iLazy Day

Carly awoke early that Saturday morning. It may not have been the most responsible thing she'd ever done in her life, particularly with her niece, nephew, and daughter's friends in the house, but she'd needed Sam last night. With everything that had gone on, she'd felt like Sam had forgotten about her, or, at the very least, that something had gotten lost in the shuffle.

She collapsed onto the bed, struggling to catch her breath.

"Sam… I… God…"

Sam grinned, looking up at her wife.

"Good Morning to you too, Cupcake…"

Sam knew that they shouldn't have last night, not with four teenagers and two young children in their house, but she didn't care. It was just one of those things. The moment Carly shut their bedroom door last night, all common sense went out the window.

MEANWHILE…

Melanie Puckett raced around the kitchen. She had spent plenty of time watching Sam growing up, so she'd become quite a gifted little chef herself. She'd whipped up pancakes for her cousins by the time Bridget stirred from the sofa, where they'd crashed the night before.

"Hola, Chica…"

The Benson twins both laughed. Perhaps the only thing they could agree on was that it was cute that Melanie spoke Spanish randomly, like their father.

The little Korean girl yawned, stretching her arms wide.

"…'Morning…"

Before she could respond, Melanie heard her sister stumble down the hall, half-dressed, hair all mussed. Melanie couldn't believe it.

"Ash… God… There are children in the house… Jeez!"

The sleepy blonde was oblivious.

"What? I'm wearing pants!"

"Boxer shorts are not pants!"

Technically, Ashley Puckett was clothed, but Melanie still didn't think it was appropriate to walk around in a sports bra and boxers.

"Honestly…"

Moments later, Megan Marx stumbled down the hall. To her credit, at least the obnoxious redhead was wearing pants, Melanie thought. She could hear water in her parents' bathroom. She knew that her entire family would be together again soon. She got back to work.

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER…

After cursory Good Mornings and basic small talk, Sam shot her daughter a look that indicated that they would discuss her behavior last night at some point later. Carly noticed immediately and stamped Sam's bare foot with her own.

"Auntie Carly?"

It was her beautiful little blonde niece.

"Yes, my dear?"

"Pass the bacon, please?"

The brunette chuckled.

"Sure…"

Carly sipped her juice, amazed at what a good cook her daughter had become. She looked Melanie in the eye and attempted to steer the conversation as best she could.

"Honey, this is amazing… How on Earth did you learn to cook so well?"

Sam piped up, sarcastic.

"Oh, I wonder,Carlotta"

"I was trying to pay our daughter a compliment,Sam…"

Sam groaned, more from general fatigue and malaise than anything else. It simply didn't play well. Carly swallowed her frustration and grabbed Sam's hand. For all of her difficult moments, the fact remained that Carly loved Sam Puckett more than anything in the world. The blonde whispered, not wanting the minors to know her feelings.

"Cupcake, I…"

Carly leaned close, whispering softly into Sam's ear.

"Sam… relax… I know this is hard for you, but it'll be okay…"

Ashley felt so bad. She blamed herself for Mama feeling the way she did.

"Mama, I…"

Sam cleared her throat loudly. It was pretty clear that the matter wasn't up for discussion.

AFTER BREAKFAST…

Freddie had come over to pick up the twins. The kids were bouncy, the way they usually got once Auntie Carly had gotten done spoiling them. Sam smiled at the Nub as he walked in.

"Why the hell are you glowing, Benson?"

"Samantha!"

"Come on, Carls… Just sayin'…"

"There are children here!"

Freddie smirked.

"I hate to interrupt… but… children… you know, small people?"

Sam hollered down the hallway.

"Yo! Kidlets! Su Padre!"

The Benson kids came running. Freddie kissed them both. His world was complete again.

"Thanks again, you guys… you really didn't have to… you know…"

Carly smiled at him.

"Of course we did."

"What do you two say?"

"Love you, Auntie Carly! Love you, Auntie Sam!"

Just as he was taking the kids and turning to leave, he noticed Megan Marx coming down the hall from the twins' room. He chose to say nothing, but Freddie swore he saw Ashley's hand in Megan's. The redhead was on her cell phone. Freddie knew it wasn't his business.

A SHORT WHILE LATER…

Megan and Ashley sat at one end of Carly and Sam's living room sofa. Carly spoke to Sam in hushed tones.

"… I understand that… I know… Sam! Sam… remember, if they're out of the house…"

Sam's eyes immediately lit up. She finally understood what Carly had tried so hard to say without actually coming out and saying. Carly reached for her purse from the end table. She withdrew a small wad of bills and handed the cash to her otherwise-grounded teenager.

"Here…"

"Mom?"

"You're temporarily off of punishment… Take Megan, Bridget, and your sister and go out for a while."

Ashley looked terribly confused.

"Wait… I'm ungrounded?"

"For a little while… your Mama and I…" Carly paused. "…we'd like… uh…"

"I get it…"

AN HOUR LATER…

Ashley took Megan's hand as they walked through the mall. She felt happy. She didn't care about the looks people gave her. She was with her favorite person in the world. Nothing else mattered. Melanie and Bridget whispered to one another as they walked.

"I know… I know… Yeah, I know! I mean, really…"

Bridget smiled. She didn't really care. What the other Puckett girl did was her business, but still… she thought that one couldbe a bit more discreet. She wound her fingers in the blonde's. She was happy.

"So… What do we tell your parents?"

Melanie spoke in a hush.

"We tell my parents we had a good time, that's it. My mama's been upset enough lately. I know she worries about us, but this is ridiculous – even for my mama…"

Bridget thought that made sense. She put herself in Ashley Puckett's place for a moment. If her own mother overreacted to this degree, she knew it would make her fall to pieces inside. Everyone, she figured, was entitled to some degree of privacy.