Timetable
"Alright, I dropped Emma off at soccer, Ashton off at cheerleading, and nearly had a heart attack while I let Jason take the car around the block a few times," Freddie said, collapsing into the kitchen table next to Sam and seven-year old Tyler. "My parenting is done for today."
"Could you not complain in here?" Sam asked, looking up from the workbook she had been writing something in with Tyler. "Some of us have been working on third grade math for three hours."
"I don't want to do anymore math, mom!" Tyler moaned.
"Well neither do I, but your teacher's insane and assigned you ten pages of multiplication facts, so you're just gonna have to deal with it," Sam said. "Okay, try this one. Five times two?"
"I dunno."
"Yes, you do," Sam said, trying hard to keep her patience. "We just went over your fives timetable. You had it memorized!"
"I forgot it," Tyler told her.
"How? It was two minutes ago!" Sam exclaimed.
"Okay," Freddie said, sensing Sam's frustration. "How about you and I do a trade, Sam?"
"What sort of trade?" Sam asked.
"I'll take over the homework if you pick up Emma and Ashton," Freddie said. "And you have to give Jason his driving lesson for the next two weeks."
"One week," Sam said.
"Done," Freddie said.
"Why don't you like doing my homework with me, mommy?" Tyler asked.
"Aw, sweetie, it's not you," Sam smiled, kissing the top of his head. "But mommy never even did her own homework. Daddy's the nerd in the family, he'll be more help than me."
"Thanks," Freddie said, rolling his eyes.
"I guess I should run to the store and grab something for dinner tonight," Sam sighed, getting to her feet. "Oh, and I need to pick up index cards for Jason's project too."
"And don't forget that it's our turn to bring snacks for Emma's soccer team next week," Freddie added.
"Oh yeah," Sam nodded. "I guess I have to grab those too…Hey, wanna switch back? I'll do the homework if you do these stupid errands?"
"Nice try," Freddie grinned.
…
"We woke up at six to get the kids ready for school," Sam yawned as she fell into bed later that night. "And we're going to bed now at…two. You realize we've been going for twenty hours today?"
"How is that different than any other day?" Freddie pointed out.
"Kids really take it out of you," Sam sighed. "We need a break."
"Yeah, okay," Freddie scoffed.
"I can dream," Sam smirked.
"Well at least our anniversary is in five days," Freddie said. "That's the day we can get a break."
"Oh yeah," Sam nodded. "Dinner, movie…plus I was gonna surprise you, but I can't wait. Last week I went to the camping supply store and bought an inflatable mattress. After the movie, you and I are going to go to that romantic beach, lay on this amazingly comfy mattress under the stars and take the best nap you and I have ever taken."
"We get to nap?" Freddie grinned. "Baby, you have just gotten me the best anniversary present ever."
"Don't you forget it," Sam chuckled. She leaned over and gave her husband a quick kiss. "Night Frednub, see you in four hours."
…..
"Okay, guys, in case you forgot…" Jason said the morning of Sam and Freddie's anniversary. "Today is mom and dad's anniversary."
"I thought they had one of those last year," Tyler said.
"They have one every year, Tyler," Ashton explained. "On the day that they got married. It's super romantic."
"More like super cheesy," Emma cringed.
"Alright, alright, can you three can it?" Jason said. "Let's just compare all our gifts for them to make sure we didn't get them the same thing."
The three stared back blankly at their older brother.
"Oh come on!" Jason exclaimed. "You guys didn't even get mom and dad anything? Wow, I am disgusted. These are out parents. They give us everything and you three can't even pull it together on their one day?"
"It slipped my mind!" Ashton defended. "This is the first year Emma and I aren't young enough to get by with a homemade gift!"
"I still can, right?" Tyler asked.
"Pitiful," Jason said, shaking his head.
"Oh what did you get them, Mr. Perfect?" Emma snapped.
"I got them a fancy box of chocolates," Jason said proudly, walking over to his desk and holding up a large box. "There's coconut ones for dad and caramel ones for mom. At least they have one child who's capable of thinking of people other than himself. You guys really should learn from me."
Emma stood up and grabbed to box from Jason and opened it, revealing a pile of wrappers.
"It's empty!" Emma pointed out.
"I-Oh…" Jason said lamely. "Oh right…I-I got hungry one night."
"Now what was it you were saying?" Ashton smirked.
"Okay, now's not the time to point fingers," Jason said quickly. "We all need to work together to figure out what we're going to get mom and dad. They said they were leaving for their date at six and would be home by midnight. We have until they get home tonight to plan something big."
"I can make them a card," Tyler offered.
"That's a start…you still have the cuteness factor working for you," Jason said thoughtfully. "What else?"
"Hey, I know!" Ashton said. "I've got the perfect idea."
"What?" Emma asked.
"Remember when me, you and Clarissa were looking at clips from mom and dad's old web show?" Ashton said. "iCarly?"
"Yeah," Emma nodded. "So?"
"Well we saw all these clips that mom and dad were really special to them," Ashton explained. "Like that part when mom told the entire Internet she had never kissed anybody to get everyone to stop making fun of dad and they wound up having their first kiss because of that?"
"Oh yeah!" Emma said. "And we saw the night mom and dad got together at that mental hospital!"
"And when dad proposed to mom during their reunion webcast!" Ashton added. "What if the four of us make mom and dad a video of us reenacting those moments for them? It's easy, cheap, and adorable. Plus we'll have the thoughtfulness thing going."
"You know…" Jason said slowly. "That actually might work."
"Emma, Tyler and I can do the acting," Ashton continued excitedly. "And Jason, you can do the editing stuff on your computer!"
"Alright, let's do it!" Jason said.
…..
"And we're off!" Sam beamed as her and Freddie closed their front door behind them. They had just said goodbye to their kids and left Jason in charge so they could set out on their sixteenth anniversary dinner.
"Finally," Freddie agreed, leaning down to kiss his wife passionately. "Tonight is just about you and me. We don't have any kids with us."
"Yeah, what was with them all day?" Sam asked. "They were down in the basement all afternoon."
"Who knows, but no one broke any bones and I didn't hear any crashes, so in my book, that's fine," Freddie said, taking Sam's hand as he walked her to his car. He opened the passenger side door for her. "In you go, Mrs. Benson."
"Oh, aren't we a gentleman?" Sam laughed.
"Anything for my beautiful wife," Freddie replied. He closed her door and hurried over to the driver side, hopping into the vehicle. "Alright, first stop is Pini's for some delicious lasagna."
"Can't wait," Sam said, rubbing her stomach. "I've been thinking about that lasagna for weeks."
"Then let's get going," Freddie said, putting his key in the ignition. As he twisted it, though, the car engine gave a loud sputter.
"Um…what was that?" Sam frowned.
"No, no, no!" Freddie moaned, turning the key again but getting the same result. "The engine won't start!"
"Why not?"
"I don't know," Freddie sighed. "Because the universe hates us?"
"Let's just take my car," Sam said.
"We can't," Freddie told her.
"What do you mean?"
"Sam, I'm parked right behind your car right now," Freddie pointed out. "You can't get out of the driveway. Maybe we can call a tow truck to bring my car to the shop so that way we can use your car."
"Well do it!"
"I'm doing it, hang on!" Freddie said, pulling his cellphone out of his pocket. He quickly dialed the nearby towing service and began tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel.
"Hello, you have reached Leslie's Towing Service," a voice finally said on the other line.
"Yes! Hi, I have a towing emergency," Freddie said. "My car won't start and my wife and I-"
"-Currently, we are completely scheduled for the rest of the night," the automated voice continued. "We are unable to offer any towing services for the rest of the evening. Please call back tomorrow for service. Thank you."
"Aw man!" Freddie groaned.
"So what are we going to do?" Sam asked.
"I don't know," Freddie sighed. "Carly's out of town so we can't borrow her car, Gibby's working tonight, Spencer's car has a flat tire from his little experiment…I-I hate to say it, but I think we're trapped in here."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Sam nodded sadly.
"I'm sorry, baby," Freddie said.
"It's not your fault," Sam told him. "I was just looking forward to getting to spend our anniversary together. You know, alone."
"I know," Freddie said. "I was too. But we can go out tomorrow night."
"No we can't," Sam told him. "I'm driving Ashton to Olympia for that cheer competition and you have to take Tyler to his baseball practice."
"Oh…yeah," Freddie said heavily.
Sam gave him a small smile and gently kissed his cheek. "We'll get to it though, okay?"
Freddie nodded. "Okay."
The couple slowly headed into the house once again.
"Well, what do we do for the rest of the night?" Sam asked.
"I think there's some left over Chinese food in the fridge, if Emma hasn't gotten to it yet," Freddie said.
"Mom? Dad? What are you doing home?" Ashton asked, coming downstairs. "I thought you left for your date."
"Car trouble," Freddie explained. "We're stuck staying home for the night."
"Wait, this is perfect!" Ashton exclaimed.
"Not my initial reaction…" Sam stated.
"We can give you your anniversary present now!" Ashton said excitedly. "We just finished it!"
"You guys got us a present?" Freddie said. "You didn't have to do-"
"Jason! Emma! Tyler!" Ashton called upstairs. "Mom and dad are back! Bring down the stuff!"
"What stuff?" Sam asked, confused.
"Happy anniversary!" Tyler said, running over to his parents and giving them a homemade card. "I made this for you!"
"Aw, you did?" Sam grinned, taking the card and showing it to Freddie. "Wow, we love it."
"Happy anniversary, mom and dad," Jason said, coming down with the twins, his laptop in hand.
"Yeah, happy anniversary!" the twins echoed.
"We're sorry your car wouldn't start," Ashton said. "But hopefully our present will make you feel better. We worked on it all day."
"Oh, so that's what you guys were doing?" Sam smirked.
"It's a video," Jason explained, setting his laptop down on the coffee table. "We made it for you."
"Wow…you used that new editing software I showed you, didn't you?" Freddie observed proudly.
"Uh-huh," Jason nodded.
"The video is about you guys when you were younger," Emma told her parents. "We watched a bunch of old iCarly clips and found the ones that you guys had always told us were special to you and we reenacted them for you."
"Seriously?" Sam smiled. "You guys, that was so great of you!"
"We know," Tyler said, earning him a thump on the head from Ashton.
"And since you guys didn't get to go out," Jason told them. "We'll let you guys have the downstairs to yourself for tonight. We'll stay up in our rooms."
"Wow, Sam, who knew our kids were such good gift givers?" Freddie chuckled.
"Just don't be too gross and mushy," Emma told them. "We are upstairs."
"Don't worry, kid," Sam laughed.
"Thanks, you guys," Freddie said. "Your mom and I are real lucky to have four kids like you."
….
"Let's watch it again," Sam said later that evening as her and Freddie sat together on the sofa.
"That will be the third time," Freddie pointed out.
"I don't care," Sam said, nuzzling in closer to Freddie. "This is the best gift they've ever given us."
"It is," Freddie agreed, planting a soft kiss on her lips before pushing the play button on the laptop.
Emma and Tyler popped up on screen, playing Sam and Freddie when they were fourteen and Sam revealed to the Internet that she had never kissed anyone, just like Freddie.
"Emma and Ashton really look just like you," Freddie commented.
"Tyler looks exactly like you, too," Sam nodded. "Jason looks the most like both of us, don't you think?"
"Yeah," Freddie chuckled as the couple continued to watch the video. The scene changed to when Sam admitted to liking Freddie at Troubled Waters.
"How many years ago was all this?" Sam whispered.
"Probably close to twenty," Freddie said. "Really makes you feel old, huh?"
"We've been stuck with each other for awhile, haven't we?" Sam grinned.
"Like you haven't enjoyed it," Freddie smirked.
"Yeah, it's been alright," Sam replied, craning her neck up to kiss him. "I love you."
"Love you too," Freddie said softly. "Hey, here's when you tied me to the wedgie bounce thing when we were fifteen."
"Oh yeah, one of personal favorites," Sam said. "I still can't believe this…we have the best kids."
"We really do," Freddie nodded. "They're a handful and they can be insane at times…"
"But they're ours," Sam smiled.
