Kelly's Journey Continues

Chapter 36

Lee and Amanda arrived home after being at the realtor's office to sign all the necessary papers and collect the keys for their new home.

The bulk of the packing up would be done by the family but the furniture and the rest would be by the moving company who would be arriving the following week.

They were all excitedly talking over each other at dinner as the kids wanted to know whose room would be whose with Kelly remarking, "Daddy, I want the room with the tower since I'm your princess!"

Lee puzzledly looked at Amanda and then at Kelly querying, "Tower? Honey, there's no tower there-"

Dotty remembering something, got up and grabbed the folder with the home photos and finding the exact one showed it to Lee and Amanda commenting, "I think she means this one..."

Lee and Amanda saw the one and Lee responded gently shaking his head to Kelly, "You are most definitely my princess, Sweetheart. But I'm afraid that's where the attic is and we need that to store our extra stuff in, okay?"

Kelly sighed stating morosely, "Okay."

Phillip asked, "So, how do we know what rooms are ours?"

Lee answered, "Well. Mom and I are off work tomorrow, so why don't we all take a visual tour of the place and you can pick out your own rooms so we can tell the movers where to put things. Sound good, Guys?"

The kids cheered and then Amanda looking at Dotty asided to her, "Well? Would you like to tell them now?"

Dotty nodded and Amanda tapped her fork to her glass and stated, "All right, Grandma has something to tell you all. And you can hold your questions until after she's finished."

The kids stopped to listen as Dotty remarked with a sigh, "Well, I'm so thankful that you all have a new chapter in your lives to celebrate with. As do I. Captain Curt has asked me to marry him and I've accepted. Now, I'll always be a part of your lives but I won't be moving with you after all. Curt has decided to open a flight school in Rhode Island and I'll be joining him. So. Before you get all maudlin on me, I must tell you that I'll only be an hour away and I'm not leaving until after your new sibling arrives."

Sighing once more Dotty commented, "Now you may ask your questions."

Kelly's mouth quivered as she asked sorrowfully, "You mean you won't be my grandma any more?"

Dotty pulled Kelly to her lap and holding her close responded softly,"I will always be your grandma just like Phillip and Jamie and your parents will always be your family as well. Besides, you like Curt, don't you?"

Kelly nodded as Dotty kissed her answering, "That's good, Dear. Because he will be Grandpa Curt to you all after we're married, all right?"

Amanda noticed that the boys had got up and left the table to go outside to the yard quietly.

Lee was about to get up but Amanda put up a hand to still him and commented, "I'll be back."

Amanda found her sons sitting quietly at the picnic table and joined them stating, "C'mon, Guys. She's not going to the moon. She's gonna be with us always in spirit and you can call or visit with her any time. Also, she'll come whenever we need her for anything real important, you know?"

Jamie looked at his mother with tears and gulped responding slowly, "But she's been with us our whole lives. What do we do without her?"

Then Dotty appeared kissing him and Phillip answering gently, "Listen. I love you with all my heart and I always will. But I feel that I need a new start. Would you want me to carry on like this when you both start college? You'll be fine, all right? And believe me, I will miss you like crazy."

Phillip gave Dotty a hug and kiss replying, "We love you too, Grandma. And we're happy for you. It-It was just a shock, you know?"

Dotty nodded as she put her arms around both grandsons stating, "I know, Darling. But I'm glad you all like Curt anyway."

The phone rang just then and Dotty turned back to go in but Amanda commented, "Lee's in there. He'll get it."

Looking at her sons she remarked, "How do you think I feel? She's been with me longer than you guys. My whole life too, in fact. So if anyone has a right to be sad here it's Your's Truly."

Dotty sighed and shaking her head answered, "Amanda Jean! What did I tell you about being maudlin?"

She paused and then asided to her, "I cried this morning before breakfast."

Amanda nodded and replied, "I cried last night. Poor Lee didn't know what to do with me-"

Lee came outside stating, "Honey? That was Chris Parker on the phone. He said day after tomorrow would be good for the adoption. It really was a birthday present for me, huh?"

Amanda commented, "Sure. Plus with the move and all it made sense."

Kelly came out and asked, "Mommy? Can I watch Cinderella again? It's my favorite."

Amanda smiled and nodded answering, "Okay, but bedtime right after. Since tomorrow is Saturday, you can take your bath in the morning. We have things to do in the afternoon."

Kelly nodded commenting, "Thanks, Mommy."

She went in happily as Jamie sighed and stated, "She must have seen it thousands of times."

Amanda giggled and responded, "Yes, the same way you two like NASCAR races."

Phillip protested, "Hey! Those are excellent to watch right, Lee?"

Lee smiled and answered, "You bet, Chief."

Kelly came out suddenly with Francine and remarked, "It's Aunt Francie!"

As Kelly went in once more Lee asked, "What brings you out here?"

Dotty queried, "Can I get some coffee for you?"

Francine smiled but commented, "No thanks. Just dropped by to bring Lee an early birthday present."

Lee took the envelope Francine presented him with and smiled stating, "We don't usually exchange. What's up?"

Francine sighed and sat down at the table replying, "Well, this is a gift from all of us down at the office. For your new place."

Lee opened the card and reading it laughed and showed it to Amanda, who smiled as well.

He then opened the document enclosed with the card and swallowed hard remarking slowly as he looked at Francine and then Amanda, "You're kidding? The-The whole place? That's way too generous."

Francine smiled and shrugged answering, "Yeah, that's what I told Billy but my jaw dropped when he told me who signed off on it."

Lee shook his head as he realized who she meant and asked, "No. Dr. Smyth? Really?"

Francine smiled and commented, "Yeah. Boggles the mind, right? But maybe he was thinking of the new arrival."

Then she and Lee shared a look and shook their heads responding together, "Nah..."

Amanda giggled and replied, "You're probably right about that. I remember the Christmas office party he attended one year where I kissed him on the cheek in greeting and said, "Merry Christmas, Sir."

Francine groaned and answered, "Yeah. I'll bet that went well. What did he say?"

Amanda commented, "He said, "King. Don't do that again."

Lee nodded and remarked with a laugh, "Oh-ho! That sounds like Smyth!"

Dotty stated testily, "I'll bet he gets a lot of coal in his stocking every year."

Amanda smiled and quipped, "Ah. To know him is to try to avoid him, Mother."

Francine getting up replied to Amanda, "Well put." She then kissed Lee on the cheek and stated, "Happy Birthday, Big Fella. See you later..."

Dotty got up remarking, "I'll walk you out."

As the two walked away Lee called out, "Thanks, Francine."

Phillip looked at Lee and asked, "So, what was the gift?"

Lee replied, "Free security installation for the entire house on the office."

He showed Phillip the document that stated, "Paid in full."

Jamie saw it and commented, "Good thing Phillip didn't try to help with it-"

Phillip poked his brother's arm and retorted, "I'm excellent in the mechanical stuff."

Lee smirked and remarked, "Oh, yeah? I seem to recall after I started to date your mom, you decided to check out my 'Vette. And what did you tell me as you were leaving for school that day, Young Man?"

Phillip shrugged and answered, "That the fuel injector was messed up? But maybe it was messed up before I looked under your hood that day."

Lee chuckled and shook his head responding, "No way, Pal. I have the car looked at at least once a month-"

Amanda smiled stating with a smirk, "Only once. Yeah, right."

Lee cleared his throat and asided, "Hey, c'mon! All right, I try to only do it once a month. But we do have a difficult job as you know."

Amanda sighed and commented patting his hand, "I know, Sweetheart. I was teasing."

Lee looking at his watch responded, "Hey, Guys. Could you go see if Kelly's still awake? She's probably nodded off by now on the couch."

The boys got up and chimed, "Sure, Lee. Night."

Amanda cleared her throat and waved them back asking, "No hug for me, huh?"

They groaned but came back to her giving her a hug stating, "Night, Mom. Love you."

Amanda shook her head as she watched them go in and remarked, "Can't believe I have to practically beg them for hugs these days."

Lee got up taking her hand and answered, "C'mon... You never have to beg me, you know."

Amanda smiled as they went into the house for the night together and she commented, "Oh, I know. I know..."

TBC