Plant
"Mom," Emma said, walking into the living room where Sam was laying on the couch, watching T.V.
"Yeah?" Sam said, looking up from her show. "What's up, Em?"
"Um, are you busy now?"
"No," Sam replied. "Why?"
"I-I just wanted to know if maybe you wanted to go shopping with me," Emma mumbled.
Sam gave her daughter a strange look. "You want me to take you shopping?"
"It's just," Emma sighed. "I have my big date with Quincy tomorrow night. You know, for our one-year anniversary."
"Oh yeah, that is tomorrow night, isn't it?" Sam said.
"Yeah, and Quincy being the overly-romantic sap he is went and made reservations at some fancy restaurant," Emma said, rolling her eyes. Though Sam could see her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I mean, the place seems lame. The portions are bound to be real tiny and it will probably only be playing classical music, but he's paying, so…"
"Eh, I'm sure it will be better than you think, kid," Sam smiled, turning off the television. She grabbed her purse. "Come on. Let's hit the mall."
…
"What about this one?" Emma said, holding up a dark red dress from the rack of the ninth shop her and Sam had been in.
"That one's nice," Sam said.
"No, it's stupid," Emma sighed, shoving it back on the rack.
"Okay, what about this one?" Sam said, holding up a black dress. "Black goes with everything."
"It's too long," Emma said. "It looks like a prom dress or something."
"You know, you're worse than Ashton right now," Sam said, sitting down on a small stool, massaging her feet.
"Well it's not my fault every dressmaker in America seems to have no clue what they're doing anymore!" Emma moaned. "Nothing here will look good on me."
"Sweetie, you'll look beautiful in anything," Sam said.
"You have to say that, you're my mom!" Emma snapped.
"Come on, what's going on?" Sam said knowingly as Emma slumped against the rack. "You're never this picky with clothes."
"I just…I just want to look perfect for Quincy tomorrow night," Emma mumbled.
"You will," Sam assured her.
"No I won't," Emma said miserably. "I'm no good at this stuff."
"At what stuff?" Sam frowned.
"At, you know, being all girly, even for just one night," Emma said. "Look at how much trouble I'm having just finding a dress to wear! If it were Ashton or Clarissa in here, they'd have already found something perfect for them to wear, plus matching shoes and accessories."
"Em," Sam said. "You don't need to make yourself girly just because it's your anniversary."
"But Quincy went to all the trouble to get those reservations, and who knows what else he's gonna pull," Emma sighed. "I just want to at least look good for him."
"Emma," Sam said gently. "You and Quincy have been together for an entire year. He loves you, sweetheart. He's going to think you look stunning no matter what. You don't need to stress yourself out over it."
"You really think that Quincy will think I look good in anything?" Emma said.
"Definitely," Sam smiled. "Come on, kid. You got this."
"Well…I do rock blue pretty well. I guess I can probably find a decent looking dress in that color quickly," Emma grinned. "We've been at this stupid mall for three hours already! I'm ready to make a stop at the food court and then go home."
"That's my girl!" Sam said, high fiving her daughter. "There's some blue dresses over there."
"Hey mom?" Emma said as they began going through the dresses. "Were you this cool when you and dad had your first anniversary together?"
"Pfft, no way," Sam chuckled. "Me and your Aunt Carly spent the entire week before our anniversary searching for the perfect dress, and then the day of our date, we spent the entire time doing my hair and make-up." She shivered. "It was the most irritating experience of my life. Plus the whole time I was freaking out, wondering if your dad would like my dress, of if he would think my perfume was weird. I was a nervous wreck, just like you."
"Well did your date turn out okay, at least?"
"Well let's see," Sam said. "The second the two of us stepped outside, it began to pour, and my hair and make-up got completely ruined, and we had to run back inside because your crazy grandma called your dad from work and told him that if he took her car out in that weather she would take away even more of his T.V. channels. So basically we spent the entire night in his apartment watching movies and eating take-out. And you know what? It was perfect. Plus, your dad told me that even with my make-up all washed away and my hair drenched, he still thought I was the most breathtaking girl he could imagine…he was still an overly-cheesy nub back then, too."
….
"Can't I just add one more coat of lip-gloss?" Ashton pleaded.
"No! Get that gunk away from me!" Emma snapped.
"Well can we just add a few curls or something to your hair?" Clarissa asked, holding up a curling iron.
"You touch me with that thing and I'll scream," Emma said, adjusting the straps of her new dress. "Do I look alright though?"
Ashton and Clarissa nodded.
"Yeah," Ashton smiled at her twin. "You look really pretty."
"Quincy's gonna love you in that dress," Clarissa agreed.
"What time are you are gonna be home from your date?" Ashton asked.
"Mom and dad said I could stay out until one," Emma replied.
"Well we'll wait up for you," Clarissa said. "Because we want to hear everything.
Emma grinned and rolled her eyes. "If you insist…"
…..
"I brought my video camera!" Gibby announced as he hurried into the Benson's house.
"Why?" Sam frowned, looking up from the video game she was playing with Tyler.
"Um, to capture this beautiful moment on film, duh," Gibby said. He turned to Freddie, who had been typing on his Pearbook next to Sam. "Can you believe our kids have been together for an entire year? How cool is that?"
"Yeah, it's real cool," Freddie said. "But hey? Where's Quincy? You know, the kid who's supposed to actually be going on this date tonight."
"What are you talking about, he's right-?" Gibby frowned looking over his shoulder. "Huh. Thought he was right behind me." He poked his head out the front door. "Hey Quincy! Hurry up!" He turned back to Sam and Freddie. "I even leant him my special date night tux."
"More like forced me into it," Quincy mumbled, dragging his feet into the house.
Tyler burst out laughing, and Sam quickly elbowed him, though trying hard to hold back her own laughs.
Quincy was wearing a full corduroy suit that was at least two sizes too big on him.
"Okay, now where's Emma?" Gibby said, turning on his camera. "I need to get pictures for my blog and-dang it! My battery just died. Good thing I have a spare in the car; be back in a flash!"
The second his father left, Quincy turned to Freddie. "Do you please have anything for me to wear tonight that's a little less…you know?"
"Yeah," Freddie smiled, getting to his feet. "Come on, I'll get you one of my normal suits."
"Thank you," Quincy said, breathing a sigh of relief as he followed Freddie upstairs.
"So, what do you two have planned for tonight?" Freddie asked as he led the teenager into his room.
"Um, well, the usual dinner and a movie," Quincy replied, fidgeting with his hands as Freddie looked through his closet. "And then we're going to this little botanical garden, because Emma said she really likes looking at all the plants there, and then I thought the two of us could go out for desert or something."
"Sounds like a nice night," Freddie said, handing him one of his suits. "You nervous, though?"
"A little…it's sort of an important date."
"You'll be fine," Freddie assured him. "Just, you know, burn that suit so your dad can't force you into next time."
…
"You changed?" Gibby exclaimed as Freddie and Quincy came back downstairs.
"Um, I just remembered the restaurant we're going to has a strict no corduroy policy," Quincy said quickly.
"I think the entire country has that policy," Sam mumbled.
"Is Emma ready?" Freddie asked.
"I just went up there, she said she'll be down in a sec," Sam replied.
Right on cue, they heard footsteps on the stairs, and Emma came down.
Sam and Freddie looked at their daughter, who looked so beautiful and so grown up. And then they looked over at Quincy, who was staring at her, absolutely enamored.
"Wow," Quincy whispered as Emma approached him. "You look…you look…wow."
"Is that your only adjective tonight?" Emma smiled.
"I just mean, you look so…perfect," Quincy told her.
"Oh, well, um, thanks," Emma blushed. "You look nice too, I guess. Hey, wait. Is that my dad's suit?"
