It was a sunny Sunday morning when passers-by witnessed the usual Bensons banter happening in front of the Bushwell apartment building.
"It's fine, Mom!" Freddie insisted, pushing Marissa's hands off his hair. "Seriously, it's all good. You already spent an hour and a half fixing it." He's used to his mom being too nitpicky but this is just crazy. He never saw her this frantic. And that's saying something, considering the hysterical antics his mother usually gets into.
Marissa sighed and said, "I'm sorry, okay? It's just that… you'll finally meet Melvin and I want everything perfect."
"C'mon Mom. What could possibly go wrong?" He gave her a comforting smile as he hailed a cab without any idea how his statement is going to bite him later that day.
A yellow taxi immediately stopped in front of them and Marissa pushed herself in front of Freddie and wiped the car seats with her ever-present wet tissues. With a signal that it's 'safe' to come in, she responded, "I don't know. I just don't want it to turn into total fiasco. What if he doesn't like you?"
Freddie let out a groan while plopping down the leather seat. "Mom, has it ever occurred to you that I might not like him? I mean, I don't know anything about the guy other that he's British and has huge bucks."
Marissa paused for a minute as the vehicle zoomed off. "Well," she finally said, "he owns a shipping company and is a divorcee for 17 years. He's currently living at the other side of Seattle, where we'd have our lunch. And he has a daughter from his first wife. And from what I've heard, you two would go along well. She goes to a prestigious boarding school and is spending her summer in Melvin's. I haven't seen her yet. Maybe she'll be home later."
Mom is serious with this guy, Freddie thought as he looked out the window. She spoke about his daughter like she's her own. And it bugged him. He knew in his mind that the possibility of having Melvin and his daughter into his family isn't unlikely. And he's not sure how he should feel about it.
oOo
"Whoa."
That's all that Freddie managed to say as he stared at the huge infrastructure that is his mom's boyfriend's house. "You sure we're in the right place?" He asked, double-checking if he's even in Seattle. This looks so different from the city environment he's accustomed to. Instead, it sits comfortably on a natural background, secluded from the hectic lifestyle of a metropolitan.
"Yes. I had the same reaction." Marissa said excitedly, paying the cab driver. She too stared at it as she stated, "Isn't it beautiful?" She pulled the strap of her handbag higher as she announced, "I'll go look for Melvin. You go on inside." Her heels clacked on the bricked pavement of the driveway.
And he did as he's told. Another "Whoa," slipped through his lips as he took in the interior of the mansion. It's composed of modern and antique fixtures that are placed in a perfect order so that the structure could still boast its spacious rooms. He went on to the living room.
"Whoa," he screamed for the third time, but this time, for a different reason.
For staring at him in his face is Sam…
…wearing a pink dress…
…playing a freakin' violin!
Freddie felt as if the delicate fabric of time and space is unraveling right before him. What kind of a twisted day is this! The moment he finally had the capability to move his muscles, he reached into his backpack and pulled out the foldable staff he bought after Sam beat him up for not letting her copy from his finals exam.
"Freddie?" Sam exclaimed in a strangely higher voice, dropping her violin down. "Is that you?"
He backed up, waving the wooden stick at her. "What are you doing here, Sam?" his voice faltered with much confusion.
"What?" Sam's face distorted into a puzzled expression like his. "What are you talking- Oh." She nodded, as if understanding something he can't. "You still think I'm Sam, don't you?"
Freddie didn't have the chance to question what Sam meant 'cause someone entered the living room with a bowl of strawberry ice cream in hand.
"Fredwierd?" a surprised familiar voice exclaimed. "What the hell?"
"Wait, what?" This time the staff slipped through his hand from sweating profusely. "Sam?" It was then did Freddie realize that the fabric of time and space has officially been ripped.
"Yes, dimwit. I know who I am." The girl holding the ice cream affronted with the rudeness only Sam Puckett could possess. "Now what are you doing here?"
"Well, what are you doing here?" he questioned nervously, still eyeing the 'other Sam' with puzzlement.
"We live here."
"We?"
"Melvin, Melanie and I." she said with a mouthful of ice cream.
Melanie smiled apologetically. "I tried to tell you."
A scream was heard. But this time, it's not from Freddie. "Why are you here?" Marissa asked, picking up Freddie's staff and pointing it at Sam and Melanie alternately. "And why are there… two of you?"
A towering man came into the room, his azure eyes staring at Marissa with concern. Freddie didn't need any introductions to know that this man is that infamous Melvin Beauregard. And Freddie is tongue-twisted. The man just exudes power and success, even if he's simply standing there in a blue polo shirt and khaki pants. He's definitely a huge step up from the Bushwell doorman.
"Marissa, is there anything wrong?" the businessman in his mid-40's asked with a thick British accent. Then he turned to the blond-headed girls and smiled, "Ah, I guess you already met my daughters."
The Benson matriarch threw Melvin one of her infamous eye bulges as she said with incredulity, "Your daughters? I thought… I thought you only have one daughter."
"Well," Melvin tucked his hands to his pockets, obviously used to Marissa's freak-outs, "I originally have one daughter in my care. I'd like you to meet my darling Melanie." He had his arm drape over Melanie with pride as she waved at Marissa with sweetness that can't possibly come from someone related to Sam Puckett.
Melvin continued. "And, under some, uh, unexpected circumstances, my daughter with my ex-wife is temporarily placed under my custody." He had his other arm around Melanie's twin, who pushed it aside rebelliously. So instead, he just rested his hand on her shoulder as he introduced, "This is Melanie's twin and my other daughter, Sam."
He turned his attention to Marissa's son, who is pale with bewilderment. "And this must be the Freddie of the thousand stories." He scrutinized the younger man before stating, "You're not at all what your mom said you would be like."
Freddie threw a questioning look at his mother then an annoyed one at Sam as she chuckled.
A man with chef's toque came into the room announcing that it's time for lunch.
"Fancy." Freddie murmured at his mother as they all proceeded to the dining area.
oOo
Melvin wiped his mouth with a table napkin after lunch, an action so impeccably done that Freddie can't help but ogle. This man is seriously better than Lewbert. There's just one problem. And that problem is sitting right across the table. Sam.
Freddie sighed as he forked the remainder of his lunch. He just can't stomach the thought of his mom dating Sam's dad.
And the news that followed just pushed his disbelief further.
"Um, if I could have everyone's attention?" Melvin started, making Freddie look around, making sure that Melvin's still talking to a group of five people. "I'd like to make an announcement. I know that we all met each other as a whole just a few moments ago. And what I'm going to say may sound a bit too rushed to some of you but I believe in the saying that if you found something amazing, never let it go."
Freddie and Sam exchanged panicking looks, dreading to hear where this announcement is going to lead.
The businessman went on. "Marissa and I have been talking about this for a while and now that everyone's here, I might as well say it."
The next moments were covered with frenzy.
Melvin and Melanie were exchanging words of excitements.
Marissa was hugging Freddie and telling him how happy she is.
Freddie reached into his pocket for his inhaler for he is finding difficulty in breathing.
Sam faded into the background, unable to absorb the news: Melvin and Marissa are getting married.
Earlier this morning, Freddie thought that his mom brought these huge luggages because of her tendency to overpack. But now, he realized how wrong he was.
The Benson's are moving in.
oOo
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