Truth Aftermath
Chapter 3
Dotty, Phillip, and Jamie had arrived at Marvelous Marvin's and deciding what they wanted, along with the order for Joe and Amanda, made their total order to go, but had some time to wait. Dotty also ordered two small shakes for the boys and an iced tea for herself, and they went to sit at a booth until the to-go order was ready.
Dotty also remembered that Amanda was having the talk with Joe about Lee and her career, so she knew to take her time at the fast food place. Thinking back through the past month when Amanda was in the hospital, she inwardly shuddered as she wondered just what would have happened if she'd lost her only daughter!
With a sigh as she sipped her tea, and watched her grandsons enjoying their shake treats, she knew they would be devastated without their mother of course, but at least they still would have Joe to help them through it.
Shaking her head, she then thought, Oh, Dotty! They also love you, and would be lost if they had to leave you and move to Africa with Joe.
She then questioned in her mind, Would Joe do that to them? Take them away from the only home they'd known since birth?
Shrugging, she reasoned to herself, Maybe not...Maybe he'd allow them to stay with her after all, and continue to visit as he'd been doing all these years since he and Amanda divorced.
She and Amanda never did get around to that particular subject, as it was rather morbid to think about.
But she also realized that they needed to get to know their father again, and since he'd been back more often lately, maybe he was also thinking along those lines, that taking them away from everything they knew, would do more harm than good!
Lost in thought, she didn't realize that Jamie was speaking to her. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Grandma? Are you okay? Grandma?"
Dotty shook herself out of her reveries, and answered Jamie, noticing that both boys were staring at her worriedly, "What? Oh, I'm sorry, Darling...I was just thinking about something...Are you both finished?"
Jamie nodded stating, "Yeah, we're taking the rest of our shakes home. Wonder when our food is gonna be ready?"
Dotty scanned the area, noting how busy the place had become suddenly, and looking at the time, remarked, "It's a bit crowded right now, Dear, but don't worry. They'll call us shortly."
Jamie then looked at his brother, then at his grandmother, and sighed querying, "Grandma? I was just wondering...What if...What if Mom-"
Phillip, knowing what Jamie would ask, then elbowed his brother, tersely answering, "Hey, Wormbrain! Mom's okay! You saw her just like I did! She's alright, and she's gonna stay that way! Why do you have to be so creepy?!"
When Dotty saw Jamie's eyes tear up then, she gulped, and hushing the boys instantly, she took their hands with her own and squeezing them tightly, she stared at both intently, and remarked firmly, "Phillip Thomas and James Joseph! I will not have you thinking the worst here! Besides, you would still have your father and me to look after you should anything like that have happened! But-But she's home and she's fine, hmm? Now, let's go see if they forgot about our order..."
As they all got up from the booth, taking their items with them, Dotty followed the boys to the front counter, thinking, I hope Amanda's talk is going well with Joe...
-SMK-
At the house, Amanda was continuing the talk with Joe, as he had asked her what her relationship with Lee Stetson was.
She sighed, "Well, as I said, we've been working together for four years now, and getting to know one another as well, and we'd only just begun to start dating last year-"
Joe stopped her as he asked with a realization, "Ohh, so that's why when I asked you about getting back together, you-you were already seeing him?"
Amanda shook her head answering, "No, not at that point, Joe. You see, when he and I met the year after you and I divorced, I was dating Dean MacGuire, and Lee was pretty much a loner then-"
Joe queried, "No one girlfriend or anything, huh?"
Amanda shrugged commenting lightly, "No one exclusively...Anyway, he and I started talking about going out last year, when we realized our feelings for each other had only gotten stronger, but we couldn't settle anything because that's when we had to leave town to clear our names-"
Joe shook his head remembering as he answered, "I just couldn't believe the Government's order on the two of you was "Shoot to kill"? I mean, as if you could be an actual traitor to our country!"
Amanda sighed and touching Joe's hand, stated, "I know, but at least we were able to come home..."
After a pause, Joe remarked slowly as he peered at her, "Alright...Something tells me I'm not going to like the next part of this, but go ahead..."
Amanda swallowed and responded, "Okay, here it is...The real reason I went to California was because Lee and I eloped, and we were supposed to be on our honeymoon, but then the shooting happened, and well...here we are."
Joe stared at his ex-wife and then asked holding up a hand, "Uh, back-back up a minute here! You said that Dotty knew? What, that you got married, or about the job stuff? Do our kids know?"
Amanda shook her head commenting, "No, the boys don't know any of it. And Mother found out about the marriage by accident while we were at the hospital, so that's when we also had to tell her about our job-"
Joe shook his head and rose from the couch replying bewilderedly as he paced in the family room, "I-I don't believe this! You marry a complete stranger, and don't tell me or our boys?! Why would you..."
Joe's mind then went somewhere unimaginable. He then swallowed as he sat down again on the couch next to Amanda, and clearing his throat queried guardedly, "Is there...Maybe a chance that...That you're-"
Amanda was stunned and shaking her head as she pointed her index finger at Joe replied crisply, "Joseph King, don't you dare finish that sentence! How in the world could you possibly think that of me?! No! Of course not! We wanted to do things right, but Lee was worried after a little boy that was his contact's son was kidnapped, so Lee and I discussed eloping to keep our family safe! That's all!"
And when Joe immediately attempted to apologize, Amanda stopped him by answering, "And Mother found out when Lee had forgotten to take off his wedding band at the hospital, assuming that he was already married, so that's when we explained it all to her! Satisfied?!"
Sighing as she saw him nod, she quietly commented with a gulp, "Okay, one more thing...I will be introducing Lee to the boys soon, but I want to ease them into getting to know him first, so do me a favor please, and don't say anything, alright? Now, I know you're concerned about the career I have, but I've been careful up to now, and you have nothing to worry about with Lee. He's a wonderful man, and I love him very much, and he has kept me safe all this time. The shooting was just an accident-it had nothing to do with work, okay?"
Joe sighed and touched Amanda's hand replying, "I'm-I'm sorry, Honey. If Dotty trusts you with this whole thing, then I should too, huh?"
As Amanda nodded replying tiredly, "You're darn right you should!", Dotty and the boys came through the front door with the food, and Dotty answered lightly looking at Joe and Amanda, "I'm sorry we were gone so long. The burgers took longer than we thought, and then they forgot our Choco Bloco shakes that I had ordered for you. Anyone hungry right now?"
Joe shook his head as he got up from the couch to help with the food bags, saying softly as he swallowed hard, "Um, I have to go out for a bit to check in at the Embassy...I'll eat later..."
Taking the bags from the boys, he set them on the kitchen counter, and then grabbed his car keys remarking, "Enjoy your dinner, Gang..."
When he left, Dotty went to the oven, setting it to preheat, and answered to Amanda, "I'll put everything on warm, alright, Dear?"
Amanda half smiled commenting, "Thank you, Mother."
Then eyeing the boys, she asked, "So, how full are you? Can you eat anything right now?"
Phillip shrugged stating, "Maybe in a while, Mom. We kinda worked on the shakes first."
Amanda nodded with a grin, "I see...Okay, then why don't you two head up and finish doing your homework, huh? Oh, and on your way up, please take Grandma's and my luggage to our rooms, okay?"
The boys nodded and kissed her before going up answering, " We love you, Mom. Glad you're home..."
As they headed up the stairs with the luggage, Dotty looked at Amanda's pained expression and queried, "Alright...How bad was the talk with Joe? What happened?"
TBC
