Norma Jean

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 f*cking 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.

“That feels good.” she moans turning into me more fully.

I kiss her gently before pulling away to speak. “I thought you were gone. I thought you were never coming back to me. I was so f*cking scared and I never want to be that way again. I promise you right here, right now I won’t ever let you deal with anything on your own again. I will protect you for as long as you will have me. You never have to worry that I will become like Creed.”

Her eyes meet mine, their violet coloring appearing black in the dim light. “I know you won’t ever be what Creed was.” Her hand moves up to cup my cheek. “You are a good man, no matter what you did in your past, to me or anyone else. I love you and I promise I will love you for the rest of my life. I won’t ever let anyone come between us again. I was young and naïve. I’m not those things anymore and you are what I want forever and always.”

“Are these happy tears?” I ask wiping away the liquid pooling under her eyes. She nods and I don’t waste any time in claiming her lips in a deep kiss. My tongue licks her bottom lip, seeking entrance. She opens and our tongues immediately tangle.

My hand moves to completely envelop her breast and I roll my palm against her hard little nipple. I leave her lips and pull the shirt above her chest and my tongue snakes out to lick the bud. I suck it in to my mouth and Norma arches her back, her hands ripping through my hair. My other hand travels down her body and into her panties, where I find her wet. I groan slipping a finger in to her tight heat. “Oh Chance.” she cries out softly.

“You like that?” leaving her breasts I raise up to whisper in her ear. I pump one, then two fingers inside her sex feeling her warmth coat my fingers. She is so lost in the sensation that she doesn’t reply.

I pull my fingers out and scoot down the bed until I’m eye level with her most private area. An area only I will be seeing for the rest of our lives. I slip her lace panties down her legs and throw them to the floor. She is all pink and glistening, making my cock spring up to action. I lower my face and suck her * into my mouth causing Norma to bite her lip.

A sense of satisfaction overcomes me seeing her enjoying what we do. My tongue moves down to slip into her hole and I pump it in and out, f*cking her with it. Her moans grow louder and louder so I press my thumb to her * and rub. When she comes her hands bunch into the sheets, her head is thrown back in pure pleasure and I’m sure her cries disturbed the entire house. Not like I care.

I stand up off the bed and pull my sweat pants to the ground. Norma watches me as I palm my cock and pump up and down. She sits up and pulls my shirt over her head and it joins the rest of our clothes. She gets down to her hands and knees and crawls until she is at the edge and crooks her finger at me. I chuckle stepping up to her. Her hot little mouth is sucking me in before I realize she even moved. “F*ck.” I growl out, loving the feeling.

I try and keep my hips still as she moves but they have a mind of their own. Before long I feel the familiar stirring at the base and I move away from her mouth. She looks up and pouts. “Why did you stop?”

I pull her up and lay her down on her back. I climb over her and enter her in one swift thrust. I lower my head to say in her ear, “I wanna come like this. With you.” Her legs curl around my hips and her hands interlock behind my neck.

“Okay. I can deal with that.” she sighs moving her hips slowly with mine.

We haven’t had sex like this before and I find I want to do it in this position every time. She bites her lips several times, even licks them while I make love to her. It’s sexy as hell.

Finding I won’t be able to last long I reach between, where our bodies are joined. I flick her little * a couple of times until her nails bite into the skin of my back. I feel her insides clutching my cock while she comes and I explode going off into another world.

When it’s over I fall on my stomach next to her and pull her under my arm. “We really need to start using condoms. I don’t know what the hell I have been thinking.” Okay so I know that I haven’t been thinking. Norma just gets me so turned on I forget the damn things.

She laughs and it almost seems nervous but I let it go. I’m too happy right this second to worry what would make her nervous right now. “You wanna take a shower?” she asks rolling out from under my arm.

“Sure. I have an early class tomorrow, it will save me some time.” I get up off the bed and pad into the bathroom, turning on the shower head. I stick my hand under the spray until it’s hot and then turn the cold. When it’s just the way I like it, I step out of the way to let Norma in.

When I join her, I immediately grab her body wash and squeeze some into my hand. She is facing the shower, letting the water soak her front. My hands grab her ass and I start spreading the suds around. She laughs at me before turning to face me. Her arms go around my shoulders and mine go around her hips. “I have to tell you something. Don’t completely freak out.”

Dread hits the pit of my stomach and I wait for her to wake me up from this dream I seem to have been having. “Okay.” I say clearing my throat. I tell myself I will be okay with her leaving me, but I really wouldn’t.

“I’m pregnant.”

Excuse me?

I feel as if my limbs have lost all their strength to carry me. The next thing I know I’m on my hands and knees in the shower panting. Norma must have turned the water off because I don’t feel it hitting my back.

The love of my life is going to have a dead man’s baby. I can deal with this, I can. We can raise it right and it won’t be like its father. God my girlfriend is going to have my niece’s brother or sister. “Chance?” Norma says nervously rubbing my back.

I move to stand up and she clutches my hand trying to help. Okay well I really needed the help. “It’s okay. I’m okay. We can do this. I’m not even upset it’s not mine. We can have some of our own one day.” I try and reassure her.

“Huh?” she looks at me like I’m an idiot but I wait for her to click the pieces together. “Oh! No this baby is yours. I’m only six weeks along, Chance.” Her wet body hugs mine close and I wrap my arms around her in relief at that news. “I know that you wouldn’t run for the hills if it wasn’t yours. You’re better than that.”

“Oh thank God!” I praise, my hands pumping up into the air. I have never been more relieved in my life! I hold Norma close, swinging her around. I totally want to jump up and down but I doubt that’s a good idea in the wet shower.

I feel kind of like my body and mind are made of jelly as I towel off and pull clean clothes on. Norma does the same and meets me in the bed. “So you’re not mad?” she inquires snuggling into my arms.

“No. Like I said earlier I should have been putting on the damn condoms. It’s not the end of the world.” I pull her left hand up in mine and rub the ring finger. “I would have liked to get a ring on this finger before I got you pregnant but not much I can do about that now.”

“I would have liked to be out of college, but I’m even happier nothing happened when I got hurt. Creed kicked me in the stomach a few times.” I tense in her arms.

“If that f*cking bastard wasn’t dead, I would kill him right now. I can’t imagine hitting a woman in the face, but kicking her in the stomach is so horrible I don’t even want to think about it. I hope that mother f*cker is rotting in hell.” I relax my body and squeeze Norma closer. “You’re going to have my baby. Wow. I never thought I would be this happy.”

“Me either. It wasn’t something we planned for, but it’s something to celebrate.