Cars And Sons
Chapter 4
It was the next morning as Lee woke, and as he looked beside him in the hotel bed, he noticed his watch said 7 AM, and found Amanda was not there, and getting up, saw the bathroom door closed and called out, "Amanda?"
Amanda answered softly, "I'll be out in a minute, Sweetheart, but I don't want any breakfast just yet. I thought we could go see Phillip, as soon as the visiting hours start, so why don't you let Mother know, and go ahead and get ready so we can all go, alright?"
Lee groused, replying, "Really? You want hospital cafeteria food instead of your usual flapjacks, pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, and toast?"
Amanda came out, and shaking her head at her husband answered with a giggle as she kissed him, "Flapjacks are pancakes, Honey! Besides, I don't eat all that, and you know it! I'm sure glad we were able to get some toiletries near the hotel yesterday since we weren't sure how long we'd be here. Would you please see if Mother and Jamie are up yet?"
And before Lee could go to the adjoining door to knock, Amanda went over instead, stating, "Oh, never mind, Sweetheart. Why don't you shower, while I get them ready, huh?"
Lee answered gruffly with a gesture, "What the-What's the rush? The visiting hours don't start until 8. We've got plenty of time. Anyway, Phillip, I'm sure, is still asleep. He won't even know we're there, and-"
Amanda, ignoring him for the moment, knocked on the door, remarking, "Mother? Jamie? Are you awake?"
Jaime responded, "Yeah, we are, Mom, but Grandma's already in the shower. Can I use yours?"
Amanda responded, "Yes, Sweetie...We're going to the hospital as soon as everyone's ready-"
Looking at Lee, who irritably went to sit on the bed, she answered, "Well, the three of us are going anyway...Lee wants to get a little more sleep, I think. He didn't get enough last night-"
Lee argued, "Hey! I just think it's a bit too early to rush over there when we have basically the whole day to see Phillip, you know?"
When Jamie came in with toiletries, stating, "Thanks," and went into the bathroom, closing the door, and a few moments later, started the shower, Amanda asked Lee worriedly, "Well, apparently, you're still not feeling right from being with your uncle yesterday. Want to talk about it?"
Lee sighed answering, "I'm fine...The bed here is a bit too lumpy and I had trouble getting comfortable. It's-It's not like our bed at home."
Amanda shook her head commenting, "Hotel beds can seem that way when you can't relax...Lee, I know there's something still bothering you. You were jumpier than a pole cat last night-"
Lee scoffed answering, "Really? I saw you were out like a light, so how would you know?"
Then, seeing the perturbed look on Amanda's face as she started to respond, Lee remarked quickly, with a hand up to her, "Okay! I'm sorry for snapping at you...Just tell Phillip I'll be by later, alright?"
Amanda, clearing her throat, replied stiffly as she went over to the bed to face him, "Lee, the reason I wanted to go this early was because Dr. Randall will be starting his rounds at 8, and the first stop he's making is to see Phillip, to see if the swelling has gone down some more. If Phillip has improved the way Dr. Randall thinks he may have after the examination he did last night, he can be released later today, alright?"
When Lee didn't respond, Amanda sighed and gesturing to him, answered, "I don't believe this! Fine! You stay and try to get more sleep if you can in that "lumpy bed" as you called it, while the rest of us go see Phillip. At least he knows we care-"
Lee immediately jumped up and snarled, " Don't you dare think I don't care about Phillip as much as the rest of you-"
Amanda, putting her fists against her hips commented in kind, "Well, you sure have a funny way of showing it today, Pal-"
Just then, Dotty, overhearing the cross words, came through the adjoining door, dressed and asked quickly looking at Lee and Amanda, "What in heaven's name is going on with you two?! Do you want the hotel to throw us out?"
Amanda and Lee guiltily looked at each other and shook her heads as Amanda softly answered, "N-No, Mother...We're sorry... Anyway, we're done talking."
Going to the bathroom door, she asked, "Jamie? Are you almost ready, Sweetie? Grandma and I are ready to go."
Jamie opened the door slowly, and holding his toiletries, remarked to his mother, "Just a second, Mom..."
Then going to Lee, Jamie swallowed and answered with a shake of his head, "Look, Lee...I don't know why you guys were fighting just now, and I don't wanna know...But y-you sounded like the way Mom and Dad used to sound before they broke up. If you really care about Phillip, then today should be about him, right? I mean...Just grow up already!"
Turning from Lee, Jamie went back into the adjoining room, shutting the door frustratedly, as Lee, Dotty, and Amanda all looked at one another stunned, and Lee swallowed hard replying as he glanced at Amanda, "Whew...I guess he told me, huh? I'm-I'm sorry, Honey."
Amanda nodded, adding, "I'm sorry, too."
Dotty sighed commenting to Lee, "Yes, Jamie is right about concentrating on Phillip today, but I think it may be wise for you to talk to Dr. Tenner after we get Phillip home, and work out whatever is going on with you."
Lee asked blankly, "Uh, who's Dr. Tenner?"
Dotty answered, "He's the family therapist Amanda and the boys and I went to after the divorce-"
Amanda then interjected with, "Uh, Mother, I don't think-"
Lee grumbled, "Great! Another "quack" like the one at work? No thanks..."
When Dotty gave an eye roll to Amanda and shook her head and left to see about Jamie, Amanda gave Lee an admonishing look, and Lee shrugged, commenting, " Sorry, but it's the truth..."
Amanda sighed answering, "Okay, I know how you don't like therapists, but she was only trying to help, and you don't have to go to him necessarily-"
Lee sighed, and pursing his lips, queried with a gesture, "Oh, c'mon! You actually do think I need to talk to someone?"
Amanda slowly shrugged, stating, "Only because talking to your family here isn't helping at the moment, and you've already talked to your uncle...Look, it was tough for the boys and I to go to therapy after the divorce, but we went, and as time went on, it was easier. Just please think about it?"
Lee slowly sighed and putting up a hand stated, "Fine! If it'll keep you all from worrying about me, I'll think about it, alright? Let me go get ready then, and we'll all go, okay?"
Amanda kissed his cheek answering, "Thank you, Sweetie."
Then as Lee nodded answering, "Yeah, yeah," and went into the bathroom, closing the door, Amanda knocked on the adjoining door stating, "Mother, Lee's coming with us after all..."
Dotty opened the door asking her daughter, "How did you ever manage that, pray tell?"
Amanda said, "Let's call it a little gentle persuading, and leave it at that, alright?"
TBC
