Eight On The Dot

NOTE: The following story is set in the cartoon, "Totally Spies" starring characters, Mandy & Sam. Thus, certain things mentioned may sound confusing unless you know the gist of what that show is about.

###

Keeping the window open all night wasn't one of Mandy's best ideas, but she didn't expect to pass out and have a spicy dream. The back of Mandy's head was in frame; her sleek black hair sweated out kinky waves that would've had her on edge if not for Sam.

"Where are you going? Running away from me?" she felt her mouth move at a sluggish pace, when she was as quick-witted as her notification feed when she uploads a rockin' selfie.

"You said you wanted The Rose, right?" Sam said, pausing midway in her path towards the dresser drawer.

"Yeah, but not right now!" Mandy scoffed, extending her arms out, "Hold me!"

The look on Mandy's face amused Sam, and as instructed, she returned to bed to snuggle up with her lover. That first night really was something. An event that the sleeping woman never thought would happen. They've come a long way since.

A sharp breeze tickled Mandy's cheek, which jolted her awake from the intimate memory. After waking up, grumbling over the cold, and shutting the windowpane, reality sunk in.

"3am. Of course," Mandy saw on her phone, which exuded a brightness that her eyes couldn't withstand first thing in the morning. She did notice the text message notification labeled, "Sammy 💚" right before she pressed the OFF button and slapped her phone down on the bed. What was the point in reading it anyway? It was the same thing every week:

Sorry babe, I just lost track of time. The lab needs new leadership; this guy is nuts!

Welp, my first Professor turned out to be an evil Scientist bent on world domination- no worries, we brought him to the police.

You wouldn't believe it: Ninjas came to the lab to avenge their leader! This never ends!

I swear I'll make this up to you.

Same shit. Different day.

Mandy willed herself to close her eyes and breathe instead of rolling them and letting out her famous mini tantrums. She had to remind herself that things were different. They were both adults, and Sam missing out on another date night didn't mean she was maliciously trying to hurt her. That's the high-school brain talking.

While Mandy and Sam have come a long way since they became a couple, that progress came with challenges. Things that have left Mandy feeling like a kid playing house. Sam was usually good on promises. She prided herself on being punctual, loyal, & reliable.

Mandy trusted her. But that faith was starting to wear thin.

Mandy couldn't sleep with all this stress, so she walked out the master bedroom and made her way to the end of the hall- where Nola slept. Mandy always counted on the 7-year-old to leave the door ajar; her fear of the closet monster still lingering about. Mandy checked on Nola as she slept in her twin bed. The glow-in-the-dark stars and princess lamp illuminated the room; Mandy chose to switch off the lamp to conserve energy.

A thick blanket laid over Nola, and it was decorated with 'Bratz' illustrations- just like Mandy's sheets were in what felt like so long ago. A stuffed panda bear was nestled by the child's chest. After all these years, Nola still loved the heck outta that thing. It was some cheap prize Mandy won for her at a carnival; the kid adored its sparkling green eyes and sewed-in smile. Mandy wasn't crazy about those booths; usually she was the one given prizes by one of her boy toys, but that was the first time she officially met Nola. Mandy couldn't end that day without making a good first impression.

The smile that creeped on Mandy's face went away once she returned to her thoughts on Sam missing another date night. She couldn't stop acting like this wasn't bothering her anymore; it's one thing to skip out on romance, but Sam didn't have the luxury to miss out on raising her daughter. I bet she's relieved whenever she leaves the house to do her "lab assignments..."

"That's not true! It's just a thought," Mandy quieted her mind. Her college counselor's voice echoed in her brain. She had many thoughts that were better left unspoken, this being one of them. She knew Sam wouldn't do this on purpose. She wasn't like Jake, or Kareem, or Christopher. The life of a Scientist's assistant is promised with overnight experiments and what not. This was part of the deal Mandy agreed to.

But it was easier back then, when Nola wasn't as aware of anything. If her mom was away for long, she'd get distracted with those silly cartoon shows while Mandy forced her to finish her dinner.

"I hear ya, girl. Mushy peas are not it," Mandy fought against the fussy baby night after night. Nola would cry here and there, but they were for problems that could be solved within their upscale apartment. Mandy had the money to please Nola with anything she could ever want, making her forget all about that redheaded genius. But now, it's all, "When's mommy coming home?" and "I'm not gonna do XYZ until mommy gets back!"

What was Mandy, some old shirt stuffed in the bargain bin of 'Sears'? I mean, she's been there for Nola every single day, ever since she invited the mother and daughter to live in New York. She doesn't expect anything out of Sam but to finish college, because she knew that was important to her.

Her chance at graduation was stripped away once. Mandy wasn't fond of Sam back then, but when she saw how the mighty had fallen, she couldn't help but be a girl's girl. She had to do something! Anything for Sam to get away from that asshole and get back on her feet.

She had no regrets about her choice to move Sam into her home, but Mandy still needed to tell the truth. Next time Sam walks through that door, she had to say how much she hated these new hours and how deeply she missed her. At this rate, Mandy didn't know how much longer she'd last.

It was only a couple more hours before Sam returned with her green eyes sunken into her sockets. Mandy and Nola were in the living room, each with a bowl of marshmallow cereal. "Well, aren't you up early!" the tired woman called out to the not-as-equally tired grouch.

For the sake of the child, Mandy stretched her frown right-side up to produce a passable smile, "Is 6am that early?"

"For you it is," Sam locked the door, and properly greeted Mandy with a quick kiss. She then shifted over to Nola and kissed her wild bed of strawberry blonde hair. "I think I'm gonna take a quick shower. Help get rid of these bags."

"No problem, honey."

What a cliche thing to say for the ever-creative Mandy, but if she didn't say that then she might've replied with something crueler. It was a battle between her heart and mind as to how to go about this. Continue to play nice and let Sam shower in peace or put on an episode of 'Bluey' to hypnotize the kid so she can confront the other woman one-on-one. The answer was decided once Mandy heard the shower start running in the other room; she hastily put on the cartoon, reeling in the entranced child.

Sam hadn't gotten in the shower when Mandy arrived. She had only turned it on at its highest heat and leaned over the sink with an expression that drooped somberly. Her skin seemed to pale the longer she stared at her reflection. Whatever rage Mandy felt in that moment was put on hold.

"Hey."

Sam turned, "Hey. I thought you'd stay with Nola."

"A few minutes alone won't hurt," Mandy shrugged, "Gotta be careful not to coddle the kid."

"Right," Sam returned to her reflection, pawing at the gray crescent moons decorating her eyes, "Can't wait till this is all over. This apprentice job isn't kind to my skin."

"Look at you, taking after my vanity!" the woman posed comically, a hand resting on her glowing face, like she just made contact with a paparazzi camera, "Come on, you still look great! But why is the water running?"

"I'll get in soon. Just taking my time."

That wouldn't do. Water costs a lot in this building, and even if she was being supported by her mother, Mandy didn't want to give her any reason to cut her off. She was the typical strict, tiger mom who wouldn't offer such a fancy place unless her daughter worked for it. Mandy's teenage self was hanging by a thread- especially that time when she flunked her test- so this was the best she's ever been on terms with her parental landlord. So, like a reasonable tenet, she grabbed the hem of her pajama shirt and threw it over her head- followed by her shorts.

"Mandy?" Sam broke out in a nervous giggle, "What are you doing?"

The other woman hopped into the shower, letting the water burned fiercely on her thin physique. She stood bare as could be in the walk-in shower, beckoning Sam to follow suit. "You are such a flirt!" Sam mouthed. Mandy barely heard it under the shower head, but she had assumed something to that effect was said judging by the ginger's cheeks filling with pink.

Sam and Mandy have mastered the art of intimacy in a handful of minutes, as Sam still had a few qualms about leaving Nola by herself. But the kid had done so much on her own that only Mandy had witnessed. One time, a stranger walked into the apartment after a night of drinking, thinking it was his place (Mandy forgot to lock the door after Sam left for work that morning) and sweet little Nola stomped right to him and politely yelled, "Get the Hell outta 'ere!"

After the fit of laughter that came from the "responsible" adult, Mandy never left the door unlocked again, and deleted all her episodes about some big wig mafia boss to not further influence the child.

"Hey..." Sam sighed as the other woman's soft hands lathered her breasts with rhubarb & Rose body gel. All the tension from staying up late performing experiments and guarding the lab rinsed off her body along with her clogged pores, "You don't have to do that..."

"Why shouldn't I?" the other woman kissed the back of Sam's shoulder blade, "Why can't I cater to my hardworking girlfriend after she had such a rough day?"

Sam chuckled at that comment, which then sank into a soft moan as Mandy's manicured finger flicked at a perk nipple. The pair still bickered like they did in high school, without the whole, "hating each other's guts" part.

"Why don't you sit down? I'll take care of you," Mandy whispered, really stressing the 'take care' part with her contradicting voice that was both soothing yet nasally. That proposal would've dropped anyone to their knees, so Sam agreed, and she pressed her bottom on the cool shower floor. The Scientist was cradled by her lover, her eyes closed in a moment of bliss. Mandy scrubbed all over her smooth peach skin, trailing her hand down to massage her crotch, fascinated by the way the gel foamed into millions of bubbles coating the Scientist's pelvis.

"Mmmh, you spoil me..." Sam uttered through another delighted moan.

This was it!, Mandy thought. This is the moment she's been waiting for; to tell her truth. If she's naked, vulnerable, and being treated like a princess, then she'll have to agree to work shorter hours!

"Okay, I think that's good enough," Sam stood up after a couple of minutes, "I'm gonna rinse off and check on Nola."

The old Mandy would've pressured Sam to follow things her way, because what mattered most was her needs. But instead, she remained quiet as Sam washed off, dried, and changed into casual clothes to check on Nola- who seemed to be calling for, "Mommy!" right as Sam was slipping on a pair of socks.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" Mandy growled before shutting off the shower head.

It took until the evening before Mandy spoke up. Before then, she and the mother-daughter duo watched cartoons before taking Nola out for her martial-arts class. She was one week away from earning a yellow belt, but Mandy insisted they take her out for ice cream anyway- as an early celebration, and because she was craving the seasonal Pumpkin Spice flavor.

Dinner went without any complaints for lil miss Nola, as she couldn't taste the difference between a turkey burger and a regular burger. She almost finished her plate; save for a couple of fries that she asked her mother to save in the fridge. As a reward for finishing her meal, Nola got to run into her room early, which left the adults alone at the dinner table.

"What do you think? I should blend some veggies into her mac & cheese, next?" Sam said, triumphant over besting the picky eater.

"My mom used to force me to eat everything off my plate or I went to bed hungry," Mandy's lavender painted lips slithered into a smirk, "You could try that!"

"Now that's just cruel!" Sam choked on a laugh, "Sometimes kids just don't like certain things. I still hate liver, and I tried it so many times!"

"Right? That's what I tried telling her, but all I could say was, "I hate you!"" That earned a harder laugh out of Sam, which was Mandy's intention. "When do you have to return to the office again?" she abruptly changed topics, now that she knew Sam's guard was down.

"Thursday."

"Really?" That was a full four days of freedom!

"They're granting me more time to recover from this past week. You know how rough it's been...When I get back, it's bound to be even harder too. So, I'll take what I can get." Sam stabbed a french fry with her fork and stuck it inside her mouth, mindfully chewing its crunchy texture.

A light, "Oh..." left Mandy's lips, but otherwise she held her tongue.

"Hey Mandy?" Sam said after swallowing the fry, "How long have we been together?"

"Huh?" Mandy snapped from her intrusive thoughts, "Five years on the 15th. Why?"

Women's intuition is a real thing. It's the heightened sense of observation and emotional awareness that is carried in every female. Just as Mandy asked her question, her intuition came to life. It tapped her on the shoulder and whispered, "You walked right into the trap!" with a mocking howl.

"Five years is enough time for me to read you like a book," Sam stated, "and according to that beautiful face, you're thinking about something. So, what's up?"

Fine. She wanted the truth? She was gonna get the truth.

Mandy's rage reignited, scorched up her body, up her vocal cords, and out came a flame.

"You really didn't show up yesterday...I keep thinking about that. Eight o' clock, you said. I will be there- eight on the dot," Mandy's jaw relaxed after keeping it unknowingly tense the entire dinner, "You know, I had to cancel our reservation."

"You reserved something for us?" Sam placed her fork on the table, a flash of regret glimmered in her eyes, "Oh babe, I told you not to! Things were still up in the air."

"You promised me. Nothing is more certain than that!"

"Yeah, but-" Sam paused, taking in her partner's mournful words. More shimmer coated her eyes, "I guess you are right. That shouldn't have been taken lightly. I'm sorry."

Mandy glared down at her empty plate. These emotions were taxing; why did she have to feel them so deeply?

A handful of silence passed, and then Sam said, "If only I sent that text sooner..."

"What text?" the troubled woman knew exactly what message she was referring to. The same one she swiped away in the early morning, and later deleted without bothering to peek at.

"I suppose the WIFI was a bit shaky yesterday, but I tried sending you a message saying that the ninjas broke into the lab again." Sam's face dulled as she continued, "They found a way to hypnotize me and my peers. They tricked us into stealing our own experiments for them, while having the mind controlling device drain all our energy to live. That energy would be converted into dark magic for their lab, making us a part of their terrible scheme. Luckily, WHOOP got word that we were in serious trouble and sent agents to save us. I swear, the agents they send get younger and younger..."

The dark-haired woman across the table left her mouth agape; an icy sensation wrapping around her heart, strangling it dry.

"You're finished with your plate, babe?" Time seemed to skip as Sam stood in front of Mandy, who was quietly sitting in her seat, "Let me get that for you." The ginger woman collected the dirty plates and utensils before walking over to the dishwasher to store them in.

How could she be so cruel? To not open her text, to not understand that the life of an agent doesn't stop after retirement. Sam will always have a target on her back. This was exactly the type of chaos she wanted Sam to run away from.

It felt like yesterday when Mandy caught her girlfriend crying in front of the university library, late in the evening where only crickets were around to hear their conversation.

"I could've told you that asshole was bad news!" Mandy flipped her long hair, feeling a sense of pride after Sam confessed that her boyfriend dumped her after taking her virginity. Apparently, he and his buddies devised a plan to get with the smartest and most beautiful girl on campus, just to earn brownie points within their fraternity. "Senior year is the worst for those types of guys. They always try to get one last body down before graduation. They don't know how to act like a gentleman like Derrick!"

Sam didn't argue with that. She felt so stupid, crying in front of her sworn enemy. But if she told Clover and Alex, she'd be wrecked with embarrassment.

She couldn't let them down. Not like this.

"I have to drop out," Sam said, exhausted from tears.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic!" Mandy scoffed, "One heartbreak isn't worth giving up your degree. People will forget in no time."

"Not if I'm pregnant."

Mandy questioned if she was being pranked on some twisted TV show, because this wasn't Sam. This had to be a clone or a doppelganger who'd make such a mistake. Samantha Simpson was going to be the world's next groundbreaking Scientist- not an unwed mother.

Despite its significance, Mandy really couldn't say how the rest of that conversation went. Her mind went blank as she struggled to comfort Sam. All the teasing jabs about being broken up with flew out the window. A baby was a whole different ball game.

"Does he know?" was one of the few sentences Mandy remembered saying.

"Does it matter?," Sam replied, "He proved how little he cares about me. I can't expect him to change his mind because I'm pregnant."

"Well, maybe you don't have to be-" Mandy almost suggested that Sam take the "easy route" and forget this whole thing ever happened. Everybody knew that was a valid option for people who didn't want kids. But if Sam decided to do that, she wouldn't be contemplating dropping out. That decision never occurred in Sam's mind, because she believed making a mistake involves dealing with the consequences.

Other people could go ahead with that path and she wouldn't blame them, but her standards were higher for herself. Samantha Simpson was going to be the world's next groundbreaking Scientist- but now she will only be a mother, and that was no one's fault but her own. Sam was a righteous person, too much for Mandy's liking.

The aspiring student dropped out shortly after that conversation and didn't tell her best friends. Only Mandy knew why she did it. When the girls confronted her for information, all she said was, "Good riddance! I couldn't stand another year with that egotistical brainiac!"

Years went by before she'd see Sam again. Years of studying, internships, moving to New York to start a career as a Journalist. They were fun times, yet Mandy always wondered what happened to Sam. The risk of being murdered was the only way they could've ever reunited.

"EEK!" Mandy dashed in the streets of Times Square, heavy bags of designer clothes weighing her arms down as she was being chased by a villain that terrorized the city. Her 'Louboutin' heels could only withstand being pressed onto gum-stained cement for so long before it gave way and rolled Mandy's ankle, throwing her to the ground and scattering her newly bought outfits. Her arm landed in a puddle of mysterious liquid, which made the shopper whine in disgust, and this allowed the villain to approach her faster on his flying skateboard.