Chapter Thirteen

"Dinner was delicious," Ed said as he sat back, tossing his napkin on the table.

Rolling her eyes, Jillian stood up, "They were hotdogs and Ruffles, Ed."

"Still, they were good," he said, grinning at her. Glancing at his kids, he said, "Delinda, Joey, I want you two to clean up, okay?"

"Oh, Edward," Bette said, rising to her feet, "I can clean up, they don't have to clean my house."

"No, not the house, mom, but they can help out a little." Turning his attention back to them, he said, "Guys?"

Rising to their feet, Joey and Delinda began to collect the dishes and bring them into the kitchen. Standing up as well, Ed gently took his mother by the elbow and led her into the living room, "Come on, Ma, why don't you sit down."

"Stop fussing over me, Edward," Bette said, gently slapping his hands away, "you act as if I were the first woman to lose her husband."

Ed sighed quietly as he watched his mother sit down, "I'm just trying to help, that's all."

Standing up again, Bette announced, "I'm going up to take a bath."

Watching his mother ascend the stairs, Ed hung his head in defeat. Sighing deeply, he jumped a little when he felt his wife's hand on his back, "She just needs some time, honey," she said quietly.

Ed nodded sadly as he went over and sat down in his father's chair.

"Joey, hand me that plate over there," Delinda asked as she scrubbed a glass.

Sighing, her younger brother stood up and went over and grabbed the plate and gave it to her. "I've never seen dad so depressed," he remarked.

His sister nodded in agreement, "Yeah, well, he and grandpa were really close. It scares me that down the road we'll be in his shoes."

Joey looked at his sister, shaken by her remark. "I'm going to stop with the drugs," he announced.

Nearly dropping the plate, Delinda looked at him, "That's the first time you've ever admitted to doing anything, Joe,"

"I know," he sighed. "But I don't want this family to fall apart anymore than it has, so I'm going to quit. I don't see any need to tell them though. What mom and dad don't know won't hurt us."

"You mean you," Delinda corrected, shaking her head, "and I think you might be right. Dad would have a coronary if he knew the crap you were doing."

"I know," he admitted quietly. Seeing the pile of dishes in the sink waiting to be dried, Joey grabbed a tea towel and began to dry them, putting them back in the cabinets, "Granny really needs to invest in a dishwasher," he said.

"Mom, are you sure you don't want me to stay a few days longer?" Ed asked four days later as his wife put the final bag in the trunk. "I can stay and Jill and the kids can go back to Vegas, it's not a problem."

Bette shook her head and hugged her son, "You go home, honey," she said, "I'm going to have to face this house alone sooner or later and I'd rather it be sooner so I can get it over with."

Sighing softly, he nodded as he hugged her back, kissing her cheek, "I love you, mom."

Pulling back, she smiled and nodded, her eyes glassy with unshed tears, "I love all of you."

Looking at Jillian, she went over and embraced her, "Thank you for everything."

"Oh, thank you for letting us stay here," Jillian said as she hugged her back.

Nodding, Bette smiled at her and then looked at Joey and Delinda who were already in the car. "You two behave yourselves," she said, walking over and looking in. "Listen to your parents, they love you and want what's best for you, understand?"

Delinda smiled as she kissed her grandmother's hand, "I love you, Grandma."

Bette smiled and nodded, "I love you two very much." Stepping back, she smiled and squeezed Ed's hand as he went over and got into the driver's side of the car.

Once the black sedan had driven away, Bette turned and looked at the house, sighed heavily and made her way back inside.

"I'm starting to think that maybe I should stay here," Ed said softly as he sat in the black leather seat at the airport.

Reaching for her husband's hand, Jillian shook her head, "Eddie, if your mother wanted you, she would have asked you to stay."

"I know," he sighed, "I'm just worried about her. I mean, dad did everything. He paid the bills, he took care of the outside chores like mowing the lawn, did any painting that needed done, maintained the yard, how is she going to manage?"

"Well," Jillian said, sighing softly, "Bette knows how to read and how to write a check, I'm sure she can take care of the bills just fine, and as for yard work, there were several teenage boys who lived in her neighborhood, I'm sure she could hire one of them to mow the grass."

"Is that what you'll do when I die?" He asked looking at her.

Startled by the question, Jillian pulled her hand back and shook her head, "I don't want to even discuss that right now, Ed," she said. "Losing you is my greatest fear."

"But it'll happen," he said gently. "I'm not a young man anymore, Jillian. Heart disease runs in my family."

Looking at her husband, Jillian said sharply, "I don't want to discuss this, Ed."

Before he could say anymore, she was standing up, grabbing her purse and standing in line as their flight was being called.

"Mom's pissed at dad."

Delinda looked at her brother and then at her parents who were seated a few rows up, "How do you know?"

"Look at her," Joey said, "she hasn't said a word to him since we boarded the plane. She's just kept her nose buried in that magazine."

"Maybe it's an interesting article," she said.

Rolling his eyes, Joey said, "It's an in-flight magazine, Delinda. Trust me, there's nothing interesting. She's pissed."

"Well," Delinda sighed as she reached for her book, "it isn't the first time, and I doubt it'll be the last."

"I can't wait to get back home," he sighed as he reclined his seat.

"I miss Nessa," his sister remarked quietly.

"I miss my girlfriend," Joey said.

Rolling her blue eyes, Delinda said, "Melanie's a tramp, Joe, I bet she's been with every guy at El Dorado."

"Whatever," he said, closing his eyes, "You are just pissed that your boyfriend ditched you for a girl who can spell the alphabet out with her tongue while giving a blowjob."

She sighed deeply as she shook her head, reaching for the magazine, trying to see if she can't what grabbed her mother's attention as she counted down the minutes of the flight.