Truth Be Told

Chapter 4

Lee and Amanda had left the house, per Dotty's request, after the talk with Dotty and Phillip that night and were on their way to Lee's apartment in Georgetown.

As Lee drove, he glanced over at Amanda every so often to check on her present mood, and it killed him that he was the cause of all the trouble for her!

As he looked at her face, he swallowed, trying to read her feelings at the moment. Let's see, he thought, trying to be objective, Disillusionment, shock, fear, a hint of anger, maybe?

Shaking his head, he corrected himself thinking, Oh, no, Stetson! Not a hint, not a wisp, but full blown anger there, and that my friend, is on you and you alone! Not the smartest move I ever made, blurting out the truth like that!

But Dotty's reaction? Whew! He could sense she was the kind of person who couldn't just "go with the flow" as the saying went. Amanda was the same way when Lee met her at first, but over time, she had learned to trust him eventually as he changed her whole way of life!

He knew it would be hard to tell the family about the career, but if he and Amanda wanted a real life together soon, then this was what had to happen, no matter how they presented it.

Finally, as they got on the beltway to head to Georgetown, Lee cleared his throat and uttered softly, "Amanda-"

But Amanda shook her head answering stiffly, "Don't-Don't say anything right now, please. I don't want to talk about it."

Then reaching over to the dashboard, Amanda turned on the radio asking, "You mind? I need a distraction here..."

She turned the dial and finding an oldies station, and hearing the song that was currently on, began to sing along to Peter Noone And The Hermits song, "Henry The Eighth".

As Lee gave her a peculiar look she grinned back at him replying, "Oh, the boys got a kick out of this one when they were little, especially this part..."

The song continued with, "Second verse, Same as the first-"

And before Lee knew it, he was joining in with Amanda, singing the crazy song, and enjoying it along with oither ones that the station was playing!

Lee knew that by doing this, Amanda was trying to clear her mind a bit, by not dwelling on what had just occurred at the house with her family.

The car phone rang just then, interrupting the fun they were attempting to have, and as Amanda turned down the music, Lee answered, "Stetson."

It was Jamie. "Hi, Lee... Is Mom with you?"

Lee looked at Amanda, wondering how he had gotten the number, and stated to her, " It's Jamie...I'll put the speaker on." As he did so, Amanda commented concernedly, "Hi, Jamie. I thought you'd be asleep by now. Are you all right?"

Jamie sighed. "Yeah, I guess so. Are you coming back tonight?"

Amanda swallowed as she responded, "No, Sweetheart. Um, Grandma is pretty upset with us, and she asked me to stay in town with Lee tonight, but I don't want you to worry, okay? Everything will be worked out soon, I promise."

Jamie answered, "Alright. Can I tell you guys something, though?"

Lee replied, "Sure, Pal. What's up?"

Jamie commented, "Well, Grandma doesn't hate you...She- She was crying earlier, and Phillip told me that he thinks Grandma's just hurt, that's all, but that she doesn't hate you and he told me that they're just mad that Dad knew before they did, and since Dad doesn't live with us, that it wasn't fair, you know?"

Amanda looked over at Lee as Jamie talked, and seeing Lee's grim face, responded gently as she stroked Lee's arm, "Y-Yes, Sweetie, we understand. Listen, would you please do me a favor, and go give Grandma a hug and tell her that I love her, and I'll talk to her soon, huh? And then please try to get some sleep, alright?"

Jamie replied,"Okay, Mom...I love you."

Amanda swallowed as Lee patted her hand, "I-I love you too, Sweetheart...Night."

Lee clearing his throat remarked, "Night, Jamie."

He then hung up as he saw Amanda's eyes fill up with tears and stated softly, "Hey, you're right about what you told Jamie. We will work this out somehow, huh? But I don't want you to worry either, okay?"

Amanda sighed and wiping her eyes answered quietly, "Right...Now, where were we?"

Lee giving her a dimpled smile replied, "That's my girl," and proceeded to turn up the radio once more as the song "Midnight At The Oasis" came on, and Lee and Amanda upon hearing it, groaned, with Lee commenting with a shake of his head as he turned the station dial, "Ohh, hell no!"

TBC