Norma Jean Read online

  I kiss her softly and quickly thankful to have her in my arms again. Norma grins up at me and I feel my face return it. “I’m glad you’re okay, smalls. I was so fucking worried.”

  Her face pales a little and I flinch. Tactful Duncan. Very tactful. “I was really scared myself. But it’s finally over.” She looks away from me a faraway look crossing her beautiful features.

  “Where’s Creed? If you say it’s all over, he must be in jail?” I inquire pulling her face back towards mine with my hand.

  She doesn’t meet my eyes when she replies. “No. I killed him.” Her little body becomes racked with sobs and I pull her closer into my arms. That is not what I expected her to say.

  “It’s okay Norma. You did what you had too. We can get through it together.” I soothe my hands rubbing along her slender back.

  She meets my eyes and a look of pure loss fills hers. “I want to believe that, I really do. I didn’t have to kill him though. When he shot me, he dropped the gun and I didn’t think before I picked it up and shot him in the chest. It didn’t take him long to die.”

  I feel tears burn the back of my throat at what the woman in my arms had to do to survive. Also for the best friend I used to have and what he became. “If you hadn’t killed him, I would have. I wasn’t going to let him get away with threatening you like that. He continued to do everything he could to ruin your life. I just hate that you had to do it. You’re not a killer. That kind of burden can consume you.”

  She nods burrowing her face in my chest, her tears soaking the cotton of my t-shirt. “The only thing that matters is that you’re alive Norma. That’s all that means anything to me. I couldn’t have faced losing your Grammy and you in the same year.” Elizabeth says from the same position at the end of the bed.

  Norma peeks up at her mom and rises out of my arms. “I know mom. I kept thinking of what it would do to you if I didn’t ever come back home.” Elizabeth rushes over to Norma’s side and the woman embrace. I quietly get up from the bed and let them have a moment.

  I step out into the hall nearly running over Caden who was about to enter the room. “Oh, I was about to go in and see how our girl was doing.” I look at him stone faced and confusion takes over his features. “What?”

  Now that I know Norma isn’t in an immediate danger I have a second to process what I walked into last night. “Norma is safe and she is going to make a full recovery.” I tell him stepping away from the door. My back is to him when I say, “I don’t know about you when Jaden finds out you’re actually fucking his girlfriend. I know you’re in love with her, but to actually go behind your brothers back like that is seriously fucked up.”

  I notice his hands clinching beside his waist and I hope to God he doesn’t start throwing punches in the hospital. “For one you don’t know a damn thing about Grace and me. Second if my brother would bother to take care of his own girlfriend maybe she wouldn’t have to come to me. Third stay out of my damn business. I don’t know how you found out but you better keep it to your fucking self.”

  My face contorts into a sneer and I push a finger into his chest not realizing I had stepped closer to him. “If you weren’t fucking her in the middle of the night, I wouldn’t have walked in on you. I was coming to tell you where Norma was and that I was leaving.” I take a deep breath and step back a foot. “I also wouldn’t tell anyone because I’m your friend and I wouldn’t betray you like that.”

  Caden’s face pales looking at something behind me. I turn to see a wide eyed Declan and a teary eyed Teagan. “I really don’t think this is the place for this conversation. Or maybe I should say there isn’t ever a time for this conversation.”

  “Teagan…” Caden stammers walking towards her. She steps out of his reach and he cringes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

  That perks the girl up and she slaps him across the face. “You don’t get to say that to me. I always wondered if you two were going behind Jaden’s back but I had hoped not. You have dug your own grave and now you will get buried in it.”

  For once the outspoken male is speechless. “I think you should leave, Caden.” Declan says sternly. Caden only nods and heads towards the exit. We all watch him leave silently.

  “Teagan, Norma is awake if you want to go in.” I tell her softly, feeling that Declan will want to have a word with me.

  “Yeah okay.” She says kissing Declan on the cheek and walking into Norma’s room.

  I peak at Declan and all I see is disappointment. I don’t know if it’s directed at me or Caden. “I don’t know what to say here.”

  “There’s not much you can say. Caden brought this upon himself, not the other way around. He will have to face the fire one day. None of us will be the ones to tell Jaden. You don’t know him, Teagan doesn’t have it in her, and I frankly can’t stand to be around him anymore.” He sighs rubbing his forehead. “I don’t know how they got away with this for so long. Hell it’s been over a year and a half since Jaden started dating her. I don’t want to think about it right now, how is Norma?”

  I walk over to the sitting area near Norma’s door. “She’s good. The artery in her thigh got nicked by a bullet but she had a blood clot so she didn’t bleed out. They had to do surgery to repair the artery, other than a scar she will make a full recovery.”

  “What about Creed?” he questions sitting down next to me.

  “Norma shot and killed him.”

  Chapter 18

  Norma

  “Oh mom I’m in trouble.” I sob on to her shoulder. The first thought that popped in to my head when Gladys told me I was going to have a baby, was how the hell did that happen? Then it hit me. I stopped seeing Creed so I stopped taking my birth control. Then Chance and I got so caught up in our desires we forgot to use a condom several times.

  “What do you mean? You have your whole life ahead of you now.” She pats and rubs my back trying to calm me down. It’s not working.

  I decide to go with the safer news first. “I might get charged with killing Creed. There is going to be a full investigation and everything. What if I go to jail?”

  She looks at me like I have lost my mind. “Why would you think there wouldn’t be an investigation? There is one for every death. Now, what with him stalking you and threatening you for weeks, I don’t think any charges will stick. Though I might be wrong. Stranger things have happened.”

  “They are going to send me to prison. That is the way my luck goes.” I sob harder. I can’t have a baby in prison. I just can’t. What kind of example will that set? The kid would get made fun of more than I did.

  “You don’t have bad luck. Life is just more intense for you. I do think you have had to learn to be strong and independent that way, but it was good for you. I believe that most of what has happened to you is because of fate. Other things were just chance.” She giggles at that. It makes me want to smile but I’m too freaked out over everything else. Like being pregnant.

  “I have to tell you something else. And I need to hurry before Chance comes back.” Mom starts to look worried and I don’t blame her. I take a deep breath and just spit it out. “I’m pregnant.”

  Mom looks like she might faint and I grab hold of her arms just in case. “It’s not Creed’s is it?” she asks so softly I almost don’t hear her.

  “I don’t know how far along I am, so I don’t know. I used birth control with Creed but not with Chance. That’s stuff isn’t 100% so it’s 50/50 right now.” And I hate that I don’t know. Not that I wouldn’t love this kid no matter who the father is, I just don’t think Chance would like the idea of raising another man’s kid. Especially one who tried to kill me.

  “We need to find out, like right now. You need to tell Chance and I want you to be sure at that point.” Mom gets up from the bed and picks the chart up off the end. She flips through several pages and looks up at me with her eyes narrowed. “I didn’t know you had a tattoo. What the hell does big foot mean? That’s not some kind of gang thing
is it?”

  I shake my head about to answer her when Teagan walks into the room. She looks fucking awful. I never thought I would ever see the girl look so bad. “What’s wrong Teagan?”

  “It’s not a gang thing Ms. Chambers. She calls Chance big foot and he calls her smalls.” She smiles brightly at both of us but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She eventually looks up at me but I have a feeling this doesn’t have anything to do with me. “I’m fine Norma. How are you?”

  “Uhhh good I guess, considering.” I look at mom who is still flipping pages. “Mom that can wait till later.”

  “No it can’t. I want to know.” Then she looks up at me. “And you need to know.”

  I look over at Teagan who is giving me a questioning look. “What do you need to know?”

  “Umm I don’t know how to say this to you.” I take another deep breath and shake my head. If she hates me, she hates me. “I’m pregnant. They didn’t give me any information on it just that I was. It depends on how many weeks I am to tell who the father is.”

  She looks hurt for one second but it quickly passes before she gets a determined one. “Did you have a period after you and Creed broke up?”

  Yeah I didn’t think about that. “Mom put the chart down, its Chances.” I let out air thanking the lord for giving me this pass. For giving me something truly incredible.

  “I wouldn’t be mad at you for being pregnant, Norma. I’m happy for you! We can have a huge baby shower and everything!” Teagan comes to sit on my bed talking about everything she wants to do.

  “You promise? You and Declan will have some one day.” I look at her hopeful that she really isn’t mad.

  “I promise. And I know we will. It does hurt but it’s not something you can really be mad at someone about. Maybe jealous but I wasn’t ready when I got pregnant and I’m not now. I’m happy waiting.” She pulls me into a hug. “By the way I’m so happy you are okay. I was so worried.”

  “Thanks.” I tell her feeling choked up. There should be more Teagan Harpers in the world.

  After we pull apart mom starts talking. “Your dad should be here any minute. I called him right after the nurse called me last night or early this morning whatever you want to call it.”

  “He doesn’t have to come. I’m fine and it’s a long drive.” Plus the man is quiet and he will just be standing there staring with nothing to say.

  “He’s your father, Norma, of course he would come. Don’t be moody, you’re not even that pregnant.” She huffs, walking around the bed to sit down in the empty chair.

  “I found this guy wondering around the waiting room.” comes Chance’s voice from the doorway. I look up and see my dad walk into the room.

  “Hi dad.” I wave awkwardly.

  “Hi Norma.” He replies just as awkward. He clears his throat before coming across the room to stand near my bed…and my mom. Yeah I totally just narrowed my eyes. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m good. How are you? Did you enjoy the long drive? They help you think of stuff to write, right?” apparently I have gotten good at making small talk with my father.

  “Yes they do. Can’t say that I did much thinking on my work, I was mostly worried about you. And if I was about to get pulled over for speeding.” He picks up my hand and squeezes. “I know that I haven’t been in your life much, but I think I was just too young and by the time I realized it, you were already half grown. I’m sorry for that.”

  I squeeze back giving him a small smile. “Thank you for that. Though you could have told me this years ago. Saved me a lot of awkward conversations.”

  He laughs a little turning towards my mom. “How are you doing, Elizabeth?”

  “I’m good thank you.” She grins at me and winks.

  “Eww. Get a room please!” I exclaim covering my eyes. When I peek back out, my dad is totally blushing. “Dad, mom, and being that I’m 22 years old, I don’t think you have to hide your relationship anymore. Not that I know why you hid it in the first place. I mean you’re both my parents.”

  My mom clears her throat looking up at dad. “It wasn’t that we were hiding it per se. You actually were the only one in the family who didn’t know.” She looks back at me sheepishly. “Your father and I do better…together but separate.”

  “I didn’t think it was fair for us to be together in front of you, yet not live together. It doesn’t teach good values.” my dad states.

  “Yeah. Whatever. Let’s move on to safer topics.” I smile over at Chance who is grinning like an idiot by the door. “Did Declan not come to see me? I think I feel hurt.”

  Teagan laughs. “No he came, I bet he went after coffee. He didn’t get much sleep.”

  “Kept him up did you?” I laugh and wink back at her.

  Declan finally shows up and we all pretty much sit around and chat. I end up taking a nap about mid-day due to the pain killers. When I wake up from my nap Chance is sitting in the chair next to my bed. “Hey big foot.” I say my voice harsh with sleep.

  He sets his accounting book down and crosses the room, a big smile on his face. He bends down and gives me a scorching kiss. “You told me you loved me in your sleep. It was cute.”

  I feel my cheeks flush and I look away embarrassed. Though I don’t know why. I do love him and I know he knows that. I just hope I didn’t say anything else. “I do love you, dumb ass.”

  He laughs from deep in his gut. “I know you do.” He tells me after his laughing fit. He bends towards my face again and whispers, “I love you too. Dumb ass.”

  I laugh at him and sit up in bed. “Where is everyone else?” My mom brought a suit case with her but it’s missing.

  “Your mom and dad got a hotel. They actually just left to get dinner. They won’t be gone too long. Teagan and Declan have school work and families to attend to.” He lays down on the bed beside me and pulls me into his arms. “Mom and Macy are coming down. Cassie would come but she has classes as well. Marley came in while you were asleep. He went with your parents”

  “Oh boy. Where are we going to house all these people?” I ask looking up it to his hazel eyes.

  “I don’t know, but we will figure it out. Teagan has an older brother who lives with his wife and kids in town and he has an extra bedroom. Probably put Mom and Macy there. Marley can sleep on the couch at the house.” He pushes a lock of my hair behind my ear and I nuzzle closer.

  Things get pretty serious after that. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him about the baby but I don’t know how to do that just yet. I know he says he want to be with me, but he hasn’t shown me any proof. I guess I just want to be completely sure. “Are you sure you want to put up with my crazy ass?”

  He raises an eyebrow while answering, “Yeah I want to put up with you. What kind of question is that?”

  “I guess I just want to know where we stand.” I hide my face in his chest not wanting to see his face right now.

  He tips my chin up with his index finger. “What do you want, Norma?”

  I go with what my gut tells me to do and say. “I wanna make it last forever.” I slide my cheek against his and whisper in his ear.

  He turns his head until we are eye to eye. He stares deep into my soul bringing out shivers that pass my entire body. “There’s no making it. It will be forever. You’re the only person on this earth I will ever love like this. That I swear to you.”

  My chest feels like it might explode and I know my face is lit up with a big goofy grin. “Why couldn’t you have said this kind of thing to me in high school?”

  “Because I wasn’t man enough to hold on to you then.”

  Chance

  Norma got out of the hospital two days after being admitted. It’s safe to say I was overjoyed. We might still have some baggage between us but I have faith we will make it through. I know she is hurting over what she had to do to Creed but that’s life. You have to make choices you don’t want to make, you just have to find a way to live with them.

  No matter how she
looks at it, Creed had to be stopped. He wasn’t going to give up until he did what he thought he needed to do. The man was crazy and he would have killed Norma, no doubt about it. Yeah I hate she had to kill him, I would have liked to have been the one. I feel as if it was my responsibility. I never saw the evil person he was. I never even guessed and if I had, I could have stopped a lot of bad shit from happening.

  Norma and Elizabeth fought over where Norma would go after she was released. Norma thankfully won. Now she’s in my arms at my house and I couldn’t imagine a better place for her to be. I will always love this woman. Right up until my dying breath.

  “What are you thinking about so hard?” she asks me in the dark, drawing circles on my naked chest.

  I grin and know she can’t see it. “Just you. It’s remarkable how strong you are. Here I was trying to be a caveman and protect you but you didn’t need me to. All along you had the power to do it yourself. That’s something I love the most about you.” I kiss her cheek and run my fingers through her hair.

  “Life didn’t really give me a choice. All these things I didn’t have control over built me up to be this person. I’m not proud of what I have done but I’m starting to see I have to live with it and move on. I think I will always be a little messed up over killing Creed but he would have moved on from me and done it to someone else.” One of her legs hitches up between mine pressing against my groin.

  “It’s not an easy thing to get over. And no one is asking you to move on and forget it. I think it speaks volumes on the kind of person you are, that you even feel guilt and remorse. Creed wouldn’t have felt that way had he killed you. Yeah you could have handled it better, but it’s in the past. I’m ready to start moving in the right direction and I’m glad you are too.” My hand reaches under my shirt that Norma put on before we laid down. My thumb caresses the underside of one breasts and I feel her skin erupt into goose flesh.