Sam awoke the next day, wondering at first why on earth she was up at such an early hour.
And then, barely a second later, she remembered.
It was her wedding day.
She slowly sat, looking over at Freddie's side of the bed. He had spent the night at a hotel so Sam could get ready in the apartment without him seeing her in her dress. But her bed was far from empty.
Kira and Leah had both wound up falling asleep with her and were curled under the covers. Sam couldn't help but smile as she remembered when the twins used to crawl into bed with her all the time when they were younger.
And now their teenagers, Sam thought sadly. She looked down at her abdomen and gently rested a hand on her small baby bump. You better not grow up as fast as your sisters did, kid.
Just then, that familiar wave of nausea rushed over her. Sam jumped out of bed and jolted into the bathroom, making it just in time to begin vomiting her guts up.
"Sam? Sam, are you okay? You're not sick are you?" Carly exclaimed, rushing into the bathroom and pulling Sam's hair back for her.
"No, Carls, it's just morning sickness," Sam said. "And why are you awake anyway? It's like, six in the morning."
"Oh, I've been up for hours," Carly replied. "Melanie too. We've been getting all the final things together for the wedding!"
"Oh good, you're finally up," Melanie said, joining the two in the bathroom.
"Couldn't we have picked a better meeting spot?" Sam frowned.
"I have your breakfast made, so eat that and then nothing more until the reception, okay?" Melanie told her. "Okay?"
"What?" Sam exclaimed.
"You can't risk getting your dress stained," Carly said. "But we understand you're pregnant, so if you absolutely must eat, we have mess-free protein balls that Melanie picked up from the organic market."
"Oh my God, have we started getting her ready yet? Did I miss anything?" Leah asked, running into the bathroom.
"You do realize you people are all gathered around in a bathroom, right?" Sam asked.
"You haven't missed anything yet, sweetheart, but we've got to start working on her hair within the next hour or we'll be behind schedule," Melanie told her.
"Got it, I'll go plug in the curling iron," Leah said, running out of the room.
"Alright, get showered, eat, and then we'll really get to work," Carly said to Sam. "Remember, we only have T-minus six hours until you walk down that aisle."
"Well could I at least have some privacy while I shower then?" Sam asked rolling her eyes.
"Fine, fine," Melanie said. "Come on, Carly, we need to start figuring out the make-up combinations we're going to be using."
Sam got to her feet once the two had left and then, once making sure the coast was clear, headed back to her bedroom, where Kira was still fast asleep.
"Kira," Sam whispered, gently shaking her daughter's shoulder. "Come on, wake up."
"Mom, it's six," Kira yawned, slowly picking up her head.
"Well your sister's going to be in here any second up, so you might as well get up now," Sam said. "Just giving you the heads up; they're all acting nuts out there."
"Are you surprised?"
"Just think, after today we'll never have to see another flower arrangement in our lives," Sam said.
"Thank God," Kira said.
"Oh, and they're also gonna start locking down all the food because they're afraid we'll get our dresses dirty," Sam told her. "So I'd fill up now."
"Ugh! They're more than nuts!" Kira groaned, getting out of bed. She was about to run out of the bedroom, but before she went through the door, she stopped and turned back to her mom.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked.
"Nothing," Kira said, walking back over to Sam and giving her a hug. "I'm really happy that you're getting married, mom."
"Thank you, sweetie," Sam said softly, hugging her back. "But seriously, go eat your breakfast before your Aunt Melanie starts replacing the bacon with gluten free toast or something."
"Ick," Kira cringed, heading out of the bedroom.
Sam looked over at her bedside table, spotting her Pearphone. She picked it up and saw she had a new message from Freddie.
Hey beautiful, it read. I know you're probably already up, what with the three wedding enthusiasts at the apartment. Since I can't see you until the wedding, I just wanted to tell you I love you and I can't wait until you're standing with me at that alter.
Sam felt her cheeks redden as she typed her response.
I already puked once this morning, Benson. Don't make me do it again.
A moment later, her phone dinged, and she looked down at Freddie's message.
Fine, whatever you say…almost-Benson.
…..
"Okay, okay, will you stop playing with my veil? It's fine!" Sam said as she smoothed down the white veil she was wearing on her head.
The party from the apartment had moved into a large canopy tent that was set up in the park where the wedding was being held. Carly was busying herself trying to perfect Sam's wardrobe down to the last detail.
"Sorry," Carly said. "It just still looks a little lopsided…"
"I don't care," Sam said, turning to stare at her reflection in the mirror.
Even she had to admit she looked good in this dress. It was simple, yet it really made her shine with every movement she made. "Have you seen Freddie yet?"
"Yes, and he's fine," Carly assured her. "He has your friend Caleb and Spencer helping him get ready. You know, that Caleb is pretty cute, by the way. Is he single?"
"He's been married for fifteen years to an ex-model," Carly told her. "Sorry. I have a single cousin I can hook you up with if you don't mind having your dates supervised by a parole officer."
"Er, I think I'll politely decline that offer," Carly said. "Anyway, Melanie is making sure Bradley knows what he's doing as your ring bearer, the girls and your mom are helping the guests find their seats and Freddie's mom may or may not be sedated on some 'happy pill' I crushed and put in her cucumber water."
"You drugged Freddie's mom for the wedding?" Sam grinned. "Aw, that's the best wedding present I could've asked for!"
"Hey, everyone has been seated," Melanie said, coming into the tent with the twins right behind her. "The priest is all ready to go."
"Alright, alright, looks like we're going to have to get this show started," Carly said. "Sam, any last minute things you can think of that need to be done?"
Sam shook her head.
"Okay, so everyone remembers the plan, right?" Carly asked.
"Me and Carly will go out right after Bradley brings out the rings and Freddie's cousin's daughter throws all the flower petals," Melanie said. "Then Spencer walks out and stands behind Freddie at the alter, then me and Carly go, Kira and Leah will go, and then everyone stands and you go out, Sam."
"We're all clear? Great, let's go tell the band we're going to get started," Carly said.
Once her and Melanie left, it was just Sam and the twins in the tent.
"Well, looks like this is it," Sam said.
"Don't be nervous, mom," Leah said.
"Who said I was nervous?" Sam smirked.
"You look totally hot, if that helps," Kira said.
"Yeah, you look like a model," Leah agreed.
Sam chuckled, holding out her arms for the girls. "You know, even though I'm marrying Freddie now and we're going to have a new baby and get a new house soon…I wouldn't trade those years when it was just the three of us in that tiny apartment for anything."
"Yeah, we had some good times, didn't we?" Leah nodded. "Like what about all those times we all camped out in the living room and watched scary movies?"
"Oh yeah, and we had to make s'mores out of those gross organic marshmallows because Leah couldn't eat any processed food," Kira grinned. "Actually, those s'mores were pretty good. Hey, remember all the times we would go to the movies and mom would sneak in chicken wings?"
"Hey, popcorn can only do so much," Sam laughed.
"And then she threw the bones at the usher when he tried to throw us out," Leah recalled.
"That was the best," Kira said.
"We'll have more moments like that," Sam promised. "They'll just have Freddie and the new baby in them too."
"Good," Leah said.
"Girls, we need you to wait out here for your entrance," Melanie said, poking her head back into the tent.
"Go ahead," Sam said to the twins. "I'll see you out there."
"Good luck, mom!" they both said as they rushed out of the tent.
Sam took one last look at herself in the mirror.
This was really it.
….
Freddie waited at the alter, feeling his heart race and his palms sweat.
He was certainly anxious, but it was a good type of anxiousness. In just a short while, Sam would officially be his bride, and he had never been so ready for anything in his life.
The wedding had just begun, and he knew any moment now, it would be Sam walking down that aisle.
He watched the young daughter of one of his cousins come down the aisle first, happily throwing flower petals every which way. Bradley came down next, carefully holding the gold wedding bands. Next came Carly and Spencer, their arms locked, followed by Melanie and Caleb. And then came the twins, wearing their identical dresses and smiles that reminded him so much of Sam. He caught their eyes and gave them a small wink.
And then, and last, the moment came. The audience all stood up and faced the fancy white tent that stood at the end of the aisle, and Freddie knew there was nothing he could do to prepare for what was about to come next.
The second she stepped out, Freddie thought the breath had left him.
Sam looked absolutely breathtaking as she slowly walked down the aisle, her veil covering her face and her white gown trailing behind her. He knew his expression was probably ridiculously goofy, but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything right now other than marrying the beautiful woman coming towards him.
When Sam reached the alter, she gave Freddie a small smile through her veil.
"Hey, nub," she said softly.
"Hey," Freddie whispered. "You look…wow."
"You don't look too shabby yourself," she smirked.
The priest cleared his throat and began speaking, but neither Sam nor Freddie paid him any attention. All they could focus on at the moment was each other.
"-The couple will now recite their vows to one another," the priest said, causing Sam and Freddie to snap out of their daze. "Are you both ready?"
"Oh, yeah, we're ready," Freddie nodded, clearing his throat. He looked right into Sam's eyes.
"Sam, fifteen years ago, I thought I lost you from my life," Freddie began. "And during those years when I never got to hear your laugh or see your face, I always had a feeling that something was missing. I never knew what it was, until you came back into my life, and I realize that you are what makes my life complete. You're the one person who I have absolutely no doubts about spending the rest of my life with. And every morning when I wake up still, I wonder to myself what a girl like you is thinking sticking around with a guy like me. But I guess I got lucky there. Sam, you're stunning. You're funny and witty and insanely tough, yet gentle and sweet at the same time. You're-You're Sam, and that's what I love so much about you. I can't wait to spend every day with your for the rest of my life and I can't wait for everything that is to come, because with you, it's sure to be great."
Sam had to blink a few tears from her eyes before she began her own vows.
"For most of my life, I sort of figured I would always be alone in the romance department," she started. "And when you came back into my life, I didn't know what to expect at all. But you were the same geeky, annoying, tech-obsessed nub you always were, and I was so glad. I don't know a lot of guys who would put up with me and my weird habits and insane appetite, but you do; you've never tried to change me. Freddie, every time you send me your little 'I love you' texts, I feel my stomach flip. When you send me flowers at work, I feel like a princess. And every single time you kiss me or hug me or even touch me, I feel sparks just as strongly as ever. I love you so much, and I know that love will ever fade. Ever."
Freddie beamed, not knowing how much longer he could resist throwing his arms around her and kissing her senseless.
"Now," the priest said, handing Sam and Freddie each other's wedding bands. "Fredward Benson, do you take Samantha Puckett to be your lawfully wedded wife? Through sickness and through health? For better or for worse, for rich or for poor, till death do you part so help you God?"
"I do," Freddie said at once.
"And do you, Samantha Puckett, take Fredward Benson to be your lawfully wedded husband? Through sickness and through health? For better or for worse, for rich or for poor, till death do you part so help you God?"
"I do," Sam said.
The couple slid the wedding bands on the others ring finer, both holding their breath for what was about to come next.
"Then by the power vested in me by the state of New York, I hereby dub you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
The couple barely even heard the applause and cheers that erupted from the audience. They were too lost in the moment as their lips pressed together for the first time as husband and wife. Sam wrapped her arms around his neck and Freddie slipped his arms around her waist.
Neither of them knew how long they stood there, pressed together, but when they finally pulled apart, they both looked into one another's eyes.
"We're married," Sam whispered.
"I know," Freddie grinned. "I'm loving it already."