Chapter Nine - Making Him Hers

Months passed and Norma still had not called Josef to talk to him about Annie. She had tried on several occasions but had chickened out each time. 'What if he has found someone else?' she asked Norma Jean one day. 'Then we will just kill them both!' Norma Jean replied as Norma hung up the phone again. 'Just call him.'

Norma took her phone out again and dialed Josef's number. It rang four times and Norma was just about to hang up when she heard his voice on the other line.

"Hello?" he said, sounding like he was out of breath. 
"Josef, it's Norma," she told him and waited for his reply. 
"Norma! Oh my god I was just thinking about you? How is the pregnancy?" he asked, sounding like he wasn't all that interested. 
"It's over. Do you not know how long a woman is pregnant? It's been almost a year Josef." Norma said, regretting that she had ever thought of calling him. 
"Has it? Huh, I didn't realize it had been that long. So what did we have?"
"A girl, I named her Annie." Norma told him, wanting to just get off the phone with him now. 
"A girl, oh how sweet. Mind if I come over and see her?" he asked, shocking Norma. 
"Uh, I guess so, sure, why not. Come on over." 

Norma hung up the phone and ran up the stairs to get ready. 'Why do you care what you look like? The moron still thought you were pregnant!' Norma Jean piped in. 'Maybe he lost track of time, it happens.' Norma tried giving Josef the benefit of the doubt.  'Moron.' was all Norma Jean said in return, Norma wasn't sure if she was talking about Josef now or Norma.

"How are you!? Go away before I make you!" Norma heard Clarice yelling on the front porch. 'Josef must be here,' she thought. Heading downstairs she took one last look in the mirror. 'Well hopefully he still likes what he sees.'

  "Clarice, honey, it's okay, go back inside." Norma told her coming out to greet Josef. "Sorry about that, she's not used to visitors."
"You look good." he told her and then took her into his arms. "I've missed you."
"Then why hadn't you called," Norma asked wrapping herself in his arms 'Sucker, yep still gullible.' 
"I figured you would. You said you would. When you didn't I figured you still didn't want to see me." Josef told her as he pulled back at arms length to look at her. "May I see my daughter?"
"Sure, she just woke up from a nap." Norma replied and headed back into the house.

The visit with Josef went well and Norma was surprised that Annie took to him instantly. Clarice on the other hand stared daggers at the man. 'That's my girl,' Norma thought. 

When Josef left Norma went looking for Clarice, she had been absent the last part of the visit.

"We're going to kill him Lecter. How dare he come into my home and try and take away my Momma and sister! They are mine! What's that? You're right, we could drown him in the lake, no one would find his body till the spring. I like your thinking."

 Norma heard her daughter conversing with her doll and couldn't be prouder. She was going to make a fine woman and helper some day. Just not yet. She cleared her throat as to not startle Clarice.

"Time to come in baby, it's getting pretty cold out here." she told her. 
"Okay Mother, I'll be in in a minute." Clarice told her and looked back to Lecter, "Yes, that just might work." 

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Over the next few months Josef stopped by almost every other day. He played with Annie, Norman and Bellatrix but never talked to Clarice. It didn't help that she always gave him a death look anytime he was over thought.

Norma started working on the twin's skills now that Clarice could help out around the house and Josef was over more often. She got Norman walking and started to work on his talking. But even with all the help, there just didn't seem to be enough time in the day to get everything done.

 Before she knew it, it was time for another birthday. This time she would be back to having three toddlers in the house. She hoped she didn't loose it like last time.

Josef was over again, he said he had already missed so much of his daughters first year he wasn't missing anymore. Norma had baked a beautiful pumpkin cake for her daughter. Orange to match her hair.

Annie turned out beautiful and looked a lot like Josef. In fact the only thing that Norma could see of herself was the blue eyes.

 After cake and presents Norma started to clean up the dishes.

"Norma, could you turn around please," Josef said from behind her.
Norma turned to see Josef on one knee holding out an engagement ring. "I should of done this a year ago when I found out you were pregnant. I just didn't want the cops to suspect anything. Norma will you marry me?" 

Norma heard Clarice almost choke on her cake and mutter something under her breath. She didn't realize that this was exactly Norma's plan all along.

"I don't want to wait anymore. Marry me now Josef!" Norma said, trying to ignore her daughters mutters and stomps. 'She'll understand one day.' Norma Jean said. 
"I don't either," Josef said as they exchanged rings.

 'This is going to get interesting,' Norma Jean said as Josef said I do.