them to door. After the girls walk out she looks at Alex.
"I don't know what this means..." she sighs "Call me if you need me." Norma walks to her bags, picks them up, and walks out.
———————
That night Nora and Norma sit in a hotel room watching a movie after getting out of the tub. Norma was brushing her daughter's hair.
"Mama? Why does daddy make you sad? Don't you love him?"
Norma stoped brushing her hair and stayed quiet for a second "He doesn't make me sad honey."
"Then why does he make you cry? Why aren't we with him?"
A lump formed in Norma's throat "Honey. Daddy and I have gone through a lot together and I don't think that staying together will help us..."
"But why?" Nora turned around.
Just as Norma was about to answer she gets a phone call.
"Hello?" Norma sighs as she picks up the iPhone.
"Hi mama." The sound of her other daughter's voice soothing the tightness in her chest and throat.
"Hi baby. It's almost bed time has daddy gave you a bath?"
"Yeah I'm all clean. I used the bubble gum smell! Daddy told me to call you before bed."
"Well Im glad you did." Norma smiled
Norma talked to Alice for a while then gave the phone to Nora so she could talk to her sister. While the girls talked Norma listened. The twins talked their usual kid banter. Nora looked at her mom reaching out the phone to her.
"Daddy wants to talk to you."
Norma sighs as she takes the phone, "Hello?"
"Norma. Can we talk please..?" Alex was pleading with his wife.
"I-" Norma looked at the her precious daughter face. Everyone said each twin looked like the parent they were named after but in that moment all she saw was Alex. Norma loved him and their family with all of her heart. She had always dreamed it would be like how it was with Alex, but Norman. The anchor on her heart. She was so scared and heart broken in this moment.
"Yeah we can talk."
————————————
Alex put Alice in his suv, in her car seat, then he buckled himself. They listened to a Disney playlist for the first 10 minutes of the drive, but by the time Alex's favorite princess song came on his daughter was asleep in her seat. He looked at her through the rear view mirror. As Alex reached for the volume button to turn off the music a bright light flashed in front of his eyes and he heard a horn. By the time he could do anything everything went dark.
——————————————
Norma jolted out of her sleep. It was like something took the breath out of her lungs. She rushed to the window to see if the sound she just heard wasn't just a dream. As she pulled back the curtains, her heart sunk. Alex's police vehicle was smashed by a truck. Norma quickly ran to Nora, scooping the sleeping child. She slid her feet in her slippers then swiftly ran to the scene of the accident. People were running over. As Norma made her way through the crowd she yelled at people to move.
"Mama?" Nora looked around "What's going on?"
Someone had scooped Alice out of the car she had only a few cuts because she was in her seat belt.
"Mama!" Alice bolts to her mom screaming and crying.
"Oh honey." Norma quickly picked her up.
More and more people gathered around the vehicle, some trying to get Alex out. Norma watches in fear as they pull Alex out of the car. The truck hit on his side. There was blood all over him. Norma felt off so she runs to him, setting the girls down then leans to feel his breath.
"No!" Her voice breaks "No please Alex." She grabs his face as she cries. The sound of the sirens from the first responders filled the air. This couldn't be it.
"Help!" She screams at the paramedics "Help him!" Soon Alex was swarmed my paramedics. Norma stepped back with the girls as they watched in fear.
