Amanda Stetson was sitting in the Q-Bureau finishing up a report before she left to go home for the night. Lee had stayed home that day because of a stomach virus the family had been passing around. Amanda had it last week so it was Lee's turn. Just when she was grabbing her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk the phone rang.

"Q-Bureau, Amanda speaking"

"Hey sweetheart I just wanted to know if you would be home for dinner. said the sick voice of her husband"

"I was just on my way out the door when you called. I did not expect you to be asking about food this soon after last night."

Amanda started to get a little sick to her stomach thinking about what Lee had went through the night before.

"Well I'm not hungry I just wanted to make sure you would be home to make the kids dinner. Other wise I was going to order a pizza"

"No don't do that I will be home soon depending on how bad the traffic is. It was terrible this morning."

"Ok see you when you get home"

"Ok good-bye"

She hung up the phone and headed towards the door. She reached for the knob right when it started to turn.

"Billy I was just leaving. said Amanda is a exasperated tone."

"Don't worry Amanda I'm not up here to give you an assignment I just though I would come up and ask how the family is doing."

"Well Lee's sick as you know and I really should go relieve him from the kids"

"Yeah that is probably a good idea. Six kids and being sick don't go together I would imagine.

"You have got that right. Now would you exuse me I have a family that is actually hungry at home"

Billy smiled as he watched Amanda walk down the hallway. He still cant believe that Amanda and Lee have been married for almost 11 years. Where does time go he thought.

The Stetson household was in an uproar when Amanda walked in the door. She could tell the kids had taken advantage of there Dad's condition. There was verious toys all over the den and a huge mess in the kitchen.

"Ok everybody stop what your doing. yelled Amanda at the top of her lungs"

At this outburst seven sets of eyes were on her.

"Uh oh were busted said ten year old Matthew to his sister"

"Would someone explain to me what is going on here said Amanda while moving her hand around as if to show the mess"

Neither of the kids knew what to say they just looked from the mess to each other and back to their mother. At that moment Lee stood up and walked over to Amanda

"I'm sorry Manda I did not mean for this to happen I just had no energy to get them to stop."

"Lee I'm not mad at you. Your sick and you had enough on your mind to keep your lunch down let alone watch six children. Right now I'm upset with you guys she pointed to the kids sitting around the TV. You should have known better Matthew and Jenny. You are suppose to be a role model for the younger kids. So tonight after dinner you are going to clean this all up. All of you. Then you will be going to bed early and think about how you acted. Right now go up stairs and clean up for dinner I got Chinese food on the way home"

Just the word Chinese food made Lee feel sick to his stomach.

"I think I will go upstairs while you guys eat. I can already smell the food from the bag and its not doing much to help my stomach feel better."

"Ok sweetheart I will come up stairs with you after the kids get the house clean"

After dinner Amanda sat at the counter and watched while Jenny and Matthew cleaned the kitchen.

"What did you guys do in here to make it so messy asked Amanda looking around the room"

"Well Jenny insisted that we make cookies since we did not have anymore said Matthew while he scrubbed the cookie dough from the counter"

"Hey wait a minute I said I wanted cookies but I was going to wait to make them tonight when mom was home. You were the one that said why wait I've made cookies before it can't be to hard."

"Ok kids no fighting you are both at falt. I don't care who started it or who finished it. All I know is you both did it. Now keep cleaning and no talking."

*****

"So much for getting them to bed early said Amanda out loud as she walked into her bedroom."

It was after 9:00pm before the whole house was clean again. Those kids really know how to make a mess she thought.

"Hey sweetheart how are you feeling asked Amanda while she sat down on the bed?

Lee was sitting up in bed reading a sports car magazine and did not even hear her come in the room.

"You must feel better since your sitting up continued Amanda not noticing that he was not listening to her."

"Huh? what did you say Amanda?"

"I just asked you how you were feeling"

"Oh sorry I did not hear you. I'm actually feeling a lot better thanks for asking said Lee with a smile"

"what are you reading that have gotten you so distracted. asked Amanda with curiosity?"

"I found an article about classic porches. Man do I wish I still had mine. It would sure be worth a lot by this point. Then I could help pay off those bills that keep pileing up on the counter.

"Lee lets not get into that again. We are doing fine money wise. I mean it may seem like we are stretching a little right now, but we just had Christmas and Christmas with eight children would do that to anybody's banck account

"Amanda come on you know its worse then that. Did you forget that we had to ask your mother and Captain Kurt for money last month, just so we coud pay the mortgage payment. Amanda I really think I should see if that administration job is still open that Billy has been bugging me to take. I would be making a lot more money. I mean Manda wouldn't it be nice to be able to do something fun with the kids, with what we are making now we are barley able to make it from day to day let alone do something extra.

"Lee you hate desk jobs thet is why we have said no the last three times Billy asked you to take the job. I mean extra money would be nice to have but Lee I need you to be happy, and if you take this desk job you will not be happy. Which makes the whole family's life a living Hell."

The couple just looked at each other for a minute or so not sure what to say next. Lee was just about to voice his opinion when there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"From outside the door they could hear Jamie's voice. Mom, Lee can I come in?"

"Of course come in said both adults"

"What did we do to deserve this visit asked Amanda as Jamie walked into the room?"

Jamie was finishing his senior year at the University of Virginia and these days only came around the house about once a month.

"Do I have to have a reason to come visit my family? I just missed my little brothers and sisters. Isent that a good enough reason"

"Of course sweetheart , but we just did not expect to see you at 9:30 on a Tuesday night thet is all. said Amanda with a little concern in three voice"

Another knock on the door made everyone turn and see little Cindy pulling a nice looking young woman into the room.

"Mommy look who I found in the kitchen said the little girl with a huge smile on her face"

Jamie looked down at his feet nervously.

"Mom, Lee I would like you to meet Shellie, my girlfriend."

"Very nice to meet you Shellie said Amanda and shook the young womens hand"

In the process of shaking hands Amanda started to notice why Jamie was so nervous about his family meeting this girl. She was obviously at least 5 months pregnant by the look of the buldge of her stomach.

"Umm and Mom I would also like you to meet my son said Jamie while putting a hand on Shellie's stomach.

TO BE CONTINUED



Amanda was sure she was going to faint but she had to make sure she heard her son right. Lee was the first to speak up.

"Jamie are you telling us you got Shellie pregnant?'

"Yeah Lee thats exactly what I'm saying said Jamie finding his shoes more interesting then the hurt expressions on his parents face. Jamie a long time ago decided that Amanda and Lee were his parents. Even though Lee was not his real father he was more of a father then Joe was.

"Cindy honey why don't you go show Shellie your new Barbie sugjested Lee trying to find a way to talk to his son alone"

"Ok Shellie come with me said Cindy grabbing Shellie's hand and pulling her out the door"

After the girls left nobody spoke. Nobody knew where to start. This was a new situation for everyone. Even Lee who had been in many different situations this was one he had never came across.

"Somebody please tell me what your thinking cried Jamie."

"Jamie you don't want to know what I'm thinking said Lee in an angry tone. Jamie do you have any idea what you did"

"Lee I know very well what I did. And you should not be talking Lee. You had probably a million women before mom. You just were lucky not to get them knocked up. shouted Jamie"

"Hold it right there young man yelled Amanda. You are in no position right now to bad mouth Lee. And you may be and adult now and can make your own decitions but this one was really stupid on your part Jamie. What in the world were you thinking?"

"He wasent said Lee under his breath"

"Well there is nothing I can do about it now. So you will just have to live with it cried Jamie"

Lee looked from Amanda and back to Jamie not sure what he should say. He had been a father for 10 years now not counting the 1st year with just Phillip and Jamie and right now he just felt stuck. He thought of himself to be a good Dad, but now he was not sure. Where did I fail thought Lee. I had that "talk" with Jamie a long time ago why would he do this."

"Your right Jamie we do have to live with it but what I want to know is why havent you told us this before. Shellie looks to be around 5 months pregnant. Jamie you did not even tell us you had a girlfriend. said Amanda with hurt in her eyes."

Jamie knew he had to tell the whole story but was not sure how his mother would take it. She was already so disapointed in him what would she think if she knew Shellie was a one night stand gone wrong. He knew very well what his mom thought about sex before marrage. And he knew Lee now agreed with her. Now why hadent he told them before. Well becaues he only found out a few days ago. He ran into a very pregnant Shellie at the Library. Shellie looked at him in suprize and started to cry. Jamie thought he had hurt her and started to make sure she was alright. Then she grabed him and gave him a huge hug. About five minutes later he was a father. Now he had to tell his parents this. How does anyone get throught this thought Jamie.

"Jamie are you going to answer your mother's question asked Lee"

"Alright here it goes but its not going to help things. What i'm about to tell you will only make things worse"

"Just tell us son and we will be the judge of that"

"Ok to answer your first question, I did not tell you sooner because I have only known myself sense Sunday night."

"How could you have not known Jamie? I could tell right away that she was pregnant. Shes your girlfriend i'm sure you would know these things asked Lee in a sceptical voice"

"Well she's not really my girlfriend said Jamie in a low voice that you could barly hear"

"What do you mean shes not really your girlfriend. She's pregnant with your baby insent she"

"Yes but that does not mean she has to be my girlfriend. Lee you should know that better then anyone. said Jamie in an angry voice"

"Jamie please just tell me what your trying to say cried Amanda. Right now I have no idea what your talking about"

"I met Shellie at a bar about 6 months ago. We had a few drinks together and talked. We left together and went back to my apartment. We slept together all night mom. When I woke up the next day she was gone and left a note saying how much fun she had and she thanked me. She did not leave her name or number becaues she said in her note that she was embarassed that she would go home with someone and did not think she could look me in the eye again. Well I forgot about her over the next 6 months and then last Sunday I had to go to the public library to find a book. I was in the History section and we ran smak dab into each other. She started to cry and I thought I had hit her. I knew that she looked really pregnant but it did not even occure to me that it could be my baby. Then she sat me down and said that is must have been fait that I showed up at that library that day. And well we talked for about 2 hours and I knew I had to help her. We both had never done that before and felt really bad about it. So we dicided to try actually dating and try to give our baby as normal of a life as we could under the surcomstances.

Amanda was shocked. She could not desided to be angery with Jamie or really proud for how he handled himself. Well maybe proud was the wrong word but she was happy that he is trying to handle the situation. He was a grown man after all and she needed to treat him like one. He was her baby boy for so long it had been hard for her to let him go.

"Lee i'm sorry for getting so angry earlyer I just felt so bad because I had alway thought a little less of you because I knew you had, had many one night stands. And look at me now I went off and got my one night stand pregnant. How did you manage not to do that over the years? asked Jamie"

Lee was not really sure how he was going to answer that question but just went with the first thing that poped into his mind

"Its called protection Jamie. I learned over the years that protection was my good friend. Plus most of the woman I had been with did this kind of thing all the time and was on brith control."

"Mom are you really disapointed in me"

"Jamie I will not lie to you and say i'm not because I am. You may have not grown up with a father until you were already a teenager but I thought Lee had gotten into your lives in enough time. We both talked to you on this matter and I was sure we had gotten through to you that sex is not something you just mess with."

"It is more complicated then just going out and doing it Jamie. From which you have figured out that hard way. sighed Lee" You are not a little boy anymore Jamie so there is nothing we can do about this. You were old enough to go out and make your own choices so that makes you old enough to be able to handle this. The thing about sex is as soon as you do it you are telling yourslef your ready to handle what is to come. And Jamie no matter how much you would like it to go away your a father now. Which I might add is the best thing that has ever happend to me. said Lee with a smile"

Amanda smiled back at Lee and took both men into a great big hug.

"I love both of you so much I hated it when your in pain..

She was interupted by a knock on the door. Shellie poked her head in the door.

"Uh Jamie sorry to inturupt you guys but I'm getting kind of tired if you would not mind I would like to head home."

Lee could not help but smile at this young woman. She was a very pretty girl, blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes. Somebody I probably would have went for 12 years ago thought Lee.

"Shellie if you would not mind I would like to take you home. Smiled Amanda. If this girl was going to be like part of the family she needed to get to know her better.

"Are you sure Mrs. Stetson. I dont want to be a burden on you."

"It would be no trouble. We need to get to know each other better"

Amanda and Shellie walk out of the room leaving Lee and Jamie alone in the bedroom.

To be continued