Page 101 of Unscripted with Mila

“Then tell me.”

* * *

My pharmacist, Ash, smiled at me across the desk. I had introduced him to Nick, and he took us to his small office in the back of the drugstore. I had known him since I was a kid—my entire family knew and trusted him.

I showed him the pills and explained my worry. “Can you tell what kind of pill it is?”

“Not without proper testing.” He indicated the pills. “With your permission?”

I nodded, and he crushed each pill, testing the dust with something, then with his tongue.

“I don’t know what it is, but I know what it is not. They are not the same pills,” he said, holding up the bottle. “There is no fentanyl, thank goodness, but I believe these are fake. They are very chalky, so that is probably a large part of their makeup.” He looked at me. “Very clever of you to notice the difference.”

“Can they be tested?”

“Yes. I will send them off for you.”

“What can I do?” Nick hissed. “I need more pills. Real ones.” I heard a touch of panic to his voice. “I can’t go without those meds.”

“I know. There is a doctor I know at the clinic down the street. I’ll call him and explain. I’m sure he will help,” he assured us. “I will be right back.”

He left, and I turned to Nick. He was pale, his pain and confusion evident. “How could she?” he asked.

“She’s desperate. You’re getting too strong for her to hold you much longer.”

“What would have…” He stopped talking and swallowed. “Fuck, you would have had to deal with an episode. A full-blown one. It would have stopped production. Your family would have seen. Christ, I can’t even think about it.”

I captured his hand. “And we would have made it through together, Nick. But we caught it. She didn’t win.”

“I need to cut ties.”

“You need to press charges,” I muttered. “She was endangering you.”

He didn’t respond to my comment. He was too busy thinking. “I would have lost you.”

“No,” I said firmly. “I am not going anywhere, Nick. I love you.” I framed his face with my hands so he had to look at me. “I love you,” I repeated. “That is not going to change. And when you have an episode, I will be there. When I faint, you’ll be there. Together.”

He pulled me into his arms. “Thank God.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

MILA

We went back to the compound, a new bottle of pills with us. The doctor in the clinic had been helpful and had confirmed Nick couldn’t be without his meds, and he’d agreed to give him a new prescription.

At the house, I was surprised when Nick called Andi. He hung up, telling me she was coming to Port Albany that afternoon.

He paced and raged, his euphoria of the past few days gone. His anger had taken over. He was livid. He stopped pacing at one point, looking at me. “Can you call your dad?”

“My dad?”

“Yes.”

“And ask him…?”

“To come over. I want to talk to him.” Then he shook his head. “No, I’ll go see him.”

Before I could stop him, he left. I wasn’t sure what to do.