After their talk, Sam and Freddie hung out for a few more hours, just the two of them. They had done many things in the month they had been a couple, but above all they laughed a lot. It seemed that they could make anything funny by simply just being together. After grabbing some dinner at Sam's favorite fried chicken joint, they decided to go see what Carly and Spencer were up to. Freddie didn't bring up Sam's situation once after their disagreement in the kitchen. In the car, they bickered about what station to play on the radio, Freddie told Sam not to hang her head out the window like a dog, and she accused him of driving too slow. And then she laughed at his singing along with the radio like only Sam would. Every time something even a tiny bit funny happened, one of them would draw it out until they were both in tears from laughing so hard. At one point on the drive over, Sam, with her bare feet propped up on the dashboard, was trying to make up a rap about Freddie's mom disciplining him, to the beat of the Eminem song that was playing. It was like nothing out of the ordinary had happened that day.
She laced her fingers with his as they entered Bushwell Plaza, and came face to face with Lubert, on one of his usual rants. This time he was screeching about his strict no 'PDA in the lobby' rules. Sam just pulled some of her leftover chicken out of her back pocket and used it as a bat on the side of his head, knocking him out. Then she proceeded to eat the chicken, offering some to Freddie, but he refused to eat anything that had touched Lubert. Sam shrugged, and they continued on their way up to Carly and Freddie's floor.
They had both gained so much from their relationship, already. She taught him how to pick a lock(although he wasn't nearly as fast as she), knock someone out using only a roll of paper towels, and forge any voice or signature. In return, he forced her to do better in school by helping her with homework and studying (she complained the entire time, but secretly loved any time they spent together), covered for her when she got herself into trouble, and was usually the one to get her out of bad situations, like the one she was currently stuck in. But most of all, they just brought out the best in each other. Sometimes the worst, but mostly the best. Because they were in fact Sam Puckett and Freddie Benson, they still fought, and fought often. But their arguments had become more lovable than vicious. Most of the time.
They were about to turn the knob of the Shay apartment when they heard a rattle coming from behind them, and out jumps Marissa Benson, from Freddie's place.
"Mom?" Freddie exclaimed, stepping back in surprise.
"Freddie! What are you doing touching that…delinquent? You don't know where she's been!"
"Mom. For the last time her name is Sam and she's—"
Sam cut him off. "Dude, chill," She said to the woman, "I washed my hands like, yesterday. Don't worry, your son is safe from the terrors of the world. There's no need for one of your little episodes," She waived her hands around for emphasis.
Mrs. Benson glared at Sam, and looked back at Freddie. "Well I just came out here to let you know I'm leaving for work and won't be back until tomorrow. There's fat free pasta in the fridge." She leaned in closer to Freddie and whispered a little too loudly, "Don't let that harlot force you to do anything I know you wouldn't want to do." She said, and with a pat on his shoulder, and one last scowl at Sam, she was off.
Sam laughed and said "Harlot," in her best imitation of Freddie's mom. Freddie cracked up and shook his head. If he had been dating any other girl, and his mother treated her like that, they'd probably break up with him for it. But Sam had known him for so long, that she was used to his crazy mother, and knew that was just something about being with Freddie that she had to deal with. And most of the time, they could laugh about it.
Inside Carly's apartment, Spencer was in his underwear, blasting music, and gluing metal spatulas together, to make some sort of animal.
"Hey spenc," Sam and Freddie said in unison, which happened often, even back when they hated each other.
"Hi, Sam and Freddie!" He yelled over the music. "Carly went out with Brad like five hours ago, so she'll be back sometime."
Freddie nodded, as Sam dropped his hand, kicked her shoes off and collapsed on the couch, taking up the whole thing. Freddie grabbed the remote off the table and flipped to some reality TV show about celebrities in caves. As he had done so many times in the last month, he lifted Sam's legs up, sat down, and then rested them back on his lap. For the next half hour they watched the show, or at least attempted to, as Spencer was singing along with the music, rather loudly and off key. Finally, just as Sam was about to fall asleep, in came Carly, looking flushed and giddy.
Immediately, Spencer was staring her down, questioning her. "What took you so long? You look guilty. Why do you look guilty? Where is Brad? Is he hiding in your purse? Was he a gentleman? You look guilty."
Carly laughed. "Calm down Spencer. We went to a movie, then I met his Grandmother, and we made fudge…and no he's not in my purse. But you get props for acting so concerned."
Spencer sighed with relief. "Really? Thanks. I practiced that for like, ever." He looked around at Sam and Freddie on the couch, "You two eating here?"
They spoke at the same time, but said different things.
"We just ate actually…"
"I could eat." Sam stretched, and sat up, swinging her legs off Freddie's lap, and off the couch. She caught him smiling out of the corner of her eyes.
"Sweet. I need help eating all these fruit tarts," Spencer gestured to the many desserts on the counter, that he and his book club had made.
"How are your book club ladies?" Carly asked, pulling off her boots.
"Well, Stephanie's having problems with her boyfriend, Steve. And Laurie's a couple's counselor so we were trying to—"
He was cut off by the sound of everyone laughing.
It was a night like many others at the Shay household. They had shared so many together that eventually they all blend together in a sea of memories. But the ordinary would be ending soon. Sam and Freddie were about to spend their first night together, and neither one of them knew what to expect.
