In My Life (A Norman Reedus Story)

Chapter Eleven

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“So how is Phoenix treating you?” Sally asked into the phone.

She was at work standing behind the register and painting her fingernails. Morgan had been gone for three months now and Sally still wasn't used to her sister being gone.

“It’s fabulous, Sal. You need to come visit me,” Morgan gushed.

Sally laughed at her sister’s enthusiasm.

“You know I can’t leave the store. Not during the holidays. That’s our busy time,” Sally said looking around the empty store.

“Bullshit,” Morgan said to her sister.

“What?” Sally asked shocked by her response.

“You are making up excuses. Come here for Christmas,” Morgan said to her sister.

Sally sat and thought about it. Norman had been even more distant lately than he had in the past. She wasn't sure what was going on with him. At one point she even asked Sean if he could possibly be doing drugs as he was moody and unreliable. There had been several times that he didn't show up to bring her to her performances and when confronted, he’d just say he was under a lot of stress from his publicist.

Sally didn't want to push him too much, especially if his behaviors really were work related. She didn't know what it was like to be under the kind of pressure he was, so she diligently supported him the best she could.

“Is he even going to be around?” Morgan asked after the silence.

“I don’t know,” Sally sighed and went back to painting her nails.

“He’s still being a jackass,” Morgan more so stated than questioned.

“He’s just stressed,” Sally said defending Norman.

“Well, if you change your mind, you can always come see me,” Morgan said cheerily into the phone.

Sally laughed at her sister.

“Will do, Mo,” she said allowing for the sisters to continue their conversation about Morgan’s adventure in Phoenix.

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Sally paced back and forth waiting for Norman to pick her up. They were going to go to a movie since neither of them had family in town to visit for Christmas.

She looked at the clock that ticked away the minutes and was frustrated by the tardiness of Norman. If he didn't get there soon, they’d miss the movie.

Twenty minutes later, Sally gave up waiting for him. Either he forgot or he was standing her up, yet again. She went into her room and started to play on the keyboard. She needed to do something to keep her mind off the fact that she felt like she was losing Norman.

She started to play “Creep” by Radiohead as it was one of her favorites to play when she was feeling sad. She closed her eyes tight and sang the words loudly allowing her emotions to flow out of her and onto the keys in front of her. When she played the last chord, she allowed a single tear to fall.

“Hey,” she jumped when she heard Norman standing in the doorway.

Her shoulders dropped when she looked over at him.

“Hey,” she said quietly back. “I didn't think you’d show,” she said not moving from her spot.

“Sorry,” he said quietly. He didn't offer an explanation to his tardiness, which was common. There was usually just an apology.

“We missed the movie,” Sally shrugged and Norman nodded.

“I know,” he said quietly. “I thought maybe we could stay in,” he shrugged.