"Hey Sally, Samantha really liked her play date with Dash yesterday, and I was wondering if you would like to set up a play date with them again? This is Pamela Manson by the way; call me back when you get a chance. Bye!" Sally was listening to her best friends message, she couldn't pick the phone up because she was crying, her husband beat her up last night, but the worst part was when he hit Dash. She was ashamed that she stood and watched. Dash only had a light blue and purple bruise, but he was emotionally scared because of it. She has a black eye, and other bruises but they are easier to hide, she just can't wear shorts, or tank tops.
She pulls herself together, because Dash's private tutoring lesson will be over soon. She wouldn't tell George this, but she thinks her son should have fun before he starts school in the fall, not being trained to become a CEO. Sally sighs, knowing she's trapped. She applies makeup, hiding her black eye, and then leaves her room heading toward Dash's office.
"Hello Mrs. Baxter, Dash is just about finished with his math lesson, then I'll take my leave." Mr. Johnson, Dashs teacher, greets Sally when she walks in. Dash smiles at his mom, then looks back at his work sheet. Sally watches her son from the door, and five minutes later Mr. Johnson checks his work before saying, "Good job Dash, you only missed one! We will go over that one tomorrow. Have a nice day Mrs. Baxter." Mr. Johnson leaves the room.
"Hey Dashie! Samantha's mother called and she wants to know if you would like to play with together again?" Sally asks, and then sees her sons face light up, "Yes! No I mean, that sounds nice." Dash is struggling to be polite, he's happy that he can play with Sam; she's one of the few people who likes it when he's himself. Sally smiles at her sons enthusiasm, and she knows her husband will be happy because the Manson's are the richest people in town.
Line break
Mrs. Anderson is frustrated with her student, Samantha; she is stubborn and always talks back. Plus there are only two people she will listen to Mr. Manson and Ida. Mrs. Anderson taught Jeremy when he was young, and he wasn't nearly this difficult. Samantha is very smart she can speak French and Chinese fluently, she reads at a fourth grade level, and does math better then a third grader, not to mention she has a vocabulary that can rival an adult, but she always ignores her and refuses to do any of the worksheets.
"Hello Mrs. Anderson, how are things going?" Pamela Manson walks in, Mrs. Anderson sighs, "She gets A's in everything but etiquette. I'm at my wits end with her. She will not listen to me and prefers to play her violin or draw then listen to me, and then when I take it away from her she ignores me." Mrs. Anderson is trying really hard not to yell at Pamela for raising a rebel because she knows, they will be having another child, so she will get more business, plus the Mansons are one of the most influential families in the city. Pamela looks flustered, but she composes her self before saying, "I know she knows etiquette, she is probably in a mood today. You can take the rest of the day off Mrs. Anderson and still be receive the same amount as a normal day." Mrs. Anderson just about runs up to Pamela to give her a hug, she's so happy, but instead she just nods and exits.
"Sammykins, you need to be good for Mrs. Anderson. She is here to teach you so you'll be a proper young lady, ready to marry and run the company." Pamela tries to reason with her daughter, but Sam just pouts and says, "Why should I listen to her?" Pamela stomps her foot in anger and then warns, "Because if you don't, I will cancel your play date with Dash on Saturday." Sams face lights up, but then falls when she realizes she is defeated. So she says, "I will be good now Mother, please don't cancel my play date with Dash." Pamela smiles, now having something to hold over her daughter's head.
Line break
"Daddy do you love Mother?" Sam asks as she sits in her father's office, watching him work. Jeremy looks up at his daughter, then he gestures her to come over, and Sam jumps off her chair before running over to her father and sitting in his lap. Jeremy looks at his daughter before asking, "Why?" Sam crinkles her nose before replying, "Because she was talking about marriage today." Jeremy is a little angry at his wife for binging that up with Sam, but he gets over it and says, "Yes, I love Pamela now." Sam then says, "But did you love her?" Jeremy forgot how intelligent his daughter is, but he answers her honestly, "No. We had an arranged marriage, but we grew to like each other over the years." Then he realizes he made a mistake, he didn't say love. Sam then says, "You didn't say you love her. Will I have to get an arranged marriage?" Jeremy decides not to answer the first part of his daughters statement, "If you have a little brother then no you wont have an arranged marriage, because he will inherit the company. But if you have a little sister then yes you will get an arranged marriage. Sorry Princess, I wouldn't let it be this way if I didn't have a choice, but it was in my fathers will, the only way I got the company was if I agreed to give it to my first son, or oldest daughter if I didn't have a son. Also the arrange marriage will probably have to be because your mother is very old fashion, and her parents are also." Sam looks frustrated but then says, "I hope I have a baby brother then." Jeremy laughs at his daughters statement, before saying, "I think it's time for you to go to bed. Now go get ready." Sam smiles and then asks, "Will you read me a story?" Jeremy still wonders why Sam wants him to read to her when she is capable of reading, but he knows he's wrapped around her finger so he says, "Of course, Princess." He gives her a kiss on the top of her head and then she runs out if his office to get ready for bed.
Ida walks into her sons' office and then asks, "Why didn't you tell me you and Pamela didn't love each other? I would of talked your father out of it." Jeremy sighs at his mothers comment, before answering, "I didn't want to disappoint him, plus I don't think Pamela's family would have just walked away from it, she was their only child and they needed someone to take the company over." Ida walks over to her son and kisses his head before saying, "I'm sorry Jeremy, and I didn't know you felt all that pressure. But don't wrong Sam." Ida walks out leaving Jeremy to think, but its interrupted with Sam yelling, "I'm ready for my story daddy!" He smiles and gets up to fulfill his daughter's wish.
Line break
It's Saturday and Sam was good for all her lessons, and now she's waiting impatiently for Dash to come over. "Are they here yet?" Sam asks Pamela, Pamela sighs, before answering, "Sammykins, that has to be the hundredth time you said it, and no they aren't here." Sam rolls her eyes, and then says, "Its only the third time." Pamela gets up from her seat and leaves, she is annoyed with her daughter. Sam just goes to her room and tries to read a book.
A few minutes later the butler walks up and says, "Miss Sam your guest is here." Sam looks up from her book and replies, "Thanks! But you don't have to call me Miss Sam, just Sam is fine." The butler smiles at her and says, "Just Sam your guest is here." Sam giggles and then runs down stairs.
Dash is sitting in the parlor listening to his mom and Sams mom talk. "Sally, you're wearing a lot of make up. Are you ok?" Pamela asks her friend in concern, Sally glances at Dash before gesturing for Pamela to keep it down, and Pam gets the hint so they just talk about clothes.
Dash is currently looking at his shoes, when he hears a voice say, "Dash, lets go play!" he looks up and sees Sam smiling, so he replies, "That would be lovely, Miss Samantha." Pamela 'awws' at how polite Dash is, while Sam just rolls her eyes. Then Sam and Dash leave. "You don't have to call me Samantha, or Miss Samantha. Actually I would prefer if you call me Sam." Sam voices her complaint to Dash, he replies, "I know, but my parents will get mad if I don't talk like that." Sam understands so she takes Dashs hand and they run up to Jeremy's office.
Dash looks nervous so he says, "I don't think we should bother your father. What if he gets mad and hits you? I can't let that happen." Dash realizes his mistake when Sam stops abruptly and looks at him; Sam then redirects them to her room. Once inside she turns to him and asks, "Does your daddy hit you?" Dash gets nervous, he knows his father will beat him if he finds out that Sam knows, so he tries to cover his mistake by saying, "No, its just I know someone who gets hit by their father." He can't look at her, but when she doesn't respond he suggests, "Why don't we just go see your father." Sam stares at him for a minute longer before grabbing his hand and then taking him to see her father.
"Daddy, this is my friend Dash. Dash this is my daddy." Sam announces when she enters her fathers office. Jeremy smiles at his daughter when he sees her, but then he notices that she's dragging a boy behind her, Pamela didn't mention her new friend was a boy. Jeremy thinks.
"Hi sir, I'm Dash Baxter. Thank you for having me over." Dash says trying to make Jeremy like him, Jeremy smiles at the boy, then he replies, "It's my pleasure to meet one of my daugthers friends. But please call me Jeremy, 'Sir' and 'Mr. Manson" were what people called my father." Dash smiles, then Sam says, "We are going to go play out side. Bye daddy!" Then Sam drags Dash after her. Jeremy smiles at his daughters antics before going back to work.
Line break
Dash is chasing after Sam; he is trying not to show the pain in his stomach. But then Sam disappears. Dash gets worried so he calls for her, "Sam! Where are you?" all of the sudden Sam jumps on Dash causing him to fall over on his back, with Sam on his stomach. Dash is in so much pain that he gasps and tears are streaming down his face. Sam jumps off of Dash and moves his shirt in the process revealing his bruise. Sam then says, "Please don't cry Dash. I'm so sorry." Dash stops crying and hopes that Sam didn't see the bruise, but the look of guilt on her face proves other wise. Dash tries to make her feel better by saying, "You didn't do that Sam, and it's an old injury. See its turning yellow that means its old." Dash sees Sams eyes light up, he sighs in relief, but then Sam says, "How did you get it?" Dash panics, he tries to make up a story but can't think of anything, so Sam gently says, "Was it your father? It's ok Dash, you can tell me." Dash knows Sam is too stubborn to let it go so he says, "Promise you wont tell?" Sam nods, so he continues, "My dad does hit me, it started a week ago, he does it when I disappoint him, which seems to be happening a lot. He also does it when he's drunk, but he's worse on my mom. She usually protects me so he slaps me and sends me to my room, and then I hear him beat her. You can't tell anyone Sam. He threatened to kill me if I tell. You can't also tell anyone that I cried because he'll beat me for that." Sam processes the information before saying, "Ok Dash, I'm sorry I tackled you." Dash smiles and then they go and sit on the swing.
"I'm going to be a big sister." Sam says after Dash asked her how she was. Dash says, "That's so cool. My mother doesn't want any more kids. She says if she did father would just hurt them." Sam kicks her feet out so they swing, "It's ok Dash, I can share, my little sibling can be yours too." Sam offers, Dash smiles and says, "Thanks Sam." They talk some more before going back to Sams house, the chef makes them lunch and then Sally comes and picks Dash up.
"Good bye Miss Samantha, I hope we can meet up in the near future." Dash says to Sam, then he winks at her so she knows that it's only for show, Sam smiles and says, "Goodbye Mr. Baxter, I agree we should meet in the near future." The kids laugh at their inside joke while
Pamela looks at her daughter in shock.
A/N The next chapter will have Sams new sibling, and Dash and Sam going to kindergarten.
doggyjunky: Thanks for reviewing! I hope you like the story.
Please let me know if I made any spelling or grammar mistakes so I can go back and fix them.