A Neat Mess

Final Chapter

On the same morning that Ben and Pip began their quest for the truth about Sam, she awoke from a haunting nightmare to a piercing buzz echoing in her ears. The unsettling sound seemed to come from deep within, leaving her dizzy and nauseous. Glancing at the clock, she made a firm decision not to go to work in her current state. All she wanted was to stay close to Jenna; the growing distance between them had become harder to bear.

For some reason, thoughts of Jessica filled her mind, and she wondered if Jessica missed her too. Confused by the surge of emotions, Sam recalled the first time Jessica had approached her at the café where Sam often spent her lunch breaks, sketching in black pencil. Jessica had casually mentioned that she came there every day, a devoted fan of Sam's art.

Jessica had been genuinely surprised to learn that Sam had no children. She believed that someone with Sam's beauty—inside and out—should have had many children to pass on those good genes.

Sam now realized that Jessica was the kind of person who could never offend anyone. Back then, though, Sam had only heard what she wanted to hear, blinded by her own perceptions.

Sam turned in her bed, the persistent noise that had been waking her for days echoing in her mind like a relentless brain zap. Jessica was the only person who knew that Jenna was Sam's biological daughter, and revealing that secret had been her greatest mistake. Suddenly, everything clicked into place.

Uncertain if she had taken her pills correctly, she bolted out of bed and rushed to check the container. Counting the pills, she confirmed the number was right, but a nagging doubt crept in—had the doctor's assistant sent her the wrong batch?

With shaking hands, she picked up the phone and dialled their number.

"Janet, my ears are ringing! Can you tell me what's going on? Are you cutting me off, or is someone messing with the formula?"

"Neither," Janet replied, her tone calm and reassuring. "I always triple-check everything before I send it out. Have you missed a couple of doses? I highly recommend starting to taper down, Sam."

"This is bullshit, and you know it." Sam felt a surge of anger, raw and unfamiliar—a intensity she hadn't experienced in a long time. She hung up the phone, her mind racing as she envisioned the corner where she had hidden her meds. Jenna had shattered half the items surrounding the concealed box, exposing it, and since Ben and Jenna hadn't been staying at the house, she had grown sloppy in her hiding.

Suddenly, it dawned on her—Ben had enough time to snoop around and find them. He must have been onto something.

The memory of her first pill came rushing back: she had placed one on her tongue, curious about the taste. Instead of the expected bitter, chalky flavour, it had a surprisingly herbal and slightly sweet essence. She didn't know what these pills were, but they certainly weren't hers.

In a blind rush of rage, she walked over to the toilet and dumped the entire bottle into the bowl, watching as the pills spiralled down, disappearing with a flush.

First things first—she needed her coffee to clear her mind. The familiar ritual would help her focus as she tried to piece together why Ben had stolen her pills and what he intended to do with them. The thought sent a jolt of anxiety through her.

Lost in thought, Sam walked to the local café and settled at a table, waiting for her usual to arrive.

From the booth behind her, she could hear the waitress chatting with a customer "Would you like to add some beef to your nachos for an extra $5?"

"No, I don't eat animals," replied the man sitting in the booth behind her.

"So you only eat people, then?" the self-amused waitress shot back.