Brand New Journey
Chapter 2
When Amanda got home finally she heard yelling and crying! Dotty was coming in from the patio and remarked loudly, "What on earth is going on here? I just went to check on the plants and it sounds like World War Three!"
Amanda shut the front door and came into the family room and yelled to Phillip, "Hey! What's wrong?!"
Phillip yelled back above the din, "Mom, we were watching our space show and Kelly here wanted to watch "Sesame Street" and we told her no and the flipout started! How long is she gonna be here anyway?"
Amanda shook her head and yelled back, "You two head upstairs and do your homework! If it's already done, then go in my room and watch your show! Move it!"
Phillip and Jamie glared at Kelly upon leaving and going upstairs, grumbled about too many girls in the house all of a sudden!
Amanda scooped up a whimpering Kelly from the floor and placed her on the couch. Kissing her forehead she stated, "I'll be back Sweetie, okay?"
As Dotty went into the kitchen to wash her hands Amanda asked her, "Mother? Do we still have that rocker from when the boys were little?"
Dotty responded drying her hands,"I believe so, Dear. Check the cellar."
Amanda nodded and headed down the cellar steps.
Dotty went into the cupboards and at last found a plastic cup with a lid and pulling it out queried, "Kelly? Would you like some juice and a cookie?"
Kelly nodded slowly and got off the couch to join Dotty in the kitchen. Dotty settled her into a chair and gave her the juice with a straw and a cookie.
She then went into the family room to get Kelly's coloring book and crayons and came back to the table to sit next to her and smiled asking, "Feel better?"
Kelly nodded and Dotty touched her cheek responding, "Good. Now, would you like to show me some of your pictures in here?"
While they were looking at the book Amanda brought up the rocker commenting, "Boy, this thing sure is dirty but it won't take long to clean it up."
She then saw Dotty and Kelly at the table and it brought back a time when the boys were doing the same thing with their grandmother.
Shaking her head she got a damp cloth and began cleaning all the dirt off of the rocker and then dried it with a paper towel.
When she finished she stated, "Okay. Kelly? C'mere, Honey. I wanna talk to you."
Dotty looked at Amanda and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this now?"
Amanda shrugged and remarked, "No but the sooner the better, right?"
Dotty nodded and stated as she headed upstairs, "I'll just check on our boys."
Amanda nodded and replied, "Thank you, Mother."
Kelly came in and Amanda sat in the rocker putting Kelly in her lap and held her close commenting as she rocked slowly, "Kelly, did your grandma ever tell you about heaven?"
Meanwhile Dotty found the boys in Amanda's room watching TV and inquired, "How are you boys doing?"
Jamie turned off the TV and stated, "We were fine until what's-her-name showed up. Why is she here anyway, Grandma?"
Dotty sighed and joining her grandsons on the bed sat between them replied, "Fellas, listen to me. This girl has just lost her grandmother and we don't know where her other family is if she has one. Hopefully, we'll find them soon. In the meantime your mother and I need you to help us with her by being nicer and although it's hard, being patient with her. Remember, you both have me and always will. This little girl doesn't have that luxury any more. She's only three years old and it's going to be very difficult for her for quite a while. She will be using the den for the time being so could you please help us?"
Phillip and Jamie looked at each other and then slowly nodded and sighed stating together, "Okay, Grandma. We'll be nice."
Dotty gave them both hugs and remarked, "Thank you, Boys. Your mother and I appreciate it. Now, let's leave your mother be for a while because she's telling Kelly about the grandmother now."
Amanda was down in the family room with Kelly who in that moment queried, "What's heaven?"
Amanda kissed Kelly's index finger and pointing it upwards stated, "Well, it's a place way way up above the stars and sky. Everyone who gets sick and can't get well again go up there. It's a wonderful place because there's no pain or sadness for them any more. My daddy and grandparents are up there... and Sweetheart, so is your Grandma Rose. But you don't have to worry because she's glad right now that you're being looked after and she won't have to worry about you. Besides that, she's always in your heart no matter where you are or what you do even if she's not here like I am."
Noting her silence Amanda sighed and commented, "Kelly, I know it's hard to understand all this right now but I want you to know that it's okay to be sad and to miss her but it's also okay to be happy while you're here because she wants that for you, all right? Can you do that for her, huh?"
Kelly nodded and piped up asking, "Can I eat now?"
Amanda shrugged wondering if anything she just mentioned got through to her. Oh well, she thought getting up from the rocker, she is only three after all.
She took Kelly's hand as they walked into the kitchen and asked, "What would you like for dinner?"
Kelly answered excitedly, "S'ketti and cheese?"
Amanda giggled and remarked, " You mean Macaroni and cheese? Sure. Only let's have hot dogs with it, okay?"
Kelly clapped her hands happily responding, "Oh, boy!"
Dotty and the boys came downstairs and Dotty stated, "Well, someone sounds excited. What's up?"
Amanda smiled and answered,"Kelly's request for dinner is Mac and cheese with hot dogs."
Phillip shook his head stating, "Mom, we're a little old for that."
Amanda gestured to her boys and replied, "Okay then. What do you want?"
Phillip and Jamie looked at one another and then chimed together, "Burgers!"
Amanda sighed and then winked at Dotty quipping, "Okay, Mother. You fix the burgers, I'll fix Kelly's meal and then you and I will go out-"
The boys immediately protested responding, "Hey, Mom! Not fair! Let's go to Marvin's then!"
Amanda put up a hand and remarked, "Hey! I was teasing! Besides, I'm expecting a call. C'mon, let's get dinner ready."
So as the family bustled about and Kelly watched TV, Amanda hoped Lee would call soon with some answers about Kelly.
Lee meanwhile was in Billy's office wondering what news Billy had that he couldn't tell him over the phone.
Billy asked, "Do you want a drink?'
Lee shook his head and replied, "No, thanks. C'mon, Billy. What is it?"
Billy went to shut the blinds and lock the door. Next he went to the phone and dialed a number and when the party answered he stated, "No calls."
Hanging up he then went to fix himself a drink and sighed commenting, " Now I'll make my drink. I received a call earlier from the state penitentiary. There was a death by hanging. It was Eva Spinelli."
Lee chuckled slightly not believing what he just heard and remarked shaking his head again,"Yeah, right. And I just won the lottery. Trust me, she's behind bars where she belongs. C'mon, Billy."
As Billy finished making his drink he then decided to make one for Lee anyway. The man would definitely need it after this discussion.
Considering the history between Lee and Eva Spinelli, this wouldn't be easy despite Lee's insistence a while back that he was over her.
Bringing both drinks over he put Lee's down in front of him and then went to sit at his desk with Lee sitting across from him.
Continuing Billy opened his bottom right desk drawer and pulled out a manilla envelope and handing it to Lee stated, "I received this right before you called me. It's Eva's personal effects. The penitentiary had it sent here."
Lee opened the envelope warily suddenly having a strange feeling come over him and swallowed hard replying, "This is just another setup of hers. A snow job, pure and simple."
But as he emptied out the contents Lee was stunned at what he saw!
A bracelet he gave her for her birthday or Valentine's Day.. he couldn't recall at the moment.
Then two photos. One of them was of the pair outside a cafe in Milan and the other one was of an elderly woman and a baby. A baby? Finally, a white sealed envelope with her handwriting addressed to him!
Taking a large gulp of his drink he swallowed hard realizing what this meant and queried to Billy softly, "I take it Angelo doesn't know?"
Billy remarked, "I've sent word through a contact. He should be getting it soon but this really concerns you now, Son."
Lee noted the look Billy gave him and responded shakily, "No! No! You're wrong! Who's that woman with the baby? Can't you see that she lied again?! It can't be true! We-We weren't together that long before she up and married Angelo! For all we know, that baby could be his!"
Billy answered, "We did some digging and found out that the woman in that picture is Eva's mother, Rose Morgan. Rose adopted Eva and raised her and when Eva had the baby three years ago she had Rose raise her daughter, one Kelly Evelyn Morgan. When Eva was sent to prison last year, she arranged to have Rose and Kelly live near the father. I-I know it's a lot to take in Son, believe me-"
Lee stood up angrily his face ashen and he retorted, "No, it's not a lot to take in because it's garbage with a capital G! Can't you see that?!"
Billy put up his hand and cut him off and stated firmly, "All right! But there's still that letter. Now before you write off everything as being a complete lie, I suggest you take the letter home and read it thoroughly! I don't know what's in that letter, but it's some coincidence that an elderly woman with a baby-"
Lee stopped him suddenly and asked slowly, "Wait... What was that woman's name again?"
Billy shrugged and responded, "Rose Morgan. Why?"
Lee sank down in the chair and put his head in his hands sighing deeply as he bent down and stated, "Oh my God, no."
Billy worriedly looked at Lee and asked, "Lee, what is it?"
Lee brought his head up and finished his drink putting his glass down and remarked carefully, "The trouble in Amanda's neighborhood you had me check out? There was an elderly woman that died. Her three year old granddaughter is at Amanda's place right now. The woman's I.D. from her purse said Rose Morgan. The police told Amanda that the woman would be at the morgue until her family can be located and notified. I don't like this, Billy. I don't like it at all!"
Billy nodded and answered, "All the more reason for you to look at the letter. It just may be the piece that solves this puzzle. Has Amanda told the girl about the grandmother yet?"
Lee shook his head responding, "I don't think so, yet. Maybe I should head over there-"
Billy commented, "No, Scarecrow. You go home and read the letter. Then tomorrow you head over to see how things are going and decide from there what you want to do, all right?"
Lee nodded realizing Billy was right and got up slowly putting everything back in the envelope and holding it headed for the door stating, "Thanks, Billy."
Billy commented before Lee walked out, "If I can help with anything else let me know, okay?"
Lee gave him a half smile replying, "I will. See you later."
But as Lee made his way out of the Agency parking lot and headed for home he made a split decision then and turned the car around heading for Arlington.
He told himself as he drove that he just wanted to make sure things were okay...
TBC
