Chapter Three
"Yeah he's over there," she said pointing to the parking lot close to the pavilion "He's wanting to see you"
I don't know what to do. My dad hasn't sent me a letter or anything in years. Why is he here now? Why has he suddenly want to reconnect with me? I take a deep breath and told Freddie "Come on"
I can tell he's unsure if I want him to meet my dad. I never even mentioned my dad to him; I guess he just assumed my dad was dead or never really been in my life. But I need support from someone who really knows me and will try to hold me back if I get my fight face on. The nub's sort of grown on me and can stop me from fighting lately. Don't ask how or why, mind your own business."I don't have a good relationship with my dad. It's pretty nonexistent, so can you hold me back if I start looking like I'll fight him?"
"Yeah okay"
I hold his wrist and approach my dad. "Hey" I said nervously
"Hey Sammie" he said hugging me
I hug with one arm and grip Freddie's wrist with my other hand. "What are you doing here?"
"I missed you, I heard about this reunion so I came with Mel. Listen I cleared it with your mom, you and me are going to Nine Ribbons tomorrow at 10"
"What? Dad I have plans. I'm going to the mall tomorrow. Carly has appointments for us to get manicures, pedicures, and haircuts tomorrow"
I didn't really wanna go do all that girly chiz, but she threw in free all you can eat buffet dinner. What can I do? My stomach apparently has a mind of it's own. Plus it's good time away from the world to just hang out with my best friend knowing my belly would be full in a couple hours.
"You can go to the mall some other time. I gotta go in a week, and I haven't seen you in six years"
"It's been seven years Dad. Almost eight actually"
"Well it's been a long time. I want to spend some time with my little girl"
"You could've started working on that for almost eight years. We can't fix eight years worth of stuff in a week"
Freddie moved my hand down to his and squeezed my hand as my dad continued. "Well I'm starting now aren't I? Better late than never"
"That's your answer to everything! Going to anger management after you and Mom split and you wrecked our house and threatened us, you begged Mom to take you back saying 'I went to anger classes baby. Better late than never right?' When the doctor told you about your liver problems so you stayed sober for a month, you said 'I tried, better late than never'. You've missed half of my life! A trip to some roller coasters and some other B.S in a week won't make everything better"
"I'm your father! Don't you talk to me that way!"
Freddie squeezed my hand and shouted, "Lay off! Just leave her alone!"
"Who are you? Don't tell me what to do about my daughter!"
"Freddie don't," I said tugging him back
He ignored me and glared at my dad "I obviously know her better than you. I know she's pissed off and roller coasters won't fix it!"
"Freddie no stop. Let's go," I said wrapping my arms around his shoulders to restrain him
"Who are you to tell me how to raise my damn daughter!"
"I've been her friend for three years and I sure as hell know you don't know her! You didn't raise her! She's already raised and she's a great girl without you!"
"Freddie! Seriously quit! Dad just leave! I don't need you!"
Buzz and Carmine held Dad back and Duke helped hold Freddie back. I never seen Freddie so angry, it was pretty scary actually. I didn't realize how strong he is either. "Freddie cool down, I promised you wouldn't get hurt," I said holding his face and making him look at me.
His face softened looking at me and he said "Alright I'm sorry"
I let go of him and said, "Okay let's go meet some more people"
I could tell he was still mad at my dad so I held his arm leading him far away. We sat down under a tree and I hugged him. "Thanks for doing that"
"No problem"
"Never do it again though"
"No promises"
"Seriously don't," I said looking up at him "He'll hurt you"
"I don't want you to get hurt either"
"I'll be fine. I can handle him. But let's face it, you can't so much"
We sat in silence for a little while before he asked "So where's he been all this time?""New York, he moved there with Melanie when him and my mom split up in second grade. Then Melanie got accepted into some fancy prep school over there. I haven't gotten a letter or anything from him since about a year after he moved there. The letters he sent weren't really letters you know. They were each like half a page saying all the A's Melanie got, her teachers loved her, blah blah blah"
"You're better without him"
"I know, it just sucks not having a dad you know?"
"I know"
"I've never asked, what about your dad?"
"I've never known my dad. My mom got me by a sperm donor. She wanted kids but wouldn't trust someone else with her kids, so she never got married or anything"
"Haven't you wanted to search him?"
"I have but I don't even know his name. I don't know where he is, how old he is, or even if he's alive"
Suddenly, it made sense. That's why I never saw any pictures of his dad, never heard any stories about him, didn't even know his name, or anything. I just always thought his dad died or his parents got divorced and his dad never showed up again. But when his mom told the story about the Fencing Bensons, she said her dad made her fence, so her maiden name was Benson, meaning she never married. Why didn't I think of that before?
"I could help you find him"
"Seriously? How?"
"There's gotta be a way. You didn't just appear from your mom"
"Thanks but I'm fine"
I could tell he was awkward so I patted his knee and said "Come on, you gotta meet more people"
"Alright who's next to meet?"
"Let's see…oh you gotta meet Morris," I said getting up and holding his arm to lead him through the pavilion "Morris! Come here!"
Morris came over and said "Hey Sam, who's this?"
"This is Freddie, the tech geek for my webshow"
"Hey Freddie, you ever been arrested?"
"No"
"Not yet anyway" I said jokingly "I'm corrupting him"
Freddie and me sit on the picnic tabletop while Morris tells the story of his last arrest. I'm zoning out since I've heard this story a zillion times already. I see Dad glaring at me and Freddie, Freddie doesn't see it though. I put Freddie's arm over my shoulder and use him as a pillow. I'm really bored and kind of tired, so I have a genuine excuse. The other reason is just to tick off Dad by showing that I don't need him and the guy that pissed him off is more important than him. I want to show Dad that Freddie cares about me more than he ever did. Another reason I don't know myself. He smells good and is a good pillow. What's better than that?
I close my eyes and start dozing off. I feel Freddie put his arm around me, hold me in place. I 'm too tired to tell him to just lay me down on an empty bench or wherever and let me I see me and Freddie getting married. Duke is the priest marrying us. Spencer is wearing a light green dress with black pants under it and is walking me down the aisle. Turns out, Spencer is also Freddie's best man and one of my bridesmaids. We called him a bridesman. Carly is wearing a man's jacket and tie over her dress because she was one of Freddie's groomsmen and my maid of honor. We called her a groomsmaid I think. Annie, Maggie, and Melanie were also my bridesmaids. Gibby, Shawn, Shane, Buzz, Morris, and Garth were Freddie's groomsmen. Gibby of course was able to not wear a shirt. Me and Freddie honeymooned to Bolivia so we could gorge on their bacon.
(A/N: Sam and Freddie both got out of character a little bit. My bad. More on the way! I gotta rewrite the chapters after this cuz it got REALLY out of character and totally in a different plot. I think the next chapter will be the finish)
