iBelieve this is it
(Sam's POV)
It was a calm and tranquil Saturday evening. Carls and the Gibson had gone on a "date" for the night. When I say "date", I mean in some shabby hotel humping each others brains out. So I was babysitting little Sam. I call her 'Sammy' like my mom use to when I was a baby. She was about 5 years old so she slept and played with her toys most of the time anyway. I used the free time I had to make some recipies for Puckett's Pit. So far I had made a meatball pizza and a special meat soup. The phone started ringing.
"Yellow?" I answered casually.
"Hello, this is Officer McGrind. Is this the residence of Carly Shay-Gibson and Gibby Gibson?"
"Yes it is..." I answered more seriously. Were Carly and Gibby in trouble with the law? They possibly couldn't be. Was I? No, I haven't done anything illegal in over a year. I deserve a cookie or something!
"May I ask who's on the phone?" The police officer asked. I was very hesitent to answer because of my past criminal history.
"Um, Sam Puckett. I'm one of their friends."
"Well Miss Puckett, I'm sorry to inform you that your friends have been in a fatal car accident on Highway-77 due to another driver being under the influence." My heart almost dropped.
"Did they make it?"
"..." Silence. That's never good. "I'm afraid not. However, we still need you down at the police station right away to settle some things within their will. We saw your name mentioned a few times along with some others."
"I'll be right down. Goodbye." I hung up the phone and stood there for a moment. It's just a dream. Wake up Sam. Wake up! Unfortionately, such was not the case. This wasn't a dream. It wasn't even reality at the moment.
This was a nightmare.
...
(5 days later)
Carly and Gibby's wake was yesterday. I never thought I'd have to see 2 of my best friends be taken to the grave so soon. I held little Sam close to me as she hugged my legs. She didn't know what was happening. To be honest, neither did I. Carly and Gibby were 27 years old. Way too soon to be gone. On a brighter note, I did see Spencer there. Poor guy. He was a wreck that his little sister's gone. Kinda sad to see him for the first time in years all torn up inside.
'Well, at least I still have you and little Sam' He told me. I took him and little Sam to the restraunt and we had lunch before we went our separate ways. I gained custody of her when I went down to the police station. Spencer got their house and has been living there with his wife and son ever since. Caring for little Sam by myself over the past couple of days wasn't easy, but now I can say she's truely my daughter again.
I don't know if anyone told Freddie yet. I haven't seen him since the day Sammy was born. Still keeping the promise I made to myself that I wouldn't go visit him. It'd be too damn hard to leave. We'll find each other. Someday. Our pathes will cross. God, I'm starting to sound just like Carly. Carly believes in 'signs', which I don't. I remember the hour-long conversation we had about it the day after Freddie left...
(5 years earlier)
Hospital food sucks cheese. I swear, if I don't get some *real* food soon, a nurse is going to die. Good thing we're in a hospital. My ongoing hunger and the fact Carly keeps trying to convince me to go after Freddie, made me one cranky lady.
"Sam, you guys were made for each other! There are signs everywhere!"
"Carls, I don't believe in that 'there are signs' mumbo-jumbo."
"You don't?"
"Nope. I think if a guy gets hit by a bus it's because he wasn't looking. Not because of some 'master plan'." Carly started to giggle.
"What?"
"You gotta stop watching Matthew Perry movies!"
"I can't help it! That man is B-e-autiful!" We both giggled some.
"But seriously, there aren't such things as signs or soulmates or any of that crap. Just coincidenses. Like the week...he came in, we just happen to be going the same direction and slept together..." I cupped my mouth closed. Carly jumped out of her stool.
"I KNEW IT! OMG, details!" She sat back down and squirmed in her stool.
"Ew, no details. Sex isn't something you should give a full description about."
"At least tell me if he was good or not. Best friends need this kind of information!"
"Easy there Carls. Fine, I'll admit it. Benson got pretty good over the years. More muscular, dominate. Needless to say, he was the best I ever had." Carly sat there speechless for a moment before blurting out:
"It's a sign! Go after him!"
...
My thoughts were interrupted yet again by the sound of a phone ringing. It was my cell. Uh oh. My boss. What did I do this time.
"Hello, Bill?"
"Sam, darling! Glad you picked up. How are you feeling."
"Eh, better. Then again, having your best friend die in a car accident and gaining custody of her 5 year old isn't a train on heaven." I lightly chuckled.
"Aww, I hope you feel better, darling. Listen. I need you to relocate and open another Puckett's Pit. Can you do that?"
"Of course! So, I'd be living in this city?"
"That is correct."
"Sure, I'll start packing now."
"I'm so delighted that you're this eager! You'll be moving by the end of this week."
"Which city is it in?"
"Tulsa Oklahoma. See you in a couple of days!" He hung up. I did an unusual thing. Putting my phone down on the counter, I started pacing. I don't know why. What in that phone call made me feel like I was going to be sick? Not the moving part. I only have a few boxes worth of things in my apartment, besides all of Little Sam's stuff. Then I realized what it was. The city. Tulsa. That's where Freddie lives. Tulsa's a big city, right? I hope so.
Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, they do. I stared on the lillies on the table. Still going strong. If they can g through this, then so can I.
...
(1 week later)
(Freddie's POV)
I was working and crunching some numbers at my desk. Work was the only place I could escape all the hell I've encountered and do what I love. Crunching numbers isn't most people's cup of tea, but for me, it was like a little kid at disneyland.
"Benson!" A voice boomed at me. I was met with my frail and lanky co-worker, Eric. Compared to him, I'm not even a dork. He wore sweater vests, Urkle glasses, you could see his argile socks because his pants were up to his nipples, he still lives with his mom, and he's never kissed a girl. And I thought that was sad back in 9th grade. Wow.
"Yo, Eric! What's up man?" Before answering me, we did the galexy wars secret handshake that we learned at the convention this year (again, I'm still a dork, but this dude is the king of the dorks.)
"Not much. Ready for lunch? There's this amazing place downtown that's opening today. I went there when I was on my buisness trip in Seattle."
"Does this place happen to be called 'Puckett's Pit'?"
"Yeah! You been there?"
"Dude, my friend owns that restraunt! I use to eat there all the time when I lived in Seattle!"
"Wait, y-you're friends with Sam Puckett?" He got down on the floor and started bowing and chanting 'I am not worthy'. Standing there, I didn't know what to do. Everyone in the office just stared at me.
"Easy bro. You don't need to prove to everyone in the office, again, that you're the 30 year old who's never kissed anyone." He got off the floor and nodded an apology. A paternal instinct kicked in as I helped dust him off and patted his back.
"Let's go."
...
The restraunt was about 5 minutes down the road. Convenient to say the least. Almost an exact replica of the one in Seatte as we walked inside. A fimiliar face greeted us at the front. It was Sam's stupid waitress from Seattle, Huuang.
"Oh, Mr. Benson! Nice to see you again!" Huuang was speaking much better english than the last time I saw her.
"Nice to see you too Huuang." I said with a smile while giving her a hug.
"Do you know where Sam is?"
"Well, she's probably in the ba-"
"HUUANG!" Sam shouted across the restraunt. I started to chuckle as the memory of her doing the same exact thing 5 years ago came flooding back.
"Miss. Puckett, you have a visitor!"
"Visitor? Who the hell..." The sillouhette of a petite blonde woman came into sight as she charged towards Huuang.
"Who's here? Is it the cops? Cause I swear, that wasn't me who spray painted 'what now bitches?' on the cop car."
"Actually..." I interjected stepping forward. Sam turned her head meticulously towards me. Her eyes changing from hatred and anger to...calmess? Or was it more anger? Only her voice would tell.
"F-Freddie?"
"In the flesh." I held my arms out then put them back to my side. She stood there for a moment, awestruck.
"C'mere and give me a hug, dork!" She coughed out. I did as she told me to. Her perfume make me wobbly-kneed as it filled my nose. Sexy with a hint of mischeif, just like Sam. After we released, I reached into my pocket I grabbed a carton of cigarettes and pulled one out.
"Mind if I light up one?"
"Not at all." She chuckled. "When did you start smoking?"
"Since I got married." I took a drag and blew out the smoke. The sweet feeling of nicotine calmed me a bit. Eric coughed at the smoke.
"You're married?" Sam cocked an eyebrow and placed one hand on her apron. This time I took a much longer drag, prolonging the time in which I had to answer the question.
"Well...was."
"Oh...mind if I have one?" She asked.
"Sure. When did you start smoking?" I pulled a cigarette out and stuck it in her mouth for her, lighting it as well. She took a drag before speaking.
"Since...you know...Carly and Gibby..."
"Oh...how you been holding up since that whole thing?" We both took drags simultaneously.
"Ehhh, I've been better. You on your lunch break?"
"Yeah, this is my co-worker Eric, but he's not staying..."
"Huh?" Eric looked confused. I slipped him $50.
"Go buy yourself some lunch and tell Mr. Burke I'm taking the rest of the day off." I looked at Sam and smiled. "I need to do some reminising."