iBet You
Sam and Freddie are one of the most well-known couples in the entertainment business. Samantha Benson is a famous chef and TV Personality, who even has her own cooking show Italian Made Easy. Freddie Benson is a world-renown Director and TV Producer, who has directed hit block busters in The Galaxy Wars series. They love their kids, but unfortunately even the life with their family is under a microscope. Tonight a dinner with their kids and their friends Nathan and Jennette Kriss didn't go exactly as planned.
"Well, that went well," Freddie says sarcastically as he enters the kitchen from the garage.
Sam tells her kids while taking off her coat, "Christopher. Isabella. Upstairs now until Daddy and I can think of your punishment."
"But Mom, We wanna watch Full House!" Chris protests as he walks upstairs.
Bella mentions to her father, "Daddy, I was a good girl."
"Good girl huh? So good you poured parmesan cheese down your brother's pants?" Freddie comments sternly.
Bella laughs nervously, "Oh you saw that huh?"
"Yep. Now upstairs both of you!" Sam reminds.
Chris whines, "But Mom!"
"You heard your mother!" Freddie disciplines.
The kids head upstairs as they were told and instantly start fighting over a toy.
"Kids!" Sam hollers as she warms up a slice of pizza.
Freddie yells, "If you guys don't stop fighting when I get to one. Five, Four, Three, Two…"
The kids stop fighting and shout from upstairs, "Sorry!"
"I swear. I don't know where those kids learn such bad behavior." Sam mutters with a mouthful of pizza.
Freddie points out, "Maybe from their mother."
"Excuse me" She says offended.
He sighs, "Babe I love you, but you gotta admit you encourage their bad behavior."
"I do not!" Sam denies.
He reminds, "Sam, when Chris stole the clown's nose, you high-fived him."
"So, you gotta admit it was kinda funny." Sam says after sipping some water.
Freddie shakes his head and says, "No it wasn't. I just want one thing from you."
"What that?" She asks her husband.
He continues, "I want to have a nice, quiet dinner with you and the kids."
"So are you gonna teach them manners and junk," Sam questions with another mouthful of pizza.
Freddie laughs, "No Sam, you are gonna teach them manners at the dinner table."
"So, you're making me teach them because it's the woman's job right. That's so sexist Freddie It's 2024!" Sam accuses.
Freddie mentions, "W-w-wait I never said that. I just think it would do all of you some good."
"But, what do I know about manners?" Sam inquires.
He coerces, "Okay Sam, I guess if you're not up for the challenge."
"Damn it Benson you know I can't resist a challenge." Sam whines.
Freddie smirks, "Yep, in fact I bet you if you can't teach the kids manners by tomorrow's night's dinner, you have to come with me to the next Galaxy Wars convention. Deal?"
They shake hands in agreement.
"Dealio, but let's make this more interesting. I bet the following night after I will have taught the kids good manners that you can't woo me anymore." Sam adds.
Freddie questions confused, "I can't what you anymore?"
"Freddie!" She threatens as she punches him on the arm and yanks his tie.
"Baby, I don't want you to kill me before I know what the word woo means." Freddie comments a little scared.
She explains, "Romance me! You nub!"
"I thought I romance you every Friday night Sammy," Freddie chuckles suggestively.
She slugs in the arm, "Honey your version of romance is some seeing some sci-fi flick and sex at some cheap motel on the side of the road."
"So?" He states matter-of-factly.
She sighs, "So I need a little more action."
"Again I say, I thought we were doing fine in that department Baby." Freddie points out with an eyebrow raise.
Sam says frustrated, "You know what I mean Freddie! C'mon what happened to the guy that to take me to our favorite Italian place. Or the guy who used to hold my hand after we would go for long walks in the park and pick me daisies. Yep you really knew how to woo me then. I mean what it is after eight years of marriage and do you not want—"
Freddie interrupts her with a kiss on the lips and says, "Stop that I love you. I can think of something good to woo you."
"If you can't you're stuck teaching the kids manners." Sam goes on to say.
Freddie says, "Deal."
They shake hands again in agreement. The Bensons all get ready for bed and sleep soundly through the night. The next day during the afternoon, Sam sets the dining room table all fancy and nice as if they were going to a restaurant with fine dining.
"Kids get in here now please!" Sam yells to her kids in the backyard.
Chris responds, "Yeah Mom."
"What's up?" Bella continues.
Freddie explains to his kids, "Mama is gonna teach you and your brother how to have manners at the dinner table."
"Because apparently Daddy doesn't think we can behavior ourselves at dinner," Sam continues.
Chris asks, "Okay, so what that mean?"
"That means no talk of boogers, cuts, bumps, bruises, snot, or vomit at the dinner table. And you have to sit down nicely while using a fork, knife, and spoon." Sam clarifies.
Bella inquires, "What if we're having chicken fingers?"
Freddie looks with an eyebrow raise and a cocky, knowing smirk as he stands by the refrigerator.
Sam thinks up, "Um.. use your utensils like this."
Sam uses her knife and fork to cut a piece of chicken and accidently pricks her finger.
Chris wonders, "Ma, you okay?"
"Ow! What the hell?" Sam says slightly sucking on the finger she pricked.
Bella gasps, "Ooh Mama you just said a swear word I'm telling Daddy. Daddy!"
"Sam," Freddie pretends to reprimand his wife.
"Yeah Dad, Mom just said, hell and damn." Chris adds.
Sam denies, "I did not say damn."
"Now you did." Bella laughs.
The kids start fighting and pulling each others' hair.
Freddie goes over to his Pearpod at the stereo, plays the Galaxy Wars theme song, and says cockily to Sam, "Problems dear?"
"Stop that. That's enough!" Sam yells to her kids.
The two kids chat in unison while pounding their spoons and forks on the table, "Stop that. That's enough! Stop that. That's enough! Stop that. That's enough!"
"Oh I'll think you have the Galaxy Wars theme song down by the next convention Sam," Freddie says with an arrogant laugh.
Sam groans, "Oh "
That night the Bensons sit down a nice, elegant, and candlelit dinner in their own dining room, Chris and Bella were being so polite and well-mannered because they were so tired. They eventually fell asleep on their food.
"It's so quiet." Freddie whispers.
Sam whispers back, "Yeah, see how nice, quiet, and polite our children are being."
"Hmm, so quiet they're asleep on their dinner, which is surprising because it's ham, their favorite," Freddie remarks.
Sam figures, "But I did teach 'em."
"You did Baby. Thank you," Freddie agrees.
Sam smiles as she wipes the bits of food off her kids' face and comments, "C'mon let's go tuck in our sleepy little troopers in their beds."
"Ma'am yes ma'am," Freddie jokes with a salute after he blows out the candles.
Freddie picks up Chris and Sam carries Bella upstairs. They tuck them into their beds and then they finish cleaning up after dinner. Later, Sam and Freddie do some chores. Eventually they go to bed themselves, excited for tomorrow.
It's the next night. Carly and Spencer come over to babysit the kids.
Chris greets, "Uncle Spencer!"
"Aunt Carly!" Bella adds.
Spencer and Carly say together, "Hey kiddos"
Freddie walks downstairs and a nice black suit and blue tie. He also does a wolf whistle when he Sam in a one-shoulder black dress with some red heels.
"Dad, don't whistle at Mom like that." Chris says disgusted by his parents' actions.
Bella adds, "You can't whistle at girls Daddy. That's rude."
"I can at one girl, your mother, especially when she looks as stunning as she does right now." Freddie compliments his wife after he gives a quick peck on the lips and gives her a helping hand down the stairs.
"Well thanks Ready Freddie?" She asks.
He nods. They give the kids a kiss goodbye. Freddie takes Sam to Pini's restaurant, where they have some fine red wine and a delicious dinner of lasagna with coconut cream pie for dessert. They pay the bill and go for a nice, long romantic walk in the park.
"Here. I don't won't you getting cold there Mrs. Benson," Freddie notes when he gives her his jacket and rubs up and down her back.
Sam adjusts his jacket and says, "Why thank you Mr. Benson. Aren't you such a gentleman…or a nub?"
They walk hand-in-hand for a few steps and sit on a park bench
"Hey! Here." Freddie mentions as he picks a little patch of daisies.
Sam coos, "Aww Baby!"
They kiss a little bit. All of a sudden, Freddie remembers something.
"Hey, look in the left pocket of my jacket," he orders.
Sam suspects, "Why? Is it a key to the Come On Inn Motel, they just built in another one here in Seattle I think?"
"Oh it's a key, but not to where you think. Just look in my jacket pocket!" Freddie persists.
Sam looks in the left pocket and figures, "A key to the…Parker-Nichols hotel."
"Look at the number." Freddie continues.
They start walk a few blocks to the Parker-Nichols hotel and check in
Sam scoffs, "239B, so?"
"So it's the exact room where we spent our wedding night," he reminds.
She chuckles, "Figures you'd remember that. You got Carly and Spencer to watch the kids all night?"
"Uh-huh so?" Freddie wonders.
Sam finishes, "So, why don't I go spend a night in the room?"
Freddie inquires, "Mmm, but do you want some company?"
"No," Sam sighs.
Freddie repeats disappointed, "No?"
"I just want you," Sam says seductively as the reach Room 239B.
Freddie smirks and says, "Good 'cause I wanna do this."
Freddie then picks up Sam over his shoulder, patting her on the butt. He tosses Sam on the bed like a rag doll. She puts her finger to his lips.
"Shh not yet. Wait." She says in a soft voice to her husband as she heads towards the bathroom. She takes quite a while to Freddie's dismay.
Freddie groans, "Sam baby C'mon I didn't annoy this much when you gave birth to the kids."
"No, but you annoyed when we conceived them," Sam quips from the bathroom.
He sighs annoyed, "What's taking so long?"
"Alright. Alright. Here." She says as she walks out in nothing, but bra and underwear.
Freddie gasps admiring his wife's petite yet voluptuous body, "This is one of the greatest gifts you've ever given me."
Sam comments as she reminds, "Well there was that time, oh I don't know, when we got married and those others times that I..uh went through over thirty-six hours of labor to give you two beautiful kids."
"Good point. Babe it's only eleven," Freddie murmurs kissing Sam's neck.
Sam gasps losing her train of thought. I..um.. oh we can stay up 'til midnight.
"I love you." Freddie says kissing his wife's body.
Sam sighs rubbing Freddie's back, "I love you too Ow be careful!'
"Sorry." Freddie apologizes as he's reaches over to turn out the light.