Disclaimer: Usual one, don't own but like to play here.
This story takes place before and after Fathers, Dads, and Daddys. They are separate but they work around each other.
First Times: Dates, Drives, and Kisses
Two weeks before Christmas Break 1989
Katie Amille was sitting at the kitchen table of the Stetson/King home pleading with her best friend as Lee and Amanda as well as her own mother came walking in to catch the end of an intense conversation.
"Jamie come on you know you want to do it. Just suck it up and do it already. I have worked hard for this and I think I should enjoy the benefits of my labor."
Lee held up his hand and motioned for the two women to listen.
"Katie I love you and know that but I am not doing this in front of you. I can handle my own business in this matter."
"I just want to watch; geez Jamie it is no big deal people do it all the time." Constance took this opportunity to make her presence known and that the conversation was over. Jamie was relieved to see the three adults walk in the room.
"Are you ready to go home?" She asked her daughter.
"Yeah, I guess I have done all the damage I can do here. Dotty came and dropped the twins off and they fell asleep."
Jamie and Lee had gone to the den and Lee asked Jamie "Is everything alright? I hate to say we heard part of that conversation and I have to say I am a little curious as to what Katie wants to watch you do that people do all the time."
The embarrassment in his face couldn't be hidden as Jamie said, "Katie she just pushes too far some times. Her heart I am sure is in the right place but ya see Lee well…"
Lee sat and watched Jamie stumble over his words for a few minutes until he couldn't take it anymore, "Are you sure you belong to Amanda? I can't get her to stop talking some days and I can't get you to start talking. Now what is this all about? I don't want to think that all these times we have trusted you two to be alone in the house haven't been for nothing. Is there anything at all going on between you and Katie?"
Jamie's eyes got real big and he quickly said, "Lee, no it isn't like that. Brittany Adams and Katie are friends. Brittany is in my English Lit class and she is on the swim team with Katie and Katie overheard her talking about me, so Katie says, and that Brittany wants me to take her to the dance. Katie said she wanted to be there when I asked her and I told her no, if I was going to at all."
"Do you want to ask this girl out to the dance?" Lee asked thanking God silently that it wasn't what it sounded like; he really had to get his mind out of the gutter. Jamie nodded that he did in fact want to ask the girl out and then went on to explain, "Who wouldn't Lee; she is beautiful. She has red hair and blue eyes and she is smart and nice to everyone. She is also out of my league. She is really rich and goes to all these fancy parties and knows all these popular boys."
"Didn't you say that she wanted you to ask her to the dance? Jamie, I use to be fourteen and trust me it doesn't get any easier with age when you like someone and want to ask them out. If you really like her, regardless of what anyone tells you, if you really like her then call her and ask her out. Girls and women only have one of two answers, yes or no, and if the answer is no than that is the worst. I have learned that in any situation if you know the worst then it can't defeat you. Just call the girl."
Jamie just nodded and then said "Lee thanks." Jamie left and Lee heard him on the phone and went to find his wife who was changing clothes. "Looks tempting too bad we don't have a date tonight."
"No, just a typical night in the spy family; so what was going on with Jamie and Katie?"
"Just like I had thought would happen between them, dating trouble." The look on Amanda's face was priceless and he wondered how long he could drag this joke out. It didn't last long.
"Really; they don't seem like that to me. I mean I see their friendship but I don't see them dating, Jamie doesn't really seem to be her type."
Now it was Lee's turn to raise a curious eyebrow and say, "Who said she had a type of any kind; she was just trying to set Jamie and a friend of hers up and wanted to watch as he asked her out."
"Oh, that makes more sense. Katie is a fifteen year old girl; she has a type." She walked out of the room to go get the twins up from their nap and Lee followed and said, "What is her type Amanda?"
"I see her going more for brawn than brain in a guy."
"She is not a jock junkie Amanda, she is smarter than that." Lee grabbed a diaper and began to change Matthew as she got started with Jennifer.
"I don't know it is just a feeling I have, maybe she will be like Constance and go for brain and brawn, Stetson, how could she go wrong with that?" Amanda left him starring disbelieving at Matt as she took Jennie out of the room with her to go and start dinner. Lee looked at Matt and said, "Over my dead body." Matt just laughed at his dad.
By the time everyone was downstairs Jamie was off the phone and Lee looked at him and just smiled and said, "Uh, Mom, can you drive me and a friend to the movies Saturday?"
"Saturday, sure my boss will be out of town so I won't be working this weekend." She looked at Lee and smiled. "What movie are you going to see?"
"It doesn't matter; it's my first date." He stated smiling from ear to ear.
The Monday after his first date with Brittney, Jamie was walking to the office when he went walking by the art class room. He knew Katie's desk was next to the door what he didn't know was at that moment Katie was running out of class and hit him with the door. "Hey, what is going on?" Jamie said and then realized it was Katie and he went after her.
"Katie what happened? Are you okay?"
"I hate her, she is such a bitch. Look at this, Karen Toms ruined my mid-term project on purpose and when I confronted her about it Mr. Still told me to go to the office like it was my fault. I just can't believe this."
"Calm down; I was heading that way anyway."
"Why; you never do anything wrong?"
"I think it has to do with the photo essay. Philip says I should ask Dad to go?"
"I am sure Lee would go if you asked; why wouldn't he?"
Jamie stopped and looked at her funny and he said, "Philip meant Joe not Lee."
"Oh, I thought you two had decided to start calling Lee dad?" She asked as they got to the door of the office.
"I'll talk to you later about it."
They went into the office and went their separate ways. Jamie didn't have time to think about Katie and their conversation until lunchtime when he saw Philip and Katie fighting two tables over. Brittany walked over to Jamie and asked, "What is the deal with your brother and Katie?"
"I don't know; they get along great when she is over at the house."
Brittany looked and said, "Is she there a lot?"
"Yeah, she stays with us whenever her mom and stepdad has to go out of town or if she is babysitting the twins or just watching the game with us. We meet her two years ago right before they moved here; her mom and my step dad are friends."
"Oh, so what do you think they are fighting about?"
"If I know Katie the entire school will know if Philip keeps pushing her buttons her like that."
As if on cue Katie's voice could be heard in the entire cafeteria, "Philip King if you want to be that stupid and believe everything that bitch tells you than I understand why your last report card was crap."
Philip looked her in the eye and said, "From where I'm standing Karen isn't the bitch." He then stormed off and when he saw Jamie he walked over and said to his younger brother, "You need to talk to your friend."
Jamie and Brittany both had tried to call Katie afterschool and when they couldn't reach her they had just agreed to talk to her before school the next day. When she wasn't at school the next day Jamie got really worried and called his mom at work during lunch.
"Lee Stetson can I help you?"
"Da, uh Lee I thought I was getting Mom's extension."
"Her class is running late; what do you need?"
Jamie knew how protective Lee was over Katie and he was worried about telling him that he couldn't get ahold of her.
"Jamie, come on what is it?"
"Katie had a really rough day at school yesterday and I tried calling her last night and she didn't answer and she wasn't at school today and I was worried. I thought maybe Mom could call and see if she was okay."
"I will call and I will let you know what is going on. Jamie you know she is a girl and they have a tendency to over react and …"
"Are you sure you want to finish that sentence, Scarecrow?"
"Gotta go; now Amanda you only heard part of the conversation and what did we talk about with assumptions?"
"What was that all about?" As he was bringing Amanda up to speed on what Jamie was worried about he began to dial Constance's office phone and after a few moments on the phone Lee hung up and Amanda looked at him and asked, "Is everything okay?"
"Fine, Constance said that after supper last night Katie began to get sick and they were in the emergency room most of the night; Katie has the flu. So she is at home, in bed, and taking her antibiotic for the next week."
"Jamie will be relieved. I tell you what Stetson that little girl has really gotten under your skin; I don't know who is more protective of her you or Jamie."
Lee took her in his arms and said, "Hey, I would never change the fact that you are the mother of my children, all four of them, but Katie does mean a lot to me; more than I ever thought she would. Are you okay with that?"
"Yes of course I am Lee, she loves you and you two have something special and she needs that. She is lucky to have you. I love her too; she is a great girl. I have to leave early so I will drive over and check on her before I get the twins from Mother and will you be making a presence at the dinner table tonight?"
"I am sure going to try, but I am not making any promises; I'll call if I won't be home."
One Week after Christmas 1989
Philip King stood in his room finishing getting ready for the winter formal. Lee had taken Jamie and him to get their tuxes and flowers for their dates and then he had to leave right after they had gotten home. Philip remembered the conversation on Christmas Eve when he had asked to drive the corvette to the dance.
Philip spoke up next and shyly asked, "Dad, do you think since I have my license now that I could drive to the dance?"
Dotty looked at Amanda when Philip called Lee 'Dad' and Amanda just nodded in her direction and the two women smiled and continued to listen as the teenage pleaded his case to Lee.
"Well, if your mother or I are picking up Katie and her friends then I think you won't have anything to drive." Lee said knowing what was coming next.
"I could drive the corvette, couldn't I?"
Lee's fork stopped in midair and Katie said, "Uh, I have seen that look before. You have a better chance at making a half-court shot than driving his corvette honey."
Philip looked at Katie and said, "No one asked you, sweetheart."
She just laughed at him and Lee said, "Well I will have to consider it and let you know."
Amanda raised her eyebrows and said, "It isn't a no at least Philip."
He looked at himself in the mirror and knew that it was a long shot but he had at least asked and while he wasn't told no, Lee did have the corvette with him and it wasn't looking like he would be getting it for the dance. The knock on the door startled him out of his fantasy of transportation, "Come in."
Lee walked in and didn't say a word but the look in his eye spoke volumes to Philip as he set the keys on his nightstand and then turned and walked out. Philip walked over and picked the keys up and put them in his pocket. He practically floated down the stairs when he saw Jamie and Katie in the kitchen talking; he walked in and said, "What's going on in here; it looks like someone is ready to party."
"I was trying to help Katie get her necklace on and I can't do anything with that tiny clasp. Mom is next door and I think Dad is upstairs."
"Come here Katie let me help you." Philip took the necklace that Lee had gotten her for Christmas and within a minute he had the necklace clasped and in place for her. He barely heard her say thank you. He figured she was still mad at him over Karen; he dropped the subject a few days after that but he just didn't know what problem Katie had with Karen. Karen at times Philip thought could be a bit dramatic but she wasn't a bitch.
Amanda came in and took her pictures and Philip said, "Mom, I have got to go before Dad changes his mind about the car." Amanda laughed as he came and kissed her cheek and headed out to the waiting corvette.
Philip got in and before he even turned the key he knew what this had meant. His Dad, Lee Stetson, trusted him. He really trusted him and he wasn't going to blow that trust for anything. He started the engine and sat a minute as the engine purred and he knew it was going to be the best night. As he was pulling out of the driveway and headed in the direction of the Toms home, he couldn't get the grin off his face. He loved the feel of the way it handled as it turned the corners.
Karen seemed impressed as he held the door open for her. "This is your Dad's car? What does he do again?"
Philip without thinking twice said, "He makes film documentaries."
"Wait a minute; I thought you said he was a lawyer?" She asked as she looked over the interior of the car. Philip tensed a little at her comment. He hadn't talked to Joe King since Christmas Eve and he wasn't sure if he was comfortable enough to talk about this with her.
"My father is a lawyer; the car belongs to my dad. Now let's go and have some fun." He said as they arrived at the dance. He held the door open for her and as Karen got out of the car she said, "Oh, my, she came? I knew she wouldn't be with anyone; who would go with that loser anyway." Philip looked in the direction Karen was and saw Katie and her two other friends getting out of the car. As he was closing the door to the car; he looked at Katie and thought to himself, 'I know someone who would if she didn't think he was just some jock with a low IQ'.
The dance was in full swing when he found Jamie and Brittany sitting at a table. He noticed that she didn't look so great. "Is everything okay here, bro?"
"Brittany must have gotten the flu, we are just going to wait for her mom to come and get us."
Brittany put her hand on Jamie's arm and said, "No, you can't leave. Please stay and have fun. I don't want to ruin tonight for you."
"That is sweet but I wanted to spend time at this dance with my girlfriend and if she is going to be going home then I don't need to be here." He said smiling back at her.
"Did you just call me your girlfriend Jamie King?"
"Yes I did; is that okay?"
"More than okay; I would kiss you but I don't want you to get sick too."
Philip slapped Jamie on that back and said, "Not bad, little bro. I hope you feel better Brittany, I guess I should go and find my date." Philip spotted Karen at a table with a few of her friends and he headed in their direction. On the way he saw Katie on the dance floor dancing with a guy from one of his classes Jonathon something or another; he felt a twinge in his stomach. He wished he didn't, she looked so happy. He stood watching as she continued to dance and as the song ended she turned and noticed him looking over at her; she smiled and then walked off the floor to go back by her friends.
Philip made it back to the table with his date and asked if she wanted to dance and as he lead her out to the floor he noticed that Katie was dancing again with Jonathon Goins; it was a slower song than a moment ago and he saw Jonathon go and slip his hand to her butt and her push his hands away.
"Philip, are you even listening to me?" Karen looked in the direction he was and saw exactly what he was looking at. "Philip look at me. I want to make one thing very clear; I am your date, not her. She may be a little friendship project for you, but you can do your charity somewhere else."
Philip looked in her eyes and asked, "Hey, did you really destroy her mid-term art project?"
"It wasn't like it was any good anyway. I did the teacher a favor by getting that thing out of the class." She said with a smile on her face. At that moment Jonathon bent down to kiss Katie and she pulled away and as he pulled her back to him; Philip noticed that Jonathon's watch caught on Katie's necklace and it broke and fell to the floor. He saw Katie push Jonathon and bend over to pick up her necklace and when Jonathon made a rude gesture that Katie didn't see; Philip went over and turned him around and punched him in the jaw.
Katie stood holding her necklace in her hand and staring at Philip like he had lost his mind. It didn't go unnoticed as Philip saw the look in her eyes and he just said, "What?!" Then as he went and turned to leave Jonathon pushed him and connected with Philip's lip and he tasted the blood before he lifted his leg in a round house kick landing in the center of Jonathon's chest. By that time the floor had cleared and the Principal was over by the boys finding out what had happened and why. Jonathon was getting back on his feet and said, "I don't know; I was just dancing and he came over and went all Bruce Lee on me."
"Mr. King, do you have an explanation for your actions?"
"He was making rude advances to a friend of mine or at least it looked that way." He looked at Katie to verify his story and she nodded in agreement and then darted her eyes to the floor. He saw she was embarrassed by everyone looking at her, but he couldn't seem to take his eyes off her; he hadn't all night.
"Very well, we will take care of this when you return to school, but because of your fighting you will have to leave the dance; both of you." The principal said pointing to the two boys. Philip just nodded and went to tell Karen he had to leave and she told him, "If you would have just left her to fight her own battle you would still be here. I am not leaving, have a nice night."
"You know what Karen, Katie was right you are a real bitch." He went to leave and he felt a hand on his arm and he turned and saw Katie looking at him with that same confused look on her face.
"I have to leave what do you want?" He asked her.
"A ride back to the house."
"What about your friends?"
"They have a ride so can I catch a ride with you?"
"Sure."
He drove in silence and then before he could help it he yelled, "What in the hell were you doing with him? Have you not heard the stories about Jonathon? He is only about sex."
"It was just a dance and I have heard the same about you."
"What do you mean?"
Playing with an imaginary thread on her dress she said, "Girls talk just as much as boys do. If you don't want people to know your business, then don't do things with girls that tell all about their dates."
Philip just laughed and said, "Do you believe everything you hear?"
"Well if you hear the stories enough I guess I just thought…"
"See, you were thinking, because I thought you knew me and the people that raised me, than you would know that I am nothing like that."
"Philip, you date a new girl every two weeks, if that long; what else is a person to believe?"
"That you know your friend better than that. I mean crap Katie I haven't even kissed a girl yet. Jamie has a better chance at kissing Brittany before I ever kiss a girl."
"What, you haven't?"
Philip pulled into the driveway and walked around to let her out and lock the car. He walked toward the house and she followed. He heard her calling his name and he took in a big breath as he walked in the house and came face to face with Lee the second he opened the door. Lee noticed the busted lip and dried blood on the tux and then his eyes went to the girl behind him and the necklace in her hand.
"Is everything okay, son?" Lee asked.
"The car is fine here are the keys and thanks for letting me drive it Dad." Philip handed Lee the keys and walked up the stairs to change out of his clothes. A couple of hours later he went downstairs and told his side of what happened at the dance; assuming Katie already had her own debriefing by that time.
Lee and Amanda listened to his side and then said it was getting late and maybe things would seem better in the morning. "Goodnight Mom, Dad; I am just going to have some juice and then I will go to bed. Thanks for understanding Mom."
"You were defending a friend; why don't you let her understand."
He drank his juice and then went in the den to find Katie digging through her duffle bag, "What are you looking for?"
"My sweatshirt, I can't find it anywhere and I am cold."
"Hang on," he went and a few minutes he returned with one of his sweatshirts and he handed it to her, "Mom probably has it in the washer, you go home tomorrow."
"Can you tell me what I have done to make you so mad the last few weeks? I mean really Philip. We have been good friends I thought since we met and then here lately it seems like we can be great friends here but at school I can't say anything without you getting ticked off at me."
How was he supposed to tell her that seeing her with another boy, even his brother at times, made him so mad and upset? He sat down across from her in the chair and said, "Katie we are friends and that is why I did what I did tonight; Jonathon was making some very rude gestures to you and I didn't like it."
"Okay I get that but the last two weeks I don't understand at all Philip. You can't have our friendship both ways. We are either friends or we aren't; both here and at school."
His frustration was getting to him and he stood and began to pace the room; trying to figure out how he going to explain to her what he was thinking and feeling. How do teenagers survive this to make it to what Mom and Dad have he thought as he looked at her; knowing she wanted an answer?
"I am not smart like Jamie and yourself but I am far from dumb or stupid. No, I was wrong about Karen and didn't believe you about your art project but it was hard to believe. I just couldn't think of one reason she would do that to your project. For that I will I am sorry because as your friend I should have believed you, but it really bothered me when you made that crack about my grades."
"I know; I felt bad about that and I apologized for that Philip."
"I know you did and it was done and over with, then Mom asked if you were going to the dance with someone and you said no. Why didn't you; I know that more than one person asked you?"
He was now sitting next to her on the couch and staring into her eyes and she couldn't run from him. He hardly heard her when she said, "The one person I really wanted to ask me didn't."
"Did he know it was an option?" He asked as he touched her hand; hoping he was reading her right.
"Have you really never kissed a girl before?"
"Is it an option?" He leaned in closer and hoped he wasn't wrong.
He wasn't.