Truth Aftermath

Chapter 12

Phillip came back to the family room and sat on the couch, to the right side of his mother, while Dotty sat in the wing chair.

Amanda sighed as she picked up the cigarette pack from the coffee table, and looking at Phillip, asked as she held it up to him, "Okay, Phillip...I want the truth now. Where did you get these? And remember, if I think that you're lying even a little bit, it's just going to extend your grounding period-"

Phillip answered belligerently with a gesture at her, "Grounding?! For what? Everybody smokes!"

Amanda puzzled, remarked calmly, "Really? I don't smoke, your grandmother and your dad certainly don't, and no one I know does it either! Now, again, I'm asking you...Where did you get these?"

Phillip shrugged answering, "It's no big deal, Mom. I just do it a couple of times a day to take the edge off-"

Amanda was losing patience as she then stated tiredly, "Alright. I know you don't want to get your friends in trouble, but I honestly don't care about them as much as I care about you. Now, for the upteenth time, Young Man, where in the Sam Hill did you get these?!"

And as Phillip then looked at his grandmother, Amanda reached over with her right hand, bringing Phillip's chin to her instead, commenting firmly, "Uh-uh! Grandma is not going to help you at all, because she's as disappointed in you as I am right now! Start talking, Mister!"

Phillip growled, getting away from his mother and going to stand by the kitchen counter, "Okay! It was Billy Richman's cousin! I still don't know what the big deal is!"

Amanda asked quietly, "Billy Richman...From your history class?"

Phillip made a face and remarked flippantly, "Yeah. Duh! Like, how many Billy Richmans are there?"

Amanda slowly stood up from the couch, and turning to face her son, shook her head and answered angrily pointing a finger at him, "Hey! Don't you speak to me that way! I'm still your mother! Now, what did you mean by this habit takes the edge off? What edge have you been put on?!"

Phillip shrugged stating with a gesture, "Well, you, Dad, and my pinhead little brother! Isn't that enough?"

-SMK-

Amanda was bewildered and putting a hand up slowly, realized what he was referring to, and gulped, responding, "O-Okay, my shooting was upsetting, yes, but I'm home now, Honey, and I'm gonna be alright. I-I wouldn't have been released otherwise, you know? And what about your dad? What did he do? He was here looking after you boys while I was in the hospital-"

Phillip shrugged as he cut her off angrily, "Nothing...And I mean, nothing!"

Coming back slowly to the couch, he sat down, swallowing as he replied, "Oh, sure...When we weren't straightening up the house, we'd go to the store when we needed to, and once in a while, out for a burger or a movie or he rented us movies to watch... But most of the time, he was on the phone, checking in with work, or the stupid Embassy about stuff!"

Then, hanging his head down, he began to cry suddenly, remarking, "B-But Jamie? He...He had nightmares after we heard about the accident! Dad tried talking to him the first night, you know, trying to reassure him, and so Jamie stayed in your room with him then, but after that, it was me, Mom! I was the one who stayed up with him in our room...And I was just as scared as Jamie was! But-But did anyone care about that?! No! Because I'm the oldest, and I have to be strong for my little brother!"

Amanda and Dotty looked at one another helplessly, and then Amanda sat down once more, and gently folding Phillip into her embrace as he sobbed, stated gently with a gulp, "I'm-I'm so sorry, Sweetheart!"

As Phillip wept, Amanda sighed and while stroking her son, commented softly, "I'm here, Honey...Shh...It's alright...I'm gonna be just fine now...Shh..."

After Phillip was spent, he slowly sat back up, and reaching for a tissue nearby, wiped his eyes, cleared his throat and remarked, "I'm sorry, Mom, Grandma...I'll never smoke again. You-You believe me, right?"

Amanda answered slowly, "Well, smoking and drinking are never the answer to any problem, so please don't even let yourself be talked into trying a beer, alright? And I can see now that you've learned a pretty good lesson here, but still, I want you to remember this feeling from smoking, and also to please remember that your grandmother and I are always going to be here for whatever you and your brother need."

Dotty nodded with a gulp, replying, "Yes, and Darling, if you and Jamie would like to go back to therapy, we'll be more than happy to go with you boys, because that's how much we love you, okay?"

Phillip nodded, and getting up, went to hug and kiss his grandmother, saying, "Thanks, Grandma. We love you, too..."

Turning back to Amanda, he hugged and kissed her as well answering, "I'm sorry for spouting off like that, Mom. I love you."

Amanda swallowed, and squeezing his hand replied, "I love you too, Sweetie...But I'm afraid you'll still have to be punished, alright? Now...Two weeks...You'll go to school, and come home, and help out around here, okay? I'm still not able to do a lot of things yet, so I'll need some extra help. Sound fair?"

Phillip nodded and commented, "Sure...And by the way, I don't know about Jamie, but it's okay with me if you wanna start going out with Mr. Stetson."

Amanda, looking at Dotty with surprise, and then back at Phillip, answering gently, "Well then, do you think it would be alright if I asked him over for dinner tonight? Just so you and Jamie can start getting to know him? It's-It's totally up to you, so I'll understand if you don't, Honey."

Phillip, pondering the question for a moment, responded quietly, "No, it's fine, Mom...Listen, would you mind if I went upstairs for a while? I'm kinda beat."

Amanda patted his arm replying, "Okay, why don't you relax a bit, and then work on homework until dinner, hmm?"

Phillip sighed, and getting up, nodded, responding, "Sure..."

As he headed up the stairs, Amanda laid back against the couch, commenting worriedly, "Wow...I had absolutely no idea he was hurting that much, Mother!"

Dotty, getting up from the chair, came over to kiss Amanda's temple, stating with a sigh, "Well, apparently, he didn't want to burden you at all, but I think you did a wonderful job with him, Sweetheart. He's going to be just fine."

Amanda shrugged saying with uncertainty, "I guess so..."

Dotty, with a tilt of her head, asked as she saw Amanda's expression change, "What's worrying you now, Dear?"

Amanda remarked, "I still have Jamie to go through this with, and I don't know if I'll be ready for that!"

Dotty sighed, and shaking her head, pointed over to the phone on the counter, answering as Amanda was rising from the couch, "Honestly! Do me a favor, and go call Lee to ask him over for dinner right now, Young Lady! I simply do not need any more upset in this house. Do you hear me?""

Amanda nodded, and going to the phone to dial Lee's number at IFF, replied quietly, "Yes, Mother..."

And as Dotty went to check on what to fix for their dinner, she thought, We will get through this hurdle, Amanda, but we have to stay positive!

TBC