Chapter 28
Summary
- Sam cannot sleep and leaves in the early morning to go to the boxing gym, bypassing her work clothes for the job she no longer has.
- At the gym, Sam works out with running, weights, and then transitions to boxing, where she punches out her frustrations onto a punchbag.
- She imagines people and situations that have caused her pain or anger, such as her mother's messages, Miriam Price, her job loss, her marriage issues, and others as she punches the bag.
- Sam drives her and Andrea, who seems to have a serious illness, to Andrea's appointment in a camper-van, avoiding asking her partner Phil for help with her own car battery.
- They drive in silence to preserve Andrea's frail health, reflecting on Sam's complex emotions and their fear for Andrea's health results.
- In the hospital, they anxiously receive the news that Andrea's cancer appears to have been successfully removed and there is no spread, bringing them relief and joy.
- Returning from the hospital, overwhelmed with emotion, Sam accidentally runs a red light and is stopped by a police officer.
- Sam candidly opens up to the officer about her personal struggles, and the officer lets her off with a warning after empathizing with her about menopause challenges.
- Upon arrival home, Sam cleans up after her dog Kevin, who has had an accident, and is confronted by her daughter, Cat, about her marital issues and behavior.
- After an honest but painful conversation about Sam's unhappiness, invisibility, and need for validation, mother and daughter share a hug and Cat expresses concern about her parents' potential separation.
- Sam reflects on a recent conversation with her husband about her feelings for another man, Joel, and reassures Cat that she thinks they will not split up, although she is not completely convinced.
- Joel has sent Sam text messages expressing concern, apologies from colleagues, and personal longing, leaving Sam with conflicted emotions.