Norma Jean - By Amanda Heath Page 0,92

something to celebrate.

Epilogue

Norma

While child birth is beautiful, it hurts like fucking hell. I was pretty doped up during the actual birth, but the contractions were horrible. I never want to relive that pain! It felt like someone was trying to rip me in half. Plus the six stitches I needed to fix my vagina were painful. I don’t think I peed right for two months.

Though the look on Chance’s face when he first saw our daughter is something I will never forget. It was like he had just seen the world for the first time or something. His beautiful hazel eyes were bright with tears and happiness. I guess I will have to pop out a few more, because I want to see that look on his face again.

Audrey Chambers Duncan was born at 3:30 am on a Monday morning. She weighed six pounds and seven ounces. She had a full head of auburn hair and hazel eyes just like her daddy. I couldn’t be happier. And yes I stuck to tradition and named her after Audrey Hepburn. Blair Waldorf would be proud.

I wanted to give her my grandmother’s name for a middle name but Irene is really a weird name, so I went with her last name. My mom was a little disappointed. She wanted Diana, after Princess Diana. While she was famous, I wanted to stay with the old school actresses like all the women in our family. Chance was just happy I didn’t go with Irene.

Now Audrey is three months old and here I sit nursing and rocking her back to sleep. In my brand new house. Much to my father’s disappointment I didn’t go back to school. I do plan on going back but life wanted me to have this beautiful girl in my arms. Chance graduated last spring and got a really good job at an accounting firm here in Fayetteville.

So we bought a little three bedroom house in the suburbs. Apparently my Grammy was a secret millionaire. Mom had no explanation for that one. We received letters in the mail about what she left to each of us. All of it was money. Chance thinks it black mail money. He’s probably right.

Marley got married last month to a nice girl down in Duke. It was a small ceremony and I think Aunt Grace was proud. We never thought he would settle down. I talked to him yesterday and they are expecting their first baby next winter.

Mom and dad are living together up in his cabin off the lake. While I doubt they will ever get married, I’m glad they are together and happy. While it’s seriously weird that they are together after being apart my entire life. If that is what they want, so be it.

I heard from Regina a couple of months back. I went to get my stuff out of the dorm soon after I found out I was pregnant but she never showed while I was there. She was in rehab. She had hooked up with David and started doing drugs. It got so bad she was kicked out of school and arrested for possession, rehab was the end of the line. That or prison.

The cops investigated Creed’s death for a couple of weeks before it was ruled self-defense. They couldn’t very well charge a pregnant woman who was physically and mentally abused by the victim. Plus he shot first. And kidnapped me.

I’m still dealing with what I had to do. Well I know I didn’t have to do it, but really can I say that? Would I have let him get away with killing me and then praying on another innocent woman? Because that is what he would have done. These types of people don’t stop doing what they do. They get a sick sense of satisfaction for hurting others. It makes them feel in control. And I guess Creed never really felt in control. His life was a complete mess.

Creed’s mother died five months ago from an overdose. I guess he was the only one who could keep her alive. I think Dean tried but then again he had his own mother to keep alive. Mrs. Donovan could have stayed away from the bad stuff. She just didn’t want too. Maybe Creed and she will be reunited in the afterlife.

“Is she not asleep yet?” Chance asks walking into our living room. He’s wearing boxer shorts and scratching his head.

I smile up at him. “Yeah. I just like to stare