Agency
"Aunt Carly, guess what?" three-year old Jason Benson asked excitedly, hurrying into Carly's apartment, along with Sam. "Mommy let me eat spaghetti for breakfast today!"
"Oh, did she?" Carly smiled. "I bet that was fun."
"Yeah!" Jason nodded.
"Hey, you know what? I just bought a huge box of crayons," Carly told him. "And they're sitting on the kitchen table…unopened…waiting to be used."
"Can I use them?" Jason asked.
"Of course you can, that's what they're there for!" Carly laughed.
As Jason ran off into the kitchen, Sam collapsed onto the couch.
"Hey," Carly said, sitting down next to her best friend. "How you've been?"
"Just peachy," Sam mumbled.
"Not really a peachy tone there," Carly said. "Look, Sam I know its been difficult this last year-"
"Yeah, having my husband in the middle of a war-zone is just what I've always dreamed of, Carly," Sam snapped. Then she sighed. "Sorry…it's just, you know, it's stressful."
"I know that, Sam," Carly said, patting Sam's back. "I grew up with a dad in the Air Force, remember?"
"I know," Sam nodded. "But…come on, why'd Freddie's tech agency have to get drafted to go help the military over there? If their technology's so advanced, shouldn't they be able to help them without going all the way to the Middle East? And its been eleven months!"
"Do you know how much longer he has to stay?" Carly asked gently.
"When I talked to him, he said at least three more months," Sam answered miserable. "But that was a month ago! He hasn't called me since then! Or sent a letter or anything! What if something happened to him?"
By this point Sam was practically in tears. Carly scooted closer to her and pulled her into a hug. "Well, maybe something came up and Freddie just can't contact you, but is perfectly fine."
"I wish I was as optimistic as you," Sam said, wiping her eyes. "And then there's Jason, who tells me at least three times a day that he misses his daddy. And he keeps begging me to pull up a web chat with him, but I can't because Freddie's never online anymore!"
She grabbed Carly's remote from the coffee table and flipped on the television.
"What're you doing?" Carly asked.
"Watching the news," Sam replied. "Maybe I can at least find out if anything's happened over there."
"Sam, don't do that to yourself," Carly said, but Sam ignored her as she flipped through the channels until she found a news station.
"And in other news," the anchor on the channel Sam stopped at said. "There's been an explosion at an American base in Iraq. No fatalities have been reported, but there have been several injuries-"
"Sam," Sam said quickly, grabbing the remote from her and turning off the T.V. "That's doesn't-"
"What if that was Freddie's base?" Sam moaned. "What if he was in that bombing? Huh?"
"Sam, calm down, you don't want Jason to hear," Carly said softly as Sam began to sob.
"I can't take this Carly!" Sam said, crying into Carly's shoulder. "I just want him to be home already!"
"I know you do," Carly said. "But you'll get through this, okay? Look, I know you're freaked out, but the lady said there weren't any fatalities in that bombing, so-"
"But what if Freddie's arm got blown off or something?" Sam said. "What then?"
"Sam, listen to me," Carly said, handing Sam a tissue. "I know this is killing you, but you've got to just keep hanging in there. Freddie's time there will be up before you know it, and he'll come home."
Sam wiped her tears away with the tissue. "I hope he knows he's pretty much giving me a mental breakdown here."
"I'm sure it's killing him not seeing you and Jason as much as it's killing you," Carly said. "Now why don't you go wash up; you've got mascara running down your face. And I'll go order some pizza. Meat Slam for you?"
"I'm not hungry," Sam mumbled, getting to her feet. "But I'm sure Jason is; see what kind he wants."
Carly sighed as Sam headed to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. It broke her heart to see her usually tough and funny best friend like this. Ever since Freddie and the entire tech agency where he worked got called overseas, she had been a mess. But now that she couldn't even talk to her husband, she was much, much worse.
"Hey, Jason," Carly said, walking into the kitchen. "I'm ordering pizza. What kind do you want?"
"Pepperoni, please," Jason replied, setting his crayons down. "Look, Aunt Carly, I drew a picture for daddy when he comes home. It's of Nug Nug from Galaxy Wars. Mommy let me stay up and watch all the movies with her last night, and the night before that."
"Wow, your dad's going to really love that, Jason," Carly smiled.
"Mommy, look!" Jason said as Sam walked into the kitchen, her face tearstained and her eyes blotchy. "It's for daddy! When can I give it to him?"
"I'm still not sure, sweetie," Sam said softly. "Soon, I hope."
Carly watched as Sam picked up Jason, the three-year old explaining his drawing to her. She wished there was something she could do. Then she had a sudden thought. Maybe there was something she could do…
….
"Hey, Spencer," Carly said, walking into her brother's loft later that day.
"What's up, kid?" Spencer asked, looking up from the sculpture of a buffalo he was working on.
"Sam just left my place," Carly said.
"How is she?" Spencer asked, putting his sculpting tools down.
"Terrible, as usual," Carly sighed.
"Oh man, did she hear about the bombing over there?" Spencer asked.
"Yup," Carly nodded. "Which of course got her even more worked up. I know she's trying to hold herself together for Jason, but she's really starting to loose it, Spencer."
"Poor Sam," Spencer said, crossing her arms. "And she still hasn't heard from Freddie?"
"No," Carly said. "I'm thinking outside communication from his base is being limited, you know, like what would happen to dad sometimes."
"Oh yeah," Spencer nodded.
"Anyway," Carly said. "Do you still have that number of dad's old friend? You know, the one with the hook for a hand?"
"Captain Hook, you mean?" Spencer asked, pulling out his pearphone.
"Yes him, and he's told you a million times he doesn't think it's funny when you call him that," Carly said. "So do you have the number?"
"Yeah," Spencer nodded. "But why?"
"I just want to give him a call," Carly said, pulling out her own phone, dialing the number. "Maybe see if he can do my one little favor…"
…..
"Jason, you know you aren't supposed to play with your Clay Dough in the sink," Sam said, trying to unclog the drain in the bathroom, which was currently filled with blue and red Clay Dough.
"But I was trying to make a boat," Jason said. "And boats have to be in water, mommy."
"Well, guess I'm calling the plumber later," Sam said, giving up the task. "But seriously Jason, no more Clay Dough in the this sink or any other sink, okay?"
"Okay," Jason nodded.
"Good, now go get your jacket," Sam said. "We're eating lunch at Uncle Spencer's."
"Is it spaghetti tacos?" Jason asked hopefully.
"Yup," Sam nodded.
"Yay, I love spaghetti!" Jason said, running off to get his jacket.
Sam couldn't help but laugh. For the past two weeks, Jason had been going through a phase where he'd eat spaghetti for every meal if he could. He'd even convince her to put spaghetti on top of his ice cream a few times. Sam could just imagine Freddie laughing about this while at the same time trying to get Jason to eat a 'healthy variety of foods'. She felt her heart sink. She just wanted to have that nub back already…
"Mommy, I'm ready!" Jason called, bringing her out of her thoughts.
"Okay, I'm coming!" she said.
The two arrived at Spencer's loft a few minutes later. They cold smell the spaghetti tacos and garlic bread before they even opened the door.
"I'm hungry!" Jason said as soon as Sam opened the door.
"Don't worry, we have plenty of spaghetti for you," Spencer said. "But…you can't have any yet. You either, Sam."
"Why?" Sam frowned.
"Because," Carly said. "The elevator's not working, and Spencer's being stubborn and refusing to let anyone do anything around here until it gets fixed."
"Hey, how am I supposed to go places with a broken elevator?" Spencer defended.
"I don't know, maybe the stairs?" Carly pointed out, rolling her eyes.
"But that's so much exercise," Spencer said.
"I want to try and fix it!" Jason said. "Can I? Please? Please?"
"Go for it, little guy," Spencer said. He turned to Sam. "And since you can actually handle tools, you think you can go have a look at it too?"
"Fine, if it means we get to eat any faster," Sam said. She walked over to the elevator where Jason was pushing the down button rapidly.
"Spencer, you idiot, the elevator's not even broken!" Sam said. "You just have the lock switch on!" She flipped the switch. "There. All fixed."
"I helped too, right?" Jason asked, still pushing the down button.
"Yeah," Sam smiled. "Couldn't have done it without you, kid. Now can we eat already? I swear, I'm about to-"
But just then the elevator dinged from Jason pushing the button. The door slid up, and out walked Freddie.
"Daddy!" Jason exclaimed. He ran over to his dad and jumped into his arms.
"Hey, Jason!" Freddie laughed, kissing his son. "Whoa, you're so big now!"
"That's because I'm three now," Jason said.
"Ah, that must be it," Freddie said. And then he turned to Sam, who was standing over by the counter looking stunned. He set Jason down. "Hi," he said softly. He held his arms out for her.
That was all it took for Sam to unfreeze and run over to Freddie at top speed, tackling him to the ground.
"You-You're home?" Sam said as the two sat up, still tangled together. "But-how? I-When?" But she decided that she could wait for the answers, for she then pressed her lips to his, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I missed you so much, Sam," Freddie whispered when they finally pulled apart.
"You better have!" Sam said. "You've been gone for a year!" She turned to Carly and Spencer, who were watching the scene, grinning.
"Did you guys…?"
"Surprise!" Carly said.
"But how'd you do this?" Sam asked, her arms still around Freddie's neck.
"I called one of my dad's friends, he's pretty influential," Carly said.
"Yeah, this guy was able to let my entire agency go," Freddie said.
"You guys are the best," Sam said, giving Freddie another kiss. She held out her arm for Jason to join them.
"So what have you been up to?" Freddie asked as Jason sat down on his lap, still beaming.
"I can write my name now!" Jason said. "And I can spell fish and dog and pig. And I drew you a gazillion pictures! And I build a big tower in my room with my Jumbo Blocks, and I can count to four hundred and eighty nine!"
"Wow, you've been busy," Freddie laughed.
"And look, I made you guys spaghetti tacos to go," Spencer said, handing Sam a large box. "Because I know the last place you three want to be right now is here. Go home!"
"Yeah, we'll all catch up tomorrow," Carly said. "But for now, go be a happy little Benson family."
"Thanks," Sam smiled.
"Come on, daddy," Jason said, pulling on his father's hand. "I want to show you my new stuffed dragon! His name's Scaley, because he's covered in scales."
"Sounds appropriate," Freddie said, getting to his feet and helping Sam to hers. He turned to Carly and Spencer. "Thanks again so much for doing all this…You have no idea how perfect this is."
"Yeah," Sam said, holding her husband's hand with no intention of letting go anytime soon. "I don't even know how to pay you back for this."
"Don't worry about that," Carly laughed. "Now seriously, go, before Jason explodes!"
