iMemory Lane
It was Carly and Sam's anniversary. It had been seven years since that tearful, stomach churning moment on iCarly when she had broken down and told the entire world that she was gay. Carly began the evening the same way she did every year – she pulled the show up from the iCarly archives and watched it over and over and over again. She cried. It didn't seem like so long ago.
Freddie and Melanie were over, awaiting Sam's return. They'd agreed to watch the kids tonight, allowing Carly and Sam an evening alone.
A voice not coming from the computer screen startled the pretty brunette.
"Mommy?"
It was Melanie. Carly dabbed her eyes, not wanting her little girl to see her cry. She put on a brave face and a smile.
"Hey Sweety…"
"Why you cryin'? I make you feel better…"
She offered Carly Mister Bunny. Carly blushed.
"Honey…"
Carly felt like a heel. What could she possibly say to her tiny, little one to make her understand?
"I was just remembering something that happened a long time ago, Baby… Sometimes remembering things makes you cry, because you remember the way you felt…"
There were times that Carly forgot she was dealing with a five year old. The little girl's eyes went wide and she nodded, seeming to understand.
"Oh… oky-dokey… If you not need him, Mister Bunny come with me, 'kay, Mommy?"
Carly giggled. She motioned for the little girl to come closer. The little blonde ran to her mother. Carly held her tight, kissing her on the head. She loved her girls. They were both tiny little embodiments of Sam. Carly gave her daughter a playful little tap on her backside.
"Come on, you… Shoo… go on and play with your sister, Auntie Mel, and Uncle Freddie…"
"'Kay, Mommy… I loves you…"
Carly smiled.
"I love you too, Sweetheart."
FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER…
Sam entered slowly and was surprised to find a dead-quiet house. She had barely turned from the hook beside the door when she heard her partner's voice. They'd known each other nearly twenty years and it still sent shockwaves of electricity down her spine when she knew that they were alone.
Sam turned and locked eyes with her. She could tell what lay behind those beautiful brown eyes she loved so much. Carly loved her as much today as ever.
"Hey you…"
What the hell did she mean, 'Hey You'?
"Hey-ya, Cupcake…"
Carly had prettied herself up once the girls had gone with their aunt and uncle. She may be a mom, but to Sam, she was something else entirely. She'd showered, done her hair and makeup just so, and found what she was looking for at the back of the closet, still in the bag from the cleaners. She wore it so infrequently, but prided herself on the fact that it still fit like a glove, even after all this time.
Sam felt butterflies. She felt butterflies with Carly everyday, but not like this. This was different. She immediately realized the date and knew what was going through her partner's little Cupcakey mind. She smiled.
"Happy anniversary, Cupcake…"
Warm tears were flowing down Carly's cheeks. She was immediately happy. She held up her hand. There, one finger away from her wedding ring, was the ring that Sam had given her seven years ago tonight, as they had seamlessly transitioned from being friends to being lovers and partners for life. Sam immediately choked up.
Carly reached for her own neck, pulling the chain free from her cleavage. Sam immediately lost control. She couldn't stop her tears. She simply stood there, listening to Carly talk.
"You recognize this, of course… You know it's never come off…"
Sam, of course, did. She had given it to Carly for high school graduation.
"Come here, Mama… I've missed you…"
Sam broke into a sprint from the front door towards the hallway, where Carly stood, wearing the same red cocktail dress that had first appeared the night of their very first date. The blonde held her tightly, crumbling into a weepy, romantic mess.
AN HOUR LATER…
Carly had arranged to recreate the dinner from their very first date, ordering takeout from B.F. Wang's. Sam was very touched. She knew Carly would never – could never – forget the tiny little details. She felt a lump rise in her throat when her partner began to speak.
"Sam… honey… we need to talk…"
Carly immediately regretted her choice of words, seeing the pained look in her love's eyes.
"Sweety, no… nothing like that… just… something I should've told you a long, long, long time ago…"
Sam swallowed her beef and looked across the table nervously. She was both anxious and afraid of what her Cupcake might have to say.
Carly talked. Sam listened, hanging on her every word.
"Sam, I know we've always said 'No Secrets', and that's always been true… well, for the most part…"
Sam looked as though she was teetering on the brink of an all-out meltdown.
"Honey, please… it's not bad, I promise… just something I… you know, kind of closed off and forgot about…"
Sam exhaled deeply, all the pent up stress and emotion leaving her. Deep down, she knew that her Cupcake was her Cupcake for another reason. Carly was Sam's Cupcake because she was soft, sweet, and doughy on the inside. Carly didn't have it in her to hurt people.
"Honey, I know about the flowers…"
Sam nearly went cross-eyed. What flowers? What was she talking about?
"You left them outside my window when we were little..."
Sam's jaw clenched. She wanted to grumble, but couldn't. She no longer had it in her.
"Melanie…"
Carly smiled. Yes, Sam's sister had told her the story years ago. Melanie was right. It was the most precious thing ever.
NEARLY AN HOUR LATER…
Sam had now collapsed into Carly, a weepy mess. She had cried happy, happy tears. Carly's story was the most touching thing she'd ever heard in the world. Carly had finally shared her most intimate secret with the one person who should've known all along.
It had happened two weeks after the infamous 'Tuna Sandwich Incident'. Little Carly had wandered into her parents' bedroom for a heart-to-heart with her mother, Maureen.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, Sweetheart?"
"If I have a secret, I can tell you, right?"
Carly did tell her. She told her everything, as her then-eight-year-old mind could understand it. Her mother took everything in stride. She had always vowed that her children could share anything with her.
"Sweetheart, do you really know what love means?"
Carly shook her head yes. She explained everything she felt inside, how the pretty blonde made her feel complete – feel normal – in a way she couldn't really put in to words.
Carly recounted the tightest hug she'd ever felt her mother give.
"If it's love, you'll know… when the time is right…"
The brunette placed a large wrapped box in Sam's lap.
"What's this, Carls?"
"Present… something I should've given you a long time ago."
Sam thought her wife had gone around the twist. She opened the box anyway.
There, she found an oversized scrapbook. She realized it was the one Carly had been working on for weeks in the back bedroom. She flipped through the pages, finding nothing but page after page of letters.
The University of Washington. The University of Oregon. USC. UCLA. Florida State University.
"Carls?"
Sam began to tear up. She realized what was going on here.
"Turn to the last two pages, Babe…"
She did.
There, Sam found an eight-by-ten color photo of her with Carly in the iCarly studio, her arms looped around Sam's neck. They were both smiling. On the page opposite, there was a sheet of notebook paper. It was a letter from Carly to Sam.
Sam,
I couldn't do it. All the free rides in the world were worth less than what I'd be missing out on. Asking me to spend one day without you – let alone four years – would be like asking me not to breathe.
There was only one choice.
It could only ever be you.
I love you,
Carly
Sam loved Carly more than anything in the world. She was very happy that her sister had offered to host a sleepover tonight. Sam had her own plans for the evening.
