Bates

29

   Dylan returned home late one night, startling his parents. He quickly explained that he and Will had taken Emma to a facility in Portland; she had suffered a medical emergency as her lungs got worse. Everything happened so fast that he forgot to call, and even though he thought about calling later, he didn't think his mother would want to speak to him.

   "Oh, Dylan," she sighed, hugging him. He quickly noticed that her womb had grown in size; Alex and Norma's child would soon be making an appearance. "I'm so proud," she started, "I'm so proud that someone like you could come out of something so terrible. I love you."

   He pulled away from her, almost regretting what he was about to say. "I love you too, Mom, but I can't stay here."

   Her crestfallen expression filled his chest with guilt. "I'm sorry, it's just-- Emma, she's stuck up there, waiting for a new pair of lungs," he said, "I...I really love her, and I think she needs someone to be there for her right now."

   Norma smiled. "Oh, Honey, that's so sweet. I'm happy for you. Well, why don't you at least get some rest before you go, okay? It's late, and you'll be miserable if you try to go back now."

   "Yeah, I uh-- I was actually thinking about going to see Norman, if he's not home yet."

   Norma and Alex shared nervous expressions. "He's not home yet. We were hoping that he would be home within the next month, but it's hard to say. His doctors are saying that he's improving, but that he seems really distant lately," Alex informed him. He glanced back a Norma, who had turned and started fiddling with something on the kitchen counter. "He's refusing to see your mother, and it's really bothering her."

   "Why would he do that? I don't understand..."

   "She doesn't even know. She'll hardly talk about it with me," he whispered, although he had a funny feeling that Norma knew exactly what they were speaking of.

   "I'll talk to him when I go," Dylan promised, before starting towards the stairs.

   "Um, Dylan, sweetheart, can I talk with you about something for a minute? It'll only take a minute," she told him, rubbing her eyes.

   "Yeah, Mom?" he watched as Alex stepped away, making his way to the bedroom.

   "We haven't put the baby's things in yet, and I was just wondering-- I  want you to feel like you always have a home here, but if we move Norman's things and he comes home, it'll make him really upset--"

   "Don't worry about it, Mom. I'm not gonna be jealous if you give my room to the baby," he said, clearly amused that she would even imagine such a thing.

   "Oh, Honey, thank you." She hugged him again, and he held her tight, remembering when he was only a boy in her arms.

   He laughed. "Goodnight, Mom."

   "Goodnight, Dyl. Love you."

   ~                                                                                                                                                                                             ~

   The Bates Motel  sign switched on at seven o'clock the next morning. Norma sat behind the desk, going through a few files while she waited on potential customers. It was terribly cold outside that November, and the heat had stopped working in the house. Lucky for her, there would be no freezing to death, as the motel was pleasantly warm.

   She sat serenly behind the desk, reading one of Norman's books. It was some sort of odd thing having to do with mummification. Her stomach twisted as she wrapped her mind around the nitty, gritty details of it all, before she was shaken by the bell of the door.

   It was only Dylan, who was presumably popping in to say goodbye before leaving to visit Norman. "Hey, Mom. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

   She shrugged. "Oh, no, it's just this book. Pretty interesting stuff, but not so great for a weak stomach." She pushed it away before her hands slid to her womb. "Oh. Woah, okay," she was looking through him, steadying her breathing, and he caught her expression with a slightly more alarmed one.

   "Mom, are you okay?" he asked, stepping around the desk to wrap an arm around her.

   Norma nodded. "I'm fine, it's fine," her hands never moved, though, and Dylan was rightfully vigilant of the situation. "Just go get Alex, okay?"

   "Are you sure?" he asked, hesitating at the idea of leaving her.

   "It's fine, Dylan, we've got plenty of time, just go get Alex," she told him calmly. His last glimpse of her was that of her hand reaching for the phone before he fled.

   She wobbled out from behind the desk, taking slow, cautious footsteps. It was snowing, and the outside gravel was sure to be a little wet. Norma made it half ways to the car before she watched Alex bust down the door, running at full speed down the stone steps. "Be careful!" she called, wincing at the thought of him falling on the way to the hospital.

   Still, he ran straight for her with no thought to his personal well-being; the short-sleeved shirt and lack of coat was bothering her to no end. "Alex, you're going to freeze to death!" she chided, ignoring his jittering.

   "Shouldn't we be leaving?" he asked, sounding surprised at the level of calm that was emanating from her being.

    He helped her into the car, then slammed on the gas, nearly pushing the pedal through the floor. "Alex, slow down. We'll be fine. We have plenty of time, I promise," she said, glancing back through the rear view.

   Dylan was getting into his truck. She watched as he pulled out of the motel, then turned in the direction of Pineview Institute.

   Norma sighed, lowering her head. "I wish I could speak to him right now."

   Alex looked confused. "Dylan?"

   She rolled her eyes. "Norman."

   He was silent. Norma felt something touch her hand, and she turned back to see Alex holding it. "Hey, it'll be okay," he said, smiling a little. "You've done the right thing."

   "I hope so," she admitted. "I hope he knows that I love him," she said longingly.

   "I know he does."

   Norma stared out the window, picturing her youngest son, wondering what he must be doing at that very moment.