iTake In The Shays

A young blonde woman in her early thirties steps into her friend's art and craft store. She picks up a detail brush when she notices a familiar face.

"Carls is that you?" Sam asks as she looks at the young brunette with disheveled hair in her pajamas.

Carly tries to hide and says, "Sam! I didn't want you to see me like this."

"So, this is where you're staying now? Your brother's arts and craft store?" Sam wonders.

She explains, "Well, things haven't been going well between David and me. To be honest, I guess things haven't been going well for awhile. David gets the house and I get the boys every other week."

"And this is why you've been so distant from me and Freddie lately" Sam surmises. Carly nods yes. Her friend offers, "C'mon kid this is no place for you and Jake and Dylan to stay. You can stay with Freddie, me and the kids. "

Carly questions, "You sure I wouldn't wanna impose?"

"You're not imposing. You're my best friend." Sam reminds.

Carly packs her stuff. Sam leaves the store to return home to her loving, understandable husband. At least, he's understandable to a certain extent. Sam enters their home with an armful of bags

Freddie greets as he sits at the counter with his laptop, "Hey Cute…" He gets interrupted when his wife sits on his lap and gives a nice long passionate kiss on the lips. "Wow, what was that for?" he inquires rubbing the small of her back.

"Mmm.. nothing," Sam says softly as she plays with the buttons on his shirt, "Baby, I got you something."

Freddie opens the bag, "The new USB with the Galaxy Wars log I wanted. Sam, what's going?"

Sam clears her and tries to explain really fast, "Well, it was on the way home and I know you really wanted to have it. Carly's moving in with us. What do you want for dinner, Baby?"

"Wa-wa-wait, what did you just say?" He questions.

Sam replies, "What do you want for dinner Baby?"

"Before that," Freddie says sternly when he gives her a look and crosses his arms.

She answers again, "It was on the way home and I know you really wanted to have it?"

"N-n-no after that," Freddie rigidly inquires

Sam responds sheepishly, "Carly's moving in with us. Oh and by the way Dylan and Jacob since she gets them every other week."

"Oh by the way…Sam, you let three people move in with us without even so much as consulting me?" He exclaims.

Sam scoffs, "Yeah, so."

"So Samantha Joy Benson, you're a real piece of work. I'm your husband remember!" Freddie yells angrily.

Sam says sarcastically, and then explains, "Really eight years, the rings on my left hand and the two kids. I must've have forgotten. C'mon Freddie Carly's our best friend. It's just until she gets back on her feet."

"I know, but did you even think about the details?" He sighs.

Sam inquires, "Like?"

"Like where are Carly and her kids gonna sleep?" Freddie points out.

She mentions, "Well, Carly can take the guest room and the boys can share Christopher's room."

Freddie says frustrated, "That room's not big enough for the three of 'em, so where's Chris gonna sleep?"

"Bella's room." Sam answers.

"And where's Bella gonna sleep?" Freddie questions.

Sam responds, "In her own room. Look we'll put a divider up, so the kids don't see anything when they change."

The kids come downstairs for dinner and overheard a little bit of their parents' conversation.

Their seven year old son Christopher exclaims, "I have to share a room with this kindergarten baby! What why?"

"Hey don't call me a kindergarten baby, Buttface," Their four year old daughter Bella insults.

The kids start yelling and fighting inaudibly. Sam breaks up their fight with a loud.

Sam orders, "Hey, Hey that's enough. Both of you apologize right now."

"Sorry." Christopher mumbles.

Bella mutters, "I'm sorry too."

"Good. Now go wash your hands before dinner guys," adds Freddie.

Bella asks, "But, wait Daddy why's Auntie Carly staying with us?"

Freddie tells them, "Look, it's just until Aunt Carly finds a steady job."

"Um, when was the last time Aunt Carly had a steady job?" Christopher comments. Bella laughs.

Sam remarks, "Christopher Fredward Benson, you're aunt Carly's an actress. It's hard to find work out there now-a-days."

"That's why I get bigger. I wanna be a chef just like you Mama." Bella mentions. Freddie smiles at Sam.

"Kiss-up Dag mom this really sucks!" Chris yells angrily.

Freddie disciplines, "Don't you talk to your mother that way and go wash up for dinner!"

They kids comply and leave the kitchen to go wash their hands before dinner.

"Sam, this really sucks! Do you even know when they're moving in?" Freddie mentions.

"Um.." She ponders as the doorbell rings, "Now"

Freddie sighs and puts on a smile as he and Sam get the door. They greet everybody and get all the bags inside the house. A few minutes later, the two families sit down to a nice, peaceful dinner. That is until Carly's twin boys Dylan and Jacob start a food fight. Spaghetti, Taco shells, and sauce fly everywhere. Carly cleans up after dinner.

Carly apologizes after she finishes cleaning up the mess her boys made, "I'm so sorry."

"And I thought our kids were rambunctious and crazy," Freddie comments.

The girls both snipe at him and punch him in the arm "Freddie!" They exclaim.

Carly goes to tuck Jacob and Dylan in while Sam and Freddie do the same with Christopher and Bella.

The next morning Carly in her sweats is trying to get the boys to eat their pancakes for breakfast.

Jacob comments, "No, this is how Dad makes it."

"I don't want it. Jake's right, it's not like Dad's pancakes." Dylan adds.

Carly points out frustrated, "Look, I don't care if it isn't like how your dad made. I just need the both of you to eat something before you head off to school."

"Hey Jakey Dylan I think your mom forgot the secret ingredients." Sam mentions with a bowl of something.

Jake says excitedly, "Chocolate Chips!"

"Hmm, that's right Auntie Sammy. And guess what else?" Freddie asks as he looks over to Sam with a bowl of something else.

"Blueberries," Dylan says with excitement.

Carly expresses, "Thanks Guys… Oh crab."

"Mom!" Jake gasps.

Their mom corrects, "I said crab. I can't believe I forgot to make your lunches last night."

"No worries. We got homemade mac and cheese for Dylan and grilled cheese with tomato soup for Jakey." Sam reassures as she put the boys two lunch bags.

Carly says surprised, "Wow, what do make Chris and Bella."

"Mmm a bacon pesto grilled cheese on wheat with grilled corn for me." Chris comments.

Bella continues, "And a nice clam chowder with some yummy bread and celery sticks for me."

Carly mouths Woah.

"I know right. I mean c'mon Sam is a pretty awesome chef." Freddie compliments.

Sam says "Aww. Have a good day at work."

"You forgot something." Freddie mentions.

Sam sighs happily, "Oh okay." She grabs his shoulders and gives him a quick little kiss on the lips.

"Mom you used to kiss Dad like that." Jake reminds.

Freddie comments feeling awkward, "It's not your Auntie Sammy and I kiss like that a lot."

"Hardly at all," Sam continues.

The kids go off to school. Later that night Carly tries to find a job. Three months later, she finds a steady job as a personal assistant

Freddie comments, "Three months."

"I love her, but finally let's go home. I've got something to tell you." Sam says.

"What?" Freddie asks.

Sam says, "You remember Wendy…"

"Here we go again," Freddie sighs exasperated.