MOMMY ISSUES | Tamber

13

Tara trailed listlessly behind Sam, who led the way with a basket in the crook of her arm. Sam's brow was furrowed in a mulish scowl as she aggressively perused the produce section.

"Would it kill you to act even a little bit grateful that I'm dragging you out of that depressing ice box you call an apartment?" Sam snapped.

Tara remained silent, her eyes distant. Sam sighed in exasperation, shooting her a sideways glance. "Christ, you're a million miles away, as usual. At least try to be present for once—"

"I should move out," Tara mumbled, the words barely audible.

Sam paused, her head cocking as she tried to read the shift in Tara's demeanor. "What, you mean from your place? With Amber?"

Tara didn't respond, but her shoulders hunched incrementally. Sam set her jaw, clearly displeased but holding her tongue for now. They rounded the corner into another aisle and—

"Amber..." Tara's sharp inhale cut through the air.

She froze, staring in hollow devastation at the scene playing out before her: Amber animatedly chatting and giggling with a handsome stranger, her expression radiant in a way Tara hadn't seen in months. Jealousy and heartache lashed through her like a physical ache. Sam followed her stunned line of sight, her lips pursing into a vengeful sneer.

"Well, well. Looks like the ice queen didn't waste too much time moving on and finding her next victim—"

"Sam, no!" Tara's urgent plea went unheeded as Sam stalked forward, the basket swinging from her arm like a weapon. Tara scrambled to catch up.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Tara hissed.

Sam whirled on her, eyes blazing with fury as she crowded into Tara's space. "What does it look like? I'm putting an end to this once and for all! She can't keep doing this to you, Tara—treating you like garbage and then just hopping back on the fucking horse like nothing happened!"

She shook her head in disgust, opening her mouth to unleash further vitriol, but Tara interrupted her, screaming and sobbing, "Because I deserved it!"

Sam froze, the harsh words dying on her tongue. Tara crumpled in on herself, shrinking back in naked anguish.

"Don't you get it? I ruined everything we had... shattered her trust in the worst way. I drove her to it. I'm the bad guy here, not her!" Tara's voice was ragged, the pain evident in every word.

Horrified understanding dawned over Sam's features as she took in the broken young woman before her. The self-hatred and internalized toxicity radiated from Tara. Sam's voice wavered on a knife's edge between rage and sorrow. "Oh my god... she really did a number on you, didn't she?"

Amber was mid-laugh, recounting a lighthearted story to the handsome stranger beside her. "--and then I told him, maybe you wouldn't have gotten lost if you prioritized an IQ over six-pack abs for once in your--" She cut off abruptly as a commotion nearby caught her eye. Her casual smile faltered, then faded entirely as she registered the source: Sam, storming over with Tara trailing white-faced behind her.

The handsome man started to ask what was wrong, but Amber held up a hand, dread calcifying in the pit of her stomach. Sam didn't break stride until she was toe-to-toe with Amber, shaking with unchecked fury.

"You... evil... BITCH!" Sam spat, swinging the basket with the force of a bat. Canned goods pelted Amber as she recoiled with a stifled cry. Tara surged forward instinctively, frantically grappling to restrain Sam's arms.

"Sam, stop! What the hell are you doing?!" Tara screamed, desperation in her voice.

Blood pounded in Sam's ears, unmindful of Tara's pleading as years of protective rage finally found release. "This is because of you! You poisoned her... broke her goddamn spirit with your mind games and abuse and fuck knows what else--"

"No! That's not how it was at--" Amber reeled, trying to defend herself.

"Shut your lying mouth! Take a good long look at her, you twisted bitch!" Sam cut her off, shoving Tara forward with implacable strength. She slammed a hand over Tara's eyes, forcing her head back with her hair tangled in a ruthless grip.

Tara's savaged forearms were wrenched into full view, the latticework of brutal self-harm scoring the fragile skin in lurid slashes. Amber went paper-white, hand flying to her mouth as she took in the full scope of the damage to the person she loved most.

"Tara... oh god, baby no..." Amber choked out, the words barely audible.

Sobs started to wrack Tara's slender frame as Sam finally released her, leaving her to collapse to her knees in a crumbling heap. Amber stood frozen, shaken to her core.

As Sam stalked past her, she hissed with blistering contempt, "I hope you're proud of yourself." She hurried to crouch by Tara's side, gathering the shattered girl against her with murmured comforts.

Amber watched them, her gut churning with horror and guilt as swarms of onlookers began to congregate. One question ricocheted endlessly through her stunned mind:

What has she done?