Chapter 42
Freddie and Sam were discussing his buying a new car.
"Way ahead of you. Basically, they can't give you much for an old import, they'll just send it to the auction and it'll end up on some cheap buy here pay here lot. Why don't you just sell that old Mazda to Melanie and then I don't have to waste my time helping her find something decent and she'll have something reliable to drive."
"But isn't it too old to be reliable? I don't want to saddle her with a lemon."
"It's too old for a guy your age, with a good job and a family. It's kind of perfect for a divorced woman who only gets her kid a couple days a month. Heck, if my mom had any money, and Mels wasn't desperate for a car, I'd say sell it to Pam. It's not falling apart or anything like that old Honda of hers. I know you kept up with anything it needed like maintenance and repairs. You just, like, deserve something a little better that's all. And I'll go over it with a fine tooth comb to make sure it's not going to let her down."
He looked at her funny at that statement. He deserved something better? How true on many levels. He had thought that himself but not about his car.
As the two ate, they further discussed the situation and it was decided that Freddie would stop at the place where Sam worked on Monday and make the final arrangements for the purchase and sign some papers.
After their meal, the two returned to Bushwell and Sam instinctively went into apartment 8-D with Freddie. After inviting herself to sit down and put her feet up and asking where his mother was, Sam realized this was one of the first times they were alone together and not in public, not at each other's throats in years.
"You, uh, want something to drink?" He asked.
"Sure, whaddaya got?"
"We've always got Wahoo Punch, but it's sugar free. You know, because of the way my mom is and all."
"I can live without the sugar." She shrugged. "I don't eat like I did at sixteen and I think I just ate two days worth of calories at one meal anyway."
He returned from the kitchen and sat down next to her on the couch with the drinks. "I wonder how things are going at Pam's"
"You want me to call?" She asked. "I was kind of curious myself."
"No. We can't do that. Mel will think I don't trust her. I have to accept the idea of her having visitation and just trust that she'll call if she needs anything." He frowned, clearly not comfortable with this idea. "At least that's what I keep telling myself."
"Even though it's driving you insane to just sit here not knowing?" She smirked.
"Uh, yeah." He nodded.
Sam picked up her phone and unlocked the screen. "Well, maybe you think you have to trust my sister and Pam, but I don't have to. I'm checking in."
"Sam!" He scolded but she dialed anyway. "You can't do that. She'll think I put you up to it."
Sam just shrugged in indifference, having her own agenda. Melanie picked up on the third ring. "Hi, Sammy. Calling to check up on us?"
"Yep!" She said with a certain tone that was all business.
"Everything's great. We just played Uno and Jenga. Mom went down to that convenience store on the corner to get us some ice cream and nacho puffs. I suppose Freddie put you up to calling because he thinks I'll think he doesn't trust me if he calls himself."
"I'm home alone. Just wanted to call to make sure everything is alright and say goodnight to Alex that's all." Sam blatantly lied about where she was. "You know, I always say goodnight. I jus - just kinda miss her, that's all." This part was completely true. "And this is the first she's spent the night away from home. So she's probably a little anxious, too."
"Aw, Sammy." Mel cooed. "That's so sweet. I'll put her on so you can say goodnight."
After saying goodnight to her niece and hanging up, Sam turned to Freddie who sat beside her on the couch, slack jawed at the way she spoke to his daughter as if she was her own kid. No doubt she was good with Alex but her motherly nature was beyond his belief. Add the fact that she blatantly lied to Melanie for his benefit, his mind was blown.
"What?" She raised an eyebrow at his expression. "I got something in my hair?"
"Nothing. Just surprised you told Mels I wasn't sitting right here that's all." He couldn't say how attracted he suddenly was to her or she'd surely punch him.
"Well, for one, I don't think it's any of her business that we're hanging out together and two, I didn't think you wanted her to know you were gonna drive yourself nuts unless they were checked up on. And three, I might not despise her, but that doesn't mean I'll never lie to Mel again if I have a good reason." She simply said with a shrug. "Oh, and things are good by the way. They're playing board games and Pam just went out to get some snacks and ice cream."
"You mean Pam is acting like my mom?" He asked with a chuckle.
"Except Marissa would be buying carrot sticks and Greek yogurt instead of snacks covered in orange cheese powder and ice cream, but yes."
"Man, that's a relief." He sighed. "So, what do you wanna do tonight?"
Sam knew what she'd like to do, she'd been thinking about it for some time but she kept her composure. Jumping all over him was definitely not the best of ideas. "I got the last season of Lurching Dead on DVR. I know you probably don't watch that anymore with a little kid around but we used to watch that show together. You know, like years ago we never missed an episode."
"Yeah, I don't watch it when she's up but I see an episode every now and then when Alex is at school. Usually I just watch the highlights on my laptop after she goes to bed."
"Wanna head up to my place and binge watch it?" She suggested. "I'll help you catch up."
"Carly home?" He asked before thinking it sounded like he was hoping not. "I - I mean, she probably would hate that show with all the guts and head bashing."
"She's out on a date."
"Wow. That's the first she's had a date in what, six weeks or so." He cracked. "That's a long dry spell for a gal like Carls."
"Psh, been a helluva lot longer for me. It's just some dude she met at this goofy community center class she took on car repair the other week. He seems OK but there's just something about him I can't quite put my finger on. I don't know, she might be serious about this one."
"Why the heck did she take a class like that? Don't you take care of her car stuff?"
"She thought it would be a good way to meet guys I guess. You know how she is."
"It worked." He grinned. "Or at least she got a date out of it, even if she still doesn't know how to use a screwdriver. Got any snacks up there?"
"Of course I've got snacks. More snacks than you've ever seen." She playfully punched at him. "But you really have room for anything after that meal? I'm still full. I think I ate a whole pig's worth of ribs."
"Wow, that is the first time I've ever heard you say you were full." He teased.
"Watch it, nub. I can still kick your ass." She fired back with a glare. "So, you ready to go up to my place?"
He stood and offered her his hand. The two spent the evening watching TV at Sam's and by midnight both were ready to turn in. "I guess I'd better go home before we get sucked into another episode." He stood and stretched.
There was a point when they would have thought nothing of a sleepover, or an all night binge watching marathon, even when they weren't a couple. Now, there would be nothing like that for fear of where it might lead. There was definitely a certain tension building that neither wanted to admit or address. And neither were ready to act upon it.
"You might be right. What are we doing tomorrow?" She stretched herself.
"We?" He questioned. "You really wanna do something with me?" He was kind of surprised.
"Well, since Alex doesn't come back until six and your mom's out of town, I figured I'd have to entertain your nubby butt all day so you don't get bored. Unless you had works stuff to do. Or you were gonna spend the day having some special single man's alone time on some less than reputable web sites. Because if you are, I don't really need to know about it. Just be sure to scrub your browser history. And your mouse."
"Nope. No plans at all." He shook his head and ignored her taunting. "Wanna go to a movie or something?"
"Eh, I was thinking the mall. I need a couple new bras and Alex was asking me for more of that watermelon flavored lip balm she likes so much, so that means Glitter Gloss. I guess we could maybe see a movie if we have time."
"Right then, see ya about ten." He stepped forward and hugged her.
"Make it eleven. Mama don't get up early on weekends." She argued and without thinking she stretched up and gave him the most innocent of kisses. "See ya then, sir nubbington."
Both blushed at the kiss. "Goodnight, Sam." He took her pulling back as a sign to head for the door.
"Night, Frederelli." She said, not making eye contact.
As soon as he was out the door, she flopped face down into the couch due to embarrassment. "You stupid broad. What the hell was that?" She asked herself aloud. "Ya kissed him like you were kissing your grandpa."
Saturday the two made their way to the mall, Sam made her purchases and they ate at the B.F. Wangs stand in the food court. She was surprised that he didn't seem too uncomfortable in the bra store, even though he did seem to find the ceiling tiles extremely interesting when she was holding the things up in front of her and looking into the mirror.
Later in the afternoon they had seen a movie, picked up some pizza to take home and returned to Bushwell. They went to Sam's apartment to eat and relax before it was time for him to pick up his daughter.
"Where's Carly? She spending another day with that dude from the car repair class?" He asked, as they sat on the sofa.
"Nah. She's down at Spencer's doing something. She sent me a text when we were in the movie. I hate to say it but I'd better save her a slice of pizza."
She had been acting funny and dancing around the matter of 'them' all day. She hadn't slept well the night before due to her kissing him and nearly fell asleep during the movie a couple of times. Being tired was only making things more awkward, at least from her point of view. "Well, today was sure fun."
"Yeah, probably the most fun and the most time we've spent together, just us, since I got chewed up by the killer tuna fish."
Even though he seemed unfazed by what happened, there was only one thing to do, just confess that she was an idiot and hope they could forget it even happened. "Look, about last night, I'm sorry . . . "
He had different ideas and cut off her half-baked apology. "Do you wanna go out sometime, like a real date, not just friends hanging out?"
"Freddie, we've been through this." She looked away. "We can't. I don't want to mess us up."
"I know, but Sam, you have to admit there were sparks when you kissed me. At least I hope you felt them too. You did, right?" He asked nervously.
"Dude, I kissed you like I kiss my gramps. You seriously felt sparks?" She cracked with a nervous chuckle of her own.
"You didn't feel them?" He asked, now worried that maybe she really wasn't sending out the vibes he thought she was.
"Shoosh yeah." She said too quickly for her own liking before blushing. "Bu - but . . . "
She was again cut off with his hands on the sides of her face, his forehead touching hers and his lips pressing ever so gently into hers.
"Freddie." She whispered when he pulled back slightly. "I'm not sure . . . "
He simply raised an eyebrow in question. "Sparks?"
She looked down at the thought and whispered. "Nope."
Freddie looked disappointed until she said the next word. "Lightning."
His smirk as he leaned forward again made her melt. Their lips once again met. They kissed for several seconds. "We can stop. If you think we should." He suggested.
"Maybe we should but I really don't think I can right now." She said with embarrassment and stretched up to kiss him again.
The kisses they shared weren't overly sexual but they were certainly filled with passion. As their arms surrounded each other and hands wandered slightly, before long the two found themselves in a position where they might soon not be able to turn back. She had leaned back and he was slightly over top of her.
"Sam." He panted. "I think . . . we need to slow down."
"You're right. We need to stop" She replied with short breath. "Because I am so damn turned on right now, I can hardly sit still."
"Yeah, we should take a few minutes." He leaned back. "Because I am too."
"We, like, haven't had our first date. We can't be doing this right now. And you're not even divorced yet."
"We're signing the papers Monday." He told her with a smirk. "If that helps."
"Sooooo, could we maybe get Carly to watch Alex Monday evening so we can officially go out? You know, for a real date?"
He just raised an eyebrow in question. She really wanted to go out right away?
"You seriously mean to tell me you aren't itching to continue what we just did?" She replied.
"Of course. But only if you're sure."
"Oh I'm sure. Just not too much too soon, OK?" She got quiet. "It's been a while. Let's not rush it."
"Do you think we could . . . " He reached out to touch her waist again.
Sam cut him off with a playful punch to the shoulder. "What I think is you need to go home and get a cold shower before you go to pick up your kid."
"What about you?" He asked with a certain glint to his eye.
"Well, since I don't have a kid to pick up, I don't need a cold shower but I might need a pack of fresh batteries by tomorrow."
He snickered to himself at what she meant. "It's almost five-thirty, I guess I should soon go over to Pam's to pick up Alex anyway."
"Well going to her house is pretty much like taking a cold shower."
"It wasn't when we went out in high school if I remember the night after junior prom correctly." He smirked and pulled her close for one more kiss. "See you tomorrow sometime then."
"Later, Fredbag. Oh, and Freddie . . . " She said before they pulled apart. "I love you."
"I love you too, Sam." He said before turning and heading out the door.
