Hello readers. Sorry this is up a little later than usual, I was actually all caught up in reading something and refused to do anything until I finished. Thanks to those of you who reviewed this last chapter; I got a few more than I did on the last chapter and that always gives me a little confidence boost and I end up writing a bunch of stuff.

Anyways we move on to Sam's mom in this chapter. It's weird writing characters that we see so little of but hear so much about. Hopefully I was somewhat successful. ENJOY!

Sam's Session

Chapter Four: Apples and Trees

"Failure is a strong word Sam."

"Failure is an appropriate word," she retorted. "She fails at being a mom, she failed at being a wife, she fails at keeping a job; it might not sound very nice but it's true and I could be a lot harsher, to fail at something you have to try and she does but she doesn't exactly put a lot of effort into it."

"That's very insightful." Dr. Bliss pointed out.

She shrugged, "well I like to believe that I'm not a complete idiot."

"So tell me more about your mother, was she always sort of negligent when you and your sister were young?"

Sam thought carefully for a moment keeping in mind her mom could potentially get in trouble for some of her behavior. "Yeah, I mean we were pretty good at taking care of ourselves since we were little so I suppose it wasn't so bad that she usually left us alone, but she could have paid a little more attention to us, Melanie got more than I did," she explained. "The most attention she ever gave me was when I was in those stupid beauty pageants when I was little."

"You don't seem like the pageant type." Her head gave a small shake, realizing that it didn't fit with what she already learned about Sam.

"I'm not, my mom made me because she thought it was the only opportunity left for me to be as perfect as Melanie." Sam crossed her arms stiffly.

"Are you sure that's really the case, I mean there are benefits to child pageants, scholarships and such maybe your mother just wanted what was best for you."

"After every pageant, dance practice, rehearsal, all I ever heard was some variation of "you'll never be as good as Melanie," never once did I hear "good job Sammy," Melanie didn't even know how to dance, my mom just assumed she was better than me at that too." Sam's anger, though she tried to hold it back, was tapping in to her reserve energy and she found herself stomping across the room.

"A lot of parents are hard on their kids when it comes to competition, it's a weird way of showing they care; they want you to succeed."

"I came in second nineteen times, but why should that be considered successful?" Sam asked sarcastically.

Dr. Bliss scribbled something down. Sam didn't notice. She was extremely frustrated; just like she always was when those stupid pageants came up.

"I'm sorry you didn't get any acknowledgment for your accomplishments, second place nineteen times is pretty impressive, your mother never seemed proud of that?"

She turned to walk off stage and wobbled on her heel. She'd never learn to walk in the girly little shoes. Once out of sight of the audience her mother approached her, handed her a chicken wing and pointed out her wobbly exit; like she needed her to point it out.

"I'll do better next time."

"Just focus on your routine for right now, go get changed, I see a set of bobby pins on that table and if I make them disappear they will be missed." Sam rolled her eyes at her mom's sabotage and ran upstairs to get changed.

The dressing room was crowded with screaming girls and mothers made up with make up like they were the ones competing. She pushed past a small group huddled together admiring each other's' dresses, a slightly rougher bump into LeAnn Carter. She found her bag of things and changed quickly into her dance costume and tap shoes. She "borrowed" one girl's curling iron while she argued with her mom about what shade of lipstick she should wear and "borrowed" another girl's shoe polish while she argued with her mom about what song she was singing.

The door to the dressing room opened and she looked up instinctively. It was pointless. It was never her mom coming to help her with her hair or makeup. It didn't matter she'd seen the other kids do it so often she eventually picked up on it. She never put on as much makeup as them though. She thought she looked like a clown the one time she did and the judges always complimented her on her natural look-whatever that meant.

She snuck a second chicken wing out of her mother's purse before reapplying some lip gloss. She wanted to find a space to practice her routine again but could hardly move in the room let alone dance. The hallway was pretty empty and fairly wide so Sam once more forced her way across the room.

She was disappointed to see the hallways were carpeted but she started practicing anyways. A few people walked past. Parents watched her, sizing up their daughters' competition, prep-people passed in such a rush they never noticed her, one person stopped to admire.

"Samantha, you just keep getting better and better with every pageant, I bet you're going to win this time."

Sam stopped mid shuffle and sighed. She had to be nice; if she got into it with anymore contestants they were going to kick her out. "Thanks LeAnn but I haven't beaten you the past nineteen times why would I be able to beat you this time?"

"You're routine is amazing, the judges are going to love it, I wish I would have picked a different song." Sam was overcome with the urge to tell her to switch songs. If it wasn't one she practiced she might mess up. She might actually have a chance at winning. But she didn't say anything, she'd leave the sabotage up to her mom.

"You'll do great just like you always do, I better practice some more." Sam just wanted LeAnn to leave her alone. She didn't like how chummy the girl was.

"The talent portion of the competition will be beginning shortly," an announcement came over the intercom, "please all contestants report backstage."

LeAnn gave her one of those pageant winning smiles and turned to leave. Sam saw it from the corner of her eye. LeAnn's heel snagged on a loose loop in the carpet. She toppled over, tried to grab the railing but missed and tumbled down the stairs. Sam ran over to the top of the steps. There was a landing about eight steps down where her rival had landed haphazardly and tangled in her dress.

Sam didn't know what to do. Was it bad that part of her thought she'd actually have a chance to win this time? She was about to go get help or call to LeAnn when she heard gasps and chattering behind her. She looked over her shoulder to find the occupants of the dressing room had exited and were watching on suspiciously.

Rumors started flying.

Most of the contestants hated her for always placing second despite her brash behavior and unsophisticated way of answering questions. All of them knew she was a bit on the violent and competitive side. Within a minute three mothers claimed to have seen Sam push LeAnn down the stairs. Children were backing up the stories, confirming that Sam had roughly shoved LeAnn not five minutes ago in the dressing room. LeAnn herself couldn't come to her defense. She had bit her lip in the fall and her parents were rushing her off to find ice and stop the swelling in time for her performance.

Before she knew it officials had been called on and her mother was found. Endangering or injuring another competitor was against the rules and had severe consequences. She was being placed on a seven year ban from pageants. Nobody listened when she tried to defend herself. Her mother said almost nothing and went to collect their things from the dressing room.

"Mom I swear I didn't-"

"Sam, you really shouldn't have done that." Pam said as she collected her purse.

"But I-"

"Not that I don't think it was a good effort, bravo for trying but I just don't think you were quite ready for such a level of sabotage, if that was your plan I would have handled LeAnn and you could have taken the other girl's bobby pins."

"What?"

"She was actually proud of me for trying to be bad, all that effort into those ridiculous pageants hoping she would give me a little congratulations and it turned out all I needed to do was cheat." Sam said with a roll of her eyes. "Is it any wonder I have a record."

"You've been arrested?"

"More than once, if you're going to make a note."

"You're just full of surprises aren't you?" Dr. Bliss got up to refill her cup of coffee. It was going to be a long day. But Sam was such an intriguing young women that she would willing sit the whole day talking to her. She glanced back at Sam, noticing the circles under her eyes, she offered her a cup too. She declined but when offered water she accepted. "So you believe that your mom participating in and encouraging negative behavior led you to taking part in more negative behavior."

"I guess she can't be completely to blame, I was always a trouble maker but I mean isn't there some psychology behind it, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and all that chiz."

"I'm not saying you're mom isn't responsible, from what I can tell she can probably hold quite a bit of the blame."

Sam got quiet. She sipped her water slowly. Dr. Bliss could easily see something was bothering her but she wasn't sure she wanted to say it out loud.

"You must remember I am not here to judge you Sam, I'm just here to listen and help if I can."

"It's nothing, it's just people who have met me and my mom are always telling me that we're so much alike and I don't want to be like my mom, I mean her life is a mess, what if I turn out just like her."

"It's your life Sam, you can make it turn out however you want it to."

"Well I'm not exactly helping myself then, I'm lazy like my mom, I'm always in trouble, I'm always being mean, I've never had a boyfriend that didn't cheat on me or turn out to be a complete jerkbag."

"Have you ever tried to change those things?" Sam shrugged in response. Maybe she had; but if so it wasn't intentional. And she did finally have feelings for a boy who was genuinely kind and gentlemanly to girls; girls that weren't her of course. Why did it have to be him?

She was losing focus. What had Dr. Bliss just asked?

"Sorry, what?"

"I asked if you had any happy memories with your mother."

Sam thought back. Most of her childhood memories were blurry but none of them qualified as happy anyways. As she got older she and her mom spent a little more time together. Generally the time was spent unwilling helping her mother with disgusting tasks. Maybe they had had a conversation or two that was pleasant. Since Carly made them go to family therapy things were a little better. They acted almost exactly as they had before only the hate that seemed to be there before wasn't leaking into their words and actions anymore. She started to tell Dr. Bliss about the family therapy when a happy memory came to mind.

So what did you guys think?