No More Games

Chapter Thirty Five

Lee had dinner with Amanda and the kids and afterwards had helped clean up.

Amanda said as they went to the couch,"Wh-What ab-about B-Billy? Are y-you g-gonna go meet him?"

Lee nodded and dialed Billy's number. "Hey, it's Lee. Sorry about dinner, but- what? Oh, yeah, okay. I was just heading out of here, so... yeah. See you in a few."

Hanging up he said to Amanda, "You gonna be okay?"

Amanda nodded, "S-Sure. It's our "sp-space" time, right? "

Lee kissed her and they walked to the door and went out to his car. Opening it, he was getting in and then got out and looked at her. "Are you sure you'll be all right? I can call Billy and cancel-? "

Amanda shook her head kissing him and opened his door and practically pushed him in! "I-I'm f-fine! Th-This w-was y-your id-idea af-after al-all. G-Go! "

Lee smiled and shook his head. She was as stubborn as the day was long, Starting the car he said, "Call if you need anything, okay? "

Amanda waved him on and he pulled out and she went back in the house and went up to check on Dotty. Her light was on and Amanda knocked. "M-Mother? M-May I c-come in? "

Dotty said, "Yes, dear."

Amanda kissed her and said, "Y-You f-feeling an-any b-better? "

Dotty nodded and yawned. "Yes, darling. Did me a world of good. Now, I want to hear about you and Lee. I hear from the boys that he stayed for dinner. Did he just leave? "

Amanda nodded. "Y-Yes. H-he h-hopes y-you're f-feeling b-better s-soon. "

Dotty said, "I take it that you two worked some things out? How did that go? "

Amanda sighed. "H-He sa-said he b-blamed h-himself f-for wh-what h-happened t-to me wh-which I told h-him w-was s-silly."

Dotty thoughtfully said, "Well, he wasn't at the place when you had the accident. How could he feel responsible?"

Amanda sighed again. "It w-was m-my f-fault. I g-got angry at s-something h-he said an-and th-then wh-when I w-was l-leaving, ou-our b-boss s-sent m-me on a lo-location sc-scout, an-and th-that's wh-when I w-wound up at th-the m-marina."

Dotty shook her head. "I just couldn't believe something like that could happen. That you wound up in the middle of a shooting! I just am so grateful that you're all right now, you know? "

There was a knock at the door and Dotty said, "Come in, boys."

Phillip and Jamie came in and Jamie said,"How'd you know it was us, Grandma? "

Phillip made a face at his younger brother! "Who else would it be, dork? We live here with her! "

Amanda said sternly," Ph-Phillip, st-stop it pl-please! Wh-what did y-you w-want?"

Phillip said, "Sorry. Mom, we just wanted to watch this cool movie that's on! It's about supreme beings that come to eat up Chicago! "

Dotty shook her head. "That's ridiculous! What are film people thinking about making those kind of pictures? I'd take Cary Grant ones any day!"

Jamie said, "Who? "

Amanda and Dotty chuckled and Amanda shook her head. "N-No. S-Sorry, fellas. Y-You have sc-school t-tomorrow. T-Time to h-hit the s-sack. L-Let's g-go..."

Amanda got up from Dotty's bed and led her sons to their room and Dotty said, "I'm going to make some tea- would you like some dear? "

Amanda shook her head. "N-No th-thank y-you, M-Mother. I'm g-gonna t-turn in s-soon m-myself. "

Dotty kissed Amanda's cheek. "All right, love. See you in the morning."

It was just before dawn when Dotty and the boys were awakened by a crash that came from Amanda's room! They rushed in and found her dresser mirror smashed and Amanda lying on the floor crying!

Dotty said, "Boys! Run and get your slippers on and help me clean this up! I'll get your mother back to bed. Go!"

They ran out and Dotty carefully helped Amanda up, but noticed that her hands were bleeding! She said in a soothing voice, "All right, darling. Shh... it's going to be fine. We'll just clean everything up here. Shh..."

Dotty led Amanda to the bathroom and sat her on the edge of the tub and set about getting a washcloth and some antiseptic and gauze for Amanda's hands.

She got what Amanda had in her cabinet and drawers in the bathroom. The boys came back with a broom and dustpan and a trash bag and set to work sweeping everything up.

Phillip said, "Uh, Grandma? There's blood on the carpet- what do we do? "

Dotty swallowed hard. This must have been a horrible nightmare for Amanda! She said quickly, "Clean up the mirror and the rest of it. We'll worry about the carpet later."

She looked at Amanda and her face was void of any expression! She waved her hand in front of Amanda- nothing!

She did what she could for her daughter's wounds but they were deeper than she realized! Not wanting to frighten her grandsons, she said, "Okay, boys. We need to get your mother to a doctor. She cut herself badly and I don't have the right stuff. Get yourselves dressed and ready to go and we'll head to the E.R."

They left and Dotty helped Amanda change and then wrapped Amanda's hands up with a towel. The boys came back to the room and Dotty said, "You stay with your mother and I'll get changed and then we'll go."

Dotty was back quickly and they got Amanda to the car and buckled her in and Phillip said, "Should we call Lee?"

Dotty said, "Oh, darn! Of course! You boys get in and I'll be right back."

She called Lee and told him where they'd be and hung up and rushed back to the car and was pulling out of the driveway when Jamie said, "Grandma? Why isn't Mom talking? What's wrong with her?"

Dotty said, "I don't know sweetheart, but we're going to get her help, all right? "

They got to the E.R. and Amanda was taken in immediately. Lee arrived within a half hour. He saw them in the waiting area and said to Dotty, "So what happened? Is she gonna be okay? "

Dotty shrugged. "I don't know. We woke up to this crash from her room. We saw her on the floor with her dresser mirror smashed and she was sobbing! It must have been an awful nightmare! I did the best I could cleaning her hands-they were so cut up. Then I called you and brought her here. "

Lee then looked at the boys. The fear and worry for their mother was all too evident! He sat between them and said, "Your mom's strong. She'll be okay. Don't worry."

Phillip swallowed hard. "She isn't talking and she isn't looking at us. What's wrong?"

Lee swallowed hard next. He said gently, "Sometimes people who have a bad scare go into a shock mode and it takes them time to process whatever happened until they can pull out of it by themselves. Remember guys, she's been through a heck of a lot but she's still your mom, and she still loves you okay?"

Jamie said quietly, "She looked pale too- it-it was real scary, you know? "

Lee went and held both boys and nodded. "I know, but she'll be fine soon. You'll see."

Then a doctor came out. "Mrs. West? "

Dotty jumped up. "Doctor? How's my daughter? "

The doctor said, "Well, we've cleaned and bandaged her hands-she required some stitches, but as for her mental state..."

Dotty pulled the doctor further away from her grandsons. She didn't want them any more frightened. "What is it?"

The doctor said, "I'm afraid she's catatonic at the moment. "

Dotty tried to remain calm. "Wh-What can we do for her?"

The doctor sighed. "I'm no expert but she'll need therapy. She's ready to leave. The rest is up to you. I'm sorry."

Dotty shook her head. The man clearly had no bedside manners she thought as the man left!

Lee said, "C'mon, let's get everyone out now."

Dotty went back to where Amanda was and the nurse said to her, "Here's a prescription for pain meds and a list of several therapists in the area. Do you live in this area? "

Dotty rolled her eyes tiredly and nodded. "Yes, and thank you for all your help."

Getting Amanda, they all went out to the car and Dotty said, "Oh, Lee. You drove- I forgot."

Looking at the time, she said, "Shoot, the boys are late for school! "

Lee said, "Hey, it's all right. You take them to school and I'll get Amanda back to the hospital to get checked out completely. Don't worry, okay? I'll be with her. "

Dotty nodded numbly and kissed Amanda saying, "Darling, I'll be there as soon as I can, all right? I love you."

Shaking his head, he helped Amanda into the car and buckled her in. "What the hell happened to you last night? "he thought as he drove them back to Galilee General once again!

TBC