The melody continued playing and the home movie
began with little Amanda, dressed in a party dress, sitting on the couch in a
decorated living room, surrounded by friends as she unwrapped presents.
"You were five
years old. Such a big girl," Dotty remembered.
"I loved that
dress," Amanda smiled. "I still have
it, too."
"Why?" Jamie asked.
Amanda sighed, "I
thought I could pass it down but you and your brother weren't little girls so
--"
"Hey, is that your
dog, Mom?" Phillip interrupted.
"Pinto!" Amanda
nodded excitedly, "Gosh, I haven't seen a picture of him in ages. Look at him…"
Amanda and her friends played musical chairs. They played Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey.
"Oooh, there's my
cake," Amanda said as she watched herself blow out all the candles.
While Lee and Jamie
applauded, Phillip teased, "Good job, Mom."
"Your grandmother's
cake," Dotty said. "Orange cake with
chocolate frosting, just for her Amanda.
We had a devil of a time keeping Pinto out of the frosting."
"He loved
chocolate," Amanda added with a smile.
"And there you are,
caught red-handed," Dotty accused as she watched little Amanda sneak the dog
some frosting under the table.
"It was my
birthday," Amanda said defensively.
"You and your
father, always sneaking that dog chocolate," Dotty commented in an annoyed
tone. "And every time, Pinto ended up
sick as a d--" Dotty interrupted herself when she realized what she was about
to say. Without skipping a beat, she
continued, and pointed at Amanda, "It happened every single time but you,
missy, still went ahead and fed him and who was the one who cleaned up after
Pinto each time?"
"Mother, how could
I say no to that face?" Amanda asked in a childlike voice as she pointed to the
screen and tried to ignore the chuckling from behind her. "Just look at him. Look at my Pinto."
***** *****
*****
Little Amanda held her mother's hand as they walked
down the block. They stopped in front
of a building and Amanda turned to the camera and stood there while her lower
lip quivered. She looked to her mother
who indicated she should go inside.
"First day of
school," Amanda and her mother announced at the same time.
"Poor baby," Lee
sympathized as he hugged Amanda.
"She didn't want to
go in the worst way," Dotty said as she watched the image of her daughter
holding onto her tightly.
"I was scared,"
Amanda defended herself. "I didn't
think I'd know anyone. I didn't know
why I couldn't just stay home with you."
"But you didn't
cry," Dotty added as she saw herself let Amanda go. "As soon as your daddy and I promised you again that you'd have
fun and that we'd be there to pick you up at the end of the day, you said,
'Okay, Mommy, I'll go.' And off you
went. Just like that. My big girl."
"Poor Grandma,"
Phillip said.
"Well, I didn't say
I didn't cry," Dotty commented as she saw herself sobbing after her
daughter entered the building.
A hand reached out to Dotty with a handkerchief
that she accepted. After quickly
blowing her nose, she hurried inside the building after Amanda who was standing
in the hallway with a teacher and happily waved good-bye to her mother.
"Mrs. O'Shea,"
Amanda said with a smile. "She used to
make us oatmeal chocolate chip cookies."
"Old lady O'Shea?"
Phillip questioned.
"Phillip!" Amanda
reprimanded. "She was not old when you
had her and she's not old now. She's
gotta be, what, Mother, in her sixties?"
Dotty didn't answer and Amanda turned to look at her, "Mother? Are you
okay?"
"Just a little
something in my eye," Dotty explained as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.
"Mother," Amanda
repeated softly.
***** *****
*****
Young Amanda was dressed as a witch and raced to
the front door carrying a jack-o-lantern.
She opened the door to her costumed friends who entered in a rush and
surrounded her.
"Prettiest witch
I've ever seen," Lee commented with a kiss to Amanda's cheek.
"That was my
combined tenth birthday/Halloween party," Amanda replied as she watched
everyone onscreen dancing in her living room.
"Who is that
Dracula," Lee asked as he suddenly tensed up, "and why is he kissing you?"
"Aaah," Amanda
replied in an amused tone, "That would be Bobby Jackson. He was my boyfriend at the time."
"The Jacksons lived
down the block from us," Dotty explained as she watched herself bring out the
birthday cake. "Bobby and Amanda played
together all the time."
"What happened to
Bobby Jackson," Lee asked in a still slightly jealous tone, "and why didn't you
tell me about him?"
"You never asked,"
Amanda teased.
"Wait a second,
what happened to no more sec--"
"He wasn't a
secret," Amanda interrupted as she patted his arm, "and, don't worry, Lee,
Bobby moved away when I was eleven and, last I heard, lives in New York with
his wife of 13 years and their four children.
I'm all yours."
"And don't you
forget it," Lee teased back.
"Mush Alert!"
Phillip and Jamie shouted, just as Amanda had turned slightly to kiss Lee.
"All right, later,
then," the couple agreed as they sighed together.
***** *****
*****
A teen-age Amanda stood with three girls next to a
car and posed beside it as though they were showing off the car as a
prize. Amanda excitedly waved car keys
in front of the camera and got behind the wheel while her friends piled into
the car.
"I can't watch,"
Dotty said.
"Mother," Amanda
rolled her eyes, "You know Daddy would never have let me get my license if he
didn't think I was a good driver. We
kept telling you, you worried all for nothing."
"I'll remind you of
that in a few years when that one starts to drive," Dotty answered as
she indicated to Phillip.
"Lee's gonna let me
practice on the 'Vette," Phillip piped up with a grin.
"He said no such
thing, Phillip," Amanda corrected as she turned to make sure Lee wasn't
hyperventilating at the thought of her son driving his beloved vehicle, "so you
shouldn't -- Lee? What is it?"
Lee shook his head
and asked, "What?"
"What's so
fascinating?" Amanda asked as she turned back in time to see herself pulling
the car out of the driveway, waving to the camera.
"I just can't --
Your long hair -- You looked -- That mini-skirt…"
Amanda grinned,
"You've seen pictures of me before."
"Pictures are one
thing. Movies are definitely something
else," Lee mumbled as he gave her a gentle squeeze of approval.
***** *****
*****
Amanda, dressed in formal attire, twirled for the
camera to show off her dress. A hand
reached out in view and held up a sign that read 'Amanda's Prom.' She answered the doorbell and admitted a
young man dressed formally in a suit and tie.
She blushed from a comment and shyly looked back at the camera.
"And that would
be…" Lee began.
"Kevin Sanders,"
Amanda replied with a smile as she watched herself chastely kiss Kevin after he
pinned a corsage to her dress.
"The college guy
with the motorcycle?" Lee asked.
"So you do
pay attention to my stories," Amanda teased.
"Motorcycle? What
motorcycle?" Dotty asked with interest.
"Oops," Lee said
sheepishly, "She didn't know?"
"Um, no," Amanda
replied.
Dotty took pictures of the couple before ushering
them out the front door. She waved
good-bye as the car pulled away from the curb.
"At least he had a
car with him that night," Dotty sighed in relief. "I'm glad you didn't see him that long, I'd hate to think of you
riding with him on a motorcycle. They
are menaces on the road. Simply
menaces."
"Kevin was a very
good rider," Amanda said.
"Amanda, you didn't
go with him," Dotty said in a worried tone.
"You never went riding with him, did you?"
"Maybe a couple of
times," Amanda reluctantly agreed.
"You rode a
motorcycle?" Phillip exclaimed as he paused the tape.
"Phillip, don't
pause the tape," Amanda said.
"You rode a
motorcycle?" Dotty echoed.
Jamie, impressed,
added, "Cool, Mom."
"You don't even
like motorbikes," Lee commented with a disapproving frown.
"I don't," Amanda
insisted.
"Then why'd you let
him take you on a cycle?"
"How could you,
Amanda?" her mother asked. "Did you want
to give us heart attacks?"
"Lee, Mother!"
Amanda answered, exasperated. "I was
seventeen years old. He was my
boyfriend and I wanted to go."
Dotty shook her
head, "You could have been killed."
Amanda sighed, "He
was an excellent rider, Mother. He
never took any chances. Besides, it all
happened years ago and I'm fine. You
shouldn't be so upset about it now."
Phillip's eyes lit
up, "You know, Mom, Kenny Williams's older brother got a new Harley and --"
"And he's been
taking all of Kenny's friends for rides and we --" Jamie joined in.
"Not a chance,
fellas," Amanda replied as she cut off them off. "Now start the tape again, Phillip."
The boys and Dotty
grumbled while Amanda settled back against Lee who chuckled in amusement.
***** *****
*****
A little girl dropped petals from a basket as she
walked down a church's aisle. Shortly
after, Amanda, in a wedding gown, was escorted down the aisle by her
father. Her father kissed her on the
cheek after they reached Joe, who waited for her with a smile.
"Whoa, get a load
of Dad," Phillip laughed, "and that goofy grin."
"Phillip…" Amanda
warned.
"What about that
goofy suit?" Jamie asked with a laugh.
"Jamie!"
"Well, he did look
a bit goofy," Lee admitted.
Amanda quickly
twisted around, "Lee!"
"But anyone would
look like that when you're the bride," Lee quickly said.
Amanda's features
softened and she smiled as she faced the TV again, "Bet you say that to all the
brides."
Lee leaned in close
and whispered low in her ear, "Just to the ones I marry."
"Lee!" Amanda
hissed. She quickly looked around to
make sure no one heard but her family was instead paying attention to the
wedding reception that played onscreen.
To take advantage of the moment, she twisted around and kissed Lee
firmly on the lips.
"Hey, Mom, who's
that guy in the punchbowl?" Jamie interrupted.
A heavy-set gentleman leaned over the punchbowl,
liberally poured punch into his glass, and ignored its overflowing onto him and
the floor. A horrified Dotty rushed
over and tried convincing him to leave the glass and go sit down.
"Uncle Iggy,"
Amanda and Dotty said simultaneously.
Lee's eyes widened,
"That's your Uncle Iggy, the wizard?"
Phillip paused the
tape, "We had a wizard uncle? How come I don't remember him?"
"No, sweetheart,
Uncle Iggy wasn't a real wizard and he passed away shortly after you were born."
"Actually, he was a
real wizard," Dotty corrected. "He had
a certificate and a robe and even a wand."
She turned to Lee, "Did Amanda tell you about my Uncle Iggy?"
Lee looked to
Amanda, "Uh, not exactly. It came up in
passing. Something about him joining a
cult and becoming a wizard."
Dotty sighed, "Yes,
well, at least he was a friendly wizard.
I've heard about some of those cults.
People join them, change their names, and disappear. But not Uncle Iggy. He came to each and every family event. Invited or not, he just had to be there to
provide his blessings."
"That's right,"
Amanda laughed as she remembered, "he gave me that little heart charm to carry
with me down the aisle. He said it
would ensure that the love I felt that day would be returned to me a
hundred-fold." Amanda smiled as Phillip
resumed play, "He was very sweet. My
gosh, I think I wore that heart for months after we got married…"
Trying not to think
of Amanda's love for Joe, Lee commented, "Anyway, it looks like he's enjoying
himself."
"Wizard or not,
Uncle Iggy always enjoyed himself when there was punch around," Dotty smiled.
"Especially if
there was champagne in it," Amanda giggled as she watched the image of her
uncle boisterously raising his glass in toast to anyone around him.
"Look at us," Dotty
complained, "your Aunt Lillian and I dragging him back to the table all by
ourselves. You'd think Aunt Edna would
have helped but, no, look at her, dancing up a storm as though she didn't have
a care in the world."
Amanda danced with her father and Dotty danced with
Joe. Dotty and Joe laughed while
Amanda's father kissed her gently on the forehead and then quickly spun her
around to her delight.
"Are you okay?" Lee
asked quietly after he felt Amanda stiffen in his arms. Amanda didn't answer but slowly nodded. Lee hugged her and Amanda leaned back
against him and pulled his arm tighter around herself. Lee kissed her cheek and, when he realized
it was damp, gently wiped away her tears.
Jamie heard his
mother's soft sniffle and turned around, "Are you okay, Mom?"
Amanda's father twirled her into Joe's arms and
quickly took Dotty back in his. Each
couple danced close together, oblivious to the antics of some of the children
also on the dance floor.
Dotty, who had
watched her daughter and Lee, quietly explained to Lee and the boys, "We lost
him six months after the wedding. This
was one of the last movies we had of him…Just look how handsome he looks. Just as on the day I married him…."
The screen
faded to black
***** *****
*****
"Ta da!" Phillip's voice announced as Amanda entered
the kitchen.
"Not too shabby for some ancient threads, huh,"
Amanda said as she ruffled her son's hair causing the camera to shake slightly.
"Amanda, the dress looks wonderful on you," Dotty
said as she admired Amanda. " I don't know why you didn't want to wear it. You'll be the hit of the reunion."
"Mother," Amanda groaned.
"What made you change your mind?"
"Change my mind?" Amanda asked as she filled a glass
with water.
"About going to the reunion," Dotty explained. "Not a half hour ago you were all uptight
about it, refusing to go, and suddenly you're all dressed up and running out
the door."
"Mother, I didn't really change my mind, I was going
to go, I just needed a little push," Amanda quickly said as she rushed to the
front door. "I'll be back late," she
called out, "I love you."
"And just who pushed
you?" Lee whispered in Amanda's ear.
"I don't remember
exactly," Amanda teased, "but it could've been someone who said something about
being the perfect couple."
"And who
did the pushing?" Dotty asked but Amanda was already gone. "And how are you getting there without your
car? What am I going to do with you, Amanda?" she sighed.
"What's the big deal, Grandma," Jamie asked, "it's
just a dumb reunion."
"Someday, Jamie, when you have children of your own,
you'll understand."
Jamie gave his grandmother a strange look and the
screen faded to black.
***** *****
*****