Chapter 50

Last time, Freddie and Sam were discussing, among other things, getting married.

"Sammy. Baby, as long as we're getting married I don't care how we do it. Do I want a big, fancy church wedding that I can invite all my co-workers and relatives to, sure. Do I want to show off that I'm marrying the most beautiful, perfect girl in the world, and have it published in the paper and put a thousand pictures on our Splashface page, absolutely. I've been thinking though, and I realize you're not comfortable with all that and it won't make you happy, so I don't need all that."

"You know what would make me comfortable? What I do need?" She pressed herself into him.

"What's that?" He asked.

"To hear you say 'I do'. Whether it's in front of the mayor or a judge or a big old fat priest in a fancy robe or just some jack hole who got certified online to marry people."

"So, if you're ready and I'm ready, what are we waiting for?"

She turned fully toward him. "I guess the main thing we have to figure out is when and where, right?"

"And who all is coming." He added.

"None of your weird relatives, please." She smirked.

"Psh. That's a given. I was thinking more along the lines of my mom, Carly and Spencer, Brad and Wendy, maybe a couple of your friends from work like Lauren and her boyfriend."

"What about Gibby?"

"Well, yeah. If he can make it."

"I guess we should be nice and invite my mom and Melanie, too."

"Your mom is up to you, baby. But you seriously want my ex at your wedding?"

"Not from the standpoint of your ex, but as my sister, yes. You know, since like, Mels and I have been kinda friends lately, I guess it would be rude not to invite her."

"What about your dad?"

"My dad's a stub rag. I don't . . . "

"Sam." He cut her off. "I know how you say you feel but I also know you have talked to him when Alex does and I also think it would mean a lot to Alex."

"Fredward, you know I love your kid, but this is my wedding, not hers."

His silence broke her resolve, though.

"But I guess maybe it wouldn't hurt to invite him. He lives in Portland for crying out loud, it's not like he's gonna drive three or four hours just to see me get married." She sighed.

"Right, so invite him, then when he says he can't come you can be relieved, not disappointed."

"So, let's sleep on it and pick a date by next weekend, OK?"

"You want to try for something else before the sleep part?" He asked as he put his arms around her.


The next day, Sam and Melanie took Alex to the grocery store. Freddie and Carly were at Spencer's to see the progress of his latest art project and he mentioned his and Sam's conversation to her.

"Carly, I know Sam's going to tell you sooner or later but I think you should be prepared, I conceded to her wish about wedding plans."

"You did? But Freddie, you were pretty insistent about what you said was your only opportunity to have a real wedding."

"I know, and I also know how much you were looking forward to helping her plan some big, fancy over the top, royal wedding with a couple hundred guests, seating charts and a carefully choreographed ceremony. But we decided that's not what important. What's important is her and I together, forever, and starting our own family."

Spencer smiled to himself hearing this, unseen by his sister.

"What do you mean starting your own family. Freddie. Sam has told you about that part, right? Like she can't actually . . . "

"Yeah. And she also told me her doctor told her there was a slight chance. And we don't know if we don't try. And she doesn't want to try until we're married. So, we get married, get our own place and then we start trying."

Sensing Carly's impending argument, she was soon to be a lawyer after all, Spencer interrupted. "You know, Socko has a cousin that's a certified minister. I'm just saying if you're looking for someone to perform the ceremony without going in to the courthouse or something. She'd probably do it for you."

Carly, of course, couldn't resist asking the question of the day. "What's her name?"

"Faith." He answered simply.

"Wow, never saw that coming." Freddie smirked. "Let me talk to Sam to see how she feels about it."

"You guys could rent a space at the community center and hold it there." Carly interjected. "I think I need to talk to her, too. This is going to change everything I've been thinking for the last couple of months."


Meanwhile in the grocery store, the twins were having their own conversation. Alex, of course, knew that her dad and aunt would be getting married, so it wasn't like this was something she was shocked by. She was too busy trying to find things and talk her mom or aunt into buying them for her anyway.

"Hey Mel, Fredbag and I were talking after we got home yesterday and you know how he was pretty insistent that we have a fancy, church wedding?" Sam asked, as they were looking over the produce section.

"Yeah. Although I think that's more his mother's idea than his."

Sam shrugged. "Probably. Anyway, he sort of agreed that we might be able to do something a bit simpler like I was thinking, and just get married sooner rather than after some long, drawn-out planning process."

"Can't say I blame you for that." Melanie simply shrugged herself. "I never really did see the point in those elaborate ceremonies everyone seems to insist on. I mean, did you see the pictures Taureen had of her wedding at the class reunion. I'll bet that cost more than Mom's house."

"So, just that you're aware this is going to be happening in the near future, not a couple of years from now and I did ask him if he minded you being there."

"You really mean that?" Mel asked. "You want his ex-wife at your wedding?"

"I want my sister there." Sam told her without trying to seem so sappy.

"Oh, Sammy." Melenie grabbed her into a hug.

"God, Mel. You're worse than Cat Valentine. Let go." Sam tried to push Melanie off. "Seriously. You know I'm not a hugger."

"You let Alex hug you all the time. And Freddie."

"Alright, I'm not a hugger for anyone over 15, that I'm not sleeping with." Sam smirked as Melanie left her go. "And there's one other thing I wanted to talk to you about. Well, really I could care less, but Freddie brought it up and since he's giving in on the whole simple wedding thing, I guess I should at least consider it."

"Wow, you're compromising? Whew, this is something. No offense."

Sam glared for a second or two before continuing. "Freddie thinks I should invite our dad. You know, for Alex's sake. 'Cause like I said, I could care less."

"Aw, Sammy. That's awesome. I think he'd love it if you'd invite him. He always asks about you when we talk and I know he really appreciates it when you talk to him on video chat when he's on with Alex."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just still not too sold on him and everything but it kinda seems like you and Pam both forgave him. I don't know, maybe I'm getting too soft from being around Frednuts and Carly but I guess I should maybe try to be a little more civil with him. That and you know, I'm only ever doing this once."

Alex came running up with a bag of neon colored snack foods. "Mom! Check it out. These are on sale."

"Oh, no honey. We tried those already and you thought they were too spicy." Mel told her. "See if you can find some of the fried chicken flavored crackers."

"Get me a box too." Sam called as the kid ran off toward the cracker shelf. "Wait! Make it two."

Melanie got their conversation back on track. "As long as you're comfortable with it Sam, I think it's awesome that you're going to invite him."

"Heck no, I'm not really comfortable with it. It'll be awkward as chiz and believe me, I have no intention of asking him to give me away or anything but I am really happy to be getting married to Freddie and like I said, it would mean a lot to Alex. We're always going on about family means more than anything and it's kind of sending her the wrong message for me to be so cold toward him."

"Well, speaking from experience, Dad would be ecstatic just to even have you invite him. Even if he can't make it, just being invited would mean the world to him."


Three weeks later, a date had been set and the countdown to the wedding was on. While Sam felt it wasn't necessary to wait this long, it would be nearly three months before they could get everything organized and that was the first date that was available to rent the space at the community center.

"I guess I'll have to tell dear old dad." Sam said with an eye roll. She hadn't spoken to her father in weeks but he talked to Alex on video chat several times recently and he knew the wedding was coming up.

The following weekend, Alex signed on to talk with her grandfather while Melanie was at their place for dinner on Saturday evening.

After a few minutes on conversation, during which Melanie told the older man about Sam's setting her wedding date, Sam sat down beside her twin and niece.

"Hello, Sammy." Her dad smiled at her. "Congratulations."

"Been engaged for months, Pop." Sam cracked.

"I mean for actually setting your date." He said.

"So, um, since we know exactly when it's going to happen, I thought I should let you know. Like, in case you want to come out. Not that I'm expecting you to, but . . . " Sam began. "It's the 17th of October."

"I'll mark my calendar." He replied. "Is it alright to bring the family?"

"You what? Like, without even checking you know you're free?" Sam stumbled.

"I wouldn't miss it." He smiled. "I wasn't there when Melanie and Freddie got married, but I swear I'll be there for your wedding. And Melanie, when you finally decide to give it another chance, I'll be there for you, too."

"Well then, I, um, guess you can bring everyone." Sam replied with a hard swallow.

Their conversation continued and after things ended, Sam found Freddie in the kitchen, walked up to him and swatted him on the shoulder. "He's coming. Thanks a lot Fredlumps."

"Who? What are you talking about?"

"My dad. I told him when the wedding is and he's coming. So thanks for that, you nub. For the first time in damn near a quarter of a century I have to be in the same room with that man. And he's bringing the whole fam damily too."

"Aw, Sammy. I'm sorry." He pulled her in for a hug but she tensed. "Wait. Do you want me to be sorry?"

"I want you to take me out in the street and shoot me." She fussed and pulled back. "Or better yet whisk me off to Vegas on Saturday and we can just get this over with."

Seeing Freddie's look, she softened. "But I have to put on a happy face about it for Alex. I swear I'll only bitch about it behind closed doors. If there was ever any doubt how much I love that kid, let this put it to rest."

"That's my girl." He praised and kissed her.

Sam suddenly thought of a small amount of retribution. "Oh, one more thing. You get to tell Pam he's coming."

"Me?"

"That's your punishment for even suggesting it in the first place." She smirked.


The big day was getting close and Carly was beside herself making sure all the details were worked out despite both Melanie and Sam trying to keep her calm. Of course, all she had to do was appeal to Freddie that something wasn't proper and he'd agree that a change needed to be made. Despite her usual stubborn nature, Sam would at least hear him out and then cave to the brunette's requests.

"Aw geez, Fredbag." She griped. "What does it matter if we have yellow or white cake? Cake is cake, as long as I get an extra big piece. Why are you even bothering me with this after the day I had?"

"Well it's just that Carly thought an all white cake would be more traditional. But the bakery told her they'd need extra time for the white."

"Oh my God. Then get an all yellow cake. Hell, get two of them for all I care. Why are we even debating this? My dad and his family will be here in two days and I have to put on a happy face and pretend like I want to be around these people. I don't know them from the man in the moon. I have a lot more to worry about than what color the stupid cake is."

"So I can just tell Carly to take care of it?"

"I've been wanting her to take care of everything since day one. All I want is to show up, say I do and be married to you. I still think we should have just went to Vegas and got it done. No muss, no fuss, and you could have bought me something nice with all the money we'd save."