Gravel

"Look at how cute he is," Carly gushed, staring down into the stroller next to Sam at the Groovy Smoothie.

"You saw Jason yesterday, Carly," Sam chuckled.

"Well he got cuter!" Carly defended.

"Yeah, I know, he probably did," Sam agreed, picking her son up out of his stroller and placing him on her lap. "Want some of mommy's smoothie, Jason? You're one of the few people who I'll share with, you know?"

"Is he allowed to have smoothies now?" Carly asked as Sam held her straw up to Jason's mouth.

"Yeah," Sam nodded. "The doctor said he can basically start eating the same foods as us. Well…in a mushed up form, that is."

"Aw!" Carly said. "You must be so excited."

"I'm going to give him ham for the first time tonight," Sam said proudly. "I wonder how ham tastes after you put it through the food processor…maybe I'll have some too."

"I'm sure Jason will love his ham," Carly smiled. "He's got half your DNA, after all."

"Let's hope," Sam nodded, finishing the last of her smoothie. "Okay, I've got to get going."

"Where to?" Carly asked. "You going back home?"

"Nah, I'm going to lunch," Sam replied.

"With who? Freddie?"

"No, actually, guess who I ran into at the mall the other day?" Sam said. "Pete!"

"Um…who?" Carly frowned.

"You know, that guy from high school who I dated for like, two weeks," Sam said. "The one who you invited to my birthday and I tried being all girly for?"

"Oh yeah, I remember him!" Carly nodded. "He's back in Seattle?"

"Yeah, apparently he just got a new job as a chiropractor nearby," Sam said. "Anyway, we ran into each other in the food court and we decided it'd be cool to catch up. You can come if you want."

"Nah, no thanks," Carly said. "I need to get going anyway. I promised Spencer I'd help clean out his storage unit."

"Gross, work," Sam cringed, putting Jason back in his stroller. "Come on, Jason. We're gonna go meet mommy's friend."

"Have fun," Carly said. "Hey, let me know if Pete's cute and single, okay? It's been two months since I've been out on a date…Two lonely months…"

"Will do," Sam chuckled. "See you later, Carls."

…..

"So you want me to just go through these boxes and see what's mine?" Carly asked as Spencer led her down to Bushwell Plaza's storage section.

"Yeah," Spencer said. "I think your stuff is in the boxes towards the back."

"Okay, no problem," Carly said. "Can you just help me lift the boxes and-"

"Nope!" Spencer said at once. "I'm not setting foot in that storage unit."

"What? Why not?" Carly demanded. "Those boxes are heavy!"

"I saw two spiders in there last night!" Spencer exclaimed. "You're on your own."

"Spencer!" Carly moaned. "You have to-"

"Hey, you guys," Freddie said suddenly, coming down the stairs and joining the siblings in the basement. "What are you doing down here?"

"There, Freddie's here!" Spencer said quickly. "Problem solved. Now I'm out of here!"

"Um…what just-" Freddie started as Spencer bolted back upstairs.

"He saw spiders," Carly explained, rolling her eyes.
"Ah," Freddie nodded.

"Can you help me move some boxes?" Carly asked. "Since Spencer's a huge baby?"

"Sure," Freddie smiled. "Er…but-but the spiders are gone, right?"

"Yes," Carly smirked. "You're safe."

"Good," Freddie said. "Which boxes?"

"Those three in the back," Carly said.

"Got it," Freddie said, stepping into the Shay's unit.

"Hey, what are you doing down here anyway?" Carly asked as Freddie began to move the boxes.

"Oh, I've been helping my mom clean her place all day," Freddie said. "She's getting some new hypoallergenic carpet tomorrow so we have to clear space for it."

"Right, I think Sam did mention that," Carly said. "I just came from having smoothies with her and Jason."

"Cool," Freddie said. "Hey, did Sam say if she was heading home? I think I'm just about done after I make one more trip down here."

"No, actually, she's out getting lunch," Carly said. "Apparently she ran into that Pete kid and their catching up."

"Pete?" Freddie repeated. "Who's that?"

"Oh, that kid from high school who Sam used to date," Carly said. "The one who she tried to be all girly for? She ran into him at the mall the other day, and she said he's a chiropractor now, so hopefully he's single so I can-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Freddie frowned, setting down the box in his arms. "Sam's out getting lunch with her ex-boyfriend?"

"If you can even call Pete an ex-boyfriend," Carly chuckled. "But yeah, Sam took Jason and they-"

"And she brought our son?" Freddie gasped.

"Um…yeah?" Carly said, confused.

"I-I can't believe this!" Freddie said, shaking his head. "Sam's really out with her ex-boyfriend right now?"

"Wait, you-you're seriously upset about this?" Carly said. "Freddie, they dated over a decade ago! For like, twelve days! It's not-"

"I-I've got to go," Freddie said, looking like he had just been slapped across the face.

"Wait, Freddie!" Carly called after him. "You're being ridiculous and-and you still have one more box you have to help me-and he's gone."

…..

When Freddie arrived at his and Sam's home, Sam still wasn't back yet.

"Probably out gallivanting with Pete still," Freddie mumbled darkly.

He couldn't believe this…why would Sam want to hang around her ex-boyfriend anyway? Weren't they perfectly happy together? They had been married for two years, had a child together! Wasn't he more than enough for her?

Just then the front door opened and Sam came in carrying Jason in her arms.

"Hey, baby," she said cheerfully. "You finish helping your mom?"

"Where were you?" Freddie asked, crossing his arms.

"Oh, I was out getting lunch with Pete," Sam said. "You know, that kid from high school. Crazy thing; I ran into him at the mall the other day and-"

"Oh I know exactly where you were!" Freddie snapped.

Sam gave him a strange look. "Well then why'd you-"

"How's Pete?" Freddie scoffed. "Did you two have a good time? Did you two 'catch up'?"

"Pete's good," Sam shrugged, setting Jason down on the floor, watching him crawl over to some of his toys that were strewn about. "We just talked about how things were going for us. He said to say hi to you, by the way."

"Oh did he?"

"Um…you alright there?" Sam frowned.

"No, I am not alright!" Freddie exclaimed. "I can't believe you, Sam!"

"Excuse me?" Sam frowned.

"Why on earth would you go and get lunch with your ex-boyfriend?" Freddie said.

"Oh my God…" Sam said. "You've got to be kidding me."

"And you brought Jason with you?"

"Well what was I supposed to do with him?" Sam said. "You were busy with your mom. And I can't believe you're seriously freaking out about this!"

"This is how someone reacts when they find out their wife is running around with their ex-boyfriend!"

Sam stared at him for a moment before opening her mouth. "Freddie…how could you-you really think I'd 'run around' with some other guy behind your back?"

Freddie's expression instantly softened. "No, of-of course not, but-but you didn't even mention that you were seeing Pete today and-"

"It honestly just slipped my mind," Sam said. "I ran into him yesterday at the mall, but, I dunno, I guess I just got so busy around here yesterday that I forgot to mention it. I mean Jason spit up all over the sofa, my mom needed me to drive her to three differed podiatrists, your mom was over here trying to rewash the laundry…And it's not like I hid it from you today! I told you just now I met with him!"

"I-Yeah, I-I guess you did," Freddie said slowly.

"And anyway, I don't know if you could even consider Pete to be an ex," Sam continued. "We dated for less than two weeks. And it's not like we did anything during those two weeks. The most we did was hold hands and kiss like, three times. But he was a cool guy and we just wanted to catch up, that's all."

Freddie sighed. "Okay, I-I guess I over reacted. I'm sorry, Sam."

Sam gave him a small smile. "I suppose you're forgiven." She stepped over and gave him a quick kiss. "Oh, by the way, we're going out for coffee tomorrow. Now, you're welcome to come, but-"

"Wait, you're serious?" Freddie frowned. "You're going out with him again?"

"Dude!" Sam moaned. "You just said you were over reacting!"

"Yeah, to you meeting up with him once," Freddie said. "What are you planning on doing? Meeting with this guy every single day?"

"No, he just wants to get coffee before he starts his new job tomorrow morning!" Sam said. "But you know what? Who cares if I did want to hang out with him every day. Last time I checked, you don't get to control who I see."

"Sam, I just-he is your ex," Freddie said, trying to stay calm. "Even if you did only date for a short period of time. And it's not that I don't trust you or anything but…come on. I-Don't you think it's weird to be hanging around your ex so much? I mean a quick lunch one time is one thing, but if you start making it a regular thing then-"

"Hold on…" Sam said. "Let me just see if I got this…So you're saying that you don't think we should be friends with our exes?"

"Well…I-I just think it's kind of weird," Freddie said. "Like I said, I trust you one hundred percent, and I know you would never do anything, but-shouldn't our relationship be enough where you don't even want to see this guy?"

"Okay…" Sam nodded. "So that's really what you think? That we shouldn't be so 'friendly' with our exes?"

"I-Yes," Freddie said firmly.

"Gotcha," Sam said. "And I assume this is a two-way street? You don't think I should be close to my exes and you don't think you should be close to your exes, right?"

"Well yeah," Freddie shrugged. "That's fair, after all."

"Alright, I think I understand," Sam said. "So Freddie, tell me…when did you last see Carly?"

"What do you mean?" Freddie said, confused. "I just saw her a few minutes ago. I helped her move some boxes and-"

"Oh, so you were helping your ex-girlfriend with physical labor?" Sam said.

"My ex-girlfriend?"

"Yeah, come on, I know you didn't forget that you and Carly used to date," Sam said. "Which makes her your ex now, doesn't it?"

"Well…I mean…it's Carly," Freddie pointed out. "And-And we hardly dated! We were together for like…a week, and-"

"Oh, but you just said that it doesn't matter the amount of time you date somebody," Sam pointed out innocently. "If you dated them, they're still your ex."

"Sam…Come on, I-I can't not hang out with Carly," Freddie said, rolling his eyes. "It's not the same thing."

"Huh…okay, so-so let me just see if we're on the same page here," Sam said, crossing her arms. "You freak out because I want to meet up with a guy I used to date, briefly, a few times just to help him get settled back in Seattle. A guy who I had a tiny crush on for a couple of weeks…But it's perfectly okay for you to still be best friends with your ex girlfriend. The ex-girlfriend who you spent your middle school years lusting after; the ex-girlfriend who you used to fantasize about marrying; the ex-girlfriend who you used to always claimed was the most beautiful girl in existence; the ex-girlfriend who you used to constantly say you preferred over me…that's okay?"

Freddie blinked. "I-Well-When you put it that way-"

"You're unbelievable," Sam said shaking her head as she turned and hurried upstairs.

"Sam, wait!" Freddie called after her. "Wait, I-"

But he heard their bedroom door slam close, and he sank down onto the couch.

"Da!" Jason babbled happily, pulling himself up next to his father.

"Daddy really messed up, didn't he, buddy?" Freddie sighed, picking his son up and placing him on his lap.

"Ya!" Jason giggled, pulling a fistful of Freddie's hair.

Later that afternoon Freddie took a deep breath before gently knocking at his and Sam's bedroom door and slowly opening up.

Sam was lounging on the bed, angrily flipping through magazines. Her face was red and Freddie's heart dropped when he saw tearstains on her face.

"Um, hi," he said.

Sam didn't reply.

"I, um, brought you a Fat Cake," Freddie said, holding up his wife's favorite snack food.

"I'm not hungry," she said simply. "Where's Jason?"

"Napping," Freddie said quickly. "Listen, Sam…I'm sorry."

Sam rolled her eyes and looked back down at her magazine.

"I was-I was kind of a jerk," Freddie continued.

"Kind of?" Sam said, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, I was a huge, gigantic jerk," Freddie conceded.

"Getting there," Sam mumbled.

"I-I shouldn't have reacted that way about you seeing Pete," Freddie said. "You dated a long time ago and I trust you enough to know you wouldn't do anything with him. I don't get to control who you hang out with, and if you want to be friends with Pete, then that's your decision, not mine."

Sam looked up at him. "Go on…"

"I guess I just overreacted," Freddie continued. "I mean you hear your wife's having lunch with her ex-boyfriend you-you panic, I guess, but-but that's no excuse. I should've known there was nothing to worry about. And like I said, if you want to be friends with him, I totally respect that decision."

Sam thought for a moment. "Alright…thank you. I just need you to know that it wouldn't have mattered if Pete and I dated for years…I love you now, and I know for a fact that there isn't anybody that could change that."

Freddie smiled and sat down next to her on the bed. "I love you too."

Sam leaned up and gave him a kiss.

"And, um…listen, about-about the Carly thing-"

"No, I-I was just making a point," Sam said. "Really. I don't want you to stop hanging out with her."

"It really doesn't bother you?" Freddie asked.

Sam shook her head. "No… it's taken me a long time to finally realize it and believe it, but-but I know you love me, and not her. So really, it's okay."

"You're the only one for me, you know that, right?" Freddie said, kissing her temple as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Ditty-o," Sam smiled, cuddling in closer to her husband.