A Neat Mess

35. All the Goodbyes

When Ben arrived home to an empty house that night, an unsettling feeling washed over him. His frustration grew with each unanswered call to Sam. He began pacing, tension building as he prepared for a confrontation. Suddenly, his phone rang, the screen flashing an unknown number.

Lucille's mother was on the line, her voice trembling with tears. Lucille had passed away that night at twenty-three, just as she was on the verge of realizing her dreams. Her mother asked Ben to gather any belongings Lucille had left behind. In a daze, Ben walked upstairs to the small room where he had been sleeping—a room that had once briefly belonged to Lucille. He regretted having washed the sheets that still carried her scent.

Ben still in shock scanned the room but found nothing that clearly belonged to her. The only item was her pillow, which he had kept on the floor beside the bed. Overwhelmed by grief, he seized the pillow and hurled it against the wall with all his strength. The impact caused its contents to scatter across the room.

As he bent down to pick up the pieces, he realized they were fragments of a book Lucille mentioned, now shredded beyond recognition. Ben knelt among the scattered pages, holding them in trembling hands as his heart shattered. Tears streamed down his face as he clutched the pillow that no longer held her scent tightly. He must have loved Lucille more deeply than he had ever admitted, and now that truth would be buried with her forever.

When Sam arrived home, she found Ben sitting on the floor, surrounded by the torn pages. He looked up at her with tearful eyes. "I found Lucille's book. Her mother wanted me to return everything she had. Do you think we can piece it together?" he asked, his voice quavering.

Sam quickly put Jenna to bed and embraced Ben. The sadness was palpable, but Sam couldn't bring herself to cry for Lucille or Ben. "She's gone, Sam," Ben kept repeating, his voice full of despair.

Lucille's death momentarily paused the family's unrest. Her parents, choosing not to press charges against Ben and Sam, arranged a funeral that drew a large crowd, a testament to their respected standing in the community. At the cemetery, Jessica's unexpected appearance caught Sam off guard—how had she known about the funeral? Sam's suspicion deepened as she noticed a fleeting exchange of glances between Ben and Jessica. Tension rose as Jessica placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, only for Sam to brusquely shrug it off. The three stood in a tense, uneasy silence.

At the wake, Ben formally met Jessica for the first time. He approached her, words hovering just out of reach in his mind. Instead, he leaned in and murmured, "Thanks for coming."

"It's okay," Jessica responded softly. "I saw the notice in the local paper. How's Jenna holding up? She must be devastated. Where is she?"

"She's fine. Kids can be surprisingly resilient," Ben replied. "You mentioned seeing it in the paper—I thought Sam had invited you."

"We haven't spoken in a while," Jessica said, a hint of something unreadable in her tone. "She's been so busy since Lucille was hospitalized."

"True," Ben conceded. "We've been struggling a lot lately, and Sam hasn't been handling it well. I almost reached out to you for help but... I didn't."

"Trust me, I understand," Jessica said, her words layered with a cryptic undertone. Ben sensed something off about her demeanour but couldn't quite place it. From across the room, Sam watched them, her anger simmering just beneath the surface.

On the drive back from the funeral, Sam asked, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm living in an endless nightmare. Lucille was a gem, an irreplaceable, extraordinary human being. She was family," Ben said, his voice heavy with emotion.

"And I see you and Jessica finally met?" Sam pressed.

"She wasn't as 'Miss Havisham' as you made her out to be. She seemed pretty normal and not at all afraid of crowds," Ben replied.

"Is that why you invited her?" Sam asked.

"She found out from the paper and came to offer her support. I didn't see you two talk much," Ben said.

Sam felt a surge of rage at the thought of Ben and Jessica conspiring behind her back. She knew she had to act. When they arrived home, Sam jumped into the driver's seat and sped to Jessica's house. Her heart raced as she pounded on the door, then tried to open it, but it was locked. "Hey, I know you're in there! Open the damn door!" she shouted.

With no response, Sam grabbed a large rock from the grass strip and hurled it through the window. "I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the quiet street.

Jessica, having heard everything, calmly opened the door and handed Sam a piece of paper.

"What's this?" Sam demanded, glancing at the printout of a flight booking.

"It's a one-way ticket to India. Is that far enough from your family? I came over today to check on you, to say goodbye—maybe for good," Jessica said, her voice steady.

Just then, a police car pulled up, alerted by a concerned neighbor. The officer stepped out. "Is everything alright here? We got a report of a disturbance."

"It's fine," Jessica replied smoothly. "My friend was just worried about me. I have diabetes, and she was concerned."

Sam wasn't sure if Jessica actually had diabetes, but she couldn't help but admire her quick thinking.

One of the officers inspected the broken window, prompting the other to turn to Jessica. "So, how do you explain the broken window, ma'am?"

"I was taking a nap and didn't hear the door. I guess she panicked and tried to get in. Today was a family member's funeral—someone very young—and it's put everyone on edge," Jessica explained calmly.

The officer, though not entirely convinced, eventually nodded and left with his partner.

As Sam returned home, her mind raced. Another chapter had closed, but new questions and uncertainties lingered, leaving her unsettled.