Enough
Chapter 4
Amanda finished talking with her boys vice principal and hung up heading downstairs and stated to her mother, "The boys are all set as far as their time away is concerned... Mmm! Something sure smells good here."
Dotty smiled and commented, "It's the chili you had left over. I just had to heat it up. I'm also heating up cornbread. What time did you say Phillip would be back?"
Just then Phillip came in the front door responding, "Hi! I'm home!"
Amanda came out to the foyer and shook her head answering, "Hi, Sweetie. Go put your dirty things away and wash up, please. Dinner's almost ready."
Phillip shrugged replying, "It was just basketball, Mom. No big deal."
Amanda nodded and remarked, "Yes, I know. But your smelly clothes say otherwise. Go on."
Phillip shook his head and headed upstairs muttering, "Mothers..."
He also knew she meant for him to take a quick shower as well as he headed to the bathroom throwing his dirty clothes in the hamper while bringing his clean things with him.
Coming down shortly thereafter to the kitchen he asked Amanda, "So, where's the doofus?"
Amanda sighed and reproached her son stating, "If you mean Jamie, he went to the movies with Billy. And how many times have I told you about name calling?"
Phillip sighed as he went to gather the utensils and napkins to set the table answering, "I'm just kidding, Mom. Lighten up, huh?"
Amanda stated firmly, "And you watch how you speak to me, Young Man. Go on and set the table."
Just then the phone rang as Dotty was pulling cornbread out of the oven and she queried, "Amanda? Will you get that, please?"
Amanda nodded and answered the phone, "Hello?"
Francine was on the other end and asked, "What are you doing right now?"
Amanda sighed and commented, "Well. Hello to you too, Francine. Right now, I'm talking to you but in a few minutes I'll be sitting down to dinner with my family. Why?"
Francine responded, "I was hoping you could come down to Ned's and we could find a solution to your problem with Lee. But don't worry. He's not here."
Amanda shrugged as she walked over to the sink and leaning against the counter her back to her mother she remarked, "I'm not worried because I'm not coming. Why the sudden urge for girl talk? We hardly run in the same social circles so I really don't think-"
Francine groaned and put up a hand stating, "Amanda, stop! I'm sure between the two of us, we can find a solution-"
As Amanda was listening to Francine, Lee suddenly popped up at her kitchen window startling her!
He mouthed to her, "We have to talk."
Amanda inwardly groaned and realizing Dotty could possibly see him at any moment, waved him away in the direction of the gazebo!
Nodding quickly he took off as Amanda thinking quickly commented to Francine, "A solution has just presented itself. I have to go now. Thank you for calling. Goodbye."
Francine stared at the receiver and shaking her head remarked angrily to Ned as she paid him for her iced tea, "I don't believe her! Here I am going out of my way to play peacemaker for those two and she has the gall to hang up on me!"
Hanging up the phone herself Francine muttered, "Well, that's the last time I try to do her a favor. Work it out yourself, Little Mama!"
Grabbing her purse she stormed out with Ned shaking his head and smirked answering to a patron nearby, "Takes all kinds..."
Amanda meanwhile made an excuse about a neighbor's dog being in the yard and replied, "I'll try to get him to go home, Mother. I shouldn't be too long."
With that she hurried out the back door with Dotty grumbling to Phillip, "Ooh! That girl! I swear!"
Amanda made her way to the gazebo and seeing Lee responded, "As usual, your timing's impeccable."
Lee cleared his throat as he answered, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I did try to call before coming by but your line's been busy. I was planning a trip but it was derailed by bad weather, so-"
Amanda questioned, "Oh? Where were you-"
Immediately she shook her head and stated firmly, "No. That's none of my business! We're supposed to be mad at each other and here we are talking like old friends. So, what do you want?"
Lee quipped, "To talk to an old friend?"
Amanda groaned and sat on the bench asking, "C'mon, Lee! What's really going on?"
Lee stated, "Well. With my trip being thrown out of the water I thought it was either a really bad joke or a sign-"
Amanda queried puzzledly, "A sign?"
Lee nodded slowly responding gently, "Yeah. That we should stop being so mad at each other and try and fix this."
Amanda swallowed and questioned intently, "Really? Because I thought after what happened, you wouldn't want to see me again."
Lee shrugged and sitting down next to Amanda patted her hand answering softly, "I kinda thought the same about you. Anyway, I had to try..."
Amanda nodded half smiling and commented, "Okay. So, what do we do?"
Lee sighed and responded, "Well, we obviously can't go to Billy with the mood he's in and I'm not going to see Pfaff. Um, unless you want us to?"
Amanda shook her head vehemently stating, "No, I don't think so. But we gotta do something. I think my family's afraid of me right now-"
Lee narrowed his eyes at her querying, "Do I want to know how bad it is?"
Amanda remarked firmly, "Nope. But my mother and the boys are going to see Uncle Herman for the next week while I try and clear my head here."
Lee nodded and commented, "All right. Since we both want to get back on track here, how about tomorrow morning we meet for breakfast at my place?"
Amanda worriedly felt Lee's forehead answering, "Breakfast? Are you all right?"
Lee brushed her hand away replying, "Yes! I meant I'll at least have coffee while we talk...Unless you happen to have that poppyseed cake of yours to bring over?"
Amanda felt the proverbial ice melting as she smiled at him and replied softly, "Sure. Ten o'clock all right?"
Lee nodded and got up commenting as he left, "See you then..."
Amanda shook her head answering, "Goodnight to you, too..."
At least they were working towards something peaceful...
TBC
