BIPOLAR

Chapter Seven: A Night Out

    While they were driving back home Lisa asked a question. "Hey mum where's Jamin?"

    "Uh, he has gone on vacation. He told me he wants to clear his head", Sarah said.

   "Where?", Favour asked.

   "He doesn't want anyone to know where he is.  But don't worry he will be back soon."

   "I think we need a vacation too", Lisa said.

   Sarah gave it a thought and allowed them to stay at there cousins place for the time being. They would also be safer there.

   The next week  Sarah took Lisa and Favour to aunt Laura's place. When they got there, Laura was playing games with her kids , Christine and Lauren, and her husband Jake. Sarah recalled all the times she did the same with Juke and her kids, her world crushed within a blink of an eye.

    Before they got out of the car Lauren spotted them and screamed Sarah's name.

   "Aunt Sarah!"

   Sarah got out her car and haven Lauren a big hug. "Hey Lauren. It's been a while how are you?"

   "I'm okay".

    Lauren escorted Sarah, Lisa and Favour to the front yard where Laura, Jake and Christine where.

    " Sarah, Hi", Lisa said.

    "What's good lil sis? Hey Jake."

    Laura was Sarah's little sister, Laura and Jake have been married for 13 years and their kids are the same age as Lisa and Favour, Christine being the older one. Laura was a well renowned psychiatrist. She was known for her findings in childhood trauma and Neuro Linguistic Programming.

    "I see you've brought my girls", Jake said.

   "Yeah they wanted to stay here for a little while. I hope you don't mind", Sarah said.

   "Nah it's cool", Laura said, " Hey Christine show your cousins to their room."

   "Sure", Christine said as she picked up her cousins bags.

   "So how have you been Sarah?", Laura asked.

   "I could be worse but I'll be fine", she said.

   "Are you sure?", Jake asked, " I can see it through your eyes Sarah. There's no need for you to keep it in you like that. "

   "Its for my girls Jake, I'm the only one they have left I can't let them see me struggle."

   "I have an idea", Laura said, "let's go out for a drink."

   "What about the kids?" , Jake said.

   "They've got Christine and Lisa they'll be okay. What do you say Sarah?"

   "Hmm, why not? Life has dealt me some crummy card right now so why not let loose a little."

   Sarah slipped into the sleek, black dress, feeling a glimmer of normalcy for the first time in weeks. Her sister Laura had insisted on a night out, and Sarah couldn't resist.

   At the trendy bar, Laura and her husband, Jake , waited with warm smiles.

   "Hey, sis!" Laura exclaimed, embracing Sarah tightly.

    Jake handed Sarah a cosmopolitan. "To a night of forgetting."

    Sarah laughed, clinking glasses. "To forgetting."

    As they sipped their drinks, the tension melted away. They chatted about everything except Juke's death and Jamin's disappearance.

   Laura regaled them with stories of her latest discoveries.

    Sarah felt a weight lift, her smile genuine for the first time in the four months since Juke's.

   As the night wore on, they danced to upbeat tunes, laughing and spinning.

   For a few fleeting hours, Sarah forgot her grief, her anxiety, and her fears.

   She was just a woman, enjoying life with loved ones.

   While they were playing a game of pool, Sarah dropped her purse and her medicine bag fell out.

   "What is that?", Laura asked.

  "Oh it's my medicine bag. Jamin left this for me", Sarah said, " See he took the time to label each medicine compartment."

   "What are those letters for?", Jake asked.

   "H for Haloperidol, F for fluphenazine, C for Chlorpromazine, D for Depakene and L for Loxitane."

   Jake gave Laura a weird stare. "Who gave you that medication?"

   "My therapist Dr.Lee", Sarah said, " can we not talk about this c'mon you are making me sad again."

  "Oh sorry, Jake it's your turn", Laura said.

   As the evening drew to a close, Laura hugged Sarah tightly.

   "You're strong, sis. You'll get through this."

   Jake nodded in agreement. "We're here for you."

   Sarah's eyes welled up, gratitude washing over her.

   "Thanks, guys. Tonight was exactly what I needed."

   As they parted ways, Sarah felt rejuvenated, ready to face the challenges ahead.

   But as she stepped into her empty house, reality crashed back.

   The silence was deafening.

   Jamin's absence hung like a shadow.

   Sarah's heart ached, but she held onto the evening's joy.

   She knew she'd get through this, one step at a time.

   The next morning Sarah woke up to frantic banging on her door. She immediately got up and went to check it out.

   It was Mai and she had a look of worry on her face.

   Sarah opened her door and before she could utter a word Mai came in and told Sarah shocking news.

   Mai told Sarah that she was able to track the where the message that Sarah received was sent from.

   Also, Blake is missing.