The Kid with the Scar – Chapter 2
First Signs
Disclaimer: iCarly is owned by Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon. All the copyrights associated with iCarly belong to them. Only the ideas contained within this story are my property. I am not gaining any profit from writing this story.
I woke with a start. Sam was lying down next to me, fast asleep as she always is. I glanced at the time. Groaning, I realized I had only fifteen minutes to get ready for work. Usually, I have at least half an hour, but last night Sam and I had gone to the movies with Carly and Gibby. We saw The Time of our Lives which was a pretty cheesy movie, though Gibby seemed to enjoy it plenty. I should have known Sam would sleep through the whole morning and I would have to wake her up. I shook Sam quickly. She didn't make a single sound. I also should have known that would happen, too. Suddenly, I came up with a good idea. Very quickly, I shoved on some slippers and ran downstairs to the kitchen. Grabbing the pitcher of water I always have just in case, I speed-walked upstairs and spilled the ice-cold water on Sam. She sat up straight as a stick and screamed. I held my ears as tightly as I could and silently hoped that Carly couldn't hear her shriek down the street.
"What was that all about?" said a shivering and wet Sam. Her face looked more shocked than anything which told me it was safe to laugh. I set the pitcher down on our bedside table and chuckled.
"Well, you wouldn't wake up so I had to think quickly." Sam jokingly threw a pillow at my face. I ducked, but it still brushed past my arm.
"No, but really, you need to get out of bed. We have less than fifteen minutes to get ready for work!" Sam groaned and put the pillow, soaking and all, over her head again. I went over to her side of the bed and tried to drag her out of bed with her arms. Sam yawned and sat up.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming." She jumped out of bed and yawned again. She strolled to the bathroom and closed the door. Waiting for her to come out, I sat on the bed and got lost in thought. It's been two weeks since Mr. Bonner has told me to find a way to make the laptop model I want without it being too expensive. Every night, I've been brooding over this and I can't come to any reasonable conclusion. The model itself is harder than I thought. Sam isn't much of a help, either. Almost every night, she says we're invited to another dinner or another movie. Most of the time, she goes alone and I stay home working on the project. Last night, though, she literally forced me to come to the movie almost the same way as I forced her to get out of bed. Suddenly, I heard a crash coming from the bathroom, interrupting my thoughts.
"Aw, shit!" Sam exclaimed. I ran over to the bathroom door and rapped on it quickly with my knuckles. Things started to settle down in there, though I still had no clue what had happened.
"Sam? What's wrong?" I knew I sounded more worried than I should have, but I couldn't help it. Lately, I've turned into a natural worrier.
"Uh, nothing. Just give me a few more minutes and I'll be out." As soon as she opened her mouth, I knew something was wrong. Sam doesn't usually lie to me, but when she does she's really bad at it. She used to be very good at it and she still is, just not to me. I guess it's because I'm her husband and I can tell when she is lying.
"Uh, no, something is wrong. Come out of there and tell me." I stood there in silence for a few minutes, waiting for Sam to come out. When she did, she had a horrific face on. Her blue eyes were sorrow and even her hair looked upset. She was sagging and her face still had water dripping from it. She sat gently on the bed and looked down at her feet. I went over and sat down next to her. I looked into her eyes and squeezed her hand.
"Now tell me what's wrong." She stared at me for a little while longer. There were no tears, just sadness and an empty feeling I couldn't identify. Sam barely every cried real tears. Sure, she's been upset before and she's cried, but never actually cried. If she ever does, I will probably freak out. Sam now was squirming in the bed uncomfortably. She closed her eyes tightly for only a couple seconds, but enough to tell me she was worried about something. This got me worried since Sam is never worried. I looked away from her and got up. I knew it wouldn't get anything out of her and I needed to get ready for work. As I was opening my drawer to get a clean shirt, Sam's voice rose shakily. At first, I didn't hear her; she was so quiet. Then, slowly, I turned around.
"I…Freddie, I don't know how to tell you, but…I should've gotten my period days ago. I'm scared, Freddie, I-"
I jumped off the bed and exclaimed, "Sam! Sam, you're pregnant! Oh my God, Sam, you're pregnant! This is great! I can't believe this; this is great!" I ran up to Sam and hugged her tightly. I started dancing around the room, work forgotten. Sam just stood there, eyes wide, fear deep inside them. For me, though, this was the happiest I'd been in years. I skipped around the room and twirled around the bed. Opening a drawer, I found all of our work clothes. I grabbed a huge chunk in my hands and threw them in the air. They flew gracefully around, one even ending up on our chandelier. Out of pure joy and happiness, I kissed Sam passionately on the lips. This was bliss.
"Freddie! Freddie, stop!" Sam pushed me away from her and wiped my kiss off her lips. She kicked a pair of pants I had thrown and it smacked across the wall. Looking up at me, she shook her head and walked away towards the door. She bent down and picked up a sock from the floor and threw it at the bed angrily. I frowned and pulled her back.
"Sam! You should be happy! We wanted to have a baby and we got one. What's wrong with you?" She looked taken aback. Sam slowly took a couple steps back away from me and shook her head in disgust. I set my jaw. This argument was going nowhere.
"You know what, Freddie? You got it all wrong. Firstly, how do you know I'm pregnant? Stop jumping to conclusions. We need to take things slowly and make sure I take a pregnancy test. Then we can rejoice." I knew she was right and I shouldn't have done what I did, but I also knew she wasn't just upset about my excitement. There was something else with it. Her eyes still had that pain and fear in them and I didn't know what to do.
Squinting my eyes, I said, "That's not all, is it? There's something else on your mind. I'll get you a pregnancy test, sure, but what else is on your mind?" She looked up at me again and flared her nostrils. Usually when people flare their nostrils, it means they're angry, but not with Sam. She did that whenever she felt the need to talk or trusting. It was a relatively good thing for Sam to do.
"Freddie, I…I'm scared. I don't know if I'm ready for this. I'm…I'm sorry." She looked down once more, her eyes getting smaller and smaller until they showed no feeling anymore. Sympathetic, I rested my hand on her shoulder. When she looked up, I smiled.
"Sam. You're strong. Stronger than any girl I've ever met. I know you can do this. I know you can." I have her the biggest hug I've every given anyone and I felt her muscles relax. She looked up at me and smiled.
"Thanks, Freddie. Now we still need a pregnancy test to see if I'm pregnant, but-oh! Freddie, work! You're gonna be late!" She rushed to my drawers and pulled out what clothes were left, dumping them at my feet. I tried to stop her, but her mind wasn't focused on what I was saying; she was focused on getting me to work. As I shoved clothes back in, she took them back out. As we were going back-and-forth, I screamed at the top of my lungs. Sam stared back, amazed.
"Sam. I'm not going to work today. I'm spending the day with you. You're way more important than work." I raised my eyebrows at her to see if she understood. She chuckled back at me. Giving me a quick hug, Sam skipped downstairs to make breakfast.
Everyday, Sam makes breakfast for me and I gotta admit she's really good. For me, it's always eggs and bacon with a glass of chocolate milk. She spends practically her whole morning preparing my breakfast and her own. For herself, she has whole wheat toast with butter and honey on top and a glass of coffee. I always ask her why she doesn't make me coffee, too, but she tells me to "Shut the hell up, it's for my good." If I don't finish the last drop of my food, she tries to shove it down my throat. I love her, but sometimes she acts very weird.
That was when I noticed that, this whole time she was upset, she didn't shed one tear.
After a nice, healthy breakfast complete with lots of shoving, I head out to buy Sam pregnancy tests. Before I did, however, I went to kiss Sam good-bye. She was going to stay home and rest a little bit since she wasn't going to work, either. When I went to give her a good-bye kiss, I heard Sam slightly groan. I sat back up and frowned.
"What's wrong?" She was holding her waist and back. Sam's face was scrunched up and she didn't look like she felt well at all.
"I…I just have a few cramps, that's all." She sat back up and clicked on the T.V. with the remote. I stared at her curiously. Of course, being the person that I am, I had listened intently back in fifth grade when the boys were taught about the girl's puberty. I clearly remembered that girls get cramps before their period and that got me wondering. Could Sam really not be pregnant? Those cramps could mean that her period was coming. I didn't want to jump to conclusions like Sam said, so I decided to get the pregnancy test and just make sure.
"I'm sure it's nothing. If you're still having cramps by tomorrow, come and tell me, okay?" She nodded. I kissed her on the cheek and proceeded for the door. Sam stopped me before I could go, however. She cleared her throat and called my name. I turned around, curious.
"That's not all. I've also…um…seen changes in my, um, boobs." I raised my eyebrows, surprised. What was this all about? Changes in her breasts? I made the decision right then and there to take Sam to the doctor after she took the pregnancy test.
"I'll take you to Dr. Stocker when I get back, but what do you mean 'changes?' Do they hurt or something?" Sam looked extremely uncomfortable by now and I guessed it wasn't because of the pain. She shyly raised her eyes and told me that her breasts were feeling swollen and, at times, sore and tingly. Not meaning to, I glanced at them and they honestly did look a bit larger than normal.
"Not only that, but they seem…darker and-"
"Sam. It's okay, I'll take you to the doctor, like I said, right after you take your pregnancy test. I promise." I smiled at her and she smiled back wearily. Closing her eyes, she settled back on the couch, the T.V. forgotten and fell fast asleep. I quietly turned the T.V. off and kissed her cheek softly.
"See you later, Princess Puckett." I smiled and closed the door.
I immediately headed for the local pharmacy just five minutes away from our house. It was a large store with tons of products. I usually went here to get medicine for my mother. She insists on it every week and I can't refuse her. When I walked in, I searched the aisles for the section with the pregnancy tests. Once I found it, I was amazed by how many there were. It was overwhelming to pick the right one. I roamed the aisles and came across one that caught my attention. It looked fairly new and the expiration date was very far away. The store itself was very cool, ensuring that the pregnancy test isn't deteriorated. On the back were instructions on how to take the test. I read them carefully and they looked easy.
I walked up to the front desk and set the test down on the counter. The smiling lady behind it said, "You're wife having a baby?" Her lips were very red and her hair was very blonde. The tag on her shirt said Mary Little. Ironically, she wasn't little at all; in fact she was very tall.
"Yeah. She was tired so I came to buy the test for her." Mary smiled back at me and revealed two golden teeth. As she totaled up the money for the test, she kept speaking.
"Yes, my brother did the same thing when his wife was pregnant. They have three babies now and don't plan on having anymore." She rolled her eyes and I could tell she really loves children.
"Yes, well, thank you." I paid the money for the test and strolled out of the store. Carrying the bag tightly in my hand, I walked to my car and started the drive home.
"Sam! Sam, I'm back! Where are you?" I walked into the family room and saw she was still sleeping on the couch. I rolled my eyes, knowing she could sleep for hours if she wanted to. One Saturday, she slept through the whole day and thought the next day was Saturday when it was really Sunday. I wasn't gonna let that happen again.
"Sam. Sam, wake up! I have the pregnancy test." She blinked her eyes open and yawned. Stretching up, she groaned and collapsed back on the bed, smiling.
"Sam! Just wake up and take the test, please!" She opened her eyes once more and stared daggers at me. She threw a stray pillow at my head. This time I forgot to duck and it head me square in the eye.
"I don't want to! I'm tired!" I had reached my limit. I dragged her out of bed quite forcefully until she stood up. She stretched her body and looked at me questioningly.
"So where's the test? I want to hurry this up." I handed it to her, still angry, and she read the instructions on the back. Nodding, she headed for the bathroom. When she went in, she locked the door.
"Hey, Sam, wait! Make sure to do exactly what the directions said, okay?" I shouted, though she was just behind the door. She screamed back that she would remember to. I made a silent prayer for Sam to do everything right.
Minutes passed until Sam yelled that the results were here. She quickly unlocked the door and I burst inside. Looking at the instructions, it said that for a positive result, there should be the word "Pregnant" in the separate window. I glanced at the stick. Before I even needed to even read the whole thing, before Sam started shrieking out loud, I knew what the result said
"Pregnant."
I still couldn't believe Sam was pregnant. She was pregnant with my baby. I couldn't believe it.
We were driving to Dr. Stocker's house to make sure Sam was pregnant. Sam was fidgeting with her shirt and I was drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. Again, for the fiftieth time today, my mind came to one thing. The laptop plans. How in the world was I supposed to be able to make that laptop for a cheap price? I pushed that thought out of my mind for the time being and focused on Sam and the baby.
We reached Dr. Stocker's office and walked in the door. It was a fairly cool day with a breeze, but, at that moment, it felt great to me. After half an hour in the waiting room, almost bored to death, we were called in. As the two of us walked in, Dr. Stocker smiled his creepy smile at us. We smiled back.
"So. Sam, I hear you're pregnant!" He smiled at her again and she raised her eyebrows. "I just wanna make sure so can you please go to the bathroom and pee on this for me?" Sam took the stick he had handed to her and headed to the bathroom, silently. She came back a few minutes later and the doctor clapped. "Pregnant! Congratulations! Now we will have to go over some simple steps and procedures of pregnancy."
"Wait, doctor." Sam interrupted. This was the first she had spoken in ten minutes. "I've been getting lots of cramps and my breasts have changed drastically. I'm also extremely tired. Are these just side effects of pregnancy or something else?" She seemed very worried.
"Oh, yes, many woman get these side effects in the early stages of pregnancy. They're normal." He then started to explain to Sam about all the things she had to do to keep her and the baby healthy.
"You'll need a very good nutrition. That includes whole grains, beans, salmon, eggs, berries, and low-fat yogurt. These foods are must-haves for a pregnancy. Freddie, you make sure she eats a lot of each." He winked at me. Dr. Stocker clearly knew that Sam wasn't the healthiest eater. "You must eat a variety of foods, which includes 6-11 servings of breads and grains, two to four servings of fruit, four or more servings of vegetables, four servings of dairy products and three servings of protein sources. And, please, Sam try to limit fats and sweets. Foods that are high in fiber are also a great idea and make sure you are getting enough vitamins. I'll get you a prescription of prenatal vitamin supplements. What else? Oh, yes, iron-rich foods, one good source of vitamin C and folic acid every day. You should have one source of vitamin A every other day; absolutely no alcohol, not a lot of caffeine, cholesterol, and fat. It's best not to eat seafood, either, since, they contain mercury and soft cheeses aren't the best idea, either. Raw fish is bad for the baby, also. Freddie, are you getting all this?" He said all this extremely fast. I stood there with my mouth wide open, in shock.
"Maybe you can give us a list or something instead because, honestly, I barely remember a word you said." To my surprise, Dr. Stocker laughed. He handed us a sheet of paper with everything he said on it, in detail. "Thank you," I sighed in relief. He laughed again.
"Oh, and Sam, you might have morning sickness, constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn. If you do, check the list. There are remedies listed there." He started ticking what he wanted to say off his fingers. "Sam, no dieting, either, you want to keep both you and the baby healthy. Now, I'm just chattering. The rest of the info is on that list, too. Here are two other lists for exercising and weight gain." I took the lists from the doctor and thanked him.
"Oh, and when do you think Sam is due?" This was what I was really wondering about. The doctor looked at his sheets and into my eyes.
"September 18th." I smiled.
I honestly didn't know so much went into pregnancy. How would I ever survive with Sam in this state? I shrugged. That was when I realized that Carly and Gibby didn't know that Sam was pregnant.
"Sam! Sam! Sam, the Gibsons don't know you're pregnant!" Sam, looking shocked, agreed and raced over to the phone. She shouted over the phone to Carly that she was having a baby. I distantly heard Carly say that then their children could grow up and play together. The two seemed very excited. When Sam hung up, she said that Carly had invited them over to a barbecue and I agree, though I knew I would regret it the next morning.
The barbecue was splendid, though it was mostly spent by Carly asking us more than a million questions. Unfortunately, for me at least, all I could think about was one thing.
How on earth could we afford a baby if I didn't come up with that plan for the laptop at a cheap price?
Firstly, I'd like to thank all who reviewed my first chapter. That means a lot to me.
Next, I want to answer a few questions. LOL I didn't realize that the title of this story sounded so similar to Harry Potter. Don't worry, it's nothing like it at all (though it would be cool if it was.) To the person who asked if the baby would have surgery because of the scar, you'll have to wait and see. ;)
Anyways, I'm not too proud of this chapter. It was written in a bit of a rush since I've been extremely busy this week, going on vacation and all. I should be updating every Wednesday, though I had to update on Thursday today because my internet was being crappy yesterday. XD
So, yeah, feel free to review, give criticism, and ask questions. No flames please. Thanks!