Progress
"Sam, where'd you put dental floss?" Freddie called from their bathroom.
"How should I know?" Sam said, laying on her and Freddie's bed, flipping through a magazine. "I don't floss."
"Well fine then," Freddie said, coming out of the bathroom. "I'll just let my teeth be filled with plaque today."
"Your teeth are fine, baby," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "But hey, listen, I need to talk to you about something."
"What?"
"Well...tonight Emma's going on a date," Sam said slowly.
"Oh, is she?" Freddie asked. "Well that's nice."
"Um, what?" Sam frowned. "That's nice? Dude, when Ashton went on her first date a few months ago, you were freaking out."
"Exactly, I got it out of my system," Freddie said. "I mean, I completely over-reacted to Ashton's date, and he turned out to be a cool guy! The kid's great!"
"Yeah," Sam nodded. "And I'm sure Ashton loves the fact that you text her boyfriend during their dates to tell him the latest Galaxy Wars news."
"Oh, speaking of that, I need to tell him that they've just confirmed the date of the showing of the Battle of Panthatar," Freddie said. "There's going to be fifteen seconds of previously unseen footage! Hey, maybe him, me and Ashton could go see it together!"
"Ashton hates Galaxy Wars," Sam reminded him.
"Oh, right," Freddie shrugged. "Well, it looks like it will just be me and neil then! But see, Sam, the point it that I've made a lot of progress in overcoming this overprotective dad thing. So tonight, I'll welcome Emma's date with open arms."
"Um, good, keep that thought," Sam said. "But, just so you know...the guy Emma's going out with...he's nothing like Ashton's boyfriend."
"Well, okay, I-I guess they can't be exactly the same," Freddie said. "But I guess-"
"No," Sam said. "He's nothing like Neil is."
"What do you mean? Have you seen the guy?" Freddie asked.
"Emma showed him to me when I picked her up from track practice," Sam explained. "He's on the football team, and they practice near each other."
"The football team..." Freddie repeated. "Oh, well that's...interesting."
"His name is Chase," Sam continued. "And well, I'm pretty sure Emma said that he shoves people like Neil in trashcans at school."
"I-What?" Freddie exclaimed. "But that's so...okay. Okay, I can handle this. I mean, he's a fourteen year old kid, right? He can't be that bad."
"Again, keep that in mind when you meet him," Sam said. "But, um, he's not fourteen."
"Um, fifteen then?" Freddie said hopefully.
"Sixteen."
"Sixteen?" Freddie exclaimed. "She can't go out with a sixteen year-old!"
"Okay, okay, but he's only one grade above her," Sam said quickly. "Emma said he got held back a year."
"I-I-Ah!" Freddie moaned, laying back on the bed. "What is Emma trying to do to me? Kill me?"
"I thought you said you were going to be fine with this," Sam smirked.
"Yeah, that was when I was expecting another Neil!" Freddie said. "Why's she going for someone like this Chase guy? Her and Ashton are twins! Shouldn't they be attracted to the same kinds of guys?"
"Um, no," Sam laughed. "I mean, look at me and Melanie. Her husband's nothing like you. He's really muscular and macho and-"
"Ahem."
"You know what I mean," Sam said. "Look, I know you're not exactly going to like Emma going out with this guy, but just give him a chance, okay? He's coming by to pick her up at seven, so you'll get a chance to meet him then. And you never know, he might wind up being a closet Galaxy Wars fan or have some other nerdy obsession like you!"
"He'd better," Freddie mumbled.
...
"How do you guys not like this?" Sam exclaimed.
"It makes no sense, it's a cow wearing a dress," Ashton frowned. "I don't get why you're so obsessed with it, mom."
"It's Girly Cow!" Sam said.
"But it's like, twenty years old," Carly's daughter, Clarissa pointed out.
"So? It's a classic!"
"I still think I prefer my cows not dressed up," Gibby's son, Quincy, said.
"Yeah, well, your mom is just as obsessed with this show as I was," Sam said to Clarissa. "And Quincy, your dad tried to write to channel Girly Cow was on to see if she could come to his sixteenth birthday party!"
"I'm not surprised," Quincy mumbled.
"Whatever," Ashton said. "Can you drive us to the mall?"
"Yeah, sure, after Emma leaves for her date," Sam nodded.
"With stupid Chase," Quincy mumbled.
"Why do you think Chase is stupid?" Clarissa asked.
"Because he's a jerky football player who thinks he's so special because he can throw a ball around!" Quincy said. "I don't know why Emma would want to be going out with him."
"Why do you care?" Ashton said.
"I don't," Quincy said quickly.
"Alright, Sam," Freddie said, walking into the room. "It's seven o'clock. Where's this Chase? Or can he not even pick my daughter up on time?"
"Wow, lack of punctuality, he really is perfect for Emma," Ashton said.
"Where is Emma?" Freddie asked.
"What?" Emma asked, walking into the room, wearing a pair of jeans and a simple top.
"That's what you're wearing on your date with Chase Mitchell?" Ashton frowned. "I told you, borrow one of my dresses!"
"We're going to a movie and then to the go cart track," Emma said, rolling her eyes.
"But Chase is the hottest guy in the tenth grade!" Clarissa said.
"The hottest guy in the-Sam!" Freddie hissed, turning to his wife. "You didn't say he was the hottest guy in the tenth grade!"
"Well I'm sorry for not sitting outside the high school and rating every guy who walked by to compare him with," Sam said, shaking her head.
"He's also the biggest punk of the tenth grade," Quincy mumbled.
"Hmm, Quincy, where's your date?" Emma said. "Oh that's right, you repel girls like the plague."
"I do not!"
"Em, come on, no low blows," Sam said, trying not to smile.
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.
"Alright, well, see you people," Emma said, heading towards the door.
"No, no," Freddie said, grabbing his daughter's shoulder. "I'll get it."
"Ugh, but you're going to talk to him and stuff!"
Freddie rolled his eyes as he opened the door. Standing on his front porch was a large, muscular boy. He must've weighed at least 200 pounds, and he towered over Freddie at over six feet.
"Um, hello," Freddie frowned, looking up at the boy. "You must be Chase. I'm Mr. Benson. Emma's dad."
"Oh yeah, 'sup, Mr. B?" Chase said. "Is Emma ready? Movie's going to start in ten minutes."
"Yeah, come in," Freddie said, gritting his teeth.
"Hey, Emma! Looking hot!" Chase said as he stepped into house.
"Thanks," Emma grinned. "Let me just go grab my bag and then we can go."
"Cool," Chase nodded. He looked over at Sam. "Hey, are you Emma's mom? Gotta say, I see where she gets her good looks from..."
"Okay!" Freddie said loudly. "Chase, could I have a word with you in the kitchen, please?"
"Whateves," Chase shrugged. He followed Freddie out of the living room.
"Alright," Freddie said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Listen, I'm sure you're a wonderful guy who's very attracted to my daughter-"
"Yeah," Chase nodded. "She's smoking!"
"Anyway," Freddie said, frowning. "Like I said, I'm sure you're great, but I'm Emma's father, and I need to make sure that she's happy."
"Oh, don't worry about that, Mr. B, I'll take care of her," Chase said. "I'll even pay for half her movie ticket tonight."
"How...thoughtful," Freddie said. He stepped closer to Chase. "But let me just make one thing clear, okay?" His voice was no longer casual, and he spoke with clear purpose. "If you hurt my daughter in anyway, if you make her cry, if you don't treat her with respect, if you do anything to her, I will make you pay. You might be a big football star who's insanely big, but trust me, I will make you pay, are we clear?"
"I-um-yeah," Chase, who had backed up into the counter, nodded, looking knocked down a peg. "G-Got it, Mr. B."
"Alright, Chase, I'm ready," Emma said, walking into the kitchen. "By dad, don't wait up!"
"Well seeing as you're going to be back by ten thirty, I think I can stay awake," Freddie said.
"Ten thirty?" Emma moaned.
"Yup," Freddie nodded. "So you'd better hurry up."
"Mom's right, you are a nub," Emma mumbled as her and Chase headed out of the kitchen.
