No More Games
Chapter Fifty
Lee stepped out onto the patio closing the back door and sighed. The phrase,"Rome wasn't built in a day." suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks! He knew someday he'd pay for saying that realizing that it applied in this very situation.
Bracing for the next wave, he squared his shoulders and went up the ladder of the treehouse and knocked on the door. "Hey, Chief. It's Lee. Mind if I pull up a branch? "
He heard sniffling and a sigh as Phillip slowly opened the floor door to let him in saying, "No, but watch the leaves. You know how Mom hates a mess..."
Lee chuckled as he came in and settled against the back wall next to Phillip. At least the boy had a sense of humor somewhere here, he thought. He cleared his throat and said, "So, I understand you had a talk with your dad. How did that go, if you don't mind my asking? "
Phillip shook his head and sniffed and covering his eyes with the palms of his hands cried new tears as he said, "H-He's gone and he's never coming back again! I mean, you're a great guy and all, but he's gone! Why doesn't anybody here get that?!"
Lee realized now what Phillip was upset about! Gently taking the boy's hands away from his face and squeezing them gently Lee swallowed hard as he said, "H-Hey, pal. Look at me. Look at me!"
Phillip did and shrugged saying, "S-Sorry, I can't help crying here. It's just that-."
Lee put his arm around him and nodded. "I know, I know. But I want you to hear me now when I tell you that there is a BIG difference between what you went through with your dad, and what I went through!"
Sighing deeply he continued. "Phillip, imagine that you and your brother are 4 maybe 5 years of age and there's a crowd of people there in a church and there's two coffins there. After a priest does his sermon and the sad music ends, you have endless strangers come up to you and pat you on the head or the shoulder and say, "You'll be okay," Things will be better soon," and the ever-popular, "Poor little boy. I wonder if he understands what happened to his parents." Anyway, I didn't tell you all that for sympathy, pal. I wanted you to understand that just because I'm here does not mean I'm gonna keep you from your dad. Ever. My parents are gone, but yours are still here with you. "
Pulling Phillip close Lee said, "Your dad is in Africa, sweetheart. You can call him whenever you want and I know for a fact that if you guys really needed him, he'd be there for you. You have a bond that no one could break. But I really love your mom with everything I have and I want you all to be a part of my life. For the rest of my life. Understand? "
Phillip nodded slowly. "Okay. Thanks for talking to me and I'm sorry if I was such a dweeb about everything. Um, do you mind if I go to bed? I'm kinda beat."
Lee shook his head as they both got up. "Nah. I'm kinda beat myself. "
He followed Phillip down closing the door behind him and they saw Dotty and Amanda sitting at the picnic table and Lee realized they must have heard everything!
Phillip hugged Amanda saying,"I'm sorry Mom. I'm okay now. I love you. "
Amanda kissed him and held him tight saying, "You have nothing to be sorry about but I'm glad you're feeling better about things. And I love you too, sweetheart."
Dotty hugged and kissed him as well. "Good night, love. "
As Phillip went in he looked back at his mother and Lee and said, " Let me know if you need help with the wedding stuff, okay? Good night. "
Lee sat down next to Amanda and sighed deeply saying, "You have two amazing kids there!"
Dotty smiled and yawned, "Yeah, they are terrific aren't they? Well, good night. Can I trust that everything's settled here now?"
Lee got up and hugged her. "Yeah, another crisis solved. Sleep tight..."
Dotty hugged her daughter next and said, "I have the den set up so he doesn't have to call for a cab. Good night. "
Dotty went in and Lee and Amanda shook their heads and Lee sat down again taking Amanda's hands in his and said, "Well, here we are..."
Amanda nodded. "Yep, here we are. So, are you still on board with this whole thing? I mean, it's not always gonna be a bed of roses as you saw tonight and I just want you to really think before we go ahead with anyth-."
Lee kissed her silencing her ramble! When he pulled back finally he said, "Amanda, if you heard any or all of what I was saying to your son I meant every single word. I want you with me now and always. Got it? "
Amanda swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay. So now what? "
Lee got up bringing her with him and said," Now, we go to bed and we start again tomorrow. We have a lot to do, so let's take it a day at a time, all right? "
They went in the house and Lee walked with her to the stairs and kissed her saying, "I am one lucky guy."
Amanda sighed hugging him and said whispering in his ear, "And don't you forget it, buster! "
Letting go Amanda started going up and turned saying,"Oh. Forgot to lock up."
Lee put up a hand."Ah-ah! Allow me. You just go to bed now. Scoot."
Smiling, Amanda went up. Lee watched her go into her room and sighed. He then went around to lock all the doors and then finally took himself into the den but not before bringing the phone in with him. He had calls to make. He was finally settling down and making plans for their future. Whatever came up from now on, they'd face it together and he wouldn't have it any other way!
TBC
