Chapter 31

Freddie had just invited Sam and Carly to the holiday pageant at his daughter's school and she learned Melanie was going to be there.

"Oh, um, I just remembered I told Mom I'd be over to bath Frothy." Sam quickly turned her back and got back in the fridge.

"How old is that cat, is he immortal or something?" Freddie asked. "And you're going to your mom's willingly?"

"This is Frothy number 2" She sighed. "Frothy number one didn't like baths. Well, neither does number 2 I'm sure. And it was an excuse, Fredward. I don't want to hang out with my sister."

"Then just hang out with me and ignore her." He tried to beg with a smile that he knew melted her.

"What makes you think I want to hang out with you, ya nub? And won't your crazy mom be there? I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see me."

"Yes, Mom's taking a whole day off work for it. It's really important to Alex but if you can't come it's alright. See, the thing is, she's got her heart set on everyone seeing her."

In a few seconds, Sam gave in. "God, but I'm getting soft. Alright, I'll be there. But you owe me. You'd better whip up a batch of that special Benson family recipe eggnog just for me."

"Thanks, Sam." He hugged her before remembering that wasn't a good idea. She smirked at the opportunity and promptly gave him a wedgie, just like old times. "Ow! Seriously? Are you thirteen again?" He quipped.

"Get too close to a snake, ya might get bit." She shrugged like it was nothing and turned away.

Despite his aching posterior, Freddie was just glad Sam was able to be like her old self around him.


The day of the show arrived. Freddie and his mother met up with Melanie and then Carly, Spencer and Sam arrived in the main lobby of the school. "I figured we'd better wait for you guys so we could all sit together." He announced.

"Yay." Sam deadpanned, glancing sideways at her twin.

"Freddie, do you have your camera?" Melanie asked, sounding like a bossy wife.

He held up his phone to show her.

"He hasn't been within five feet of that thing since I met him." Sam mumbled.

Marissa began fussing that they needed to get to the auditorium and the group headed in. Freddie made sure to sit Melanie between his mother and Carly, who was on the far side of Spencer, who was at his right just so he could keep the twins as far apart as possible. Sam ended up sitting on the other side of him.

Throughout the show, all focused on the kids on stage, especially when Alex and her group were singing.

As things wound down and parents were waiting around in the hallways for their kids, Melanie tried to make conversation with Freddie. "We should get her in singing lessons. She has such a great voice."

"Don't you think she's a little young?" He replied. "I'd rather let her choose if that's something she wants rather than force her into it."

"Yeah, you remember the pageant thing Mom made us do. We both know what it's like to be forced into doing something you don't want." Sam piped in.

Melanie just looked at her funny, almost ready to question 'who are you to have an opinion' but thought better of it, starting a mouth battle in the school would not be a good idea.

"Daddy! Mommy! Aunt Sam! Did you see me?" The little girl had been dismissed by her teacher to go and find her family. She ran through the school lobby in search of them.

"Yes, baby girl." Freddie replied and picked her up. "And I have video of the whole performance so we can show Pam, too since she couldn't come."

"Hey guys, we're going to head home." Carly told them, walking closer. "Your mom's going with us, Freddie. She says she needs to go straight home to disinfect the bathroom and clean behind the refrigerator again."

"OK, see you later. Thanks for coming. And for giving mom a ride." Freddie told her with a platonic hug.

"I guess I'm walking then." Sam huffed. "I rode over with them."

"We've got you, Sam. We're all going to the same building." Freddie snickered.

Melanie interrupted. "Uh, speaking of rides, could you maybe drop me off at Mom's? Please. I caught a ride share over here."

This caused a death glare from Sam, only seen by Freddie. "What do you think, kiddo? Can we give Aunt Sam and Mom both a ride?" He asked his daughter to diffuse his sister in law.

Alex's response was to reach out to hug her mom but in the excitement, she grabbed for Sam instead. Sam took advantage of it and squeezed her tight. Melanie just looked dejected until Sam passed the kid to her.

In the car, Melanie jumped into the back seat to sit beside her daughter which left Sam up front with Freddie. As they approached Pam's house, he was only glad to soon be clearing the air by getting Melanie out of Sam's presence. The tension was thick enough to be photographed.

"Have a great day at school tomorrow, sweetie." Melanie hugged the kid before she got out of the car. "Sleep tight and I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and Freddie, I'd like to get together with you to discuss a few things about, uh, the holiday. Maybe tomorrow sometime?"

"Um, sure, Mels. How about I'll check in with you in the morning, alright? I wasn't planning on taking lunch tomorrow but maybe I can slip out for a short while. I'll send you a link to the video as soon as I post it, so you can show Pam."

The young mother got out of the car and waved happily as the others drove off.

Sam left out a deep sigh as soon as Freddie had the car in gear. "Glad that's over with."

"Sam!" He scolded through his teeth. "I get it, but try to not say stuff like that with . . . " He subtly sent her a nod toward the back seat.

"Yeah. Sorry. I really do have to watch what I say. Hey, you guys wanna stop for smoothies? My treat." She painted on happy face and turned half around to face the kid.

Freddie raised an eyebrow. "It's getting late, Sam."

"Awh, live a little ya nub. Tomorrow's the last day of school before Christmas break. It's not like they'll actually be learning anything. Probably just watching the Polar Express or the Grinch or something, drawing, and making popcorn garlands.

"You're right. I guess it's not that late. What do you say Alex, want to stop at T-Bo's with Aunt Sam?"

"Yay!"

When they arrived, the smoothie shop was nearly deserted and they had their drinks right away. Alex had skipped off to the bathroom while her dad and aunt found a table. "So, I know tonight was super uncomfortable for you but thanks for going. It means a lot to Alex." Freddie told Sam.

"Yeah, it wasn't that bad. Except for the awkward ride home. I'm just glad we only live, like, six minutes from the school." Sam then left out a sigh. "I just wish it wasn't like this with me and Mels. I mean, sure, I don't need to be her best friend but we're sisters and I don't really want to hate her, it's just kind of necessary."

"Is it?"

"Well, yeah. She might put on some nicey-nice face, but after she's treated you the way she has, I can't look past that. And that night, the first night I was back in Seattle, the way that little girl cried for her, and she was just off hanging out with our deadbeat dad like she didn't have a care in the world, there is no way I can forgive her for that. At least not easily. I don't have any idea what it's like to have your own kid, but I just don't see how any mother, any parent really can just up and leave their kid behind and then act like it's nothing. Pam might not be mother of the year but even she wouldn't do that." She had leaned toward him to talk more quietly.

As always, Freddie's first thought was his child. "I understand, Sam. Just try to play it cool around Mel, alright. For Alex's sake. She loves you both and if she picks up on anything, it'll just end up hurting her." He said sincerely and sub-consciously reached across the table to take Sam's hand.

"You guys want any hard boiled eggs on a stick, end of day, half price . . . whoa." T-Bo was approaching to sell them the last of his daily stick-impaled foods and saw their 'moment'. He backed away quietly as Sam jumped and pulled back like she had been caught doing something wrong.

Alex returned from the bathroom and joined them so there was no more weirdness. What neither of them realized was she saw exactly what T-Bo did. At six, she had no idea what any of this meant. Nor did she know about her father and her aunt's romantic past.

"Hey, I got you a twisty straw." Sam told the girl as she poked it into her drink. "Isn't it cool?"

"Thanks, Aunt Sam." The kid smiled at her and took a sip. Sam hugged her sideways.

"Ya know, Sam. I've got to admit, you're really good with kids. I remember you babysitting a few times years ago when I visited, but this is a whole different level. You've really got a way with her."

"Eh, Mama's got lots of skills." She shrugged. "So, about the Christmas thing?"

"What about it?" He asked.

"I know you said you're going to Pam's for Christmas eve. I was thinking, like, you know, since Spencer and Carly are kind of doing their thing on Christmas with their grandpa coming to town and all . . . "

"You want to come down with us? I'm sure my mom will be OK with it." He asked, hopeful.

"Well, she didn't break out the incense and holy water when she saw me a bit ago. I don't know, I guess I'd kind of like to at least drop off something for someone." She rolled her eyes toward the little girl sitting beside her. "I mean, just for a little while. Cause, you know, I could be sleeping or lazing around and eating Chinese takeout or whatever."

"Of course, Sam. You're welcome to spend the day with us. Right, sweetie?" Freddie smiled wide at her.

"Yeah!" Alex shouted. "I'm getting a new video game console and lots of ponies and a new dress. And a new pear pad. And a couple of DVDs."

"Geez, kid." Sam chuckled. "How's Santa going to have room in his sleigh for anybody else's stuff?"


Christmas morning, everyone was up as early as usual in the Benson household. Marissa was in the kitchen preparing to put some kind of Christmas roast in the oven that really didn't have an offensive smell, yet. Freddie had set to record video of Alex opening her presents as he did every year, and the little girl was just getting ready to start her day.

"Come on, honey. There's lots of things for you to open out here." Marissa called back the hallway to her.

The girl soon appeared. "Can we wait a few minutes till Aunt Sam gets here to open presents?"

Marissa gasped and looked at Freddie. "Samantha's coming here? I mean, yes, of course honey. Freddie why don't you text Aunt Sam and see if she's soon coming down." She said with a condescending tone. "Can I get you to look at something in the kitchen?"

"Why did you invite Samantha?" Marissa quietly scolded her son as soon as they were far enough away from the child. "She's not family. Christmas is for family."

"She might not be family to us Mom, but she is to Alex." Her argued while typing the message. "And she told me she has something for Alex and wanted to bring it down."

Marissa softened. "Oh. Alright, then. I just don't want her getting any ideas about playing mommy. I still don't see why Melanie couldn't have been invited. She is your wife after all."

"We've been through this, Mom. I don't want to give that child any expectation that her mother and I are getting back together. I can't do that for her sake. We had Christmas eve with her. Besides, Melanie told me last evening that she is going to live with her father soon."

"I don't understand why you two couldn't have gotten into counseling." She hissed. "This could have all been worked out."

"If it were just me, maybe. But I don't ever want to put Alex through another session of disappearing Melanie. You know this. Mel says she's leaving for Portland on Saturday. Lord only knows how long it will be till we hear from her. She could drop off the radar for a year or more again."

The doorbell rang, ending their awkward argument and before either of them could get there, Alex flung the door back to reveal a blonde woman wearing a Santa hat and a Christmas sweater along with green, elf like tights.

"Aunt Sam!" She hugged at Sam's hips, like six year olds do, as Sam held a gigantic box. "You made it!"

"Yep. And you know what? I got up this morning and this box was under my tree. Carly doesn't know a thing about it and it's got this cool ice princess wrapping paper on it. I'm guessing Santa got so tired carrying all your other presents that he made a mistake and left it off in the wrong apartment."

Marissa chuckled to Freddie at the interaction between the woman and her granddaughter. Who would have thought that the brash, abrasive tom-boy who once pushed her son out of an airplane could be such a nurturing soul to a child. She was almost impressed.

Freddie approached his old friend and took the box out of her hands. "Thanks for coming." He said quietly.

"Saman, Sam!" Marissa called to her from across the room. "I'm so glad you could come down. When Fredward told me you were joining us for Christmas, I was surprised.

"I bet she almost had a stroke." Sam whispered to Freddie, unheard by Marissa. "Right. Thanks for having me. So, anything I can help with in the kitchen?"

"Make some edible food." Freddie whispered and Sam snickered.

Within an hour, presents had been opened and Marissa slipped off toward the kitchen to continue preparing their holiday dinner.

"I still wish she'd let me help with the dinner." Sam whined quietly to Freddie. "You know, so we can have food that actually has flavor. Maybe if I just go in and tell her I saw a speck of dust in the bathroom."

Luckily the little girl was too busy playing with her new treasures to overhear the conversation. She ran back to her room to try on some of her new clothes, leaving Sam and Freddie alone.

"We didn't have a chance to talk since last night but did you know Mel is going back to Oregon to live with your dad?"

Sam's eyes grew wide. "She's what?"

"I was as surprised as you are. I guess it's not like she feels all that welcome around here. She claims she's having trouble finding a job and he has something all lined up for her. I guess she just thinks things will be better out there."