o O o
A/N: Some of you may read one of the following scenes and think that I'm pretty far out there. You'd be right, but sometimes it just amuses me to do the unexpected. This is one of those times :)
o O o
Carly made a pretense of leafing through the pages of her magazine but her mind was elsewhere. She didn't have to be a genius to infer the nature of Granddad's call - it looked very much like Dad was coming home. The question was, what about that scenario required Sam's immediate input? Maybe Spencer was going to tell her she had to lay low. Sam wouldn't take THAT well, but flaunting her in Dad's face would NOT be a good idea. Just as she decided this was the most likely explanation, the pair emerged from Spencer's room. Sam didn't look unhappy. In fact, quite the opposite. She was electrified. Carly sat up expectantly; she'd obviously come to the wrong conclusion. What had she missed?
"Carly, I have to go…negotiate something with Sam's mom –"
Sam was shaking her head. "Spence, I'm telling you – there's no 'negotiation' needed here. She's not going to bat an eye. "
"I know Sam, but nevertheless, I will make the effort. YOU deserve the respect, whether or not Pam appreciates it. " He grabbed his keys and they headed for the door.
"Wait a minute – I'm lost here. What exactly is going on?"
"Well, Granddad's coming for dinner on Sunday," Spencer started, his hand on the doorknob.
Carly nodded. "I heard. That's nice; he hasn't been up in a while."
"Dad's coming home," he continued as he ushered Sam through the door.
She nodded again. "I gathered that."
"And Sam's moving in," he finished, stepping into the corridor.
"Yesterday!" Sam piped up as the door shut behind them.
Carly stared after them. "Dad's coming home and Sam's moving in?" She shook her head in dismay. Her brother had done his share of off the wall things, but she didn't think he actually had a death wish. "They thought I was going to freak out? There's going to be a volcanic eruption right here in Bushwell Plaza. "
Carly got up and started pacing as the wheels turned in her head. She'd once had to fight for the right to stay with Spencer. Now it was starting to look like she might have to fight for Spencer to stay with her…
o O o
Sam slammed the door open and traipsed heavily into the house. "Best to announce our arrival," she explained, "She's likely to have company."
"Hey Mom! I'm home!" she hollered loudly.
"You don't have to yell like that Sam; I can hear just fine," Pam complained. She sat at the kitchen table, engaged in the most unlikely task of peeling and coring apples.
Sam and Spencer paused in the doorway, momentarily distracted by the domestic scene. "Umm...Mom? What are you doing?"
"Should be obvious what I'm doing. Can't make apple crisp without apples, now can you?"
"You're making apple crisp?" The disbelief was evident in Sam's voice.
"Don't be stupid girl; Stanley's making apple crisp. I'm just helping."
"Stanley's still around?" Disbelief moved on to incredulity.
Pam set her paring knife down. "Of course he's still around. Why else would I be peelin apples? Don't look so surprised. What? You think I can't keep a man? After your dad left, I just never found one I felt like keeping. I maybe feel like keeping this one."
Sam stared at her mother as if she suspected her of being an alien imposter. "You're serious?"
Pam pursed her lips in irritation. "Did someone knock you in the head? Yes, Sam, I'm serious." Acknowledging Spencer for the first time she said, "Sorry she had to drag you out tonight. Out of bus fare again, I guess. Thanks for running her back."
"Actually Mrs. Puckett, I –"
Pam rolled her eyes. "Don't call me that. Mrs. Puckett was my mother-in-law. The harridan hated me on sight. Can't imagine why."
"No, I'm sure I can't either," Spencer agreed diplomatically. "Anyway, we actually came by for another reason –"
Sam shook her head impatiently. "Mom, I'm moving in with Spencer; I came to get my stuff so I'm just letting you know where we'll be. We're at the loft for now but we're maybe going to get our own place in a couple of weeks- not sure yet. Ok?"
An expression of mild surprise crossed Pam's face. "No kidding. You're the guy? I knew she was tangled up with somebody but I didn't see that coming. Probably should have." She turned to appraise her daughter. "Well kid, you could have done a lot worse." Back to Spencer, "Just make sure she takes her pills. Stanley likes kids ok but I've done my time. I'm no babysitter."
"Mother!" Sam protested.
Spencer was taken a little aback by her forthright manner. "Umm… absolutely Pam, I just want you to know that I love Sam and I'm –"
She waved dismissively. "Never mind. I don't need to hear all that romantic chizz. She's a big girl; she wouldn't be with you if she didn't want to be. I'll give her some credit; she's got more common sense than her sister. If I've told these girls once, I've told them a thousand times. If you're gonna screw around with married men, at least stay away from the ones with kids. They're bad news. That other fool girl of mine is down in L.A. mooning over a 'married with child,' and nothing good will come of it. You, Samantha, you might be taking the long way around but you're going to get there. It warms my heart, as much as anything can I guess." She shook her head – enough of the maternal stuff. "Spencer, you need any help hauling her junk? You want to hang around an hour or so, Stanley will be back from the restaurant and he can help you with it."
Spencer glanced at Sam inquiringly, but she shook her head. "Thanks Mom, but we can get it. Half my stuff is there anyway; it's just some clothes and a couple of pictures. Mostly."
"Ok then, not that you came for it, but what the hell. I'll give it to you anyway. I'm officially handing her off to you with my blessing Spencer; keep her safe. I don't ask for anything more."
With a hand resting lightly on Sam's shoulder he answered quietly, "She's my number one priority."
"You know, I can see that Spencer. Under the circumstances, the girl did good. She did real good. You decide you want to keep her for the long haul, maybe I'll even buy a dress for the occasion."
Sam looked sharply at her mother, but Spencer grinned. "I'll hold you to that Pam."
"C'mere kid, give me a hug before you go," she commanded brusquely.
Sam obediently crossed the room to stand in front of her mother. "I know I don't say it much, but…I do love you. I want you to take real good care of him, because I can see that he's going to take real good care of you. There aren't many like him out there Sam." She rose to embrace her daughter; Spencer saw Sam dash a tear away before letting go.
"I know it Mom; thanks…I…love you too."
Sam made her way back to Spencer and they both turned to leave the room. He wasn't sure, but he just might have seen an answering tear in the mother's eye as her daughter walked away to meet the future.
"Ciao baby," Pam whispered after them, returning to her apples with far more focus than they required or deserved. The peels fell in perfect spirals to the floor.