The Affair
9. Guilty
Entry: guilt
Pronunciation: \ˈgilt\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, delinquency, guilt, from Old English gylt delinquency
Date: before 12th century
1: the fact of having committed a breach of conduct especially violating law and involving a penalty; broadly : guilty conduct
2: (a) : the state of one who has committed an offense especially consciously (b) : feelings of culpability especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy : self-reproach
3: a feeling of culpability for offenses committed
Friday, April 17th 2020
6:00 PM
The three friends finished cleaning the apartment just in time for dinner. Fred had ordered pizza to be delivered. While waiting for the pizza to arrive, Sam and Carly went over the placement of furniture. Carly and Sam had chosen furniture for the apartment during the remodel that they planed when Fred moved in. Sam had decided to get rid of most of the remaining furniture at her old apartment. She didn't have much anyway; most of the stuff in the apartment had belonged to Phil, and left with him.
Fred stood back and looked at the two women, his two best friends, and now more. He had a huge amount of guilt at the moment, and didn't quite know what to do about it. He had just made love to Carly a couple hours ago, and would probably be with Sam tonight! This would not end well if it continued. It might not end well now! He wanted to tell Carly that they needed to break this off. But he couldn't. He had promised Sam that he would not tell Carly about them, and if he tried to break it off with Carly, she would figure it out in a heart beat. She knew both of them too well not to.
Still watching the two women, he thought… "It's really kind of Sam's fault that Carly and I ever got together." They hadn't even considered being with each other until just after Sam showed up with Phil. Carly and the guy she was seeing at the time had a massive 'disagreement' a few days afterward, and then split up. Suddenly, Carly and Freddie were single at the same time. They had been on again off again ever since. Crazily, it seemed to work. Especially with the strange marriage Carly had with George.
Fred shook his head, to try and clear the cobwebs growing in his mind. He was going to have to tell Sam what had happened. Best to do it tonight. Damn!
"C'mon Larry, let's go wait for the pizza guy out front"
"Okay Uncle Fred." The little boy said.
Carly and Sam turned and smiled at the retreating figures. Then Carly noticed something about Sam. Carly chuckled, and Sam turned toward her.
"You're going after him, aren't you?" Carly asked.
Sam looked surprised, confused…
"Me, after Freddie? Carly, I just got rid of Phil! What makes you think I want to get with Freddie?"
"Because I know you, and I know that look you just gave Freddie. I haven't seen you look at anyone like that… Hmm… Since the last time I noticed you looking like that at Freddie. That was just before you made that major mistake with Phil. You used to look at Freddie like that all the time. You never looked that way at Phil."
Sam was stunned, she wasn't aware 'it' showed.
"OK Sam, I'm not sure if you're speechless or what. Do try to not screw it up this time, OK? For everyone's sake, but especially for Freddie. You really hurt him, you know. I'm still amazed he's being this kind to you… Look, the pizza guy is here. Pizza and a beer sound really good right now."
With that being said, Carly took Sam by the arm and led her into the house, where Larry was helping Fred set the kitchen table for four.
Friday, April 17th 2020
9:45 PM
Fred helped Carly get Larry strapped into his car seat. He was fast asleep. They had made a couple trips to Sam's old apartment and pretty much got most of the items she wanted to move in the new place. The only major room left to move was the kitchen. Fred had noticed that Sam had seemed subdued at dinner and after. He had gotten Sam her own double Canadian bacon and cheese pizza; she'd only eaten half of it. He had expected her to finish hers off along with whatever Carly, Larry and he had left over from their pepperoni pizza.
Well, it wasn't going to get any better tonight, that's for sure. He was going to tell her. He had too… Fred was scared to death.
Carly got in her car, after hugs and kisses all around, and drove away. Sam took Freddie's arm and leaned into him.
"My place, or yours babe?" She said grinning.
"Yours, that bed looks comfy, and I'm worn out tonight." He said.
While Fred locked the house, and grabbed a night gown for Sam, Sam got the bed ready in the apartment.
"Wow Fred, I'm gonna be soooo sexy in that flannel night gown! Is that the best you can do?" She laughed.
Fred grinned and stripped down to his boxers, and got in bed. Sam joined him, and gave him a kiss…
"Ok Freddie, confession time… Why are you being so nice to me after what I did to you with the Phil thing?"
"Why would you bring that up now, Sam? Kind of ancient history isn't it?"
"Maybe it is, but we'll have to discuss this and other things related eventually. Now, why would you be so kind?"
"Because Sam, you told me if I didn't always take care of you, you would put dirt in my food and I'd starve and die."
"Freddie, we were like nine or something. Now spill it nub."
"OK, you want the truth, or some classy lie guaranteed to get me into your pants."
"Well, considering you pretty much already have full access to my pants, the truth sounds intriguing."
"Hmmm. OK then. It's because I love you. You know… that once in a lifetime, you're the gal for me, grow old with me, forever and ever, I love you thing."
"Thought so, just checking… So this thing with Carly… That's been going on for some time now, hasn't it?"
"Damn Sam, you're good! Yep, sure has. How did you know?"
"It was something Carly said to me tonight. Really, more the way she said it than what she said. Also, because Larry doesn't look like George at all, but he does look like a free lance commercial producer that I know, named Fredward."
"Yes, Larry's my son, Sam. Mine and Carly's."
OK, I know… Another chapter brimming with suspense and intrigue! I should have the next finished before Christmas. I hope! We're going to be very busy around here over the next few days, so don't use my name in vain if I don't get the next installment up in time! Again, thanks to all for all the reviews and inspiration! You folks ROCK! I hope everyone has a great Christmas!
Don't forget to push the button!
For reviews I'm just a glutton!