Chapter Thirty-Two : Adjustments

Freddie chuckled. "I know I had a hand in helping, but I meant YOU'RE the one who brought them into this world safely," he said. Both of their baby girls looked so peaceful in the arms of their parents. He hoped that baby Freddie would like his new sisters and that he would take care of them and protect them both as they grew older.

"Well, you do realize now, our bedroom is going to be wall-to-wall cribs, either that or Gibby is going to have to let us use the computer room for a nursery... or something..." Sam was saying to Freddie. She was in the middle of her conversation with Freddie when Carly came in, followed by Melanie who was carrying baby Freddie.

"Mama," Baby Freddie cooed when he saw Sam.

Sam looked up, seeing her adorable son and his aunties. "Carls, Melanie, I'd like you to meet Samantha Melanie Benson... and her adorable twin sister, Sharley Michelle," spoke Sam.

"Baby!" little Freddie said happily, looking at his sister. He then did a double-take, seeing that there wasn't just one baby, but two.

Sam laughed, seeing her son's confusion. "C'mere, lil guy," said Sam, reaching for him and taking him from Melanie's arms and settling him in her lap along with his new sister. "Little Freddie, this is Sharley, your baby sister. And Daddy is holding your *other* new sister, baby Samantha."

"I can't believe you named one of the babies after me," Melanie beamed, as she gazed at little Samantha in Freddie's arms.

"You *are* my twin," Sam said, giving Melanie a smile.

"And you named Sharley after me!" Carly said happily.

At that moment Spencer walked in, hearing the last part of the conversation. "What about me? There isn't a triplet named Spencer?" he teased. "Spencer starts with 'S,' too!"

Sam make a gasping sound. "Ohhh no... my baby factory is closed..." she insisted as she shook her head.

Everyone burst out laughing, and Little Freddie, not knowing what all the laughter was about, starting cracking up, too. But the laughter died down when suddenly Pam and Melvin entered the room.

"What are YOU doing here?" Sam demanded with a frown.

"We are here to see our grandchildren," said Pam as she and Melvin began approaching the bed where Sam was lying down, holding little Fredward and her infant daughter.

Freddie held Samantha protectively as he sat by Sam's side. He didn't think that it was such a good idea that Sam's parents had shown up at the hospital. Sam had made herself clear to Melvin and Pam about where she stood on everything. Now they were here, acting like it everything was okay.

"Get out!" Sam hissed, glaring at her father.

"Sam, please! Give your dad a chance," Pam pleaded. "You never even tried to hear his side of the story..."

"I don't care. I just want him to leave," Sam bit out. "Freddie, please make him go..."

Suddenly, both of the newborn twins started to cry, awakened from their peaceful sleep by the distress of their mother. The baby in Freddie's arms, baby Samantha was crying fitfully which caused Sharley, her twin sister to cry loudly as well.

"What's going on in here?" Dr Benson asked, peeking into the room. He heard the babies crying and saw that Sam was extremely upset. And to his disapproval, the room was full of visitors.

"I'm afraid I am going to ask you all to leave," he said with a heavy sigh.

Melanie came over and gave Sam a small kiss on the cheek. She really didn't want to go. "Love you, Sis," she said to Sam. "We'll talk soon."

Carly hugged Sam as well, congratulating her again, followed by Spencer. Sam was actually sort of sad to see the three of them go. But to her dismay, her mom and dad were not leaving. Carly and the others walked out, but Pam and Melvin Puckett seemed to be staying.

"What part of 'get out' do you not understand?" Sam demanded. If she hadn't been full of stitches, she would have gotten up from the hospital bed and she would have...

"Freddie, we need to talk to you and Sam," said Pam.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave- both you," Freddie said firmly when Pam asked to speak to him. "If you don't leave I will make hospital security MAKE you leave. Sam just gave birth; right now this is VERY last thing that she needs."

Dr Benson backed up his son. He didn't like anyone upsetting his patients, especially after they had just gotten out of surgery. "You need to leave now. I'm about to examine Sam," he said to Sam's parents.

"Fine, we get that we are not welcome," Pat said snidely. "Come on Melvin, let's go..."

Pam turned on her heel and walked out of the hospital room. Melvin hesitated, looking at his daughter holding his grandchildren, then he quietly left, following his wife.

"I'm so sorry, Sam," Jonathon spoke after they had left. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine, just very sleepy," Sam said with a heavy sigh as she tried her best to calm down the fussy baby girl in her arms. It had been a very long day and she was sore and exhausted.

"When can I go home?" was Sam's next question.

"Well, Sam, you just gave birth and had an emergency c-section. I think you need some rest and time to heal," responded Dr Benson as he gently handed off Sharley to a nurse and gave little Freddie to his daddy. It was time for him to examine Sam. He gently opened her hospital gown, checking her incision. He ordered the nurse to bring Sam some pain meds.

"Freddie, you are welcome to stay here in the hospital tonight to keep Sam company. We can bring in a crib for little Freddie," Jonathon suggested. He knew Freddie would want to be there with his new little family.

"Thanks Dad," Freddie said honestly. That would be the best thing; they all needed to be together as a family tonight. He was certain that it would do them all some good so they could all properly bond.

The nurse brought Sam the pain meds Dr. Benson had ordered and she took them with some water. The meds would take away the intense pain from her incision and help her to sleep. She fed Samantha as she lay against the pillows and rested. Sam was having a tough time keeping her eyes open.

A crib had been brought in for Little Freddie, who was now settled down for the night. It had been an eventful day for him, too, as he now had two VERY loud baby sisters.

Sharley too was hungry, so a nurse brought Freddie a bottle of formula, so he could feed his new baby girl while Sam was breastfeeding Samantha. Sam managed to give Freddie a little smile as she watched him with their firstborn daughter. "It won't be long Fredward; both these little girls are gonna have you wrapped right around their little fingers," Sam predicted.

Freddie held a bottle of formula as he was feeding Sharley. "Aww. I think I just might be okay with that," he said with a smile. "They are so gorgeous just like their mother."

Soon Sam had finished feeding baby Samantha and a nurse placed her gently in the basinett next to Sam's hospital bed. "Sleepy," Sam whispered, as she gazed over at Freddie holding their other baby girl. In a few minutes, she had fallen sound asleep.

Freddie let Sam sleep as he was feeding Baby Sharley. Once Sharley was fed, she fell asleep, too. Freddie sat down in a chair watching his beautiful wife as she was sleeping.

*~o~*

Six weeks had now passed since the twins Sharley and Samantha had been born. They were beautiful, healthy and had great appetites. There was never a dull moment at the Gibson Residence with newborn twins and Little Freddie, plus Sam, Freddie, Guppy, and Gibby all living there under one roof. Sam had fully recovered from her C-section. She was attending classes once again. In fact, it was her first day back. "Hey, Sam," said Adam, giving her a brilliant smile when he met her in the hallway outside of their Biology class. "How's my Lab partner doing?"

"Not bad," said Sam with a shrug, hardly even looking at Adam. He really didn't interest her at all, and she needed to concentrate on her studies. She was behind on everything as she had been on maternity leave and had been completing her assignments at home.

Adam stood there staring as Sam walked away, going to class. How he wanted her, dreamed of her, and wished she was HIS. Why did Sam always pass him by? Why didn't she even notice him? It just wasn't fair!

Their professor, Dr. Murphy announced to the class that they would be working with their lab partners on a new genetics project. "Ohhh great..." Sam muttered as she started jotting down some quick notes about the details of the project. Gazing at her from afar, Adam was secretly happy, thinking of working in close proximity with Sam. It would give him a chance to carry out Marissa Benson's plan. Although he did have feelings for Sam, she didn't give him a second glance and Mrs. Benson was paying him a great deal to "take care" of Sam.

Meanwhile, Freddie found himself busy with classes, work, and the kids at home. Life was pretty much taking on a form of its own. It was ever so hectic. He was happy though, because everyday he got to see his amazing wife and spend time with her.

*~o~*

That day after class, Adam went over to Mrs. Benson's to pick up the supplies he would need to carry out her plan. She gave him a packet and said with an evil gleam in her eyes, "You know what to do with this."

Meanwhile, Sam had gone home to relieve the babysitter, Mrs. Mendenhall. "Thanks so much for watching the kids," she said, paying the woman for the child care.

After the sitter had left, Sam headed up to the nursery to check on her beautiful babies. When she walked into the room, she found that all three of her children were wide awake in their cribs.

Freddie had to go to work straight after classes. On his way to work, he dialed the house to reach Sam. He hoped she was home from class. He waited while the phone rang.

Sam raised her phone to her ear while reaching for one of the babies with her free arm. It was obvious one of her little girls needed a diaper change.

"Hello," Sam spoke into the phone as she was expertly lifting a child out of the crib. "Baby central."

Freddie chuckled. "Well, I guess it's safe to say that the babies are in charge today, huh?" he said, as he headed towards work.

"They were good for Mrs. Mendenhall or so she said," Sam replied. "They seem to have saved the stinky diapers just for me..."

Sam was grimacing as she began changing a particularly gruesome one. "I miss you, Freddie," she said softly. They had only seen each other a few minutes at breakfast.

"Awww, babe. I'm so sorry," he said. "I miss you. too. I wish I had more time to spend with you. " Their busy life was not easy at all.

Sam managed to change the baby's diaper while still carrying out her conversation with Freddie on the phone. She was used to multi-tasking, considering she was a college student and also the mother of three small children. "Freddie, I love you. I will see you tonight at dinner," Sam said, hoping their time apart would pass quickly. The baby girl Sam held, now freshly diapered, gurgled into the phone.

"And your baby girl loves you, too," Sam added, giggling softly.

"I love you too, baby. I will be home soon as I can for dinner and to spend time with you and our little ones,' Freddie said. He had to hang up with Sam and head onto work.

After Freddie ended the call, Sam finished changing the babies. She nursed the twins, then took Little Freddie downstairs to give him his own dinner. While he was eating in his high chair, Sam prepared a meal. Guppy came into the kitchen to have his afternoon snack and chat with Sam. A few minutes later, Gibby arrived. "What's for dinner, Sam?" he asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Ham and scalloped potatoes," Sam replied.

"Sounds yummy," Guppy spoke up.

"Yes, it does," Gibby agreed.

"Did you finish your homework?" Gibby then asked his little brother.

The little boy nodded, then continued eating his cheese and crackers. Sam was just putting dinner in the oven when the phone rang. "Hello," she said as she picked up the receiver, raising it to her ear.

A sobbing Carly was on the phone, upset because Adam didn't have any interest in her. "He said he has his eye on someone else," Carly blubbered.

"Ohhh man, I'm sorry..." Sam started to say, but Carly interrupted.

"Who could it be, Sam? Why doesn't he want to go out with me?"

"I dunno..." Sam tried to interject, but once again, Carly stopped her from speaking.

"It's not fair, Sam," Carly cried. "Why doesn't Adam like me?! Am I being punished ... for what I did to Gibby?! Why is Adam breaking my heart?!"

Sam glanced over at Gibby, not sure how to answer that question. In Sam's eyes, Gibby and Carly should be together, and it was so obvious that Gibby thought the world of Carly. Gibby had lost his mom and Tasha; it just wasn't fair that he was losing Carly, too.

"Listen, Carls," Sam spoke with a heavy sigh. "I really can't talk about this right now. I'll call you later, okay? Everything is going to be alright..."

"No, it's NOT. I'm in love with Adam, Sam... and he rejected me... just like I rejected Gibby and about a dozen other guys. Now I am doomed..." Carly sobbed.

"Carly, I promise ... you are NOT doomed. Adam is not the ONLY guy in the world," Sam insisted. When Gibby heard Sam's side of the conversation, he looked very hurt. He got up and silently left the kitchen. Sam felt terrible, because she had not meant for him to overhear.

"But he's the only guy I want," Carly said sadly.

"I realize you have a thing for him, Carls ... but there's this other guy who thinks the world of you. He's a great guy and one of our very best friends. And he really needs you right now. Can you just forget about Adam for a little while? Could you just be a friend to Gibby? He needs you. He's lost everything... His mom. Tasha," reminded Sam. "If Adam can't appreciate you for who you are, you don't need him. Just think about it, Carls..."

"You just don't get it, Sam! You have Freddie, you have kids, you have EVERYTHING! And Spencer and Melanie are always here, kissing, hugging, and looking all lovey-dovey! Their even starting to talk about marriage! You guys have it all ... and I have NOTHING!" Carly exclaimed. Before Sam could say another word, a very emotional Carly had hung up on her best friend. Sam stared at the phone in disbelief. Wordlessly, Sam went to hang it up. It seemed she had no other choice but to let Carly calm down.

A few minutes later, Gibby returned to the room. "I know you were talking to Carly about Adam," Gibby spoke. "For awhile there, she and I were getting closer, then he came into the picture. What is it she doesn't see in me, Sam? Why am I not enough for her? I'd do anything for her..."

"We've been good friends since junior high. We practically grew up together. After I broke up with Tasha, it was Carly that was always there for me, comforting me, and making me feel like life was worthwhile again. She helped me keep it together when I lost my mom. Then she saw Adam and suddenly, I seemed to fade into the woodwork..."

"What happened, Sam? What's Adam got that I don't have?" Gibby asked sadly.

"Absolutely nothing, Gib. I don't even like Adam all that much," she admitted as she pulled Gibby into a hug. "I don't know what it is about Carly, but she can't stay with any guy for long. But maybe this time, something will change."

"Adam ain't got nothing on you," Sam said to Gibby, giving him a small smile. "Don't lose hope, maybe Carly will realize what a good guy she has right here and forget all about Adam."

Gibby didn't look too convinced, although he did try to return Sam's smile. "Thanks," he said softly.

"Anytime," she said as she turned her attention onto her son. She washed his hands and face with a washcloth, then lifted the small boy into her arms. She sat down at the table, holding Little Fredward and longing for Freddie to come home. She'd had far too much drama for one day.

*Freddie, hurry back,* Sam called out to him in her mind.